Chapter 174 The Clue from the Door

Chapter 174 The Clue from the Door

I didn't expect that I couldn't even send letters. Is the situation really that bad?

After all, even the gods and men used the term "rescue," so this might not be an interesting NTR development for Paul at all.

"Besides your father...is there no one else you can rely on?"

"For example, the blue-haired older sister that Mom knows, or... the older brother who should stay somewhere, or something like that?"

Rudeus subtly reminded Aisha, trying to awaken her memories of her older brother, but unfortunately, the little girl frowned.

"No!"

The girl looks unhappy. Why?

"I do have an older brother, but..."

'

"but?"

"He is completely unreliable."

Why?! Didn't I just brilliantly save you?!

Frozen in a smile, Rudeus felt something tugging at his throat.

"Could I...could I ask why?"

"Reason? Sure! Mom told me about my brother in detail."

"Oh?"

Rudius looked pleasantly surprised.

"But all of those things are unbelievable! For example, being able to use intermediate magic at the age of three, becoming a Water Saint-level magician at the age of five, and so on! The most outrageous thing is that I heard he became the tutor of a lord's granddaughter at the age of seven! I simply cannot believe it! It's all a lie!"

Unbelievable? Yes, she has a point. To be fair, these things are indeed quite incredible for someone that age.

"However, after meeting in person, you might find that the other person is a good older brother..."

"7

"impossible!"

"Why...why?"

"There's a small box at home that my mom really values. She told me I couldn't touch it or look at what was inside, so I asked her why. The answer was that it was my brother's treasure."

The little box... Come to think of it, I think I mentioned something similar when I was chatting with his father, Paul.

The small box I placed there...

"I secretly opened it when Mom wasn't around... Guess what was inside?"

"I...I don't know, what is it?"

"It's underwear, women's underwear, and it's quite small. According to my calculations, the underwear should belong to a teenage girl, which is unbelievable because there are no family members of similar age. Although I had considered the possibility that the brother was actually the sister, the underwear is a bit too big."

"So there is only one person who fits the description... my brother's former tutor. In other words, my brother, when he was a few years old, already treasured the underwear of women who were obviously older than him."

She said calculation?

Wait a minute... isn't this child a bit too smart? Wait, isn't she only five or six years old?

"However, it's also possible that it's just a misunderstanding?"

"No, I casually asked my mother to confirm it. I heard that my brother would peep at that woman while she was taking a bath, and he would also spy on my father and wife during sex."

"Although Mom helped cover it up, I'm absolutely not mistaken; my brother is undoubtedly a pervert!"

He's a pervert!

He's a pervert!

He's a pervert! Absolutely a pervert!

Please, stop! Rudius is being tortured to death!

"Is...is that so? Your brother is a pervert? That's really bad, hahaha..."

Although it's my own fault, how could this have happened...?

Rudius now felt it was a good thing that his older brother, the others, and Alice weren't around; otherwise, he really would have wanted to find a place to end his life.

It was evening.

The four members of the group reunited at the inn. Yue Ren was the first to return. Upon meeting the young girl for the first time, his unique scholarly demeanor made her feel quite favorably toward him. This was further demonstrated by his gentle greetings and exchanges, which made Rudeus, who watched the two get along so well, look on with envy.

Damn it! Even though I'm the older brother, I will never forgive him if he lays a hand on my cute little sister.

With this thought in mind, Rudius stared for a long time, only to find that his older brother was just teasing the child. Ah, with small animals and magic tricks, he really spoils his child.

Alice and Rigd didn't return until after sunset.

Seeing that they both looked a little tired, Rudius asked what had happened, only to find out that the two had gone to the backstreet area to gather intelligence, but had ended up in a conflict due to various reasons.

In other words, it seems they've gotten into another fight with someone.

Although the two looked apologetic, this had become a common occurrence, and Rudius had anticipated that such things might happen, so he wouldn't pursue the details.

Everyone fails. We're partners, so if anything goes wrong, we can just help each other out.

Aisha had already fallen asleep early due to exhaustion. Rudeus took the opportunity to tell them about his encounter with Aisha in town, as well as what he learned from Aisha about Lilia being detained by the royal palace.

It turned out that the mother and son had been transferred to the royal palace of this country.

They were naturally arrested as suspicious persons, but after Lilia explained the situation, the result seemed to be that they were placed under house arrest in the palace as mentioned above.

Aisha didn't seem to understand the ins and outs of the matter, but since she couldn't even send a letter, there must be some reason for it.

Lilia doesn't seem to have been abused either.

So it seems that the person who imprisoned her was not actually her body, or perhaps Aisha herself didn't know, after all, she was still a child under ten years old, and her ability to perceive her surroundings was not yet fully developed, so the same scene might appear as completely different phenomena in her eyes.

But in any case, it's best if things are progressing.

In addition, Rudeus also told the others that he was using a pseudonym, and emphasized that Aisha should not know that he was actually Rudeus.

"Why bother with such a troublesome thing?"

Alice was as direct as ever.

"Because she seems to have been instilled with some wrong ideas about her brother, so I wanted to show her how cool I am and correct that impression."

"Really... I think Rudeus looks pretty cool just the way you are."

"Alice..."

""

Unexpectedly, she said something so delightful, and Rudius smiled with self-satisfaction.

Alice awkwardly took a step back, her expression conflicted.

"Waaah..."

"...Why do you make such a disgusting face every time I praise you?!"

'

""

I'm a bit discouraged. How about you give me a new look, bro?

"But since that's the case, let's launch an attack next!"

"It's been a long time since we've attacked a city."

1

Alice spoke these words with such enthusiasm that even Ridge Rudd picked up a gun, but Rudius quickly stopped them both.

"Let's wait a moment, let's wait for a reply first."

"Rudius, don't be fooled by appearances!"

"!!?? Big brother?"

Turning to look at Yue Ren who had suddenly spoken, Rudeus's heart instantly cooled, because this moment felt so familiar, the one he called "Big Brother's time for guidance."

"Why assume that your master, Luo Qixi, is still here?"

"because...

"6

Because this is what the "human god" said, instructing me to send a letter to an old acquaintance... Yes, it was the human god who said it...

Rudius then remembered that gods and men were not to be trusted, and because his first step had gone smoothly, he had followed suit.

"Given the commotion your sister has caused, I don't believe your master, a court magician, would have been completely unaware of it all year."

Yes, the fact that Aisha was able to sneak out means the confinement wasn't too strict. Besides, this is the royal palace; how could someone as kind as Master turn a blind eye to something like this?

Tch, if my older brother hadn't reminded me, I probably would have gotten myself into a big mess because of my preconceived notions.

Ah... as expected, I'm not a smart person at all.

"So you mean we should just force our way in?"

"That's also an option. It's the simplest and most direct method, but it will also create certain hidden dangers. Who imprisoned your sister, why they did it, and what kind of enemy you will face may all remain unknown."

The Yue people continued to guide them.

He remembered that this part of the plot involved a prince who had been taught by his master imprisoning Lilia and another person related to his master in order to lure him out. It felt like a childish game, which was a good opportunity for Rudeus, a boy who wasn't very sensitive to this kind of thing, to practice.

"So you mean..."

"This is the answer you need to find yourself, but if it were me, I would choose to take the opportunity to meet the other party first, figure everything out, and then make a decision. Of course, this is based on the premise that I believe I can handle any unexpected event properly."

Indeed, with his strength, even if there's a trap ahead, the other side would have to be strong enough to take him down.

Is the older brother testing him?

That's true. This incident is quite different from previous ones. It involves the power apparatus of a state, and although it's a small country, that's precisely why it's a suitable testing ground...

In the future, I might face even more severe situations. Even if I'm not smart, I should be able to handle things better with experience. It seems I need to work harder.

With this in mind, Rudius prepared to consider how to take action.

Unexpectedly, a knight found the inn the very next day.

He was dressed similarly to the guys who tried to catch Aisha yesterday, but looked much more sophisticated.

Rudius went to the hotel lobby to deal with the situation alone.

"Are you Mr. Rudius?"

"Yes."

"I am Kingje York, a member of the Seventh Prince's Guard of Siron."

The Imperial Guard, the Seventh Prince—that means he's someone with real power. Could he be the one who imprisoned Lilia and the others?

"You're too kind, I am Rudius Greratter."

There was only one knight, and she was a woman.

She saw Rudy without batting an eye and gave a chivalrous salute.

The latter returned the greeting with an aristocratic gesture. I don't know if that's correct, but as long as it expresses sincerity, it should be fine, right?

"Miss Loki is looking for you. Would you please come with me to the palace?"

"6

""

Is Luo Qixi actually there? My brother is really making such a fuss... Wait, he didn't mention yesterday's events, or maybe he's lying to me?

So, shall we test the waters?

Let's forget about it and just prepare ourselves before going. If we actually test them and they become suspicious, wouldn't we be wasting such a good opportunity?

However, just to be on the safe side, it's still advisable to bring someone along, since even he can't guarantee everything will go perfectly...

Then, the best candidate is undoubtedly you.

Thus, led by the knight Jin Jie, Rudeus and the Yue people embarked on their journey to the palace.

Hehe, now there's no need to worry about any danger, and since my older brother didn't object, it means he understood correctly. He's making good use of his own advantages, including the relationships he has. He sincerely asked my older brother for help, and the other party naturally agreed to accompany him.

Rudius praised himself for his cleverness.

He felt he could ask Mr. Rijkaard for help, but considering that the other party was lacking in other aspects besides martial arts, Rudeus, wanting to be absolutely sure, ultimately chose his elder brother. As for the other two, they waited outside to provide backup.

He will send a signal if things truly reach a point of no return.

There was no carriage to pick them up, and the three of them walked at a slightly faster pace through the street corner where carriages came and went.

This main street winds its way through the streets, and sometimes there are sections so narrow that carriages cannot pass each other.

""

The knight girl Jin Jie seemed to be a taciturn person, and did not say anything unnecessary.

However, Rudius answered any questions he asked along the way, and his attitude remained very respectful.

"Alright, this guy's next!"

As they passed a fork in the road, they suddenly heard a powerful shout, so they looked towards the source of the sound.

"This guy was originally a knight of the Kingdom of Vasava! A slave used for combat! Although he's a bit arrogant, he's very capable! Start bidding at three gold coins!"

There was a slave market facing the main street.

On a high platform resembling a stage, several slaves stood side by side.

Three of them were humans, and one was a beastman with rabbit ears.

Two men and two women, both of whom were shirtless, had skin that looked oily and shiny even from a distance, perhaps because it was coated with oil for aesthetic purposes.

Rudius couldn't help but frown slightly, and subconsciously turned to look at Yue Ren, whose expression was very calm.

Brother, how come you're so calm seeing all this? Or are you just hiding your expression...?

You can hear the merchants standing next to the slaves making various explanations. Although you can't hear the content clearly, they are probably listing the slaves' backgrounds and abilities as selling points.

After a while, sounds came from the audience, indicating that it was a bidding process.

Rudeus thought that if they had been unlucky, Lilia and Aisha might have ended up in that kind of place too.

Considering this possibility, one might say that the current situation is not so bad after all.

Rudius glanced at Jin Jie again and noticed that she was also frowning as she looked at the slave market.

The other party is someone who maintains the country's security, and it's understandable that she would feel uncomfortable with such an open and aboveboard act.