Chapter 15: Being Praised?

Chapter 15: Being Praised?

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: CaiCai, Kris

The Marquess of Troix’s mansion stood grandly at the northwest corner of Faro City. It was said that the marquess was bedridden and unable to even rise, so the one to welcome Lin Nuo and Rennes was the marchioness.

The marchioness was a stunning woman, adorned in jewels and exquisite makeup. Despite the thick powder she wore, she couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes. What puzzled Lin Nuo more than her tired appearance was Lady Troix’s attitude. According to the information shared during the carriage ride, it was this woman who had reported the theft to the guards.

She had claimed that they had lost a large number of gold items and expensive jewels, with the most precious being a diamond bracelet named ‘Pink Kiss’, a gift from the king himself. Additionally, a set of silver candlesticks and a silver shield were missing. At the time, she had complained to the guards that their household servants were as oblivious as dead pigs, letting the thief move such heavy items without notice.

When Rennes inquired about the recent theft, her complexion worsened. She hurriedly claimed she had made a mistake, that nothing was missing from their home.

“I see.” Facing the Lady’s triple denial, Rennes didn’t press further. He simply stood up, saying, “It seems our information wasn’t updated in time.”

The marchioness laughed awkwardly. “I’ve troubled you, Your Excellency. I didn’t expect such a trivial matter to trouble both His Highness the Prince and yourself. It was an oversight on our part.”

“Actually,” Rennes continued, “among the reported missing items, there was a bracelet gifted by His Majesty, so the king paid special attention, prompting our visit.”

Hearing this, Lin Nuo thought to himself: Hmm, the king would never concern himself with such trifles. Sir Rennes must find something suspicious, hence the investigation.

Lady Triox’s voice, initially weak, suddenly picked up at the mention of the ‘Pink Kiss’ bracelet. “Ah, you mean the ‘Pink Kiss’ bracelet! Yes, I thought it was stolen too and was terribly anxious. But later, I found that I had accidentally dropped it into a crevice on my vanity after taking it off. Look, it’s right here on my wrist now.”

As she spoke, she raised her arm, displaying the dazzling bracelet to the two men. Lin Nuo had seen an image of this bracelet in the carriage. At that time, he marveled at the craftsmanship, akin to a piece of art. Crafted in platinum, the bracelet was adorned with numerous small diamonds, shining brightly. In its center rested a brilliant pear-shaped pink diamond, giving it a unique allure.

After shaking her arm, she lowered it, smiling, “Seeing the actual item, you can now rest assured, right, Your Excellency?”

Instead of replying directly, Rennes looked at Lin Nuo, “What do you think, Your Highness the Prince?”

Lin Nuo immediately caught on, putting on a cute smile, “My Lady, could you take off the bracelet for me to admire?”

Requesting a lady to remove her adornments was usually impolite. Given Lin Nuo’s status, the marchioness had no choice but to remove the bracelet and hand it to Lin Nuo. Gazing at the bracelet, Lin Nuo turned it around, admiring it. “Ah, truly a gem awarded by grandfather. It’s a masterpiece indeed.”

The marchioness stared fixedly at Lin Nuo’s hand, lips tightly pressed, clutching her skirt. Upon hearing Lin Nuo’s compliment, she forced a smile. “Thank you for your praise, Your Highness.”

Returning the bracelet, Lin Nuo added, “Such a beautiful jewel, a perfect match for the lady.” Without waiting for the lady’s response, Lin Nuo continued, “Let’s go and report to the king now; it was all a misunderstanding.”

The relief on the marchioness’s face was evident as she politely suggested, “Since both of you haven’t even had afternoon tea, why not rest a little longer? Our chef’s snacks may not match the palace’s level, but they are among the best in Faro City.”

Lin Nuo grinned. “Sure, I’ll have the snacks first before leaving. Oh, by the way, my Lady, could someone bring some paper and a pen? Your beauty has inspired me to draw a painting for you.”

The marchioness’s lips twitched, “I’m truly honored.”

Pushing it further, Lin Nuo added, “For a surprise, could you leave while I paint?”

Facing this impolite young prince, the marchioness gritted her teeth but couldn’t retort. She had to leave on her own. Shortly after, a servant brought a bundle of paper and a quill.

Lin Nuo laid out the paper and tugged at Rennes’ sleeve, whispering, “Teacher, the marchioness is lying.”

Rennes wasn’t surprised and calmly asked, “How do you know?”

Lin Nuo unfolded the paper and, with his remarkable memory, swiftly began drawing. After a few minutes, two sparkling diamonds appeared on the paper. Pointing at the drawings, Lin Nuo explained, “This is what you showed me in the carriage and the one the marchioness wears. These two diamonds initially appear identical. Upon close inspection, their cut angles and surface areas are slightly different. Look, these are magnified details of the two diamonds. Can you spot the differences?”

Looking at the paper, Rennes slightly smirked. “You observed quite keenly. Well done.”

Huh? Did he just praise me?! Lin Nuo was so startled he almost dropped the pen. His face flushed, and he mumbled, “Uh, it’s nothing. I just happen to be sensitive to patterns and remember them well.”

Seeing Lin Nuo nervously scribbling on the paper, Rennes extended his hand, seemingly wanting to pat the little prince’s unruly hair. His hand hesitated in midair, eventually landing on the paper. “In fact, not only this bracelet, but all the jewels the marchioness wears are not quite right.”

“A counterfeit bracelet, albeit well made with genuine diamonds, was likely hastily crafted to hide the fact that the royal gift was missing. And most of the other jewels are mismatched with her status; cheap imitations.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Nuo couldn’t help asking, “How did Teacher figure that out?”

In Lin Nuo’s eyes, he only saw a lady bedecked in gold; how could Rennes discern cheap from valuable?

Rennes replied, “I’ve seen too much in my youth, so I can tell at a glance.”

Okay, okay, I get it. Your family is really wealthy. Lin Nuo thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up suddenly. “Could it be that the marquess owed gambling debts and pawned off the gold and silver jewels from home, then lied about them being stolen?”

Rennes pondered briefly and replied, “That’s a possibility. For the Marquess of Troix to pawn off a gift from the royal family, the debt would have to be staggering, and there’s no way the court wouldn’t have heard about it.”

Scratching his head, Lin Nuo said, “Then what are these two up to? I can’t figure it out.”

Just then, the door to the reception room quietly opened, and several servants carrying silver trays entered, beginning to arrange afternoon tea for the two. Lin Nuo felt it wasn’t appropriate to ask further questions, so he decided to have a sip of tea and contemplate. As soon as he lifted the cup, something felt off.

Why would that round, seemingly sixteen or seventeen year old chubby servant who was pouring tea for him look at him so fervently? The intensity of that gaze was too much, almost creepy.

When the servant realized Lin Nuo had noticed him, he walked over, pretending to arrange Lin Nuo’s tray and secretly mouthed, “Young… Master!”

What?!