My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 133: The City Lord's Delight

Finlay slammed the table so hard that the other armrest snapped off. He didn't care. He was too busy laughing.

"Excellent! As long as that female has been poisoned, she'll be at death's door. And when she is, that blind brat Marcus will have no choice but to come begging me for the antidote. That's when I make my demand—and the female is mine."

He'd given Maxim two sets of instructions from the start: bring the female back alive if possible. If not, poison her. The antidote existed in only two places in the entire world: that one person from Valorhenge and Finlay's own stores.

Marcus would have no choice but to give in.

And once Finlay had the female, he could use her to control Marcus. Grimstone would be entirely, irrevocably his.

Two birds with one stone.

Finlay clapped his hands in glee, then waved Maxim off.

"Well done. You've earned this one. Go get your arm treated—tell them I sent you. Have the best healer in Grimstone see to it. I'll need you to be functional for future assignments."

Maxim was overjoyed. For a moment, even his arm didn't seem to hurt anymore. The city lord had finally acknowledged his loyalty. He bowed repeatedly.

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you!"

After Maxim left, Finlay dispatched a scout to gather intelligence. The scout returned in short order, wiping sweat from his brow as he delivered his report.

"My lord, the female called Claire has bonded with another beastfolk! They're holding a ceremony in the city right now!"

"What? Bonded? With who? Who has the nerve to touch what's mine?"

The scout dabbed at his forehead, voice trembling.

"It's... It's Mr. Holland."

Everything went black for a second in front of Finlay's eyes. A mouthful of old blood surged up his throat. He swallowed it back down by force.

"That blind wretch. What right does he have?"

Marcus was Finlay's blood nephew, but his existence had always been a thorn in Finlay's side.

The previous city lord—Finlay's younger brother—had fathered Marcus. From childhood, Marcus's talent had been extraordinary. He'd reached Level 3 before coming of age and was beloved by much of Grimstone.

Seeing the city lord's seat slipping beyond his reach, Finlay had poisoned Marcus's eyes and murdered the previous city lord.

Through careful scheming, he'd seized the title for himself.

Since then, Marcus had been cautious and deferential, giving Finlay no outward reason for suspicion. What went on inside Marcus's head, Finlay could only guess.

He'd always looked down on his blind nephew—dismissed him as a helpless whelp.

And now, this whelp had gotten to the female first.

The scout, who'd apparently done some extra digging, lowered his voice and said, "Word is... the female was hit with the aphrodisiac last night. That's how she ended up bonding with Mr. Holland."

Finlay's eyes bulged. He roared.

"Since when does that blind whelp deserve to be addressed like an heir? He's not my son! Guards—drag this loose-lipped slave out and cut out his tongue!"

Despite the scout's screaming pleas, he was hauled away. Muffled shrieks of pain followed shortly.

Finlay still couldn't swallow his rage. He barked an order.

"Bring Maxim back. Now."

Poor Maxim had barely gotten his wound cleaned—not even bandaged—before he was summoned again.

On the way, he assumed the city lord had remembered to reward him for his service. He arrived beaming.

A rock the size of a fist flew from Finlay's hand and cracked him on the skull.

"You told me the poison you used was the one I gave you. So why did it turn into an aphrodisiac?"

"What?"

Maxim looked up in confusion. One glance at Finlay's thunderous face sent his head right back down.

"That's impossible! I only used what you gave me! I watched her inhale the powder myself! There's no way I got it wrong!"

"So, you're saying I gave you the wrong one?"

Finlay's voice was silky and venomous. Before Maxim could answer, a vicious kick sent him sprawling.

Maxim scrambled back to his knees, bowing frantically.

"My lord, I swear—I used the poison you gave me! I don't know how it became an aphrodisiac..."

A desperate idea struck him.

"But—my lord, this could work in your favor! You could be the one to relieve the female's affliction. She'd have to be grateful. The Beast God must be helping you!"

"You imbecile! She's already bonded with that blind wretch! If you hadn't botched the job, he'd never have gotten the chance! Get out of my sight—go die!"

Finlay's fury reached critical mass. He shifted into a massive brown bear and lunged at Maxim, fangs bared.

Maxim didn't dare shift. He stayed in human form, arms raised to shield himself. Human skin was no match for bear teeth.