Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

However, Ryuuichi didn't take the umbrella out of mere curiosity, even though he had already realized it wasn't an ordinary item. He shook the folded umbrella in his hand, as if it were a longsword, acting like a child, which made the umbrella's owner purse her lips. But the next second, the witch's eyes widened.

A shard of Ruklati flashed on Ryukia's wrist, its power instantly merging with the parasol in her hand, transforming the witch's beloved possession in an instant! The black and gold parasol gleamed like lacquer in the sunlight, resembling a sharp longsword! The edges of the open parasol were also as sharp as blades, while retaining its original magical properties!

"My...my umbrella..."

The witch stared wide-eyed, looking pitifully at Ryukura as if her beloved possession had been defiled, her watery eyes brimming with tears. Fortunately, after a few moments of manipulation, Ryukura immediately withdrew Ruklati's power, restoring her umbrella to its original state, and then returned it to the frightened witch.

Tipalotura patted her shoulder in comfort, then looked at Ryukyu with interest: "Is this the power of the 'Sword of Domination'?"

"A portion of my abilities." Ryuka made no attempt to hide anything.

Unlike the control abilities of fragments of order, Ruklati's 'control' is more hardcore. He currently possesses only a fragment, yet he demonstrates the ability to wield objects. No matter what it is, even a scepter formed from the power of order, it can all be transformed into a weapon to his liking in Ruklati's hands. While not as powerful as a true demonic sword, it surpasses most so-called 'divine weapons'.

Liu Xia was quite satisfied with this. After advancing to the Heavenly Rank, he was lacking a suitable weapon. With this Demon Sword Fragment Bracelet, anything could become a powerful weapon in his hands.

"You really trust this princess a lot, even though she's not 'your person' yet~"

Ruklati teased Ryūka in her heart. As a princess of Ottus and a descendant of Cranar, Tipalotura undoubtedly possessed many secrets that Ryūka was unaware of. For example, the Papacy and the ancient wars of heretics, but she never spoke of them. Ryūka didn't mind this at all, and instead smiled at Ruklati:

"You are the sword of dominion, but you don't seem to be good at dealing with women. A man who keeps talking and trying to break boundaries is not likable~ On the contrary, it's easier to win favor by being easygoing."

“The Holy Sword, you can also call it the Divine Sword,” Ruklati emphasized.

"More like a swordsman." Ryūka, already familiar with this new ability, answered Tipalotura's earlier question:

"We were supposed to stay in Raven Bay for two days anyway, and the magical protective coating needed to cross the Shadowless Forest basin hasn't been completed yet."

"Two days, is that enough? Matt Harvey won't hand things over to you easily, and you don't even know where he's hiding them. Although his strength is negligible to you, in terms of status, you and he are both independent lords, and a conflict could easily arise."

Tipalotura's meaning was clear: although Ryūsha was powerful, he still had to abide by the rules between lords. Unless he was a mad murderer, but then he would likely be the next target of the heretical extermination campaign.

"Whether it's enough or not, we only have two days. Anjaberg's magical listening device is already finished. We need to further investigate the secrets of the Bauhinia Kingdom in Linze Fortress. Your Highness, you wouldn't want your homeland to be thrown into chaos, would you?"

Ryūka had already told Tipalotura that the Bauhinia Kingdom might have bribed nobles throughout Otus and even set up teleportation magic arrays. Although the princess's goal remained on the Heretical Continent, she couldn't ignore such a significant matter. She quietly looked at Ryūka. If what Ryūka told her was true, then this was indeed a hidden danger for the Otus Empire. Especially now that their relations with the southern kingdoms were tense. Although they nominally maintained the status of vassal states and suzerain states, apart from regular tribute, the empire and the southern kingdoms were constantly in a state of friction. And with the empire's financial crisis, the southern kingdoms had been secretly preparing for conflict for years.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen..."

Tipalotura gave Ryūsha a meaningful look; at least her astrological predictions seemed correct. But this hidden danger did exist, meaning someone could eliminate it, thus ensuring the predicted signs remained stable…

And who else could that person be but Ryukatsu?

Ryusha chuckled and snorted twice. He and Tipalotura were both sly foxes; who could fool whom? He understood what Tipalotura meant, of course, but he wasn't going to work for the Ottus family for free. Even if he was supposed to do these things anyway, he couldn't let Tipalotura get away with his labor for free!

"I need Your Highness's help."

"Tell me about it?"

"Jerberli has already arrived in the south, right? I want her to gather some intelligence there."

Although he had sent his shadow guards to gather information, being in Otus meant they could only collect fragmented intelligence from multinational merchants, which was far less convenient than being in Gerberi in the south.

Tipalotura nodded: "Okay, but Gerberly hates you. Aren't you afraid she'll deliberately refuse to cooperate?"

"Then please tell her to watch her big ass." Liu Xia snorted twice. "There's one more thing. I need information about an organization called 'The Chosen Ones'."

"The Chosen One?" Tipalotura frowned slightly. She had never heard of this name before, but Ryūka wasn't concerned with whether she knew it or not. Rather, she was concerned with the royal family behind her.

Having ruled this continent for nearly a thousand years, with its surname changing repeatedly, the Kranar clan is someone Ryuka doesn't believe is just sitting idly by. Whether it's Prince Hypnos or the Third Prince Clovis, whom she's met before, the Ottus lineage has many talented individuals. Even if Tipalotura doesn't know, her father, and the legendary hidden Ottus Three Saints, surely know something.

"I understand, I will keep an eye on this."

Tipalotura nodded, watching Ryusha, who was eager to set off. The boy was looking towards Black Raven Castle, which was not far from Raven Bay, and could be vaguely seen from there.

"Don't come back late, we won't wait for you. Matt Harvey has been at the peak of the Great Knight for a long time, and his relationship with his fourth brother and the Holy See is not ordinary. Don't let yourself be caught off guard."

Although Tipalotura's tone was cold, she still took off a ring engraved with the sacred tree pattern of the Otus Empire from her hand and handed it to Ryukyu.

The ring contained a hidden magical power. It seemed that it was not only a token of identity given to him by Tipalotura, but also had another purpose.

"If anything goes wrong, just say I sent you."

Ryuga blinked, looking at the ring the princess wore close to her body. Beneath Tipalotura's calm exterior, she still cared for him, whether it was out of ally duty or something else. In any case, a closer relationship was a good thing. He said to the Ruklati in his mind, "See? What did I tell you? When it comes to dealing with women, you still have to listen to me."

Ruklati snorted and remained silent. Ryūsha, however, took the ring and put it on her finger, saying to Tipalotura:

"You know this little bit of concern is just icing on the cake, right? Nothing will happen to me."

Such dishonest words would infuriate most girls. But Tipalotura simply smiled, narrowing her eyes, and said to Ryūka:

"Liu Xiaqing, don't be overconfident. What if this is a timely help?"

Good heavens, this is cursing herself into trouble. Ryuga chuckled at Tipalotura's hot lips, concealed her presence, and vanished from the deck…

Chapter 23 The Secret of Matt Harvey

"Lord Harvey, there's been some commotion in the forest..."

Black Rook Castle, Matt Harvey's study. For an earl, the decor wasn't extravagant; the antique-style room was filled with bookshelves overflowing with classic texts. This was quite rare among knights, and Matt Harvey, dressed in a loose warrior's robe, stood beside the bookshelves, carefully perusing something.

Upon hearing the report from his attendant, he calmly put down his book, glanced at the cross on the desk, and asked:

"What is it?"

Faced with Matt Harvey's calm tone, the squire seemed overly nervous. Clutching his helmet, he straightened his back as he reported the news he had heard:

"Villagers reported seeing what appeared to be spies near the fortress ruins, but when we went to check, they were gone. But..."

The attendant swallowed hard and recounted his observations in a trembling voice.

"That fortress, sir, the place you forbade us to approach, it's completely collapsed..."

The fortress has always been rumored to be cannibalistic; the war over a decade ago gave rise to many horrifying stories about this ancient castle. Hunters from the forest and farmers from the surrounding area would deliberately avoid it, lest they be reduced to ashes. But Earl Harvey, as the lord, not only sent people to investigate the place but also forbade the spread of rumors about it among the common people.

Many of the young squires of Ravenhill grew up hearing stories of this fortress, and this squire was no exception. But even after more than a decade of weathering the elements and neglecting repairs, the fortress couldn't have collapsed so suddenly. In particular, the stone bricks had been sent flying hundreds of meters away, as if shattered by some terrifying force, causing considerable panic within Ravenhill.

"Lord Harvey, some country folk say that the monster sealed inside has escaped... They say this is a sign that Imperial spies want to destroy Ravenhill..."

"A sealed monster? What kind of monster?"

Matt Harvey looked calmly into the eyes of his squire, who immediately broke out in a cold sweat, realizing he had misspoke. The fortress was just an ordinary ancient building; there were no monsters there, only the legends of ignorant villagers.

"My lord, they are all ignorant people. I... I am only reporting this to you. This matter must not reach the ears of Her Highness the Princess..."

"Cut off their tongues and index and middle fingers. Foolish people will pay the price for their actions. The rest is none of your concern, understand?"

"Yes...sir."

The entourage was drenched in a cold sweat. Thankfully, it was the villagers whose tongues were to be cut out, not himself. He immediately turned and left, not daring to linger for a moment. Although the count he served was a mysterious figure among the nobility, only those close to him knew how cruel a heart lay hidden beneath that cold and pious expression.

After the entourage left, Matt Harvey closed her eyes, slowly knelt before the cross on the table, adopting a devout posture, and murmured to herself:

"God, please forgive my sins..."

After saying that, he opened his eyes and reached out his hand to the cross.

Click! The cross ornament was twisted and turned upside down, the bookshelf moved, and a secret passage was revealed.

He looked into the dark secret passage, realizing that this matter had nothing to do with the Bauhinia spies. Unless they were carrying a large number of magical bombs, only a Celestial Rank cultivator could have done such a thing. And there was only one Celestial Rank cultivator in eastern Otus.

“Ryusha… a young, foolish idiot without faith, does he think he can do whatever he wants just because he has advanced to the Heavenly Rank? Above the Heavenly Rank, there are many secrets unknown to others… no, even the ancient gods do not know them…”

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

"Winter, where are you going?"

In the castle courtyard, the squire emerged, looking tense as if fleeing death. A sudden shout startled him, but upon recognizing the person, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Young Master Joe...it's nothing, I have something to do for Lord Harvey..."

Seeing the stammering of the squire named Winter, Joe Harvey frowned:

"Has someone said something wrong again?"

"This is none of your business, young master..."

Joe Harvey watched Winter turn and walk away, his expression tense, and couldn't help but sigh. Ever since the delegation arrived, a tense atmosphere had permeated Ravenhill. This wasn't due to fear of failing to properly receive the imperial princess, but entirely because of another person in the delegation—that handsome, talented young man.

Ever since the delegation entered the territory of Raven Ridge, her father had ordered that Ryūka's whereabouts be closely monitored. That's why he brought her along when meeting the princess, so that she, having seen Ryūka, would be more attentive. After not seeing Ryūka on the ship, her father's expression remained grim. Upon their return, she didn't know what he had said to her mother, but at noon she discovered her mother packing her bags, saying she was going back to her parents' home in the capital…

"If only His Highness Elias and His Highness Tipalotura had a better relationship... Despite being a princess, His Highness sees his sister as his strongest rival. The throne is truly a strange thing..."

Joe Harvey sighed and prepared to practice his swordsmanship alone for a while, but in the deserted corner, a strange longsword was suddenly placed against his neck!

"Long time no see, Master Harvey. You still owe me a life~"

The voice in his ear made Joe Harvey freeze, then he forced an awkward smile:

“Ryusha…Governor. What are you doing here? This joke isn’t very funny…”

"It's not very funny, especially after I saw your brother's body."

"younger brother?"

Joe Harvey was pulled into a corner and slammed against the wall. He watched as Ryūka stood above him, a sword pressed against his throat, the black-gold tip already leaving a red mark on his neck. It wasn't funny, but Ryūka still wore a faint smile. This unfathomable expression was just like his father's, filling Joe Harvey with a deep-seated fear and awe for this younger man.

Especially after he was caught red-handed in Sochi, but Ryūka gave him face and sent him back...

"Ah~ it seems you don't know anything at all?"

Seeing Joe Harvey's blank expression, Ryuka was certain he knew nothing about his father's past. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said those things in the courtyard, believing that Matt Harvey's caution was merely a confrontation between two different factions of royal heirs. But thinking about it, it made sense; given Joe Harvey's flippant and loose-lipped personality, Matt Harvey probably wouldn't have told his son about the family's hidden past.

Ryuga saw through Joe Harvey. Not being the eldest son, he had little interest in power struggles and only wanted to be a carefree young master who "wasted his life playing with birds." Of course, he would also do his best for his family and the fourth prince he served. His moral values ​​were only average among the nobility, with a cynical attitude and a disregard for his own life.

Compared to other noble young masters, he had never done anything to oppress the common people or to be competitive. His previous scheming against him was also on the orders of the fourth prince. Apart from his fondness for men, this young master from Nantong had not engaged in any excessive behavior. Even the group of handsome young knights around him were all "like-minded people" he had found, and there was no behavior of "forcibly taking men or forcing women into prostitution".

This kind of person, who lacks willpower, is cynical, and likes to get close to others, is essentially a love-starved individual and is most easily manipulated...

“You should have had a younger brother. If he were still alive, he would probably be a lovely sixteen or seventeen. Of course, if he were alive, your family wouldn’t be living here…”

Liu Xia said with a smile, "After all, he is the child your father had with the former lord of this place, Viscount Anthony, after deceiving him... Don't you want to know how your family acquired this territory?"

"My dear Governor, what... what are you saying..."

His own territory, a reward for his father's participation in the campaign against heretics. The target was none other than the Anthony family, back when he was just a little cub at his mother's feet, and the whole family stayed in the capital.

Joe Harvey's smile froze, as if to say, "Are you kidding me?" But his slightly trembling pupils, questioning eyes, and incredulous lips betrayed his wavering.

Ryuu had already released a powerful spiritual pressure, making Joe Harvey on the ground breathless. She smiled and squatted down, staring into Joe Harvey's eyes as she asked:

"Tell me, how do you view your father... Also, he must usually like to be alone, right? Where is that place?"

Chapter 24 Are you my biological child?

Inside Black Rook Castle, Ryusha followed behind Joe Harvey. Although there was no sword to his throat, Joe Harvey was still covered in cold sweat. After all, the boy behind him could strangle him with one hand, so he could only obediently lead him to his father's study.

"How do you know that Matt Harvey usually likes to be alone?"

Regarding Ruklati's question, Ryusha smiled inwardly:

"He's usually taciturn and appears devout, but he's actually done a lot of shady things. This kind of person would never reveal their dark side; they just prefer to be alone. Especially since Noor Anthony mentioned 'experimental records,' it shows he's someone who likes to organize things..."

Furthermore, the fact that his son, Joe Harvey, was completely unaware of this suggests that Matt Harvey was not the type to reveal these truths to his family. Therefore, there must be a place in Black Rook Castle where he kept his deepest secrets.

This kind of character design has been seen in many works by Ryuka.

“Um… Ryuka, even if what you’re saying is true, this… this is just a matter of my father’s personal conduct. What you’re doing could cause a diplomatic incident… Her Highness the Princess wouldn’t want you to cause her trouble, would she…”

Leading Ryūka to the study door, Joe Harvey was still struggling. But after hearing Ryūka's story, he simply couldn't believe that the person Ryūka described was his father. Admittedly, his father was somewhat 'abnormal' in some ways, not allowing his children, subordinates, or subjects to 'make mistakes,' otherwise he would severely punish them. But this might be a lingering effect from his time as a Papal Knight; after all, those fanatical Templar Knights were quick to punish others and themselves, and when they did, they were all ruthless…

But concealing his identity to commit marriage fraud and using his own flesh and blood for horrific and heretical experiments? Joe Harvey would never believe that his father would do such a thing.

But he also knew Ryuuya. This guy would use all sorts of tricks in a game, but he wasn't the type to lie or deceive. Especially as the youngest Celestial Rank cultivator in Otus, it was only a matter of time before he rose to prominence and became one of the pillars of the empire. There was no need for him to invade another noble's territory in this way and incite public outrage.

Hearing Joe Harvey say that, Ryuka couldn't help but laugh:

"Young Master Harvey, your mother must be a naive lady~"

"My mother?" Joe Harvey was taken aback, not understanding why Ryusha would mention his mother. But this young man's philandering and ambiguous relationships with women were common knowledge, and although his mother was nearing fifty, she was considered remarkably young and beautiful among wealthy women. This made him cry out like a cat whose tail had been stepped on:

"Why are you bringing up my mother?! Ryuka! What... what do you mean?!"

*Smack!* Ryuka couldn't help but slap her forehead. Just how bad had her reputation become?! A casual remark could lead people to think of *that* kind of thing… What a joke! Whether it was an older woman or a younger woman, it was always consensual! Uh… okay, the defeated CG of the captive doesn't count… but she had never even considered taking advantage of a mature woman that old!

"I mean, I don't know who you took after! Your father is obviously a heartless coward, but you're so stupid! You probably took after your mother! Didn't you notice that there weren't any guards at all as we walked into the castle?!"

Only after Ryuka said this did Joe Harvey suddenly realize that he had been so nervous after being taken hostage by Ryuka that he hadn't noticed that the soldiers who usually patrolled the castle had almost disappeared. They didn't encounter a single person on the way from the main gate to the study, and Ryuka just swaggered in with him as a hostage.

"This... my mother and sister are returning to the capital, so they must have sent people to escort them..."

However, regardless of the circumstances, it is indeed strange that the entire family has disappeared at this juncture. His elder brother wasn't even in the territory to begin with, but what if his father knew Ryūka would come and arranged this himself? After all, in a closed space like a castle, facing Ryūka, a Celestial Rank cultivator, no amount of servants would be of any use. The only things that can restrict a Celestial Rank cultivator are the Saint Rank and the so-called Imperial Law.

No, impossible. Joe Harvey shook his head. What about himself? If his father had truly foreseen something, how could he have forgotten him? No one had informed him, and after the audience with the princess, his father hadn't spoken to him at all…

But a sense of unease still crept into Joe Harvey's heart. He remained silent, letting Ryusha push open the study door.

The door wasn't locked, and the study was empty, which relieved Joe Harvey. He didn't know what to say if he saw his father in this situation. Ryuka seemed to have anticipated this, since, according to Joe Harvey, Matt Harvey usually spent most of his time in his study, aside from practicing swordsmanship.

He must be here.