Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 120 - Fool’s Bait

120 Fool’s Bait

The northern streets of Tibron bustled with life, but William seemed far more fascinated by something else.

"Oh, the capital really is something," he murmured, a string of awed exclamations escaping his lips.

It was the kind of reaction one would expect from a country noble seeing the imperial city for the first time—a mixture of admiration and ignorance. Yet, despite how obvious it seemed, there was enough sincerity in his tone to make it difficult to tell if he was simply playing a role.

Standing beside him, Raymond nodded along, adding his own comments with perfect timing.

"The walls were impressive enough, but the inside is even more so. Now I understand why they call it the Jewel of the Empire."

"Right? It’d probably take days just to explore everything properly."

"There’s no rush. We planned for a long stay, after all. Enjoy yourself while you can."

"Good thinking. Now then, where should we head next?"

The citizens of the capital cast amused, knowing glances their way.

Just another pair of clueless country nobles gawking at the wonders of the imperial city—such was the look in their eyes. But neither William nor Raymond paid them any mind, pretending not to notice as they wandered the streets.

At some point, the scenery around them began to shift. The buildings grew smaller, more worn, and the streets more cluttered.

"Hm. There’s less to see here than I expected. Did we take a wrong turn?"

"It appears we’ve stumbled into the slums. Should we turn back?"

"No, let’s take a quick look. This is all part of the experience, after all."

William’s eyes gleamed with exaggerated curiosity as he strode deeper into the slums. His expression was perfectly suited to that of an inexperienced young noble barely sixteen, eager yet naive.

Raymond followed close behind, barely holding back a smirk at the performance.

"This place is a mess. It smells awful, too."

"It’s a slum. That’s to be expected. We should avoid going in any further."

"I was just thinking the same thing. Let’s head back."

Just as William was about to turn on his heels, a hunched figure stepped into their path.

"Hehe, good sirs, is this your first time in the capital?"

The speaker was a hunchback, his twisted frame wrapped in layers of ragged cloth. He rubbed his hands together, his posture and tone dripping with practiced servility.

William recoiled, pinching his nose in disgust.

"You dare speak to me so casually? Know your place, wretch!"

"My apologies! Please, have mercy! I beg you!"

The hunchback prostrated himself on the ground, trembling so violently that a lesser noble might have felt an unconscious swell of superiority in response.

But this was no ordinary act of submission. The movements, the timing—everything about it was too precise, too calculated.

"I—I merely wished to offer my services as a guide, my lord! There are many hidden sights in this area that you might find interesting…"

"Hidden sights?"

"Yes, indeed! I make my living by guiding nobles such as yourself through the less… obvious attractions of the city."

William scoffed. "I doubt there’s anything worth seeing here."

Yet despite his dismissive tone, he made no effort to drive the man away. The hunchback lifted his gaze ever so slightly, eyes glinting with opportunistic glee.

"Oh, but there are! The black market, for instance… or the information brokers."

"The black market and information brokers?"

"Yes. All things that cannot be done in the open must, by necessity, be hidden away in places such as this."

William stroked his chin, pretending to consider the offer.

"Hmm…"

The hunchback, sensing an opportunity, bared his yellowed teeth in a grin.

"Why not see for yourself, my lord? You may come across rare goods or valuable secrets that can’t be found anywhere else. If you wish, I can take you there myself."

William hesitated, then let out a haughty sigh.

"Well, I suppose a noble should occasionally extend a hand to the less fortunate. Consider it an act of generosity. I’ll grant you this task."

"Oh, how gracious! May the Eight Gods bless you for your kindness, my lord!"

"Lead the way, then. But know this—if I find your claims exaggerated, I will hold you accountable."

"You will not be disappointed! Let us begin with the black market."

The hunchback rose swiftly, leading them deeper into the slums. William and Raymond exchanged a brief glance before following in silence.

They had barely rounded a few corners before William let out a quiet chuckle.

"Exactly as I expected."

They had emerged into an open clearing, a dead end surrounded by crumbling buildings.

And waiting for them were more than a dozen men, all armed and grinning.

The hunchback sauntered past them, abandoning his role as a groveling guide as he addressed the group.

"Brought you a fresh one. Strip him clean and toss him out when you’re done."

"Boss, when you put it like that, it sounds a bit too sinister."

"A little theatrics never hurt anyone. Makes it more fun."

"Still, the poor kid must be scared stiff by now."

Laughter echoed through the alley, their voices dripping with amusement.

If they had been facing any ordinary noble from the countryside, the fear alone would have sent him stumbling backward, his mind already screaming for escape.

But William simply rolled his shoulders and turned to Raymond.

"So? Think you can handle them?"

"Hm… it might be a little difficult."

"Really?"

"It’s just that fighting with my hands behind my back in a place like this would be tricky. I might have to use one arm."

"You should be saying you could do it with just one leg."

"In a narrow alley? Sure. But if they all attack at once from every direction, I might need a hand."

William burst into laughter.

Their utter lack of concern twisted the expressions of the gathered thugs, turning their amusement into confusion.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"Listen here, nobles. I don’t think you understand the situation you’re in…"

Boom.

The words hadn’t even left the hunchback’s mouth before the wall beside him exploded into rubble.

Raymond had drawn his sword at some point—none of them had even seen him move.