Felyn saw that Silafiel's hand was already on the door handle, afraid he would suddenly leave.

"Viloti's current situation is not optimistic, so I hope you will consider it carefully." Silafiel still wore the same amiable expression and didn't get angry immediately.

"The price is negotiable. Three times the amount is not out of the question. But you must not let Viloti discover the existence of the contract."

Felyn shook his head, not accepting Silafiel's terms.

"I am also responsible for what happened with Viloti. I didn't completely cut ties with her immediately after the contract ended."

"That's not your fault. If Viloti came looking for you and you impatiently drove her away, then I might have reason to blame you." Silafiel patted Felyn's shoulder, signaling him not to worry about this issue.

Silafiel had originally thought that Viloti wouldn't seek out Felyn after the contract ended. Therefore, as long as Felyn didn't actively seek out Viloti, their relationship would be severed.

But he never expected his own daughter would actually fall for him and constantly stick by his side.

What a sin.

Felyn really wanted to say that it was Silafiel who told him to stay away from Viloti, and if he had actually done that, Silafiel would have been displeased.

But he didn't dare say it out loud. "If we still use a contract to patch the loophole of a contract this time, there's still a chance Viloti will find out. That will never completely solve the problem, unless you are willing to pay me for a lifetime to cover up this lie."

"So, this time I don't plan to approach Viloti under the guise of a contract. I will privately help Viloti completely heal her psychological issues, so that even if the contract is exposed, she will have the ability to accept it."

Tell one lie, and you'll need ten thousand more to cover it up.

It would be better to slowly let Viloti accept the matter of the contract and break out of this cycle.

"A good idea, but what if it fails?"

Silafiel's thinking was simple. If it took a lifetime to maintain this lie, then he would just hire Felyn for a lifetime.

When the two of them got married, what would be the point of distinguishing between a contract and no contract?

Silafiel believed that his daughter, Viloti, didn't need to rely on a political marriage. She could lead the family further on her own.

So, as long as it was someone Viloti liked, Silafiel would be satisfied.

But the plan Felyn proposed had a certain probability of causing Viloti to suffer a severe blow.

Silafiel would not allow this to happen, no matter how small the chance.

"But I can't lie to Viloti for a lifetime."

After Felyn said this, the carriage fell silent, as if the world outside no longer existed.

Things had to come to an end eventually.

After a long while, Silafiel sighed slowly and said, "We'll do it your way. Let me know if you need anything, I can provide support. However, before you decide to be honest with Viloti, notify me first. I will make an assessment, and you can only tell Viloti after I agree."

"If it succeeds, I will give you ten times the payment as a thank you. But if it fails, you know what the consequences will be, right?"

"I know."

Felyn knew that if the plan failed, he would have to face Silafiel's endless wrath.

But he still wanted to try.

Not just for himself.

But for her.

"You still have the chance to choose my proposal. Won't you consider it?"

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Lord Silafiel."

Faced with Felyn's polite refusal, Silafiel didn't say much more. He opened the car door, signaling that Felyn could leave.

"By the way."

Just as Felyn stepped out of the car, Silafiel called out to him from behind.

"Do you like Viloti?"

The night wind carried a chill, swirling a few fallen leaves from the roadside past Felyn's trouser leg.

The faint sound of flowing water from the distant water feature only served to make the surroundings feel more deathly still.

"Yes, Viloti is very cute and has a kind heart, so I..."

Silafiel interrupted Felyn's all-purpose answer, "You know that's not what I'm talking about. You can give me an answer now, just so I have an idea."

"You know Viloti likes you a lot, right? She gets up early every morning to dress up. Recently, she even bought a ton of cosmetics, which she rarely used before. Now she comes home late, and the time she spends talking to me has decreased. Speaking of which, I'm really envious of you, you fellow."

Felyn didn't know how to answer for a moment, but Silafiel wore an expression that demanded an answer.

"I..."

"Isn't this Mr. Felyn?!"

A loud voice, like a stone, suddenly shattered the silence outside the car window.

Felyn and Silafiel looked out together, watching a figure slowly emerge from the darkness.

Lord Claude.

Adeline's father.

"Lord Claude?" Felyn didn't expect Adeline's father to still remember him.

Felyn's only interaction with him was during the incident where Felyn saved Adeline.

He had written Felyn a letter of thanks and given him many rewards.

And Felyn had only seen him in the family portrait in Adeline's villa.

Although Claude controlled the empire's military industry and his family members all revered martial prowess, he himself was very quiet and not at all burly.

"Silafiel is here too? What a coincidence."

Silafiel got out of the car and bowed to Claude.

Both of them were here for the evening's banquet.

"Mr. Felyn, I haven't had the chance to thank you in person before. If it weren't for you, my daughter Adeline would have likely been in danger."

Felyn suddenly found himself standing between two great nobles of the empire, stared at intently by both.

"It wasn't all my credit. Adeline also made a great effort at the time."

"As Adeline's father, I am also well aware of her strength. It's unlikely she could have killed a member of the Divine Cult on her own, so the credit still goes to you, Mr. Felyn."

Silafiel watched the two of them conversing harmoniously and suddenly felt a trace of annoyance.

Wait, why am I feeling this way?

Is this Felyn fellow some kind of hot commodity? Am I actually worried that Claude has also taken a liking to Felyn and wants to marry his daughter to him?

"Then I'll be heading back first, Lord Claude, Lord Silafiel."

After a brief chat with Claude, Felyn took the opportunity to bid farewell to both Claude and Silafiel, leaving this place of conflict and leaving the stage to the two great figures of the empire.

Claude leaned against Silafiel's car, watching Felyn's back gradually disappear into the night.

"Mr. Felyn seems like a pretty good person."

Hearing this, Silafiel's brow furrowed again.

"Claude, are you thinking of cultivating him?"

"What, are you afraid I'll snatch him away?" Claude turned his head to look at Silafiel and smiled. "What were you two talking about just now? I think I heard you asking him if he likes Viloti?"

"Are your ears that sharp? You could hear from that far away."

"Don't forget what I do for a living." Claude patted Silafiel's shoulder.

"Forget it, so what if you heard. It's about my daughter. I don't know what Viloti sees in this guy."

Only then did Silafiel speak his true thoughts: "Isn't the school festival in a month? I'll be going then too. If I see that there's still no substantial progress between the two of them at the festival, I'll tie him to Viloti's side."

"Tie?" Hearing this, Claude raised an eyebrow.

"They'll be graduating after the school festival, right? Viloti won't be able to see Felyn every day then. If I see my daughter sick with longing, you might as well just kill me."

Silafiel was a complete and utter doting father.

He absolutely could not accept Viloti with red, swollen eyes, whimpering, "Father, I still can't forget Felyn."

To avoid such a situation, Silafiel had wanted to use a contract to tie Felyn down, but he didn't expect Felyn to refuse.

That's right, the contract was just a front. What he really wanted to do was to tie Felyn directly to Viloti's side.

That's why the contract document he had just given Felyn had no service termination date.

If Felyn had signed it just now, he would have had to fulfill this contract for a lifetime.

As for the plan Felyn proposed, Silafiel didn't fully trust it either.

What if Felyn lost patience with Viloti? What if Felyn was no longer willing to accompany Viloti in healing her psychological trauma?

He couldn't just hand over Viloti's future to Felyn based on a verbal promise.

So Silafiel planned to take it one step at a time. If Felyn and Viloti's relationship was still the same as before by the school festival, then he would intervene.

Of course, kidnapping him would be a bit much. He could use economic and other factors to make Felyn stay by Viloti's side, just like the contract trap just now.

"Are you willing to marry your precious daughter to him?" Claude nudged Silafiel with his elbow.

"Of course I'm not. Are you willing to marry your precious daughter to someone else?"

Claude thought about it seriously and replied earnestly, "I'm not, but I want her to be happy even more."

Silafiel was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting such an answer.

"Why so serious? You're making me sentimental."

The two leaned against the car door again, chatting about some irrelevant household matters in the cool night breeze.

Then Silafiel got into the car, said his goodbyes, and, like Felyn, disappeared at the end of the tree-lined road.

Claude stood where he was, his smile slowly fading as Silafiel left.

He took out a sigil from his pocket and tapped on a name.

After a short waiting tone, a sleepy yet still clear female voice sounded.

"Father, it's so late. Is something the matter?"

Claude looked into the night and slowly said,

"Adeline, your boyfriend... is about to be snatched away."