CHAPTER 281: POOR BLOOD SILVER

But Carlos worried those nobles might squeal to the Human Supreme Council, and dealing with their investigation would be a real pain in the ass.

Seeing his master wasn’t as thrilled as expected but instead looked deep in thought, Ginya’s heart sank:

"Master, did I screw up?"

Carlos shook his head and grinned:

"Ginya, your gift is amazing. I’m damn pleased."

Ginya’s move wasn’t wrong. Right when the Northern Wall was burning through resources like wildfire, a kingdom’s treasury could help plug a pretty big hole.

Besides, it was his retainer’s good intentions, bringing tribute to show respect. Carlos would never crush its enthusiasm.

As for the Dotruu Kingdom, he hoped their nobles would wise up.

Ginya had helped them drive off the Shadow Twins and taken the treasury as payment—totally fair.

If they turned ungrateful, he’d have to put this whole mess to bed before it reached his sister’s ears.

Just some backwards little kingdom stuck in the old ways. Hell, if you can’t solve the problem, why not solve the bastards causing it?

Carlos praised Ginya some more, showing serious appreciation for its gift.

Setting aside the methods, Ginya’s hustle far outshone his other retainers.

However, he told Ginya that future treasury raids should be done on the down-low without getting caught—that would be perfect.

"Master, I get it!"

Ginya had a lightbulb moment, understanding its master’s meaning.

Like this time, it should have taken out those Dotruu Kingdom nobles instead of leaving them alive, which might bite them in the ass later.

Cut the grass at the roots, nip trouble in the bud. Remembering its master’s past lessons, Ginya saw the light.

It said with regret:

"Master, I messed up this time. Next time... next time I’ll definitely handle things right and nobody will see a damn thing!"

Carlos was touched—Ginya caught on quick. If it were the other two knuckleheads, they probably wouldn’t get what reputation meant.

"Don’t beat yourself up. I know you’ll nail it next time."

Wait... next time robbing a kingdom’s treasury?

Carlos mulled it over. Yeah, those western pissant kingdoms—their treasuries were just sitting there gathering dust anyway. Might as well put them to good use for humanity.

Those western nobles mostly clung to the old ways, stubborn as mules and backwards as hell, living off their little patches of dirt.

In the original timeline’s first wave, when monster hordes poured into the northern lands, the eastern islands and southern tribes all sent troops to help hold the line.

Only the pig-headed western kingdoms refused to send backup to the north, with plenty of kingdoms secretly scheming to grab more territory.

Whether from pure greed or stupid selfishness, Carlos despised these old kingdom nobles from the bottom of his soul, having zero good feelings toward them.

His eyes lit up as he looked ahead.

He hadn’t thought about this before—partly from reputation worries, partly because Ember City’s big families were stepping up with enough resources.

But Ginya had already pulled it off, and pretty openly too, yet those yellow-bellied, stubborn old nobles hadn’t raised much hell.

This definitely gave Carlos some ideas.

He looked up toward the hall entrance:

"You two, get your asses in here."

"Caw!"

"Moo!"

Two figures, one big and one small, showed zero shame at being busted and walked in bold as brass.

First thing Red Spirit saw when it entered was treasure chests covering the floor. Using its razor-sharp brain, it quickly figured out why its master was happy.

"Moo moo!"

Hungry!

Blood Silver lunged forward, wanting to chow down as usual, but got snatched mid-flight by a big golden hand grabbing its back leg.

"Moo moo!"

Blood Silver thrashed like crazy as Ginya held tight, sternly demanding:

"What the hell are you? What do you think you’re doing to master?"

This stretch of hanging with Red Spirit had kicked Blood Silver’s smarts into high gear. It wasn’t that crybaby who’d lose its shit over every little thing anymore.

"Moo! Moo!"

Blazing psionic energy gathered at its blood-red horn as Blood Silver decided to take down this evil bastard keeping it from eating.

"How dare you fight back!"

Reading its master’s expression, this little pest’s relationship with master was probably something special.

So what? No matter how special, could it top its own status as a retainer?

Originally it had just grabbed out of instinct, worried about master’s safety.

Now it had to properly school this little shit that dared bare its teeth, before it caused master more trouble.

After all, it hadn’t been around long. Even with nearly unlimited psionic juice, Blood Silver could barely fight against Ginya’s massive hand.

"Moo moo~~"

Unable to break free, Blood Silver’s inner heartbreak suddenly hit like a truck. It burst into wailing sobs, blood-red tears flowing like a waterfall, splashing on Ginya’s bone armor with little pings.

"Alright, Ginya, put it down."

With master’s word, Ginya disgustedly dropped Blood Silver and asked, confused:

"Master, how did this crybaby suddenly get so damn big?"

The familiar bawling made Ginya instantly recognize Blood Silver—wasn’t this the crybaby that had latched onto master’s arm and refused to let go?

After not seeing it for a while, it had grown this big. It wasn’t still sucking master’s blood, was it?

Ginya worried. Ever since this crybaby showed up, master’s color had never looked healthy again, sometimes going pale as a ghost—seriously concerning.

"Moo!"

Free from the death grip, Blood Silver eagerly dove into Carlos’s arms seeking comfort.

"Moo moo~ moo moo~"

Carlos stroked Blood Silver’s little head soothingly:

"It’s cool. Ginya, like Red Spirit, is my retainer. It meant well and won’t grab you again."

"Moo moo~ moo moo!"

Blood Silver pitifully bit Carlos’s wrist. Life-giving blood flowed through its fangs into its body. For a moment forgetting its hurt feelings, it made happy purring sounds.

"Caw!"

Seeing this scene, Red Spirit got jealous of its buddy.

When it was still small, master had never babied it like this. Now that it was bigger, master hadn’t scratched its head in ages.

If Carlos knew Red Spirit’s beef, he’d definitely explain—it wasn’t that he didn’t want to pet it, but the damn thing was too tall to reach!

"Master, with so many humans in the castle now, why not have them provide blood to feed the crybaby?"

Ginya spoke up coldly. Looking at Blood Silver in master’s arms, then at master’s increasingly ghostly complexion, it got more pissed and actively used the human wisdom rattling around in its brain to make a suggestion.

"Moo moo!"

Before Carlos could say jack, Blood Silver actually stopped feeding on its own. Its small mouth stained red with blood showed two little fangs as it glared daggers at Ginya.

"Moo moo! Moo moo!"

Making kicking motions with its upper body, Blood Silver was absolutely devastated.

It had simply gotten hungry like always and gone to mommy to eat.