Chapter 93: Chapter 89: Civilization and Barbarism (5th update!)<div>


    As the head of the Fischer family, Byrne still adhered to the necessary formalities on the surface.


    He greeted the two withposure and grace.


    “Baron Kesse, Baron Leander, I have long heard your names and have thought about visiting,” Byrne said.


    “However, the Fischer family has been so preupied with its own affairs that I, as the head, have been constantly busy and had no chance to make the trip, for which I apologize.”


    The orange-hued dragon eyes of Baron Kesse shifted slightly, and his gaze on Byrne was clearly hostile.


    “Well, it’s fine. It’s now our turn to visit you, Baron Byrne,” said Baron Kesse, his voice deep and unsettling.<div>


    “I didn’t expect you to actually be a baron. I just wonder whichnds the Royal Family will bestow upon you. I do hope it’s not one of those.”


    Byrne smiled faintly and said, “Whatever the Royal Family’s choice may be, the Fischer family will ept it.”


    His understanding of history andw, of course, made clear the source of the other’s hostility.


    The reason was simple: ording to Cyart tradition, the Royal Family was most likely to choose a vige surrounding Nasir as the territory for the Fischer family.


    From those “unimed Royalnds,” one vige would be selected to grant to the Fischer family.


    However, the three masterless viges around Nasir Town had already fallen under the control of either the Kesse family or the Leander family.


    The Fischer family was likely to be thrown a “meaty bone” from the jaws of one of these families.


    Byrne, still smiling, knew he would feel the same hostility if he were the one being asked to slice off his own flesh.


    The evident hostility from Baron Kesse and theck thereof from Baron Leander suggested that thetter might be the more calcting of the two.


    The two barons took their seats one after the other. Both men were Transmutation-level powerhouses with ill intentions, and the atmosphere of the gathering became tense and ufortable.


    The mood at the banquet grew increasingly oppressive, and the portly Baron Leander squinted his eyes, expressing his desire for a private conversation with Byrne in the drawing-room.


    Byrne agreed and apanied Baron Leander to the drawing-room.<div>


    Baron Leander, ever jovial, took a seat and made a proposal.


    “I have a suggestion, and I’m not sure what you’ll make of it, but if the Fischer family’s territory happens to fall withinnd controlled by our Leander family…”


    “Then, we are willing to pay a rent to maintain control over that vige. You won’t have to bother managing it, and the Fischer family will simply collect the money,” he offered.


    Byrne, considering the proposal, asked, “What kind of figures are we talking about?”


    After a moment of contemtion, Baron Leander stated seriously, “Fifty Gold Coins, annually, how about that?”


    Byrne was silent for a while before shaking his head. The price offered was far too low; it was nothing more than a polite form of plundering.


    The interests of the Fischer family came first, and he could not agree to such a deal.


    “Well, let’s wait for the Royal Family’s decree, then we can negotiate,” he said.


    Baron Leander wasn’t offended and continued with a smile, “You should hope the territoryes from Leander, we’re not like the domineering Kesse family. We’re civilized people who negotiate.”


    Byrne smiled nomittally.


    Fifty Gold Coins a year to wrest control of an entire vige—that was their idea of civilized robbery?


    “However, I truly do not hope thends granted to you fall under Leander territory. I sincerely wish to avoid any conflict with you.”<div>


    Byrne could see that the other’s temperament bore some resemnce to sea merchant John.


    They both had the manner of businessmen, reluctant to fight unless absolutely necessary, but if there was a chance for exploitation, they certainly wouldn’t hold back.


    “You needn’t worry about that, Baron Leander,” replied Byrne calmly.


    He waved his hand nonchntly and Vanessa walked in from outside, pouring tea for both of them before standing at a discreet distance.


    Baron Leander was somewhat surprised to see that the steward of their family was a disabled person, which hardly seemed fitting.


    Byrne had already noticed the other’s gaze on Vanessa’s leg, full of discrimination and disrespect.


    Vanessa smiled calmly, hands sped behind her back, seemingly indifferent to it all.


    Byrne took a sip of ck tea and said very indifferently,


    “Our Fischer family originally lived just outside Nasir Town, a stone’s throw from the jungle. It wouldn’t be wrong to call us barbarians.”


    He continued jokingly,


    “Decency and elegance are but a fa?ade for the Fischer family. Should any domineering family dare to bully us, they would find that beneath our veneer lies barbarity and ferocity, ready to bite the oppressor full of wounds.”


    After hearing these statements “self-proiming as barbarians,” Baron Leander gave a cold, mockingugh, apparently unconcerned by the veiled threats in Byrne’s words.<div>


    “Then, farewell, Baron Byrne. I still hope that the next time we meet, we are not enemies.”


    Once Baron Leander had left the drawing room, Byrne rose calmly from his seat. Beneath the savage ferocity, the Fischer family harbored an even more terrifying aspect.


    Secretive, cautious, silent, unforgiving.


    All their power stemmed from the great Lord of the Lost.


    Irene, looking at the hundreds of guests attending the banquet, felt a deep sense of satisfaction. The Fischer family had finally found its firm footing.


    By the time Byrne returned to the banquet hall, the entire event had already reached its conclusion.


    He approached Irene and the two exchanged a few words in private.


    After listening, Irene’s expression turned subtle, and sheughed,


    “They clearly want to snatch away Fischernd, yet they’re willing to symbolically offer fifty Gold Coins. The man is quite nice, haha.”


    She understood why the Leander family was willing to pay this sum.


    They were both greedy by nature and afraid to risk a desperate fight with the Fischer family.


    Thirteen-year-old Chris now had the qualifications to attend formal banquets.<div>


    He suddenly noticed a gaze and furrowed his brow.


    Baron Kesse sat in his seat, silently staring at him, with eyes like those of a snake or lizard, which sent chills down the spine, as if he had set his sights on prey.


    At that moment, Assistant Priest Zayne, who had retired early from the banquet to rest, entered the hall.


    Both Baron Kesse and Baron Leander could no longer sit still.


    The seven viscounts and twelve barons of the East Coast Province, of course, all recognized Zayne.


    The Tempest Bishop rarely handled matters personally; almost all significant issues involving the Tempest Church were usually attended to by Zayne, his right hand.


    Why was Assistant Priest Zayne here?


    The two, who had appearedposed at the banquet, immediately became respectful and hastened to greet Zayne.


    Zayne wasn’t particrly close with them, merely nodding calmly and politely as they interacted.


    As the banquet concluded, Byrne, apanied by a dozen servants, personally escorted Assistant Priest Zayne and the two barons out of Nasir Town.


    No sooner had they walked out of the estate than they saw hundreds of townsfolk gathered outside the main gate, blocking it sopletely that not even water could pass through.


    The two barons exchanged looks. Could it be that Fischer’s peasantry had rebelled?<div>


    Rebellions by the peasantry were rare indeed, given the overwhelming power held by the Extraordinary overlords.


    No matter how desperate ordinary people were, it was futile; even with flintlocks, they struggled to contend with true powerhouses.


    Zayne fell silent for a long while before asking, “What’s going on? Why have they all gathered here? Has the Fischer family gone too far in some matter?”


    Burning houses, massacring, looting, and torturingmoners were all toomon among nobles.


    As long as there were no mass casualties, the Tempest Church wouldn’t concern itself with such trivial matters.


    And why be concerned about mass casualties? Of course, because a high number of deaths might involve heretical sacrificial activities.


    Since bing a true noble, Byrne had also seen that the ordinary people who respected him also instinctively carried a hint of fear in their eyes.


    He had heard of the evil deeds Baron Hovern had oncemitted in Nasir Town, such as tying a family to horses and dragging them through the streets without reason, or suddenly taking a daughter from a family.


    That man, who was courteous and gentle in front of knights and the wealthy, was in fact a nightmare to themon people.


    The Extraordinary overlords werembs of the gods, and themon folk were nothing but grass meant for their sustenance, utterly bereft of any means to resist.