Caesar's eyes slid over Billy, measuring him from head to toe, before he moved quietly to stand behind Robin. His voice was calm, clipped, and cold:
"I don't know who you are. If you want something, speak to my big brother."
"…What?" Billy blinked, genuinely caught off guard. "Since when do you even have a little brother?" His eyes darted back to Robin in disbelief.
Robin chuckled, resting an elbow on the table. "Well, technically he's my adopted son. But imagine him calling me Daddy in this body? That would be awkward as hell, wouldn't it?"
Billy nearly fell out of his chair. "Your adopted son? The young man who shook the entire kingdom… is your adopted son?!"
"Why so shocked? Haha! It's not like I never did the same thing back when I was his age. An apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Robin's laughter echoed through the room.
Billy let out a strained laugh, then shook his head. "…Truly, the Burton family is both blessed and cursed to have you. Blessed with your brilliance, cursed with your audacity. Robin, why are you even here at Bradley's Institution? Is this your way of hiding from us? Have we wronged you so deeply that you cut us off?" His tone grew heavy. "And does this mean Caesar will walk the same road, never tied to us?"
Robin arched a brow. "Why are you speaking like I've already abandoned the family?"
"Haven't you?"
"Of course not." Robin's smile faded, his gaze sharpening. "I wanted freedom—my own path, my own mark in history. That's all. Now that I've begun carving that mark, I don't mind reconnecting. But…" his voice turned steely, "forget my surname is Burton before you try."
Billy stiffened. "What do you mean by that?"
"Am I not clear enough?" Robin leaned forward, voice like iron wrapped in silk. "I mean I'll deal with you as a partner. Not as family. Don't bring me sentimental talk of kinship to squeeze me dry. My choices will depend on my mood, my satisfaction with your actions. The only promise I'll make is this: if there's ever more than one road ahead, I'll consider the family first. Nothing more."
Billy's jaw clenched. His old friend—changed, sharper, more dangerous than ever. "…With all due respect, what makes you think you even qualify to demand a partnership?" His voice was calm, but fire simmered underneath.
Robin didn't answer. He just snapped his fingers toward Zara. The little girl dashed off and soon returned carrying two talismans—one red, inscribed with a flame symbol and the number (6), the other a dark hide etched with a black orb and (5s) carved inside.
Billy's eyes narrowed instantly. Even from afar, he could feel the energy coiled inside them.
Robin plucked the talismans from Zara's hands and tossed them lightly to Billy. "Take them outside the city, somewhere secluded. Channel your energy into them and form these seals—" He demonstrated the Fire seal, then the Darkness seal. "Activate them properly and you'll understand. We'll speak again when you return." He pointed at the door.
Billy's gut told him this was no trick. He vanished wordlessly.
"Pour the wine, brat. You brought it just to let us stare at it?" Robin barked.
"Coming!" Caesar scrambled with the bottle.
By the time Robin and Caesar had drained two cups, a voice exploded from outside the window—shaken, furious, half-panicked:
"WHAT WAS THAT?! What in the hells was THAT?!"
Billy appeared in the doorway, drenched in sweat, clothes scorched, eyebrows half-scorched off. His chest heaved.
Robin smirked. "How was it?"
"Bastard! Why didn't you tell me to throw the red hide away before sealing it?!" Billy yelled, his voice cracking.
Robin threw his head back and laughed. "Hahaha! This way you judged its power properly. You're strong enough, a little burn won't kill you. Now—tell me, what do you think?"
Billy's voice trembled with awe. "It's… incredible. The red hide detonated with the force of a sixth-level cultivator's full strike—but stronger, wider, smarter. The sheer blast radius… the remote activation with a seal… This isn't just an attack, it's a battlefield weapon! You could use it in traps, ambushes—hell, even Saints could carry them as life-saving trump cards!" His hands shook as he gestured. "But the black one… the black one!"
Robin raised a brow, amused. "Ah, you liked that one more?"
"Liked? Robin—it hid me completely for five whole seconds! Do you understand what that means? With my speed, five seconds is enough to slit the throat of a general! Even one second could decide an assassination or change a battle. This… this shouldn't exist!" Billy's voice cracked. He stared at the talismans like sacred relics.
Robin folded his arms, smirking. "Fire and Darkness Talismans. Toys I made in my free time. So—do you think I'm qualified for partnership with the family now?"
Billy swallowed hard. Partnership? he thought wildly. With just a handful of Darkness talismans, the patriarch himself would get on his knees if needed. 'Partnership'? This boy could dictate the entire family's future.
Billy's voice came out hoarse. "How many can you produce per year? And… the price?"
Robin chuckled darkly. "Per year? Heh. I'm already supplying the Duke of Bradley with 100 Fire Talismans per month. Twenty gold coins each. But since you're family, I'll give you a little discount: 150 Fire Talismans monthly, fifteen coins apiece."
Billy nearly choked. Mass production?! His mind reeled. 150 per month—1,800 in a single year. With that stockpile, the Burton army would dominate entire provinces…
He steadied his breath. "…And the Darkness talismans?"
Robin sighed, rubbing his temples. "Those are trickier. Costlier. Even Duke Galan doesn't know they exist. Five per month. One hundred gold each."
Billy shot to his feet. "WHAT—?! DEAL!" His voice cracked again, but this time from sheer excitement. Even one or two in a lifetime would be a treasure. Sixty per year? For a mere hundred gold apiece? This wasn't a deal—it was a divine gift.
Assassinating generals, eliminating saints, crippling armies… with only coins. The scope of it made Billy's blood run hot. He clenched the talismans like lifelines, his mind racing toward the future of the family.