Chapter 284: Esmeralda Was Rich All Along

Damian took another sip of tea before leaning back comfortably. "Alright, where should I start..."

Esmeralda waited patiently.

Damian tapped one finger against his cup. "Remember that day we first met?"

Esmeralda nodded slightly. "Of course."

Damian continued, "I don’t know if you noticed it back then, but I actually had a special token with me."

Esmeralda’s expression became more attentive.

Damian gave a small shrug. "Long story short, that token eventually activated and led to me becoming the disciple of Elder Selvara from the Heavenly Sword Sect."

For the first time since their conversation began, Esmeralda’s composure visibly shifted. "Selvara?"

Damian nodded.

Esmeralda stared at him for another second. "The Sword Demon?"

Damian blinked. "You know her?"

Esmeralda immediately recovered her usual refined expression before giving him an amused look. "Hehe... Sir Damian."

She lightly lifted her teacup. "I’m not exactly a woman from some insignificant background, you know."

Damian paused.

Esmeralda continued calmly, "Someone of Elder Selvara’s reputation is hardly unknown among powerful families and major commercial organizations."

Her eyes curved faintly. "Especially when that person is infamous enough to be called the Sword Demon."

Damian slowly nodded. "I see."

He scratched his cheek. "Yeah, that makes sense."

Cynthia quietly listened from beside him.

Damian continued, "Anyway, I basically spent the next several months training in the Heavenly Sword Sect."

His expression became shameless again. "I did a few missions, found some treasures, gathered a few more women for my harem..."

Esmeralda’s eyebrow rose slightly.

Damian immediately waved one hand. "Don’t look at me like that. Important things happened too."

Esmeralda quietly laughed.

Damian’s tone became slightly more serious. "And somewhere along the way, I managed to make an enemy out of Nolan Veyr."

Esmeralda’s amusement disappeared almost instantly. "Nolan?"

Damian nodded.

Esmeralda leaned forward slightly. "You mean the same Nolan Veyr whose hidden misdeeds were exposed, only for him to become famous again after destroying the [Night Fragrance Pavilion]?"

Damian nodded furiously. "Yes, that motherfucker. Exactly."

Esmeralda became quiet.

Her fingers lightly tapped against the side of her cup. "I see..."

She studied Damian more carefully. "Then you really have had a troublesome six months."

Damian sighed. "You have no fucking idea."

Esmeralda continued, "Nolan’s reputation has changed considerably recently."

Her expression became thoughtful. "Between his talent, his sect backing, and everything people have been saying about his recent achievements..."

She paused. "Many already treat him like some heaven-favored genius."

Damian snorted. "Basically a chosen one."

Esmeralda nodded. "That would be an accurate way to describe how outsiders currently see him."

Damian spread his hands helplessly. "Exactly why I’m here."

Esmeralda raised an eyebrow.

Damian continued, "I’m temporarily leaving the Heavenly Sword Sect and staying out of his way."

He gave a dry laugh. "I’m not stupid enough to keep poking a chosen one when I’m not ready to kill him yet."

Esmeralda considered his words before giving an approving nod. "Good."

Damian looked offended. "Why did you say that like you expected me to do something suicidal?"

Esmeralda smiled sweetly. "Because I remember you, Sir Damian."

Cynthia quietly nodded in agreement.

Damian’s mouth twitched. "Traitors. Both of you."

Esmeralda laughed softly.

Damian finally pointed toward her. "Alright. I told you mine."

His eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Now it’s your turn."

Esmeralda gently placed her teacup down. "Very well."

Her smile slowly became mysterious. "Then I suppose I owe you the story of how I ended up here."

Esmeralda gently rotated her teacup between her fingers before beginning. "After you left that town, there wasn’t much reason for me to remain there either."

Damian listened quietly.

Esmeralda continued, "My assignment there had essentially reached its end, so I returned to my clan, The Verdanthe Family."

The moment that name was spoken, Cynthia’s expression visibly changed.

Damian immediately noticed. "You know them?"

Cynthia turned toward him with slight disbelief. "Of course I know them."

She glanced toward Esmeralda again. "The Verdanthe Clan is one of the most famous medicinal cultivation families around."

Damian blinked.

Cynthia continued, "To understand just how formidable they are, you only need to know that the Golden Medicine Pavilion belongs to them. They’re also renowned for both alchemy and spiritual agriculture."

Cynthia paused before summarizing bluntly, "Basically, they’re one of the top dogs of the alchemy world."

Damian slowly turned toward Esmeralda.

Esmeralda was already watching him with an amused expression.

Damian pointed at her. "Wait."

His eyes widened slightly. "Your background was that fucking good this entire time?"

Esmeralda laughed softly. "Sir Damian, I did tell you earlier that I wasn’t from an insignificant background."

Damian leaned back. "Damn."

He genuinely hadn’t expected that. "So how the hell did you go from managing some little branch in a small town to ending up all the way here?"

Esmeralda calmly answered, "Once I returned home, I became considerably more serious."

Damian raised an eyebrow. "I focused on cultivation, botanical studies, management, and especially alchemy."

She lightly tapped her cup. "My cultivation improved, my knowledge deepened, and I managed to produce enough results that my position within the younger generation of my clan rose considerably."

Cynthia gave a small nod, clearly finding that believable.

Esmeralda continued, "Eventually, I became one of the more promising members of my generation."

Damian whistled. "So basically, you went home and started grinding like crazy."

Esmeralda smiled. "That is a rather crude way of putting it... but yes."

Damian laughed. "Fair enough."

Esmeralda then added, "As for why I’m here specifically..."

Her expression became slightly more meaningful. "There is a major event taking place in about a week."

Damian immediately became attentive.

Esmeralda continued, "Because of my clan’s relationship with several factions involved, I was assigned to this branch temporarily."

She lifted her teacup. "I’ll also be attending the event as one of the Verdanthe Clan’s guests."

Damian froze.

Cynthia glanced at him.

Esmeralda noticed his reaction.

Damian slowly leaned forward. "Wait..."

His lips curled upward. "You’re attending that festival too?"

Esmeralda nodded elegantly. "Indeed."

Damian stared at her for several seconds. "Damn."

His grin widened.

"Well... this just became a hell of a lot more convenient."