Work Prophet

The old steward looked toward the other end of the hall following the voice.

It was a completely unfamiliar face, clad in a rather peculiar black suit with a blue satin ribbon tied at the chest, embroidered with a pattern of unclear significance.

In his lifetime of service to the Sigros family, he had encountered numerous people, not just those within the Empire, but also Elf and Dwarf neighbors, and even visitors from across the strait in the Foreign Country.

These individuals hailed from various nations and city-states, each with their own traditions and etiquettes, and their attire varied greatly. However, due to trade relations that had been established thousands of years ago, even the most unusual outfits had some traceable origins.

But this person before him was utterly inscrutable to the old steward.

The style and fabric of the black clothing were completely unfamiliar to him, and he could not fit them into any known cultural trends.

This attire undoubtedly clashed with the existing noble dress codes of the Bratis Continent, yet no one with sight could deem it barbaric.

In fact, the strange short jacket, the naturally hanging trousers, and the trouser legs sticking out over the boots, each aspect if considered individually could easily be ridiculed, yet together, they created an unexpectedly solemn and dignified appearance.

And the sky-blue patterned satin ribbon, hanging like a long tongue at the chest, played a crucial role in enhancing the strange aura of the man who had suddenly interrupted the Arias family election.

Besides, the old steward paid special attention to the man's boots.

Like his clothing, these boots were also beyond the norm not only in material and style but in their overall cleanliness which was most surprising.

Apart from a few specks of mud near the soles, the boots' surfaces were as shiny as mirrors, gleaming under the sunlight.

By contrast, the footwear of everyone else in the banquet hall, including the noble family head of Figrola and Sir Leo, who possessed royal blood, was quite dull and stained with dust and dirt, and even with dog feces.

No one was more aware of what this meant than the old steward.

First, the leather material chosen by the man was of an exceptional quality, and second, maintaining such a pair of boots in such condition likely required a dedicated servant. The Red Lion Empire's Emperor Alexander had set an example of frugality among the nobles since the founding of the empire.

Thus, even the Imperial Family would not display such extravagance. Perhaps across the strait, those incredibly wealthy members of the Free City Gang, who had too much money to spend, might put on such a display, but what was the point?

Boots are meant for wearing and just by walking around the city, beset with puddles and muddy pits, even the cleanest pair of boots would soon become dirty.

Although puzzled, this did not prevent the old steward from recognizing that the person before him was of no ordinary origin, as further evidenced by his uncalloused palms and clean nails free of any dirt.

Thus, the old steward still spoke very politely, "Who are you, sir, and why are you disrupting the Arias family election?"

"Merlin." Li Yu stated his name, "I am Miss Ireya's advisor."

"Advisor?" Ireya's stepmother paused, then seemed to recall something, "Oh, I heard some rumors this morning. Ireya, in her desperation, hired a human as an advisor, is that you?"

As soon as she spoke, a murmur spread throughout the hall.

Miss Rabbit's face turned red too, and she frantically gestured to Li Yu, signaling him to stop talking.

However, Li Yu completely ignored her gestures.

Dias, standing close by, scoffed, "A human advisor? They don't even live to be a hundred, what valuable advice can they offer to their Lord?"

"The winners of evolution are never those species with the longest lifespans," Li Yu responded calmly, "otherwise the world would be ruled by turtles."

"......"

Dias was left speechless.

Sir Leo, ever eager for a bit of chaos, was the first to start applauding, "Well said!" He then eyed Li Yu with interest, "You don't seem like an imperial person, did you sail across the stormy strait to get to Bratis?"

"I'm afraid it was a bit farther than that."

"Wow, sounds like you've had a long and arduous journey. Maybe someday when you have time, we can find a spot in the city to have a drink."

"My lord..." the old steward had to cough lightly, interrupting a royal family member's idle chatter.

"Oh, right, let's handle the Arias family matters first," he conceded.

Seeing that Leo seemed quite interested in the mysterious man in black, no one else brought up his human status any longer.

Vanessa and Dias both shut their mouths.

The old steward continued, "You said you have evidence that there was clear unfairness in this election. As you are not from Bratis, I must remind you that in the Red Lion Empire, slandering a noble is a serious offense. If proven, you must publicly apologize and ask for forgiveness from the slandered party, and receive a whipping. So... do you still stand by your statement?"

Li Yu did not answer the question but countered, "I heard that nobles on this continent greatly value honor, is that true?"

"Indeed, honor is my life; in fact, given a choice between the two, even if I were to repeat it ten thousand times, I would choose the former over the latter."

Surprisingly, it was the seemingly indifferent Leo who was the first to answer, and he did so almost without hesitation.

Other nobles in the banquet hall, though silent, nodded in agreement, deeply concurring.

"Interesting, but from what I've seen, this is not the case."

"What do you mean by that?" Marquis Kuren asked gravely.

Li Yu did not speak any further.

After a moment, Ireya's voice echoed in the banquet hall, "Uncle, you said you would support me in tomorrow's election, is that true?"

Miss Rabbit shivered as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her because she had not spoken just then. Where was this voice coming from, and why did it sound exactly like her? This truly was bizarre!

Soon, more and more people started to notice this, and they were all equally startled.

However, before they could recover from the astonishment caused by this magical moment, something even more shocking followed!

This time, it was Antonio's voice that rang out, "Of course, even if you hadn't come to see me, I would still choose you, my dear niece. Everyone knows how close I was with your father Ruse. From childhood, we were inseparable, and he relied heavily on me after he became Lord of Green Field, entrusting me with the management of the land's taxes and the family's finances.

"No one knows better than I what he was thinking. Regarding the matter of his successor, the person he favored was you, not Blanco."

"Really, Uncle Antonio?" Ireya seemed somewhat embarrassed by the acknowledgment, "But then, why did Father send me to the Silver Moon Goddess' Temple?"

"Hahaha, having a daughter myself, I can particularly understand these matters. It's easy for daughters to misunderstand their fathers. Ruse sent you to the Silver Moon Goddess' Temple, not to make you a Priestess, but to foster good relations with the Church; it will aid you when you rule over Green Field."

"I see," Ireya suddenly realized.

Antonio was both shocked and angry, as this was a conversation that had taken place between him and Ireya the previous night.

This conversation had occurred in his room and was very private, and he was certain that aside from himself and his naive niece, there had been no third person present.

He was so bold in his statements precisely because he was convinced that Ireya could not prove these words had come from his mouth.

But now he realised that the way people in the hall were looking at him had begun to change.

But the storm had just arrived; the rest of their conversation was even more explosive.

Ireya said, "Uncle, can you swear by the names of the gods of Holy Mountain and the ancestors of the Arias family? Don't misunderstand; it's not that I don't trust you. I just feel uneasy tonight for some reason. I've tried everything but I just can't fall asleep. Hence, why I came to see you now. Can you help me?"

Antonio hesitated for a moment, then generously replied, "No problem. I swear by the gods of Holy Mountain and the ancestors of the Arias family that in tomorrow's election meeting, I will cast my vote for you, my dear niece, the future Family Head of the Arias family. How about that, does it make you feel a bit better?"

"I feel much better now, truly, thank you so much, Uncle."

"Hahaha, that's good. Now go to sleep. Tomorrow, you're going to be the next Family Head of the Arias family. It's a big day in your life."

......

"No, don't listen, don't listen, this is fake! It's a trick! Yes, it must be some evil trick from the other side of the strait. I never said such a thing! This despicable foreigner has somehow forged my voice and my niece's! You must not believe him!!! Last night he was definitely not in my room; no such technology exists in this world that can record voices!"

Antonio roared, his whole being like an enraged bull, repeatedly bellowing out. Yet despite his efforts, many still detected the fear and panic hidden in his words.

Currently, he looked rather fierce but inwardly fearful.

And it was still his own voice that crushed him.

"No, don't listen, don't listen, this is fake! It's a trick! Yes, it must be some evil trick from the other side of the strait. I never said such a thing! This despicable foreigner has somehow forged my voice! You must not believe him!!! Last night he was definitely not in my room; no such technology exists in this world that can record voices!"

Antonio's voice, strained and hoarse, echoed repeatedly in the banquet hall, exactly as before!

In this moment, it was as if an invisible ghost was repeating every word of the poor man.

Antonio was even afraid to argue further; the man was virtually paralyzed with fear, dreading that speaking out might prompt another "buy one, get one free" situation.

"Unfortunately, in my homeland such means do exist." Li Yu said calmly, pulling out his right hand from his pocket.

"Just now, I released a portion of the conversation that Antonio and Ireya had last night, a conversation that I recorded clearly. If the gentlemen here still wish to follow the glorious tradition of the Bratis Continent, treating oaths as their life, then Antonio's vote should rightfully belong to Ireya."