"Have you heard? It seems like some Professionals have been spotted in the Kayas area, east of the city!"
"Quick, tell me more!?"
…
"My brother is a guard for a merchant caravan, and he heard that while passing through the Kayas area, a cave on the outskirts of the three-headed hound gathering place was destroyed."
…
"Really!? That's great news!"
"Then your brother's caravan will have an easier time lately, if only that Professional could clear out the entire three-headed hound settlement, maybe a new trade route would open up!"
…
"Hiss~!"
One of the bearded men was about to say more, but after catching a glimpse of Lister, who had just ridden into the city, he immediately sucked in a cold breath and shut his mouth.
Even though Lister wore other clothes over his blood-soaked leather armor.
The bloody stench of slaughter on him was still hard to conceal, so much so that the first reaction of the outer city guards upon seeing Lister was to draw their swords.
The surrounding commoners now seemed to have all noticed this uninvited guest, Lister, and quickly moved away from him.
Little did they know that Lister was the very Professional they were talking about, the one who had destroyed the three-headed hound cave.
And by now, it wasn't just one cave, a small patch on the outskirts had already been cleared by him.
...
"Lord Baron, ever since you and Lord Quint set the date for the duel, Lord Quint has not met with Miss Anna again."
"Miss Anna has not gone out recently, it's just heard that she has recently taken a liking to painting."
"For this reason, Viscount Ambertt recently hired a painter to teach Miss Anna painting."
Lister was having a meal, while Butler Anke at his side reported the information he had been tasked to investigate.
But this information was not what Lister was primarily focused on.
He was not his predecessor, nor was he some kind of simp with other ideas about this Miss Anna.
From their one encounter that day, it was clear that this Miss Anna was no pushover.
A woman like this, who caused him to duel and potentially lose an arm in the future, he would sooner or later teach her a lesson if he got the chance.
So he didn't care about the affection between Quint and Anna.
He had Butler Anke investigate Quint to grasp his specific strength.
As for Anna, he was only keeping an eye on her out of some lingering doubts.
But now that Butler Anke mentioned it, Lister keenly sensed that this Duke's son, Quint, didn't seem to care much for Anna either?
It had been four days since Anna last met with him, and five days since the duel was agreed upon.
Although it wasn't a long time, a man who was truly willing to duel for a woman wouldn't go this long without seeking her out even once!
"Besides this information, is there anything else? For example, specific details about Quint's strength, and the situation within the Duke's family, and so on."
…
"My lord… our family is short-staffed, I'm afraid it will be difficult to investigate information about the Duke's family."
Anke looked troubled, Lister's safe return had eased his anxious heart, but the subsequent in-depth investigation tasks he was given were giving him another headache.
This was the Duke's family, how many powers in the city would dare to investigate their family's information.
"Forget it~! Just have your people keep an eye on things."
Knowing that his own family had long since fallen, Lister didn't want to make things too difficult for the old butler, Anke.
"However… my lord…"
Seeing Anke hesitate, Lister quickly urged him to continue.
"It's like this, my lord, other information about the Duke's family is rather difficult to obtain, but some news about Lord Quint has long been rumored among most families in the city, perhaps you just haven't paid much attention before."
…
"Oh? Let's hear it!"
After swallowing the last piece of beef, Lister wiped his mouth and stopped eating.
He looked at Anke beside him with great interest, although such city-wide gossip wasn't necessarily true, it could still help him understand his opponent.
"Lord Quint is said to be the Duke's least favorite youngest son, and also the last in line for succession in the Duke's family."
…
"Why is that?"
Lister's mind raced, his memories from the later expansion packs couldn't be wrong.
Duke Will III's name was definitely Quint Will, there was no mistake about that.
In other words, the one dueling him was bound to be the future Duke the Third.
The current news in the city was that he was the Duke's least favorite youngest son, which greatly surprised Lister.
Especially being ranked last among the Duke's heirs, which puzzled him even more.
"It's said that Lord Quint's mother is not the current Duchess, but a certain maid in the Duke's castle."
"Thump, thump~!"
The maid Lilian behind Butler Anke suddenly stumbled and took a moment to regain her balance.
Seeing Lister and the others look at her, she instantly panicked.
Fortunately, the Lord Baron didn't say much and quickly turned his head back, which made her sigh in relief.
"But while these rumors circulate among many families in the city, they have never been confirmed."
"However, during some major ceremonies in the duchy, Lord Quint is the only one among all the heirs who has never been brought along by the Duke to attend."
"Since his birth, there has actually been very little news about him, it was only after the news of the duel with you, my lord, spread, and with the Duke himself acting as a witness, that everyone started paying attention to this Lord Quint again."
The more Lister listened, the more complicated his expression became, the information Butler Anke provided didn't match his absolutely correct memories from the game at all.
The current Duke's son, Quint, was still unknown and even disregarded and disliked by Duke Will II.
Logically, Quint, having grown up under such circumstances, would be too busy trying to keep a low profile, how could he possibly duel with him over a viscount's daughter?
Wasn't he afraid of becoming a laughingstock? The son of a Duke acting like a profligate? Wouldn't that make him even more disliked by Will II?
Yet, Duke Will II actually agreed to be the witness for this duel, making the matter known throughout almost the entire city.
Even many powers in the borderlands of the duchy were paying attention to this duel.
Lister felt as if he was currently shrouded in a fog.
Especially this Duke Will II and his youngest son Quint, both their actions and the news about them seemed somewhat abnormal.
It felt as if this duel had a hint of being premeditated.
The only thing Lister could judge for now was Viscount Ambertt's side.
At the very least, Viscount Ambertt should be genuinely biased towards him, even willing to marry his daughter to him.
Otherwise, the rare Turquoise Liquid that increases all-body attributes would not have been given to him.
Lister made a simple guess, it was highly likely that the Viscount felt Quint, the youngest son, was not favored by Will II.
Whether his daughter would have a good life after marrying him was one thing, but at least she wouldn't be staying in the main city of the Will Duchy in the future.
More importantly, he himself gained nothing from marrying off his daughter, and it might even displease Will II and the other ducal heirs.
On the contrary, if she married Lister himself.
Although the Merrick family had declined, its family's secret techniques were still intact, and it was a true hereditary noble family with several generations of heritage.
The family's legacy and the resources and connections it held within Will City were precisely the things that nobles like Viscount Ambertt, who obtained their titles through administrative positions, lacked the most.