'Friends…'

After hearing Vaan mention the word, Acharon suddenly felt guilty. He couldn't believe he tried to destroy his martial future by getting him banned from the Martial Arts Repository.

Fortunately, the situation didn't escalate to that point.

"Young Master Vanderlin, I'm glad to have a friend like you," Acharon sincerely said before seeking his help, "In your opinion, do you think my family is safe since we haven't completed the transaction?"

"Not necessarily, Young Master Acharon," Vaan calmly replied.

At the same time, he silently thought, 'Your family isn't safe because I just robbed your treasury clean… You can escape the disaster of wealth but not the disaster of poverty…'

In truth, the Evron family wouldn't face the threat of bankruptcy or decline even though their treasury had been robbed clean. It still had its surface-level wealth and various businesses. The loss of wealth only stopped the Evron family from growing and expanding; it wouldn't force the Evron family into decline and ruin.

In other words, the Evron family's development would simply stagnate for the following dozens of years as the Evron family re-

accumulated its wealth.

"Oh? What kind of other danger is there?" Acharon asked with a startled look.

"On my way here, I was obviously followed by several different parties, Young Master Acharon. It's quite clear that news of my Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill and my visit to your family had been leaked. As such, even if we hadn't completed the transaction, others would still know that I came to sell the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill to your family. And if others knew of this matter, Duke Gamliel would likely know too."

"Ahh…"

Acharon felt pained in his heart after listening to Vaan's reasoning. His father had been the one who secretly leaked the news in hopes of it reaching Duke Zaahir's faction.

This was a devious move to cut off Vaan's path of retreat and forcefully bring him over to Duke Gamliel's side. After all, Vaan couldn't go back to Duke Zaahir's faction if the other party believed he was a traitor.

Acharon didn't expect that this move from his father would backfire on them.

Karma was certainly a bitch.

"Of course, we just have to make it seem like that wasn't the case," Vaan continued.

"Instead, we should make others believe I just came to befriend Young Master Acharon, and we hit it off. And since I was looking for a buyer, you intended to introduce me to Duke Gamliel the next day. Duke Gamliel would get a Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill and a promising young talent in his faction."

"Then, if I speak a few good words about you, Young Master Acharon will get all the credit. By then, Duke Gamliel will be impressed, and your Evron family's standing in the faction will surely rise," Vaan spoke eloquently.

Acharon felt his blood pumping with excitement just by listening to Vaan speak. He could simply imagine his family's glorious future.

"Hahaha!" Acharon suddenly burst into laughter and wrapped one of his arms around Vaan's shoulders like a bosom friend. "Shall we go and eat now, Young Master Vanderlin?"

Acharon was a bit slow-witted, but he eventually understood how to make the spies think Vaan had just come to the Evron family to make friends; they just needed a happy meal together.

"Sure," Vaan smiled.

Alas, the Evron family's estate was bound to be anything but quiet and peaceful that night.

Vaan made his way back to the front of the main residence and entered the building with Acharon, meeting the rest of his family in the Dining Hall. Everyone was full of smiles and more receptive to Vaan after Acharon briefed his father, Beru Evron, on their previous discussion.

The family welcomed Vaan to the table with warm smiles and made small talk, avoiding sensitive and heavy topics. It truly seemed like they wanted to befriend Vaan and had no ulterior motives.

But as Vaan returned the friendly gesture to the Evron family and seemed very amicable to everyone, he secretly gave his dragons a surprising order.

'Shoot a Thunderfire Breath Spell at the main residence's left wing. Make sure I am caught within the blast radius, Fraegar.'

'Huh? How can I do such a thing, Supreme Leader? I don't want to hurt you…'

'You're looking down on me if you think your Thunderfire Breath Spell can hurt me, Fraegar.'

'Ah, I wouldn't dare, Supreme Leader!'

Fraegar, one of the few female Rank 5 True Dragons, hesitated and panicked. But under Vaan's coercion and assurance, she eventually followed his order.

At that moment, Acharon and his family were still happily chatting when…

Boom!

lightsnοvεl

Something struck the main residence and exploded, tearing the building's left wing apart. Broken bricks and shattered wood flew along with the expanding blast wave.

The Evron family had no time to guess the source of the loud explosion when the right wall of their Dining Hall blew apart.

It just so happened that Vaan and Acharon were the closest to that side. As such, they were blown away together by the blast wave. The heat from the blast wave also scorched their clothes, making Vaan look particularly miserable and pathetic.

However, it was also something Vaan had desired – to look like the attack had targeted him but slightly missed.lightsnovel

"Hmph!"

Beru Evron stomped the ground furiously and shielded everyone else with his Aura Lord-level aura. He caught Acharon and Vaan shortly after. Once he made sure no one was hurt, his anger finally erupted in full.

"Who dares to attack my Evron family?!" Beru thundered violently.

His voice resounded throughout the estate and beyond, shaking up the whole neighborhood. Everyone was shocked, but not by his earth-shaking voice.

It was against the law to fight within the imperial capital. Whoever attacked the Evron family's estate must be tired of living!

The alarmed members living inside the Evron family's estate quickly evacuated their residences with weapons drawn to face the unknown enemy. However, no matter where they searched, they couldn't find the culprit.

"Anyone hurt?" Beru checked the casualties with a gloomy look.

"No one died, but our guest…"

Despite the surprise attack destroying the main residence's left wing, no one died from the explosion. Only a few servants suffered light injuries.

Beru and the others turned to Vaan and looked at his poor state. They immediately felt disgraced and humiliated. A guest was harmed in their home and under their watch.

"Are you alright, Young Master Vanderlin?" Beru asked.

"Definitely not. Half my clothes had been destroyed," Vaan slightly complained about his damaged cheap clothes, which wasn't really a loss, before saying, "Fortunately, that was the extent of the damage. It could have been a lot worse."

"Haiz, I don't know what I would do if my Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill got destroyed too," Vaan sighed emotionally, seemingly speaking without thought.

However, the expression of the head of the Evron family and everyone else changed instantly, becoming more grave. It was like they had realized the purpose behind the surprise attack.

Whoever attacked them was clearly targeting Young Master Vanderlin and the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill!

"Stay close, Young Master Vanderlin. We don't know if the enemy is still around," Beru stated while scanning the surroundings vigilantly.

Although Beru seemed to have cooled down, he was still burning furiously inside. The enemy had no respect for the Evron family or the imperial law and made the Evron family lose face in front of their guest!

How could the dignified Beru not be furious?

Meanwhile, Acharon, standing beside Vaan, looked a little depressed. After all, he had also been caught in the blast and had parts of his clothes burned. And yet, he didn't receive the slightest concern from his father.

Nevertheless, it was just a passing feeling. Acharon wasn't at the age where he would sulk over a little matter. He understood his father's position and his concern for the whole Evron family.

Acharon would only receive his father's concern if he were seriously injured.

Suddenly, another attack descended.

This time, everyone in the Evron family sensed the incoming attack as they were outside in the open. Even so, they noticed a bit late, leaving them with little time to react.

"Incoming attack—!" Beru roared.

Boom!

A beam of reddish-yellow light descended from the sky and struck the ground forty meters away from Vaan. The concentrated power erupted immediately upon impact, blasting outward in all directions.

The second attack had also been instructed by Vaan.

Vaan went through the motion of guarding himself against the incoming blast wave, but he wasn't serious about blocking. That was because someone else stepped forward for him.

"You dare?!"

Beru was livid as he shot past Vaan and shielded everyone from the incoming blast with his aura again.

"Show yourself if you dare! How dare you offend my Evron family twice! Face me, you coward!" Beru barked at the dark, cloudy skies.

However, no one emerged from the dark clouds in the skies despite Beru's repeated calling. Vaan had already instructed Fraegar to go into hiding after the second attack.

Two attacks were enough to make him the clear target of the attacks.

There was no room for doubts.

The first attack had destroyed half his clothes and backpack, spilling out its contents with nothing to hide.

Thus, even if the Evron family found out their treasury had been robbed later, they would never suspect it was Vaan's handiwork. He was clearly the victim. He had nowhere to hide all that treasure.

So how could he steal their entire treasury from right under their noses?

The Evron family would think the thief could be anyone but Vaan.