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Clearly, she didn’t expect the request Colin made would be this.

“What, afraid?”

Colin withdrew his finger, making no attempt to hide his disappointment.

Grace forced a smile and spoke in a coquettish tone, “My Lord Count, that is the legitimate son of Duke St. Prowse!”

“Are you afraid of retribution from the St. Prowse Family?”

“Yes,” Grace nodded without hesitation.

Colin flashed a smirk, “But even if you don’t kill Count Evan, Duke St. Prowse won’t spare the Brugen Family.”

Grace seemed to misunderstand Colin’s meaning, defending herself, “Duke St. Prowse won’t blame the Brugen Family for the defeat of the Huorong Army. Moreover, my father died heroically on the battlefield, he didn’t break his oath.”

“No, Duke St. Prowse indeed won’t blame the Brugen Family for the defeat of the Huorong Army. But, what if the Brugen Family voluntarily opens the City Gate of Huorong and surrenders to the Blood Knight Army?”

Colin then recounted his encounter with Mori, the president of the Iris Commerce Association at the city gate, and the task he gave him, to Grace.

Grace’s eyes widened in surprise, she hadn’t expected Colin to employ such tactics to slander the Brugen Family.

Yet, she had to reluctantly admit that such slander was more likely to be believed.

After all, compared to the unbelievable tale of the fifty-thousand-strong Huorong Army being annihilated by a mere three-thousand Blood Knight Army and the instantaneous fall of Huorong City, the possibility of the Brugen Family betraying the East Territory and siding with the North Territory seems more “reasonable”.

Grace was certain that once such rumors reached the ears of Duke St. Prowse, the Brugen Family would no longer be trusted as they once were, even if she continued with her marriage to Count Evan.

The strategic location of Huorong City was extremely important. Even if there was the slightest possibility of betrayal from the Brugen Family, Duke St. Prowse would certainly employ drastic measures to eliminate the threat.

Seeing the changing expressions on Grace’s face, Colin knew she understood. He chuckled, “So, are you willing to kill Count Evan now?”

Grace fell silent.

Colin didn’t rush her, continuing to enjoy his flower tea with an air of indulgence.

When she finally finished her tea, Grace finally broke the silence:

“My Lord Count, I think a ‘living’ Count Evan would be more useful to you.”

She’s still not daring to act.

Of course, perhaps she was simply unwilling.

Colin stared into Grace’s eyes, asking, “Why?”

Grace poured Colin another cup of flower tea, delicately choosing her words,

“My Lord Count, forgive my candidness, although your Blood Knight Army is invincible, they are after all few in number. While they can conquer, they can’t defend. Furthermore, with the imminent Orc invasion, you cannot mobilize a large force from the North Territory to invade the East Territory.

Therefore, it is inevitable that you will have to abandon all the cities in the East Territory you have conquered along the way, isn’t that so?”

Colin nodded, using his gaze to signal her to continue.

With a little more confidence, Grace continued, “But, my Lord Count, surely you don’t wish to leave empty-handed. Especially not for a strategically important place like Huorong City, anyone coveting the East will not easily give it up.

So, my suggestion is, you could use Count Evan to establish a puppet regime north of Mount Althus.

The Brugen Family will help block the path south of Mount Althus for you. As for the lords to the north of Mount Althus in the East Territory, I believe hearing your triumph over the Huorong Army will frighten them and they wouldn’t dare contest the Blood Knight Army.

At that point, if you present Count Evan, the bloodline of the Holy Knight Family, those Lords would undoubtedly follow suit and swear allegiance to Evan.

Thus, you could control half of the East Territory by manipulating Count Evan!”

Colin gave a faint smile, saying, “Sounds good. There’s just one problem.”

“What problem?”

“I don’t trust Evan. The lad has too many cunning schemes; he’s hard to control.”

Grace hastily replied, “I can help you! If you leave Evan in Huorong City, along with three thousand of the Blood Knight Army, I can promise you that the hand of the St. Prowse Family could never extend northwards to the Althus Mountain Range!”

Colin still shook his head, “But I also don’t trust you!”

“Why?” Grace pouted her rosy lips, arguing indignantly, “You can trust the Half-Elf Queen, so why can’t you trust me? Whatever she can do, I can too!”

With that, she gritted her teeth, sat on Colin’s lap, with her hands resting on his chest, striking a highly seductive pose.

A wave rippled through Colin’s heart and he instinctively wrapped his arm around the girl’s petite waist.

Feeling the warm, fragrant breath and the hot, passionate look in her eyes, Colin’s heart beats quickened.

However, Grace’s slightly rigid body exposed her inner unease. For this young girl, such intimate physical contact was probably a first.

Colin gave a faint smile, patted the girl gently on her waist to help her relax, but his words were ruthlessly direct:

“How am I to trust someone whose father I just killed?”

Grace’s body, which had just relaxed, stiffened again.

Right.

Revenge for a murdered father was a debt that could not be shared under the same sky.

Grace bit her red lip hard, almost to the point of drawing blood, her eyes full of sorrow as she looked at Colin.

As if blaming Colin for having to so mercilessly reveal the gory reality.

“So, what do I need to do for you to believe me?” Grace’s voice was now choked with the verge of tears.

Holding the girl with the mournful expression in his arms, Colin’s heart remained as hard as iron.

He would of course not be so easily deceived by the others’ facade. Up until now, he still did not know what the daughter of Count Brugen was planning.

But no matter how she performed, without a declaration of surrender, Colin would not trust her.

“Haven’t I already said? Kill Count Evan and I will believe you,” Colin stroked the girl’s swan-like tender neck with his hand.

“I dare not kill anyone from the St. Prowse Family!” Grace, mistakenly believing she still had room to negotiate, pressed herself onto him.

But in fact, Colin was just deliberating whether or not to transform Grace into a Bloodline.

What had happened in the village near Riverside city was still a reminder to Colin; a Bloodline might not be absolutely loyal.

He was still observing Marquis Vincent, another Bloodline, hoping to see if the latter could maintain absolute loyalty to him when interests were in severe conflict.

Before drawing any conclusions, Colin did not want to create another unstable factor.

Of course, if Grace was willing to kill Count Evan, Colin would certainly trust her.

Because by then, what would prevent Grace from betraying him would not only be the binding of the Blood Clan, but also their entangled interests.

Watching Colin’s eyes grow colder, Grace felt her hope gradually shattering. She hardened her heart and leaned in with her beautiful red lips.

Colin did not evade.

But just as he was savouring the girl’s inexperienced yet intoxicating kiss, a soft cough suddenly came from outside the living room.

“Get out!”

The orderly outside the door was scared witless, realizing he had come at a bad time. But considering the importance of the news he had, he still reported loudly:

“My lord Count, Evan Sanctus has been rescued!”