“Burning incense?” Fat Gavin immediately flared up. “Is this just crocodile tears? You killed someone, and now you think you can just light a stick of incense and move on so happily?”

Fat Gavin could be impulsive, but Logan Grant was, after all, a regional lord—he couldn’t afford to lose his head. Now that his son was alive, he was already considering how to handle the aftermath.

No matter what, he had to protect his son’s life and status. That was Logan Grant’s bottom line.

Logan Grant knew very well that the sovereign, Lucas Bennett, would never feel any remorse for killing the son of a regional lord. To become a king, one had to be utterly cold-hearted toward outsiders.

His so-called incense offering was nothing but a hypocritical performance. On another level, it was also a warning to Logan Grant not to act rashly.

Clearly, Lucas Bennett wasn’t afraid of Logan Grant holding a grudge, or even of Logan Grant rebelling against him. But as a king, he still didn’t want such things to happen.

After all, if civil strife broke out, who knew what kind of turmoil it might cause? After all, Marquis Grant still had some connections throughout the Eastern Kingdom.

Chapter 0003: Offering Up His Face to Be Slapped

With that, the marquis’s residence became lively.

Not only did the king himself, Lucas Bennett, arrive in person, but he also brought a group of people with him. However, there weren’t that many—just a few regional lords and several trusted ministers, totaling seven or eight people. The most surprising was that Lucas Bennett’s ailing daughter, Emily Bennett, had also come.

It had to be said, these nobles were all top-tier actors. From the king down to the lords, their expressions were as sorrowful as could be.

As if the one lying in the coffin, Ethan Grant, was their own child.

Logan Grant’s face was expressionless; he simply returned the courtesies numbly. Since it was a contest of acting, so be it.

When it was Emily Bennett’s turn to offer incense, the sickly girl spoke softly: “Big brother Ethan Grant, I’m sorry, it’s all because I, Emily, was useless and dragged you into this. But don’t worry, if there’s another world after death, Emily will definitely apologize to you in person. When we meet there, you can hit me, scold me, whatever you want. Father’s prayers to heaven were all for my blessing, so your death is also Emily’s sin. I hope the heavens can see clearly and let Emily bear all the guilt alone. Please don’t take it out on the people of my kingdom, don’t take it out on my father…”

The little girl spoke with genuine emotion, her voice faltering, clearly lacking strength, but her words were exceptionally earnest. This speech made even the most seasoned, acting nobles feel a twinge of guilt inside.

Even Fat Gavin, who had previously hated the Eastern royal family to the core, couldn’t bring himself to hate her after hearing this.

“I say, Princess Emily, the man’s already dead—saying all this is useless. If you really feel guilty, when you get down there, just be my Brother Ethan’s wife. He wasn’t qualified to be a royal son-in-law while alive, but after death—heh heh! Oh, and my Brother Ethan likes the kind with a big butt the most. As for positions, he…”

Once Fat Gavin’s foul mouth got going, there was no stopping it. His words made Lucas Bennett’s face turn green on the spot. Damn you, fatso, are you cursing my daughter to die soon?

The other nobles struggled to keep their facial muscles in check, afraid that this clown Fat Gavin would make them laugh at the wrong moment.

Lying in the coffin, Ethan Grant had been quite at ease. But hearing Fat Gavin about to lose control, how could he keep lying there? He sat up abruptly and cursed, “Fatty, can’t you let me rest in peace even after I’m dead?”

As he sat up, everyone present except for Logan Grant was petrified for several seconds.

It was the fat man closest to him who reacted first, overjoyed: “Brother Ethan, are you a zombie now? Or were you just faking it?”

“Fake your ass! Playing dead is exhausting—why don’t you try it?”

When Lucas Bennett saw Ethan Grant suddenly sit up from the coffin, his face instantly hardened. The man beside him immediately shouted, “Ethan Grant, you dared to feign death! This is deceiving the monarch—your entire clan should be executed!”

Every king had such a sycophant by his side.

Ethan Grant couldn’t be bothered to respond. He leisurely climbed out of the coffin, his gaze calm as he looked at Lucas Bennett: “Your Majesty, Ethan Grant was lucky to survive. I just want to ask: do you intend to drag me out and beat me to death again, or will you pardon this unintentional offense?”

Lucas Bennett, as king, felt a slight tremor in his usually rock-solid heart when Ethan Grant looked at him. It was as if this youth who had just climbed out of the coffin suddenly exuded an intangible, unfathomable aura that even made him wary.

“Hmph! I am the dignified king of a nation—how could I stoop to the level of a mere child? Since you survived by luck, consider yourself fortunate.”

In truth, Lucas Bennett really wanted to crush Ethan Grant, but reason told him that a king must have a king’s magnanimity.

If he went after Ethan Grant again now, not only would Marquis Grant surely rebel, but even his own men would think he was petty and unfit to rule.

“Your Majesty, this boy is cunning—he faked his death to escape execution. His heart is truly wicked! I beg Your Majesty to punish him severely, to uphold the law.”

It was that same sycophant again.

This time, Marquis Grant Logan Grant couldn’t take it anymore. He jumped up and cursed, “Tianshui Marquis, what’s your problem? His Majesty already said he won’t pursue it—why are you making a fuss?”