Who Can Know!

(A six-thousand-word extended chapter, more content at no extra cost, hehe~)

Who Can Know!

Ruolin truly felt like smashing her head into a wall. Fortunately, the other party finally looked at her. She could only bite her lip and continue acting, pinching her voice into a soft, delicate tone. "Y-you... what exactly are you planning to do to me?" As she spoke, she very cooperatively sent him a pitiful, helpless look.

Du Wei smiled. His gaze swept over Ruolin's body, and the teasing look in his eyes made her feel that something was wrong. She could clearly sense that when this young noble looked at her body, his eyes held nothing but amusement, without the slightest trace of desire.

Then a shadow flew toward her and immediately covered Ruolin. She struggled a few times and poked her head out, only to discover that it was a bedsheet Du Wei had casually tossed over her. The sheet covered Ruolin's half-naked, seductive body.

"When I'm doing serious work, having a half-naked woman watching beside me distracts me." Du Wei's tone remained calm, as though he were merely stating the simplest fact. Then he gave Ruolin an indifferent glance. "Whatever you're planning, your performance just now was awful. I have other things to do now. If you want to seduce me, you might as well take this time to think of some other tricks..."

Ruolin felt as though a bucket of icy water had been dumped over her head!

This half-grown boy, that gaze, that tone... Good heavens, what kind of child was this? From his calm and composed eyes alone, it was obvious that he probably had far more experience than she did!

Du Wei had already settled into the most comfortable position in his chair. He took out a small magnifying glass and carefully examined the patterns on the leather armor. He even found paper and a pen, copied down the magical patterns on the armor, then closed his eyes and thought deeply for a while.

Throughout the entire process, Ruolin said nothing. On one hand, she racked her brains trying to figure out this young noble's intentions. On the other, she could not help studying him curiously.

This young noble was still so young. His pale face was so refined, yet his manner of speaking and the look in his eyes made him seem extremely experienced with women.

"I'm very curious about all three of your weapons." Du Wei spoke without raising his head, continuing to study the magically enhanced leather armor in his hands. His tone was mild. "The patterns on this leather armor are magical designs. They enhance strength and agility. Judging from the texture of the leather, this item is quite old. In my opinion, it is more valuable as an antique than as a weapon. Also, there is a family crest here. If I remember correctly, this crest belongs to one of the families under the Stuttgart line in the north. Stuttgart originated from an ancient family. It flourished during the Empire's revival three hundred years ago, but began to decline more than a century ago. Afterward, it split into seven or eight medium-sized families that continued its line. Your leather armor should have come from some noble household in the northern Empire..."

His casual analysis sounded calm, yet his tone held extraordinary confidence. Ruolin, sitting in her chair, could not help staring in shock.

"And your curved saber... Hmm, fundamentally speaking, curved sabers are not suited to girls, because using one requires considerable wrist strength. Only the tribes of the northwest tend to favor such weapons. But you..." At that point, Du Wei looked up and casually swept his eyes over Ruolin. "Your hair is brown and your eyes are blue. Both indicate that you have the bloodline of the orthodox peoples of the central and southern Roland Empire. You should not have any blood from the northwestern tribes. Though I don't know exactly how skilled you are, judging by your performance when we fought just now... you should be better with sword techniques. Fortunately, although your strength is insufficient, your leather armor enhances it, so you can barely use this curved saber. Still... it is rather wasteful." Du Wei smiled. "There is a magical crystal beneath the hilt that can store magic power, and the blade bears wind-element patterns. A highly skilled warrior can use this saber to release wind blades... Though at your current level, I imagine you cannot do that."

Ruolin was stunned!

Because this young noble had not been wrong in the slightest!

That leather armor had indeed been given to her by that lecherous baron in the north. And the curved saber had come from the captain of a mercenary group who lusted after her beauty—that man was from one of the northwestern tribes!

Du Wei rubbed his brow as he looked at Ruolin. "What makes me most curious is your Demon-Breaking Bow and Arrows..."

Du Wei slowly took out the silver bow and placed it on the table, smiling. "The striped patterns on the bow stand upright and slant across it. In heraldry, that represents lunar power, the power of the moon. According to the books I've read, those who used the power of the moon as their totem should have come from an ancient family on this continent: the Muen Family. This family was once glorious seven hundred years ago. At its peak, it possessed half the continent's territory. The deity they worshipped was the Moon Goddess. Unfortunately, during the continent's wars several centuries ago, the Muen Family's kingdom was destroyed. The continent then entered the unified era of the Roland Empire, and the Muen Family died out as well. It is said that this family has... well, how should I put it? Gone extinct."

His fingers stroked the smooth silver bow back and forth, his eyes carrying a trace of amusement. "I find it strange. You, the leader of a small adventuring party, possess third-rate martial skills, yet have three precious magically enhanced weapons. One comes from the north, one from the northwest, and one even comes from an ancient family that has already died out. Just... who are you?"

If Du Wei's enlightened teacher, the learned old scholar Rosiat, had been present to hear these words, he would have been proud of his student and surely indignant that such a student had been called an "idiot"!

For Du Wei's seemingly simple words encompassed mastery of heraldry, insignia studies, totem studies, continental history, and several other fields! Moreover, even the old scholar himself might not have been able to identify the origins of all three weapons immediately upon seeing them! One had to remember that Du Wei had spoken almost without thinking, without consulting any materials at all! It was as if all that knowledge had been firmly imprinted in his mind!

As for Ruolin, her mind was filled with nothing but shock!

"H-how did you know all that?" Ruolin stammered.

"Books." Du Wei set down the bow and smiled. "Books record all human knowledge. And knowledge is the beacon of human progress. As for me, I began reading such books at the age of six."

"Six?" Ruolin sighed softly. "You must be a genius... Have you read a lot of books?"

"Quite a few." Du Wei smiled. "But I'm no genius. In fact, a long time ago, I didn't like reading at all. I didn't even like knowledge."

"Then you..." Ruolin could not help asking, but after only half a sentence, she realized this probably was not the right time for a chat.

Du Wei did not seem to mind. He smiled and spoke in a low voice, almost as if talking to himself. "There is a story. In an exquisite porcelain shop, the owner spent much effort making a new piece of porcelain, but an outsider who suddenly barged in accidentally broke it. This outsider felt very guilty, so he decided to make a fine new piece of porcelain to compensate the owner... Yes, that's right. Compensation!"

"Compensation?" Ruolin looked somewhat lost.

Du Wei smiled and glanced at his female captive. "You seem more interested in other people's affairs. If I were you, I would be more concerned about my own situation right now."

"But you don't seem to mind telling me these things."

"Oh, that is because you are a beautiful girl, and you also have a pair of beautiful legs." Du Wei shrugged and said casually, "Men. Most men cannot help talking a little more in front of pretty girls—that is the nature of most men."

Ruolin gritted her teeth. Suddenly, she felt a trace of helplessness rise from deep within her. Facing this young noble, she felt as though she herself were the little girl. Every word he said, every smile, even every look in his eyes, seemed so unfathomable... It was as if his calm gaze could see through people at any moment!

"What exactly are you going to do to me?" Ruolin's tone had become one of resignation.

Du Wei smiled. "Weren't you planning to seduce me just now? Why not try again?"

Ruolin's heart stirred... What did he mean? Looking at the young noble's smile and his eyes, restless thoughts began rising in Ruolin's heart once more!

Du Wei had already stood and slowly walked over to Ruolin. His fingers lightly brushed her face, carefully feeling the soft skin of her cheeks.

His movements were gentle. From Ruolin's cheek, his hand slid down to her slender neck, then slowly slipped beneath the sheet covering her and lightly pressed against her shoulder. His fingers were slender and soft, completely lacking the roughness of other men. Instead, they carried an unhurried... teasing quality?

Yes, teasing! Like a cat playing with a mouse already caught in its claws!

Under Du Wei's fingers, Ruolin began trembling lightly. She could not help closing her eyes and letting out a soft hum through her nose. Then Du Wei suddenly lifted the blanket covering her... Ruolin had already shut her eyes, preparing herself for what was about to happen, but...

Swish!

Ruolin felt the bindings around her hands loosen! The ox sinew ropes had been cut!

Holding a gleaming little knife, Du Wei smiled and took a step back. "All right. You can leave whenever you want now. My men will not stop you. Your other companions may leave with you, but your mage companion must remain."

"..." Ruolin opened her eyes in shock and stared at Du Wei. "You mean you're letting me go?"

"Yes, that's right." Du Wei smiled casually. "I'm only interested in your mage companion. As for these three magical weapons of yours, I have studied them, so I no longer need them. You can take them with you as well."

Ruolin found this young noble even harder to understand. She opened her mouth. "But you... you suddenly attacked us in the tavern..."

"I told you, I'm merely interested in magic, not in you." Du Wei said indifferently. "I'm busy, and I'm rather tired as well. You may leave now. Don't disturb my rest... I don't like people watching me while I sleep."

He stepped back twice and pointed at the door. It was an obvious dismissal.

Ruolin felt as though she were dreaming. She took the small knife Du Wei handed her, cut the ox sinew around her feet, stretched her somewhat numb limbs, and walked to the door. Yet she still seemed unable to come back to her senses.

"Oh, right. Meeting is fate. If you don't mind, I can offer you one more piece of advice." Du Wei smiled behind her.

"P-please, what... what advice?" Without realizing it, Ruolin's tone had become much more respectful.

"You." Du Wei smiled as lightly as the breeze. "A girl like you should find a good man and marry him sooner rather than later. Find some peaceful, quiet countryside, marry an honest young noble, and live a proper life. Hmm... How did that saying go again? Ah, a distant friend of mine once said: the world is a dangerous place; if you live by the sword, sooner or later you pay the price. It is hard for a girl to persist alone. If you do not want to marry, you can consider another choice: women are vines. It is best to find a large tree to rely on. I imagine there are not many living members of the Muen Family left in this world."

Ruolin's body shook. "What did you say? The Muen Tribe?"

"That's right, the Muen Tribe, the Muen Tribe that worships the Moon Goddess." Du Wei smiled. "I examined your fingers. Your ring finger is noticeably longer than your index finger. Also, there is a slightly protruding bone at the back of your head. These are the most standard physical traits of people with Muen Tribe bloodlines recorded in books. Those two traits alone do not necessarily mean you are Muen Tribe, but you also possess a weapon bearing the Muen Tribe's moon totem. Do you intend to deny it?"

For the first time in her life, Ruolin felt as though she had crashed into an iron wall! Even when facing greedy, lustful nobles or vicious, brutal mercenary leaders, she had never felt this powerless!

Could this young noble really see through the secrets hidden in people's hearts at a glance?

And that smile... That pale, refined face, that indifferent smile that seemed not to care about anything at all...

...was like a demon!

Seeing the long-legged girl leave in a daze, Du Wei sighed and began sorting through the books he had brought with him.

At that moment, his loyal servant Made knocked and entered. He looked somewhat hesitant. "Um, Master, are you going to rest? Do you need anything? It seems you did not eat much tonight."

Seeing the ambiguous expression on Made's face, Du Wei smiled. He knew that Made must have been waiting outside the whole time. When he saw the girl leave Du Wei's room, the servant had immediately come in to check on him.

Hmm, aside from his mother, this servant was probably the person in this world who cared about him the most.

"Nothing... Oh, right, Made, how much money is left in my private purse?" Du Wei asked as if it were a casual question.

"Exactly one thousand gold coins." Mentioning money immediately brightened Made's spirits. "Master, the honorable Madam gave this to you privately before we left. I have kept it all safely!"

Du Wei thought for a moment and said quietly, "Hmm, I heard that Kote Province produces a kind of Water Orchid Gem. Once we arrive, help me purchase some. I want to send someone to deliver them back to Mother."

"Madam will surely be very happy." Made smiled, then could not help lowering his voice. "Young Master, you are so intelligent... Others may not know it, but I, Made, do. If Madam and the Count knew all this, they would definitely be proud of you. But... why..."

"Why do I like being treated as an idiot?" Du Wei smiled and finished for him.

Made immediately looked alarmed and lowered his head, yet he still could not help saying, "Young Master Gabri is called a genius, while you... Sigh. Actually, if it were not for you... Hmph, I don't think Young Master Gabri's tutor was all that capable. I know that you often went to see Young Master Gabri. I even saw you teach him how to write... A genius? Hmph..."

"All right, Made, I'm tired. Go out." Du Wei blinked and smiled. "We still have to travel tomorrow."

Watching his loyal servant leave reluctantly, Du Wei slowly sat down in his chair and stretched hard.

Sigh... An idiot?

Then let him be an idiot.

But I did not belong to this world!

The beautiful Countess, that respectable woman, did not know that he had occupied the body of her first son. It was outright theft, naked theft! Though it had not been his choice.

By that logic, he still owed the Rowling Family something. Especially that respectable woman—he owed that beautiful, kind mother a good son.

And there was also the Count, who was his "father."

Sigh, he had secretly used a few methods to give their family a "genius" son, then quietly left. That could be considered repayment for what he owed them.

Thinking of that boy Gabri... Hopefully, he could satisfy them. Now that Du Wei had left the Imperial Capital, he would no longer sneak off to teach that child how to read so often.

He truly had no patience for looking after children.

In order to become a qualified secret teacher for his younger brother, he had nearly worked himself to death these past years, studying and reading, then looking for every possible opportunity to secretly teach his younger brother everything he had learned.

Yes, he could only do such things in secret. Because Father seemed afraid that "idiocy" was a contagious disease, afraid Du Wei might pass it on to his younger brother. He did not like Du Wei getting too close to Gabri.

Still, he had studied so hard all these years... He had never possessed such enthusiasm even when attending school in his original world.

When his younger brother first learned to hold a pen and write his own name at the age of four, then showed it to their parents... the delighted Count probably had no idea that his idiotic eldest son had secretly put so much effort into teaching that four-year-old child how to write.

And he had painstakingly turned what he learned about continental history into stories for his young brother, using that method to educate the child... In that regard, he seemed to have quite a talent for being a teacher.

An idiot? Hmph, such a title meant nothing to someone who did not belong to this world at all.

Did I care?

Of course not.

Although he owed them, deep down, he simply could not accept another man and woman taking the place of his real parents. So... after doing his best to make amends, quietly leaving might have been the best choice for him.

Being exiled... was not so bad, actually.

Gabri, you had better work hard. Because from now on, I will not climb into your room in the middle of the night to tell you stories. Nor will I turn those difficult, obscure martial arts principles into songs for you to memorize.

He remembered the first time Gabri suddenly sang those awkward martial arts secrets aloud—because that made them easier to remember. When the young child accidentally displayed them before the adults, the Count had been overjoyed and repeatedly praised the child as a genius.

Yet he would probably never imagine that all of it had been the work of his idiotic eldest son!

Yes, I took one of your sons away. Then I did everything I could to give you back a "genius" son.

Rowling Family, this was my small compensation to you, Du Wei.

;