Chapter 5: The Fool Who Thinks He’s Clever

When Lynn regained consciousness again, he found himself engulfed in complete darkness.

Judging by the coarse texture against his skin, it seemed there was a burlap sack covering his head, blocking his vision.

At that moment, Lynn sensed he was lying on his back atop some kind of platform, the occasional jolts beneath him suggesting a moving carriage.

His hands were shackled behind him, rendering him immobile.

However, taking advantage of the cover provided by his body, he gently rested the index finger of his right hand against his left wrist.

Meanwhile, faint chimes echoed from a distant street, gradually fading as the carriage sped away.

The bells chimed ten times in total.

In contrast, the carriage interior was eerily silent, as if he were the only one inside.

Yet he knew full well that the man named Morris, with his ability to manipulate shadows, was likely lurking in some corner, watching him.

As for the little black one... oh no, Aphia, her whereabouts were currently unknown.

Of course, Lynn didn't mind that at all.

It gave him the perfect opportunity to think about his next move en route.

Still, one thing struck him as particularly strange.

Ever since his encounter with Morris and his associates, the system had seemingly vanished, with no prompts or warnings surfacing at all.

Although unclear on the reason, Lynn allowed himself a small sigh of relief.

At last, a moment of quiet.

With that thought, Lynn replayed his earlier conversation with Morris in his mind.

Who exactly was "that lady"?

What purpose did they have in bringing him there?

He couldn't come up with an answer to the first question for the time being.

But as for the second question, Lynn did have a hunch.

It was most likely related to the Bartleion name.

Yet in his current state—disgraced by his family and exiled to the remote Orn City—everything he once had had been stripped away. He was no better than a half-broken man.

In fact, his memories of his predecessor even included several instances of suicidal impulses.

He truly couldn't fathom what use anyone could still have for him now.

And so, lost in uninterrupted thought, his journey to the unknown quickly reached its destination.

The carriage began to slow down.

The slight inertia snapped Lynn out of his daze, bringing him back to reality.

Soon, accompanied by the sound of the door opening, cool air rushed into the carriage.

At the same time, a hoarse and elderly female voice sounded nearby: "Mr. Lynn, time to disembark."

As she spoke, someone climbed in and helped him up from his seat.

Lynn didn't intend to resist, as even if he managed to break free of the handcuffs, he still wouldn't stand a chance against that lady's subordinates.

What's more, after vaguely deducing their intentions, he felt a certain sense of composure settle over him.

—At least, that was his mindset before he met the man who introduced himself as the interrogator.

...

This is... underground?

Though blindfolded, Lynn's sense of direction made it clear they had brought him into some kind of underground facility.

The depth of the facility was notable; they descended staircases for five to six minutes straight, then navigated a winding path before Lynn finally felt himself being pressed into a chair.

Soon after, the sack covering his head was yanked off roughly.

However, the handcuffs remained in place, keeping his hands tightly bound behind him.

As his vision returned, the harsh glare of light caused his eyes to narrow momentarily. He then realized he was in a relatively clean room.

The surroundings, though, were barren save for the bare concrete walls and a lone table in front of him.

A moment later, the door to the holding cell creaked open.

A blonde-haired man with a cold expression entered, pulled out the chair across from Lynn, and sat down.

He placed a stack of papers and a pen onto the table.

Wasting no time on pleasantries or small talk, the blonde man spoke directly, "Are you Lynn Bartleion?"

Lynn glanced him over.

The man appeared to be in his late twenties to early thirties, tall and handsome, his golden hair shimmering under the light.

But even at first glance, it was evident this man was someone unbearably arrogant.

Dealing with someone like this was actually rather straightforward.

With that in mind, Lynn smirked coldly. "That's right. I am."

Without missing a beat, he ostentatiously propped his legs up on the table, the soles of his boots facing the man.

"Since you've captured me, you must already know my identity and background."

"Maybe you think the Bartleion family is tens of thousands of miles away, and Orn City is beyond their reach... If that's what you think, you're gravely mistaken."

"Baron Augusta was once my father's close confidant. If you don't want retribution later, you'd best release me as soon as possible."

The Augusta Family was indeed a notable faction in Orn City, with deep local influence akin to that of a territorial overlord.

Upon hearing this, the blonde man finally responded, "You say your father and Baron Augusta were close confidants?"

"Of course."

"Then why... do I know nothing of this?" The blonde man's face remained expressionless. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rhein Augusta, the eldest son of the family."

"..."

Lynn hurriedly pulled his legs off the table, his expression shifting to one of shock at just the right moment.

He appeared completely blindsided by the revelation that his captor was tied to the Augusta Family.

Seeing his reaction, the man named Rhein only grew more disdainful. "To be frank, handling interrogations in the middle of the night is a miserable task. If we could show a little mutual understanding, this would go much smoother."

"But you seem entirely oblivious to your situation."

"From your little speech earlier, it's clear you think you're quite clever."

"Unfortunately," Rheinh abruptly stood and moved toward the door, "what I hate most in this world are idiots who are barely competent yet think they're smart."

A moment later, two guard-like figures entered the room, cracking their knuckles and wearing cruel grins.

...

"Rhein, the Princess hasn't authorized you to use torture! You're overstepping your authority!"

Outside the cell, Morris's figure suddenly emerged from the shadows cast by the wall, his expression stern as he addressed the blonde-haired man.

Rhein shot him a glance. "The Princess just finished handling the Creationist School's rebellion and is currently resting at her estate. She'll arrive later."

"As her clerk, while she's not physically present, I am within my rights to handle things this way."

Hearing this, Morris shook his head. "In that case, I won't argue further, but there's one thing you need to know."

"The man in that cell is incredibly cunning, with a streak of madness buried deep within him. Proceed with utmost caution."

"He's nothing more than a spineless noble disgrace," Rhein retorted dismissively. "If he were truly clever, how would he have earned the title 'Disgrace of the Nobles' and ended up exiled here in this border city?"

"As for you and Aphia, your incompetence knows no bounds. Even such a simple task ended up botched. Once the Princess arrives, you can explain everything to her directly."

"You're all talk."

Morris snorted coldly before melting back into the shadows.

As Morris disappeared, Rhein's gaze lingering on the spot was laced with unmistakable contempt.

Rhein and the Augusta Family had only sworn allegiance to the Princess after her arrival in Orn City.

Meanwhile, individuals like Morris and Aphia had been following her for much longer.

To Rhein, these lowly individuals were unworthy of their positions. He had repeatedly advised the Princess to purge them from her retinue, asserting that the Augusta Family's support alone would suffice.

But unfortunately, the Princess seemed attached to the past and had not heeded his advice.