Chapter 1644: Morning Preparations
Older Brother Jayad finally said he had some ideas, but he needed to think them over to perfect his plan. I also told him there was no rush and he could take his time, as long as he didn’t reveal any clues in his daily life.
Right now, playing tricks on the Jester was meaningless, except to annoy him. It would only tell him I had discovered his Mark. If that happened, my plan to have the Pope return the Mark would be pointless.
I needed to be patient and wait for Older Brother Jayad to find the best method. Then, at the most crucial moment, I would strike a decisive blow and make him taste the bitter fruit of scheming against me. It wasn’t time yet.
I asked Older Brother Jayad to check the girls at home to see if they had any Marks on them. After looking around, Older Brother Jayad reported he found none. He said if I wanted a more thorough examination, delving into their brain domains, then the tentacles would have to go inside their bodies to probe.
This was easily handled. Sherris could be examined immediately. Older Brother Jayad checked her inside and out, and concluded she was clear.
Via and Lorna were also simple. I had them called in under the guise of serving Older Brother Jayad. Of course, I secretly explained the situation to them.
Older Brother Jayad examined them in the same manner, and also found nothing. To verify whether Older Brother Jayad could indeed detect Marks in others’ brain domains, I got into bed myself. The results proved he could; Older Brother Jayad was able to detect the Mark in my mind.
Therefore, the three of them were completely safe for now. As long as they weren’t in front of Older Brother Jayad and me, they shouldn’t be monitored.
Giselle, however, had a more distant relationship with us. Moreover, she was naturally cautious and usually protected herself outside with spells that lowered her presence and concealed her aura, so she likely didn’t have a Mark placed on her.
Besides, she had no suitable reason for Older Brother Jayad to examine her, so we skipped it. Anyway, I was already in a state where I was constantly monitored and couldn’t speak freely.
I believed that with Rodrigo’s status and personality, he certainly wouldn’t have only placed Marks on Older Brother Jayad and me. He must have placed them on many people. Perhaps most people in the Lord of the City’s villa were marked.
If Rodrigo needed to monitor so many people, I guessed he couldn’t possibly keep track of all of them. He could only selectively watch, or perhaps he was automatically notified to watch when something important happened. Therefore, I didn’t need to worry about him constantly scrutinizing my every move. I would just let things take their natural course.
The next morning, when I woke up in Older Brother Jayad’s embrace, Sherris and Via were already dressed in maid outfits, holding the prepared Hawk Armor outside. Lorna was hovering beside them. Today, they planned to go out with us.
“Master, the armor is ready. I wish you victory today,” Sherris said with a smile. Perhaps she was satisfied from the night before, as she seemed particularly happy today.
“Big Brother, hurry! After putting on the armor, I want to attach myself to your shadow. We can play to our heart’s content today,” Via said with a smile as well.
Seeing them so happy, it was as if they didn’t know they were being monitored at all. They were truly excellent actors.
“There’s no need to be so excited. Today is just the first day. We might just have roll call and an opening performance, maybe no official competition at all,” Older Brother Jayad said with a wry smile.
He was still a bit groggy after just waking up, especially after learning yesterday that there was a Mark in his head, which had affected his sleep.
“If Big Brother really thought so, you wouldn’t have practiced your swordplay so diligently yesterday, would you?” Via said with a smile. Older Brother Jayad smiled, not denying it.
I knew Older Brother Jayad was actually quite looking forward to this Knight Competition because it was his first time participating in such a large public event.
Older Brother Jayad grew up in the Slums. He never had the opportunity to participate in group activities like sports, art exhibitions, or plays. His childhood was devoid of entertainment.
Therefore, Older Brother Jayad longed for these activities, whether as a spectator or a participant. This was why he was willing to go fight underground for Safah, and why he was roped into the Dawn Church’s Halloween sports meet.
Originally, the Knight Competition was something the Knight Captain had pulled him into just to fill a spot. Older Brother Jayad took it seriously, and he had been practicing his swordplay diligently for the past few days. Since he couldn’t regain his adult form, his control over his body and his swordplay had declined due to his lack of familiarity.
After days of hard practice, Older Brother Jayad had finally regained a bit of his former feel. Although he couldn’t reach his peak swordplay, he could still perform convincingly.
After putting on the Hawk Armor, Older Brother Jayad was completely encased. The armor looked sharp, light, and imposing. It also helped conceal the subtle distortions and deformations when he was unaccustomed to simulating a human body with his soft form.
“Master, your sword,” Sherris said, bringing the Amadeus greatsword and handing it to Older Brother Jayad. The greatsword was slung across his back. The Hawk Armor, designed for agility and lightness, was paired with such a huge sword, which looked somewhat bizarre.
While Older Brother Jayad went to the courtyard to test the Hawk Armor one last time, I went to the villa next door and knocked. Margaret opened the door, now wearing a loose-fitting home dress.
“Good morning. Did you rest well last night? Are you getting used to living here?” I greeted her as usual, asking about her feelings regarding the new environment.
“It’s very good, much better than where I lived before. Except for the noise from the factory next door,” Margaret said with a wry smile.
“Ah, this factory operates in shifts, day and night. If you find it unsuitable, I can rent a place for you outside,” I said generously. After all, I wasn’t short of money now.
In reality, the soundproofing of this villa was quite good. After all, it was built next to a factory for high-level management, and the noise from the machinery was considered from the start.
Usually, we slept very well. But Margaret and Weis were different; they were Werewolves. Their senses were much stronger than other races, and they could easily feel vibrations, noises, and stench. That’s why most Werewolves preferred the countryside or even the wilderness.
“No need. We’ll just get used to it,” Margaret said. I didn’t rush to persuade her. If they were still not accustomed to it after a few more days, I could suggest moving then.
At that moment, Weis also came downstairs. She was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, her fair legs exposed. Wearing such thin clothing in the middle of winter, she seemed unfazed by the cold.
“Whoa! Why are you dressed like that?” I exclaimed in surprise. It was too tempting, especially when her tail lifted the hem of her shirt.
“I don’t have pajamas, and I used to sleep without clothes often,” Weis said indifferently.
“Hurry and change! We agreed to take you to the Competition today!” I shouted, but secretly transmitted: “Also, be prepared. There might be intense combat.”
