"Cassandra isn’t as clear-cut in its division of responsibilities as you might think."

"We were among the first batch of peace officers in Cassandra."

"Peace officer is actually just a euphemism for handling certain ’special personnel’."

"Those of us who were trained as operatives behind enemy lines during the war, our work was essentially finished after the enemy nation fell."

"Most went undercover as refugees infiltrating other countries, continuing their lifelong work of subterfuge."

"But there was another hidden choice, which was to join the administrative organizations of the newly established government. This option came with certain difficulties, for you had to fabricate evidence at the audit department that you could no longer continue your mission, essentially becoming what is termed as defective goods. What you gain is proportional to what you must give up, so now I am just a lowly peace officer."

"Mr. Gareth, too, came from that place with me, likely due to the rare understanding we have fostered over our many years of collaboration."

Lyle was overwhelmed with surprise. Although he had always thought that Ralph was a very capable peace officer, he had never imagined him to be this capable.

"But Uncle, why didn’t you continue with ’that job’? You could have had a much higher position."

"What is a higher position? A government official? A noble? A King’s Knight?"

"No, they are just as fragile as we are. Getting involved in this work, it’s hard to maintain any respect for any class internally, a well-placed dagger is sufficient to tear apart their so-called nobility. Do you know what the leaders of Cassandra used to call people like me?"

"Regicides."

"Many of my former colleagues are now criminals, or other lawless beings."

A legendary life, and this man, Raymond, had rejected the things that stir people’s blood.

"Why, Uncle Ralph?" The man had chosen the ordinary.

The fierce wolf reverted to his cold face, looking disdainfully at his nephew, who seemed like a fool. "You were born, and the Butler family has a new heir."

Holding Nia in his arms, Ralph grabbed the slightly flustered Lyle and headed towards the pouring rain outside the door.

"Alright, time to get down to business, reuniting for work after such a long time is indeed a joyous occasion."

Lyle turned his head and looked at Ralph’s invincible expression.

"Nia, what do you have in your hand?" Lyle noticed the envelope in Nia’s grasp, its beautiful light blue paper standing out amidst its surroundings.

Ralph’s eyebrows twitched, and in his contracted pupils, there was an emotion other than anger.

"It’s paper, and it smells nice!" Before she finished speaking, she stuffed it into her mouth.

"You little brat, spit it out!"

In the end, Lyle rescued Ralph’s letter from Nia’s saliva-covered mouth, the paper still exuding a faint floral scent.

Such hues and scents that seemed discordant with Ralph, who sent this?

"Lyle, give me back the paper," Ralph extended his hand.

But Lyle dodged, for he had seen the signature at the end of the letter.

Sharan Bennett, or rather, Verlet.

Could this be, a love letter?

An irresistible force took hold of Lyle’s body, and before Ralph could erupt in anger, he scanned through the entire letter.

Lyle was stupefied by the content of the letter.

"Is this... a wedding invitation?"

Verlet was getting married? Not to Ralph, but to a young Baron from who knows where.

Though it was a wedding invitation, some of the phrasing was odd. The Baron’s personal information, family background, wedding time, and ... an ideal refuge.

What’s going on, Queen Dreya is being coerced into marriage, Verlet is being coerced into marriage, is there some auspicious day recently? After re-reading Ralph’s information, Lyle had adopted an attitude that his uncle was the best in the world. And no matter how you think about it, Ralph is the suitable one, isn’t he?

It’s just that Ralph’s personal thoughts are unclear.

"Uncle, this letter, Verlet’s wedding invitation, I don’t understand it."

Nia’s palm gently tapped Ralph’s forehead, trying to smooth out the furrows between his brows.

"That Verlet, she’s asking me to disrupt the wedding," straight to the point, "she wants me to assassinate her fiancé, and she will take care of the aftermath. She even prepared a refuge to absolve me of the crime."

Why would Verlet request Ralph to disrupt the wedding was becoming apparent.

That ever-smiling Nalanniya Police Commissioner was waiting for a grim man to storm the wedding. Perhaps that was the arrangement of the Bennett family, and she left the choice to Ralph. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

This wedding invitation was not only an assassin’s commission but also a very straightforward love letter!

Verlet had made her feelings clear, and now, she was waiting expectantly.

"Uncle, I think Aunt Verlet... I mean Verlet would be a perfect match!"

Ralph looked at his nephew.

"Lyle, Alianna would be very angry."

Alianna? Lyle became even more irritated.

"This joke isn’t funny, Uncle! As smart as you are, you surely understand what I mean! And Verlet’s heart! I really hope to see her become my aunt! What about you! Don’t you have any feelings for her?!"

"She deserves better."

Is that it?!! Lyle felt like he was about to explode in anger, baring his teeth at Ralph. He once again profoundly felt that sense of compromise that Echel and Reed had experienced, happening right before him.

"I don’t know anyone better than my uncle! You...handsome, dashing...and unlike the common folk! You...you are distinctive...and most importantly, Verlet likes you!"

"Regicide is but the past, now I’m just a lowly sheriff. The Bennett family is a merchant family; marrying into nobility is a good opportunity for them to advance themselves. I don’t care about social class, but it indeed brings happiness to people."

Ralph’s gaze turned icy.

"Lyle, do not make decisions for others based on your own thinking, the world does not revolve around you."

"Alright, we have serious matters to attend to, let’s get started on your ’serious matters’."

Lyle bit his lip, holding the envelope in his hand.

"What about Verlet’s wedding?"

"We’ll discuss it when we get back, there’s still time."

Evasion, compromise. The once arrogant Ralph showed his weakness, his hero fallen before reality, while I’d rather he continued his arrogance.

"I understand, Ralph."

Lyle secretly slipped the envelope into his jacket, watching Ralph’s retreating figure with a sinister look.

If you can’t do it, I will do it for you.

To hell with this lousy reality.

I am Andrey, the Honorary Lich, the strongest new star in Spirit Summoning Studies, Mr. Cataclysm Plague Doctor of the Salvation Association, is there any reality I can’t shatter?! If I can’t even follow my own heart, I might as well turn away from the dark and follow Raymond as a cook!

In a place invisible to Ralph, Nia’s body turned into tendrils, dancing with Lyle’s magic power in the shadows.