394 Their Own Plans (2/2)

”No, without you, Beaulac, I would become Arthen's target. I know I am not able to handle him.” Claire smiled. ”He is too flamboyant and aggressive, and if he is the winner, it's a piece of bad news for all of us. He is for sure going to give us a very hard time. So, comparatively speaking, I would rather have you to be the Gold-eye Count.”

”So, what are you trying to say?” Lucien put on a confident smile as if everything was under his control.

Claire grinned, ”We cooperate with each other and teach Arthen a good lesson in the underground palace. After we solve the biggest trouble, we can have a fair competition. What do you think?”

”My pleasure,” Lucien answered simply, without mentioning anything that would take place after beating Arthen.

Seeing that Beaulac did not care about the following competition at all, in her mind, Claire was quite concerned. She had no idea why Beaulac seemed so confident. Before turning around and leaving, Claire reached out her left hand and held Lucien's, and her fingers gently scratched Lucien's palm. Her voice became deep and arousing, ”No matter who wins in the end, we can still enjoy a wonderful night together.”

”Claire…” Lucien was quite shocked.

She put on a sophisticated smile, ”Don't pretend, Beaulac. You even sleep with your father's mistress, and I am just your cousin. If you can awaken the blood power, Sun, we can even get married.”

The blood power called Sun required the pure blood, therefore, in many empires, it was very common that close relatives got married, such as the Rafati family from the Duchy of Violet, and the Gorse family was no exception.

Standing with her back to Lucien, the smile on Claire's face disappeared, and it was replaced with a sarcastic sneer.

Lucien slightly shook his head. Although he had no idea what she wanted from him, he was clearly aware of the fact that what he wanted was different from all of theirs. After a while, when Lucien walked close to the balcony, a blond man suddenly approached him and invited him to the balcony to have a conversation.

”Yes, Relph?” asked Lucien a bit impatiently.

Relph was another possible inheritor from the family. He was quite good-looking, but he had not awakened his blood power yet.

In the cold wind, Relph looked rather serious but also excited, ”Beaulac, I wish to work with you to beat Arthen. He is too powerful. If we don't unite, there would be no chance for us to win.”

”That's good.” Lucien's attitude remained uncertain.

”I know who your father is. He's the youngest brother of the duke. And I know you must have got a lot of extraordinary magic items or magic potions from him. You can't see my worth, right?” Seeing Lucien's attitude, Relph was a bit irritated. ”Look, I've awakened my blood power, Sun!”

”What? Sun?” Lucien was quite surprised.

Relph first looked back and then he turned around, ”This is my biggest weapon, and I'm now telling you this to show my sincerity.”

When he was saying it, a ray of sunlight appeared in his hand, which showed that he could use magic.

”I'm glad to have you on my side,” said Lucien using Claire's words. ”Our biggest competitor is Arthen. We first beat him, and then we see who is the winner.”

”Good. You're seeing this very clearly. I gotta go now, or Arthen would see us…” said Relph. ”By the way, be careful with Claire. It seems that she has been involved with the royal family.”

”Understood.” Nodded Beaulac seriously.

As soon as Relph left, the look on Lucien's face relaxed. As a senior-rank arcanist, sorcerer, and a member of the Review Board, Lucien knew that the power that Relph used to cast the sunlight ray was not his blood power! Obviously, Relph had his own plans as well.

However, Lucien did not care. He knew that none of the nobles could become his concern.

...

In the study of the Gorse family's manor, the old duke was reading a report carefully. Part of his hair had turned gray.

”Greed… Demon Greed…” There was a sophisticated smile on the old duke's face. Fredrick, one of the men protecting Beaulac, was right now standing in front of the old duke.

Fredrick nodded seriously, ”I've read the piece of parchment and I heard it myself, Your Highness.”

”Good. This time you will go down into the underground palace as well. As the invisible power for protection, you need to keep things under control,” said the duke seriously.

”Yes, my lord,” said Fredrick very respectively.

After Fredrick left, a figure covered with a long black robe sneaked out of the shadow in the corner, ”Why do you want to send him there? He's going to help Beaulac. Have you changed your mind and now you want Beaulac to win?”

The only duke only sneered. His eyes focused on the word ”Greed” in the report.