Starting as the Baron of the Lonely Island

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Conflict

Candlelight illuminated the grand hall.

"Grandpa Daniels, I’m sleepy!"

The little girl, Vera, had drooping eyelids. She was exhausted but forcing herself to stay awake.

"Be a good girl, Vera. Your father will be here any moment."

Daniels said kindly, "Why don’t you wait for him to arrive, and then you can sleep? Okay?"

"Okay~"

Vera replied listlessly, sitting at the table and fiddling with her cloth doll.

Meanwhile, Simone had already ridden his horse into the castle.

He was fairly familiar with the outer bailey and easily found his way to the front of Daniels’s main keep.

"Well, well, Simone. You’re here."

Uleir and Kalina happened to be coming out just then, and the three of them ran right into each other.

"Where’s Vera?" Simone was in no mood for pleasantries and demanded an answer directly.

Uleir knew perfectly well that Vera was inside the keep, but he wanted to see Simone squirm with anxiety, so he just shrugged.

"How should I know where Vera is?"

SHING!

With a sharp, metallic ring, Simone drew his longsword.

The moment it left the scabbard, his Fighting Qi condensed into a brilliant Sword Aura that lit up the surroundings.

"You!"

Uleir hadn’t expected him to lash out so violently.

Faced with the oncoming Sword Aura, he could only raise his own sword to strike back, simultaneously circulating his Fighting Qi to defend himself.

BOOM!

The two torrents of Fighting Qi collided. The massive impact sent Uleir flying back into the keep, where he smashed through two wooden railings before slamming hard against a wall.

Kalina, who had been standing next to Uleir, fared no better. The powerful gust of wind from the impact blew her off her feet, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Given her physical condition, she would probably be sore for days.

"Simone, are you insane?" Kalina was terrified.

Simone looked at her coldly. "Where is Vera?"

"She’s inside!"

Kalina shrieked in reply, terrified he would strike her with his sword just as he had Uleir.

She was only a Level 2 Mage, not nearly as tough as Uleir.

The dazed Uleir finally came to his senses. He gripped his longsword and charged out.

"I’m going to kill you!"

Simone strode forward, deciding to unleash his fury on him.

The moment they clashed, the difference in their abilities was obvious.

Though both were Advanced Warriors, Uleir’s Combat Skills were completely crushed by Simone’s.

After just a few exchanges, Uleir already had two or three wounds on his body.

"Stop!"

The furious roar was accompanied by Daniels, who came running out.

"Simone, Uleir, what do you think you’re doing?"

Simone sent his opponent flying with a single strike of his sword, then looked toward Daniels. Vera was in his arms.

"Father!"

She cried out, a mix of anxiety and happy surprise. She tried to squirm out of his grasp and run to her father, but Daniels held her tight.

The fighting stopped. Only then did the patrolling castle guards arrive and surround the area.

They looked bewildered, unsure why the leaders of the Holy Hand Association had suddenly started fighting among themselves.

Simone’s eyes narrowed. "Daniels, let my daughter go!"

Faced with such a gaze, Daniels felt a chill in his heart.

He hadn’t expected the situation to escalate so quickly and couldn’t help but shoot Uleir a harsh glare.

"Simone, you’ve misunderstood..."

"I said, let my daughter go!" Simone’s voice was ice-cold.

Daniels froze. He suddenly felt that bringing Vera here might not have been a good idea after all.

But then he thought about the Holy Hand Association’s situation, and what Kalina had just said about the Baron inviting Simone right in front of them. Daniels knew he had no other choice.

"Simone, I advise you to calm down."

Daniels’s tone became less courteous. "Let’s go inside and talk."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward the grand hall, carrying Vera.

Uleir snorted coldly and followed behind him, ready to stop Simone from suddenly trying to snatch the child.

Simone didn’t hesitate to follow.

Kalina rubbed the spot where she had fallen and ordered the guards:

"All of you wait here. No one is to leave without permission!"

By now, anyone could see that a rift had formed between the leaders of the Holy Hand Association.

Inside the brightly lit hall, the atmosphere was incredibly tense.

Daniels handed Vera to Uleir, who gripped the little girl’s hand tightly. No matter how much she cried and struggled, she couldn’t break free.

Listening to his daughter’s cries, Simone’s heart grew colder. He was filled with regret. ’Why didn’t I bring her with me when I left?’

"Simone, don’t blame me for this."

Daniels sat down in a leather chair. "If you were to leave the Holy Hand Association, our position would become very precarious."

"I promised to serve you for ten years," Simone said coldly.

He already knew what they were doing—using Vera as a hostage to force him to work for the Holy Hand Association.

"I don’t believe in promises."

Daniels shook his head. "Don’t worry, Vera will be well taken care of here. I’ll find her plenty of playmates and assign her many servants. She will live like a princess!"

Simone’s knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. "And if I don’t agree?"

Daniels sighed. "You and I have known each other for over three years. I don’t want things to get ugly."

As he spoke, he glanced at Uleir.

Uleir let out a sinister chuckle. "Then we’ll have to see what’s faster—you, or my longsword!"

As he said this, he deliberately held his longsword in front of Vera, a gloating, threatening look on his face.

"Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Vera is only three. She’s very fragile."

Terrified, the little girl began to cry even harder.

Simone’s heart shattered. He was stronger than Uleir and could easily defeat him.

But to snatch his daughter back before Uleir could act... that was nearly impossible.

For his daughter’s life, even if he was a hundred times unwilling, he had to agree.

"I know what you’ve been doing here, Daniels!"

Simone’s tone was frigid, no longer holding the respect one would show a benefactor.

"If I find out Vera has been exposed to any of those... things, if she suffers even the slightest harm here, then even if it means both of us die, I will not spare any of you!"

"Hehehe, listen to you. I’ve always doted on Vera as if she were my own granddaughter. Why would I ever let her get hurt?"

Daniels chuckled. "Rest assured, as long as you remain loyal to me, not only will Vera live well here, but I will also teach her to read and learn about Magic."

Simone looked at his crying daughter, his eyes red and moist.

But he was helpless. All he could do was try to comfort her in the gentlest voice he could manage.

"Vera, don’t cry. Father has to go away on business for a while. You be a good girl and live well here!"

The little girl seemed to have heard him, but perhaps not. She just kept crying.

Daniels gave Uleir a look, and Uleir immediately led the girl out of the hall through a back door.

Simone felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife.

He took a deep breath. "I will come to visit her whenever I want!"

"Of course. That is your right."

Daniels said, "As long as you continue to work for me."

Simone grunted in acknowledgment, then left without a backward glance.

The moment he turned, a line of tears streamed down his face.

He was filled with regret—regret for ever believing in Daniels.

He should have taken his daughter and left the moment he learned the man’s true nature, instead of rigidly honoring his promise.

But regret was useless now.

Watching Simone’s retreating back, Kalina voiced her concern:

"It seems we’ve completely alienated him. Was this really a good idea?"

The aftershock from their brief battle had left her deeply unnerved.

"He is a man who values his daughter’s life above all else. As long as I have Vera in my hands, his fate is mine to command."

Kalina reminded him, "Then you’d better watch Vera closely. Don’t let any accidents happen."

To this suggestion, Daniels nodded in solemn agreement.

"Assign someone to watch him. Also, have the guards tighten their watch on Vera."

The seemingly kind old man was now utterly ruthless.

"If you see Simone approaching, put a sword to her neck immediately!"