"Master, young master Finn's shadow just contacted , saying we are free to enter Eisjer domain by tomorrow morning." Es reported as she drove out the compound of Shade's branch office.
"By tomorrow? I think I told them to hurry it up." Rio replied with a frown.
"Yeah, but with the mining accident that happened a few days ago, and all the public outrage happening around those trapped miners and their families, clearing everyone out forcefully is taking longer than usual." Es said, passing him a device which played several footages from the dungeon entrances holographically.
Rio took a look at the roaring mob and how people were all riled up and angry, and just closed it.
"Fine. Contact Finn and tell him if he's taking extra ti, make sure there are no disturbances when I'm in. No pesky reporters, no funny little sneaking guy who wants to be a hero, or a random nobody with a cara - I want a blockade around the whole dungeon." He ordered, while passing her the 'phone' back.
"As you wish, master." Es answered and then looked at her screen which lit up with another ssage, "..."
"Is he asking about that dinner plan again?" Rio said after noticing her helpless gaze and the hesitation to speak.
"Yes master." Es nodded her head and explained, "He's saying I should drive through the shortcuts and bring you to the teleportation place without telling you anything. His words, 'Just drive the car through the tele-circle, and he can handle the rest.'
"...." It took Rio 3 seconds to process what kind of stupidly weird deadass plan it was, even in the matter of texting, before he just shook his head and gave up trying to understand what Finn might have thought Es's response to it would be.
"Just ignore him." He said, sothing which Es happily obliged, as she really couldn't think how to respond.
"Where are we going next?" She asked, looking in the mirror at the following cars behind them. One from the guild and another from Ravens, both tasked with his security and safe stay in this city.
"Let's go and say hi to the Heartwell's. It's been a while since I've visited them." Rio said and looked out the window, his eyes staring at the signboards of the increasing number of casinos and small gambling shops around every corner.
The scene of drunkards fallen into dumps and ditches, while small brawls and drug deals happening in hushed whispers of the dark alleys_ sohow brought a smile to his face.
'I wonder what the poor protagonist's father has to say for himself seeing the increase in cri and criminals in his city.' Rio thought in his mind, rembering the proposition the Barons proposed to his family years ago.
Where the righteous foolish father of hero supported the idea of allowing casinos and gambling into the city to increase the revenue and tourist attraction for the rich and powerful, hoping it'll attract more elite families to invest in this city to help maintain peace and reforms everywhere.
He was half right as more elite families did join Harendale and opened their business branches here to promote their products, but none of them cared about maintaining peace as a whole.
As they say the kind of garden it is, the kind of birds and bees it'll attract.
And by opening their garden gates for more powerful people/animals to settle in, the Barons only shot themselves in the foot.
No one who ca here ca with nicer intentions. And with the powers behind them, the barons now couldn't even force them out or do sothing extre to keep them in check.
'Truly a fool who couldn't see far from the nearest profits.' Rio sneered to himself, blaming the Barons for their own downfall, before the thought that maybe it was all fate's work to muddy the waters, so Leon can finally beco the one to clean up the dirt and shine so more, _ ca to his mind.
'Hmm that sounds about the sa too.
By this route, Leon can get all of Harendale in one go, gathering all the power in his grasp, while also offending a bunch of other elite families who'll keep sending him tily experience packages for his future developnt sche.' As Rio thought of this, making a mind map where events and enemies kept lining up one by one over Leon's lap, he couldn't help but praise fate.
"Damn, nice job fate. You really cookin so masterclass shit here."
[Host, there's a kid sitting right beside you. So do you mind minding your words a little bit. At Least not voice out your dirty thoughts in open.] System spoke suddenly, making Rio realise his mistake just in ti to see Tanya staring at him with a weird look.
"..." _ "You didn't hear a thing." Rio said before Tanya could speak anything. And pulled out a kitchen recipe book for her, which she grabbed imdiately and lost herself in.
[Good, now you're even bribing her.]
'Shut it, system. It's not a bribe, it's a gift.'
[...]
___
It took them about two hours to reach the Heartwell family villa. Mostly because Tanya saw a at dish at a street stall in the middle and stopped to taste and learn how to make it.
The curious case of an innocent kid, who can say no.
Es had already notified the Baron family of his arrival, so it wasn't surprising to see the open gates or the maids and staff welcoming him in with due respect and reverie in their eyes.
After all, as Rio's shadow, she knew he hated any form of cliched stuff where he went uninvited and lawless people who didn't recognize him, pick a fight.
Plus she didn't want to cause another innocent soldier who thought he was doing his job properly, loose it, after they stopped him.
(No, you idiots, Rio wasn't the young master type guy who goes about kicking people off their jobs, others did it for him even if he didn't say anything, just in so off chance to please him.)
"The security seems higher than usual, anything important happening around the house, or is it for my welco too?" Rio asked, noticing every guard focused on his job with none lazing around, or acting serious while standing still on the wall counting clouds..
The butler leading him in glanced around, praised his sharp senses for a second before replying back, "With all the happenings in the city, tighter security is a norm these days. Plus Baron Heartwell is entertaining so guests so everyone was ordered to be extra careful."
"The guest and their discussion should be quite important if he couldn't even co forward to welco the master in." Es chid in with a snarky remark.
"Es.." Rio said as he looked at her, before turning to the butler again, "Forgive my shadow. She's blunt in her speaking manners, and lacks a noble's tongue."
"... Oh I would never. What Miss Es said is right, and from the Heartwell family's side, we're sorry if you felt sothing lacking in your welco." The butler replied and bowed his head in apology.
"Please, we are both noble families in the end. And by the rules, the baron holds the higher rank than an heir, so even you coming forward to greet us is respectful enough. Asking for more, would only be bad on our side." Rio said, helping the guy stand straight.
The old butler, who heard his response and saw his facial expressions, couldn't help but praise him again in his heart. To him, Rio never showed the attitude of a rich generational young master, or the arrogance of a Duke's heir, but each word and act of his, played the part of a proud noble and his high status to the letter.
Nor coming off as bad or double standard, but neither surrendering to society.
'If only young master Leon could also learn sothing from him.' He thought in his mind, rembering all the trouble their young master causes everywhere he goes. The people he offends and the norms he drops every day saying while acting generous and saying 'he doesn't like them.'
Saying everyone in the family should sit together for dinner and enjoy the sweets is good, but then jumping up, and saying everyone in this city is his family, even when people out there are dying of hunger, is just hypocrite.
"Forgive asking, but our young master Leon is also in the sa class as you. He often praised your talent and skills, so I was wondering if you two are friends?" The butler spoke, as rumors of bad relations between Leon and Rio were circulating everywhere so ti ago.
With people often comnting that the Heartwell family has lived for too long, and would soon perish after Rio takes over his house.
Though exaggerated, but with what happened between their young miss and Rio two years ago, it's normal if he holds a grudge.
Rio looked at him for so ti, before replying with a slight smile, "He's too nice to be my friend. His ideals are _ well how do I put it nicely, idiotic in my eyes."
"Well, the young master is still young and naive yet. He'll grow with ti and experience." The butler responded with passion, but Rio cut him off.
"He's a lot stubborn too, so I think it'll take sothing extre to change his views and personality." Rio said with an all knowing smile, before adding with a chuckle, "But then again, we can only pray for a miracle, hoping the God would listen."
"....." The butler watched as Rio left him behind and entered the grand hall, his eyes staring at their backs lost in thoughts, until the guards closed the door, blocking his sight.
'Pray for a miracle… .. Ravens, do they know sothing?' The butler thought in suspicion over Rio's mysterious words, before shifting the bla onto Ravens, who are known for digging into other people's secrets for their living.
(Everyone has a pair of two eyes, and one of them is working for the Ravens.) The saying entangled with the Raven family, ca to his mind, and he couldn't help but frown.
"I'll have to contact the organisation and tell them to be wary of these crows' poking eyes." The butler said and disappeared from his place.
_
While on the inside, seeing the grand stature of the long hall leading to a garden in the back, and the sentries stationed in the shadows of pillars and the ceiling, Tanya held Es's hand and stepped closer to her.
"Baron Heartwell, it's been a while." Rio said as he walked through the inner corridors and reached the courtyard. Only to have his courteous smile stiffen at the sight in front of him.
There at the table were sitting two people whom he never expected to be here _ Baron Misha Winston, the ambitious father of a past prophet, and his daughter, Katherine. Rio's classmate and sowhat of a pupil/friend.
###
Author note - As the cliches go, there's always a traitor in the hero's house. The one who's too done with their righteousness and sees the world with cruel eyes. Always planning sothing behind everyone's back. The butler here is just that.
..
By the way I know you lot forgot everything, so do read chapter 123 again, to help jog your mory about the origin of gambling and the barons' previous conversation. I'm serious about it.
Also once you're done with re-reading that, do tell if I've improved my writing style from back then, I feel like I'm doing quite better these days, don't you too??
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