Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 15

Cici visibly stiffened, then batted his big eyes innocently. “Fox? No, not me.”

Dwight scoffed, then loudly said, “Shivers, once we get to Hilly City, let’s turn his cloak inside out and tie him up. Just drop him off at a brothel door and see if anyone pays to take him back.”

Cici: “…You’re too cruel!”

Eugene looked shocked. “You’re from the Fox family?”

Kingdom conflicts and noble secrets were too far removed from Eugene’s life. No matter how they joked and discussed it, it was all just a legend to him.

But the Fox name, he knew.

Not only did he know it, but he had also heard quite a bit.

Where there was light, there was shadow, and where people congregated, there was often an unspoken rule hidden in secrecy. Such as the black market, casinos, the red-light district, pharmacies, and even monasteries. The noble class held all the overt power, but in places that light didn’t reach, there were always those who, over time, through monopolies in certain trades, amassed wealth and strengthened their families, climbing to the very top. These families, able to speak with nobility on equal footing, were known as the “Black Gold Families”. Their names were older than some noble families, having built their power over several generations, extending their reach to every notable mid-to-large-sized city on the Pennigra continent.

Fox was one of these ancient Black Gold Families. They may never receive medals or titles of nobility, but their accumulated wealth was by no means inferior to that of the nobles. If there was anything they lacked compared to nobles, it was that they couldn’t possess a legal armed force. From birth to death, theirs was a journey kept low-key, not allowed to be openly displayed.

—This was all Eugene knew about the Fox family.

But if it were Dwight, there would be more thought-provoking details to consider.

With the recent decay of the empire, these underground elements had gradually infiltrated some of the noble families, using each other for balance and to gain more benefits—this was an unspoken secret among the upper class.

But the truly established old nobility disdained such actions, arrogantly considering those nobles as debasing themselves, “shaking hands with rats in the gutter”—the Dwight family belonged to this camp.

Still, looking down on and being unconcerned were two different things. Out of an inherited caution and meticulous character, every generation of Dwight had never relaxed their vigilance and monitoring of this power.

However, the rabbit-headed shopkeeper had also grasped some clues. Among them, only Columbus and Eugene were truly naïve. Cici, though crafty, was still young and had given himself away after talking a bit too much.

Living in luxury, perfectly imitating a girl despite being male, and with an understanding of the secrets of women’s quarters far beyond anyone else’s at such a young age—Charlie could almost picture Cici growing up in an exquisite boudoir surrounded by whispers and the scent of powders.

A proper noble child wouldn’t live such a life. This scenario only occurred in high-class brothels, and among the Black Gold Families known for their dealings in pleasure, it was the Fox family. This wasn’t to say that all brothels were monopolized by the Fox family, but the real power they held through these powder trades was their control over information.

Not every brothel on the Lemena continent bore the name Fox, but wherever there was a brothel, there were Fox family members, and the information exchanged through whispers and intimacies was controlled solely by them.

“Normally, they wouldn’t meticulously groom an adopted child unless you’re one of the direct heirs of the Fox family.” Cici’s expression, as if struck by lightning, confirmed his deduction was spot on, and the sleep-deprived Duke’s mood finally improved, his face breaking into a sinister smile. “I might estimate how much old Christopher is willing to pay to get you back.”

Christopher, the current patriarch of the Fox family, Cici’s grandfather.

Surprised, anxious, hungry, and tired, the beautiful young man finally couldn’t bear the strain and fainted with a “plop”.

The pleasure of tormenting Cici only lasted less than an hour for Dwight.

The Duke soon realized that from the Pennigra continent to the Doran continent, what was merely a thin line easily drawn with a quill in the study, when placed in the vast wilderness, turned into an infuriatingly arduous and exhausting journey.

The narrow and shabby paths couldn’t accommodate spacious carriages. They had no choice but to rely on horses for transportation; the prolonged riding caused him soreness from his pelvis to his back. The food was also monotonously unbearable—fresh fruits and vegetables couldn’t be preserved or carried. They only had dried, salted meat and hard bread, and in the lingering cold of late winter, wild game was scarce. Most terrifying was that a small church in Popomia turned out to be the most comfortable accommodation they could find for the next few days. Otherwise, they had to set up windproof tents on the spot or stay overnight at farmhouses they encountered on the road—most farmhouses were far from comfortable, with not enough rooms to accommodate their party, and no amount of gold could buy a remotely comfortable bed.

This harsh trek finally made the Duke of Brandenburg realize that wealth still couldn’t buy everything.

Apart from the pampered Cici, who was also half-dead from the journey, whether it was Charlie or Shivers, they still managed to maintain their composure, and Eugene seemed to think this kind of travel was nothing special. Even the little tin soldier, Columbus, was energetically keeping up, and driven by a strong sense of pride, Dwight couldn’t allow himself to complain out loud, undoubtedly worsening his mood.

Foreseeing this situation, Charlie slowed down, walking behind with Dwight to give them some distance from the others. Shivers, sensing they probably had things to discuss, quickened his pace and moved further ahead.

Dwight glanced at the rabbit-headed shopkeeper from the corner of his eye silently.

Days of sleep deprivation made it hard for him to focus. Thankfully, Araceae was excellent enough to proceed securely without his command. Even so, the Duke didn’t like seeing others manage more comfortably than himself, hence he wasn’t inclined to speak with Charlie.

The shopkeeper didn’t mind his cold demeanor.

“Did Priscilla leave in the winter too?” he asked.

The Duke pursed his lips.

“She didn’t take this route,” Dwight said stiffly, not wanting to elaborate.

“I guessed as much. If there had been enough hands, crossing the Labrada Valley from Popomia directly to Hilly City would have been the optimal route, and the caravan at that time must have been long.”

Naturally.

Priscilla, born physically frail, didn’t receive as much praise for her looks as her brother, but her resilient character and noble disposition made her invaluable. More than Dwight, the destined heir, Priscilla was the angel in their parents’ palms, the true treasure of Brandenburg.

Everyone thought Dwight grew up pampered, almost angelically untouched by worldly concerns, but in reality, as the only heir, not a day of his childhood was spent outside strict self-demands and learning, while Priscilla was the carefree one.

Until their parents died unexpectedly, when everyone thought Miss Priscilla would be too heartbroken to cope, she unexpectedly stood firm, standing by her young brother, surprisingly strong in refusing all insincere visits and ‘help’, and personally helped him ascend to his title.

Recalling the past only worsened Dwight’s mood.

If he had set out with his entire order of knights, he could have taken the main roads without fear of bandits. His current party… Although everyone (except Columbus) was capable, would still be in danger if they really faced a sizable group of robbers. Taking the detour was a necessity.

The shopkeeper continued to provoke him. “It’s a pity we don’t have enough people, so we have to take these back roads, without any pomp…”

The Duke gave him a sidelong glance, warning him to stop.

Charlie laughed. “You must love her very much.”

Dwight withdrew his gaze. “Don’t you have any siblings?”

Charlie didn’t answer immediately, and for a moment, only the whooshing of the wind past Dwight’s ears could be heard. The sudden change in atmosphere almost made the Duke think he had said something wrong.

But he wasn’t about to turn his head to check what expression was on that ridiculous rabbit face.

As if he seemed to care.

Fortunately, the awkward silence didn’t last long. The shopkeeper straightened the top hat on his head. “Yes, I do.”

His voice was so low it was almost inaudible, but the Duke still caught it sharply.

“I had a brother—very smart, very talented. He was the hope of our family.” Charlie’s voice was very low, with a faint hint of nostalgia. “We lived together when we were kids, but that was a very long time ago. My memories of him are even blurrier than Columbus’ memories of his hometown.”

Two brothers, only one the hope of the family, separated for many years—

It was somewhat illogical, but Dwight was arrogant, not stupid. He knew that no old family was without its secrets, and he understood this wasn’t an issue worth probing.

Not now, at least.

Dwight asked nonchalantly, “And now? Where is your brother?”

Charlie said sadly, “He’s no longer with us.”

Dwight: “……”

The shopkeeper stared at him for a long while until Dwight glared back fiercely, then he burst into laughter.

“I thought you’d fall for that,” Charlie said regretfully. “Yes, he’s not dead, although I don’t know where he is, but he’s probably doing fine.”

The Duke looked like he wanted to whack his rabbit head, but he restrained himself.

“What’s your family name?” he asked irritably.

Charlie had just mentioned ‘family’ and, combined with his previous boasts about his scholarly achievements, it seemed he wasn’t a nameless nobody. At least people below the commoner class rarely had the opportunity for education.

Charlie shrugged.

“I don’t have one,” he said calmly. “Like my brother, I used to have one, but not anymore.”

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