'Rumours?' Asher thought to himself in mild confusion. With his naturally absurd senses and Omni Perception, he had heard, loud and clear, every word spoken within a hundred-meter radius. Yet despite that, not a single person had dared to utter the actual details of the rumors themselves.

'Is that why this Knight Commander suddenly became so tense?' Asher questioned internally as his gaze briefly flicked toward the man. Even now, the Knight Commander's body remained slightly stiff, his posture just a fraction too rigid to be considered relaxed. 'I hope it isn't some personal, unpleasant rumor about me,' Asher thought with a faint trace of concern. Although he did not particularly care about most things in the world, that did not mean he was indifferent to his name being tarnished by baseless or malicious rumors.

"Let us proceed inside, Young Master, Young Lord Canestane, Tenth Sun," the Knight Commander spoke calmly, his expression carefully neutral. As he finished speaking, his black eyes shifted toward a knight standing a few meters away. No words were exchanged between them, yet their eyes communicated everything. In the very next instant, the knight vanished from his position, sprinting away at full speed without hesitation.

With that, Asher, William, and Finch stepped into the Whale Barony. Before they could even walk any meaningful distance, a luxurious carriage rolled forward and stopped directly in front of them. The carriage was etched with the Whale family crest, a literal depiction of a whale, unmistakable and boldly displayed.

The Knight Commander opened the carriage door, and without wasting a moment, Finch, William, and Asher climbed inside and seated themselves comfortably. After all, if they could be transported directly to the Whale Manor, there was no reason to walk.

"You may leave. I will be handling this personally," the Knight Commander instructed the coachman.

The coachman swallowed hard as the oppressive presence emanating from the Knight Commander washed over him. He nodded quickly, rose from his seat, and walked away without daring to linger even for a second longer.

As the carriage rolled forward through the streets of the Barony, William and Finch began introducing the Whale Barony in greater detail. They spoke about its layout, its customs, and the peculiar habits of its people. Asher listened quietly while staring out of the carriage window, his gaze drifting across the surroundings. He observed the style of clothing worn by the citizens, the children running freely through the streets, and the way people paused in their tracks the moment they noticed the Whale family crest engraved upon the carriage.

'I have to admit, the Whale family certainly has a sense of humor,' Asher mused silently. 'Using an actual whale as a family crest… talk about being accurate and precise.'

Within minutes, they arrived at the Whale Manor. The massive gates opened without hesitation, and the carriage continued forward without stopping even briefly. After passing through the grounds, they soon arrived at the front entrance of the manor itself. Once again, the Knight Commander opened the carriage door. William and Finch stepped out with calm ease and composed demeanors, followed shortly by Asher.

Together, they entered the manor through the front hall. The moment they stepped into the grand hall, they were greeted by a striking sight. Two perfectly aligned lines of servants stood at attention, butlers on the left and maids on the right, forming a clear pathway leading toward the staircase ahead.

The instant their eyes landed on the group of young men entering the hall, every servant bowed deeply and spoke in flawless unison.

"We greet Young Master Finch, Young Lord Canestane, and the Tenth Sun." Their voices echoed harmoniously throughout the hall.

Finch, William, and Asher each arched an eyebrow slightly in confusion, wondering why such an elaborate display was necessary. Before anyone could comment, a new presence made itself known.

Descending the staircase was a man with perfectly arranged brown hair and sharp red eyes. His movements were calm, dignified, and carried a natural authority. Walking one step behind him on the left was a woman with black hair and black eyes who possessed the same composed demeanor. To his right walked a beautiful young girl who appeared no older than nine years old. Her gown shifted gently with every step she took, yet she maintained an elegant posture well beyond her apparent age.

They were Finch's family, Baron Whale, Lady Vie, and Young Lady Rachael.

They approached and stopped in front of Asher and the others. Baron Whale spoke first, his tone calm and his smile gentle.

"I welcome the Tenth Sun to the Whale Barony."

"It is an honor, Baron Whale," Asher replied calmly.

Baron Whale nodded before turning his attention to the woman beside him. "This is my wife, Vie," he said as he introduced her. Although Baron Whale himself did not bow, Lady Vie dipped her head slightly in greeting, acknowledging Asher's status. Baron Whale then turned to the young girl on his right, his red eyes softening as they rested upon her.

"And this is my daughter, Rachael."

At the mention of her name, Rachael grasped the sides of her gown and lifted it slightly as she bowed. Her knee dipped forward in a graceful, practiced motion.

"It is nice meeting both of you, Lady Vie and Young Lady Rachael," Asher said politely, his tone gentle.

Despite the warm smiles worn by the Whale family, Asher's expression remained neutral, devoid of any visible smile. His purple eyes briefly shifted toward Rachael, who was noticeably the shortest person present. Everyone else in the hall stood at least over five feet eleven inches tall. By now, the maids and butlers had already dispersed quietly, leaving the family and guests alone.

'Can such a beautiful young girl really be called Finch's sister?' Asher thought to himself, his gaze lingering for a brief moment longer than intended. 'How can that goblin possibly be the elder brother of such a cute girl?'

Realizing his gaze had lingered too long, Asher quickly averted his eyes. He had no desire to be misunderstood or labeled something like a pedophile. An unknown rumor was already circulating about him, and the last thing he wanted was to add fuel to it simply because he had looked at a child for more than a fleeting moment.

Rachael possessed flowing blue hair and matching blue eyes that shimmered like polished gemstones. Both features perfectly complemented the blue gown she wore, enhancing her beauty and childlike charm to an almost absurd degree. Standing opposite her, Finch appeared utterly out of place in comparison. In Asher's mind, either Rachael or Finch had to be adopted.

Asher strongly suspected Finch was the adopted one.

After all, Baron Whale and Lady Vie both possessed well-maintained physiques and refined appearances, while Finch was… well, fat. The contrast was impossible to ignore. If Finch had known exactly what was going through Asher's mind at that moment, he would have vomited blood on the spot from sheer betrayal.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy New Year to everyone! Just wanted to say I'm really grateful for all the love, support, comments, reviews, and words of encouragement I received throughout the year of 2025.

They pushed me to become the author I am today. I don't really have anything to say, just happy to have you guys here with me. And this year, let's write and read more PEAKS.

Love, Your favorite greedy and shameless Author, LORDTEE.

Don't forget the Golden tickets, need them.

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