I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

The sacred mountain that had shrunk to the size of a fist at the sword guard suddenly expanded, and in the blink of an eye, it returned to a golden mountain that was more than a person tall. It was inserted above the sacred sword, and its entire body was filled with blazing golden light patterns.

Holy light poured down from the mountainside like a tide, instantly covering the entire main hall.

Not only that, the Holy Mountain continued to expand until it reached the ceiling. The Holy Mountain's unique aura of restraining magic was more than ten times faster than the old butler's magic spread.

The archmage leaned back slightly, and the magical pressure that had been slowly spreading was as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand and forced back.

Not only that, the oppressive aura of the sacred mountain turned back on the opponent, until the opponent coughed up blood and fell unconscious.

Ultimately, human mages below the level of demigod are like glass cannons, easily defeated by the Holy Mountain, which can counter most magic.

The aura of the sacred mountain continued to permeate, enveloping the entire main hall.

Ripples spread across the surface of the tea on the coffee table next to Earl William's wheelchair. He was about to stand up from his wheelchair to apologize when he was pushed back down by the oppressive aura of the Holy Mountain.

"This item of mine is a bit shy; I don't really like being secretly observed by people."

He turned his head to look at Lilith, the former princess of the demon race, who was staring at him and the holy mountain on his shoulder with her purple eyes.

"Look, you've scared Lilith."

Lilith blinked innocently.

She did feel some pressure just now, but the oppressive feeling was far less intense than when she first saw the sacred mountain.

Could it be...?

After a moment's thought, she immediately channeled her inner actor, her eyes brimming with tears as she hid behind Ji Tian, ​​her fingers clutching the back of his shirt, her voice softening, looking utterly pitiful.

"Waaah~ I'm fine... I'm just a little scared."

As she spoke, she sniffed, as if she were truly intimidated by some invisible pressure, and her eyes were clearly still secretly observing the reactions of everyone in the hall.

Maximilian's expression was subtle; for a moment, he was at a loss for how to respond.

He could tell that Lilith was acting, but the problem was that the hero seemed a bit unconventional, and one of the family's greatest assets had now fallen.

The other party can use this as a pretext to launch an attack at any time.

Strangely, Earl William's gaze was not flustered at all; in fact, it was rather meaningful. Then, the King of the South made a move that surprised everyone.

He slowly stood up, supporting himself on the armrests of his wheelchair.

The blanket slipped off his knees, and he swayed slightly as he stood up, but quickly regained his balance.

His gray hair shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the window; his back was slightly hunched, and his gaze was calm.

"Hero, it was my fault for being rude. I have offended you earlier, please forgive me, and we will make amends for it."

After saying this, he bowed deeply to Ji Tian and the others.

Maximilian stepped forward and raised his hand to help, but his father gently pushed him away.

Ji Tian looked at the former prime minister of the kingdom. He had come to investigate, so it wouldn't be good to kill all the suspects before the investigation was completed. That might just play into the hands of the mastermind. Besides, he was always one to be persuaded by gentleness but not by force.

A moment later, the sacred mountain shrank back to the size of a fist and was embedded in the sword guard. The golden halo also faded away, and the main hall returned to its original light.

"Your Excellency is too kind. I simply dislike being probed in secret. If you wish to know more about me, you may ask directly."

Even if you dare to bring it up, I wouldn't dare to ask.

Earl William sat back in his wheelchair, gestured for his eldest son to take the old butler away for treatment, and faced Ji Tian alone.

"I own several uninhabited islands in the southern seas. One of them is located about half a day's voyage northeast of Baiou Port. There is a freshwater spring on the island, and the beach is also nice. It is suitable for escaping the summer heat, fishing, and settling down."

If the hero doesn't mind, then consider that island my apology for my rudeness today. After defeating the Demon King, the hero can bring his family to settle here, and have a peaceful place to live.

What a joke! Do you think I'd be short of your two plots of land?!

Just as Ji Tian was about to refuse and try to extort something from him again, he heard the other party say:

"Hero, there's no need to refuse. Consider that island my way of apologizing to this young lady on behalf of my steward. It's also a token of my family's sincerity, and I believe this young lady is interested."

Ji Tian glanced back at Lilith, who had already dropped her teary-eyed expression and was listening with great interest, clearly fantasizing about her future life of leisure.

Well, now it's not easy to negotiate.

He nodded and said:

"Then I shall accept it without hesitation."

Earl William visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

As the saying goes, those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose. Sheldon von Wilhelm had been operating in the Southern Reach for most of his life, and he had plenty of money, connections, and trump cards at his disposal. The unconscious archmage was just one of his trump cards as the King of the Southern Reach.

But he knew perfectly well that his so-called trump card was of limited value in front of a hero who could unleash the Holy Sword, not to mention that he also had the help of the Church. If the other party wanted to, he could definitely make the William family pay an unbearable price.

"I heard that you, Hero, have come to the Southern Territory to investigate that batch of new artillery?"

"Yes."

"My nephew is indeed involved in this matter, but I can assure you that he is merely a pawn being used, not the mastermind. The real mastermind is probably someone else."

"Who?"

Earl William considered his words carefully before finally speaking slowly:

"When I was in the capital, I was devoted to the country and inevitably attracted the attention of petty people. I cannot be completely sure who the murderer is yet, but I have some guesses. If you are willing to stay a few more days, sir, I will find out the truth and give you an explanation."

The translation is: "He made too many enemies while serving as prime minister, and it's necessary to investigate who did it."

Ji Tian had already intended to investigate this matter thoroughly, so he readily agreed:

"Then stay a few more days."

As night deepened, candlelight flickered on the long table in the manor.

Earl William took his seat as the host, with Maximilian to his right. The real old butler stood by the wall, while Ji Tian and the others were seated opposite him at the long table.

Most of the conversation during the meal consisted of trivial topics.

When Earl William asked Ji Tian where he came from, Ji Tian only said that he came from the Eastern Territory, so he began to praise him lavishly.

"The East is a good place; the climate is mild and the land is fertile, making it more suitable for people than the South."

"really."

What Ji Tian really wanted to say was that his hometown was so barren that even the tax officials were too lazy to come to his door.

The meal lasted half an hour, and both host and guests enjoyed themselves.

When Ji Tian returned to the guest room assigned by the William family, the night breeze seeped in through the window cracks, bringing a chill.

Elena walked to his side, stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and asked softly:

"Do you think that old butler is one of William's family members or an outsider?"

Ji Tian closed the window and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"He's not just a servant. For a large family to go to such lengths to cultivate a Grand Magister, he must either be a blood relative or have a very deep connection with them. But he's not important."