CHAPTER 386: CHAPTER 320: ONE MUST HAVE PRINCIPLES IN LIFE (HAPPY NEW YEAR!)_2

Her pristine white silk robe was slightly disheveled, and her splendid golden hair draped loosely over her smooth, white shoulders, her clothes askew, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin.

Under the moonlight, she was radiant and enchantingly beautiful, a sight that took one’s breath away.

The summer night air was intoxicating, a thin sheen of sweat covered her body, and her faint natural fragrance, mingled with the scent of rose dew, was enough to make one swoon.

She delicately shifted, repositioning herself on the edge of the bed, and folded her arms across her chest, which made her already explosive figure appear even more "abundant and generous."

Her long right leg, proportioned to the golden ratio, was crossed over her left. The high slit of her robe revealed smooth, lustrous skin, more mesmerizing than the finest jewelry.

Her lustrous toes, painted ruby-red, dangled playfully in gold-colored teakwood slippers, making them all the more enticing.

Byron was in no mood to appreciate the sight; his heart seemed to rise and fall with her dangling slipper, his expression bitter, his chest tight with grief and anger.

"Edward is such an incompetent teammate! Couldn’t he have sent the message earlier or later? Why at this exact moment?

I’ve only heard that certain transcendent things seem to have a convergence effect. Could it be that Catherine and my money also have such an effect?

And Edward, that guy, just had to curry favor by gifting those Hundred Birds Skirts for no reason. Trying to look good, was he?

What if I don’t gift something more expensive and end up upsetting Catherine?

Besides, I have no interest whatsoever in Vampire Witches or Corpse Princesses.

It’s all Edward’s fault!"

The two Hundred Birds Skirts Catherine had just received were worth a fortune.

Without using any transcendent abilities, they could achieve magical effects like Miracles.

Each skirt required feathers from at least a hundred kinds of dazzling birds to be woven into its design.

The colors of the skirts were so vibrant it was hard to discern their true hues.

From the front, it appeared one color; from the side, another. In sunlight, it showed one color, and in shadow, yet another.

The skirts were also adorned with meticulously embroidered patterns of hundreds of birds.

Especially when twirling at a ball, amidst the interplay of light and shadow, it would seem as if hundreds of birds were accompanying the dance, creating a spectacle of sheer beauty.

It was said that the creation of each piece could potentially lead to an ecological disaster, and very few existed in the world.

Only the Kingdom of Castile possessed the manpower and wealth to create such top-tier luxury items, coveted by the upper echelons.

After quite some time, Catherine’s Dragon Soul finally activated, her eyes transforming into perilous, dazzling golden Dragon Eyes.

Finally resigning himself to his fate, Byron suddenly lunged forward, hugging her slender, lustrous calves. He raised his head and forced an almost unsightly smile, "Sister, let me explain.

Actually, these shares in the World’s Edge Branch were always intended as a filial gift for you.

Just like the Hundred Birds Skirt, they were prepared as a birthday present.

I wanted to surprise you with them on your birthday."

At this, the dangerous light in Catherine’s Dragon Eyes gradually subsided. She smiled warmly at Byron and pulled him to his feet, "Is that so?"

Byron nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking at grain, "Absolutely true!"

Inwardly, however, he tilted his head up, desperately trying to prevent shameful tears from rolling down his cheeks as he mourned his private savings.

"There goes another one of my little stashes.

This is exploitation! Extortion! BOO HOO HOO..."

It was a classic case of ’one thing subdues another,’ and ’a villain always meets a greater villain.’

Byron, with his belly full of cunning schemes, could always manage to drag his cousin Edward into trouble as a scapegoat, only to be effortlessly handled by his sister Catherine in turn.

Of course, if he were willing to abandon all honor, throw himself onto Catherine’s bed, and wail, "I want it! I must have it! I won’t get up until you give it to me!" then even the greediest Giant Dragon soul within [Mithril Dragon] Catherine would be firmly suppressed by a forcefully awakened maternal instinct.

Thereafter, she would enter Sister-in-law mode to pamper her brother and take a hefty swing at... her own little vault.

Unstoppable. Utterly unstoppable.

「The next day.」

The news that the Governor of the Royal Port, [The Sea Hunter] Byron Tudor, had been honored with an aristocratic title by the Kingdom spread through the Heitings Colony like wildfire.

The "Lighthouse Weekly" published a special edition, its front-page headline trumpeting Byron’s ennoblement.

Rumors even swirled throughout the Bantaan Archipelago, suggesting that "there had actually been a three-way battle for supremacy among Fourth Order experts, but in the end, only Byron survived."

On the sea, where the adage "the survivor is king" prevailed, such a feat added several points of renown to his title of [The Sea Hunter].

He wasn’t too far from the next threshold of 25 points.

Thanks to Byron’s esteemed reputation and legendary status throughout the colonies, all the major colonial towns and cities were decked out in lights and celebratory decorations in his honor.

Dignitaries flocked to offer their congratulations.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of such occasions in the colonies and the mainland was the established tradition—seizing the opportunity to amass wealth.

Not only was Byron ennobled as a Baron, but the "acting" descriptor was also removed from his title, truly solidifying his position as the Governor of the Colonies.

Two joyous occasions merged into one; naturally, this double celebration deserved double the congratulatory gifts.

But then again, how could Mr. [The Sea Hunter], a Great Loyalist of York known for uttering such staunch words of loyalty as "Without absolute loyalty, there is absolute disloyalty," casually accept monetary gifts?

The various officials, Lords, shareholders of pioneering companies, shipowners, and Captains of both large and small privateer ships from all over the colony, after their offerings of gold and silver were politely refused,

managed, with great difficulty, to learn from insiders that His Excellency the Governor, diligent in his official duties, had no particular hobbies.

He did, however, have a peculiar fondness for the tortoiseshell crafts produced on Great Tayman Island.

Moreover, he favored nothing else but the exquisite items made by a certain "nameless master," sold at the "March Old Store" located opposite the Earl’s mansion in the International Port.