My bloodline is so eager to improve.

Within the inner city of the capital, there are luxurious stone mansions, the most magnificent of which is the residence of the Newtler family.

At this moment, the main banquet hall of the manor is brightly lit, with crystal chandeliers reflecting dazzling light. The melodious violin music and the laughter of guests drift out through the carved glass windows, and a grand welcome banquet is being held here.

But no one noticed that outside the secluded side pavilion on the west side of the manor, a small figure was secretly carrying out his secret plan.

A small head cautiously peeked out from under the windowsill, looking around to make sure there were no patrolling guards nearby.

He was a boy who looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, with a head of fluffy golden curly hair and a pair of eyes as clear as amber. He had a small nose and a childlike innocence at the corners of his mouth.

He wore a well-tailored black high-end suit with a white lace bow tie at the collar, which accentuated his naturally elegant and refined demeanor.

But at this moment, its comical, timid, and hesitant manner made its noble air vanish in an instant, making it look like a little squirrel that had sneaked out.

Beside him stood a maid dressed in black, who looked to be around thirty years old, with her long brown hair simply tied up at the back of her head and secured with a headdress.

Her dark eyes were filled with panic, her hands were tightly gripping the edge of her apron, and her body was still trembling slightly.

"Young Master Ian, I...we should probably call it off?"

The maid spoke in a very low, trembling voice.

"This is too dangerous! If the head of the family finds out, I'll be kicked out of the manor!"

Despite the maid's obstruction, Ian remained resolute, showing no sign of backing down.

He patted his chest and said in a low but confident voice.

"Don't worry, Veronica, I've already investigated everything!"

Tonight, Aunt Eileen and her friends will be entertained at the banquet hall. Father has transferred most of the guards there, so there are only two patrolling guards here. They just left and won't be back for at least half an hour.

This is the perfect opportunity for us to escape!

Ian has been preparing for this escape plan for almost two whole days!

Yesterday morning, his aunt, the Holy Knight Eileen Newtler, returned to the capital with a dwarf and a human priest.

Ian knew that his father and Aunt Eileen had a very good relationship, and that he had specially hosted this grand welcome banquet for her, inviting half of the celebrities in the capital.

As soon as Ian heard the news, he immediately had an idea.

This was when the manor's guards were most lax, and it was also the time he was able to escape from this prison.

He was truly fed up with life on the estate.

Every day, I had to get up before dawn to study aristocratic etiquette, history, arithmetic, poetry, and even musical instruments from those dry and boring old textbooks!

In the afternoon, they will be tested by several old-fashioned and conservative tutors.

Even on his hard-earned day off, he still had to attend to social engagements with several wealthy young men to avoid embarrassing the so-called Newtler family.

Day after day, nothing new ever happens!

Ian longed for the adventurous life of traveling the world.

Go deep into the mountains to slay ferocious monsters, explore ruins that have been sealed for thousands of years, venture into mysterious and unknown dungeons, meet all kinds of companions, and create your own legend with swords and magic!

He had heard countless stories of adventurers in his mother's arms, each one stirring his heart and keeping him awake at night.

Ian's mother was an adventurer.

Therefore, Ian firmly believes that he also has the talent to become a great adventurer; all he lacks is a way to get out of this prison!

But whenever he asked his father to let him become an adventurer, his father, who always loved him dearly, would always refuse without any room for discussion.

In his father's eyes, he should have properly inherited the family business and served the family. Going off to become an adventurer and show his face in public was simply a waste of his time!

So after his three failed escape attempts, his father placed Ian under house arrest, forbidding him from even stepping out of the family estate, and requiring him to be accompanied by servants wherever he went. Even his favorite sword lessons were cut in half.

Ian knew in his heart that tonight was probably his last chance.

If he misses tonight, once Aunt Eileen's welcome party is over and the guards return to normal, he'll never be able to escape again.

"Trust me, Veronica, my plans are always foolproof!"

As Ian spoke, he looked down and began checking his storage pocket.

His pockets were bulging, containing a dozen checkbooks, several pieces of dried meat bread, a small pot of water, and a small silver dagger that he had kept hidden for a long time.

It was a gift from his Aunt Eileen for his tenth birthday; it was very sharp.

He even secretly drew a simple map of the capital and planned his escape route. He had a good memory, so this little thing was no problem for him.

First, climb over the outer wall of the manor, take the last postal service of the night to other duchies, and then continue your journey with the caravan until you finally find a town with an adventurers' guild, start your adventure as an adventurer, and gradually become a legend!

With that thought in mind, he immediately stood on the windowsill and announced his arrival to the unknown world.

"The great adventurer Ian Newtler is about to take the first step in his legendary life!"

Ian spoke eloquently to the empty garden, his amber eyes gleaming with excitement, as if he could already see himself returning to spin Daddy's top after conquering the world.

Veronica, on the other hand, was so anxious down below that she was pacing back and forth, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Young Master! Be careful! Come down quickly, we can still make it back in time..."

But Ian wouldn't listen. He took a deep breath, opened his arms, and jumped out.

But in that instant, a large, fair hand gripped his life.

Legendary adventurer Ian Newtler thus fell at the very first step on his journey to greatness.

Chapter 264 The Grand Escape and the Imposters (6.2K)

With the immense force pulling him back, Ian was both shocked and furious, roaring as he punched and kicked wildly behind him.

But his punches and kicks landed in the air, unable to even touch the hem of the other person's clothes.

In his panic, he had completely forgotten the basic physical techniques taught by his Qi Sect mentor. His frantic movements resembled those of a golden retriever kitten being held by the scruff of its neck, its limbs flailing wildly, yet it couldn't muster any strength at all.

But before he could struggle, the person behind him flicked their wrist and easily tossed him back into the corridor.

Veronica reacted quickly and immediately hugged him.

After regaining his footing, Ian was about to look up and scold the other person for meddling when his gaze suddenly stopped the moment he saw who it was. All his anger vanished instantly, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.

The woman standing by the window was dressed in a striking bright red evening gown with dark gold embroidery on the hem. It should have been an elegant and luxurious outfit, but she deftly climbed over the windowsill and entered the room with movements so swift and agile that she didn't seem like a pampered socialite.

Her long golden hair was piled high at the back of her head and secured with an exquisite hair accessory inlaid with emeralds. Stray strands of hair clung to her slender, fair neck in the wind, creating clean and crisp lines.

But those emerald green eyes were like ice-cold lake water, staring at Ian with a half-smile, a playful smile on their lips.

Ian immediately became flustered, hurriedly straightening his wrinkled collar. His voice was much lower than before, with a hint of ingratiation, as he quickly spoke.

"Good evening, Aunt Eileen. You look beautiful."

Unfortunately, Ian's praise did not fool Eileen.

Eileen walked up to him in her high heels, extended her finger painted with dark red nail polish, and gently tapped Ian's forehead, her tone teasing.

"Oh my, my dear little nephew, so you still recognize your aunt?"

"What are you doing here if you're not attending my welcome party?"

Upon hearing this, Ian's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously shrank behind Veronica, secretly slipping the pocket from his waist into the maid's hand.

This spatial pocket contained all his savings, which he had prepared. If Aunt Eileen confiscated it, his adventure would be completely ruined.

But how could his little tricks possibly escape Eileen's notice?

Seeing her nephew flustered like a little mouse who had stolen candy, Eileen bluntly pointed out his thoughts.

"Stop hiding. You're trying to run away again and become an adventurer, aren't you?"

Eileen had heard her brother, Ian's father, complain countless times about this troublesome son.

This child has been restless since he was little, his mind full of absurd adventurer ideas. He has run away several times, each time with his maid Veronica. Even the escape route and the type of dry food he brings have not changed much. It's like he's been acting in a farce over and over again.

Halfway through the dinner tonight, Eileen didn't see Ian and immediately guessed what he was planning.

She knew her nephew well.

He was very intelligent, even very promising. The kingdom's great mage once met Ian by chance and said on the spot that the child had an exceptional talent for magic and was a rare talent that was only seen once in a century. He wanted to take him on as his personal disciple, but his brother flatly refused.

Ian's father believed the path to transcendence was too dangerous.

They must endure pain that ordinary people cannot bear, break through the limits of life, and repeatedly leap on the edge of death.

He didn't want Ian to go down that path; he just wanted his son to inherit the family business peacefully and live a safe and peaceful life.

But Ian didn't think so.

Rather than sitting in a magnificent conference room, facing dry ledgers and engaging in insincere dealings with hypocritical businessmen, he preferred to stay by his mother's sickbed and listen to her tell stories of her adventures in the underground city when she was young.

Eileen looked at the boy in front of her who lacked his mother's company, and a trace of heartache flashed in her eyes.

She reached out and gently ruffled Ian's soft hair, her tone unexpectedly gentle.

"Go ahead, while you're still young, you should go out and explore."

These words struck Ian like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned and speechless for a long time.

He was prepared to be locked up for half a month and copy the trade code a hundred times, but he never expected that Aunt Eileen would agree.

"You...you're not going to stop me?"

He stared wide-eyed at the amber-colored object and asked incredulously, his voice trembling slightly.

Eileen raised an eyebrow and asked him in return.

Why should I stop you?

"Don't you even think this is a mistake?"

"No! Of course not!"

Ian immediately shook his head, a bright smile instantly spreading across his face. He was so excited that he danced around and almost jumped up.

"Thank you, Aunt Eileen! You're the best! You're the best aunt in the whole world!"

He grabbed Eileen's arm and excitedly began to talk about his plans.

But the more Eileen listened, the more her head ached.

This child is indeed clever, but he is still a young master who has never traveled far from home. His plans are full of wishful thinking. He doesn't even know the most basic adventurer registration process, let alone the traps and treacherous thieves that are everywhere outside.

If we let him run off so recklessly, he'll probably be swindled out of everything within three days and won't even know how he died.

Thinking of this, Eileen shook her head helplessly and turned to look at Veronica beside her.

"Veronica, shouldn't you have brought the letter with you?"

"Yes, Miss Eileen."

Veronica nodded and raised her hand to remove an inconspicuous silver ring from the index finger of her right hand.

It was a ring-shaped snap pocket, her personal maid's storage item. It contained everyday clothes, medicine, stationery, quill pens, and other miscellaneous items. It was spacious and easy to conceal.

With a thought, she suddenly had a stack of snow-white letter paper, a quill pen, and a small bottle of frosted ink in her hand.

Eileen took the quill pen, dipped it in ink, and leaned over the windowsill to write quickly.

As she wrote, she gave instructions to Ian.

"Go directly to Oak Town in the Duchy of Silverfrost in the North, which is near Silverfrost City."

Once you arrive in town, go to the Adventurers' Guild and find an adventurer named Otto. Bring my letter with you, and team up with him for your adventure; it will make things much smoother.

If you want to build your own adventurer squad, he's the best choice.

She wrote very quickly, the tip of her pen gliding across the paper, leaving behind flowing and elegant cursive characters.

Eileen knew that it was better to find a reliable person to guide him than to let the kid run wild on his own.

Otto had been personally tested and taught by him; he was highly skilled and trustworthy.

The Dragonbreaker team disbanded recently due to the captain's retirement. Otto was resting in Oak Town and needed a new team, so Ian was a perfect fit.

After writing the letter, Eileen folded the letter into a neat shape, put it in an envelope, and sealed it with sealing wax, which was stamped with the Newtler family crest.

She handed the letter to Ian, and after watching the boy solemnly tuck it into the innermost pocket of his clothes, she patted his head and spoke with a more serious tone.

"Think carefully on the way and see what kind of adventurer you want to be. Sometimes, there are many ways to take an adventure."

However, it's always good to make more friends while you're young.

When you grow up, you'll find it hard to find friends you can have honest conversations with and who you can trust completely.