Chapter 118: The allure of playing cards successfully entered the royal city.

Ilio looked at the beautiful woman who had put Most in his place and asked, “Leader Ximu, can you explain now?”

After Hobner had tricked them the day before, Ximu and the members of the song and dance troupe had been furious enough to tear him limb from limb. Yet after a single night, her attitude had undergone a complete reversal. Not only had a luxurious carriage appeared, but she had even managed to tame the arrogant Young Master Most.

A trace of guilt flashed almost imperceptibly through Ximu’s narrow eyes. “This is what happened. Early this morning, Lord Hobner sent someone to negotiate with me. He wanted me to take Young Master Most and these two guests to the royal capital. I initially refused, but he offered such generous compensation that I reluctantly agreed.”

That, however, was not the truth.

After returning to the inn before dawn, the more Ximu thought about what happened, the more unwilling she was to let it go. She changed into lightweight clothing, put on protective gear that resisted magic, and brought along her old companion—a high-rank bloodthirsty scimitar. She rode to the woods near Hobner’s estate, scaled the wall, evaded the guards patrolling at night, and slipped unerringly into Hobner’s bedroom.

Certain of her success, she swung her scimitar at the sleeping Hobner, just as she had when assassinating those profit-driven nobles in the past.

This time, however, her attack was blocked.

Hobner seemed to have anticipated her arrival. He swiftly rolled over and sat up, drawing the longsword beside his bed with his right hand. With a clang, it intercepted her scimitar.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that he was a swordsman.

When he unleashed the full force of his sword energy, every move gave him the advantage, forcing her into a corner.

Ximu gritted her teeth. She had miscalculated.

Ordinarily, she would thoroughly investigate her target’s strength before carefully planning the assassination, eliminating every possible risk and striking without anyone ever knowing she had been there.

This time, however, she had been pressed for time and had no chance to prepare. Based solely on her impression of Hobner at the banquet, she had concluded that he was an upstart whose body had been hollowed out by wine and women. She had acted recklessly and paid the price for her carelessness.

She did not fear death.

Before setting out to assassinate Hobner, she had instructed Bart to leave Daoto City immediately with the song and dance troupe and the brothers Al and Amo if she did not return before dawn.

Ximu had prepared herself to die, yet Hobner stopped before delivering the final blow.

“I know who you are, and I know why you came to assassinate me.” Hobner pointed his sword at her and spoke with an inscrutable air. “Had you tried to kill me before the banquet, I would have been powerless to resist. Unfortunately for you, that musician named Al freed me from the inner demon that had tormented me for years. After overcoming that obstacle, I found the courage to wield a sword again. I even broke through from Great Swordsman to Grand Swordmaster.”

Ximu nearly coughed up blood on the spot.

Hobner continued, “The Hobner Family may be somewhat overbearing, but we are hardly guilty of every conceivable evil. In a place like Daoto City, if we didn’t behave arrogantly and do as we pleased, the other factions would have swallowed us whole long ago.”

“I should thank you and Mr. Al. You helped me advance, giving me a stronger hand against the other factions. That is why I won’t kill you today. I’ll even give you money and allow you to leave safely.”

Ximu’s fury burned hotter with every word. She stared at him coldly.

Hobner put away his sword, then uttered a sentence that made her pupils contract.

“Work with me, fugitive princess of the Kingdom of Cecilia.”

Ximu did not respond for a long time. The dim room was terrifyingly silent.

After an unknown amount of time, she asked icily, “How do you know who I am?”

Hobner answered unhurriedly, “Others might be unable to guess your identity, but I once had an audience with the queen of the Kingdom of Cecilia. You are now every bit as beautiful as she was.”

Ximu remained silent, gripping her scimitar tightly.

“I know what you want, and I have the power to make your wish come true. You have nothing to lose by working with me,” Hobner said, dangling his bait.

Ximu knew perfectly well that he was a ruthless man who would devour someone whole without leaving even their bones behind. But he had found her weakness, leaving her no choice but to accept his terms and cooperate with him.

That was why the Hobner Family’s carriage had appeared outside the inn early that morning, complete with several additional passengers bound for the royal capital.

Two wanted fugitives and one insufferably arrogant young master.

Hobner certainly knew how to create problems for her.

Perhaps Most had received instructions, or perhaps he had been warned. Whatever the reason, Young Master Most had curbed his arrogance in front of her.

Ximu had made herself perfectly clear as well: throughout the journey, he was to follow her orders. If he spoke rudely or acted without permission, he could expect a beating.

Yet the moment Mr. Al and Little Amo boarded the carriage, that forgetful young master had run his mouth again. How could she possibly resist hitting him?

Ximu would never dare tell Mr. Al the complicated truth. She could only invent an excuse and bluff her way through.

Hobner had indeed paid her a generous commission, so at least that part was not a lie.

As an Elf who had lived for more than five hundred years, Ilio saw at once that Ximu was concealing part of the truth.

He did not expose her.

Taking one person along was no different from taking two.

As long as Ximu was willing and capable, it did not matter how many people she brought.

After all, he and Little Amo were passengers living off the troupe’s food and hospitality too.

Shu Li looked at the visibly uncomfortable princess, then at the wealthy young master whose nose seemed perpetually raised toward the sky. He had a feeling that this journey would be quite lively.

Once the song and dance troupe finished its preparations, the convoy slowly departed from the inn. Old Sam stood in the doorway and waved a reluctant farewell.

When the convoy reached the gates of Daoto City, the guards saw the Hobner Family crest on the luxurious carriage. They did not even bother conducting an inspection and immediately allowed it through.

After leaving the city, the convoy picked up speed and headed north.

Inside the luxurious carriage, Shu Li and Most stared each other down.

The carriage was spacious enough to seat four people comfortably, and a low square table had been secured in the middle.

Most occupied one bench alone, while Shu Li, Ilio, Senluo, and Nasha squeezed together on the other.

Delighted to have an entire bench to himself, Most stretched out his limbs, sprawled across the seat, crossed his legs, and whistled.

Unfortunately, Ximu had gone to the front carriage to lead the convoy. Otherwise, with such an infuriating pose, Most would probably have received another beating.

Four people on a single bench was rather cramped. The road was uneven, making the carriage rock from side to side and sending everyone inside swaying with it.

When Ilio saw Shu Li bumping into Nasha again and again, he moved to the opposite bench and kicked Most’s legs twice.

“What do you want?” Most raised his head and glared at him in displeasure.

Ilio smiled pleasantly. “Move over.”

Most maliciously stretched his legs out even farther and raised an eyebrow in open provocation, looking as arrogant as could be.

Ilio did not get angry. He merely flexed his fingers, making his knuckles crack.

Half a minute later, Most was bound hand and foot and curled up in the corner of the carriage, one of his own filthy socks stuffed into his mouth. His eyes were wide with terror as he stared at the black-haired young man.

Ilio took a soft cushion, placed it beside himself, and patted it, signaling for the Little Fairy to come over.

Shu Li happily moved onto the cushion and flashed the bound Most a broad grin, nearly making him faint with rage.

Senluo and Nasha, who had witnessed the entire process, fell silent.

For a moment, a peculiar atmosphere filled the carriage.

“Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!” Most made furious noises.

Damn them! Once they reached the royal capital, he would have someone kill them all!

Ilio ignored his fury, took a deck of cards from the bag, and placed it on the table. Smiling, he asked the Great Swordsman across from him, “Do you know how to play?”

Senluo glanced at Most, then nodded. “I do.”

Shu Li had been growing bored. His eyes lit up at the sight of the cards. “Count me in!”

The deck was completely different from modern playing cards. Each card bore beautifully detailed plants, numbers, and letters, but there were no portraits or four suits. The rules were similarly simple and consisted mainly of turning over cards.

Whoever uncovered the greatest number of matching pairs won.

Nasha indicated that she wanted to play as well.

The four of them divided into two teams and began playing.

“Mr. Al, is this a reproduction of an antique deck?” Senluo asked.

Both the patterns and colors possessed a distinctly old-fashioned quality. The cards were thick, pleasant to the touch, and slightly yellowed, giving them the appearance of considerable age.

“Probably.” Ilio shuffled the deck with nimble fingers. “I casually bought it from a shop while passing through a small town long ago. It has been sitting in my bag ever since, and I’ve hardly ever used it.”

A deck more than a century old certainly qualified as antique. Although it differed somewhat from modern decks, it was still perfectly usable.

“I see.” Senluo watched as Ilio laid the cards facedown across the table one by one.

Shu Li sat quietly beside them and first observed how the game worked.

After arranging the cards, Ilio let Senluo and Nasha turn theirs over first.

As a young princess, Nasha was an experienced card player. She reached out and turned one card faceup, revealing a red flower.

Senluo turned over another card.

Unfortunately, it depicted a green vine and could not be matched with the red flower.

Then it was Shu Li and Ilio’s turn.

They each turned over a card, but those did not match either.

The four cards were discarded and placed to one side. They continued taking turns, moving quickly back and forth. Before long, all sixty cards had been revealed.

Shu Li and Ilio had found three pairs, while Senluo and Nasha had found four.

Senluo’s team won.

There was no reward for winning and no penalty for losing.

Wasn’t that far too boring?

As Shu Li watched Ilio shuffle the cards, his eyes darted thoughtfully. He poked Ilio’s arm with one finger. “Al, let’s play something different!”

Ilio turned his head toward him. “Something different?”

What else could they possibly do with these cards?

“There are lots of things!” Shu Li blinked his gray-blue eyes. “This game depends entirely on luck. It’s too boring.”

Nasha objected, “Cards are the most popular game among the nobility.”

“This? This is the most popular?” Shu Li felt tremendous sympathy for the nobles of this other world. They could enjoy such a monotonous game without ever tiring of it.

Ilio smiled. “What do you suggest, Little Amo?”

Shu Li rubbed his hands together. “Give me a pen.”

With a single pen, he could completely transform this deck.

He had carefully examined it earlier. There were sixty cards in total. By removing six, he would have fifty-four. Based on their patterns and colors, they could be divided into four suits. All he needed to do was draw diamonds, spades, hearts, and clubs on their faces, and they could serve as a modern deck of playing cards.

There were countless games one could play with a modern deck.

Shu Li accepted the pen from Ilio and asked beforehand, “Al, may I draw on them?”

Ilio made a casual gesture of permission.

The cards might be antiques, but who could refuse a Little Fairy’s request?

After receiving permission, Shu Li rolled up the sleeves of his magic robe and began drawing on each card.

The others watched in complete bewilderment.

Nasha propped up her chin and watched him scribble all over a perfectly good deck, her violet eyes filled with disapproval.

Shu Li was an accomplished artist and worked extremely quickly. He finished in only ten minutes.

A genuine deck of playing cards was freshly born.

He spread the altered cards across the table, sorted them by type, then carefully explained their structure and rules.

There were countless games one could play with a deck of cards. Shu Li did not teach them anything too complicated, only the simplest game, Six-Nine.

Ilio and Senluo were both intelligent and understood immediately. Nasha needed to hear the explanation twice before she grasped it.

“This game of yours seems quite interesting, Little Amo.” Ilio gathered the altered cards and shuffled them deftly.

Shu Li flashed a toothy grin. “I came up with it while I was bored. Hehehe...”

Ilio studied his guilty smile but did not expose him.

The little fellow spent every day in the Elven Kingdom studying and devoted his nights to purifying the Mother Tree. He was almost never bored. He had only a little free time when he returned to the divine tree in the Faerie Forest.

Nasha said eagerly, “Let’s begin!”

She wanted to see whether this Six-Nine game was truly more interesting than matching cards.

The four of them were soon absorbed in the game.

At first, they were unfamiliar with the rules and made mistake after mistake. After playing several rounds, however, they mastered the techniques and immediately discovered how enjoyable it was.

The four of them spent the entire morning playing cards. Most, still bound in the corner, stared until his eyes turned red with envy.

He wanted to play too!

As a young master of the Hobner Family who excelled at every conceivable form of eating, drinking, and entertainment, merely watching the others play so enthusiastically made him itch to join them.

Damn it!

If he had known they possessed something this entertaining, he never would have deliberately provoked them.

Most regretted his actions so bitterly that his insides practically turned green. He remained miserably curled up in the corner, his bound hands and feet growing numb. He was not rescued until noon, when Ximu came to tell them to leave the carriage for lunch.

Ximu mercilessly mocked him as she untied the ropes.

For the sake of regaining his freedom, Most remained sullenly silent and cursed her repeatedly in his mind.

Laugh. Go ahead and laugh all you want!

Once we reach the royal capital, I’ll have my uncle—the captain of the Royal Guard—arrest all of you, throw you into prison, and torture you mercilessly!

He had been utterly unwilling to make this long journey. Unfortunately, his father had ordered him to deliver an important letter to his aunt in the royal capital, leaving him no choice.

Even worse, his father had forbidden him from bringing any servants. Throughout the entire journey, he had to obey Leader Ximu’s arrangements, and if he disobeyed, Ximu had the right to punish him.

When Most heard those terms, he thought his father was disowning him.

His knees had gone weak. He dropped to the ground, clung to his father’s leg, and sobbed uncontrollably.

Unfortunately, his father had remained utterly unmoved. He ordered the servants to pack Most’s luggage and heartlessly threw him into the carriage.

With the decision already made, Most could only resign himself to his fate. When confronted with the two guests hitching a ride, he arrogantly warned them to behave themselves or get out of the carriage.

The two guests remained silent, filling Most with smug satisfaction. He displayed all the airs of a wealthy young master.

Then two more people boarded the carriage.

The sight of old enemies had made his blood boil.

Most had attempted to intimidate them immediately, only for Ximu to ruin his display. Even worse, that man called Al did not seem remotely like a musician weakened by playing an Elven poem. His strength was astonishing, and he had subdued Most in a single move.

“That’s enough. Stop looking as if the whole world has wronged you and get down to eat.” Ximu thumped him heavily on the back and drove him out of the carriage.

Most staggered and nearly fell out.

Shu Li stood nearby, laughing gleefully at his misfortune. Enraged, Most shook a threatening fist at him.

That spoiled young master truly never learned.

Shu Li raised the black magic staff in his hand and aimed it at Most, opening his mouth as if to recite an incantation.

Most froze for an instant, then turned and ran.

He had forgotten that this little brat was a Mage Apprentice!

Of the brothers Al and Amo, one possessed extraordinary physical strength while the other could use magic. Both had concealed themselves remarkably well. How infuriating!

Shu Li smiled slyly and silently invoked a wood magic binding spell. In an instant, the grass beneath Most’s feet entangled him, sending him sprawling face-first onto the ground.

“Hahahahaha!”

The skinny, monkeylike Bun pointed at Most and burst into exaggerated laughter.

Most’s face turned scarlet with rage. He raised his head and glared viciously at the child mocking him.

Mary was startled. She hurriedly covered her younger brother’s mouth and dragged him away. Most was still the son of a wealthy family. If Bun offended him too severely, he might take revenge.

Shu Li lowered his Mother Tree-brand magic staff, concealing his accomplishment without claiming any credit.

A trace of puzzlement flashed through Senluo’s eyes.

The grass on the ground was sparse. How had it managed to trip Most?

“Lunch is ready! Come and eat!” called the song and dance troupe’s dedicated cook.

Everyone took their seats at the tables.

When Shu Li saw the rock-hard black bread, he resigned himself to breaking it into small pieces and dropping them into the thin flour soup.

Nasha had been fleeing for several months, often eating and sleeping outdoors. Her quality of life had declined drastically, and even the chance to sit down and eat an undisturbed meal had become a luxury.

She expertly broke apart her bread and soaked it in the soup.

Everyone ate with relish except Most. The wealthy young master threw down his spoon and complained to Ximu.

“My father paid you so many gold coins, and this is the pig slop you serve me?”

Without even raising her head, Ximu replied, “If you don’t want it, go hungry.”

Most erupted in fury. Like a rampaging tyrannosaur, he sprang to his feet and stormed toward the carriage.

No one paid him any attention.

Everyone remained focused on their meal, cherishing every piece of bread and every mouthful of soup.

Halfway to the carriage, Most realized that his display was pointless. He glared resentfully at the unfamiliar wilderness and ground his teeth, then turned around and returned to the table. Expressionless, he picked up an entire loaf of black bread and shoved it into the soup.

Shu Li glanced at him and continued chewing slowly.

In truth, today’s lunch was more plentiful than the previous day’s. They also had smoked meat, boiled eggs, and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Life was difficult. Having anything to eat at all was good enough.

After lunch, everyone returned to their carriages and resumed the journey.

The four card players continued their game. Most watched with unbearable longing. After they had played four or five rounds, he finally blurted out, “I want to play too!”

Ilio shuffled the cards elegantly and smiled at him. “Is that how you ask someone for a favor?”

Most was proud and arrogant. He was about to argue when he saw Shu Li pick up a rope from beneath the table.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and lowered his head. “Please let me join you.”

Ilio said, “So you do know how to speak properly.”

Most nearly suffered a heart attack, but for the sake of joining the game, he could only swallow his anger.

Shu Li covered his mouth and snickered at Most’s defeated expression. It seemed this wealthy young master was not entirely beyond redemption.

Senluo’s admiration for Mr. Al grew even deeper.

He possessed a priceless purification stone, played the harp with transcendent skill, and was a formidable fighter with lightning-fast movements. He had even brought a spoiled young master like Most completely under control.

Senluo wondered why he was traveling to the royal capital.

His gaze swept over Little Amo’s magic robe and the magic badge pinned to his chest.

Seven-Element Magic.

A prodigy among prodigies. It was simply inconceivable.

Perhaps they were traveling to the royal capital to visit a renowned magic instructor.

The tedious journey became enjoyable once they had cards to pass the time.

By the end of the day, every member of the song and dance troupe had learned to play. They took out their own decks and altered them to resemble Shu Li’s cards. Once they understood the rules, they played with tremendous enthusiasm. They even built upon the original idea and invented new games.

Before long, everyone in the convoy was addicted to playing cards.

When bandits blocked the road, Ximu found them too irritating to waste words on and simply ordered Bart and the other half-beasts to deal with them.

The half-beasts were eager to return to their games, so they fought swiftly and showed no mercy, terrifying the bandits into fleeing in every direction.

After they slaughtered two groups, no other bandits dared block their path.

The survivors spread tales of the song and dance troupe’s brutality far and wide, successfully frightening off every other bandit gang.

The luxurious carriage looked arrogant, wealthy, and extraordinarily tempting to rob, but money meant little compared to staying alive.

Shu Li found it strange that the rest of their journey passed so peacefully.

As expected, public security improved the closer they drew to the royal capital.

Four days later, the song and dance troupe’s convoy finally reached the capital of the Dalia Empire—Diyalan City.

Compared to Daoto City, Diyalan was even more prosperous.

Everyone seeking entry to the royal capital stood in an orderly line on the drawbridge outside the gates, waiting to be inspected.

The upcoming Myriad Arts Festival would include a competition among song and dance troupes. Troupes from across the continent had flocked to the city, packing the open ground before the drawbridge so tightly that scarcely any space remained.

Shu Li leaned against the carriage window and peered outside.

At this rate, their turn might not come before nightfall.

Nasha anxiously clutched the corner of Senluo’s clothes. They were wanted fugitives. Although they had passed through several smaller cities without incident, this was the final checkpoint. She did not know whether something might go wrong.

Senluo gently patted her back in reassurance. “Don’t be afraid.”

The Hobner Family crest hanging outside the carriage served as an excellent pass. With Young Master Most there to provide cover as well, no one would suspect them.

Ximu entered their carriage and said to Most, “Find a way to get us into the city before nightfall.”

The longer they remained outside, the greater the chance of an unexpected complication. She had gone to considerable trouble to bring them this far and did not want any problems now.

Most’s temper had been worn down considerably over the journey. After bonding with everyone over the card games, he had also become much easier to deal with.

“No problem. Leave it to me!” He thumped his chest confidently.

His uncle was the captain of the Royal Guard. Surely he could extend a small courtesy to his wife’s nephew.

“Wait for the good news.”

Most jumped out of the carriage and forced his way through the crowd until he reached the city gates. When the guards stopped him, he took out a gleaming token and displayed it arrogantly.

“Open your worthless eyes and look at this!”

The moment the guards saw the family crest on the token, their attitudes changed. They immediately treated Most with the utmost respect.

Half an hour later, under the envious and resentful gazes of the other troupes, the Milia Song and Dance Troupe’s carriages entered the royal capital without incident.

Now that they had reached their destination, it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.

Shu Li and Ilio remained motionless inside the Hobner Family’s carriage.

Most glared at them. “Aren’t you getting out?”

They might have formed the beginnings of a friendship while playing cards, but that did not mean their previous grudges had been forgotten.

Ilio regarded him with unfathomable eyes. “Your uncle is the captain of the Royal Guard?”

Most raised his chin. “That’s right. What, are you afraid now?”

Ilio smiled. “Excellent. Then we’ll accompany you to visit him.”

Shu Li blinked his gray-blue eyes.

With the captain of the Royal Guard introducing them, they would surely be able to meet the queen, deliver the mage’s letter to her, and break the curse.

Perfect.

The smile on the black-haired young man’s face grated terribly on Most. He clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead, and roared, “Perfect, my ass!”