My older sister is a villainous rich girl

"Me? I only want to restore my ancestors' title." He raised his head and looked at the bustling street. "There should have been a place for me here."

“To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, I need to find out beforehand.” Wayne pondered, “Since you said you were falsely accused and lost your title, then your own enemies should also be in Bufania, right?”

As if knowing what Wayne wanted to say, Urban said directly, "I understand what you're worried about, but this time I'm only here to help you achieve something, and I won't do anything unnecessary."

Haha, if I didn't know you were going to do Franz's dirty work, I almost would have believed you.

"People always forget the harm they've caused others. They think they've won completely, so they won't take a nobody like me seriously. Besides, I'm not the same person I used to be all these years ago. They wouldn't recognize me even if I stood right in front of them." Urban adjusted his merchant hat and suggested, "I have a tavern in the city. If you don't want to stay at the Earl of Sivers' mansion or the government office, you can choose any tavern or inn to book."

"What about Archduke Laird's old residence?"

Urban paused, a look of surprise appearing on his face for the first time. "You're going to stay at the Laird Mansion? It's called the Palace of Radiance. It's been sealed off; no one has dared to live there since the Laird family's downfall, because of the legend of a curse that brought ruin to the country."

The Palace of Radiance... the Gate of Radiance... Laird, a family of dark mages, sounds quite inclined towards the light.

"My grandfather was the one who conquered Buffalo during the Battle of Fog Moon. If there really is such a thing as a curse of national destruction, then the descendants of the Wincher family will not be able to escape it no matter what. In that case, I want to see for myself what the Laird family left behind."

Seemingly finding his reasoning acceptable, Urban did not raise any further objections. "The Palace of Radiance is located on the highest hillside in the city, backed by a cliff, from which one can overlook the entire city. It is also very well laid out, with underground prisons, making it no different from an independent castle."

Having a dungeon is great; it means we don't have to leave the task of imprisoning criminals to others.

"Then lead the way."

After identifying themselves to the city gate guards, the guards dared not stop them. After letting them pass, they ran off to report the news, their faces filled with barely concealed panic.

The group, fully armed, walked through the street, drawing curious or fearful glances from the people on both sides, their reactions quite indifferent.

The 20,000-strong army that was sent to quell the rebellion did not follow, but instead stationed itself in the nearby suburbs. Wayne only brought his family's mage corps and some guard cavalry, but this was already a terrifying force enough to suppress the entire city.

“Olive, take some people and set up a six-pointed star array across the entire Buffaloia to concentrate the magical energy at the top of the Radiant Palace.” Wayne had already seen the towering spire.

"Yes."

"Bernie, lock the two prisoners in the carriage in the dungeon, and set up surveillance magic around the four sides of the Radiant Palace, and also concentrate the magic source at the top of the Radiant Palace."

"I accept the order."

Wayne quickly assigned tasks and led the remaining men straight in, riding their horses up the long stone-paved road to the palace.

Just as its name suggests, the Palace of Radiance is magnificent and dazzling under the sunlight. Even though its former owner has been gone for many years, its splendor remains unchanged.

However, the moment he stepped inside the walls of the Radiant Palace, the temperature seemed to drop several degrees instantly.

Wayne closed his eyes and carefully sensed it. There was no magical fluctuation, but there was another ominous aura, faint and difficult to detect its source.

...Could the legend of that curse be true?

There's always a reason why good spots are always vacant.

The others did not feel any discomfort, only that the environment was shady, which they attributed to the dense shade of the trees.

The rooms in the Radiant Palace were almost all empty, but they were covered in dust from not cleaning for a long time. Apart from large pieces of furniture, there was no valuables or jewelry to be seen, suggesting that the palace had been ransacked.

Wayne was mentally prepared for this, as the internal situation was much better than he had anticipated.

“I live in the attic at the very top of the tower. Go and clean and furnish it. Urban, take me to see Archduke Laird’s study and bedroom.”

Urban thought that the noble young master in front of him was just curious about the enemy his family had defeated in the past, and he was somewhat tempted, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.

“When I was young, I accompanied my father to the Palace of Radiance for a day, and Archduke Laird received us in his study.”

"Although decades have passed, everything that happened that day still seems to be right before my eyes. The banquet, the feast, the laughing and frolicking noble ladies, the joyful and beautiful court dances... In the past, I was very envious of those things that I rarely saw in my life, but they were nothing but commonplace for the Grand Duke. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, all this extravagance would vanish like bubbles." Urban stretched out his hand and hovered in mid-air, as if still savoring the moment, with a hint of disdain in his tone.

Hmph, that arrogant, extravagant, and domineering Prince Laird, now his entire clan has vanished, he's not even as good as a stray dog ​​like me.

Following the direction in his memory, Wayne listened as he recounted the scene from years past, while carefully examining the exquisite murals painted on the walls.

This enormous mural, stretching for tens of meters, is not religious in nature like those commonly found in Lornes. Instead, it depicts a landscape that extends from the countryside to densely packed houses, bustling markets, and the magnificent palace in the heart of the city.

“Wait, is this a panoramic view of Buffalo?” Wayne asked in surprise.

“Yes, what Grand Duke Laird was most proud of in his life was not his fine wine or beautiful women, nor his treasure trove overflowing with precious artifacts, but the city itself,” Urban replied without turning his head. “—In his words, Buffalo was also known as the City of Radiance.”

Chapter 702 Darkness Beneath the Light

"What! They went to the Palace of Radiance?!" Upon hearing this news, Count Sivers jumped up from his seat in surprise.

But his noble habits quickly restored his composure, his eyes regained their calm, and he sat back down, muttering to himself, "It's no big deal. He's Duke Wincher's son, with both family background and connections. He can satisfy his curiosity while keeping us Bufanian nobles in check, so of course he'll be eyeing the Radiant Palace."

The garrison commander of Buffalo, Holoferner, subtly smirked, as if you weren't the one who had just been making a fuss.

Of course, he dared not say this in front of Lord Siefus, but instead pretended to be receptive and said awkwardly, "It's my fault! I was too hasty, but as you know, Earl, some things have happened at Radiant Palace. It would be best to persuade them to come out as soon as possible."

He didn't really want to cause trouble for that special envoy minister with such an impressive background, but if something happened to Wayne Winche at Radiant Palace, he was afraid that he, as the person primarily responsible for the city's defenses, would be handed over to take the blame.

The people of the capital don't care about curses. There's no reason for powerful nobles to bully others with their power. If the murderer can't be found, it's tantamount to admitting that he is the murderer. He dares not get involved in this mess.

"Isn't he just trying to make me go see him in person? Prepare for it." Count Sivers decided to back down for the time being.

Although he felt a little uncomfortable being treated with such courtesy by a mere youth, the man was, after all, a special envoy appointed by the king himself, so he could tolerate this slight.

However, the two were turned away as soon as they arrived outside the Radiant Palace.

"Please return, gentlemen. Lord Wayne has instructed that he will not see anyone for the next two days. On the third day, he will invite his preferred guests to a banquet. If you have anything to say, feel free to say it at the banquet."

Sivers' expression changed several times, but he finally put on a polite smile: "In that case, we will not disturb you any longer. However, I have something very important to tell Lord Wayne."

Meanwhile, in Archduke Laird's study, Wayne sat in the main seat without hesitation.

This is a very simple, even shabby, room. Apart from a table, chairs, and an empty bookshelf, there is nothing else.

“This place wasn’t like this before. It was probably looted… oh no, I mean confiscated.” Urban was also quite disappointed with the empty scene before him.

The two had just finished walking around the bedroom when they came out to find another room with only an empty bed frame left, the mattress nowhere to be found.

"It seems even a curse can't stop a person's greed." He stroked the armrest of the chair, imagining that perhaps the former Duke Laird had also sat here and stroked the armrest countless times.

“Rumors are just rumors after all.” Urban walked to the window. “Some people say it’s because Duke Winchester refused the position of governor, and the remaining factions were locked in a power struggle, with no one willing to give in, so in the end they had to compromise and leave Radiant Palace vacant.”

A guard suddenly entered and whispered a few words to Wayne.

Wayne frowned.

He had intended to casually ask, "Is this really true?", but then he thought that Siphus had no reason to deceive him.

He waved his hand to indicate that he understood. "Don't tell anyone yet. Increase patrols and security. Any operation must be carried out in groups of three or more. You and Urban go downstairs together. I need to think about the next plan on my own."

Urban thought he wanted to discuss things with him, but he was excluded as well. He couldn't say much, so he left with a lot of complaints.

After a while, Wayne returned to Archduke Laird's bedroom alone.

Urban was standing to the side, so it wasn't convenient for him to search carefully, in case he found something. Therefore, he only glanced at it briefly and left in a hurry. But in that brief glance, he did notice something unusual.

The news brought by the guards further confirmed his suspicions.

After the downfall of the Laird family, although no one lived in the Radiant Palace regularly, the newly rich of Buffalo still held banquets there, lasting all night. At that time, although there were rumors that Grand Duke Laird had left behind a curse, no one took it seriously. Instead, everyone was immersed in the revelry of the dazzling spoils of war and the generous rewards from the capital.

Under these circumstances, an unexpected event occurred. First, one after another, the nobles who attended the ball fell ill for unknown reasons. Then, a Lornes officer was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Archduke Laird's bedroom the next day, and the curse gradually came true.

After a high priest also died under mysterious circumstances, Count Sivers was forced to seal off Radiant Palace, prohibiting everyone from entering.

However, to prevent Archduke Laird, who still held considerable influence throughout Milistan, from inciting further rebellions, and also to avoid His Majesty the King from becoming dissatisfied with the ability of the Buffanian princes to control the situation, Count Sivers kept the news under wraps.

Fortunately, as long as one doesn't step inside the Palace of Radiance, everything remains normal, and nothing will happen. Thus, those in the know tacitly forget about this place, as if this magnificent palace in the center of the city is merely a projection from another world.

The outside world, due to the confusion caused by the various true and false information released by Count Sivers, regarded the true events as unreliable rumors, which could only be passed down by word of mouth in taverns and streets.

He wouldn't have revealed this if he hadn't been so eager to persuade Wayne to come out.

Back in the bedroom, Wayne moved the bare bed frame aside and channeled magic into the area of ​​floor that was covered by the bed frame.

Sure enough, the bottom was empty.

It wasn't a secret door or mechanism, but rather a door sealed with solid bricks and covered by a hidden magic array. However, this magic array was ineffective, showing no magical fluctuations, making it almost impossible to detect anything unusual without direct investigation.

After thinking for a moment, Wayne simply set up a soundproof spell to seal the bedroom door, and then directly—

One punch blasted it open!

In reality, it was only under the impact of pure magic that the bricks could fly so powerfully, revealing a dark hole behind the flying bricks.

He used magical elements as a faint light source and walked inside.

It was clear that this secret passage had been abandoned for a long time; cobwebs covered the corners, and the surroundings were so quiet that you could almost hear your own heartbeat. After passing through the long passage, two more equally sized branching paths appeared before you.

Wayne first explored from the left, following the wall on the left. After choosing the left fork at the third fork, he estimated that he should be almost out of the Radiant Palace area when he heard intermittent whispers, seemingly coming from the other side of the wall.

He paused, then moved a little closer to the source of the sound.

Chapter 703 Arrangement

A faint whisper.

"...Crippled man, do you think someone will come to rescue us?"

Behind a wall, Wayne gave a strange look.

This tunnel hidden under Archduke Laird's bed actually connects directly to the dungeon?

The rebels are generally a loose organization, composed of many different factions and small groups. Lame Pete, as a liaison among them, holds a lot of important intelligence. Although he is still just a pawn, he has his value.

"They've come to save us? Or they might come to kill us." The lame man gasped for breath, enduring the pain.

They had already been interrogated, though he gritted his teeth and said nothing. He knew that once he revealed the information, he would lose his usefulness and might even die immediately, but deep down he didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

The bald man couldn't even manage a bitter smile anymore.

"Should I be glad that there are at least so many soldiers and mages guarding the outside, making it difficult to break in?" He tried to think positively.

“No, if Wayne Winche had locked us up somewhere else, headquarters might have been helpless. But he’s too arrogant, daring to barge into Radiant Palace and treat it as his own territory.” The cripple was silent for a moment. “He’ll soon realize how foolish he’s been.”

After saying this, the lame man fell silent and ignored the bald man's questions.

Inside the underground passage, Wayne waited a while longer but didn't hear anything else before turning and leaving.

If he guessed correctly, this tunnel was originally intended as an escape route by the Laird family, connecting the Grand Duke's bedroom to the outside world. However, for a purely escape purpose, the tunnel's branches were far too numerous and complex, which could easily lead to panic and confusion in an emergency—a rather strange point.

However, it is also possible that others have expanded upon the original scope and added new uses.

After all, the floor under the bed in the Grand Duke's bedroom was completely sealed with bricks, and it was impossible to enter from the other side without using force to break it open.

In other words, for at least a long time, no one intended to use this secret passage to connect to Archduke Laird's bedroom; instead, it was used for other purposes.

He then explored the other side roads one by one.

Just as he expected.

Wayne emerged from the basement of a house through a trapdoor and looked around.

The wooden house was simply furnished, small, and completely open at a glance. My room contained some flour and food, which, judging by their freshness, indicated that the owner likely lived there regularly.

He nimbly flipped it out, restored the trapdoor to its original state, and in the blink of an eye, he had transformed into the appearance of Echoes.

The owner of the house was not here, but the plates on the table in the main hall had not been cleared and the fire in the fireplace had not been extinguished, as if he had just left.

After a ripple-like movement, Wayne's figure disappeared.

Aikos's use of magic is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people; such near-invisibility is impossible to achieve with any current magical element. Humans cannot imagine what they haven't seen, therefore, no one would harbor doubts out of thin air.

After a while, the simple wooden door opened from the outside, and a man with a conspicuous scar about six or seven centimeters long on his face walked in, followed by a graceful woman wearing a hood.

But they were all wearing the gray linen clothes that were common among ordinary people.

The man habitually glanced around the room, his gaze lingering for a moment in the direction of the storage room's trapdoor. Finding nothing amiss, he sat back down at the dining table to continue speaking.

"We'll take the secret passage to the dungeon tonight. Whether we live or die depends on the specific circumstances."

The woman's voice was very hoarse, "Brutus, they have dozens of magicians."

“But the esteemed mages don’t want to stay in the dark and damp dungeon forever. They believe that a few simple surveillance spells will be enough to defend against the crisis. And those two are just mortals, so a few ordinary guards will be more than enough to keep an eye on them,” Brutus said in a deep voice. “This is our opportunity.”

"In the worst-case scenario, make sure to kill the cripple; he knows who I am."

His tone was cold and devoid of any emotion.

“Perhaps the tunnel will be exposed,” the woman said.

"It's alright. Even if we don't act, we won't be able to keep it a secret after tonight. Boss Inofan has decided to make his move tonight. There's always something going on if we wait too long. It's better to start the uprising as soon as possible and catch that special envoy minister off guard. At that time, those magicians in the Radiant Palace won't even have time to send them out to put out the fire."

"Okay." The woman finally agreed, "I will bring people over when it gets dark."

She removed her hood, revealing a fair face that, though aged, still retained its charm.

“Brutus.” She leaned in and gently kissed his cheek. “Perhaps we should make the most of the present moment.”