The next morning, when Ye Chui wearily woke from his slumber, he found that Green and Jacob had already prepared a hearty breakfast. Toasted bread, bacon and fried eggs, and mushroom soup were laid out on the table, along with a pot of fragrant coffee. Debbie, Lesa, and Guni were already seated around the simple dining table, starting their meal. Ye Chui, rubbing his slightly sleepy eyes, joined them and asked what Green and Jacob were up to.
“Green went early to bond with the townsfolk, saying he’s gathering information. He dragged Jacob along to teach him the ropes. That lad seems quite eager,” Debbie said, stuffing her mouth with delicious bacon and eggs. She looked at Ye Chui and asked, “What are we doing today?”
“The townspeople don’t know who the Clown Girl is, but I plan to ask them about the Demon Clown incident from thirty years ago. The Clown Girl is the granddaughter of that Demon Clown, that much is certain.” Ye Chui speared a piece of grilled ham with his fork, took a small bite, and couldn’t help but yawn again.
Depleting the magic of a grimoire also caused immense fatigue for a mage. Though he had slept, the exhaustion lingered.
“Last night, I didn’t tell Old Bart, but the missing children are still alive. They’re likely being held in a nearby mine. Later, we’ll find a few people familiar with the mines and check it out. We might find traces of them.”
“That’ll be exciting,” Guni said eagerly, her mouth stuffed with bread and roasted meat. They hadn’t eaten much at dinner the previous night, though Guni had devoured most of a roasted pig leg. Yet, her enthusiasm for breakfast was undimmed.
“The mines could be dangerous, so we’ll need to be cautious,” Ye Chui reminded Guni with a smile. While enjoying breakfast, he summarized the information he had gathered about the Clown Girl.
The Clown Girl, the granddaughter of the Demon Clown from thirty years ago, possessed life magic and summoner talents. She was a descendant of the Anduin family. Ye Chui had considered this: the Anduin family originated in Clown Town, and all the villagers technically shared the Anduin surname, though their blood ties to the prominent Anduin family were now faint. Still, it was reasonable to say the townsfolk were also Anduin descendants.
Even diluted bloodlines retained some connection. After three hundred years, even Debbie’s inheritance from Sako Anduin was likely minimal, as their family had no tradition of sibling marriages to maintain blood purity.
The Clown Girl might be one of the townsfolk, possibly among those Ye Chui had probed using his [Browser]. She had the ability to resist his [Browser] probes. Ye Chui wasn’t certain how life magic, such as disguise spells, affected his probing capabilities.
Another key clue was that the Clown Girl was skilled in potion-making. Since the clown trade declined, most Clown Town residents relied on gathering herbs and mountain goods for a living, so they likely had some knowledge of potion-making. Apart from mountain folk and potion masters, few others dabbled in it, as the world had more effective alternatives like light magic, life magic, or healing spirits.
“And one last, crucial point…” Ye Chui finished his breakfast simply, took a sip of suitably warm coffee, though he preferred the taste of tea, which this world lacked. Setting down his cup, he glanced at the three women at the table and continued, “The Clown Girl is, well, quite a flamboyant woman, very skilled at handling men, especially in certain, particular areas…”
Talking about bedroom techniques was awkward.
Debbie blinked innocently. “What particular areas?”
Lesa and Guni looked at Ye Chui curiously.
“The kind involving candid, deep exchanges…” Ye Chui felt unprecedented embarrassment, but fortunately, Green rushed back, breaking the awkwardness.
Green brought shocking news.
“President, Miss Debbie, bad news…” he panted.
“What’s bad news? We’re discussing important matters, Green. You shouldn’t be so flustered, no matter what happens, got it?” Debbie scolded, elegantly lifting her coffee cup. “Go back outside, come in again, and stay composed!”
“Oh…”
Green stepped outside, re-entered calmly, and reported, “A woman calling herself the Clown Girl is outside the town, saying she wants to meet the President and Miss Debbie…”
“What!?” Debbie leapt from the table in shock, nearly flipping it over.
Green: “…Composed?”
Ye Chui, Lesa, and Guni: “…”
Moments later, Ye Chui, Debbie, Green, Lesa, and Guni arrived at the town entrance, where a luxurious carriage was parked. Several townsfolk, including Jacob, were waiting.
As Ye Chui approached, he saw a refined, fair-faced youth in a white velvet robe, about fifteen or sixteen, sitting in the driver’s seat. Spotting Ye Chui’s group, he waved with a smile, stood, and ducked into the carriage.
The youth’s voice rang out, “Miss Dani, they’re here. You can come out…”
A crisp female voice interrupted, “Who let you in? Getting so close to a noble lady in such a cramped space, what if rumours spread? Get out, now!”
“Alright, I’m leaving…”
“Hurry!”
The youth’s head poked out, then with a thud, he tumbled out in a face-first sprawl, apparently kicked out.
A slender, pale hand opened the carriage door, and a girl emerged.
She wore a deep red, luxurious robe and a veil hiding her face, but her elegant eyebrows and beautiful eyes left no doubt she was stunning.
Ye Chui’s pupils narrowed. This was the woman from Lars’s memories… the Clown Girl!?
She had arrived so brazenly by carriage?
The veiled girl stood on the carriage, her gaze sweeping over the group, lingering briefly on Ye Chui, Debbie, Jacob, Green, Lesa, and Guni, before she spoke, “Hello, I’m from the Anduin family…” As she stepped forward to descend, she either tripped or lost balance, letting out an “Ouch!” and falling face-first to the ground beside the still-prone youth.
Onlookers: “…”
Were they performing some grand gesture?
Stunned, Ye Chui, Debbie, and the others froze.
Jacob, standing at the front, reacted first, rushing to help the veiled girl up.
“Haha… I meant to do that! I didn’t fall by accident! I was worried my beauty would make you nervous, so I fell on purpose to ease the tension. It’s a famous Anduin family clown trick: the fake fall, hahaha…” the girl said, her eyes suddenly locking onto Jacob, who was helping her, a glint in her gaze. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the Ye Chui who’s been causing a stir, right?”
“Huh? Me?” Jacob was dumbfounded.
But the veiled girl didn’t give him a chance to explain, turning to Lesa beside Ye Chui and exclaiming, “You must be Miss Debbie! Same generation as my grandfather, so I should call you Grandma. My name’s inspired by yours, I’m Dani Anduin. You can call me Nini.”
Lesa, speechless, asked, “Why do you think I’m Debbie?”
“Because of your figure! Every Anduin family girl is a stunning beauty with a great figure!” Dani said proudly, puffing out her chest.
Ye Chui, Lesa, Guni, Green, and Jacob all stared at Debbie in surprise.
“I can’t take this…” Debbie looked ready to fight.
Ye Chui quickly held her back, winking at Jacob and Lesa to play along and see what this bizarre girl was up to.
“Haha, you’ve got good taste,” Lesa said, enjoying Debbie’s annoyance. She nodded, “Yes, I’m Debbie Anduin. You said you’re the Clown Girl?”
“Yep, Clown Girl’s my nickname. Who in the capital doesn’t know it? We’re Anduins, after all, and we can’t forget our ancestors’ legacy,” Dani said confidently. “Though the Anduin family isn’t as grand as it once was, it’s still one of the empire’s top families. Among the Star Empire’s four great families, we rank fifth!”
Fifth among four families…
Ye Chui and Debbie were stunned by her bold claim.
The Star Empire’s top four families were the Gold Snake Laen, Moon Gem Steyr, Beast Jores, and Fire Candle Kulin families, each backing a prince. The Anduin family, once the empire’s greatest, had declined and fallen out of the top four. Still, it remained among the elite, so fifth wasn’t far off, but the phrasing…
Ye Chui studied the Clown Girl again.
He caught a sweet, tangy scent from her, the rare sourwood grass perfume of this world.
Could this woman, even more comical than Debbie, really be the mastermind behind the Clown Town incident?
He couldn’t believe it.
The youth, kicked out earlier and now dusting himself off, eyed the group, his gaze flickering between Jacob and Ye Chui, seeming conflicted. But he trusted Dani’s judgment and approached Jacob, “So you’re President Ye Chui? Or should I call you Little Imperial Uncle?”
Jacob: “Huh?”
The youth bowed nobly, “Greetings, I’m the Ninth Prince of the Star Empire.”
Jacob: “What?”
Ye Chui, Debbie, and the others were shocked again. This meek-looking boy was the Ninth Prince?
The son of the First Prince, known as the Benevolent Prince!?
Ye Chui recalled the Clown Girl’s memory: she was connected to a prince…
“No way,” Ye Chui thought, eyeing the absurdly goofy Dani. Were villains now trending toward this silly-cute style?
