"Um... the milk at home is almost warm, and I have some urgent business to attend to. I'll be going now... you guys carry on, carry on..."
As Baron Hawthorne spoke, he turned around with practiced ease. His right foot had already taken a half-step forward, preparing to flee at the speed of light.
Leo and the other two looked at this inexplicably golden-haired middle-aged man. At first, they were bewildered, but they quickly shifted to a state of high alert.
Leo acutely noticed the earthquake-like terror in the man's pupils when his gaze swept over Lucrezia.
Damn it! This old guy probably recognized Lucrezia's identity!
As expected, going without a disguise was bound to cause major problems!
That bullshit announcement was useless; those who were supposed to recognize her still did!
No, I have to silence him...
But a second later, Leo instantly realized the situation might be even more complicated...
Wait! For this old guy to accurately intercept us, he must be connected to the Lord's Manor.
Combined with his age, that signature blonde hair, and the name "Hawthorne" he just mentioned...
Is this guy Gareth Hawthorne?! Wasn't this old man supposed to be "senile and bedridden with a serious illness"?!
Not good! This guy is a genuine 【Glorious】 rank powerhouse!
With my current strength and Lucrezia having less than 25% mana left, we probably can't take him.
Wait... that look in his eyes?
Leo captured the shift in Baron Hawthorne's attitude and the terrified look in his eyes after seeing Lucrezia.
He glanced at the dazed Lucrezia behind him, lost in thought.
What is he afraid of? Is he afraid of this girl? Or is he afraid of... the trouble she brings?
Interesting.
Meanwhile, Vespa also recognized the newcomer.
Why is this old man here?! The intelligence was wrong! Shouldn't he be lying in bed drooling?!
We're doomed! This guy is a 【Glorious】 level big shot! Could he have discovered that we're planning to kill his son?
Did something go wrong on A-Ling's end? Could A-Ling have been counter-killed?!
No... looking at him, he doesn't seem to be here for the assassination. He seems more concerned with these two beside me...
Just as Baron Hawthorne's foot was about to land.
"Lord Baron."
A calm voice with a hint of a smile, like an invisible spiderweb, lightly snagged his ankle.
Leo stood with his hands in his pockets, his tone playful:
"Since you're already here, why leave in such a hurry? If the milk gets cold, you can always reheat it, but this rare 'fate'—once missed, it's gone for good."
Vespa looked at Leo in surprise.
Is this guy suicidal? He actually dared to provoke him?!
Baron Hawthorne's figure suddenly froze.
That foot he had stepped out to flee was yanked back, his movements as stiff as gears that had been rusted for centuries.
With his back to the three of them, cold sweat slid down his temples and dripped onto the collar of his expensive hunting suit.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
He called me! He actually dared to call me!
I already laid out the exit strategy for him; why didn't this kid take the hint?! Does he really want to force me to kill them all?!
No... that's not right!
The CPU in Baron Hawthorne's brain began to overload frantically, the fans practically spinning to the point of smoking.
Facing the pressure of a 【Glorious】 rank powerhouse like me, this kid didn't run. Instead, he dared to take the initiative to provoke me... what does that mean?
It means he has a trump card! He's completely fearless!
The Empire must have some other backup plan!
That's it. Since the Empire could easily find this "dead" princess and make contact, how could they not have accounted for my strength?
They might have even calculated that I would show up here...
He's warning me! If I dare to run now, or dare to make a move, the next second... he'll probably pull out some hidden card to take my head!
In just one second, Baron Hawthorne had relied on his rich imagination to construct a net of conspiracy targeted at himself.
He took a deep breath and slowly turned around.
The face that was originally filled with the despair of "I want to go home" instantly switched to a radiant, enthusiastic smile, as if he had just seen an old friend he hadn't met in years.
The speed of the change was so fast it left Lucrezia staring in a daze.
"Oh! Look at my memory!"
Baron Hawthorne slapped his thigh hard, his acting exaggerated yet natural:
"My eyes were playing tricks on me just now. Now that I look closer... aren't these the distinguished guests from afar! How could I let guests stay out in the wilderness in the cold wind? This is simply a disgrace to the Hawthorne family's hospitality!"
"Heh."
Leo smiled.
He had bet correctly.
In that moment, what he saw in the Baron's eyes wasn't killing intent, but fear.
It was the fear of a massive, unavoidable trouble.
Though he didn't know what this seemingly powerful uncle had imagined, Leo's greatest skill was taking a mile when given an inch.
"Lord Baron is too kind."
Leo stepped forward slowly, unobtrusively shielding Lucrezia behind him while giving the still-dazed Vespa a look.
"We are just passing through and don't want to disturb anyone. After all... our mission is rather 'sensitive.'"
Leo emphasized the word "sensitive," his gaze drifting momentarily toward Vespa.
Vespa was still in a state of confusion, not knowing what riddles these two were speaking in.
Mission? What mission? We don't have any mission!
Isn't our mission to kill his eldest son? That is indeed quite sensitive...
But as an excellent professional spy (albeit an outsourced one), she instantly caught Leo's hint.
Whatever! Just play along!
Thus, she immediately straightened her back, folded her arms, and tilted her chin up, putting on a cold, arrogant posture that screamed "I have people above me" and "Don't ask questions," letting out a cold snort from her nose.
"Hmph."
Though her heart was racing with anxiety:
'I'm just a lowly outsourced worker! No wonder everyone wants to be a permanent employee; this feeling of being superior everywhere is great!'
'However, judging from this Baron's attitude, it's clear that Leo and his companion really have some significant background! I made the right bet this time! I've latched onto a powerful backer!'
That disdainful "hmph" sounded to Baron Hawthorne like an official confirmation from the Solan Empire's intelligence department!
It's a fact! That cat demi-human really is the contact! It truly is a secret imperial mission!
'Please don't involve me. I don't want to know anything... I've worked so hard for most of my life for my family to finally start showing some promise...'
Baron Hawthorne's heart pounded wildly, and his smile became even more sycophantic, his waist naturally bending a few degrees lower:
"I understand! I completely understand! I presume this lady must be an officer from the famous Imperial Military Intelligence Section 7. Truly, I have heard much of your fame!"
"It's a good thing for young people to be low-key! A very good thing!"
He rubbed his hands together and asked tentatively:
"Then... are you all preparing to... leave? I have some travel funds here as a personal gift. You can just pretend you never saw me..."
Right then.
"BOOM—!!!!"
A world-shaking explosion suddenly erupted from the direction of the Lord's Manor, making the ground tremble.
Immediately after, a pillar of dark green light shot into the sky like venom spewing from hell, instantly tearing through the night sky!
The light was filled with an aura of chaos, distortion, and evil.
"This... Fel?!"
The faces of the four people present changed simultaneously.
Rate on N.U.
