"Big brother, why did you tell me to do my best? The spectators' reactions made me uneasy… I fear today's events will not go unnoticed," Caesar said as he walked behind Robin.
"Don't worry," Robin replied firmly, "everything is under control. But I need you for another urgent task."
"What is it? Just say the word." Caesar struck his chest with his fist.
"Take Peon and clean house No. 208. Burn the trash, keep the valuables, divide them among yourselves. From now on, I want peace in my house."
"Haha! Then today we move. You'll have your peace, big brother—I want to see who dares touch us again."
They reached the residential area quickly, but when they approached their home, a carriage drawn by mighty horses blocked the way. Uncle Brown stood waiting.
"Mr. Caesar, Lady Mila requests your presence. Please follow me," Brown announced.
Caesar said nothing. Instead, he looked to Robin, waiting.
Robin smiled. "Lady Mila is our protector—it's only natural to show her respect. Let's go. Peon, you handle house 208 alone."
Brown frowned at the unexpected addition, but said nothing. He only sighed and gestured. "Very well. Get in the carriage. We leave immediately."
The ride took barely ten minutes. Soon they were ushered into the familiar grand hall. This time, a mature beauty sat at the center, radiant and composed.
"Caesar Burton," Mila said with a wide smile, "when I first saw you, I thought you were a side character. Who would have thought you were the true star? Come—let us remake our relationship." She pointed to the empty seat before her.
Before Caesar could move, the doors slammed open.
"Hahaha! Mila, looks like you've found us a real gem this time."
A towering man strode in, aura pressing down on the hall like a mountain. Mila's frown deepened.
"Father…"
It was Galan Bradley—the Duke himself, head of the Bradley family and ruler of the duchy.
His gaze swept the room before settling on Caesar. "This aura… no ordinary eighth-level cultivator could produce it. Good. Very good." He patted Caesar's shoulder twice, then pointed to the seat beside him.
But Caesar didn't move. His eyes went only to Robin.
That was the moment Galan truly noticed him.
Irritation flared when Robin calmly took the seat instead, while Caesar stood silently behind him.
"Who told you to sit down?!" the Duke thundered.
Robin's smile was unshaken. "Your Grace, you're mistaken. The one you want seated here is me, not my brother."
"You? I wanted the young genius, the one hailed as the kingdom's number one talent. Is that you?" Galan sneered.
"No," Robin said lightly, "but I made him."
"What do you mean?"
Robin leaned forward. "Let's not waste time. Lady Mila invited us here, and you came yourself—not to congratulate Caesar, but to seize what he revealed in the arena. You want the white flame, don't you?"
Galan smirked. "Sharp tongue for a weakling. Yes—I want it."
"But you won't have it."
"And who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do?!" Galan's roar shook the chamber.
"Me? Just a mad scientist," Robin said, still smiling. "But not one from the gutter. I am of the Burton family, from the Duchy of Alton."
Mila snapped, "Don't you dare play that card! Your family doesn't even know you're here. If your ties were so strong, why did you come begging for shelter?"
Galan laughed harshly. "Hah! Threatening me with a family that barely holds an earldom? Do you even grasp the difference between a Duke and an Earl?"
Robin waved her words aside. "More than a thousand people saw what Caesar did today. His name is already spreading like wildfire—no doubt the Burtons have heard of him by now.
And as for why I came here instead of returning home—it's not because of grudges. I simply dislike being at anyone's mercy."
"…Yet you are at ours now," Mila said coldly.
"No, my lady. Perhaps hours ago. But not anymore. Not after my greatest creation—Caesar Burton—has shaken the kingdom.
What's a Duke or an Earl? Caesar will become a sage at the very least. Striking us would be a crime against a future powerhouse… a crime against the Duchy of Alton, and the Black Sun Kingdom itself. The Burtons may be nothing to you—but what of the Altons?"
"You shameless brat," Mila snapped. "Do the Altons even know you? Do you think they'll care if you and your brother vanish today?"
Robin's eyes gleamed. "It doesn't matter if they care. It's politics, isn't it? The Altons would use us. If we return home, they'll exploit us. If you harm us, they'll exploit you. Either way, blood is just an excuse—the game is always power.
Any move against me now… would be a very foolish mistake."
For a long moment, silence reigned. Then Galan's eyes narrowed. "…So you used us to slip your family's leash. And now you use your family to shield yourself from us."
"That's right, Your Grace." Robin's smile widened. "I'm simply balancing the scales."