Mental Manipulation

　　In the Jerome clan, 

　　a grand and magnificent noble castle stood, resembling a luxurious palace forged from gold. 

　　This was the castle of Count Hurst Jerome, one of the heirs of the Jerome clan! 

　　Tonight, Hurst Castle was unusually lively, as luxurious carriages arrived from all directions. When the doors swung open, nobles stepped out, buoyed by the assistance of their attendants, exuding an air of confidence. 

　　The gentlemen were all dressed in proper formal attire. 

　　Noble ladies donned dazzling ball gowns, each vying for attention, their beauty blooming like a hundred flowers. Some were alluring, others elegant; some were fiery, while others were artistic… It was enough to make many gentlemen stare, discreetly swallowing their saliva. 

　　Undoubtedly, Hurst Castle was about to host an upscale ball, with music set to play until dawn. 

　　Suddenly, the crowd erupted in a stir, as if the arrival of a significant figure had caused a sensation! 

　　"Oh my! It's Stephanie! The brightest star of Sidamil City!" 

　　"Oh~ Caitlyn, look who I see! After a year, I've finally spotted the little princess of the Duke clan!" 

　　"Princess Stephanie is so beautiful…" 

　　"If I could marry her, I'd be willing to live eight hundred years less!" 

　　"Shut up! You, a mere baron, don't even have that long of a lifespan!" 

　　Such exclamations filled the air, as few could resist Stephanie's beauty and charm. 

　　Although she was a homebody who disliked going out, Stephanie had suitors and admirers lined up from Hurst Castle to Sidamil City! 

　　Indeed, the fundamental goal of most of these suitors was to marry into the Duke clan, thereby strengthening their family's power; 

　　yet they were equally captivated by Stephanie's beauty, enchanted by her charm! 

　　These two aspects were not contradictory. 

　　Supported by her attendants, Stephanie stepped down from the carriage, basking in the spotlight of admiration from the crowd. 

　　However, the next scene left everyone utterly speechless— 

　　"Wahhh~ Let go of me! I don't want to go in; I want to go home! Wahhh~ I don't want to attend this ball!" 

　　The princess, as beautiful as a celestial being, suddenly clung to the leg of a maid, tears and snot flowing freely. 

　　"I want to go home and read novels! I command you to let go of this princess!" 

　　She threw a tantrum, completely losing her dignified demeanor. 

　　The scene fell silent; the crowd was petrified for a full three seconds. However, the next moment, even more fervent cheers erupted— 

　　"The princess is so cute! I want to take her home!" 

　　"I just love her personality, hahaha." 

　　"Obsessed with books and resistant to socializing, Stephanie is truly a breath of fresh air among the nobility!" 

　　"Unlike those flashy, attention-seeking hussies, the princess has her own unique character!" 

　　… 

　　The maids remained expressionless. 

　　Like eagles clutching a chick, they hoisted the princess up, ignoring her cries and protests, striding into the castle with confidence. 

　　"Alas!" 

　　Stephanie sighed softly; entering the castle meant she had lost her chance. 

　　Resigned, she stopped struggling. 

　　…

　　"Cough, cough—hahaha…"

　　On the wheelchair, Count Stephen coughed vigorously while laughing. His emotions were high, and Caesar could feel his joy beside him. 

　　After receiving the marquis's life force, Stephen's eyesight had been restored. They had just watched from a corner of the crowd as Stephanie delivered her remarkable performance. 

　　"Stephanie… her personality is just like her mother's. Barbara was lively and adorable, full of whimsy. She never cared about the opinions of others, wholeheartedly pursuing what she loved, ignoring societal judgments…" 

　　Stephen spoke to himself, his old eyes glistening with mist, and the corners of his eyes grew damp. 

　　Seeing his biological daughter brought him immense satisfaction; he had no regrets. Even if he were to die right now, the old count would accept it with a smile. 

　　"Are you satisfied now, my lord?" 

　　Caesar shook his head and chuckled, "You should cherish every second of life, every opportunity to connect with your daughter." 

　　Stephen paused for a moment. "You mean…?" 

　　"Let's go inside and take a look." 

　　Caesar raised an eyebrow and pushed the wheelchair forward. "It's not every day we get to attend an upper-class noble ball; how could we miss it?" 

　　"No, no, no! I… I didn't receive an invitation. His Highness Hurst would never let us in. We can't go in…" The old count hesitated, sighing, "If I weren't injured, perhaps I could have been granted some leniency, but in my current state, I would only be met with disdain." 

　　In a world where power was paramount, losing strength equated to losing everything… including dignity. 

　　From the old count's tone, Caesar could tell that he still wanted to go; he simply felt it was hopeless. 

　　"Be a little more confident! You've fought on the battlefield for years, achieving countless military feats. You are a respected count." 

　　Caesar patted his shoulder and calmly said, "We can get in." 

　　"Okay… alright, let's give it a try!" 

　　Stephen gritted his teeth, the image of his daughter flashing in his mind, finally gathering the courage he needed. 

　　Caesar pushed the wheelchair as they gradually approached the entrance of the castle.

　　As expected, they were stopped at the door by two guards. 

　　"Stop right there. Please present your invitations to the ball." 

　　The guards spoke coldly, "Anyone attempting to enter without an invitation will be treated as committing an offense against the royal family!" 

　　Just as Stephen was about to speak, Caesar stepped forward— 

　　"This is the renowned Count Stephen, a distinguished hero of the Poshia Kingdom. Are you really going to stop him?" 

　　Caesar's tone was calm, and as he spoke, a flash of purple light flickered in his elongated eyes. 

　　The guards displayed a moment of confusion for a split second, and then one of them bowed deeply with utmost respect, "Ah, Count Stephen! We did not recognize you at first; please forgive us!" 

　　The other guard politely added, "Please, come inside, Count." 

　　Caesar's lips curled into a slight smile as he pushed the bewildered Stephen into the castle. 

　　"Uh… is this really okay?" 

　　The old count's eyes widened. 

　　When had the royal family's lackeys ever been so respectful and courteous to ordinary nobles like them? 

　　"I told you it's fine! Now, let's go find the steward of the Jerome clan and ask for two sets of ball gowns!" 

　　"Do we… do we really need to ask for gowns?" 

　　Count Stephen's expression was one of shock. 

　　Is this really alright? They were royal nobles! 

　　Caesar shrugged. 

　　With his level of mental power as a "Double-Winged Marquis," along with his abilities of "Mind Reading" and "Mental Manipulation"… what was there to worry about? 

　　Not only would he request two gowns, but if he wanted someone's head, they would gladly offer it to Caesar. 

　　All bloodlines below the marquis level couldn't withstand the manipulation of Caesar's mental power! 

　　"I didn't realize my reputation was quite so significant! Even the steward of a count's castle is so polite to me… How come I've never noticed how respected I am?" 

　　After successfully requesting two high-quality gowns, Count Stephen silently thought to himself. 

　　Unbeknownst to him, it was all thanks to Caesar's efforts. 

　　Having power truly allows one to act as they please; it's just a matter of willingness or reluctance.