Ch13 - [Everyone is suspicious] Charvey can enter the list of key suspects to observe.

“They left?” Sirius leaned back into his chair and asked calmly.

Andrew: “Yes. Charvey and his niece both left……” He wanted to say something but hesitated, as if somewhat puzzled.

Sirius looked at the subordinate, who accompanied him for many years, and asked: “Do you know the true objective of this onsen party?”

Wasn’t it to help you find your lover?

A question mark rose from Andrew’s head. Could he have misunderstood?

“Your thought isn’t wrong. I am indeed searching for that person who spent the night with me.” A faint smile appeared on Sirius’s face: “However, this isn’t all. You must know, the Scepter was also lost around that time.”

The Scepter? Andrew’s pupils constricted. That’s right. Everyone’s attention was so absorbed by the Imperial Admiral’s love scandal that they overlooked a truly crucial point. “The Asha Empire’s Scepter being stolen” was much more important than any sensational media gossip.

Andrew: “In order words, the reason why you sent someone to pull me aside, while telling me to observe Charvey’s reaction to the Metal-devouring Insect, is because…… you suspect him?”

Sirius: “The Scepter was stolen by an Insectoid. On the day of the incident, his Majesty injured the other party but was unfortunately unable to catch them.”

Andrew: “There were heavy troops guarding the Princess’s coming of age party. If the Insectoid wanted to infiltrate inside…… success would be very low without any external assistance. In other words, it might have an insider. And this insider is……”

Sirius didn’t allow him to say any specific name out loud: “Everyone is suspicious.”

This meant he didn’t plan to make a presumptuous final conclusion yet.

Sirius: “Perhaps there’s no insider at all. And it was the Insectoid, who broke through the defenses by itself.”

Nevertheless, Andrew already had a guess in his heart. Recalling the two colliding gatherings today, and then adding the Honored Prince Charvey’s unfathomable hostile attitude, it was really hard for people not to overthink here. The most important thing was: “I saw them communicating.”

After Insectoids change back into bugs, they can use their antennae to communicate. And just a few moments ago, he personally saw a secret conversation between man and bug.

Andrew: “Charvey and that Metal-devouring bug are related.”

Sirius looked more pensive.

If this were really true, then Nalun Charvey can enter the list of key suspects to observe.

“Guard more strictly today and tomorrow. That bug should have an accomplice.”

On this side, they were still seriously discussing this issue. On the other side, it had already fallen into the abyss of family strife.

After the uncle and niece returned, they engaged in an intense argument.

Ilia repeated for the 6th time: “Little uncle! Why did you force me to come back? Mister Sirius already agreed to let me spend the night!”

Nalun didn’t reply at all. This entire argument, from start to finish, had been only a one-sided argument.

The mentally and physically exhausted his highness, the Honored Prince, only wanted to lay on the bed and relax for a bit. Too many things happened throughout this entire day. The ending was also not what he had wanted.

Recalling that he was being threatened by a bug and could be exposed at any time, Nalun felt completely immersed in a state of unease.

What if that bug really does expose the fact that he had disguised himself as that big beard… he didn’t dare to imagine the consequences.

Right now he was extremely regretful. Why did he have to run over to watch the commotion, while also ending up forced to say a bunch of extremely sappy and sickening words to Sirius…… if he were exposed as that big beard in the end, what kind of expression would Sirius use to look at him?

“Little uncle! Are you really going to tell mama?” Ilia continued to ask persistently.

Nalun: “As soon as I learned you were fine, I sent her a message.”

Ilia let out a sharp scream: “What did you say?”

Nalun gave her a profound look, thinking to himself: Little monster, if you didn’t secretly run out and bump into that Xi Jin, I wouldn’t have been dragged in this.

He said everything he needed to say.

Ilia collapsed: “Little uncle, you changed!”

Nalun: “The unpredictable life has never stopped changing.”

Although very unwilling internally, and even extremely displeased with the bug that dared to threaten him…… Nalun still yielded.

Right now the question was, how should he rescue a suspicious alien with a violent criminal history from right under the Imperial Admiral’s eyes without anyone realizing?

And moreover, eliminate any possibility of being further threatened in the future!

The next day, Nalun woke up from the bed.

His servant already brought back the ‘special, local gift box’ from LuoRi Volcano. He decided to test the effects of the medication.

He had paid an extremely high price to obtain them. If the effects of the medication were average, he swore that even at the risk of being exposed, he would close down that private, permitless clinic!

Nalun took off his sleep robes. His injured left nipple was exposed in the air. The original silver ring was covered by a layer of dried blood. He reached out a finger and lightly touched the ring. He felt the cold, hard material.

Recalling Xi Jin’s comment towards it– “a very delicious smell”, Nalun was somewhat curious what it was made out of. From the outer appearance, it looked like silver. However, with a closer look, it seemed shinier than normal silver ornaments.

However, other than a light smell of blood, he didn’t smell anything metallic.

The externally applied medication was an ointment. After opening it, it had a sharp, strange smell.

After applying it, perhaps due to mental expectations or because it really did have an immediate effect, Nalun can feel a cool and refreshing sensation to his left nipple.

By the way, Alida didn’t seem to have reappeared at the banquet for the rest of the afternoon. Thus, Nalun sent a video call to him.

After a long time, the other finally answered.

“Nalun……” Alida’s voice was weak and feeble.

Nalun expressed an appropriate curiosity towards his friend’s whereabouts.

Alida: “He came again.”

Nalun: “Who?”

Alida: “Although he’s very pretty, I like women more.”

Nalun: “…… your little underclassman?”

Alida: “Yesterday he found me, dragged me into a small bar, and confessed to me.”

Nalun: “……”

Alida: “Ai… Do you understand my mood right now?”

Nalun: “No.”

Alida: “That’s true. You’ve never received any confessions.”

Nalun: “……”

While he worried his guts out over the actor Xi Jin that Alida hired, his little friend has been entangled in the sweet frustrations of love?

Nalun’s mood right now was like a volcano about to erupt.

Alida: “Sometimes being too attractive is a kind of burden.”

Nalun scoffed: “The youth you found to cause trouble for Sirius is an Insectoid. He exposed himself and was captured. Once he spits out your name…… it won’t be just bearing the burden for you.”

Alida was shocked: “What?! Even if Sirius refused to take responsibility, he wouldn’t randomly detain someone…… no wait, Insectoid?”

Nalun: “There’s thousands and millions of people in the Empire, but you just had to pick a bug.”

Alida: “…….”

Nalun cut off the call and started ignoring this unreliable big doofus. After getting dressed, he started plotting his big scheme to rescue the bug.

Hopefully no one has discovered that Xi Jin was an Insectoid yet.

The onsen clubhouse was definitely not a good place to detain the huge bug. Sirius would definitely transfer him elsewhere. After the transfer, the level of difficulty for the rescue would increase. Therefore, Nalun planned to cause a bit of chaos during the transport and use that as cover to help Xi Jin escape out of the cage.