Austin smiled brightly as he ushered Jovian into the meeting room with surprising enthusiasm.

Jovian looked confused and somewhat unprepared. Before entering, he had already imagined many possible scenarios for their meeting.

He had mentally prepared for a range of reactions from Austin—whether he would be ignored, faced with cold indifference, or dealt with arrogance. He was ready for any of those. After all, the rumors about Austin painted him as a "hellraiser" who did whatever he pleased.

But, to his surprise, Austin didn't give him any trouble at all. Instead, he was giving him a warm reception, which left him utterly confused.

Something felt off. He couldn't make sense of Austin's sudden warmth, and he had no idea what game he was playing.

"Bring the tea!" After inviting Jovian to sit, Austin gestured for the attendant to serve the tea.

The drink was a rare specialty from West Lucozia, a premium elixir tea not sold to the public but reserved for high-ranking officials. Its