"I—" Helena's words made Julien wince.

If the earlier statement had been a warning to him, the last remarks were a threat, through and through! Just a few words, and he could feel the intense intimidation!

Julien was no fool. Figuring out the gravity of the current situation, he mumbled to himself, "Now that Dad has experienced a miraculous recovery from the elixir, he'll inevitably develop a strong dependence on it. The next time he gets sick or faces a life-threatening situation, he'll stop at nothing to get another one to extend his life."

"Once he is in that 'at all costs' mindset, any rules will become meaningless to him."

"Take the last incident with the treasure tower, for example. He didn't even consult me before issuing a decree—whoever finds the tower and brings it back would become the next heir. That was downright outrageous!"

"With that precedent set, it's obvious that if he ever needs an elixir and can't obtain it, he'll make a similar decree—whoever brings him