Imperial Crown.

Chapter 556 Truly Not Affectionate About Women (Part 2)

It's quiet at night.

A biting wind howled, and in an instant, ice shards the size of fingertips poured down. They pounded against the castle walls, windowsills, and glass… producing a crackling sound like bamboo shoots bursting open. It was as if a drummer was whispering in his ear, striking the drumhead with the most rapid rhythm. Raven, holding a wine glass, crossed his arms and quietly gazed out the window. In a short while, the ice shards that had been the size of fingertips had solidified into egg-sized pieces, like a mother's knitted sweater with thousands of knots, densely covering everything in the world.

To be honest, Raven really didn't want to go. But judging from Patty's expression, she clearly had no intention of leaving or remarrying. "Using her like a precious gem, discarding her like a worn-out shoe" isn't Raven's style. If nine years couldn't exhaust the feelings and expectations in someone's heart, then Raven had no choice but to give in.

After finishing his drink, Raven dragged his weary body toward Patty's room.

Seemingly waiting specifically for Raven's arrival, the door wasn't even closed, just a crack between his fingers. Raven pushed the door open and locked it from the inside. He then took off his shoes and clothes and threw them haphazardly on the floor. Entering the bedroom, it was quiet and dimly lit. Under the covers, the bedspreads were arranged in a staggered, mountain-like pattern, clearly indicating that Patty had been waiting for a long time. However, she had completely hidden herself under the covers; it seemed that years of not having served a man in bed had made her somewhat reserved.

Raven, shirtless, with a lean physique that wasn't overly muscular but had clearly defined abs, slowly approached the bed and pulled back the covers.

"what--!!!"

However, the next moment, Raven's face contorted as if he had seen a ghost. He stumbled backward and fell to the ground with a thud, his head hitting the cabinet door hard with a loud "thud".

"grown ups!"

"master!"

One after the other, soft cries rang out from inside the room.

"Ah~ Hiss!" Raven clutched his head in pain. At this moment, he had lost all his passion. A mixture of pain and fear filled his body, and he felt as if half of his soul and spirit had been lost in an instant.

"You—" "What are you two up to?" "Don't you know you can scare someone to death?!" Raven snapped, slightly annoyed. He was genuinely angry. Because the person lying in bed wasn't Patty at all. It was Fiona, dressed in a new set of sexy lace lingerie from Angel Feather! With short silver hair, she was incredibly thin, and her perpetually hunched posture gave her a slightly hunched back. Her flawless skin, though fair, was covered in goosebumps, a grotesque sight, whether from guilt or nervousness. Her breasts, still undeveloped (I've marked them with asterisks), were small and flat, even smaller than Raven's. They offered no appeal whatsoever. This expensive sexy lace lingerie was a complete waste on the skinny Fiona. And she even had red lipstick on. Imagine being in a dimly lit room. Who could guarantee they wouldn't be so terrified they'd wet themselves if they saw this scene without any warning?

"I'm so sorry, sir! It's...it's all my fault, it was all my idea!" Patty quickly knelt beside Raven, forcefully prying apart his hands that were covering his head to check if they were bleeding. She then blew on them and rubbed them, before holding Raven's head in her arms. Patty was also wearing a set of sexy lingerie in a completely different style. Raven glanced at her; she was indeed much more pleasing to the eye. So, it seems women look better with a bit more flesh.

After helping Fiona back into bed and supporting Raven as he sat up, Patty turned on the magic lamp and hurriedly grabbed some ice, applying it to the side of Raven's head. A visibly raised, icy bump had formed, making it look like Raven had grown a horn. Patty couldn't help but burst out laughing as she applied the ice.

Raven: ...

"You still have the nerve to laugh?" Raven, still shaken from the near-fatal fright, glanced at Patty, then at Fiona, who was hiding under the covers with only her beautiful eyes showing, and asked angrily, "What do you mean? What's going on?"

“Sir, you can’t blame us.” Patty said coquettishly, “You haven’t looked at me once in all these years.” “I…” “Fiona and I have normal needs too.” “It just so happens that Angel Feathers went on sale, but sales were not good, so the two of us…” Patty was a little embarrassed and couldn’t finish her sentence, but Raven understood perfectly.

Wow
Raven pulled open the drawer of the small cabinet he had just bumped into. He remembered that this cabinet wasn't here. Something was definitely amiss! Sure enough, it was filled to the brim with all sorts of toys, as well as a lot of lubricant and similar items. It seemed the two of them were quite skilled at operating an excavator, and had done so many times. However, Raven was puzzled. He glanced sideways at Fiona on the bed and said, "I remember Howell really liked you, didn't he? Why didn't you agree? Are you out of your mind?" "Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Raven hadn't finished speaking when a sharp pain shot through his head, making him wince in pain.

"Do you tube!"

Fiona angrily pulled the blanket over her head and hid inside, refusing to come out.

“Sir, it’s really not Nana’s fault… I thought you didn’t like me anymore, so I begged Nana to help me like this,” Patty said softly from the side. “I thought this way, you could stay occasionally.” “Please don’t blame Nana.”

Raven rolled his eyes speechlessly. "I've said it before, I'm really not into women." "Why don't you guys believe me?" "Why do you have to slander me like this?" Raven was a little angry, so he yanked the blanket off. Since things were already like this, he figured he might as well take a look and feast his eyes.

After he finished speaking, Petty and Fiona both looked puzzled, staring at Raven with unfamiliar eyes as if they didn't recognize him. Raven felt extremely uncomfortable under their gazes, as if what he had just said was some kind of outrageous absurd theory.

The blankets were removed, and Fiona seemed flustered, instinctively curling up. But then, as if remembering something, she sprawled out, letting Raven observe her. Raven flicked the pink bells on her supple lace dress and patted Fiona's shoulder. "Fiona! Your grandfather, Mr. Gordon, saw two generations of Griffith family heads pass away! He served me for over ten years, serving three generations of family heads in total! You could say he dedicated his entire life to the Griffith family! I absolutely cannot betray him! I cannot do anything to disappoint him! What you're doing is a complete insult to me," Raven said sincerely.

Fiona: ...

Then Raven looked at Patty, pulled her close, and made her stand before him like a greenhorn. He said earnestly, "Patty, you've been with me since you were a teenager, right? Do you know that once a man is over 25, he becomes very rational and mature? His mind is only focused on his career!" "And I'm already 36!" "I feel..." "What we need more between us is Platonic love. It's a spiritual exchange, a fusion of souls, you understand?" "Besides, I, Raven, have always been a person of high moral character. In the orphanage, I cooked for the nanny every day, swept the floor for the director… This kind of vulgar physical affection," Raven shook his head, "is too superficial, too one-sided."

Petty: ...

"Right now, I just want some peace and quiet. I can only chat with you guys." Raven sighed. "Who says there can't be pure friendship between men and women? Today, I, Raven, will set an example."

"Master, Master," Petty said somewhat flusteredly, "Who is Jingjing?"

Raven: ... "Tsk"

"...With you absent all these years, and the Razor Gang wreaking havoc in Snowmare County, our businesses have been greatly affected." "Besides the Wallace Hotel, entertainment venues like the Crystal Palace and the Paramount... have suffered the most, barely managing to break even." "Viscount Denise has tried to suppress the Razor Gang, but they are extremely well-hidden and powerful. I heard their leader is already a superhuman." "They've also killed many Eagle Army soldiers and Eagle Eye Guards." "They've risen to notoriety in Snowmare County in recent years, becoming extremely arrogant and conceited."

The magical lamps were set to a warm yellow hue. Outside, the cold wind howled, occasionally accompanied by the clattering of things being blown away or overturned. The castle had a temperature-controlled array, so the interior was cozy and warm, the dim, warm yellow light creating an extremely pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. Raven lay on the bed with his arms outstretched, embracing the two women on either side. He was still wearing trousers, only his upper body was bare, and he was only wearing one sock; the other was missing. Patty's small hands greedily caressed Raven's abs, while Fiona was very reserved, shyly burying her head in Raven's chest, not daring to make the slightest unnecessary movement. Meanwhile, Fiona chattered incessantly, reporting on the territory's economic situation over the years.

Raven frowned deeply as he listened. It was truly a case of "when the cat's away, the mice will play." The Razor Gang's timing, speed of expansion, and overwhelming power were all eerily suspicious. Could it be that the people of Snow Maple County had united to deal with him? Otherwise, how could a mere underground gang be so rampant?

"Over the years, to support your campaign against the Orc Empire, the territory's surplus has dwindled considerably." "I, Petty, and even Viscount Denise have sold off a lot of things." "Otherwise, even the castle wouldn't have been able to keep running." "Viscount Denise has been ridiculed quite a bit because of the simplicity of her castle." Fiona said sadly, finally mustering the courage to raise her head, "My Lord... Marquis, in my opinion, we shouldn't fight again this time! War is just too expensive, too expensive." "The pensions and subsequent expenses alone could keep the entire territory idle for two years." "It's fortunate that you had Simon write to say that the Papacy doesn't need to provide any more money." "Otherwise, those magic crystal cannons, food, birds of paradise, the Holy Knights, the Divine Kingdom Radiance Array... could have eaten up the entire territory's economy for the next 10 years!" Fiona said. Her eyes welled up with tears. Heaven knows the immense psychological pressure she endured every day from dealing with these arduous economic allocations and patching up existing debts. "Just the materials needed to operate a fifth-order magic array even once have drained the entire territory's savings." "Every day I wake up thinking about how to raise money, and it makes me feel incredibly exhausted and suffocated." "Master," Fiona's cheeks were already as red as boiled shrimp. She imitated Petty and called Raven "Master," half-pleading and half-whining, "Take a break, don't fight anymore. The territory will collapse if this continues." "If it weren't for the monopolistic profits from the Angel series all these years, a normal marquisate would have collapsed long ago with your constant meddling." "Just a few years of food supplies and logistical arrangements could have left the entire territory desolate, and all the serfs would have starved to death!"

To get Raven to take her suggestion seriously, Fiona even stood up and knelt before him, her toes pointing inwards. Her fair, delicate body, wrapped in sexy lace and bathed in warm yellow light, exuded an unimaginable, hazy allure. No one could resist such a feeling; one glance would be enough to make them explode. Including Raven, who was equally parched. But the weight of the topic was like a steel fist, completely crushing all of Raven's impulses. Back when he was a baron, he could still save a few hundred thousand gold coins. Now, as a marquis, he was in dire financial straits. Wasn't that a wasted promotion? Raven gave a slightly embarrassed, awkward smile. "So your silver hair isn't hereditary, but rather the result of endless worry and torment?"

"Hmph," Fiona thought, annoyed by Raven's utterly lack of decorum, and turned away in anger. Her arms were wrapped around her raised knees, her shoulders trembling, clearly she was shedding small pearls.

Only now did Raven's steely, straight-laced brain finally process what was happening. It turned out that Fiona, always timid, socially awkward, and incredibly conservative, hadn't worn that incredibly shameful, sexy lace outfit tonight at all, not for Petty! It seemed the territory's economic situation was indeed dire; it wasn't just a predicament, it was a dead end! After all, Raven was nominally a marquis, but his territory hadn't expanded an inch. The Bloodstone Territory, an enclave within the Orc Empire, was still a huge drain on resources. Furthermore, the Dragon Gold Merchant Guild was still in its early stages, lacking the trust of most, and constantly losing money to expand its financial base. No wonder she could drive this studious, obedient girl to this point. She was willing to sacrifice her body to seduce Raven in order to get his attention and agree to her demands. After all, Raven was used to being domineering and autocratic, and Fiona knew she didn't hold much weight in his heart. Moreover, in her usual environment, she wouldn't dare to blurt out all her private thoughts. So, she took advantage of Patty's pleading to stage this whole thing. The clueless Patty had no idea that Fiona had actually used her. Not to mention him, even Raven had only just found out. That academic genius is really cunning!

"Alright, alright, it's just money. I can easily make up for the deficit with a simple trick." Raven patted Fiona's beautiful back.

Fiona twitched her arm, the meaning couldn't be clearer—don't touch me.

Raven chuckled, amused. She really did have small breasts but a fierce temper.

"I'll show you something fun." Raven opened his pet pouch and released more than ten magical sprites inside.

Suddenly, the whole room was illuminated by a dazzling array of colorful lights.

"Wow!" "Master, what is this?!" Patty jumped up excitedly and shouted. Fiona also stared blankly at the group of extremely cute creatures for a moment. The tears on her face had not yet dried.

"Magic elves, I bought these especially for the two of you. Do you like them?" Raven said with a grin.

"Mmm," Petty was the happiest of all. She never dreamed she would receive a gift from Raven.

There was the Moonlit Iris, which radiated a bright moonlight but whose body was only the size of a fist; there was the Tegrmon, which could change colors and dance; there was the strangely shaped Papi-Yoomon, which pretended to be aloof; there was the Kangluolo, which had a garlic head and a milk dragon body... These guys had been holding back for so long, and as soon as they came out, they flew around in the air, making gentle and melodious calls.

These are practically the perfect remedies for depression and autism. They instantly lift your spirits and brighten your mood.

After explaining the functions of the magical spirits to the two girls and playing with them for a while, Fiona finally cheered up. Raven then took out more than 30 rare magical plants and said to Petty, "Don't waste your second-tier alchemist abilities." An alchemist, simply put, is a pill refiner in the cultivation world. They have an extremely keen sense of magic, but cultivating it is quite difficult, which makes it hard for them to learn magical spells, naturally resulting in insufficient strength.

"Mmm." Patty became even more excited. She had discovered her value to the master, and it proved that she was not useless or unwanted. At this moment, she was as obedient as a kitten.

Then Raven pulled out a dirty book. "You two take a look. Who can help translate this? It seems to be ancient vampire script." This was the notebook of Emperor Wattsgibb, a vampire clan member, which Raven had taken from Black Scorpion. "If possible, translate the formula for the Wing Potion first." Raven had originally planned to entrust this task to William, but who knew that guy would leave so quickly? Raven hadn't even had a chance to mention it. Plans really do change.

But this is for the best. The value of this notebook is self-evident, and entrusting it to someone as disloyal as William would be a potential problem. If he doesn't return, he'll never see its contents.

"Let me do it."

Fiona took the notebook and said, "The top student is indeed a top student; she quickly taught Raven several words."

"Tsk tsk," Raven said, smiling at Fiona, "While your figure isn't exactly to my liking, your vast knowledge certainly gives me a strong desire to conquer you."

Fiona smiled shyly and didn't reply.

"Alright, alright, I drank too much today, and I bumped into something hard just now, my head hurts like hell." Raven waved his hand, picked up his clothes, and said, "Goodbye, ladies, sweet dreams."

Raven turned and left.

Petty and Fiona exchanged glances on the huge, soft bed, both looking somewhat disappointed. However, Petty's face quickly lit up with a smile, for Fiona held a vibrating banana in her hand. In truth, no one knew that this vibrating contraption, a product of Angel's Feather, which vibrated when fitted with a magic crystal, was actually a hundred times more popular than clothing! Only Fiona, who controlled all the reports, was privy to the truth.

……

(End of this chapter)