Rody found it hard to believe when he saw the real Duke of the Tulip Family in front of him. He immediately rushed forward and grabbed Seth's shoulders with both his hands. It was as if he was afraid that if he were slow, Seth would disappear again.
Diane's figure slowly appeared. She was originally standing behind the chair that was beside Rody as her slim figure slowly revealed itself. Seth did not care about Rody who was holding his shoulders. His eyes were focused on Diane with appreciation. He then smiled and said. "Oh, she really is a beautiful lady. My God, beautiful lady, why do you use that technique to cover up your exceptional appearance? Without your beautiful figure, this world would be cast into the shadows."
Diane's surprised expression could not be described with words. She did not hear a single word the man in front of her had just said. She just stared at him with her beautiful eyes. She then kept looking, to and fro, at Rody and Seth. The longer she looked, the paler her face turned and the more horrified her expression became.
"Can you let me go? Boy… I will not run." Seth laughed. "If I had wanted to run, I would not have come and met you."
Rody tried extremely hard to suppress his emotions. He really wanted to strangle this person, who looked identical to him, to death.
Finally, Rody came to his senses and let go of Seth. His eyes remained complex and he did not dare to look away from Seth.
"You! You two!" Diane's brain finally started to work again. She pointed at Rody and Seth with her finger and tightly covered her mouth with the other hand so that she could control herself from calling out. "You two…"
Seth sighed. "Yes…"
Diane asked, "Your face…"
Seth responded, "Yes…"
Diane exclaimed, "You look like…"
Seth nodded and replied, "Yes…"
Diane's voice started to tremble. "Your identity…"
Seth only nodded his head and was too lazy to even speak.
Diane's body shook and could not help but sat down on a chair. After some time, she struggled and asked, "What is going on with you two?"
Seth laughed and walked to Diane's side. He glanced at her beautiful face and gave a smile, "I have already said it earlier. We are both Dukes. However, I did not like to be a Duke. He, on the other hand, was chosen by my sister to replace me as Duke. It is neither a simple nor a complicated matter."
Diane then directed her next question to Rody. "Does that mean that you are an imposter?"
Before Rody could speak, Seth replied, "He cannot be considered a fake. In fact, the new Duke of the Tulip Family and all of the achievements were accomplished by him. He is more qualified to be a Duke compared to me… other than the fact that he is not really the offspring of our family, he can already be considered an excellent Duke. Isn't that right, Your Excellency?"
Rody's face turned cold and replied, "Stop talking nonsense! Since you are back, then you better be the Duke! I want to be myself!"
Seth's smile faded and his expression turned serious. "Me, become the Duke? What a joke! You are the one who made Reuenthal retreat in the Northwest! You are also the one who quelled the rebellion at Westwood! If I were the one doing it, there would no longer be a Duke of the Tulip Family. What do you think is the Duke of the Tulip Family? Is it just someone with the family's blood? You are wrong! Boy, what the Empire needs is the 'Duke of the Tulip Family', a hero! It is not important whether that hero is really the heir to the Tulip Family or whether that person is really Seth! However, the Empire needs a 'Tulip'! They need the Tulip Family's banner to lead them out of predicament! I cannot do this. The 'Tulip' that has aroused the people's confidence is you! You are the one who reignited the hearts of countless people! You are the one who helped the Empire to gain another spiritual leader!" Seth paused for a moment and his smile returned. "If I were to do it, I would destroy all of that in less than a month!"
Rody started to sweat and anxiously said, "But you are…"
Seth looked straight at Rody and replied, "I am the real successor of the Tulip Family? Idiotic boy! The Tulips are a part of the Empire! That banner belongs to this entire continent and not just our family! You are the one that raised that banner again! Naturally, it is your duty to carry its burden!"
Rody did not speak. He had to admit that Seth's words were extremely shocking. His every word hammered fiercely at his heart.
That is right! The Tulip Family's banner was already dead! Their spirit had already disappeared! Now the Empire once again worships the Tulip Family. The Tulip Family's banner is once again being raised in front of the powerful foreign enemies. This is all the result of my actions!
Rody thought of the people that had died for the glory of the Tulip Family during the battle in the Northwest and during the assassination attempt in the south. If he were to overturn everything, those loyal soldiers would have died for nothing.
Seth looked at Rody's face and saw cold sweat flowing out of Rody's head. He then slowly added, "Although you are not a real Tulip, the Tulip Family has risen again because of you!"
The room was silent. Diane looked at both Rody and Seth's face. Seth continued to look at Rody. Rody had a profound expression, as he kept looking at his own hands and toes.
Ignoring Rody who was in a daze, Seth looked back at Diane again and laughed. "Beautiful lady, may I ask who you are? Are you this boy's lover? I had thought he was someone faithful, I didn't expect...He has quite good taste for women, but I am afraid my sister is going to teach him a bitter lesson."
Diane looked back at him coldly and suddenly said, "You said that you are the real Duke of the Tulip Family? Let me ask you. How did you notice me when you came in? My stealth technique is different from the Empire's technique. Most people would not be able to see me!"
Feeling proud of himself, Seth laughed and replied, "Beautiful lady, to tell you the truth, I could not see through your invisibility. I cannot see through any kind of stealth techniques at all. It does not matter if that technique was a special or ordinary kind. To me, they are all the same."
Diane was surprised and could not help but say, "Then, how did you…"
Seth laughed even more proudly as he looked at Diane's face. He moved his head nearer to Diane's face, then breathed in slowly and said. "That is because your body betrayed you. I am a person without ability, but I am very sensitive to a woman's fragrance. The moment I walked in, I could already smell a refreshing fragrance."
Diane was immediately stunned. Her incredible stealth technique could not be detected even by that extremely powerful fatty, Sky. However, it was noticed by the boy in front of her due to a ridiculous reason.
Diane watched as Seth's head came nearer and nearer her and she felt nervous. She then shrank back and gritted her teeth. "You are clever! Then, he… what's wrong with him?"
She saw Rody still standing at the same spot, frowning. Suddenly, he stretched out. His expression was gloomy, and he seemed indecisive as if he could not make a decision on something important.
Seth shook his head and sighed, "I certainly know what is wrong with him… Well, the moment I found out that my sister is marrying His Majesty, I already knew it was bad. Although I am not interested in being the Duke, I know that the Tulip Family's banner is important for the Empire. Sigh. I still have a kind and compassionate heart. Knowing that this idiot would desperately come back, I waited at the South gate every day. Sure enough, the idiot really came back. If I did not stop him, he would have already been caught in the trap."
Rody suddenly asked, "What trap?"
Seth asked strangely, "Oh? You have finally recovered your senses? Looks like your mind is slower than an ordinary person…"
Rody's face sank and he repeated, "What do you mean by a trap?"
Seth immediately stepped back. "Be patient! Are you trying to fight with me? Although I am no match for you, the one that will end up suffering is still you. Have you forgotten that?"
Rody immediately showed an awkward expression. He remembered the painful experience he had at the time when he was knocked out by someone who was much weaker than him.
"What do you mean by 'trap'?" Rody asked again, this time less imposingly. "Are they waiting there in order to catch me?"
Seth shook his head and explained, "That is also wrong. Although the Emperor could not wait for you to die, he still has not seen through your identity. Elder Sister had rejected His Majesty's proposal, but the people of the Imperial Family refused to give up. The Emperor's two sisters and two uncles were determined to match both of them together. They were afraid that His Majesty would be foolish and marry Jojo." When Seth, the fearless playboy, mentioned Jojo, he had an unnatural expression on his face.
Seth then paused for a moment before continuing, "After Elder Sister refused to be married to the Emperor, the entrance of the Duke's Mansion was crowded with people. The Imperial Family also acted in an interesting manner. They were afraid that Elder Sister had a beloved. As a result, they called all the young nobles with status, talent and good looks, to the Imperial Palace to interrogate them. This was to find out who was Elder Sister's beloved. I heard that the contents of the interrogation were warnings for them to stay away from the Tulip Family's daughter. That is because she will be His Majesty's future wife. Haha haha."
"Then…" Diane could not help but ask. "Does your sister really have a beloved? Who is it?"
Seth gave a strange laugh and replied, "Of course, she has a beloved. That man is the Duke of the Tulip Family standing in front of us right now!"
"Ah!" Diane gasped. "But… but…"
Seth nodded and sighed, "But right now, he is just her 'little brother'. Haha."
Seth continued to laugh, while Diane's face had a strange expression. However, her strange expression also contained something else. She glanced at Rody with a complicated gaze.
Rody's face sank as he looked at Seth and asked, "Have you laughed enough?"
Seth's laughter gradually stopped, and he also sighed. "Actually, it is not funny. Ahh, this is truly a difficult matter."
Rody stepped forward and said, "It is not really difficult! As long as you become the Duke, I can be myself, and I will no longer Nicole's 'little brother'! By that time, I will take Nicole and leave this place!"
Seth's expression sank, and he said, "Shut up!"
Seth's voice was loud and majestic. His face had completely darkened, and he gritted his teeth. "You are thinking of my sister! I can understand that! But once you are gone, what would happen to the banner of the Tulip Family? Who would fight against Reuenthal's armored cavalry? Who would defend the Empire from the Northern Roland Continent? The Military Minister of the Empire is like a malignant tumor! Who else would be able to cut off that tumor?"
His gaze became cold and he continued, "Who is going to soothe the souls of those brave warriors who had died for the Tulip Family?"
"But… That is originally your job!" Rody could not help but cried out.
"Me?" Seth sneered. "Do you think I can fight against Reuenthal's cavalry? If I were to go to the battlefield, I would get knocked off the horse or killed immediately during the first charge! Can I defeat the knights from the Roland Continent? Can I oppose the Military Minister? His nephew Milo is the Regiment Commander of the Northern Legion. He is in control of a strong military force. He himself is a powerful warrior! Can I defeat him? I am just a playboy! I am a free hermit! I like to use my brain instead of a sword! Do you not understand? The Empire is a militaristic country! The people here speak with their swords! If I were to become a Duke, do you think your men would accept me? Do you think they would be convinced by me? Do you think they would follow a commander who cannot enter the battlefield?"
Rody immediately turned silent.
His face was red as he stared at Seth, ferociously. "Then, what do you propose? Do you want me to see Nicole being stolen by that Abbas XI?"
Seth suddenly laughed again. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his arms. He deliberately sighed and laughed loudly, "Ahh, young people are always carried away by love..."
He showed a strange expression and whispered, "Well, I will help you get my sister. In exchange, you must help me to continue to be a Duke. How about it?"
"…" Rody looked at Seth, surprised.
Continue to be the Duke? That would make it impossible to get Nicole! If I want to get Nicole, then it is impossible to be the Duke!
The two actually contradict each other!
"You don't have to look at me with that pair of bull's eyes." Seth snapped in a bad mood. He then gave a strange laughter, "No, that's not right. Your eyes are the same as mine right now. Wouldn't calling your eyes bull's eyes the same as calling my own eyes bull's eyes? No, I should say that this is a pair of wonderful eyes. A pair of eyes that can capture the hearts of young girls!"
Seth then smiled back at Rody who was about to crumble and continued, "Anyway, you just need to believe me. Right now, you also don't have any other way. Also, you can rest assured. My sister is still alright, and nothing will happen to her! Don't forget… she still has Old Mark with her!"
Rody sighed, "You also know about Old Mark? He…"
Seth laughed happily. "What do you think? How else would I know about the situation in the Imperial Palace? How would I tell you to come here? Who else would be the one that gives me the news? I am very busy and am too lazy to do all these things."
Rody frowned. "You mean Old Mark knew where you were, during your disappearance? All this time…"
Seth nodded. "I had always been here in the Imperial Capital. I never left and had always been in contact with him." Seth smiled and continued, "That day, I simply said that I was going on a sea journey to the East. It was done deliberately because I knew that my sister would interrogate you. Haha, sure enough, that sentence made my sister send men to the sea, where they drifted for a few months. I am Seth. What makes you all think that you could catch me?"
Ignoring Rody's and Diane's expression, he looked at the sky outside the window and tapped his forehead. He then loudly exclaimed, "Ah! It's already so late… I still have an important matter to see to. Both of you wait here. I will see you all tomorrow."
He then ignored Rody's anxious expression and walked towards the door. Rody could not help but ask, "You… what business could you possibly have that is more important than the current situation?"
Seth gave a supercilious look and lightly replied, "Of course, it is important! I wasted several days to win this beauty! Tonight will be a wonderful night for us both!" Seth closed his eyes and looked infatuated. "Is there anything more important than this in this world?"
Before Rody could roar angrily, Seth was already on his way.
After a long time, looking at Rody's angry expression, Diane carefully sighed, "Seems like… this guy… really not suitable to be the Duke of the Tulip Family."
Rody suddenly sighed and dropped his angry expression. He then said, "You rest here. I am… I am going to see a friend."
"Friend?" Diane frowned. "You can still go out? Aren't you afraid that you would be noticed? I better follow…"
Rody showed a strange expression. "No… You better not… Do not follow me…"
"Why?"
Rody's expression turned even more strange as he replied, "Because… that place is not suitable for you. It is not suitable… for girls." Rody's face turned red towards the end.
Diane did not seem to understand and frowned. "This is not right. You are currently very weak. If something happened, you would not be able to deal with it on your own… You are…" She paused for a moment and then asked. "Where are you going? Why is it unsuitable for girls… Ah!"
She suddenly cried out. She was surprised and looked at Rody with an expression of anger and disbelief.
"You… you actually go to… that kind of place?" Diane's eyes were wide open.
Rody lowered his head and did not dare to look into her eyes. He whispered, "Yes… I am going… to see a friend." After that, he walked towards the door, not daring to look at Diane's expression.
"I… I will be careful. You do not need to worry!" Before Rody finished speaking, he was already outside.
Diane saw Rody leave. She suddenly became extremely angry and stomped her feet. "Why should I worry about you! Shameless fellow!"
After pausing for a while, she cursed in annoyance. "Everyone related to this family is terrible people! That glib Seth is like that! The person, whom I thought of as an honest person, is also like that!"
In her anger, she kicked down the chair and then forcefully knocked over the kettle on the table.