Chapter 138: We Can Be Together Now

"I am truly sorry; our security was insufficient, and it caused you such a fright!" Ibe said to Hahn, his face etched with worry.

Waving his hand, Hahn’s expression turned solemn. "Ibe, do not apologize. I will not hold anyone accountable, and I forbid you from investigating this matter further. I shall handle it myself."

Upon hearing this, Ibe let out a sigh of relief before asking in surprise, "Why?"

"Father, since Grandfather Hahn has said as much, you should not concern yourself with it any further," Lawrence added, his face darkening.

"Indeed, Lawrence, there is no need for you to worry either. I am well aware of who is behind this," Hahn replied, glancing at Lawrence as if he had grasped something.

Lawrence nodded indifferently. He looked toward Bryan and Phoebe, hesitated for a moment, and then asked Phoebe, "Is Cameron pressuring you to join their organization's merchant alliance?"

"Yes, but I have already refused him," Phoebe answered.

"Very good. You must not compromise; otherwise, your Buster Trading Company will face a monumental crisis," Lawrence advised after a moment of contemplation.

Listening to their conversation, Bryan observed them carefully. He felt he had gleaned some insight from the exchange between Lawrence and Hahn, but since neither had spoken of anything concrete, he saw no reason to probe further.

Bryan did not possess a great curiosity for the affairs of others. Seeing that the assassination attempt had made it impossible for the banquet to continue, he stretched languidly and said to Phoebe, "I believe the banquet is over. Can we leave now?"

Phoebe shot him a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly to Ibe and Elder Hahn. "We have other matters to attend to, so we shall take our leave."

Given the circumstances, Ibe could hardly insist on them staying. He sighed softly and apologized, "Very well. Take care on your way back."

"Bryan, remember what we discussed. I will come to find you tomorrow. Don't go disappearing for days again!" seeing that Phoebe and Bryan were leaving, Lawrence suddenly reminded him, not wanting him to forget their previous agreement.

Bryan nodded to show he understood. Just as he was about to leave, Hahn spoke up again, "So your name is Bryan. Heh, I will remember you."

Smiling without responding, Bryan and Phoebe left the banquet. Joining other merchants who were making a hasty exit, they boarded their respective carriages and returned the way they had come.

"Who on earth would want to kill Elder Hahn? Even I know that he has made outstanding contributions to the Empire. Many officers in the Imperial army were once his subordinates. Given his status, there shouldn't be many people in the entire Empire who would dare to touch him," Phoebe said softly once they were inside the carriage, her brows knitted in a light frown.

To be safe, Bryan had kept his three Demon Spirits nearby, constantly monitoring for any movement. After Phoebe finished speaking, he pondered for a moment and said, "We helped Elder Hahn today, which might have brought us some trouble. However, for your firm, being on good terms with him is definitely more beneficial than harmful. As for me, this matter doesn't concern me much. Besides, I am a lone wolf and have nothing to fear, but you must be careful."

Phoebe smiled, revealing her teeth. "Don't worry, I know my own limits."

"Then I won't say any more. Should we discuss what you promised me?" Bryan nodded, then sat up straight and stared at Phoebe.

"Alright, alright, look at you. That batch of treasure you obtained from who knows where—I had someone appraise it, and it's worth over forty thousand gold coins. It is more than enough to cover the cost of all those miscellaneous materials you wanted. I have also prepared the large supply of grain for you. However, the higher-capacity space ring you requested will take some time; there is currently no stock on the market." The attack at the banquet had not dampened Phoebe's mood, and she spoke with a pleasant, lighthearted smile.

Hearing this, Bryan finally felt relieved. He wore a satisfied expression and laughed, "I trust you to get things done. As for the space ring, never mind; I just acquired one with a larger capacity."

"Once we reach the firm, you can take what you need. Long before I knew if you had enough gold, I took the risk to collect all the materials you required. Don't worry, there won't be any issues," Phoebe said, tilting her head proudly.

Hearing this, Bryan felt a pang of gratitude. He understood that she had taken such a risk entirely out of their friendship, even considering paying out of her own pocket. From this, it was clear that Phoebe was indeed a friend worth having.

Just as Bryan was feeling grateful, Phoebe reached out and pinched his leg. She glared at him and said, "And you had the nerve to lie to me and say you couldn't dance! You were so proficient later on. You are the worst."

Heaven is my witness: before this banquet, Bryan truly could not dance. He had simply learned on the spot and bluffed his way through it. It was only because his brain had been developed that his learning speed was so monstrous, leading to Phoebe’s misunderstanding that he had been pretending.

"I’ve been wronged! I really couldn't dance before; it’s all thanks to your excellent teaching!" Bryan complained feebly, flattering Phoebe.

"You... do you like dancing with me?" Phoebe suddenly asked in a low voice, looking down, appearing somewhat shy.

Bryan nodded and answered casually, "Yes, it felt pretty good."

"Then I want you to promise me you'll dance with me next time, or else I won't help you with your errands in the future," Phoebe said, her face lighting up with joy.

"Alright, alright, I promise. As long as you help me with my business, I'll agree to anything you want. Killing or arson would be no problem, let alone dancing." There would be many more things he would need Phoebe's help with later, so Bryan agreed without hesitation.

During their pleasant conversation, they encountered no trouble on the way back. After returning to the Buster Trading Company, Phoebe brought out the materials Bryan needed, including the grain and daily necessities stored in several warehouses, which nearly filled the space ring Bryan currently possessed.

"Keep the remaining gold coins for now. Here is another list of materials I need you to procure. Please continue to collect them for me." Both the Wood Armor Corpse and the Yin Demon needed to be refined, so Bryan had already prepared another list. After settling the immediate tasks, he handed it to Phoebe.

Phoebe scanned the list and looked at Bryan in astonishment. "Grain for over a hundred people, all sorts of strange materials... what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Heh, nothing much, nothing much. Just get these for me, and I'll settle the remaining balance next time I come." Without further explanation, Bryan left the Buster Trading Company and returned alone to the Babylon Academy of Magic and Warriors.

By the time Bryan returned to the Necromancy Department, the sky was pitch black. The winter night was filled with whistling, biting winds, cold enough to make anyone avoid going outside.

Yet, not far from the dormitory entrance, a figure stood shivering, her face flushed red from the cold, pacing back and forth around a nearby stone statue.

"What are you doing here?" Bryan asked, realizing the figure was Lisa.

"I was waiting for you!" Seeing Bryan appear, joy lit up Lisa’s eyes. She quickly stepped toward him and said urgently.

Frowning, Bryan took off the heavy coat he was wearing, wrapped it around Lisa, and asked in confusion, "Why are you waiting for me out here on such a cold night?"

Bryan's action made Lisa's face brighten, though she still looked distressed. "My mother is ill, and I need to go home. I might be gone for a long time, so I wanted to say goodbye to you."

"You could have just told me tomorrow. Why wait out here in the middle of the night?" Seeing her still shivering, Bryan hesitated before channeling his "Profound Ice Magic Flame Art." He slowly waved his right hand, sending waves of warmth to soothe her shivering body.

"You often disappear mysteriously. Since I’m leaving early tomorrow morning, I was afraid I wouldn't see you, so I waited here. I didn't know if you would come back, but you finally did." As her body warmed up, Lisa let out a comfortable sigh and spoke to him softly.

"Er, actually, there was no need for you to go to such lengths to say goodbye," Bryan said, feeling the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Lisa remained silent for a moment, then stared at him with intense eyes. "Bryan, you said you liked me. Now that you are no longer a servant or a slave, come home with me. We can be together."

Upon hearing this, Bryan was stunned. He stood there foolishly, looking at Lisa’s serious expression, not knowing what to say.