“Claude, it has been a few days since I last saw you. I didn’t expect you to be so energetic.”
Blake said faintly, “I did not come here to mock you. I came here to ask for your help.”
“Ask for my help? Is that what the Lady Swordmistress wants? ”
Claude’s eyes lit up. He could endure being locked up in the dungeon. What he could not tolerate was the change in Christina’s attitude toward him. Everything he had worked so hard for as the vice-captain was because of Christina. How could she not see it?
“No, this is my idea. Lady Swordmistress is currently preparing to enter the underground city with the Blood Rose adventurer team members. She didn’t mention you.”
“Since it’s not Lady Swordmistress’ idea, then you should leave.”
“Well, that is what I need your help with.”
A hesitant expression appeared on Blake’s face. “According to my investigation, other than the youth named Watson, the rest of the members of the Blood Rose adventurer team are only bronze-tier. I can understand why Lady Swordsmistress thinks so highly of Watson. After all, that youth had once withstood her sword in the Adventurer’s Association! However, the others don’t have the same strength. If we use those people as teammates to raid the dungeon, we might incur some danger.”
He felt that the Blood Rose adventurer team might have deceived Christina. Otherwise, why would she think that she could successfully raid the dungeon with the help of a bronze-tier adventurer team?
“What do you want me to do?” Claude asked.
“I want to let you out and create some trouble for the Blood Rose adventurer team. I want to stop their exploration of the dungeon! As far as I know, that boy named Watson isn’t from the City of Steel but a noble from the border. He’s also related to the border count. Two of his followers are currently living in the Golden Quill Pavilion. I think that as long as something happens to those two followers, he won’t be able to continue exploring the underground city.”
Blake had only hostility toward Watson. On the one hand, it was because Watson’s team was weak. On the other hand, it was also because Watson was from the border. Most of the people in the kingdom knew that the king and the border count were not on good terms. They did not know whether Watson had other motives for getting close to the swordmistress.
“If you let me go free, aren’t you afraid that Lady Swordmistress will blame you when she finds out and lock you in the dungeon?”
Claude’s face was close to the railing gap; he smiled sinisterly.
Blake was silent for a few seconds before he said, “Everything I do is for the sake of the Holy Sword adventurer team. Just like you. Even though I don’t like you, I have to say that sometimes people like you make the team stronger.
“I’ll leave the key here. Before anyone finds out that I’ve accidentally left that key here, it’s up to you whether you pick it up or not.”
Then, Blake took a bunch of keys from his waist and threw them on the ground. After that, he walked out of the dungeon without looking back.
Claude chuckled. “Well, since you’ve asked so nicely, how could I say no? I just happen to have a score to settle with that annoying brat. If it weren’t for the fact that the Holy Sword adventurer team had already advanced to platinum-tier, I’m sure that Lady Swordmistress would praise my achievements. This is all his fault. I won’t show mercy to his companions.”
As he bent down to pick up the keys, Claude’s face revealed a cruel expression. “How should I torture them later? Killing them too easily won’t count as revenge.”
His words echoed in the empty dungeon tunnel; it caused Blake, who was leaving, to shudder. However, he did not stop. Blake was still unsure of Watson’s character. If he were cold-blooded and did not care about his companions, then it would be very difficult for that plan to succeed. Therefore, Claude’s overreaction was good. That would ensure Watson would stay there.
….
At the Golden Quill Pavilion.
“Achoo, achoo.”
Antonio sneezed twice in a row and sat up from his chair.
“Master Antonio, what’s wrong? Have you caught a cold? ”
Denise, who was making tea for him, heard the sneeze and looked up in puzzlement. It was already March. Although the kingdom had entered spring, the climate still retained some of the winter’s cold breeze.
“Don’t know you know my strength? How can I be infected with such a minor illness? Someone must be gossiping about me! Have I left the royal city for too long? Perhaps His Majesty and those nobles are anxious?” Antonio muttered softly.
“Perhaps it is not the people from the royal city who are talking about you, but Lady Swordmistress. I think she must have recognized you when she was here.”
Denise placed the teacup on the table, poured some hot tea, and handed it to Antonio.
When she mentioned Christina, Denise’s expression was a little sad. As a bodyguard, she had the honor of meeting the daughter from the sword saint family more than ten years ago. At that time, Christina was only a ten-year-old child. So many years had passed in a flash, Christina could not even recognize her.
“That child is bright, indeed. Even though I’ve reverted to my younger appearance, she still had doubts about me. However, I don’t think she recognized me. When she stared at me, I deliberately mentioning some young ladies to accompany me. The way she looked at me immediately changed. She probably felt that I was not the person she knew.”
“To avoid being recognized, you’ve said something that lowered your status, Master Antonio. Your benevolence is really admirable. All of that is for Young Master Watson, right?”
“As long as Watson can clear the underground city successfully and break the sword saint’s record, everything I’ve done will not be in vain! Furthermore, I’ve changed my appearance now. No one in the City of Steel knows me. When I return to the royal city, I’ll use magic to change back to my original appearance. Who would know what I was the one who said those words?”
Antonio picked up his teacup and took a sip. He stroked his nonexistent beard with a smug look on his face. “When I reach the capital, I really want to see the look of surprise and envy on the sword saint’s face when he sees Watson. That would be very interesting, indeed!”
Denise fell into silence because Antonio was a person who cared about his reputation. Everyone in Mount Creation knew that. She had thought that Antonio, who could sacrifice his reputation for Watson, had changed his personality, but she realized that she had misunderstood.
“Sir, I’m sorry, but the room is for other guests. You are not allowed to enter without permission.”
Just as the two of them were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the room.
Boom!
A muffled sound was heard immediately after that, and someone kicked the door open. More than a dozen Holy Sword members rushed into the room, clothed in white robes and wielding longswords in their hands. They formed two rows at the entryway, and Claude entered the room from the center. A maid from the Golden Quill Pavilion was in his grasp.
The beautiful maid’s hair was disheveled, and her cheeks were red and swollen. It was apparent that those men had abused her as she tried to stop them.
“This room is not bad at all. It feels even better than our room here! Not long ago, the Blood Rose adventurer team was only a bronze-tier adventurer team. In addition, there are a few barbarians from the border who’s actually living in such a high-standard place. It looks like the Golden Quill Pavillion’s standard has decreased significantly,” Claude said with interest as he looked around the room. Then, his gaze finally landed on Antonio and Denise.
“Especially the two of you. Your master is currently exploring the underground city, but you are here enjoying tea?”
Claude walked quickly toward Antonio and Denise. He raised his right foot and kicked the table. Then, he bent down and looked down at them. “Drinking tea is a noble’s activity. Do you deserve to do it?”
As the table fell, the tea splashed in all directions and stained Antonio’s clothes.
“How dare you treat—”
Denise stood up abruptly. She was about to say something when she suddenly remembered that Antonio did not want to expose his identity. She quickly changed her words. No matter what, rushing into someone’s room and kicking over someone’s tea is definitely not a good thing. Tell me, who sent you here to find trouble with us? If you tell me honestly, I can give you a decent death.”
“Brothers, did you hear that? That woman is threatening us. She seems to be a little confused about the situation.”
Claude cracked his neck. The corners of his mouth curved into a teasing arc as he waved behind him. “Brothers, go ahead. As long as you don’t kill that woman, you can do whatever you want.”
