The deaths of Baron Pige and several other nobles failed to stir even the slightest ripple of commotion.
Many suspected Chu Yan's involvement, yet without any evidence—and with the executioner present, who deemed it a case of suicide—no one dared to voice their suspicions.
Thus, the entire massacre at the estate came to a quiet conclusion, met with indifference and fear, as others feared they might become victims of a similarly bizarre "suicide."
Meanwhile, Chu Yan returned to the lord's castle with the executioner and her entourage, convening in the pavilion before the courtyard to discuss the matter of the tainted weapons.
It was essential for Chu Yan, as the lord, to elucidate the situation.
"Now, the lord shall elucidate the nature of these weapons," announced the executioner, seated opposite Chu Yan. Her poised posture and graceful manner, as she sipped her tea, reminded him of his guardian.
Yet the woman before him, whether due to her mask or her own intrinsic demeanor, emanated an unsettling allure beneath her stern and austere exterior.
With her legs crossed, she awaited Chu Yan's candid explanation, her elegantly clad legs occasionally brushing against his trousers.
"Madam Executioner, I earnestly hope you can comprehend the actual conditions along the Dead Sea border.
In the past, the eradication of ordinary magical creatures heavily relied on the household guards of the nobility. Over time, casualties became inevitable, leading to a gradual decline in our military reserves, while recruitment from outside proved exceedingly challenging.
Therefore, it is imperative to devise ways to augment our forces, transforming the gifted individuals from the slums into a defensive unit without delay."
Having laid out the "realities of the Dead Sea," Chu Yan observed the executioner's reaction but was disappointed to find no discernible change.
The obsidian dragon's head mask obscured half of her pale visage, likely contributing to the oppressive aura she projected.
When facing her, one could never ascertain whether she was truly looking at you; the onus was on the supplicant to interpret her gaze.
Chu Yan pressed on with his discourse:
"Thus, the plan to establish a reserve force cannot be postponed. Given the harsh environment of the Dead Sea, where magical creatures are even more formidable than those outside, we must construct a capable defense capable of winning hard-fought battles!
The Dead Sea Armament represents the key to resolving this issue. It empowers the vulnerable to combat magical foes and ensures the stability of our defenses."
Bird Feather, the maid, harbored a plethora of critiques.
Had he forcibly rebranded the tainted weapons as the Dead Sea Armament? Where did he learn such an artifice?
Yet, one could not deny that Chu Yan's rhetoric was commendably astute.
He first articulated the multifaceted predicaments at hand, then delineated the singular necessity and uniqueness of this approach, even renaming the tainted weapons to sound akin to legitimate armaments of the region.
Of course, as an observer, Bird Feather discerned that the revelation of these tainted weapons was fortuitous, entirely extraneous to Chu Yan's original plan—an ad-libbed excuse.
In the past, Bird Feather had accompanied the executioner to inspect other dragon-blooded family trials, where explanations were primarily entrusted to the paperwork servants.
The servants would compose the reports, while the dragon-blooded would stumble through their reading.
Though there were certainly commendable individuals among them, considering Chu Yan's previous reputation for indolence, his current performance was genuinely surprising.
Wary that Tiffany might overly indulge him, granting him leniency, Bird Feather seized the opportunity to interject:
"Your Lordship, I have a few questions to pose on behalf of Madam Executioner."
"Please, proceed!"
"Will the Dead Sea Armament cause its users to fall into depravity, leading to physical deformities and becoming new threats in the Dead Sea region?"
"The Great City contains arrays that suppress forbidden powers; even true forbidden ones can be contained, so the users of the Dead Sea Armament are far from being an issue."
Indeed, even the highly dangerous forbidden ones were confined here; the users of the tainted weapons were hardly a concern.
Bird Feather nodded gently, indicating that his answer had satisfied her.
"The second question: if these weapons were to leak out to the outside world, it would equate to a breach of forbidden items—what then?"
"We will only distribute the Dead Sea Armament when soldiers are engaged in combating magical creatures. Upon completing the mission, the armaments will be retrieved immediately and managed stringently; there is absolutely no chance of leakage.
If any does occur, it would surely be slander, an attempt by the outside to malign the defensive efforts of the Dead Sea. This is a dedicated armament for combating magical creatures, not a forbidden item!"
After this declaration, Chu Yan's expression grew increasingly solemn.
His words brimmed with feigned ignorance, yet his demeanor radiated righteousness.
Bird Feather: "..."
This Chu Yan... bore a certain resemblance to Tiffany in some respects.
Ultimately, it was passable—at least the accounts presented would be palatable.
Regardless, it was Lady Sossia who had lent her identity to the executioner; whatever transpired, she would have to accept her fate.
The maid returned the floor to the masked woman, who gracefully lowered her elegantly crossed legs before standing and stating:
"Very well, Lord, continue your trials in accordance with your insights; the final evaluation will occur upon conclusion.
Tomorrow morning, we shall depart. Should you have other matters to attend to, please do not mind me."
With that, the executioner took her leave, accompanied by the maid.
Jeanette then appeared, inquiring about the outcome with her gaze. Chu Yan responded with an "OK" hand gesture.
Though this was good news, Jeanette found it rather perplexing. She exclaimed in disbelief:
"Did the executioner not say anything after learning of the tainted weapons? She simply approved them?"
This was akin to rationalizing heresy in the presence of a devoted nun.
From a serious perspective, the issue at hand was not whether it could be accepted, but rather whether one would be apprehended for voicing it.
Chu Yan shrugged nonchalantly, boasting:
"Of course! Under my eloquent oration, the executioner acknowledged the initial trial of the Dead Sea Armament.
At least during my trial period, those weapons can be implemented normally; as long as there are no mishaps during this time, they should continue to persist in the future."
Hearing this unfamiliar term, Jeanette sought clarification:
"Dead Sea Armament? What is that? Are we not discussing the same thing?"
Chu Yan corrected her:
"It refers to the weapons you smuggled; they are no longer called tainted weapons. While they remain within the Dead Sea border, they shall be known as the Dead Sea Armament!"
"...Is there any difference?"
"Indeed, if I call you a villain, does that not sound rather unflattering?"
"That term, when applied to forbidden ones, is rather complimentary."
One cannot help but get caught up in such trivialities...
With a hint of exasperation, Chu Yan remarked:
"Yet in my eyes, a villain may be a forbidden one, but not all forbidden ones are villains; you merely possess a power that can easily spiral out of control."
Jeanette had rarely encountered anyone so tolerant of forbidden ones. While others might speak such words as mere pleasantries, she believed Chu Yan's sentiments were sincere.
"The young lord understands the potential for loss of control yet can articulate such thoughts. Returning to the earlier term of villain, what does it matter?"
"If others were to hear you called a great villain, it would surely leave a negative impression. However, if I were to rephrase it to 'one who does not perform good deeds,' how would you feel about that?"
On the surface, the meaning appeared largely unchanged, yet subtly it conveyed a different concept.
A person who refrains from good deeds may simply be indifferent; they need not be malevolent.
However, the change in nomenclature would undoubtedly alter the initial perception.
Jeanette seemed to grasp the reasoning behind the renaming to "Dead Sea Armament"—was this merely a ruse to deceive?
Though this small cleverness was somewhat nuanced, Jeanette's admiration was genuine:
"How are you so shrewd in this regard? I had thought the executioner would demand something of you in exchange for leniency."
This thought prompted Chu Yan to recall the reason for his presence here.
"Not at all; she was simply captivated by my abilities."
...
In the executioner's chamber, Bird Feather was conversing with her mistress via a magical stone, reporting the events of the past few days.
The scenes from Sossia's end were projected within the room.
Naturally, the executioner could not be in two places at once, and thus, during these days of leave, Sossia had returned to her territory to relax.
It was a private beach reminiscent of a tropical paradise, where Sossia donned a bikini that barely covered her form, accentuating her voluptuous and alluring figure.
After hearing Bird Feather's report, Sossia nodded:
"Tiffany's actions have proven more restrained than I anticipated. She merely utilized my identity to grant that child a midterm score of perfection. It seems I misjudged you, Tiffany~"
Sossia exchanged pleasantries with the woman on the other side of the magical stone, referred to as "Madam Executioner."
Tiffany replied:
"Did you think I would engage in any outrageous behavior? After all, I bear your identity, which imposes a degree of restraint.
I will take a stroll around this castle; you all carry on your discussion."
Once Tiffany exited the room, Sossia recalled the earlier details and, sipping coconut water, inquired:
"Have the culprits behind the baron's slaughter been identified? To encounter such a vile incident during a midterm examination is truly unfortunate."
"The culprit... is Miss Tiffany."
"Pfft! Cough, cough!"
Sossia spluttered, coconut water spilling from her lips and dripping onto her voluptuous bikini.
"Didn't you say she only used my identity to achieve a perfect score?"
"Miss Tiffany, during the act, removed the executioner's uniform, claiming responsibility for the deed."
"...It seems she has not betrayed the trust I placed in her; indeed, she has engaged in quite a few reckless acts."
Sossia rubbed her temples, her head throbbing from the realization, and continued to recollect the earlier details, probing more:
"And what of this 'Dead Sea Armament'? I have never heard of it before."
Bird Feather, taken aback by her mistress's quick discovery of anomalies, had no choice but to describe the nature of that weapon.
Upon concluding her explanation, Sossia remarked, puzzled, "Isn't this merely a tainted weapon?"
Bird Feather clarified: "My lady, that is your phrasing. According to our reports, it is referred to as the Dead Sea Armament."
This matter, with its layers of complexity, would certainly give Sossia a headache.
One would prefer to avoid complications, and less is often more; not encountering issues is preferable to dealing with them.
Even if an incident were to arise in the future, Chu Yan's guardian would likely return, providing him with protection.
Having reconciled her thoughts, Sossia yielded:
"Very well, then. This will be the Dead Sea Armament. Has Tiffany mentioned when she will return?"
"Tomorrow."
"That's good to hear."
Sossia sighed in relief, genuinely concerned that Tiffany might linger until the conclusion of the trials.
"However, once the executioner departs, the local minor nobles will undoubtedly retaliate against the lord."
Bird Feather speculated:
"Lady Sossia, do you think that tomorrow, only your uniform will return while Miss Tiffany remains here?"
"..."
Sossia's expression grew grave.
...
A woman clad in the executioner's uniform traversed the castle and encountered Chu Yan.
He held a bath towel and robe, preparing to indulge in a relaxing bath.
One could not deny the hardships faced at the Dead Sea, lacking even a private bathing facility.
Alas!
Sharing sleeping quarters and bathing spaces, the conditions of family trials were to be expected.
Young people should indeed endure more trials to hone themselves!
As Chu Yan reflected on this, he noticed the executioner approaching and immediately halted to greet her.
Noticing the items he held, the executioner inquired:
"Are you heading to the bath? I, too, would like to bathe before our departure tomorrow."
"Indeed, allow me to escort you there."
Chu Yan led her to the bathhouse entrance, preparing to leave and return later for his own bath. However, as he turned to depart, the executioner called after him.
"My lord, are you not going to bathe? Why are you leaving so soon?"
Her tone suggested she was not opposed to him joining her for a bath.
Yet, there was an unsettling feeling, as if it echoed Jeanette's insinuations—a covert suggestion that now that he had received her leniency, he ought to behave accordingly.