My older sister is a villainous rich girl

In a place like Seiki Academy, while his own actions were restricted, the young master would also face many limitations. He would never dare to reveal such a shocking, even scandalous, secret.

Therefore, as long as that young master also becomes a know-it-all, he will naturally become an ant on the same rope as himself and try to cover for him.

Although Ross had rehearsed several possible scenarios in his mind, he did not expect that the unexpected would always come so suddenly.

"Who sent you?"

Ross was startled by the sudden, deep voice.

Suddenly, a tall, upright man who looked to be around forty years old appeared at the door of the restroom, blocking his way out.

His leather shoes gleamed, his clothes were neatly pressed, and he looked impeccably dressed. Yet, his gaze was sharp and intense, an invisible pressure looming over us, as if a ruthless and brutal hunt was about to unfold in this confined space.

With his mind racing, Ross knew that he could not defend himself against what had happened, and the location deep inside the academy did not allow him to break out of the encirclement alone.

So he grasped at the only straw that could save him.

“I need to see someone,” Ross said solemnly, “Mr. Wayne Wincher.”

“I have something extremely important that I must report immediately, and I will not utter a single word without his permission.”

This was the only solution he could think of as a last resort.

Although there was a risk of his actions being noticed and arousing suspicion from outsiders, he couldn't care less about that right now.

Ross noticed that the man who had blocked his way paused for a moment when Ross mentioned Young Master Wayne's name.

“Wayne…” After a moment of awkward silence, he finally nodded. “I understand. I’ll take you to see him.”

Fortunately.

Ross hadn't expected Wayne's name to be so effective, that even this gentleman, who clearly held a high position in the academy, was willing to cooperate.

"Oh, right."

As if suddenly remembering something, the gentleman added, "Let's move the one inside out too, and find a safer place to settle him."

He raised his chin, gesturing towards the still-closed cubicle at the very back of his line of sight.

Chapter 624 Trouble Comes Knocking

Harold wasn't worried that this sneaky person who had infiltrated the academy would deceive him.

Even if there are some inaccuracies in what he says, he can ensure that the other party remains under his control and will not cause too much harm until he gets confirmation.

As the de facto ruler of the kingdom's most prestigious academy, Harold believed that issues that could be resolved with force were often the simplest.

Without giving him time to rearrange his clothes, Harold ordered the unknown man to carry the unfortunate man who had fainted in the toilet. As if he didn't see the uneasy expression on the perpetrator's face, Harold swaggered and led him backstage.

……

"The host is in position."

"The first group is ready to go on stage. The second group, stay put. The third group, please gather backstage. The fourth group, please prepare in the audience."

Wayne delivered the instructions methodically, and the staff temporarily borrowed from the academy also cooperated with him skillfully in conveying the orders.

Unlike typical academies for commoners, Seiki Academy, as a typical aristocratic academy, employs a considerable number of staff. They have dedicated positions and are paid by the academy just like the other teachers, but they do not enjoy the latter's prestigious reputation.

Provided the council approves, any association or organization has the right to mobilize school staff for assistance, a rule that has been followed since the school's founding.

As the president of the Lily Society, the leading organization among all societies, and the nephew of the chairman, Wayne naturally wouldn't refuse an opportunity to act conveniently.

Just as he was pondering whether he should move to a spot where he could at least see the stage from the front, Lawrence suddenly spoke up in surprise, asking, "Chairman Harold? What brings you backstage?"

Wayne turned around, slightly surprised.

Compared to Harold, it was the person following behind Harold who first caught Wayne's attention.

Although they had only met once, Wayne recognized him at a glance. He was the former citizen of the Duchy of Milistan who had committed the massacre in the capital and then shifted the blame onto Ekos. If Ekos's reputation hadn't been unfairly damaged, Wayne might not have remembered him so well.

The man, who should be called "Mr. Ross," looked much more haggard, and he was carrying another unconscious man on his shoulder, which attracted the attention of many people around him.

Upon hearing the title "Chairman," his half-closed eyes widened suddenly, and he appeared to freeze in place.

“So His Highness Prince Lawrence is here too.” Harold greeted him simply, not answering his question directly, but turning his gaze to Wayne: “I have something to discuss with Wayne. Would it be convenient for us to speak privately now?”

“Okay.” Wayne handed the flowchart to Lawrence. “You can cover for me for now. Just follow the original steps. If you’re unsure about anything, ask Ms. Olive.”

"No problem," Lawrence readily agreed.

He had been assisting Wayne all along, and he had already memorized the procedures, so this task was not difficult.

After giving a few brief instructions to the others, Wayne followed Harold and the others to an unused meeting room on the second floor of the auditorium.

“Put your unconscious friend on that sofa chair over there, then come over here to talk.” Harold took the seat of honor at the head of the table without hesitation, leaning back and crossing his legs.

He glanced at the two of them hesitantly, wondering if trouble was about to come knocking again.

Ross's eyes flashed. "I have something very important to report to Master Wayne privately..."

He never expected that this man would be the chairman of Qingxi Academy. What level of luck did he have?

Fortunately, she hadn't acted rashly. In any case, now that she'd seen Young Master Wayne, she was already more than halfway there. This young master was even more handsome and had an extraordinary air about him than she'd imagined. Was the person standing next to him a prince?

Indeed, even the prince of the Kingdom of Lornes could not overshadow the glory of the Laird family bloodline.

Ross was both pleased and proud.

However, Harold's next words immediately brought him back to reality, making him feel quite self-satisfied.

"Wayne, do you know him?" "No."

Ross quickly realized that he couldn't let the young master, who knew nothing about the situation, talk nonsense.

“Of course Young Master Wayne doesn’t know me!” he interrupted preemptively to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

"This is our first meeting. To be honest, I was originally an undercover reporter for another newspaper, and I recently got some very important information."

“If this is published, it will be a huge news story that will shake the capital for a whole month!” He looked at Wayne earnestly. “The Leaf Publishing House will definitely be willing to pay a lot of money to buy this news.”

However, Wayne's reaction was lukewarm, and he seemed uninterested.

“I never get involved in the specific affairs of the publishing house. Why not just talk to Modric directly about this kind of thing?”

“A person of your stature is naturally fearless, but if the news leaks out and some people discover that I already know this secret, I’m afraid I’ll be in mortal danger—no, I’m already in mortal danger!” Ross glanced at Harold. “If I hadn’t realized that someone was following me, I wouldn’t have fled into Qingxi Academy in such a panic.”

He has already come up with a whole new set of reasons.

“Now, only you can help me…” He described the urgency of the situation with great effort, and finally said, “Just listen to my explanation, and you will understand why I am doing this.”

Ross's anxiety and worry were not entirely feigned. Norman's sudden disappearance left his men like headless flies, while they also had to deal with communications from the rebels. They couldn't afford to delay any longer.

If they realize that the Milstein Restoration forces are just a disorganized mess, it's probably only a matter of time before they are swallowed up, abandoned, or even betrayed by other forces in the rebel army.

Ross had no idea what kind of person this young master, whom he had never met, was. If he had inherited Norman Riddle's ruthlessness, he might be capable of secretly eliminating him to protect himself.

However, Ross will abide by the oath he inherited from his ancestors and remain loyal to the Laird family for life.

Ross was not afraid of death so that the honor of Laird's name would not be lost. He only worried about dying in a way that would be of no value to his master.

Wayne remained silent for a moment.

Although I don't trust this guy, his expression doesn't seem fake; it's as if he really has some unspeakable secret he wants to tell me.

Could it be...?

I heard that Norman Laird has been missing for a long time.

Wayne had a rough idea of ​​what he wanted to say and was having a terrible headache.

Chapter 625 The Composure of the Strong

To be honest, Wayne didn't really care about that person's fate.

To Wayne, the past of a prince from a fallen kingdom was no different than watching another episode of a melodramatic soap opera. Even if these things weren't enough to destroy him, he could imagine that once this secret was exposed, he would have no place to stand in the capital of Lornes.

All those he loves, and all those who love him, are here.

After Norman was captured by Duke Elliott that day, Wayne did not continue the investigation. However, to avoid unnecessary trouble, he hinted to Bulwer, in Echoes's name, not to investigate things he shouldn't know.

Later, Bulwer did not pursue the matter further. The disappearance of a person who was already elusive was like water disappearing into water, without a sound or trace.

I just didn't expect... that even his subordinates would know such a high level of secrets.

After thinking it over, Wayne decided that he still couldn't take that risk.

“Chairman, please allow me to be alone with him for a while,” Wayne said.

Harold was a little worried: "What if this person is an assassin sent by someone else to kill you?"

"No problem, I can handle it."

Harold shook his head. Just when Wayne thought he disagreed, he suddenly raised his right hand, and pure magic power was drawn in, condensing into a peculiar magic circle in mid-air.

Roston sensed something was wrong, but his limbs were stiff and he couldn't react at all. Sometime during the night, his body had stopped obeying his commands.

“I’ve cast a restrictive spell on him. He’ll be unable to move for the next two hours, except for his mouth, which can speak.” Harold stood up, dusting off non-existent dust from his sleeves, displaying the demeanor of a master. “Necessary vigilance should be maintained. If anything happens to you in the academy, I, as the chairman, will not escape responsibility.”

Harold took out a silver watch from his pocket, glanced at it, smiled, and said, "If I don't get back to my seat soon, I'll miss the great show. So, excuse me for now."

Without waiting for Wayne's reply, he turned and left without looking back.

"..."

In Harold's mind, the image of his departing figure at that moment must have seemed incredibly majestic.

Withdrawing his gaze, Wayne stared at the man before him.

"Name?" he asked simply and directly.

"Ross".

Perhaps realizing he had no other choice, Ross's expression became much more relaxed. He stopped pretending: "You come from the remote border region, the small town of Perdonis, and your father's name is—"

He directly revealed a series of the original owner's former family relationships, as well as some information unknown to outsiders.

"You used to carry a small stone seal with you, engraved with your name 'Wayne,' which your mother carved herself. Your father would hum a song from a foreign land to you before falling asleep, a piece composed by the mother of the Duke of Laird, the most famous musician in the Duchy at the time, to celebrate his birth..."

As he spoke, Ross couldn't help but shed a tear. "You are the bloodline of Grand Duke Laird, lost far from home, bearing the heavy responsibility of restoring his kingdom!"

Although he spoke each word with great emotion, it did not seem to have the desired effect.

At the conference table, Wayne's expression was calm, so calm that it seemed somewhat indifferent.

Ross wanted to press on, to build up the atmosphere to be even more stirring, to awaken the child's distant memories of his biological parents and those unbreakable bonds. But under the seemingly innocent gaze fixed upon him, he felt a trace of... fear.

His voice gradually faded away.

Why wasn't Master Wayne surprised at all?

“I see,” Wayne said in a low voice. “I understand. I’ll arrange for you to be settled in after the party.”

"By the way, how many people still know about this?"

In that instant, a vein throbbed on Ross's forehead, and a thousand chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind.

Should I tell the truth now?

After a brief silence, Wayne seemed to know the answer and changed the subject. "It's okay if you don't know, I was just asking casually."

"Such a matter of such great importance, don't you... need to verify and confirm it again?" After much hesitation, Ross finally couldn't help but ask.

"Don't think of me as heartless; I've been suspicious for a while now."

"!"

From when?

Ross couldn't hide his astonishment. But he quickly recovered. If that was the case, the crucial step of "gaining trust" wouldn't require much effort at all; it was going much smoother than he had imagined!

He couldn't help but feel a little thrill.

The fact that this young master is a bit smarter means that he can take charge of the great cause more quickly.

“You are unaware of this, but Lord Norman originally intended to wait for a suitable opportunity to meet you. However, some time ago, something unexpected happened, and he disappeared without leaving any message.” Ross told Wayne everything he knew.

"Lord Bulwer of the city guard used to be our ally, but he seems to have other ideas now. He is making excuses for our requests and we can no longer trust him."

He quickly got into the swing of things, acting as a servant to analyze the situation and offer advice to Wayne.

“Alright, it’s not safe here. Let’s save everything for when we meet next time,” Wayne interrupted him.

……