Joaquin was on the edge of madness. He wanted nothing more than to kill Felix right there, but he didn't dare risk the entire Goldstein family just to satisfy that rage. Disobeying a royal summons meant immediate execution—there was no bluffing around it.

After taking a deep breath, Joaquin forced himself to put on a smile. "Dr. Zeller, then tell me—what exactly do you need in order to head to the Green King Manor?"

Felix had seen this kind of groveling far too many times before. "Gras is right outside your estate. Go talk to him. The sooner you two reach an agreement, the sooner I'll leave for the manor."

"What? Gras is here?" Only now did Joaquin realize just how thoroughly he had been played. Everything had been a setup from the beginning, and he had walked straight into the trap.

Time ticked by, and eventually, Gras strolled into the courtyard. He said, "Dr. Zeller, the talk went well. How's the view treating you so far?"

From the smile on Gras's face, it was clear he hadn't