Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Come in, Megan."

"Yes."

Megan pushed open the door and immediately knelt on one knee in a knightly salute: "Master, the person has been brought."

"Okay, you can go ahead and get busy."

Megan, who had just been so haughty, was now behaving so humbly, much to the surprise of her maid, Ela. Even though Megan was kneeling on one knee, she still blocked most of their view, preventing Ela from seeing inside the room, which filled her with curiosity and nervousness. But her mistress remained remarkably calm. As Megan rose to leave, Ela bowed slightly in thanks, and Megan nodded in response before leaving the room.

Click, the door closed, and after Megan left, the boy inside was finally revealed. He was sitting at the desk belonging to a local city defense officer, reviewing recent records, and then put down his notebook to look with interest at the two girls who were slightly older than him.

Sure enough, this trip was going to be quite a show. Ryusha, who had rushed all the way from the castle, smiled as she looked at the pink-haired girl at the entrance. She did indeed look very much like Esther—the same hair color, the same beauty, only slightly obscured by the dust of travel. She was like Esther two years later, only with a more mature and womanly figure, and exuded a different aura than Esther.

Dignified, elegant, and some people like to call it noble.

"So, do you believe me now?"

Ryuka glanced at a corner of the room, where Esther was reclining on a chair, her little leather shoes askew. Esther, who had just been unwilling to believe it and looked impatient, immediately widened her eyes. The pink-haired girl before her was indeed remarkably similar to her. Although she was reluctant to admit it, the other girl was undeniably more charming than she was now, and the resemblance between them was something even biological sisters would find difficult to achieve.

"Mother... Mother?"

Esther opened her small mouth and murmured, the girl before her looking exactly like the portrait her mother had left behind. She felt a pang of relief that it was herself who had come today, not her father; otherwise, she didn't know how much her old man would have cried. Even as she told herself this, her eyes still involuntarily welled up with tears.

Seeing Esther's reaction, Ryuga silently suppressed his teasing thoughts. As the ruler of Sochi, he couldn't possibly be unaware of Esther's background and the Miller family's past. Esther's mother had committed suicide when Esther was only a few years old, the reason unknown. Although Mrs. Miller was young, her physical and mental health had deteriorated after giving birth to Esther, and she hadn't produced another magically gifted heir for the Miller family.

This led Esther to believe that her mother's suicide was her fault, even though she was only four or five years old at the time.

Therefore, Ryuu couldn't joke about this situation. He quietly looked at the 'youthful version of Esther' opposite him, to see how she would speak.

“I’m sorry, of course I can’t be your mother, Miss Esther Miller.”

"Of course I know that..."

Esther interrupted the girl who was bowing slightly, her tone irritating, and stubbornly wiped the moisture from the corner of her eyes. But the girl opposite her was not angry, maintaining her kind smile, her eyes revealing a kind of romance that Esther found somewhat irritating.

In Ryuga's eyes, he felt that the girl's loving gaze carried a hint of pity, as if it were directed at Esther, and also at herself.

"Believe me, I understand how you feel right now, not only because we are cousins ​​by blood, but also because we have similar experiences. Losing your mother at a young age is indeed a very sad thing, but..."

The girl spoke frankly, but hesitated after seeing Esther's surprised reaction to the word "cousin," as if pondering something. She abandoned her words, instead lifting the corners of her cloak and giving Esther a slight bow, introducing herself:

“Linole Granville Sersis. My mother and your mother were twin sisters…”

Her young maid, Ela, was surprised that her mistress had given her full name, but she also lifted her cloak and bowed to Ryū and the other woman.

“Aila, Princess Linor’s maid…”

Even without Ela saying the words 'Your Highness,' Ryusha narrowed his eyes when he heard Linor's surname.

Granville Sersis... The royal family of the Bauhinia Kingdom, located south of Otus and recently embroiled in turmoil, on the verge of extinction...

According to intelligence, the reason for the destruction of the Bauhinia Kingdom was likely...

Holy See!

Chapter 14: Linor's Suspicious Points and the Tears of the Bauhinia

This is really interesting.

Ryuga watched Linor finish her self-introduction in silence, silently calculating in her mind. Esther, on the other hand, looked completely dazed.

"Twin sisters?"

Even if their mothers were twin sisters, she and Lenore looked remarkably alike. But at least that was one explanation…

"You mean, my mother's sister is... a princess of the Purple Gold Flower Kingdom?"

Esther had never heard of such a thing. In her memory, her mother was always described as 'Mrs. Miller,' and she knew nothing about what happened before her mother married her father.

Clearly, Esther's attention was no longer on Linor; she had begun to think about other things, and memories of the past were starting to make her sad. It was only through Ruka's quick response that the topic was steered back to Linor, pulling Esther from her sorrowful recollections.

"Then, Your Highness Linor, why has the Bauhinia Princess come to Sochi? Do you have any way to prove your identity?"

"How rude..." Linor's maid, Ela, pouted and glared at Ryusha. She hadn't expected that her princess would be suspected after revealing her identity. Although Ela had heard rumors about Ryusha along with the other princesses, since major events in Otus were major events for the entire continent, the frivolousness in the young man's demeanor made her very uncomfortable.

She had a premonition that the princess she had always admired would be treated disrespectfully in front of this boy.

Linor did not show displeasure after hearing Ryukyu's question. Although she was a princess, the Kingdom of Purple Gold Flower was just a small country, its territory not much larger than the Sochi Province. Compared to Otus, it was a small and weak country, not to mention that she was now a princess in dire straits.

A fallen tiger is no better than a cat, not to mention that a princess of a small country is nowhere near as noble as a powerful regional official like Liu Xia.

Compared to those princesses who have status but no brains, Linor clearly understands her situation better. Moreover, being in a high position, she has not only learned to be dignified and proper, but also to use humility to gain the trust of others when appropriate.

"As for evidence..."

She took out a purple gemstone pendant from her collar. The large purple gemstone was cut into a flat shape and set in a gold pendant. What was truly amazing was that the purple gemstone had golden patterns within it, not the work of a craftsman, but naturally formed golden fissures, like a cluster of bauhinia flowers.

"Whoosh~ So this is the national treasure of the Bauhinia Kingdom, the priceless treasure that the former emperor of Otus was willing to exchange for fifty cities..."

"Yes."

After displaying it for only a moment, Linor immediately put away the gemstone necklace named 'Tears of the Bauhinia'. This wasn't because she thought Ryūka would have any ill intentions towards such a treasure, but rather…

Strange fluctuations...

Ryusha's pupils trembled almost imperceptibly. Just as Linor displayed the gem, he seemed to have heard or sensed something in the darkness.

What secret does that gemstone hold?

"As for why I came to Sochi..."

After putting away the gem, Linor also revealed a pitiful and sad expression.

"The Papacy, controlling the nobles who opposed the monarchy, captured the capital of the Bauhinia Kingdom. Their aim was not, as they claimed, 'to punish the incompetent king who was obsessed with heretical magic,' but rather to obtain this 'Tear of the Bauhinia'..."

"My father entrusted it to me before the rebels and the knights of judgment stormed the palace, so that I could escape under the cover of my entourage and seek refuge in the suzerain state of Otus..."

“My half-brother, Crown Prince Tyrio of the Bauhinia, has fallen into the hands of the rebels and become their puppet to control the entire kingdom. If Otus is willing to send troops to help the Bauhinia restore its kingdom, my father agrees to let me present this gem to His Majesty the Emperor of Otus. After all, the only country on the entire continent that can stand against the Papacy is the Otus Empire.”

"But unfortunately, the rebels and the Papacy have been searching for me, and my entourage has gradually become separated along the way. To reach the capital of Ottus from the Bauhinia Kingdom in the south, one must pass through many places where the Papacy wields significant influence. So..."

At this point, Ryusha understood her meaning: "So, you chose to travel diagonally south of Otus and came to Sochi first, right? Because you heard that I am someone who does not obey the Church, and that the thirteenth princess of the Empire will soon be touring here."

“Yes, Your Excellency… We hope that, considering the long-standing friendship between the Bauhinia and Ottus, you will temporarily protect us, master and servant, and allow us the honor of meeting Princess Tipalotura…”

Linor's voice was melodious and husky, and coupled with her forlorn expression, it was hard not to be moved to tears, but Ryuka was not so easily touched.

Because there were just too many suspicious things...

First, the palace is in crisis. The one who escaped with the national treasure entrusted to him by the king was not the young prince who was the crown prince, but Princess Linor.

There's another explanation: perhaps Crown Prince Tyrio had already fallen into enemy hands before this. But...

If what Linor said was true, then she should have come to me for refuge immediately after arriving in Sochi, instead of being caught while trying to dine and dash at a tavern. Perhaps she genuinely wanted to see Tipalotura, but before that, she didn't want to be discovered by others, either because she didn't trust anyone or because there was another hidden reason.

Furthermore, there's her cousin relationship with Esther...

Ryuga glanced at Esther beside her. Esther's mind was clearly not on the story of the Bauhinia Kingdom; she was staring at Linor, her gaze somewhat lost in thought.

It's likely that this connection was only revealed by Linor after she was captured. Seeking the Miller family's help was probably not part of her plan, but it was a higher priority than letting herself, the governor of Sochi, know. However, Linor didn't expect that the Miller family's daughter was staying in her castle.

Seeing Ryūka staring at her silently, Linor's breathing became heavy. She seemed to sense Ryūka's suspicion, and took out the 'Tear of the Bauhinia' again, running her finger along the gold-inlaid edge, drawing a drop of blood onto the gem...

A buzzing sound rang out again, and the strange sensation that Ryūka had sensed earlier reappeared. The gemstone shimmered with a captivating luster, its purple-gold radiance flowing throughout the room like ripples spreading outwards. At the same time, a powerful yet gentle magical energy emanated from the gemstone, and a mesmerizing fragrance even filled the air.

"This is?"

Seeing the look of amazement in Ryūka's eyes, Linor wasn't surprised. No one could resist a priceless gem with secret abilities; in fact, the look of interest in Ryūka's eyes was exactly what she wanted to see.

"This is the secret of the Bauhinia Flower Tears. It is a powerful magical crystal that can automatically absorb and store surrounding magical energy, so theoretically, it can be used for... an infinite amount of time!"

Indeed, the Bauhinia Kingdom is a kingdom that reveres magic, and its first king was an outstanding mage. It's hard to say that this gem didn't play a role in this, since before the advent of magical engineering, magical crystals were used as energy reserves and enhancement artifacts for mages.

However, the claim of 'infinite' is probably an exaggeration. Ryūka observed the magical power emanating from the gem; it was indeed very strong, but he also understood the strange feeling he had when he first saw it. This stone was indeed absorbing all the surrounding magical power, whether it was from the air or from people…

Such a priceless treasure was displayed by Linor without reservation. Not only that, she even stepped forward and handed the gem to Ryūka.

"Your Highness Linor, this is..."

Linor remained silent, only gesturing for Ryukyu to pick up the gem. Strangely, the moment Ryukyu touched it, the gem's brilliance vanished instantly.

"This gem possesses a special magic that can only be activated by the blood of a woman from the Bauhinia royal family. A princess or a queen—does that dispel your doubts?"

Linor looked directly into Ryukatsu's eyes without flinching, then extended her palm, politely gesturing for Ryukatsu to return the gem.

Holding the gem in her hand, Ryusha still had a strange feeling. But it was true that once it left Linor, it was just a pretty stone.

The princess before her guessed what she was thinking from her brief silence.

Either she's exceptionally intelligent, able to see through my well-concealed thoughts, or... she's prepared this excuse beforehand, and will use it with anyone.

"You're overthinking it, Your Highness Linor. I'm not as suspicious as you think."

Ryusha smiled and returned it to Linor, watching her breathe a sigh of relief as she put it back on her slender neck.

"However, if it were given to Ottos, it would just be a pretty stone."

Faced with Ryusha's statement, Linor calmly uttered words that surprised even her maid: "Therefore, I will stay in Otus with it. If you are willing to help the Bauhinia restore its kingdom and rescue my brother, I am willing to become a hostage in Otus, or marry a prince."

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

The maid Ela appeared quite surprised, which only highlighted Linor's righteous indignation. But Ryūsha simply smiled and bowed slightly to Linor.

"Rest assured, Your Highness, until the Princess arrives, you can make Sochi Castle your home. Furthermore, you can also reunite with Esther and her father, Viscount Cooper..."

After saying this, Ryūka summoned the city guards and ordered them to prepare a carriage. Esther accompanied Linor into the carriage. Although Esther was somewhat surprised by how things had unfolded and was curious about her mother's affairs but dared not ask too many questions, she understood Ryūka's meaning after seeing the look he secretly gave her.

This heartless person wants to trick me into revealing information!

Esther inwardly cursed Ryusha, after all, this Linor didn't seem to be a simple-minded girl, and Ryusha really knew how to order people around!

But Esther felt a little better after Ryūka offered to drive for them. She understood that Ryūka didn't want to make a big fuss, and it was also Linor's request. But the thought of this young man being her driver helped her convince herself, and she got into the carriage with Linor.

As for Ryusha, he used the excuse of finding a hood to avoid attracting attention on the street to temporarily leave Esther and the others, and then lightly snapped his fingers.

"Owner."

In the shadows, Nemi, dressed in a maid's outfit, quietly appeared, kneeling on one knee to obey Ryukatsu's orders.

"Go and inform Zona to have the Shadow Guards gather as much information as possible about the Bauhinia Kingdom, both past and present... Also, regarding Princess Linor, have someone investigate which way she entered Sochi, and see if they can find any intelligence about her journey. Remind the Shadow Guards to be careful; there might be someone following the princess, and they could very well be from the Holy See. We mustn't let anything go wrong..."

"Yes!"

With a light leap, Nemi's strong, beautiful wheat-colored legs sent her back into the shadows of the corner. Meanwhile, Ryūsha hastily obtained a hood from the city guards, put it on, and returned to the carriage, carrying Linor and the others back to the castle…

-----------------

"Your Highness Linor, are you satisfied with the room?"

"Your Highness Linor, what do you think of these clothes?"

"Your Highness Linor, it's almost time for dinner. Lord Ryukatsu has invited you over. Do you have any requests for the dishes?"

Inside the castle, Yurina served Linor with impeccable manners, making Ela, also a maid, feel utterly useless. After Yurina left, Ela sullenly squatted in a corner:

"Your Highness this and Your Highness that, even though I clearly said I could take good care of Princess Linor..."

Linor simply smiled and glanced at the row of dresses that Yulina had pushed towards her. Even during a flight, it was hard for a girl to miss such exquisite clothes.

"Didn't they say it was a rehearsal to receive Princess Otus? After all, Her Highness will be staying in Sochi for a long time. But it seems that for such a large castle, there aren't many servants. And the upper levels are handled by Yulina and some maids who look like they're half-dark elves. The soldiers guarding the lower levels aren't many, but they're skilled and should all be trusted confidants. It seems this boy named Ryusha is indeed as mysterious as the rumors say..."

As Linor spoke, she began selecting the exquisite dresses. Gowns from Sochi were highly sought-after among the nobility; a whole row of them would be enough to drive the ladies of the entire Bauhinia Kingdom wild. But her attention wasn't on them; instead, she gently traced the fine fabric and intricate stitching with her fingers, a testament to Sochi's exceptional production capabilities. And she'd heard that even counting from Linhu Territory, this had only been developing for a little over a year. Thinking of this, Linor's opinion of Ryukyu underwent a new transformation…

Chapter 15 The Pursuing Assassins

While Linor was bathing and changing for the banquet, Ryusha was reviewing a series of intelligence gathered by the Shadow Guard.

The Bauhinia Kingdom is a country that produces magical crystals and reveres magic, but it has no other notable characteristics. This coup was like a sudden storm, but it is ultimately a small country. If it weren't for Linor's arrival, this matter would have been nothing more than a piece of gossip that Ryusha would have glanced at and forgotten.

Under the light, Ryuka felt Kania gently approach her, hug her from behind, and ask the intelligence file in her hand:

"What's wrong? Something's definitely not right?"

Ryuka put down the documents, leaned back, and rested her head on Kania's soft breasts, closing her eyes as she smelled the little witch's fragrance and answered:

"The records here aren't anything special. Aside from Otus, it's all too easy and common for the Papacy to overthrow a kingdom's royal family from behind. But what I'm concerned about is Linor..."

Upon hearing this, Kania couldn't help but chuckle:

"What? You think she's pretty?"

Ryuka opened her eyes irritably: "Beautiful women often mean trouble, especially those who come to you willingly..."

Recalling his previous meeting with Linor, Ryusha remembered something else that made him feel uneasy.

"She just handed the Bauhinia Tears to me like that..."

Although her intention was to make it clear to Ryūka that she hadn't spoken, Ryūka felt this action was utterly illogical. That was a priceless gem, not to mention an exceptional magical crystal. And yet, she had revealed this secret...