’Shit shit shit, I’m going to die.’ Ray was inwardly panicking as he followed Alfred from behind.

That kind of killing without any change in emotion was not something he was ready for.

He was also positive that Alfred wouldn’t hesitate to cut him down if he had responded incorrectly.

After all, he was still not in the clear to be in the official Carrion Household.

His gut feelings were telling him that the entrance earlier was a test made by them.

Had he acted timidly and allowed the guards to walk over him, then he would have failed the test.

At that moment, not even Belva could save him from the elites hidden in the Carrion Household. Thankfully, his great acting skills allowed him to immediately perceive the scene as a random novel to calm his emotions.

Many novels have such scenes and explicit brutality to depict dark themes for readers.

Ray was too used to it, but when the reality happened right before his very eyes, it was still a shocking matter.

Think of it like a gamer playing a first-person shooter game. They could have god-like aim and courage, but the moment they were told to do it in real life, they might become motionless from shock.

’No, I should have already known human lives were worthless here.’ He quickly pacified himself. The reason he even chose to be late was to prove a point.

As long as he bluffed hard enough, the members of the household wouldn’t be able to do anything to him.

Sometime later, Alfred guided the two of them to the interior and to a large dining table.

"Lord, I have brought Young Master Ray here." Alfred quickly bowed his head in respect to the middle-aged man seated at the center of the table.

The aura exuded by the middle-aged man was a far cry from the rest. Their nobility was practically shining, his authority uncontested by anyone else in the room.

He was none other than Marquis Robert, the absolute ruler in the Carrion Household.

"The one by the right is the Lord’s wives, Michelle, Paula, and Yerena."

Alfred introduced Ray.

He then shifted to the Lord’s children seated at their assigned chairs.

"The eldest son was called Jake, and the second eldest daughter was named Jeanette, both born to the main wife, Michelle."

"The eldest daughter, Chloe, was born to the second wife, Paula."

"Lastly, the youngest son and daughter are twins, namely Skyler and Skylar, born to the third wife, Yerena."

The introduction was as complex as it could get with this kind of seniority mess.

But not for Ray, who had already known about the details.

"Everyone, this is the Lord’s adopted son, Raymond, who wishes to be addressed as Ray."

At this moment, Alfred finished the introduction and calmly walked to the side.

The stage was now up to Ray to handle, and whether he could maintain his position or not.

From start to end, Robert’s expression didn’t change a bit. He appeared to be detached and remained a spectator for this confrontation.

’All staring at me like I’m their biggest enemy, huh?’

Ray could sense their unhinged hostility.

They were probably warned by their mother to put him in his place.

Or maybe it was their own will to refuse some random outsider to compete with them.

While Ray pondered how to make his entrance known, the eldest son, Jake, suddenly said.

"To be adopted by the Carrion Household is your fortune. But not only did you fail to cherish the opportunity, you even decided to be late. Could it be that you don’t put the Carrion Household in your eyes?"

In those few simple words, Jake had already tried to pin the biggest crime on Ray’s head.

The other children remained silent, but there were different kinds of expressions on their faces.

Some amused, some smirking, and some nonchalant.

After all, to bring in an adopted son by the Lord was more or less the equivalent of saying the eldest son was unsatisfactory.

Therefore, Jake received the highest pressure and possibly internal scolding from his mother for being ineligible to earn the Lord’s grace.

"You said I don’t put the Carrion Household in my eyes?" Ray turned to Jake and smiled.

"Is that not the case?"

"Of course, it’s the case."

"Hmph, how dare you try to give excuses—" Suddenly, Jake paused.

He held a blank stare as he realized something was amiss.

"Wait a second, you admit that was the case?" He asked in disbelief.

What kind of madman would claim they don’t put the Carrion Household in their eyes inside their very territory?

Even if one had a higher status or influence, they still wouldn’t utter such words unless they were completely at each other’s throats.

Hell, not even the emperor would spout such words without a good enough reason!

’This bastard is crazy!!!’ From the back, Belva began to sweat profusely. She was certain that he had lost his damn mind.

She couldn’t do anything to protect him in their current state.

When Ray uttered those words, many hidden guards were already on standby, ready to take him down.

In the meantime, Robert finally had some change in his expression. His ears perked up slightly as he was curious what gave Ray the courage to make such a statement.

"What are you acting confused for, eldest brother?" Ray suddenly laughed and pointed at his heart.

"Why would I have the Carrion Household in my eyes when they are perfectly secured within my heart? Loyalty isn’t expressed through words but through one’s actions and behavior. Only the treacherous and lowest scum would constantly flash their loyalty in their broken mouth."

"YOU!" Instantly, Jake stood up from his chair and pointed at Ray.

How dare he insult him for being the lowest scum!

"Eh, why are you agitated, eldest brother?" Ray appeared visibly confused and scratched his head.

"I was only talking about the treacherous and lowest scum who wanted to deceive Father. The elder brother is clearly loyal to Father and the Carrion Household, so could it be that you’re agitated because there are such people?"

[The host’s tongue is indeed aligned with a villain!]

’Thank you for the praise system. Want to jump the gun and spearhead me? Watch how I’ll play him like a fiddle!’ Ray sneered inwardly.