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Lucien purposely asked in a confused tone, "Mr. Ivanovszki? It’s quite late now..."

Ivanovszki’s response was quite cheesy and suspicious, "I’m visiting you this late, Mr. Peter, because of the good news. I know several viscounts from Vladimir family, so I felt quite close to you the first time I saw you, Mr. Peter, not to mention how your courage and fighting skills impressed me... So I’d like to share the good news with someone I like."

All of Ivanovszki’s words only reminded Lucien of a fraud. However, as powerful and influential as Ivanovszki, why would he be interested in Lucien, a nobody?

After thinking for a few seconds, Lucien decided to listen to him to see what the good news was. Getting more information was never a bad thing, since Lucien would probably be able to see through Ivanovszki’s secret plot during their conversation.

Lucien used his knight instinct and sensed that there was someone else on the other side of the door with Ivanovszki, but the person was not trying to hide himself—the person should be Ivanovszki’s assistant or something.

With his left hand holding Frost, Lucien opened the door casually.

Ivanovszki still dressed in his party suit, like a winter bear wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. Beside him there was an old man wearing a black suit and bow tie. The old guy looked gloomy, his eyes dull, face wrinkled and cold. Holding a black suitcase, he was shorter than Ivanovszki.

Seeing that Mr. Peter opened the door himself, Ivanovszki looked a bit confused, "Mr. Peter, where’s your butler? How come you do this yourself?"

"He’s sick because of the storm. I asked him to take a rest." Lucien explained casually, "And this is?"

Ivanovszki pointed at the old man and grinned, "This is my assistant, Matvienko. He’s talented in doing business, and he’s got his own understanding of economy."

"Oh... Mr. Matvienko, may I ask for your thoughts on the production, circulation and distribution of wealth? Do you think the market is controlled by an invisible hand and follows its own rules?" asked Lucien seriously. Obviously, he did not like this old guy at all, who was not so much an economy expert as a aggressive safeguard.

Matvienko frowned, offering no answer, while Ivanovszki’s smile froze on his face. After a while, he laughed out of embarrassment, "Haha, Mr. Peter, it’s really hard to find a noble and a knight like you who’s this profound in economy..."

"I’m just a beginner in economy. Some related knowledge is helpful for when I have my own land in the future, isn’t it?" Lucien did not keep giving them a hard time. What he just said was more like a warning—dare you mess up with me!

Ivanovszki put on an impressed look, "Good idea. Young nobles like you, Mr. Peter, do have different understandings and thoughts." He also did not mention anything professional in economy.

Lucien let them in. When they sat down on the couch, Lucien poured each of them a cup of water, "So, what is it about, Mr. Ivanovszki?"

Ivanovszki’s big hands were holding the porcelain cup like a toy. He smiled, "Mr. Peter, you do know that Count Witte has part of his blood from family Vladimir, right?"

"Of course. The count’s mother was family Vladimir’s member. She awakened the family Blessing, Frost, as a knight and a lord." Lucien replied, "But so what? Count Witte’s Blessing, Withering, is still from his father’s family, and Count Witte is the first one in his family who managed to become a radiant knight, not to mention all his brilliant exploits on the battlefields... His achievement has way surpassed the glory of his mother’s family..." Lucien seized the chance to show that he knew the family well.

Ivanovszki’s put on a meaningful smile, "Just as you said, Mr. Peter... the good news is that you will be provided with the title of a count, and the wealth of a local count."

Because of the many mines in Ural, most nobles here were way richer than nobles in other countries and areas.

"What do you mean?! What’s gonna happen to Count Witte?" Lucien pretended to be shocked, "Why me?"

Ivanovszki slightly nodded to calm Lucien down, "As you know, Carleena’s the niece of the second wife of Count Witte, and she’s thus close to the count. According to Carleena, Nevskiy, the cardinal in Ural city, asserted that the count could only live up to another half year. No divine power can cure this, because it’s the count’s natural aging."

Lucien maintained the shocked look on his face.

"Because of his Blessing, Withering, the count has had a difficult time in having offsprings, and he spent most of his best years in the south, fighting against the south church. Although he married three wives in total, Count Witte only had a son, but his son died before ten," continued Ivanovszki.

"So?" Lucien asked calmly.

Ivanovszki put down the cup in his hand, "Mr. Peter, you should know the fact that the count successfully awakening his Blessing was a miracle, a miracle that was made come true by family Vladimir. The count lost his parents because of the war when he was young, and he failed to awaken his Blessing until twenty-five. Before that, his remote relatives gave him a very difficult time because they wanted to take over family Witte’s land and title. It was some members from family Vladimir here who once helped him."

"I know." Lucien nodded.

"The count has revealed his plan to Carleena. He wants to have one of the male members from family Vladimir to be his stepson and give this stepson his title and wealth. To do this, the stepson must marry a lady from family Witte, who’s not closely connected to the core family, leaving the rest of family Witte no hope to touch what he has. Mr. Peter, you’re elegant, strong and good-looking, and you have even awakened your Blessing! You can’t miss the great opportunity! The count will of course like you!"

Now Lucien understood what they were planning on. The count title and the great fortune equal to half of the wealth of the whole Ural district was beyond alluring to everyone, not to mention a greedy smuggler.

After that, Lucien asked casually, "So, Carleena’s also from family Witte?"

Ivanovszki first was a bit surprised and then laughed, "Yes, several generations ago. Although it’s quite remote, no one can deny. Without Carleena, we would never know what the count likes specifically. She plays an important role here. I mean... marrying a beauty and gaining the title and a great fortune... can anyone say no to this?"

Lucien now understood Sergey’s true intention. Sergey was not trying to get his gold or sword, but to control him using the business. So, when both Sergey and Carleena failed, Ivanovszki came to Lucien and tempted him directly.

However, what Lucien did not understand was why the count would be dying so soon twenty or even thirty years earlier before he reached the average life span of a radiant knight. Was it because he was somehow severely injured during the war?

And Lucien was quite sure that no matter who married Carleena and got the title, the person was only going to be another piece of evidence pointing that Carleena truly deserved the name people called her by—Black Widow.

Therefore, Lucien put on a smile and said, "It’s a hard decision, but I’m still saying this. Mr. Ivanovszki, I cannot agree on the plan. I won’t work with you guys."

Although Lucien often craved for money, in Schachran Empire, he could not take any risks, not to mention the fact that he was not even a real family member of Vladimir, as the cardinals would test his blood.

A less greedy person was always smarter.

"What do you mean, Mr. Peter? Literally, you’re saying no to a count title, half of the district’s wealth, lots of mines and manors..." Ivanovszki could not believe his ears. He did not believe that anyone would reject the offer, not even the emperor in San Ivansburg!

Lucien said to Ivanovszki seriously, "I cannot give up my surname. My name is the glorious representation of my family. I believe that one day I can become a count myself under the name Vladimir!"

After that, Lucien added, "I’m proud of my name!"

Ivanovszki looked at Lucien as if he was lunatic, "I thought those kind of knights who only pursued glory had all disappeared in the empire, but you shocked me, Mr. Peter."

Then he stood up and bowed to Lucien, "Mr. Peter, good luck with your faith."

Although Ivanovszki tried his best to be respectful, Lucien felt that he was not saying what he was really thinking.

"Before the decision is made, I’ll keep the secret for you." Lucien still pretended to be super righteous.

Ivanovszki put on a nice smile, "I trust you, Mr. Peter, a noble knight. Maybe we can work together in the future."

Then, he left Lucien’s room with his assistant, Matvienko.

"Be careful, my lord." Leo walked out of his room after Ivanovszki and Matvienko had left, and he reminded Lucien worriedly, "He’s more ruthless than one can imagine, and he does not like any latent troubles."