Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Although her tone and demeanor were impeccable, Ryuu had already quickly surveyed her surroundings: apart from Ada, there were no other figures in the crowd worthy of her attention. Just like yesterday, the crowd on Market Road contained several high-ranking spies and informants, some disguised as passersby, others as merchants. However, they were likely the local church's regular informants in Cornwall, their strength at most comparable to the guards at the gate, insignificant compared to Ryuu and Gerberly, both at the Heavenly Rank.

This is strange. Ada is a high-ranking official. Even if she has enhancement potions, she wouldn't be so bold as to come up to him without any other Chosen Ones around! Ryuka thought to himself, concluding that the girl in front of him hadn't seen through his identity. So he continued to smile at Ada with the eagerness of a young merchant.

Ada also sized up Ryukyu, remaining expressionless and silent. She then turned her gaze to Gerberly behind him, this time with a hint of suspicion. Finally, she looked back at Ryukyu and softly asked:

"I heard there's a young out-of-town merchant selling Sochi groceries here. Is that you?"

Unlike when she was fawning over Liuxia in front of Linze Castle with a group of noble ladies, Ada's tone and demeanor were quite calm at this moment, no different from an ordinary girl, but her noble upbringing was still undeniable.

"It's me, miss. What can I do for you?"

Ryūka looked at Ada, the fugitive countess, and slowly began to speak:

"Have you sold out?"

"No, it's just that the market is closing up shop. Are you here to buy something? You've come at the perfect time! If you had come later tomorrow, I guess they would have sold out and I would have been packing up to go home!"

Seeing Ada nod, Ryusha felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders! So Ada was just there to buy things! Although surprised, Ryusha quickly realized it made sense—Ada was, after all, a daughter of an earl, and had always lived a life of luxury in Linze Castle. Now, having fled to Cornwall with her father, she might not be a VIP of the Chosen Ones. And the climate in this rainforest town was hot and humid; a girl like Ada would probably feel uncomfortable if she didn't bathe twice a day. But here, she wouldn't be surrounded by maids attending to her every need. Having escaped using teleportation magic, she wouldn't be carrying much luggage or personal belongings, so…

She probably really is just here to buy some everyday items like soap and aromatherapy products! After all, Cornish towns are relatively isolated, and it's not easy to find such products in Sochi. Judging from the time she appeared, she probably only recently heard about this market and is just trying her luck!

"Hehe, although it's closing time, Mr. Reese, for this lady's sake, you'd better do me a favor~"

Ryūka joked with the manager, Rhys, while noticing that Ada, though simply dressed, possessed fair skin and an extraordinary air, suggesting she was no ordinary person. Rhys, a seasoned street smarts, wouldn't be foolish enough to interrupt at this moment; who knew if he might offend someone he couldn't afford to mess with? He simply narrowed his eyes and teased Ryūka:

"Mr. Shane, business is booming! Then you should really consider what I just said..."

"That's right, that's right!" Ryusha replied as she walked towards the package she had just packed, intending to show the bundled goods to Ada. "Miss, look at this! These are all good stuff from Otus! And quite a lot from Sochi!"

But Ada ignored Ryusha's words. Instead, while he turned back to get his luggage, she turned to look at Gerberly beside her, tilted her head slightly, and asked her:

"You seemed nervous looking at me just now. Why? Have we met before?"

A jolt went through Ryuka's heart as soon as Ada said that! Sure enough, Gerberi's behavior had been too obvious, and Ada had noticed. Although they both possessed witch tools made by Nanalia, Nanalia's magic could only alter their appearance to outsiders; their expressions and actions remained unchanged. Gerberi's wary demeanor had naturally aroused Ada's suspicion.

"I……"

Gerberi was speechless for a moment and subconsciously looked at Ryusha, but this action only made Ryusha think that Gerberi was truly hopeless! Just as he was thinking about how to help Gerberi smooth things over, he heard Gerberi suddenly speak.

"I haven't seen you before, but young lady, you give off a very strong aura..."

"Is that so?"

To Gerberi's answer, Ada remained surprisingly calm. She scrutinized Gerberi again; in her eyes, Gerberi was nothing more than an ordinary-looking woman with a collar around her neck and a faint aura of suppressed magic emanating from her.

"Slaves? Ottus? Formerly knights?"

Recalling what Ryuka said about 'Bella' when she walked into Ryuka and the others, Ada immediately had her answer.

"Yes……"

To Ryūka's surprise, Gerberi lowered her head silently, looking as if she couldn't hold her head up in front of Ada. This demeanor didn't seem like the shameful reaction she might have felt from being humiliated in front of him; rather, it seemed like she had truly been touched on a sore spot and was unwilling to answer directly!

Perfect! A perfect expression! Gerberi, you can actually do that if you want to! Ryuka couldn't help but look at Gerberi with new respect.

"Is that so? You think I'm very strong. It seems your intuition is quite accurate. As for your strength? Above the mid-level of a regular class?"

When asked about Ida, Gerberly nodded. It was consistent with her identity as 'Bella,' and there was nothing to hide.

Ada nodded. As a high-ranking mage, her strength was based on the potential-enhancing techniques provided by the Chosen Ones, so she usually concealed her power, especially when welcoming the delegation. But today, facing a group of ordinary people, she naturally had little to control. Not to mention her high-ranking magical aura, even her demeanor and bearing would likely be different in the eyes of these 'ordinary people,' right? Rhys and this small merchant, being ordinary people with no power, naturally wouldn't be able to tell, but if a knight who had truly been on the battlefield didn't detect her magical aura, it wouldn't be surprising if they intuitively judged her to be stronger than her based solely on their intuition.

As for why the female knight named 'Bella' had become a slave, and what had happened to her at the hands of the young merchant named 'Shane,' Ada wasn't interested. However, being far from her homeland and forced to flee to the southern continent, her mood became even more somber after being noticed by Gerberi.

At that moment, Ryūka had already arrived with some groceries, trying to distract Ada. However, Ada glanced at the groceries and visibly frowned. Ryūka understood this; she had likely been using high-end goods exclusively supplied to nobles in Sochi, while the soaps, towels, and other magical tools she carried were all everyday necessities for commoners. The soap, in particular, which Ada was scrutinizing, though faintly scented, was merely a square bar wrapped in oil paper, hardly pleasing to the eye of the countess.

However, Ryuga could faintly smell a hint of sweat on her. Although it carried the unique scent of a young girl, it was easy to tell from Ryuga's keen senses due to the hot and humid rainforest environment. Even though Ada took a bath every day, it was just a simple scrubbing and showering, without using any cleaning products or perfume. It seemed that her daily life was not exactly comfortable.

"I'll take all of these. And if your hotel still has any left, I'll take them all too."

Ada pointed to the soap and cotton towel from Sochi that Ryukyu had taken out. Although she was somewhat dissatisfied, she still waved her hand and prepared to buy them, which surprised Rhys, who was standing next to her.

However, her next sentence made Rhys's mouth drop open and made Ryuka's eyes twitch.

Ada pointed to Gerberly beside her, then looked calmly at Ryusha and said:

"I want her too, name your price."

Chapter 25: Three Clues

What does this mean? Ryuga observed Ada's posture, wondering why she would make such a request. Ada, seemingly aware that her request was abrupt, explained without changing her expression:

"I urgently need a personal maid. Name your price."

Despite her brief words, Ryusha sensed a hint of helplessness in the faint sigh at the end of her sentence. He thought for a moment; since her defection from Otus, her situation hadn't been good. Aside from her father and a few trusted family members, she hadn't brought any servants. For someone adrift in a foreign land, the familiar face of 'Bella' might have evoked a sense of closeness and nostalgia. Perhaps, in her eyes, given her current predicament, she felt a sense of kinship with a woman reduced to a slave knight. Add to that a full-fledged slave knight, and with the bond of a slave scroll, she would be an excellent servant, completely free from any doubts. Although her service might not be as pleasant as the maids of the past, in her current situation, having another ally by her side was invaluable…

Unfortunately, Ryuga couldn't possibly agree to her request; the slave scroll magic on Gerberi was fake. Besides, although she had handled the situation well, if she were left alone to face Ada, she would likely slip up. Otherwise, if she had half her intelligence, Ryuga would have tried to place her next to Ada as an undercover agent.

However, now that he had discovered such a breakthrough with her, Ryūka wasn't in a hurry to close it off. He smiled apologetically at Ada:

“Miss, your words are too sudden. I need to think about it… If you need a maid, how about I bring you a more suitable female slave next time I come?”

Seeing Ryūka's tactful refusal, Ada simply sighed softly, not insisting. She herself couldn't quite explain her feelings; perhaps it was just a momentary impulse, swayed by her current state of mind. Hearing Ryūka's words, she simply shook her head, as if to let it go. However, although she abandoned the idea of ​​buying 'Bella' immediately, she didn't completely rule it out, but rather tentatively agreed:

"Let's talk about it next time then."

Having said that, she picked up the groceries that Ryūka had packed and was about to leave. But Ryūka called out to Ada first, saying:

"Miss, may I ask your name? If I change my mind, or if I bring you a friendly slave next time, it will be easier to contact you..."

Ryuu's actions weren't abrupt. He was currently a small-time merchant, and it was perfectly normal for him to try and seize a business opportunity from a generous young lady who likely had powerful connections. However, Ada hesitated. Firstly, she didn't know how long the Chosen Ones would keep her and her father there; perhaps after the negotiations, they would arrange for them to go to the capital of the Bauhinia Kingdom. Secondly, her request was impromptu, and she didn't necessarily need a maid. Furthermore, being suddenly asked her name by Ryuu made her realize that she couldn't even bring herself to say it, and a sense of frustration welled up inside her.

Seeing this, Ryuka quickly spoke up:

"Judging from your expression just now, it seems you look down on these ordinary items for commoners! If you leave your contact information, I can help you bring back some high-quality items suitable for your status next time you come to Cornwall!"

Upon hearing this, Ada's eyelashes twitched almost imperceptibly. Just as expected! Liu Xia chuckled inwardly. For a pampered young lady like her, scented soaps infused with floral fragrances, soft, high-quality towels and fabrics—these things were hard to resist. Especially in the hot climate of the southern continent, Cornwall, while still humid and hot enough to cope with the rainforest climate, further southwest, the capital of the Bauhinia Kingdom and the other half of its territory bordered the desert. Ada Reed, born in a land of water, would likely be even less suited to that, and would need these items favored by noble ladies even more to soothe herself.

Seeing that she was already somewhat wavering but still hesitant, Liuxia quickly seized the opportunity and took out a bottle of cooling oil from the goods, giving it to Ada as a free gift.

"Miss, this is a new product from Ottos. Not only does it repel mosquitoes, but it also has a cooling sensation when sprayed on the skin. While the scent isn't quite as good as real perfume, it's a decent substitute. Consider this a small gift for your purchase of so many items; it's also compensation for not being able to part with 'Bella'..."

As the saying goes, "He who takes a man's gift is bound to be obliging," and when Ada smelled the Tiger Balm, her eyes did soften. Although she wasn't short of money, seeing that the 'Shane' before her was a shrewd businessman, she nodded and accepted it, her guard lowering somewhat.

"Alright, if you have any good products, you can find me on the street west of the church. As for the name..."

She pondered for a moment, a wry smile appearing on her lips, then turned and gave Ryūka a pseudonym.

"Just call me 'Miss Mizusawa'..."

As she walked away, Gerberly beside Ryusha visibly relaxed. Meanwhile, Rhys, opposite Ryusha, clicked his tongue in amazement, greatly admiring Ryusha's ability to strike up conversations, build rapport, and seize business opportunities, and was even more determined to befriend him.

"That young lady from earlier, could she be a noblewoman? Or perhaps a high-ranking maidservant to some young lady! If you could get on that side, your business would be booming!"

Ries's words carried a hint of flattery, but they were also an attempt to persuade Ryusha to make up his mind to establish a foothold in Cornwall through his trade route. After all, for an ordinary merchant, being able to connect with nobles was an incredible stroke of luck. It wasn't about how much business they did with the nobles, but simply being able to make acquaintances and speak with them—that in itself expanded a merchant's network and connections!

"Who knows? But she's very generous and has a very special air about her. Besides, people who live next to a church here can't be ordinary people, right?"

Ryuka chatted idly with Rhys, then revealed a sly smile and said to him:

"It seems Cornwall might really be my lucky place! Mr. Reese, you must tell me about what you just said..."

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

Ruxia rushed back to the inn and immediately contacted the women's squad deployed outside Cornwall, instructing them to compile a report confirming Ada Reed and Gavin Reed's presence in Cornwall and send it to Tipalotura. Ruxia also gave the following instructions:

"Captain Petro, your magical vehicle that came here this time should have spare parts of the magical instruments that Anjaberg usually uses. You should have learned how to use them, right?"

"There should be. Your Excellency, what are your orders?"

Petro's voice came from the other end of the communicator. They had parked the car and hidden it on the outskirts of the hill. Now that Ryūka had brought it up, she must have some need.

"Hmm, I remember there's a magic signal tracker up there. Adjust it according to the magic signal I told you to, compare the results with the map of Cornwall, and then let me know..."

After explaining, Ryusha told Petron how to adjust the settings. The magical signal he provided was the same frequency band of the magical tracker he had secretly placed in Gavin Reed's wand! As long as Gavin wasn't using magic and there was no interference from other magical forces, Petron and the others could clearly detect the tracker's exact location in Cornwall from their distance!

If Ada is here, then her father is probably here too! Then the tracking and listening device implanted in his wand will come in handy!

"Understood, I'll go there tonight. Governor, the rock features you asked us to look for have been found in a mountain hollow to the west. The exposed rock strata in that area match the features you described, but it's a more remote place, and there are many magical beasts and poisonous insects there, so I didn't have my men explore it further."

Hearing Petro's words, Ryūka was overjoyed. It seemed that the next day had brought a series of successes, and there were more routes to follow. First, there was the Earth Dragon herd, then the Ada Reid lead, and then they had even finalized a method to infiltrate the church district with the local strongman, Rhys. Ryūka immediately asked Petro to tell him the location of the mountain, which he marked on the map he carried with him.

written request for leave

I'm taking leave today.

Chapter 26 Infiltrating the Church District

"Little brother Shane, I assure you, your decision will be absolutely correct!"

On the third day, Ryuu didn't go to the market. He had arranged to meet Rhys early and arrived at the agreed-upon location. The slick market manager was dressed in a loose white linen robe, which looked somewhat formal, with a hint of religious significance. Not only that, he had even trimmed his hair and beard, as if he had given himself a grand makeover. He was also carrying a package in his arms, and he stood at the alley entrance waiting for Ryuu.

"Mr. Reese, what brings you here?"

"Shh, it'll be easier to change into these if we're going into the church area. Oh, where's your female slave?"

Seeing Ryuka's curious expression, Ries simply glanced behind him but didn't see Gerberly. While asking a question, he handed the package he was carrying to Ryuka.

"I've let her rest at the hotel today. The church area should be safe, so I don't need to bring any guards."

While chuckling, Ryusha opened the package Ries had given him. Inside were two white outfits identical to his, perfectly sized for both him and Gerberi, though only one was currently usable. Last night, under Ryusha's arrangement, Gerberi had secretly left Cornwall to investigate the valley Petro and the others had discovered. Given her abilities, she shouldn't have any problems; a simpler, more direct mission suited her better than infiltrating with a disguise.

Ries didn't seem to care much about this, but simply told Ryuka not to say too much and to just follow his lead.

The fact that they were making such a fuss about just entering a church district made Liu Xia chuckle inwardly, but she still obediently changed into the clothes and followed Rhys into the deep alleys of Cornwall...

It was early morning, and the sunlight had not yet fully penetrated the lowlands of the rainforest. Most of Cornwall was still shrouded in a thin mist, a white blur that seemed like a dream. Only the central church tower was the first to be bathed in sunlight, appearing like a giant draped in a golden veil in the mist, or a saint looking down upon the world, standing tall amidst the vast sea of ​​clouds, exuding a sacred aura.

Ryuu followed behind Rhys at a leisurely pace, the sound of footsteps gradually becoming clearer in her ears. One after another, figures hurried past the alleyway entrance, silent as ghosts in the mist. But Ryuu could see clearly that they were townspeople from Cornwall, dressed like Rhys, traveling in groups as if attending some ceremony. Yet their footsteps were unusually quiet, their faces expressionless, as if sleepwalking. This uniformity among men, women, and children sent a chill down Ryuu's spine; no matter how she looked at it, this scene was not normal.

Even more unusual was that he hadn't heard anything like this from Sienna. Such a bizarre scene must have played out many times in Cornwall. But none of the hosts Sienna inhabited had any recollection of it. Had Sienna missed it, or were those hosts truly unaware of it?

"Now's the time! Let's catch up!"

Before Ryuka could even think, Rhys, standing in front of him, lowered his voice and gestured to remind him. After saying that first, he turned and slipped out of the alleyway, smoothly blending into the silently moving crowd. He even crossed his arms in prayer, while winking at Ryuka, signaling him to imitate him.

Seeing this, Liu Xia immediately followed suit, lowered her head, clasped her hands together, and blended into the pilgrimage-like crowd.

The group stopped at a gate, the entrance to the cathedral district. Above it stood high city walls, no less fortified than a military fortress. The iron gate at the entrance was barely wide enough for two people to pass side-by-side. A group of paladins stood solemnly atop the thick stone walls, the bricks bearing faint traces of holy magic reinforcement. Ryuka secretly estimated that this small checkpoint possessed an air of impregnability, as if one man could hold off ten thousand. Even a mage attempting to cross the wall from above would be riddled with bullets from who-knows-where…

"Madam, the people for today's prayers have all assembled. Please check their numbers..."

Voices came from the front of the group, "Checking?" Ryuga looked at Rhys beside her and saw his relaxed expression, so she felt relieved. Sure enough, the elderly nun guarding the iron gate only glanced at them casually, then nodded and gestured to the guards above the gate.

Click, click, click! With the sound of the mechanism, the iron gate slowly rose, accompanied by a white light, dispelling the holy magic that had been attached to it. Then, the pilgrim group followed the nun and filed into the church area.

Something seemed to flutter in Liuxia's arms, indicating a hint of unease. Liuxia immediately pressed her hand gently to her chest and said in a low voice:

"Don't worry, I'm here, everything will be fine."

Having said that, he followed the footsteps ahead, bowing his head as he passed through the iron gate. As he approached the doorway, Ryūka already sensed the powerful magical energy emanating from it. It was a sacred art, yet not quite a sacred art; it was mixed with the rules of magic, much like the Body-Solidifying Technique used by Carmela—a spell that blended multiple power rules…

The trembling in her arms intensified, as if it were extremely resistant to this power. Liu Xia immediately activated her power of order, diverting a wisp of spiritual energy to stabilize the object in her arms before quickly passing through the door.

Even he himself felt a slight discomfort when passing through this door. The door seemed to have some kind of rule, blocking certain people who 'shouldn't pass.' Fortunately, Ryuu's strength was formidable; if it were someone below the Heavenly Rank, some kind of defensive mechanism would likely be triggered. However, looking at Rhys beside him, who seemed perfectly fine, Ryuu pondered for a moment and realized that this ability probably had a lower limit—it was ineffective against ordinary people.

Not only that, Ryūka's gaze swept across the surroundings with lightning speed. As he passed through the doorway, he ran his fingernail lightly across the iron door frame, feeling its incredibly hard texture. He silently uttered two words in his mind:

Longgang Steel...

It was this special metal, discovered in Matt Harvey's study in Ravenhill, forged using ancient secret techniques, so sturdy that even he himself would find it difficult to destroy. Moreover, this material had very poor compatibility with magic and battle aura, making it virtually unusable for armor and weapons. Yet, it now appeared that the aforementioned hybrid magical power could be attached to it, albeit somewhat crudely and flawed.

It seems that the Chosen Ones have a deep understanding of these ancient mystic arts and relics, far exceeding the knowledge of outsiders like Matt Harvey.

Who knows how many unknown secrets are still hidden deep within this town of Cornwall...

Chapter 27 The Incongruous Mayor's Office

Liu Xia remained impassive, blending into the crowd and entering the gate. Ahead lay a winding, dark stone path, somewhat cold and damp in the misty morning. Upon entering the church district, the scenery initially appeared no different from the outskirts of Cornwall, but in reality, every house was built with thick stone walls, and the wooden windows were tightly shut, making it feel eerily like a ghost town in the quiet morning.

Led by the nun who had entered, the procession moved forward. Rhys had already moved close to Ryuka, gently tugging at his sleeve. The two of them quietly slipped into the back of the worship procession. At a corner, Rhys suddenly pulled him away from the procession and into a side alley. It was there that Ryuka watched as several people dressed similarly to them waited, filling in for the pilgrims. The leader of the group exchanged only a glance with Rhys, and as they passed each other, Rhys slipped a money pouch into his hand. After that, they had no further contact. Rhys pulled Ryuka into the alley, waiting until the procession had gone far before peeking out, leaving the alley before the sun had fully risen and the people in the church district had truly awakened…

"Mr. Reese, what... what exactly is going on?"

Faced with Ryuka's curiosity, Ries led the way without turning his head, winding his way into the depths of the city alleys, only muttering mysteriously:

“Young man Shane, there are some things you shouldn’t ask as an outsider. Just know that if we hadn’t pulled this stunt, it wouldn’t have been so easy for you to get through that door through the proper channels during the day. As for whether you can get that document when you meet the mayor later, that’s up to you. Don’t blame me for being nosy, but Cornwall is sure to have a way for you to make your fortune! But whether this matter succeeds in the end depends on your sincerity and ability.”

Seeing Rhys's mysterious demeanor, Liu Xia felt that his bringing her here today wasn't just a simple matter of a local bully taking a referral fee. But since the inside story of Cornwall was so fascinating, Liu Xia suppressed her restless thoughts, acted sensibly, and followed behind Rhys without asking any more questions. After many twists and turns, they finally saw the mayor's office, which handled the various mundane affairs of Cornwall, in a corner of the church district.

As expected of a town of tens of thousands, Cornwall's population was likely several times larger at the peak of its pilgrimage tradition. The town government building was also much larger than Liu Xia had imagined. It was a spacious four-story building, easily accommodating dozens or even hundreds of people for administrative work. Before he developed Linhu Town, this building was already considered 'magnificent and grand'. However, the exterior of the building had fallen into disrepair over the years, with a desolate scene between the stone bricks and tiles, moss covering the walls, and its location was not particularly conspicuous, being right next to the houses and buildings on both sides of the street. It didn't seem to be a place of 'power' at all.

It's understandable, really. Cornwall, ostensibly a town under the Kingdom of Bauhinia, is actually controlled by the local church. The so-called mayoral office of the kingdom is merely a figurehead, not to mention the so-called local church, which is actually a fake papacy secretly controlled by the Chosen Ones. The mayoral office here has only some insignificant power and is subject to church oversight. Located within the church district, entry and exit are subject to checks by the church's clergy, so its desolate appearance is understandable.

However, judging from Reese's serious demeanor along the way, it seemed that the town mayor's office did have some influence, and could probably issue a permit to a merchant. But amidst the tense and mysterious atmosphere, Ryuka also secretly sensed something amiss. Something seemed to be restlessly stirring in his arms; Ryuka gently soothed it, calming it down, before following Reese and knocking on the back door of the town mayor's office.

After a few rhythmic knocks, the sound of a chain loosening came from behind the door. Liu Xia couldn't help but become even more curious. He could understand getting things done through back channels, but Ries's actions, which resembled a spy thriller, really piqued his interest.

A middle-aged man with slightly balding hair peeked out from inside. After confirming that the newcomer was Rhys, he looked at Ryusha behind him, then glanced around behind them before stepping aside to let the two of them in.