Karl watched the figure vanish beyond the gate and let out a wry laugh.

"Hmph! What’s your name to me? After today, we’ll never cross paths again."

Sure, she was stunningly beautiful—but she was the villain. No getting around that.

Getting tangled up with a villain meant certain death.

Besides, he was already married. If Freya found out he’d been flirting outside… yikes. One swing of a cleaver and he’d be history.

Hmmmmmm…

"Did I even flirt?"

"No way~~~~"

"How is that flirting?!"

"That was saving a life!! Pure and simple!"

Muttering inwardly, Karl quickly tidied the scene, stepped out of the warehouse, and locked the gate behind him.

"Karl, all done?"

No sooner had the lock clicked than his portly father-in-law, Count Watt, ambled over.

"Mission accomplished, sir. Everything’s handled."

He’d not only moved the cargo—he’d also dodged a family beheading crisis.

Truly, no better son-in-law existed in this world.

Count Watt chuckled, clapping Karl’s shoulder. "Young folks sure have stamina! I’d still be sweating over this tomorrow."

*Karl’s thoughts raced: "Who said ‘I’ll drop by when free’? Yeah, right. Never trust the boss."*

"Take the carriage home first. I’ll bring your wages tonight. The guild’s auditing accounts—I’ll be late."

"Wages?!" Karl blinked. He’d assumed this was just family help.

"Of course! Even family labor has costs. You’ll learn once you join the guild." Count Watt added with a wave, "Not much though. After tax… about thirty copper coins."

Karl nodded. Thirty coppers covered two days’ living expenses. Fair.

"I’ll take my leave then. Please head home early too, Father-in-law." He bowed and turned away.

After Karl left, Count Watt muttered:

"Budgeted one silver coin. Minus fifty coppers tax… fifty left. Then deduct twenty more. Heh—he just funded a dozen beers! Kid’s still green. Out there? He’d get eaten alive."

Chuckling, he waddled toward his office, spirits soaring after stashing another secret beer fund from his wife.

Inside, he bypassed his chair, twisted the vase on the bookshelf.

The bookcase slid aside with a soft grind, revealing a hidden staircase.

Lamp in hand, Count Watt descended into the narrow passage—tight for his frame—but soon reached a bright, spacious chamber.

Someone already waited.

None other than the breathtaking Calis.

"Greetings, Guild Master." Calis bowed deeply.

Watt nodded. "The guard roster?"

Calis presented a parchment scroll. "Mission accomplished."

He skimmed it, rolled it shut. "I’ll verify each guard’s strength. During the Freedom Festival, we eliminate all security within thirty minutes—to clear your path to the prince."

"Understood."

Watt frowned at her pale face. "You look unwell. What happened?"

Calis lowered her eyes. "Poisoned by the city lord’s ‘Blaze’ toxin during the assassination. Nearly died."

"Blaze?!" Watt’s brows shot up. "That’s incurable! How are you standing?"

"If Karl—the young man in your warehouse—hadn’t healed me…"

"!!!!??" Watt’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"You mean… Karl neutralized Blaze?!"

"Yes."

"Truly?"

"I dare not lie."

Watt exhaled slowly. "So his so-called ‘Zhongyi’… actually works. I dismissed it as fantasy."

He knew Karl dabbled in medicine—but never took it seriously.

Calis hesitated. "May I ask… who is Karl?"

"Freya’s husband. My son-in-law."

A flicker of shock crossed Calis’s face before vanishing.

*Wait… I just… made the Guild Master’s daughter a cuckold?!*

Unnoticing her expression, Watt pressed: "Why save you? Did he know who you were?"

Karl was upright, loyal—he’d never aid rebels.

"He must have. He not only cured me… but killed the city lord’s twin guards while I was weakest."

"!!!!!!"

*Killed Roy and Rod?! Peak Gold-rank warriors?! How?! Why?! Did he grab the wrong script?!*

*Unless… he knows my secret?*

Watt composed himself. "You’re hunted now. Leave the city. Take refuge at my manor—no one will search there."

"What identity should I assume?"

Watt smiled faintly. "I’ll give you one… that lets you keep an eye on Karl."

The next morning, Karl stretched awake in his spacious bed.

Freya had already left for training. Even Ling, his assigned maid, was nowhere.

*Expecting Ling to actually serve me? Maybe in the next life.*

He stood—

—and froze. A figure stood beside his bed.

"Who’s there?!" Panic flashed across his face.

Then sheer terror.

It was Calis. The woman from the warehouse.

Dressed in a snug black-and-white maid outfit, she bowed slightly and murmured:

"Good morning, Master."