HBWnovel Chapter 146 Diego
Chapter 146 Diego
Sure enough, Cathy's eyes widened in shock after hearing the news.
"This... is this true?" she asked, her voice filled with doubt.
Luis spread his hands casually. "You can always ask your Savoy Family to verify it. Surely you have other spies in the palace?"
Cathy hesitated for a moment, then turned and hurried out, her anxious expression betraying her inner turmoil.
The streets of Silvermoon City were unusually quiet, with only the rustle of fallen leaves breaking the silence.
A middle-aged half-elf, his hat pulled low to conceal his face, moved briskly through the deserted avenues.
Before long, a team of patrolling guards stopped him.
"Name?" one guard barked.
"Ross," he replied calmly, his hands tucked into his cloak.
"What's your business? Where are you headed?"
After a routine inspection, the guards waved him through, and Ross continued on his way.
He meandered through the streets for a while, his movements careful and deliberate, before slipping into a nondescript pub.
Navigating through the noisy main hall, he made his way to the kitchen with practiced ease. There, under the guidance of a chef, he descended into a hidden basement.
"Brother, Cathy sent urgent news from the palace," Ross announced as he entered.
Under the dim glow of a single candle, Diego Savoy looked up. His sharp features were set in a grim expression.
Diego frowned as Ross handed him a small note. "The Modiwen family is hunting us down, and she risks sending messages now? Is she trying to get herself killed?"
Ross sighed heavily. "It must be critical. To ensure the message got through, we had to eliminate three of our insiders in the palace."
Diego's frown deepened, but he said nothing as he unfolded the note. He reached for a book on a nearby shelf, flipping through its pages to decode the message.
The moment he deciphered the note, his expression grew gravely serious.
"Hahaha!" Diego broke into laughter, feigning agreement. "Your Excellency Duke, you truly have an eye for these things!"
Rutte smirked, self-satisfied. "There isn't much in the palace that escapes my notice."
"Yes, yes," Diego said, suppressing his mirth. "So, are you going to arrest me now and present me to His Majesty as a prize?"
"That depends on your performance," Duke Rutte said with a sly smile. "I imagine you must have your own little treasury."
"So, you want money?" Diego asked, raising an eyebrow.
"And..." Rutte's eyes glimmered with lust. "You've been close to Queen Elsa, haven't you? Surely you have some evidence against her. Give it to me."
"So you can use it to blackmail the Queen and get close to her?" Diego's expression turned oddly amused.
Rutte snorted, his silence betraying agreement.
Diego chuckled and shook his head with a sigh. "My Lord Duke, you've misunderstood. Queen Elsa and I don't have that kind of relationship. But if you're so eager for a kiss, I might be able to help you."
Rutte frowned, suspicion clouding his face. "How?"
"I can help you take the palace. Then, every half-elf beauty within, including Queen Elsa, will be yours."
Duke Rutte's face darkened with fury. "Are you mocking me?"
"I'm entirely serious, Your Excellency." Diego placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly, his demeanor calm and respectful.
"Oh, you insolent lowborn!" Rutte snapped. "Do you really think I won't kill you for teasing a noble?"
To Rutte's surprise, Diego merely laughed in response. "My Lord Duke, I am no lowborn."
"What did you say?"
"My name is Savoy."
"Sa, Savoy? Savoy!" Duke Rutte stood up from his seat and looked at Diego with disbelief.
Diego also straightened his chest and met Duke Rutte gaze without any retreat.
Then, in order to convince the other party of his identity, Diego took out an exquisite badge.