As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

"So, young master Leus, you intend to resolve those incidents yourself to help Lilith conceal her identity...?"

"Yes, it's all for Lilith. What other reason could there be?"

Leus shrugged, pressed himself closer to Diana, and spoke to her in the most sincere words:

"Ever since I heard about what happened to Ms. Dinah, I've been thinking about how I can help you. Now that you're in such a dangerous situation, if we don't act now, you might really get hurt. I don't want to see my wife and daughter looking so miserable. So... Ms. Dinah, for Lilith's sake, would you be willing to accompany me to investigate?"

Speaking earnestly, Lius gently extended his hand towards Diana. Diana, after hearing Lius's words, was momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting to hear such a sincere and caring voice from this lecherous blond boy.

"Is Lius... speaking from the heart? Is this frivolous young master really expressing concern for me, treating Lilith like a daughter, and wanting to protect her with all his might...?"

Feeling Lius's serious gaze, Diana was stunned for a few seconds before trying to suppress her fluctuating emotions. She took a deep breath and focused her attention on the important matter at hand.

Looking at the outstretched hand of Leus, the blonde woman hesitated for a moment before finally making a decision. After swallowing hard, she placed her palm on Leus's, thus forming this small "alliance."

“This is… done for Lilith…” Diana said softly, pursing her lips.

"Me too, don't worry, Ms. Diana. Although I played some 'pranks' on you before, I feel the same way about caring for Lilith. When we get married, we want Lilith to be our bridesmaid!"

Levi teased Diana in this way, then stroked her tender face. This time, Diana silently accepted the boy's touch, pondering his attitude towards her daughter, and her hostility lessened slightly.

"For now, let's just give in to him a little. We'll figure out how to fight back after we've dealt with Lilith. For now, let him take advantage of us for the time being..."

With that thought in mind, Diana exhaled and was about to take a step downstairs when Lius reached out and stopped her.

"Please wait a moment, Ms. Diana. Before I leave... I must remind you one more thing: after we enter the carriage, Leah and I may have some intimate time together, so please bear with us for a while!"

"Hmm? Acceptance and patience..."

Hearing Lius's words, Diana blinked in confusion, while Lius didn't say anything more, but just gave her a meaningful look, and then waved to the white-haired maid waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Let's go, Leah."

"Yes, Master!"

And so, Leus, along with the young woman and the little girl beside him, headed to the carriage outside and towards the village marked on the map to investigate the unusual magical activity.

And soon, Diana will understand what Lius's meaningful smirk and the words he had warned her about beforehand really meant...

------

Some time later, on a bumpy horse-drawn carriage in the forest road.

"Ah~ Master, hehe, come a little closer to Lia. Didn't you say you wanted to spend some quality time with Lia? Why are you being so conservative now? Lia's skirt is very fluffy, it can easily accommodate Master. Come on, Master, would you like to see Lia's underwear? Lia is always looking forward to it~"

"Ha, you were a little shy before, Lia, but now that you're more comfortable, you're immediately taking the initiative to seduce me like this. What a bold little white cat! In that case, I won't be polite anymore! Be prepared, Lia, let me show you just how terrifying it is to make such seductive moves in front of me!"

"Ah~? I'm going to be played with by Master! Lia's body is going to completely transform into Master's shape, ah..."

"..."

Inside the carriage, looking at the brother and sister sitting opposite her, posing intimately together, Diana's lips twitched slightly. She understood the meaning of Lius's earlier warning to her, and then, with a flushed face, she bit her lip and turned her face away.

"Well, as expected... I was too optimistic about this young master. No matter how sweet his words are, he's still so unscrupulous in his heart. Even if he truly has feelings for Lilith, if he continues with this licentious personality, he'll never be a good role model for her. Humph..."

With this thought in mind, Diana blushed and hugged her ample chest tightly. She tugged at her long skirt to cover her long, slender legs encased in black stockings, to avoid the young master opposite her using her as a "side dish" to enhance the atmosphere in the carriage.

What she didn't realize was that after hearing Lius's words of concern for Lilith, Diana had unconsciously begun to view Lius by her father's standards.

Seeing Lius fooling around with her stepsister, Diana pouted slightly, feeling a surge of dissatisfaction.

"Hmph... He was just like this before, taking my body with a frivolous attitude. After we've dealt with this, I'll definitely teach him a lesson so he'll stop doing such shameful things in the future."

After grumbling to herself for a moment, Diana suddenly recalled her previous interactions with Lius, paused for a moment, and then began to reflect on herself.

"Thinking about it carefully... wasn't my seduction of him back then the reason why this young master became so lustful...? Young Master Lius also said before that I brought this upon myself, although it was just an excuse for him to take my body, but there is some truth to it..."

After thinking it over, she looked at Lius across the way again. Dina was sitting on the bumpy carriage seat, and an idea gradually formed in her mind.

"If that's the case, then I also need to take some responsibility for the young master's lecherous behavior. At least for Lilith's sake, I need to make this young master a little more like a responsible father... Hmm, let's do it this way."

With this thought in mind, Diana's gaze towards Leus became more serious, as if she were disciplining a child. Hearing the bursts of laughter around her, she coughed lightly a few times, then spoke to Leus:

"Young Master Lius, may we speak briefly during the journey?"

"Oh? A conversation?"

Upon hearing Diana's words, Leus turned away from his intimacy with Lia and looked at Diana with a curious gaze...

Chapter 77 Debate with Diana

"Oh? Ms. Diana, is there something important you want to tell me that you're suddenly interrupting my time with Leah?"

Looking at Diana, Leus paused his intimacy with Lia and asked her with a smile. Lia, on the other hand, pouted slightly with a look of lingering interest and tugged at Leus's collar, seemingly not wanting him to stop anytime soon.

"Um... Brother, don't leave Lia behind, Lia still wants to continue..."

"Okay, okay, just bear with it for a little while, it'll be over soon."

Leus gently stroked Leah's head, soothing her tenderly. Meanwhile, Diana, watching from across the table, grew increasingly displeased. Before Leus could even turn around, she sat down, hands on her hips, and angrily said to him:

"You two should calm down for a bit. Your behavior is so indecent and doesn't suit your status as nobles at all. Hugging and kissing in public like this... you're no different from those lowly commoners on the street. You've completely lost your dignity and composure as nobles."

"Oh? If you suddenly say that, then I have to say a few words to you. Lia and I were just being a little affectionate, it wasn't anything too outrageous, was it? And what's wrong with being affectionate with someone you love? It's fine even in public, how is it a loss of dignity as a nobleman?"

Lius stroked Lia's head as he spoke, and Lia, having heard Diana's words, looked at Diana with a serious expression and added in a slightly critical tone:

"Moreover, Ms. Diana just said that commoners are lowly, which is also very bad. Ms. Diana showed discrimination against commoners when she was on the street before. I thought she would correct herself after being criticized by her brother, but she is still like this. Really, Ms. Diana should pay more attention to this."

"Make me pay attention? Hmph... It's you who should be paying more attention."

In response to their statements, Diana scoffed dismissively, then turned a sharp gaze toward Leah:

“Miss Lia, I’m saying all this for your own good. I know you were once a commoner and had compassion for those commoners, but now that you’ve become a noble, you must act like one and distance yourself from the commoners. Otherwise, what’s the difference between you and them?”

Diana shook her head slightly and retorted to Lia, seemingly unwilling to change her mind for the time being, before continuing to look at Lius.

"Young Master, just as I said, please pay attention to your image, especially in front of Lilith. Do not do such shameful things with other girls. Didn't you say you wanted to be a good father to her? What kind of proper father flirts with other women in front of his daughter? You agree, right?"

"Well, I can't really refute that reason right now..."

Faced with Diana's muttered complaints, Leus slightly shifted his gaze, while Lia, standing to the side, also revealed a thoughtful look, glancing back and forth between Leus and Diana for a while.

"So... it's not just Lilith who has feelings for her brother, but even Ms. Diana is planning to marry him, mother and daughter together..."

Imagining Lilith and Diana serving Levi together, Leah's face flushed slightly, and she clenched her little fists with excitement.

"Grumble, it seems that Lia's earlier premonition was indeed correct. The way my brother and Ms. Diana get along is really too close. There really are feelings between them. Hehe, it seems that I can learn a lot from Ms. Diana in the future..."

As she pondered this in her heart, a smile of anticipation for the future appeared on Lia's face. Then, she calmed herself down a bit and seriously considered Diana's matter again.

"However... even if Lia doesn't dislike Ms. Diana, Ms. Diana still has many personality traits that need to be corrected, especially her discrimination against commoners. My brother should be aware of this as well. I wonder if he has any way to help Ms. Diana adjust her mindset."

With this thought in mind, Lia glanced at Leus, a sense of relief washing over her. Leus, in turn, gently soothed the thoughtful girl with his hand and continued speaking to Diana:

"Actually, I think that, strictly speaking, there is really no difference between nobles and commoners. At most, they just have more money and more power. No matter how they live, they are all human beings in this world. It is best to be humble, otherwise you may suffer a great loss in life, just like you, Ms. Diana. Because you underestimated me, you have fallen into your current situation, haven't you?"

"Forehead……"

Mentioned by Leus, Diana unconsciously recalled her wanton behavior from the previous night, blushed, shook her head, and then looked at Leus with a hint of embarrassment and anger, speaking to him in a questioning tone:

"Don't try to change the subject now! I'm asking you, young master Lius, do you intend to uphold your dignity as a nobleman? If you insist on taking care of those lowly commoners and abandoning your responsibilities as a nobleman, then I will never truly acknowledge you in my heart, and I will absolutely not allow Lilith to truly consider you family!"

"Since Ms. Diana has brought up the matter of dignity and responsibility, I would like to ask Ms. Diana in return: what kind of dignity and responsibility do you think a nobleman should have?"

Lius continued to ask, while Diana turned her head away and gave a soft hum.

"Hmph, is that even a question? As nobles, of course we must maintain our noble and reserved status and never associate with those commoners. This is the dignity of a noble. As for the responsibility of a noble, it is to make good use of the resources at our disposal so that our family can always remain in a high position and avoid being tainted by those filthy and barren things. This is what a noble should uphold. Is there a problem with that?"

"If that's what you think, Ms. Diana... then I must apologize for speaking out of turn. I believe that your remarks are merely a fallacy to justify your own desire for pleasure and the pursuit of fame and fortune."

"What did you say……"

Upon hearing Lius's words, Diana's eyes widened instantly, her brows furrowing with anger as she glared at Lius with a look of accusation in her eyes...

Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Young Woman's Frenzy

"What did you say? Hmm..."

Just as Diana glared angrily at Lius, the bumpy wheels rolled over a protruding rock, causing a sudden ripple that momentarily silenced the conversation inside the carriage.

"..."

After a brief silence, before Diana could speak again, Lius's voice echoed through the carriage once more:

"I know you are dissatisfied, Ms. Diana, but I still want to say a few more empty words. I believe that the status of a nobleman is not a basis for tyranny and chaos, but a symbol of protection for the common people. Since one has a noble status, one should benefit and protect the people under one's rule. Only in this way can one be called a nobleman."

As he said this, Lius took out a shield-shaped seal from his pocket and placed it on his palm. The seal engraved on the badge was the exclusive mark of the Fren family.

“When I received this badge, I was already prepared. As a nobleman, I must become the strongest shield in the territory, protecting all the people within it from any harm. When those people see this ‘shield,’ they will feel at ease and hope deep in their hearts. This is the dignity and responsibility of a nobleman, not oppressing the common people as you say. Do you understand, Ms. Diana?”

"you……"

Hearing Lius's words, Diana blinked blankly for a moment, her lips twitching as if she felt shocked and speechless.

Meanwhile, Leah, sitting beside Leus, listened to his short but earnest declaration. She clutched her chest excitedly, feeling her heart pounding faster and faster, her eyes shining with admiration.

"Ah... Brother looks so handsome like this, not at all like the kind of wicked person who bullies men and women that the gods described. He's really respectable... Oh no, I feel like Lia is going to lose control if this keeps up... Calm down, calm down, Brother is still talking about serious matters. Just bear with it a little longer, don't embarrass him..."

Controlling herself internally, Lia continued to silently observe the unfolding events, while Diana, after a brief moment of stunned silence, snapped back to reality and looked at Lius with a furrowed brow.

"You...you really think so? You naively believe that things will develop the way you say they will? To protect those civilians?"

“Yes, since we have a territory to manage, it is the responsibility of a nobleman. I have been doing this since I was a child, building schools and cultivating farmland. Many people who have been helped have come back to repay us. For example, Luli in my family, I supported her to school, and now she is doing a very good job as the head maid.” Lius replied with a smile.

"So, the reason you help those civilians is that you want something in return from them, right?" Diana continued, frowning as she asked.

"Well... it would be nice to get something in return, but that's not my goal. I just want to help those in need and manage the civilians in my territory, not to gain any profit."

Leus shrugged, then continued with a joking laugh:

"As for the return... besides Lu Li, who came back to work after finishing her studies, there are only vegetables and fruits that are occasionally sent over from the kitchen. Although it's not much, it's still the farmers' good intention. Ms. Diana, you can try some if you like, they're all delicious!"

"You, you, you... You're still joking with me at a time like this? I thought you were a very shrewd person, but now it seems I misjudged you. You're not smart at all, you're a complete idiot, and you don't deserve to continue being a noble! You're simply bringing shame to the nobility!"

Diana was furious and kept berating Lius, almost to the point of madness, while Lius, listening to the angry roars coming from the blonde girl, felt a strange curiosity.

"Hmm... Ms. Diana, you seem quite agitated. Does mentioning the topic of nobles and commoners evoke such strong emotions in you? I'm rather curious. Where does your prejudice against commoners originate? Is it from your own heart, or is it due to the influence of your family?"

"My family..."

When these words were suddenly brought up, Diana paused for a moment, then bit her lip and turned her head away, feigning calmness.

"Hmph... There's no origin to it. This is a rule and experience passed down through generations in our family. It's that simple. If you trust those despicable commoners, you will eventually suffer retribution."

Maintaining her posture of clutching her chest, Diana ignored Lius's curiosity and continued speaking to the boy in front of her in a strong and unyielding tone:

"I'll say it again: nobles are far more noble than commoners. If you, young master Lius, truly want to be a good father, you must recognize your reality as a noble and distance yourself from those commoners. Otherwise, sooner or later they will take advantage of you and, like vampires, drain you dry!"

"Take this as a sign of your concern... but I still have some suggestions for you, Ms. Diana."

Patting the young woman on the shoulder, Leus leaned closer to her and said earnestly and caringly:

"Although I don't know what happened in your family in the past, I still want to tell you, Ms. Diana, to have a little more trust in ordinary people and care about them more. It may not be easy to see the results in the short term, but sooner or later, perhaps at an unexpected time, you will see the effects of your goodwill."

"Hmph... I will consider your suggestion, Young Master Lius, but whether it is implemented is not your business. Or are you planning to force me to do so? If so, I have no room to resist at this moment." As if deliberately defying Lius, Diana pouted and said.

"Sigh, really, Ms. Diana can be so childish sometimes... Whatever, I'm just giving you a heads-up for now. Let everything else take its course. I hope that one day you will really change your mind, Ms. Diana."

"I would never..."

Diana seemed to want to argue with Lius again, but at this moment Lius gently extended a finger, gesturing for Diana to be quiet.

"Shh, Ms. Diana, look outside."

As Lius spoke, the carriage gradually slowed down, and the forest that had been passing by outside the window gradually became barren, replaced by a gravel path and the smell of burning charcoal.

Without a doubt, this is an area that is close to being inhabited.

"Crash..."

Crossing two parallel rivers, the surrounding forest almost completely disappears, and in the distance, at the foot of the mountains, one can vaguely see some figures moving about, casting long and gentle shadows on the ground in the lingering glow of dusk.

"here it is……"

Leaning out of the car window, Diana blinked as she gazed at the girls' lively figures in the distance, while Lius smiled slightly.

"It seems we've arrived at the village, Ms. Diana, and Leah, pack up, it's time to get off the vehicle."

"Hmm...Yes, Master..."