After Old Walker heard the request, the stone in his heart immediately settled. He had thought the other party wanted his help dealing with Gilbert.
He patted his chest with his rough yet sturdy palm and assured Renard, "If it's just this, then there's naturally no problem. Leave it to me."
"Five days!" He gestured with his right hand, missing a finger, then awkwardly but politely extended his left index finger to fill the gap. "I can complete the task in just five days."
Renard silently calculated. The timeframe seemed acceptable. He could use this time to clear out some bounty quests, at the very least so he could buy a suitable magic weapon from the System Mall. "I'll give you ten days. The map needs to be as detailed as possible."
After speaking, he waved his hand, signaling the other party to leave. Old Walker, as if granted amnesty, fled the castle.
Only then did the two lackeys curiously step forward to ask, "Young Master, you're having Old Walker draw a map of the vicinity. You're not actually planning to go adventuring, are you?"
They found the idea preposterous. While their young master was arrogant, he was famously a bully within the estate. He could torment the villagers, but facing monsters out there? He wouldn't have the guts.
"Adventuring? That's right!" Renard nodded noncommittally.
Upon hearing this, the lackeys quickly tried to dissuade him. "Young Master Renard, adventuring is extremely dangerous. If something were to happen to you, how would we explain it to Lord Baron!"
Renard glanced dismissively at the two lackeys, then picked up a cigar from the ashtray and lit it again. He took a deep puff, mumbling indistinctly, "How could I put myself in danger? Don't I still have you guys to take the fall?"
The two lackeys were speechless. They knew their young master was no good.
Renard observed their expressions, shook his head helplessly, and said with a serious tone, "I do have the idea of adventuring, but not now. The most important thing right now is to let others know that Old Walker is working for me."
The two lackeys exchanged glances, unsure what their young master was up to.
Renard yawned and asked helplessly, "Don't you find things a bit strange?"
Strange? The two lackeys looked slightly confused and shook their heads.
Renard tilted his head back, looking at the ceiling, and began to organize his thoughts. "If I remember correctly, Old Walker used to be a bloodthirsty adventurer. He even registered as a formal mercenary."
"That's right," Tommy nodded. "After I took on this task, I investigated him thoroughly. He's quite a character, traveled far and wide, possesses strong combat skills, and is very experienced. He's a rare talent."
Ben frowned and asked, "Is the Young Master planning to recruit him?"
"How could that be?" Tommy immediately retorted. "Don't let Old Walker's outward obedience fool you. He's not a good person. Look how he beat me..."
As he spoke, he pointed to his still slightly swollen cheek. "He doesn't show much respect to noblemen."
Renard showed a surprised expression, then smiled and nodded. "Indeed, you handle matters very meticulously. Don't let Old Walker's subservient demeanor in front of me fool you; he's a man who operates in both legitimate and illicit circles."
His praise made the lackey Tommy somewhat flattered, while also making Ben beside him slightly envious.
Renard ignored their thoughts and added, "I recall Old Walker's shop isn't exactly clean. All sorts of unsavory characters frequent it to fence stolen goods."
He fiddled with the medal in his hand, his eyes full of thought. "A man like him, who disregards the law, actually acts so reserved, even fearful, when facing a good-for-nothing like me. Don't you think his act is too fake?"
Ben pondered for a moment, then said in surprise, "Are you saying Old Walker's performance just now was all an act?"
"Precisely. His expressions, actions, and words all seemed rehearsed. They looked real, but upon closer inspection, they felt very fake," Renard said, crossing his arms and staring intently out the window.
After a long while, he sighed deeply. "Tommy, even you know the medal is in Old Walker's possession. How could Wilson, the Chief of Security and Captain of the Guard, not know?"
Tommy frowned tightly upon hearing this. "Then why did he..."
"Why didn't he just demand it directly from Old Walker?" Renard's smile appeared, but his eyes grew colder. He then explained their questions, "Perhaps this was a trap set for Old Walker from the beginning."
Tommy and Ben exchanged glances again, but this time their eyes held thought instead of confusion.
Renard didn't have time for them to ponder. He spoke frankly, "Gilbert has coveted my position as heir for a long time. He's traveled all this way back, so he must be planning something. Otherwise, my position would only become more secure."
His eyes flickered with light, as if Conan had possessed him, analyzing the ins and outs of the situation. "Gilbert colluded with Wilson long ago. His mother, of low birth, even exchanged flirtatious glances with him multiple times. Did he really think I didn't see it?"
Renard sneered inwardly. "I'm afraid Wilson has secretly become his running dog."
Tommy immediately slapped his forehead in annoyance. "Right! How could I not have thought of that? How could Wilson's heirloom be lost so easily? And it's just too coincidental that Old Walker happened to encounter Gilbert when he was about to return it."
"Coincidence is coincidence," Ben said, his brow furrowed. He still didn't quite understand and asked directly, "How does the Young Master know this is a trap set for Old Walker? And what is their purpose in doing this?"
Renard leisurely took a puff of his cigar, the hazy smoke obscuring his face. After a long silence, he replied helplessly, "I'm not sure."
Everyone was speechless. Just as Ben was about to speak, Renard interrupted him. "No matter what their objective is, we'll foil it."
After saying that, he wore a confident smile. "Bringing Old Walker to our side is the first step. This cunning old fox will be a good pawn at a crucial moment."
Tommy and Ben had a general understanding. They both took a deep breath, feeling that their young master was much smarter than before, but also possessed a new, intimidating depth.
Renard felt the same way. He hadn't been particularly astute before; it was only when playing games that he occasionally had flashes of brilliance. Now, he could understand the gist of the truth based on mere clues, which truly surprised him.
Could it be because of the Eidetic Memory skill? He quickly thought of the key to the matter. After all, the Skill Introduction for Eidetic Memory clearly stated: Enhances the host's logical thinking ability.
Before you continue
Explore the wiki