115: Chapter 115 Rowan's Follow-up Plans! The Little Nightingale's Resistance and Compliance!

Gino City, Dawn Cathedral.

The Chief Priestess's quiet room.

Aria sat upright behind her desk.

In her hand, she held an official document that had just been transmitted directly through the church's internal encrypted channel.

She quickly scanned the text, confirming the final result of The Senate's vote.

"The Latour Family... Interesting..."

She murmured softly.

However, this was not a bad thing for her, the Windsor Family, or the church's layout in the Northern Border.

After reading part of the Pale Knight's memories, she was certain that Gino City was a key node.

It was excellent that they had a powerful ally in The Senate besides the church.

She set down the document, took a slender silver-tipped pen from the rack, and spread out a sheet of letter paper.

After a brief thought, she began to write.

Her handwriting was elegant, and the content was concise.

She informed him of the final result of The Senate's vote and attached a copy of the official appointment.

After finishing, she stamped her priestess seal at the end, took a plain church official envelope, slipped the letter inside, and sealed it.

"Someone, come in," Aria's cool voice rang out.

A white-robed nun entered at her call, bowing to await orders.

"Deliver this letter to Snow Velvet Manor by the Still Lake and hand it to Baron Rowan Flynn."

Aria handed over the envelope, paused, and added in an equally flat tone:

"No need to say more, just deliver it."

"Yes, Lady Priestess." The nun took the envelope with both hands and respectfully withdrew.

...

Snow Velvet Manor, top-floor master bedroom.

The winter sunlight filtered in, and a faint, sweet, warm feminine scent lingered in the air.

Instead of sitting quietly to cultivate, Rowan paced slightly in front of the massive French window.

Today was the day of The Senate's vote.

Every single vote in that imperial Senate thousands of miles away affected the fate of this place, as well as his carefully planned future.

Success or failure depended on this single stroke.

If he could secure the Golden Flame Territory, sit at the core of a county, and become the Count Golden Flame in both name and reality...

That would be a brand-new starting point.

It was not just a leap in power and status; more importantly, it was the population!

Gino City had hundreds of thousands of freemen, spanning cities, villages, mountain forests, and lakesides...

With such a massive population base, there would definitely be many commoner girls with extraordinary potential.

Screening through them all would surely yield many good prospects with scores above 80.

By gathering them together, recruiting them as maids in the Count's name, training female officials, or even establishing some kind of academy...

With a legitimate status and venue, he could leisurely use his [Charm] skill to exert influence, carefully cultivating beautiful flowers, and then diligently tending and harvesting them like a gardener...

By then, with a steady stream of high-quality emotional energy to [Drain], he would truly enter the fast lane of rapid growth.

In this world where ultimate power belonged to the individual, strength was the hardest backing and foundation.

In comparison, developing territories, running businesses, and accumulating wealth... things that were vital to ordinary nobles, came far too slowly for him...

As long as he was strong enough, he could occupy larger territories, with more high-scoring ladies aiding his cultivation.

His core strategy had always been people, a human-centric approach; the larger the population base he could control, the faster his advancement would be.

It was just that his initial territory was too small, leaving no room for him, an incubus, to display his abilities.

Therefore, if his plans for the Golden Flame Territory failed and he had to settle for the Black Mountain Territory, his rate of progress would be greatly compromised. The scope of screening girls, the resources he could mobilize, and the convenience of his actions would all be severely restricted.

If so, he would probably have to waste a few more years.

Besides this, he was also pondering.

What direction he should choose for his next custom class.

Now, he had a general idea.

It would ideally be a class that could help ladies enhance their Charm, potential, and even their level of existence.

If he could accelerate the blooming of the flowers and improve the quality of the fruits, his harvest as a gardener would surely multiply...

Just as Rowan was pondering deeply.

In the bedroom.

Besides Rowan, there was another person.

Elena, wearing a moon-white silk nightgown, lay on her stomach on the bed, her beautiful eyes, which had grown increasingly charming, staring unblinkingly at the figure pacing in front of the French window.

She keenly sensed that he had a trace of anxiety today, unlike his usual self.

She knew what Rowan was thinking.

She wanted to do something to soothe him.

But after thinking it over, it seemed there was nothing she could do.

This made her feel a bit depressed as well.

Right at that moment...

A knock came from the door.

"Master," Butler Horn's voice came through the heavy oak door, "A nun from the Dawn Cathedral has arrived. She says she is here on the orders of Priestess Windsor with an important letter that must be delivered to you in person."

It was here!

Rowan's pacing figure froze instantly.

He quickly walked over to open the door.

Just then, he saw Mira next door also opening her door and looking at him.

Thus, they all went downstairs together.

...

On the first floor, in the parlor.

The nun held a plain white envelope without any decoration and presented it with both hands.

"Lord Rowan, I have been ordered by Priestess Aliyah to deliver this letter." The nun's voice was rigid and emotionless. Having spoken, she left the manor.

Rowan had Butler Horn see her out, his gaze falling on the envelope.

With a light swipe of his fingertip, he opened the seal, pulled out the letter inside, and quickly scanned its contents.

Elena and Mira stared tensely at Rowan.

At first, his expression was calm, but then, a very faint smile quietly rippled from the corners of his mouth.

It was a success!

Without a word, Elena and Mira's tense heartstrings instantly relaxed.

Rowan looked up, his gaze sweeping over the two women, the smile in his eyes deepening slightly.

He didn't speak, but simply passed the letter in his hand gently toward Mira.

Mira stepped forward almost impatiently, took the letter, read it quickly, and then looked up, saying:

"Congratulations... Lord Count."

Rowan chuckled, stepped forward, and planted a brief kiss on her cheek.

"You too, Mira..." He whispered in her ear with a smile:

"Or rather, Lady Viscountess Red Maple..."

Mira's cheeks flushed slightly, the brilliance in her eyes growing even brighter.

Rowan turned to Elena on the side.

Most of the melancholy on Elena's face had been dispelled by now, but a trace of confusion and resistance toward the future suddenly welled up in the depths of her eyes.

Rowan had already spoken to her about the Mist Territory.

But she did not want to go to the Mist Territory, nor did she want to leave Gino City.

Looking at Elena's expression, Rowan felt a bit of a headache.

Elena was very good—obedient and submissive.

But there was one downside: she was too clingy.

When he had previously informed her that she could inherit the Mist Territory, he thought Elena would be happy.

After all, for any noble, territory was of paramount importance.

But Elena had hugged him and said she didn't want to leave.

This wouldn't do!

This was just the one-sided naivety of a female college student!

She didn't understand the preciousness of a territory!

So he said, "And you, Elena, mistress of the Mist Territory, congratulations."

Hearing this, Elena bit her lower lip and met Rowan's gaze. The unquestionable look in his eyes made her feel a bit sad.

But she knew she had no choice, nor did she want to go against his wishes.

It was just...

The panic and resistance in her heart still remained.

She gave a soft hum, buried her face in his chest, and said muffledly, "I will work hard..."

Rowan wrapped his arm around her slender shoulders and smiled.

This was his beloved Little Nightingale...

...