After entering Worui Duchy territory, Baron Jansen didn't return directly to his domain, but instead went to a small manor not far from the border.
Henwil would stay here for ten days, during which ti he needed to morize everything about Arluis.
Noble etiquette, family history, duchy history, cultural customs...
For these ten days, Henwil studied day and night without rest, morizing all the materials, and even proactively inquired about Arluis's minor habits.
During this period, Henwil spent all his ti studying without tending to his appearance, looking like a disheveled vagrant with unkempt hair and a dirty face.
On the tenth day, Henwil finally bathed and changed clothes, his hair also dyed back from blonde to black.
When Henwil appeared before everyone wearing noble robes, they all froze for a mont.
They couldn't imagine how the gladiator who had been radiating bloodlust and killing intent just ten days ago had transford into this elegant, refined noble youth.
Henwil walked up to Jansen, curved his right hand into a sword-finger gesture, touched it to his heart position, and gave a slight bow: "Father, Arluis greets you!"
Jansen stared blankly at Henwil - the bright eyes, the familiar tone, the gentle smile...
Henwil's image overlapped with the person from his mories of over ten years, and Jansen instinctively reached out to pat Henwil's head.
Then he suddenly realized sothing, letting his hand drop to pat Henwil's shoulder instead: "Very good!... A—Lu—Is!"
Henwil's face had undergone so adjustnts by makeup artists, making his overly stern features appear softer and closer to Arluis's actual appearance.
On the way back to the domain, Jansen asked Henwil: "Do you know swordsmanship?"
Henwil nodded: "Of course, I know so basic knight sword techniques, barely sufficient. As long as they're not professional classes, I should be able to handle them!"
Jansen: "What other requirents do you have? Regarding weapons?"
"A standard longsword, hand-and-a-half sword type will do. For long weapons, I'm proficient with war lances - I'll draw you the specifications later.
For armor, I think wearing heavy armor wouldn't be practical for my current role, so chainmail under-armor would suffice.
Also, if possible, please prepare a bow for , my lord.
The military-style heavy bow type, and preferably equip with a compact hand crossbow too."
Jansen noted everything down, indicating that all these items would be prepared for Henwil upon reaching the domain.
Half a month later, they finally arrived at Jansen's baronial domain.
In the castle, the baron held a banquet to welco back his youngest son who had been away studying for three years.
There weren't many guests who had actually t Arluis before, even nearby nobles had only seen him a few tis.
Besides, children change dramatically each year, so no one suspected Henwil's performance.
Of course, this only applied to outsiders - many people in the castle were quite familiar with Arluis.
However, these people had either been dismissed or had disappeared.
But so people couldn't disappear, at least not suddenly.
For example, Jansen's wife Grace - as a mother who watched her child grow up, she recognized with a single glance that Henwil wasn't her youngest son.
But she didn't make any fuss, everything proceeded as normal.
Being noble-born herself, she knew her husband must have reasons for doing this without informing her.
She didn't press Jansen for explanations - since her husband wasn't telling her, it simply wasn't ti for her to know yet.
Another person who could tell Henwil was a substitute was the family's old steward.
But this middle-aged man clearly knew sothing, also treating Henwil as Arluis.
Beyond these, so others remained suspicious.
The baron's eldest son Orak served in the capital's military corps, while the second son Kaku, now eighteen, was preparing for marriage.
Kaku had so doubts about this younger brother.
But he'd had little contact with his brother since childhood, and now had plenty of his own affairs, so he didn't pay much attention.
Another who grew suspicious was the baron's youngest daughter, only eight years old.
The little girl examined Henwil curiously, always feeling this tall youth didn't resemble the brother in her mories.
The third brother in her mories treated her very well, often playing gas with her.
But this third brother always gave her a sense of distance, even making her sowhat afraid of this newly returned brother.
In the following days, Henwil gradually settled into the identity of Arluis.
The life of a noble youngest young master need not be described - it was simply comfortable!
Yet Henwil lived in constant fear, needing to remain vigilant against everyone he encountered.
He knew he wasn't here to truly enjoy luxury, but to serve as a sacrificial substitute.
Perhaps that smiling maid attending to him might pull a dagger from her skirt the next mont and strike him.
Or that bowing, flattering manservant might suddenly grab him and jump from the castle.
That evening, Jansen had soone summon Henwil to the study, where the weapons and equipnt Henwil had requested were waiting.
Just as Henwil was testing the weight and balance of the weapons, the door pushed open and Baroness Grace entered.
Behind her followed an embarrassed guard, who explained to Jansen: "My lord, I truly couldn't stop the lady..."
Jansen waved his hand: "Not your fault, dismissed! Close the door and secure the periter!"
Only Henwil knew that Jansen's last words were directed at the professional classes hidden nearby.
Henwil could sense several powerful presences surrounding them, all no weaker than Bloodhorn.
Moreover, Henwil also knew Jansen himself was a professional class, and quite formidable at that.
Otherwise, Henwil would have long since escaped.
Grace stared at her husband: "I don't care what you're doing! Why you're doing it, I don't care either!
I just want to ask you one question - is my Arluis still alive?"
Jansen sighed: "Ah~! Of course! Our son is certainly alive!
Grace, you should know our current situation - this is just a temporary asure!"
Grace waved her hand: "I said, no need to explain! I just want to know about our son's safety!"
Then, Grace turned to Henwil: "Child, what's your na?"
Henwil hesitated for a mont: "Qin! Madam, you may call Qin!"
Grace nodded slightly: "Good! Qin, from now on, you are my son! Take good care of yourself."
With that, Grace bowed to Henwil, but he quickly sidestepped to avoid it.
Grace continued: "I'm sorry to make you bear my son's dangers.
If our family survives this calamity, I will give you whatever you want - freedom, wealth, anything!"
Henwil said calmly: "Madam! This is my profession! The baron has already paid - you needn't concern yourself!"
After Grace left, Jansen motioned for Henwil to sit down: "Do you know why you were chosen to be the substitute?"
Henwil shook his head: "What I shouldn't know, I don't investigate or ponder!"
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