Brothers

As the two conversed, Renard had recovered from his fear, a look of relief on his face. He said thankfully, "The old man's aura is so powerful. I wonder when he'll break through to the Legendary Warrior realm."

Selina, standing beside him, stuck out her tongue playfully at his disrespectful words. She then chimed in at just the right moment, "If Young Master works hard, he will definitely reach the Legendary Warrior realm, and perhaps even the Epic Warrior realm."

Renard was quite pleased with such flattery. He threw an arm around her and gave her two hearty kisses on the cheek, "If that day ever comes, I'll definitely marry Selina in a grand ceremony."

What maiden doesn't dream of romance? Hearing his words, a blush crept onto Selina's face, followed by a hint of anxiety.

The oblivious Renard naturally didn't notice the change in her expression. Having taken advantage of the beautiful girl, a radiant smile lit up his face.

It was the first time in his twenty-eight years of single life that he had been so close to a beautiful woman, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't excited. However, when his gaze flickered to the minced meat soup and two slices of slightly burnt white bread on the dining tray, his heart sank to the bottom again.

Living in an era similar to Earth's Middle Ages, one couldn't even dream of stir-fried dishes. Nobles still had milk, roasted meat, smoked sausages, and white bread to enjoy, while commoners subsisted on rye bread all day, and not even enough to fill their stomachs.

Thinking of a group of sallow-faced people drooling over a piece of rye bread sent a shiver down Renard's spine, making him grateful that his choice had been the right one.

Although the original body's owner was merely the offspring of a fallen nobleman, his power, status, and living standards were still countless times higher than those of a commoner.

He haphazardly shoved the soup and bread into his stomach, feeling his stomach fill up, and his mood slowly improved. The spices in the soup were quite abundant, though the pepper flavor was a bit strong. "I'll have to personally teach the cook when I have time."

Full and satisfied, Renard lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. This was probably a common ailment among transmigrators; they needed a long period of calm to adapt to their new identities.

Selina removed the dining tray. After confirming no one was around, she quietly took out several thick, long things from beneath her skirt and presented them to him as a treasure, "Young Master, look."

Cigars? Seeing these, Renard's inner joy was beyond words.

Leaning back against a soft cushion, wine glass in hand, a cigar in his mouth, he couldn't help but feel a sense of blissful detachment, thinking: This place is simply paradise.

Selina sat by the bedside, gently massaging his legs while chatting about the recent interesting events in Saint Brieuc Fortress.

"More than ten days ago, Sir Bruce's dog ran out and bit Sir Adrian. The two had a dispute at the town hall over it, and the matter still hasn't been resolved."

"Eight days ago, a very strong Mercenary Group passed through here. I heard they were going to the Ambrisset Mountains to hunt magical beasts. Their leader was a fierce, bearded man. Mr. Wilson said that man possessed the strength of an Intermediate Battle Qi Warrior."

"That afternoon, a rather large merchant caravan came to our place to purchase goods from adventurers. They were very generous. Lord Baron sold off all the furs he had been hoarding over the years. I heard he made dozens of gold coins."

Renard sat up straight upon hearing this. He was extremely interested in the third piece of news. As a fine young man of the new era, he naturally knew how important money was.

Taking a deep puff of his cigar, he said with great interest, "Hmm, I'll have to go and squeeze some money out of the old man when I have time."

He had merged with Scum Renard's memories, and there were bound to be many similarities between them, greed being one of them.

Selina was unfazed and continued at a steady pace, "Five days ago, Young Master Gilbert returned from the Royal Capital Academy. He received an 'Excellent Plus' evaluation in the year-end assessment. Lord Baron is planning a grand celebration for Christmas."

Gilbert? Hearing the name, the smile on Renard's face vanished rapidly. He had learned from Scum Renard's memories that this Young Master Gilbert was no easy person to deal with.

Of course, only a few people in Saint Brieuc Fortress, led by him, thought that way.

Gilbert was Renard's brother, or more accurately, an illegitimate son without official status.

His mother, Miss Florence, was a Socialite who frequented noble balls. Through unsavory means, she had managed to attach herself to Baron Hamilton and bore him a son, Gilbert.

That woman was cunning and not without ambition, constantly coveting Hamilton's fortune.

If not for the Noble Law explicitly stating that only a Legitimate Son could inherit the title, Gilbert would likely already be the designated heir of Saint Brieuc Fortress.

Like his mother, this illegitimate son was also adept at disguise.

He was a smart and sensible student in front of his teachers, a well-behaved child in front of his father, a gentle and refined noble young master in front of the commoners, and a knowledgeable and courteous gentleman in front of beautiful women.

Only in front of Renard did he bare his fangs without any pretense: "My dear brother, I will take everything that belongs to you, and you can only watch helplessly."

Compared to this scheming younger brother, Scum Renard was as simple as a lamb. If not for the protection of an old man named Bennett, he would have likely met his end long ago.

Renard gloomily took a puff of his cigar and asked, "Has Gilbert changed in any way, perhaps in terms of strength?"

Selina shook her head and replied obediently, "I don't know. I've always been serving Young Master in the castle, and I heard these things from the guards."

Renard looked at the beautiful girl with some surprise, thinking that she wasn't as simple as she appeared. It made sense, though; living in noble circles, if one didn't have a bit of cunning, they'd likely be screwed over.

He didn't dwell on it, leisurely exhaling a smoke ring and looking out the window, his eyes filled with indifference.

After a long silence, he sneered, "He didn't even bother to greet me upon returning home. Since that's the case, I'll pay him a visit myself."

Selina looked up in surprise and caught a fleeting glimpse of the gloom in Renard's eyes. She immediately understood that Young Master was going to stir up trouble for him.

Having made his decision, Renard unceremoniously took off his robe, changed into his usual grey-black woolen shirt and trousers, put on his high-necked coat, and slipped on his small leather boots. He strode towards the stairs and soon exited the castle gates.

Seeing this, Selina hurried after him. As she reached the castle entrance, she urgently instructed the guards, "Quick, go report to Mr. Bennett that Young Master Renard is going to see Young Master Gilbert."

Meanwhile, Renard had already arrived at the training grounds not far from the castle. If his guess was correct, Gilbert should be there.

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