Princess Riquel stared silently at the painted portrait that was resting against the velvet cushion.
The picture was not particularly remarkable. It was merely a simple sketch that was created from memory by one of her attendants. Yet, the moment her eyes fell upon the fat boy's round face, the memory of their brief conversation inside Madam Talina's pavilion resurfaced with surprising clarity.
Baston, the poor boy with rich talent. The name still sounded ordinary when she repeated it quietly to herself.
Their meeting had been short and it was almost insignificant. It was just one of several conversations that should have ended like many others that she had conducted during her travels.
And yet, she slowly leaned back against the soft pillows of the enormous bed. Something about the boy refused to leave her thoughts.
"At first glance, he looked exactly like a useless servant," she murmured to herself.
He was lazy, unambitious, and utterly unremarkable. Even after hearing about the miserable fate that was waiting for Luke Anderson, the boy had still insisted on serving him.
To her as the princess, that decision made no sense.
Why clung to a sinking ship?
She had even offered him a path that was filled with many opportunities. She tempted him with the power, money, and protection.
It was a future far brighter than anything that a servant could normally hope for yet, the fat boy had rejected it without hesitation, without excitement, and without even the smallest flicker of greed.
Her brows slowly furrowed, "Is he simply stupid…?"
The thought felt reasonable at first.
A foolish servant who was blindly trusting a noble's empty promises was not rare in this world. Many people clung to their loyalty because they lacked the courage to choose another path. But the more she thought about it, the less convincing that explanation became.
She closed her eyes and replayed the moment in her mind about Baston's expression from his tone to his eyes. They had been calm, too calm that she misunderstood it as his ignorance.
It was not the calmness of ignorance but the calmness of someone who had already considered the outcome.
"He knew exactly what he was rejecting…"
She suddenly pressed a pillow against her face and groaned softly. The frustration came from the simple fact that she could not understand him.
She had expected many reactions from the shock, excitement, and greed. Even the nervous hesitation would have been acceptable but he had shown none of those.
Instead, he had simply smiled. He showed a polite smile yet that reaction felt strangely hollow as if it had no real emotion behind it.
"He was indeed kind of annoying…"
She threw the pillow aside and rolled onto her back. Only then did the surrounding luxurious of the bedroom enter her awareness again.
The room was enormous.
The golden chandeliers hung from the high ceiling while few delicate silk curtains drifted gently beside the tall windows. The expensive paintings lined the walls and the cabinets displayed several gemstones, jewelry, and ornaments that worth the fortunes.
It was a room designed to impress the royalty which, in fact, was exactly the reason it existed.
Her gaze drifted toward the cabinet beside her bed. A letter rested neatly on the top.
She picked it up lazily and unfolded it. The words inside were written with elegant ink. It was a heartfelt welcome with an expression of deep honor plus several carefully prepared privileges.
There were few VIP passes to the theaters, private invitations to exclusive gardens, and personal escorts should she wish to visit any noble estate in Luminos City.
She read the letter halfway before letting out a quiet scoff, "They didn't even try to hide it…"
She dropped the letter back onto the cabinet, staring at a single piece of her own name that was etched beautifully.
"Princess Riquel…"
The moment her real name was known, the entire city had transformed into a stage of perfect hospitality. Every detail was arranged, every inconvenience was removed, and every door was opened before she even knocked.
"They are trying very hard to curry favor with the royal family…"
Her tone carried such mild amusement rather than the appreciation.
Slowly, she stood up and walked toward the big mirror near the window. For a moment, the girl inside the reflection looked perfectly ordinary before she lifted her hand.
A faint ripple of magic passed across her face and the disguise shattered like the melting mist. In the mirror, someone who was entirely different now stood. Her true appearance revealed itself.
The silky hair cascaded down her back like the moonlight. Her skin carried the delicate smoothness of porcelain while her eyes shimmered like a polished gem. Her beauty was overwhelming.
Even within the noble society, where the appearance was rarely lacking, she stood in a completely different realm. Compared to her real face, the disguise she had used before was merely average.
Even Alicia Xavierius could not truly compete with her natural charm but she had learned long ago that such beauty could be troublesome.
Too much attention invited the unnecessary danger so she used her disguise form often, especially when she wished to observe people without revealing her true identity.
A faint smile appeared on her lips, "My beautiful face is even more troublesome…"
Her fingers brushed lightly against her cheek, confirming the softness that was contained within the beauty.
Strangely, her face and her expression released subtle enchantment that could stir many emotions and weaken the resistance. It was rarely noticeable unless someone possessed exceptional mental discipline.
"Most boys cannot resist it…"
She had tested it many times with several young nobles, academy students, and even trained knights. A small smile was enough to make them flustered.
But toward Baston, there was nothing from him. Not even the slightest reaction which made her slowly crossed her arms. Even though she was in her disguise, there should be at least a reaction.
"That alone makes him interesting…"
Of course, she still did not know the real reason that the person she had spoken earlier was not Baston himself.
It had only been a puppet. It was only a lifeless body which was controlled by distant magic. A puppet had no heartbeat, no emotions, and certainly no reaction to her beautiful smile.
However, she could not possibly know that so in her eyes, the boy had simply resisted her charm. That made him rare, very rare to the point that she wanted to look at him thoroughly.
She also remembered hearing a rumor that he and Alicia had a relationship.
She frowned slightly, "That rumor is ridiculous… People might think Alicia was the same as the other girls yet actually, she was quite rigid…"
She knew Alicia well enough to dismiss it. The girl from the Xavierius family had always been proud, cold, and distant. The girl disliked fat men even more than most noble girls.
To someone like her, Baston should represent the complete opposite of attractiveness and she herself felt the same.
Fat men were often greedy, undisciplined, and unpleasant. There had never been a legendary hero in history with such a body.
The royal families valued strength, reputation, and power. Their partners must be worthy figures. Otherwise, the entire court would object.
"In the end, how could Alicia possibly be interested…"
Her thoughts stopped suddenly when a new memory surfaced, "The stone… It's unfortunate he refused it…"
The pink stone that she had offered Baston earlier had not been a simple decoration. It was a tracking transmitter. Anyone who was carrying it could be located from a considerable distance.
She had intended to monitor him quietly but he had declined the gift without hesitation. At the time, she thought he was merely cautious. Now, she wondered if he had already guessed its true purpose.
"Interesting..."
A small smile appeared again.
The more she thought about him, the stranger the boy seemed. With nothing better to do, she then picked up a small communication device from the desk.
Unlike the tools used by the nobles, this one belonged to the royal family. Its signal range was far wider and its functions were far more advanced. She activated it with a gentle touch. A faint sound echoed and few seconds later, a voice responded.
"Princess, how may I assist you?"
She leaned casually against the desk, "What is the fat boy doing right now?"
There was a brief pause, "He accompanies Luke Anderson during the day. After returning to the inn, he mostly eats and sleeps."
She blinked once before she laughed softly, "He's lazy indeed…"
He was truly the only servant who spent most of his time by eating and sleeping. It almost matched the image perfectly.
"Anything else interesting around him?"
"Yes…" the voice continued, "While investigating him earlier, we discovered another group that was also observing the same inn."
"Another group?"
"They appear to be watching Luke Anderson…"
Her eyes sharpened slightly, "Luke… I wonder what kind of purpose from this one group…"
The voice hesitated before continuing, "There are rumors that Luke and his uncle will resolve their dispute soon. This group is most likely comes from his uncle."
"Where they will end everything?"
"In the Paradise Resort…"
She hummed thoughtfully since she had already heard similar whispers earlier.
Luke's uncle was waiting there confidently. Certainly, the boy would appear which meant the situation was likely a trap. But he had a little choice since the pride among nobles rarely allowed retreat.
She tapped her finger slowly against the table, "I wonder what will the fat boy do when the nobles start fighting?"
The voice remained silent. Clearly, it had no answer but her mind was already moving ahead. The conflicts between the nobles were always the opportunities.
When the power shifted, several servants would be abandoned. The butlers would be dismissed and the guards would be replaced. Those left behind often had nowhere to go.
That was when she appeared since she would recruit the discarded. She picked up the talented one and saved those who still had the value. In return, they became loyal to her.
It was a method she had used many times and it worked beautifully.
If Luke lost the conflict, he would die. His servant would likely die as well unless someone intervened first.
She smiled faintly, "At that moment, my people will rescue him…"
A desperate servant who was saved from certain death would have a little choice but to accept her offer. An ice-element wizard was far too valuable to ignore.
"Yes… There will be another opportunity..." she raised the communication device again, "Stop monitoring the fat boy for now... Focus on Luke instead…"
"Understood…"
"Report immediately when he heads to Paradise Resort..."
"Yes…"
The connection ended and she stretched her arms lazily. Everything seemed to be unfolding according to her expectations. Humming quietly, she walked toward the bath chamber.
The steam soon filled the air and nearly an hour passed before she returned. Her long hair was still damp and her skin was glowing faintly under the magic lamp.
She looked at the mirror again.
A beautiful young woman stared back. Countless nobles had tried to win her favor but all of them had failed because they were still too childish and too predictable.
Perhaps, someday she would meet someone interesting.
*****
Meanwhile, far away in another part of Luminos City, Baston sat quietly in his room. His fingers tapped slowly against the table as he considered the situation.
Paradise Resort was clearly a trap. That much was obvious but revealing that information to Luke directly might not be the best option.
If Luke avoided the meeting, his uncle would become more cautious. And once the enemy became cautious, killing him would be far more difficult.
He leaned back in his chair, "So maybe… Walking into the trap is better..."
If Luke appeared exactly where the enemy expected him, the opponent might relax. Even this slightly moment could benefit him. That moment of lowered guard would become the perfect opportunity.
However, the present situation was dangerous.
The knights were terrifying opponents since they were fast, powerful, and decisive. Facing one directly would never be a comfortable experience.
He rubbed his chin, "I'll need two puppets just to make sure…"
One puppet would accompany Luke at Paradise Resort. Its only purpose would be for the protection. He needed to guard him, buy a time for him, and ensure his survival.
Meanwhile, the second puppet would hunt the real target at Carpel Inn. That location likely hid the true position of his prey.
If he could eliminate the target quickly, the entire conflict would collapse. Still, controlling two puppets in different locations was not easy. His attention would constantly shift and any mistake could be fatal.
"However, it's the best option..."
He slowly stood up. Before making any moves, he needed information about Paradise Resort and Carpel Inn.
Both locations required investigation. He would need to observe the layout. He needed to identify possible ambush points, escape routes, and the guard patterns. Every detail could determine his survival.
He glanced at the Luminos card that was resting beside the table. There were only two hundred thousand pounds left inside.
It was a big amount yet it might disappear quickly. After all, information cost money, access cost money, and the silence cost even more.
He sighed deeply, "This quest is bleeding my wallet…"
For the first time since receiving the mission from the old book, the preparation itself demanded enormous spending.
Still, there was no choice. Money could solve problems and without money, the problems multiplied.
If only there was a simple way to earn massive wealth quickly, then the situations like this would not feel so painful. Even though so, his survival came first.
Baston grabbed his cloak and stepped toward the door.
Tonight, Luminos City held many secrets and he intended to uncover few of them.