Watson had to admit that Young Master Casey’s Butler was a very talented storyteller. The butler had released much information about Casey as if he wanted to threaten them, but he only succeeded in arousing their anger. They only left the ship after beating Casey half to death.
Nightingale was furious when she left. She ordered the Heaven-devouring Rat King to disguise himself as a water dragon and bite a few holes in the bottom of the ship where Casey was. If they were lucky, the ship would have sunk to the bottom of the sea before they could reach the city.
“How can those young masters be so hateful? Don’t they know that humility, courage, honesty, and kindness are the true virtues of a nobleman?” Nightingale snarled when Watson and the others reached the hotel.
“Power will breed corruption. In this world, it is the same no matter which force reaches a certain level! But not everyone will be like that. Some noble children are always just.”
Antonio sighed and comforted Nightingale. He had lived for hundreds of years and experienced the changes of several generations of kings in the Holy Dragon Kingdom, so he was used to that kind of thing. It would not cause any ripples in his heart.
As long as the whole kingdom was stable, he would not ask about those things. Therefore, he did not let Nightingale kill Casey. A minor punishment was enough. If they had killed an heir to the Ptolemy family, there would undoubtedly be a war that could lead to a greater disaster.
“Master, I think that the corruption is the King’s incompetence. If the current king is competent, the noblemen would not be so rampant.”
Watson only agreed with a part of what Antonio had said. The people in that world were different, indeed. Some people were kind-hearted, and some did evil things, just like the two noblemen they saw—Christina and Cassie. Even though the former would occasionally scheme against others, she was generally an upright person.
The sword saint family was not as powerful as the three archdukes, but their status was higher. Their family members were not as proud as Casey. Was it because the sword saint family was not strong enough?
It was obviously not; that was related to one’s growing environment and family’s nurture.
Watson felt that if the king issued strict laws and slightly suppressed those noblemen, they would not dare to be so presumptuous. He wondered what the king, who everyone revered, was thinking. Perhaps he believed that corrupt noblemen were easier to control.
Watson thought about it for a while before giving up on those thoughts. With his status and identity, it would be impossible for him to change all of that. Unless he reached the top and became the king, that goal was still very far away. He could only take care of himself and do things that he could.
“Master Antonio, what kind of trial am I taking in the City of Stanley. Can you tell me now?”
Watson looked at his master after they checked into the hotel.
“I told you that the trial is related to the sea god, Trident. He is the source of the Ptolemy family’s power. It’s simple. Defeat Trident and dive into the sea to replace the artifact. Let it run for at least one day. If you could do it, it means that you passed the trial.”
“Let it run for a day?”
Watson sucked in a breath of cold air.
“That’s right.”
Antonio stroked his bald chin. “You have enough attacking power now, but the details are not enough. Whether it is fighting techniques or spells, each component can work together. You’d understand those moves when you knew how each component works!”
“I see, Master. I understand now.”
Watson nodded. Antonio meant to let him understand the nature of power, just like how he could use the system to fuse two spells into a new one. He wanted to understand how he could do that.
“Can I really run the entire city for a day by myself?”
Watson was filled with anticipation for the next challenge. At the same time, he felt a sense of pressure. The trial was different from the previous one, where if he failed, he could just do it all over again. However, if he failed at that challenge, it meant the entire City of Stanley would be in danger. Once the power source was lost, the city would no longer float on the surface of the water. Instead, it would sink to the bottom of the water. Who knew how many lives it would take?
While he was thinking about all that, Watson suddenly thought of a problem. “Master Antonio, I remember that the Sea God’s trident is a divine artifact controlled by the Ptolemy family. We just beat up their second young master. Will they let me take the trident after the trial?”
“If you hadn’t beaten up Casey and the others, they might not have allowed it. But now, I can guarantee that they will definitely let you participate in that trial! The Ptolemy family will be here soon.”
Antonio looked out of the hotel as if responding to his words. As soon as he finished speaking, a gorgeous carriage appeared outside the hotel. The carriage had a pendant in the shape of a water droplet, and the curtains were engraved with a tide badge.
Teams of soldiers armed with long spears and blue armor were around the carriage. There were hundreds of them. They quickly tidied up the road, allowing the carriage to stop at the hotel entrance.
The carriage’s curtain lifted as a tall woman walked out. That woman was wearing a sky-blue aristocratic dress and a light veil over her face. When she walked out of the carriage, the woman immediately turned around and stretched her hand outward. Another tall and thin man with a handlebar mustache and a high hairline came out of the carriage. He was wearing a navy uniform that was different from the traditional aristocratic attire. His every move was filled with dignity.
That tall and thin man was the head of the Ptolemy family, Daniel Ptolemy. His wife, Jenny Ptolemy, was beside him.
“Paul, do the people who beat up my child live here?” the tall and thin man asked.
An old man dressed as a butler immediately came out from the ranks of soldiers beside him. It was the man whom Watson and the others had seen on the ship earlier. At that moment, the butler was wet. His white hair stuck to his face, making him look very pathetic.
“Yes, Master. According to my investigation, those people are here. Not only did they beat up Young Master Casey and let the mermaids go, but they also destroyed our family’s precious gold-tier magic ship. Those people are really audacious. Master, please punish them severely.”
“Paul, I seem to have taught you not to say anything unnecessary when you are outside.”
Daniel glared at the butler in front of him. The man immediately broke out in cold sweat and retreated to the side, not daring to speak.
Ignoring the old butler, Daniel held his wife’s hand and walked into the hotel. There were a few guests, but they did not dare to speak when they saw the situation. Even the shop owner hid behind the counter and held his breath.
“Who is the person who beat up my child? I am Daniel Ptolemy, the head of the Ptolemy Family! Don’t worry; I already have a rough idea of what happened from Casey. The cause of that incident is my child, so I will not harm you. I am just here to confirm it.”
“Daniel, after so many years, you have become a little more like the head of the family.”
No one spoke as Antonio walked out with a wooden staff.
“You are—”
Not recognizing the person in front of him at first glance, Daniel turned his head in confusion.
“You don’t even recognize me?”
Antonio chuckled, his handsome young face blurred and transformed into his original look. “How about now?”
“Master Antonio!”
Daniel widened his eyes and quickly let go of his wife’s hand. He knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully. “I did not expect that you were the one who taught my son a lesson. I’m very sorry to have troubled you.”
He knew the man in front of him. After all, in the past ten years, he had gone to him many times to ask him to become a teacher with the Ptolemy family and teach his sons. However, the man had refused him every single time.
He had already planned to be polite with the person who had harmed his son. Then, he would invite them to his house and then kill them there to vent his anger. After all, he cared very much about their reputation.
However, he had changed his mind after he learned who the other person was. He was furious with his idiotic son, who did not only do those offensive things, but he had offended Antonio. Daniel would not dare to attack the astrologer even if he had the guts to do so. It looked like he would never get Antonio to be his sons’ teacher.
“My dear, are you sure that the person in front of you is really Master Antonio?”
Jenny, who had followed Daniel in, had stared at Watson and the others with hatred in her eyes. However, her gaze turned into suspicion when she learned that the man was the astrologer. She did not immediately believe the identity of the person in front of her.
“It’s true! Jenny, you have to be respectful toward Master Antonio. Hurry up and bow.”
Daniel had been dealing with the astrologer for more than ten years. How could he mistake him for someone else? Even Antonio’s young appearance looked familiar to him. Even though Antonio had somehow become younger, he was still the greatest mage in the kingdom. It was not strange for him to do anything.
Jenny hid the resentment in her heart and knelt with him.
“We are old friends. There’s no need to be so formal. Please, get up.”
Antonio stretched his hand outward, and a breeze blew on the ground, gently lifting Daniel and Jenny. After such a move, the doubt in Jenny’s eyes also disappeared.
“Come, let me introduce you to this young man beside me. He is my new apprentice, and his name is Watson! As for Miss Nightingale and Miss Denise, they are Watson’s handmaidens.”
“So it’s Young Master Watson. I’ve heard so much about you! And Miss Denise, have we met somewhere before?”
Daniel’s pupils contracted for a moment before he laughed heartily. He extended his hand toward Watson while looking at Denise with a puzzled expression. That was the second person he felt familiar with that day.
“No, you must have mistaken me for someone else, Lord Daniel,” Denise bowed and replied indifferently.
Daniel did not hesitate. He turned around and said, “Master Antonio, you didn’t inform us in advance of your arrival; I haven’t been able to make any preparations. The Ptolemy family will hold a banquet tonight, and I hope that you will be able to attend it.”
“Of course, it’s been so long since we last met. I will definitely show up! By the way, I hope that you can help me with something.”
“Since it’s your request, I’ll do my best to do it for you.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t make things difficult for you. I just need to borrow your family’s sea god for a day.”
Daniel’s jaw dropped in surprise.
“Huh?”
