Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

He responded and followed behind Rune.

The stone steps were long, and no one spoke along the way.

The women kept their heads down, their eyes fixed on the heels of the person in front of them, their steps faltering but they dared not stop.

They had become accustomed to this way of walking and to obeying orders.

The group finally left the brothel.

The morning light shone down and fell on these women.

Several people instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes; they hadn't seen sunlight in a long time.

Chapter 18 Human Nature

As dawn broke through the eastern horizon, it first appeared as a faint golden hue, then gradually spread out, enveloping the entire capital in a warm halo.

Rune stopped and turned to look at Sebastian.

Sunlight shone on his profile, making his light green eyes shine brightly.

"Three years ago, in a small town in the Dragon Kingdom that had been occupied by orcs for many years."

Rune shifted his gaze from Sebastian's face to the awakening sky.

“I rescued some humans who were being kept in captivity by the beastmen; they were the same people.”

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

"No, they were even worse off. When I cut off their chains, some of them even tried to fight me to the death. Because the orcs I killed were the ones they regarded as their masters."

There was no blame in Rune's voice; instead, there was a hint of pity.

"But it's not their fault. They were raised as food by the beastmen from birth, and they know nothing about life."

The women kept their heads down, the chains hanging from their shackles, gleaming a dull rust color in the morning light.

Their gazes were fixed on the ground in front of them, as if what Rune said had nothing to do with them.

Only the youngest few girls looked up at Rune.

Rune immediately returned a smile, a smile that appeared particularly gentle in the light.

But the little girls lowered their heads in fear again, burying their faces in the hem of the adults' clothes in front of them.

"And then?" Sebastian asked.

“Later, these people were settled in the rear of the Dragon Kingdom.” Rune withdrew his gaze, his tone becoming lighter. “When I visited them last year, a considerable number of them had already adapted, and some even cried as they thanked me.”

As Rune spoke, he gave a shy smile, as if he didn't know where to put his hands when being praised to his face.

"Is that so?" Sebastian returned a faint smile, his eyes filled with a satisfaction warmer than the morning light.

But there was one more thing Rune didn't say.

A very small minority of them chose to escape back to the orc kingdom, only to become livestock once again. There is no greater tragedy than this.

Rune turned around and waved to the side.

Several people who had been waiting there immediately stepped forward.

They were dressed in civilian clothes, with swords at their waists, and walked with a steady gait, clearly indicating that they were all trained.

The leader was a middle-aged man who bowed to Rune and then took the chains from Rune's hands.

“Heal their injuries,” Rune commanded, with the authority befitting a lord. “Then send them to the territory of Aindora and let them live there for a month.”

Rune added, "After one month, they will decide their own future. Those who want to stay in the territory will be provided with accommodation and work. Those who want to leave will be given sufficient travel expenses and not prevented from doing so."

The middle-aged man in the lead nodded, his movements swift and decisive.

The women were led toward several carriages waiting at the alley entrance.

They walked slowly; the chains had been removed, but their steps remained stiff, as if they were not yet used to the weight of being free of shackles.

A little girl walking at the very back suddenly stopped and turned to look at Rune.

Rune winked at her.

The little girl was a little surprised, then turned around and jogged to catch up with the group.

Sebastian watched Rune make his arrangements with even greater admiration.

Once the carriage disappeared around the street corner, Rune turned around, clapped his hands, as if to shake off the heavy atmosphere.

"Sebastian, I still need to take care of some cleanup matters. You should go back first."

"Don't you need my help?" Sebastian tilted his head slightly.

"The relationships among the Eight Fingers are incredibly complex," Rune shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his expression. "If you had come, it might have given So...

He deliberately didn't finish his sentence.

"Anyway, leave it to me."

Sebastian understood.

Rune didn't want his identity to be exposed, which would cause trouble for Miss Suo Liuxiang.

Sebastian thought to himself, "Mr. Rune is such a genuine person."

'He did it all for Suo Liuxiang's sake, yet he doesn't want to cause trouble for me and Suo Liuxiang.'

"I understand." Sebastian bowed slightly. "Then I'll head back now."

"Yes, Sebastian."

Sebastian turned around and walked steadily toward the mansion.

Rune stood there, watching Sebastian's figure disappear.

Rune's idea was actually very simple; he was going to see Si and the others soon.

All the wild roses are female.

If this womanizer sees this, things will get out of hand.

Rune turned around and walked towards the Royal Capital Avenue.

On the main road of the capital, the number of pedestrians gradually increased.

Early risers are opening their shop doors, the aroma of baking bread wafts from the bakery, and the first crisp sound of hammering echoes from the blacksmith's shop.

The city is awakening, as if nothing had happened last night.

But Rune knew that the city had actually improved a little.

Although if Lambusa III were to remain in power, the incompetent old king would allow these dark forces to resurface.

But judging by the timeline, Rambusha III doesn't have much time left.

Things will improve considerably after the second prince ascends the throne.

However, before dawn arrives, someone always has to bear the cost of clearing away the darkness.

Rune knew that his act of eliminating the Eight Fingers would have a significant impact on the Eindora family.

Although he did it very discreetly, he couldn't stop those with ulterior motives from investigating.

If that eldest prince, Balbro, knew, he'd probably be furious.

After all, "Eight Fingers" is also part of his business.

Finding the trouble too much, Rune decided to say goodbye to Silk and then go to the Dragon Kingdom to avoid trouble.

Let Dad work a little harder and stay in the capital to bear the pressure.

Rune's lips curved slightly, revealing a sly smile.

Dad must be quite experienced in dealing with these kinds of things.

Moreover, given the Aindora family's position within the pro-king faction, even if Balbro was furious, he wouldn't dare to do anything openly.

Rune stopped in front of an adventurer's inn on the side of the avenue.

It includes accommodation facilities, stables, and a spacious courtyard suitable for sword practice.

With its stunning exterior, it's easy to imagine that the interior decoration must be equally magnificent, with the guest rooms featuring windows inlaid with crystal-clear glass.

This most luxurious inn in the capital city is a gathering place for adventurers who are confident in their skills and can afford the high cost of accommodation.

Ignoring the guards standing on his left and right, Rune opened the hotel door.

The spacious hotel and restaurant, which occupies the entire ground floor, is so large that there are very few adventurers.

This shows how rare high-level adventurers are.

Chapter 19 Blue Rose

The noise inside the store subsided for only a moment before curious eyes flocked over.

Rune didn't mind and went straight to the second floor.

The shop was filled with high-ranking adventurers from the kingdom, so many people recognized the visitor as Rune, a nobleman who was quite famous in the kingdom, and they all looked at him with a mixture of friendliness and awe.

Although adventurers do not participate in wars and political struggles between nations, they naturally have a great deal of goodwill towards nobles like Rune, who are known for their virtue.

The store only gradually returned to its usual bustling atmosphere after Rune disappeared from the second floor.

Rune knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

The familiar sound of silk came from inside the room.

I pushed open the door and went inside. All the members of the Blue Rose were sitting around a table.

Besides Si, who is the captain, there is also Tina, whom we met before. Among the remaining three, there is a woman who looks almost exactly like Tina.

They can be distinguished almost only by the color details of their headbands and clothing.

Tina wore a fiery red headband, while she wore an ice-blue one.

This is Tia.