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The night grew darker.

The Ice Rock City tonight had no moonlight, only speckles of twinkling stars.

Colin was standing on the balcony of the Red Castle, gazing into the distance.

To the north, there was the cold and barren Sky Ice Plain, and to the east, a forest boundary could be seen.

In that vast, pitch-black forest, nobody knew how many beasts lurked.

Once past that dark forest, was the territory of the Half-Elf Kingdom.

Footsteps echoed. Knight Shar appeared behind Colin. “Sir, you were looking for me?”

“Have a seat.” Colin turned around, and then pointed at the wine glass on the table. “Have a sip.”

Knight Shar hesitated a bit. “Sir, I have decided to give up drinking.”

“That’s fine, only a little.” Colin insisted.

Only then Knight Shar picked up the wine glass, clink glasses with Colin lightly, and took a sip.

Colin drank his wine while observing Knight Shar’s reaction.

The wine he gave to Shar was poisoned.

Of course, Colin was not intentionally harming his own bloodline.

He was just doing an experiment.

And before, he had already experimented on blood slaves, discovering that they all seemed to be immune to potent poison.

Thus, he thought that a higher-level bloodline should also be immune to lethal poison.

“How about it? Has there been any change in your body during these days?” Colin put down his wine glass and asked.

Shar put his wine glass down and reported his findings to Colin with an energized demeanor.

Through the description, Colin understood that Knight Shar’s changes were very similar to his own.

Sensitive to light, bloodthirsty, undying…

Indeed, after discovering that his severed finger had regenerated, the tough Shar started to experiment on his own body.

Then, he found out that he had completely lost his vulnerability to fatal injuries.

Of course, unlike blood slaves, Shar’s pain sensation remained.

Colin stroked his chin, falling deep into thought.

He was now very curious whether the bloodline could also advance by ingesting the fresh blood of a higher-level knight.

However, Shar had already become a third-level knight, and Colin didn’t have any fresh blood of a fourth-level knight for the experiment.

“Can you control your fangs?” Colin asked again.

“Fangs?” Shar made a puzzled face before opening his mouth to reveal two inconspicuous fangs. “It seems… I cannot.”

“Hmm…’

Colin guessed that if the bloodline can’t control the growth of its fangs, they probably couldn’t release blood poison through their fangs, thus unable to create blood slaves.

Of course, they could not perform a complete blood bond either, preventing their ability to create the next generation of the bloodline.

Subsequently, Colin discussed some issues related to cavalry building with Knight Shar. Seeing that the latter remain composed all along, showing no signs of being affected by the poisoned wine, Colin confirmed the fact that the bloodline was immune to intense poison.

“Oh yes, do you enjoy hunting?” Colin suddenly asked.

Knight Shar was taken aback for a moment before answering with a nod. “I rather enjoy it.”

“Hmm, last time I went hunting with Knight Lyle, this guy encountered a mysterious knight and got a beating. He couldn’t fully enjoy the hunt. I was planning to accompany him once more, but I’ve been too busy recently. If you’re free, you can accompany him to have fun.”

Last time after borrowing blood from Lyle, Colin successfully advanced to the second level.

However, he felt that Lyle’s fresh blood could probably help him advance to the third level again, so he wanted to borrow some more.

But Colin had no plans to lead Lyle on another hunt. Doing so could arouse suspicion.

If every hunting trip with Colin was met with an attack, even the foolhardy Lyle would suspect that the attacker might be related to Colin.

Therefore, he planned to have Knight Shar lure out Knight Lyle.

“Alright.” Knight Shar, unsuspecting, agreed with a nod.

After dismissing Knight Shar, Colin picked up his wine cup and gulped down the remaining poison inside.

Blood slaves and bloodlines could be immune to lethal poison; there should be no problem for him either.

So thought Colin.

While he was carefully feeling the changes in his body, footsteps sounded again and Butler Emon appeared on the balcony: “Master, you called for me?”

Colin nodded: “Sit down.”

The two of them sat down on the balcony, Colin clapped his hands, and a maid brought two wine glasses and some dried fruit.

Of course, the wine was not poisoned this time.

The maid quietly arranged the table and then quickly left.

“Did you exchange all the servants in the castle?” Colin sipped the wine and asked.

“No, only your personal servants have been replaced, with your safety in mind and the cost wasn’t too high either.” Emon quickly explained.

Colin nodded and did not say anything.

The servants of the Red Castle are basically the ones left by the Sudor family. Colin had no intention of changing them all out, as recruiting and training new servants required money, and the financial situation of the Angler family was not good.

He had to save as much money as possible and use it in critical places, like building an army.

However, knowing that the old butler had good intentions he didn’t admonish him.

“How is Quincy, the new tax commissioner, doing?”

“Very well.” Emon nodded with a smile, “Master, you have found an outstanding tax commissioner.”

“Well, that’s good. However, you should also keep an eye on him, as I cannot fully trust him yet.”

“I understand.”

Seeing Emon understood his meaning, Colin was relieved and took out a letter from his jacket pocket and handed it to the old butler:

“I just received Marquis Dawson’s reply. He agreed to provide us with war horses and armor. But, the price… it’s a little bit high, see if it’s suitable.”

Emon carefully read Marquis Dawson’s reply, after thinking for a while, he said:

“Master, we can let Marquis Dawson provide a batch of samples. If the quality of the samples is as he said, on par with the standard equipment of the Dark Cavalry, then this price is not considered high.’

“Alright, let’s first ask him to deliver a batch of samples.” Colin rubbed his forehead, somewhat annoyed, “But, can our family finances… afford this expenditure right now?”

“It’s tough.” Emon said truthfully.

Seeing Colin deep in thought, Emon advised, “Master, forgive me for being direct, isn’t it a bit too hasty to form the cavalry now?”

Colin fell silent.

He understood that Emon was making sense. He was indeed being hasty.

If he could wait for a year or two, until the territory was developed, and the tax revenue was sufficient, maybe it would be more appropriate to form the cavalry then.

However, Colin could not wait that long.

He knew that the rift between Duke St. Hilde and Marquis Garcia had already emerged.

Although Marquis Garcia seemed to have no movement at the moment, as if he had tolerated the betrayal of his brother, nobody knew when a crisis might arise in the North Territory? At that time, would the Dark Cavalry still be solidly on Duke St. Hilde’s side, as it had been the previous two times?

Therefore, Colin felt a deep sense of crisis.

He had to hurry and grow his own power, lest he lose the right to choose sides and could only drift along with the current, at the mercy of others. With this thought in mind, Colin gritted his teeth and said forcefully.

“We can borrow money! “