It was now evening. In the palace corridor adorned with exquisite carvings, bright candles flickered to life. Ye Dui held a small teapot as he arrived outside Debbie’s room. Ever since learning that morning about her time-travel issue and the death of the old man in her family, Debbie had locked herself away. She had eaten nothing, and when a maid tried to bring her some food, she shooed her out directly. This had gone on until now.
Knock knock. Ye Dui rapped on the door.
“Go away, I do not want to see anyone,” came Debbie’s furious shout from inside.
“It is me,” Ye Dui said. He gripped the teapot and poured a cup into a small porcelain bowl. With a smile in his voice, he continued, “I just brewed a pot of milk tea, made with fresh milk, honey, and lemon. This is a drink I invented, rich and sweet, utterly delicious. I dare say no one on the Castro Continent has tasted it before. Tsk tsk, just the aroma alone is irresistible.”
“I am not drinking it,” Debbie yelled.
Ye Dui’s tone turned puzzled. “I did not say it was for you. I brewed it for myself.” With that, he tilted his head back and took a sip, making a smacking sound that made one want to punch him. “Too good. From now on, I will brew a pot for myself every day. When we head to the capital, we might even make a fortune selling this drink. This flavour, this taste, this afterglow, this addiction. No, I need another sip.”
As he spoke, footsteps pattered inside the room. The door flew open with a bang. The little girl glared at the young man outside, her eyes then dropping to the teapot and cup in his hands. She snatched them away and downed the cup of milk tea in one gulp.
The taste suited her perfectly. Ye Dui had added extra honey, and the sweetness matched Debbie’s palate. Her mood visibly improved. A hint of enjoyment appeared on her small face. She shot Ye Dui a mildly complaining glance, then hugged the teapot and turned back into the room.
Ye Dui chuckled softly. No one understood the little girl better than he did. He knew how to get her to eat. He followed her inside and closed the door.
This was a guest room, furnished lavishly. The large bed, draped in velvet, lay slightly dishevelled. It was clear Debbie had woken long ago but tossed and turned sleeplessly without rising, hence the mess. Now she sat cross-legged on the bed again, gulping down the milk tea. The delicious drink seemed to unlock her appetite entirely.
Ye Dui retrieved several plates of pastries from the [Storage Space] and placed them on the bed. He sat beside her. Debbie alternated sips of milk tea with bites of pastry. Her expression had lightened considerably.
“Ye Dui, after Cass and Windsor’s matter concludes, I want to go back to the capital and see it,” Debbie said suddenly.
“Yes, we always planned to go to the capital,” Ye Dui replied. He was not surprised by her words. In truth, he had decided long ago. “I already told Green and Lisa, and Gunny too. We will all go to the capital together. Our Any Name Magic Guild is ready to develop properly there.”
At this, Ye Dui recalled something amusing. “I almost forgot. Remember the task Cass and Windsor gave our Any Name Magic Guild? Cass’s was even registered at the Mercenary Guild. Now we have completed it. They just paid us a total of twenty thousand gold coins in reward. Once the Mercenary Guild verifies it, our guild’s star rating might rise again.”
“Twenty thousand gold coins. Enough to buy a grand mansion in the capital,” Debbie said, a spark of excitement in her voice.
“Exactly. Our Any Name Magic Guild will become the strongest in the capital, even the entire empire,” Ye Dui said enthusiastically to her.
“The entire empire is nothing,” Debbie declared. She stood on the bed, hands on hips, brimming with ambition. “Our Any Name Magic Guild will be the strongest magic guild on the whole Castro Continent.”
“Girl, you dream big,” Ye Dui said with a laugh. He gave her a thumbs up. “But you are right. Our Any Name Magic Guild will be the strongest on the continent.”
If that day truly came, one wondered if those major magic guilds overshadowed by Any Name Magic Guild would disband in shame over the casual name.
Debbie had clearly regained her spirits. Now Ye Dui needed to address the serious matter. “Since you are recovered, let us go. Prince Geller just sent me to fetch you. He has something to discuss with us. It seems fairly confidential.”
“What does Little Seven want?” Debbie asked, puzzled. She hopped off the bed and bent to put on her shoes.
Ye Dui shrugged. Prince Geller was seventy-eight this year. Due to Debbie, he treated Ye Dui with great warmth. That “brother-in-law” still left Ye Dui stunned, almost disrespectful for his age. But Ye Dui knew the old man was no simpleton. The gaze he fixed on Ye Dui felt shrouded in an impenetrable mist.
This was an old fox.
On the way to Prince Geller’s quarters with Debbie, Ye Dui recounted the day’s events. Hearing of Jacob’s ordeal, Debbie’s small face filled with shock. She had not expected the boy to dare confront even the Fourth Prince when pushed. Ye Dui laughed. “Nine months in confinement changed him completely. Lord Kevin even offered him the head chef position, but he refused outright. He is no fool. With us here, Lord Kevin treats him with respect now, but once we leave, that might change.”
“So what does he plan next?” Debbie asked.
“He decided to join our Any Name Magic Guild as our cook. It will free Green up nicely,” Ye Dui said with a smile. Knowing a dedicated cook was joining, Green would be the happiest. Logistics would finally have someone to share the load.
Chatting thus, Ye Dui and Debbie reached Prince Geller’s chambers.
Black Armoured Guards patrolled outside the sleeping quarters. They scrutinised Ye Dui and Debbie rigorously before allowing entry. This lent the atmosphere a grave seriousness, leaving Ye Dui and Debbie puzzled. They had thought Prince Geller summoned them merely to reminisce or dine together. But this setup suggested something confidential.
The two exchanged glances and entered the heavily guarded room.
Prince Geller occupied what had been Lord Kevin’s sleeping quarters, with a study adjoining the bedroom. He was now in the study. The room lay dim, lit only by a thick candle burning on the central table. Its flame wavered. Prince Geller sat behind the desk, finger to chin, as if deep in thought.
Lisa, Green, Gunny, and Jacob were there too, though they seemed ill at ease. Standing or seated, they held their tongues without Prince Geller speaking first, a touch of anxiety about them. Cass and Windsor were absent.
Only when Ye Dui and Debbie arrived did they exhale in relief and rise hastily, approaching the pair.
“Sister Debbie, are you feeling better?” Prince Geller asked. Concern lingered in his voice for her, yet the boyish exuberance of reunion had cooled.
“I am fine. Little Seven, what is this about? Why so formal?” Debbie scanned the surroundings, puzzled.
“The Fourth Prince slipped away from Windrock City just now,” Prince Geller said, sidestepping her question for another matter.
“He left Windrock City?” Ye Dui blinked, eyes narrowing.
“Yes, he left secretly. I only learned after he exited the city,” Prince Geller continued.
“Cass and Windsor’s wedding is tomorrow. He probably did not want to stay,” Green said.
“That is one reason. More crucially, he needs to make preparations,” Prince Geller replied.
“What preparations?” Ye Dui grew more astonished.
Prince Geller’s eyes fixed on Ye Dui. “Preparations to kill you.”
“Kill me?” Ye Dui’s face hardened.
“Not just the Fourth Prince. I just received intelligence. The three major assassin groups operating in the Star Empire have taken bounties to assassinate you. The Demon Fortress Assassins’ Association has already accepted the contract,” Prince Geller went on.
“Moreover, a five-star magic guild has been tasked with killing you all. Magic guilds rarely meddle in assassinations, but if the reward is ample, they do not mind. One bounty was posted to the Mercenary Guild too. Kill you, and claim one hundred thousand gold coins. It is an open bounty. Anyone or any guild can take it. Your head exchanges for the coin reward.”
At Prince Geller’s words, Ye Dui’s mouth fell open. A curse burst forth unbidden. Furious, he demanded, “What is going on? Are these bounties and tasks from the Fourth Prince?”
“No, the Fourth Prince has not acted yet. Others placed them,” Prince Geller answered.
“Who?” Ye Dui pressed urgently. His mind raced through those he had offended since debuting. Countless, really. The most dangerous were likely the Fourth Prince and the church. He eyed Prince Geller. “The church?”
He had slain the church’s messenger priest, butchered and roasted the priest’s mount beast. And killed Bishop Talbot. Had that come to light?
“Not the church. In truth, I am unclear on the exact culprits. But they are certainly members of the Star Empire’s imperial family. They do not want you alive in this world,” Prince Geller replied.
“…”
Ye Dui understood even less. How had he offended these imperial members? Humiliated the Fourth Prince? But that scarcely warranted such a reaction.
Debbie said hurriedly, “Little Seven, stop teasing. Tell us what is happening. Why target Ye Dui?”
“Because they think Ye Dui is Brother Four’s bastard,” Prince Geller said to Ye Dui, his smile enigmatic.
Ye Dui and Debbie: “What the.”
Prince Geller continued. “With Brother Four about to abdicate, those princes and their allied factions naturally do not want some mysterious bastard emerging to contest their thrones. So they must eliminate you, the thirteenth prince.”
Ye Dui’s body trembled. “I, I have a hidden prince setting?”
Green, Lisa, Jacob, and Debbie stared at Ye Dui in shock. Ye Dui was the old emperor’s bastard!?
Yet…
“No, they are all mistaken,” Prince Geller said with a sly, calculating smile. “The true thirteenth prince is someone else.”
Ye Dui: “…”
