"If you seek joy, come to Winster!
If you desire good wine, come to Winster!
If you wish to enjoy freedom and the sea breeze, you should come to Winster!
Winster, oh, the pearl on the Beihai, the darling of Isis..."
The song was distant, yet Ethan could hear it with unusual clarity, every word, every syllable. He could even faintly discern the small noise of the accordion being played next to the singer.
He also felt his body becoming flexible and strong, even in the cold wind. Wearing a not-so-thick formal suit, he didn't feel a hint of chill.
He simultaneously sensed a massive amount of malice, in the surrounding darkness, thick and unfading like blood, still slowly flowing.
This malice should come from Joan's men, who had ambushed outside early to wait for Ethan.
Ethan found it difficult to explain how he was sure that those were indeed malice, but he just knew, this should originate from the authority of his name.
Instigator and Protector of Violence.
Since he could instigate, naturally, he could sense it too.
"Before going in, I have one last question for you, Anya."
——————
The lights of the Star of Beihai shone brightly like daylight.
Stepping into the lobby of the hotel made entirely of pure white marble, Ethan could hear faint melodic tunes coming from afar, suggesting a party was being held in the hotel.
But he was certainly not there for the party. His contract signing affair with Joan was arranged in a temporary conference room on the second floor of the hotel.
Under the guidance of the attendants, they quickly arrived outside the conference room.
Joan and Fred were already waiting.
Seeing them, Ethan confirmed that the image he saw in the depths of the sea was just of these two people.
Joan looked relatively young, approximately in his thirties, and more aggressive, gazing at Ethan with naked, predatory eyes.
Fred seemed older, perhaps in his early fifties, with white hair on his head. His expression was gentler, even calling Ethan, "Young Master Ethan... long time no see."
Indeed, Ethan remembered now; Fred was once a member of the Bolita Clan and his father's right hand.
However, his ambition later inflated, wanting to split the family, leading Alberto to marginalize him.
Unexpectedly, he ended up betraying the family.
No wonder Alberto was attacked, and Leonardo's whole army was wiped out.
There was an inside man.
"Shall we sign the contract now?" Ethan snorted, showing impatience.
"Don't rush, young master. The esteemed representative of Lord Sandro hasn't arrived yet, has he? We need him there to witness. Otherwise, would you feel reassured?"
Joan's beard was hard and distinct. As he spoke, he rubbed it, sounding like a metal brush scraping.
Ethan backed a step as if somewhat uncomfortable, forcing a smile, "Yes."
Joan nodded in satisfaction, turned to push open the conference room door, and was the first to walk in.
The conference room was discreetly luxurious with details even showing a bit of classical flavor, entirely different from the style outside, yet not abrupt.
The most striking was undoubtedly a wooden council table at the center, under the dark crystal chandelier, giving the room a particularly solemn atmosphere.
Joan unhesitatingly sat at the head seat, gazing at Ethan, "Young Master, how old are you this year?"
Ethan ignored him, choosing to sit directly opposite, closing his eyes to rest his mind.
The contract was brought by Sandro's men because its drafter, Duval, a well-known lawyer throughout Winster City and Sandro's royal lawyer, had good relations with many political figures. Naturally, the contract he drafted held supreme contractual power.
In fact, contracts, or rather the spirit of contracts, are the founding cornerstone of the Antustat Kingdom, where the efficacy of contracts surpassed Ethan's imagination.
If only reviewing past memories, Ethan might think of this as the power of civilization.
But now, he had to suspect that behind this, an authority was at play. Someone within the high ranks of the Antustat Kingdom held the authority of contracts.
So this power was difficult to defy. Even outlaws like Joan had to wait for Ethan to sign the contract before killing him.
Closing his eyes to rest, Ethan was actually quietly observing Joan and Fred.
Compared to earlier images, this close-distance observation made Ethan's feelings more real and intense.
He could feel malice and the atmosphere of violence filling both men, ready to engulf him at any moment.
Yet at the same time, he felt he could control that atmosphere, at least, isolate it at a certain moment.
However, Ethan did not do this; he was simply waiting.
After some time, the conference room door was pushed open again, and a middle-aged man wearing a high-collared trench coat and round hat walked in.
This person should be Sandro's fourth hand, Emilio.
He carried a leather bag and sat straight down in the middle of the long table.
"Gentlemen, I think the small talk has passed, shall we get straight to the point?"
Sitting down, Emilio did not waste words, directly opening his bag and taking out a stack of meticulously bound papers, tossing them to Ethan.
Calling it a toss, the papers landed extremely smoothly, calmly, and silently in front of Ethan.
One could tell Emilio's command over strength and technique.
"Ethan of the Bolita family, you can first look over the contract terms, and if there are no issues, just sign it, the pen is also inside."
Emilio placed both hands on the table, spreading them out, artificially dividing the positions on both sides, making him look like a genuine arbiter.
Ethan flipped through the contract casually, not looking closely, picked up the pen, and prepared to sign.
Clearly, as Ethan was about to write, Joan's eyes narrowed, gazing like a hungry wolf.
"Let me ask once more, once I sign, I can safely leave Winster, correct?"
Ethan asked with some hesitation.
"Of course, the esteemed Lord Sandro facilitated this ceasefire. He promised that as soon as the contract is signed, Ethan of the Bolita family can safely leave Winster."
Emilio took on the judge's tone.
"Alright." Ethan nodded, beginning to sign without further hesitation.
Joan's previously existing smile on his face grew more evident.
Until Ethan finished signing and pushed the contract towards Emilio, there was a momentary relaxation throughout his body, enjoying the peace before the final fruit, what's next was the time for hunting.
"Joan!"
At this moment, for some unknown reason, the Bolita youngster suddenly called out his name.
He instinctively lifted his head.