C12 Daughter of the Duke

"You'd think after attacking a baron, you'd have the sense to lay low, kid. But no, you strut around Sunblessed Vale as if I can't touch you?" Vonk sneered at Egerton, a mocking glint in his eye.

Vonk's encounter with Egerton was purely fortuitous. He had been casually strolling near Sunblessed Vale when he overheard the skirmish between the Sunstriders and the Cold Moon Adventure Team. After a bit of eavesdropping, he was convinced that the dark-haired youth wielding a knife was the same one who had previously assaulted him, and he quickly followed.

This time, Vonk was not taking any chances. Aware that he was no match for Egerton on his own, he promptly enlisted the help of Sunblessed Vale's patrol guards.

The pretext for their involvement was a fabricated tale of Egerton attacking him with a knife.

In the Starmoon Duchy, assaulting nobility was a serious offense. Even though the cut Vonk had self-inflicted on his arm was laughably superficial, the patrol captain acquiesced to his request, if only to avoid complications.

"What's happening here?" Verl asked, her face a picture of bewilderment.

"This guy and I have a history. He's roped in the patrol guards to arrest me," Egerton explained succinctly.

"Why would the patrol guards side with him? He doesn't look trustworthy at all!" Verl commented naively.

"Hey, you're with this young troublemaker, aren't you? Arrest her as well!" Vonk finally noticed Verl. Despite her enchanter's attire, her beauty was undeniable, stirring a sense of agitation within him.

Vonk chuckled to himself, feeling fortunate. Last time, his plans were foiled by Egerton, but today, not only had he nabbed the young upstart, but he had also stumbled upon an even more exquisite prize.

His expression turned lecherous as he fantasized about the evening's potential pleasures.

"This guy is repulsive!" Verl grimaced, clearly uncomfortable under Vonk's lascivious gaze.

"He's beyond repulsive. He tried to prey on a girl from the slum before, and even after I taught him a lesson, he's still unrepentant. Tell me, you're with the patrol guards, right? You can't seriously be assisting this lowlife, can you?" Egerton challenged, turning to the patrol captain.

"Baron Vonk has accused you of attempting to murder him. I'm simply here to take you in for questioning," the captain stated gravely.

"Enough with the chit-chat; take them both!" Baron Vonk bellowed.

"Hold on, I'm the one who struck you. What does she have to do with this?" Egerton asked, furrowing his brow.

"Ha! It seems you're not only slow-witted but hard of hearing too. You're under arrest for your attempt on my life. If she hadn't been associating with you, it might be a different story. But since she's been seen with you, she's suspected of being an accomplice. Naturally, we must take her as well!" Baron Vonk roared with laughter.

"Murder you? Aside from the thrashing I gave you before, when have I ever even encountered you?" Egerton said, exasperated.

"We'll discuss it once you're behind bars. Now, enough with the back-and-forth. Take him away!"

Baron Vonk commanded with a haughty air. The patrol captain, though he followed the order, inwardly scoffed:

"Who's the one spouting nonsense? Isn't it you?"

The patrol captain could see this was nothing more than a petty setup. On one side was a citizen with no apparent background, and on the other, a noble—even a low-ranking one. The choice was clear to the patrol captain.

"I suggest you don't resist. With your Class 2 strength, there's no chance of escape!" the patrol captain warned as he approached Egerton.

"How will I know unless I try?" Egerton replied with a faint smile, though he harbored doubts.

As the captain of the Sunblessed Vale patrol guards, one must possess at least the strength of a Class 3 Professional to hold the position. Many of the patrol guards likely had the strength of a Class 2 Professional. Without Verl, Egerton was confident he could make an easy escape on his own.

But Verl's presence complicated matters.

Dodgers, known for their agility, lacked significant strength. Carrying someone would undoubtedly slow them down and hinder their movements.

"How can you do this to us? We've just emerged from the Skyreach Spire. How could we possibly have tried to kill him? Don't the patrol guards consider evidence before acting?" Verl finally grasped the situation and protested indignantly.

"Haha, little girl, do you know who I am?" Baron Vonk couldn't help but chuckle.

"I am a noble, do you understand what that means? A noble of the Starmoon Duchy, far more distinguished than you common folk. Even if you don't lay a finger on me, what of it? At my whim, I could snuff you out! But of course, I, the Baron, would be loath to do so. Tsk tsk, if you agree to become my mistress, I might just consider sparing this young lad!"

"You, despicable!" Verl had never been subjected to such vile insults, and her face flushed with anger.

"Don't bother arguing with him. He's not wrong; we're just commoners. How could we ever stand up to a noble?"

Egerton calmed the enraged Verl, leaning in so close that he almost brushed her cheek with his lips.

"Even if he is a noble, he has no right to treat an innocent citizen this way. The Duchy's laws..."

"I'll find a way to hold them off later. You need to seize the chance to run, got it?" Verl's words were cut short as Egerton interrupted her.

Is he planning to let me escape while he faces the danger alone?

Verl gazed at Egerton, her eyes lingering on his refined features, momentarily spellbound.

"Still whispering sweet nothings even in the face of death? Why don't you hurry up and arrest them?" Vonk barked in fury.

"It's your fault for blathering on!" the guard captain muttered under his breath, advancing toward Egerton and Verl.

As tensions rose to a breaking point and Egerton prepared to strike, creating a path for Verl's escape, the soldiers outside suddenly became disorderly, drawing the attention of everyone inside.

"What's happening? What are your men up to?" Vonk demanded, clearly annoyed.

"I'll check it out." Without a word, the captain of the guards headed for the door. Upon seeing the commotion outside, he quickened his pace, bolting out as if his life depended on it, only to fall to his knees before a figure.

Moments later, the captain re-entered the shop, his demeanor transformed into one of authority as he addressed Vonk, "Baron, we've been tasked with a mission to patrol the northern part of Sunblessed Vale. I must beg your pardon, as I cannot stay by your side any longer!"

After his declaration, he didn't wait for Baron Vonk's consent and confidently led his team away, leaving Vonk in a fit of uncontrollable twitching.

"Who dares to oppose me? Do you even know who I am? I am... Sir, Sir!" Vonk was in the midst of his furious rant when the figure entered. Upon seeing the newcomer, Vonk collapsed to the ground, shaking.

"I honestly have no idea who you are, but I've already crossed you. What are you planning to do about it?" The figure regarded Vonk with an icy stare.

"Well, of course, there's nothing to be done. It's a privilege to have a lord such as yourself deign to engage with a lowly one like me," Vonk said obsequiously. "Please, my lord, carry on with your important matters. I'll take my leave now."

The figure made no move to stop Vonk, watching in silence as he scurried away. Then, turning to Egerton and Verl, the figure's expression remained unreadable.

"It seems this doesn't involve me."

Egerton, noticing the figure's gaze fixed on Verl, had a resigned look as he pieced together the situation.

"Brother Colette, what brings you here?" Verl exclaimed with delight upon recognizing him.

"I had to come. Remember, you promised to let me host a victory feast for you when you returned from your first journey to Skyreach Spire. And now you sneak in without telling me, and you're upset that I came looking for you?" Colette said with a warm smile, paying no mind to Egerton.

Before arriving, Colette had already gathered all the information on Egerton and, after reviewing it, decided he wasn't worth further attention.

A mere commoner with a Class 2 job couldn't possibly be an obstacle, could he?

"It looks that way. Oh, Egerton, let me introduce you. This is Colette. He's not my real brother, but he's always looked out for me. We're lucky we ran into him today; otherwise, we would have been in a real bind!" Verl explained.

"Haha, Verl, you're still too innocent. If that man knew who you were, he wouldn't have dared to be so bold. My presence here doesn't change a thing," Colette said with a chuckle, casting a brief glance at Egerton.

"Is this supposed to be a hint or a warning?"

Egerton could easily decipher Colette's look and couldn't help but be amused.

He had to concede that Colette's insinuation was indeed masterful.

She didn't outright confront him but laid bare the stark disparity in their statuses, compelling him to back down out of sheer mortification.

Egerton was nearly certain that if he exhibited even the slightest hint of covetousness, he would face more than just subtle hints and warnings.

If a baron like Vonk dared to entrap him, then Colette, who was far more formidable than Vonk, would be even less forgiving.

"What is your status?" Egerton inquired, looking at Verl.

"My father is a duke in the duchy." For some reason, as she spoke, Verl suddenly felt an immense distance between herself and Egerton, even though they were standing less than a meter apart.

"The daughter of a duke, then you surely don't need my protection. And these clothes, you probably wouldn't give them a second glance, right?" Egerton nodded as he posed the question.

"How could that be?" "What are these clothes? Verl, you surely wouldn't consider wearing such inferior dresses, would you? They could damage your skin, and even though you're a Class 2 believer, you should still be cautious!"

Colette chimed in at just the right moment, giving Egerton a knowing look.