The originally tense atmosphere in the dining room instantly escalated into a standoff as Sylvia’s provocative remark, “Quite the strength,” hung in the air.
Julius and Eleanor clearly hadn’t expected Sylvia to appear here, much less that she would dare to be so insolent in front of Duke Eisend.
The two of them stared at the white-clad ghost floating in midair, then at their father sitting at the head of the table with a face as calm as still water, their eyes filled with shock and tension.
“This… this is…”
Eleanor instinctively tightened her grip on the napkin in her hand.
“Senior Sylvia? How did you—”
Julius’s brow furrowed as well.
Duke Eisend paid no heed to his children’s surprise.
He simply pushed back his chair slowly and stood up.
His movements were not fast, but every subtle action carried a sense of pressure.
As he rose, the aura of a powerhouse that had been restrained within him was unleashed without reservation, like a waking lion.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees in that instant.
The sound of wind and snow outside the window felt distant, leaving only the silent collision of two distinct but equally formidable wills in this small space.
Eisend raised his head.
Those azure eyes were calm, like the sea before a storm—utterly unruffled—yet they contained enough power to devour everything.
He was not angered by the provocation, nor surprised that she was a ghost.
He simply scrutinized this so-called “Master” who had appeared out of nowhere, from top to bottom.
“You must be the one who proposed that training plan.”
The duke’s voice was deep and forceful.
Faced with Eisend’s interrogation, Sylvia merely let out a disdainful snort.
She floated in midair, arms crossed, her light purple hair whipping through the air like a blazing flame.
She answered arrogantly, “So what if I am?”
“This girl’s current level is far too low. She has a body full of power but doesn’t know how to use it. If she doesn’t go out into the wild and temper herself, she’ll be stuck like this for the rest of her life.”
Helos’s mouth twitched inexplicably.
‘Isn’t it too much to insult me to my face…’
And besides…
Sylvia narrowed her eyes. Those hollow sockets flickered with dangerous light.
“You, as her father, don’t you plan to keep her locked up in a greenhouse forever, turning her into a useless person?”
Those words stabbed like a thorn into Eisend’s heart.
But he didn’t show it.
Eisend said coldly, “Whether she’s useless or not isn’t for you to decide.”
He raised his head to gaze at the ghost floating in midair, his tone calm.
“I don’t know who you are, nor what means you used to bewitch my daughter.”
“But since you’ve dared to possess her and even want to take her to a dangerous place like that…”
As the duke’s hand slowly clenched, a crisp cracking sound came from his palm.
“I assume you’re ready to pay the price.”
“Price?”
Sylvia laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.
“Hahaha! Interesting! Truly interesting!”
She laughed so hard she doubled over, her bloodstained white dress trembling violently.
“It’s been centuries! Centuries since anyone dared speak to me like that!”
“Price? You?”
Sylvia abruptly stopped laughing.
Her originally translucent body suddenly became more solid, and a suffocating, terrifying pressure erupted from within her, clashing with Eisend’s aura—even seeming to overpower it.
“Boy, don’t think that just because you have some strength, you can act arrogantly in front of me.”
She looked down at Eisend from her elevated position, her voice icy and piercing.
“If I want to take her away, no one in this world can stop me!”
Their gazes met in the air.
Invisible sparks seemed to fly, and a thick smell of gunpowder filled the room.
The tableware around them trembled slightly under the immense pressure, emitting faint clinks.
Helos stared at the suddenly hostile atmosphere, completely dumbfounded.
‘This script is wrong!’
‘Weren’t we supposed to convince Father?’
‘Wasn’t this supposed to be a warm family dinner?’
‘How did it turn into a fight over a single disagreement?!’
“Um… Father! Master!”
Helos quickly stood up, trying to mediate.
“Please don’t be like this! We’re all on the same side—”
“Shut up!”
“Quiet!”
Both voices rang out at the same time, cutting her off in unison.
Helos shrank her neck, aggrieved, and closed her mouth.
Eisend didn’t look at her; his gaze remained locked on Sylvia.
“Judging by your reactions earlier,” the duke said calmly, without immediately making a move.
“You must have known about her existence for a while.”
His gaze swept over Eleanor and Julius.
Both of them lowered their heads guiltily.
“Hmph, even Julius didn’t object. That means you do have some skill.”
Eisend turned back to Sylvia. The hostility in his eyes eased slightly, but his wariness and scrutiny remained undiminished.
“However, words alone won’t cut it.”
He changed the subject, his tone growing harsher.
“If you want my daughter to engage in something so dangerous—wilderness survival—that is a place where life and death are truly faced.”
“If you don’t have enough strength to protect her, or lack the qualifications to teach her, I will never agree.”
Eisend said coldly.
He slowly took off the cumbersome dress coat and tossed it casually onto a nearby chair.
Then, with deliberate slowness, he rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing his muscular arms.
Looking at those arms alone, no one would ever guess that Duke Eisend was a proper mage.
“Since you call yourself her ‘Master,’”
“Let me see just how much weight this so-called ‘Master’ actually carries.”
He stared at the floating Sylvia and said coldly, “If you can defeat me, even just a single move or technique, I will agree to your request.”
“What’s more…”
A confident smile curled at the corner of Eisend’s lips.
“The resources of the Olivias Family will also be at your disposal.”
Hearing this condition, Sylvia’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Oh?”
She licked her lips. That lofty master demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by a greedy, bargain-hunting expression.
Sylvia slowly descended from the air.
“Defeat you? Boy, you’ve got some nerve.”
She didn’t use any flashy magic; she just landed lightly in front of Eisend like an ordinary martial artist.
Sylvia flexed her translucent wrist, revealing a ferocious yet excited smile.
“But I like that arrogance.”
“Since you want a beating, I’ll grant your wish!”
“Come on! Let me see what the junior mages of today are really made of!”
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