The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 1173 (Ch.1172) Once Again

'Benevento! Benevento!'

Kiss me! Kiss me now!

Say you love me! Love me now!

'Benevento of Benevento!'

'Run! Run! Everyone must keep quiet!'

The scattered, playful shouts were like pulling a mushy, yellowed photograph out of pus, its wrinkles reminding Rupert of a much more distant past.

Mr. Greck, the eldest son of the Benevento family, was already a source of pride. Even London's most acerbic critic, when speaking of this promising young gentleman, would only offer a lukewarm remark: "He barely bears the bearing of a former aristocrat."

No matter how wealthy or powerful parents are, they all undoubtedly share the same expectations for their offspring.

Either be better or be free from illness and worry: these two desires are equally greedy.

Rupert Benevento was born amidst such expectations.

Just as he brushed past the White Crown Lord of the Wasteland, the other party took his mother away.

He grew up amidst gold and honey, drew water from the jewel-like rivers, and breathed in the rich aroma of spices.

His striking white hair and unusual pink eyes didn't make him a 'monster'—in fact, they only highlighted his extraordinary status. During Benevento's grieving years after losing his wife, he could feel the weight of the gaze constantly upon him, almost as an infant.

then.

He grew up without any special characteristics.

Like Greco, his truly extraordinary brother, he followed the same path: a prestigious boys' school, where he learned how to be a proper gentleman, a tough guy, and a clever person who could use his brain when faced with difficulties, before figuring out how to be a proper Benevento.

Perhaps Natalie Benevento was so adept at concealing the truth that, apart from her personal valet, almost no one noticed the object that frequently appeared under the child's pillow:
The woman's delicate lace-trimmed stockings, hair clips, brooches, and earrings.

as well as…

Some disreputable, vulgar women.

The valet knew that this was Miss Natalie's tacit approval, and that he was long past the age of struggling with certain choices—he had kept Rupert in the dark for at least three springs and autumns.

Until he became completely immersed in the school and fell in love with a student with curly black hair: two years older than Rupert, with extremely broad shoulders, and a voice as low as a worker's when meeting the factory owner.

The male servant only found out what had happened later:
Men, when they fall in love, are often more resolute and foolish than women.

Moreover, making a foolish declaration of love and asking for a kiss in a forest where a dozen or so people were lying in ambush and in a conspiracy that had been planned for many days would obviously ruin Benevento's reputation.

No, not only that, it may be even more serious.

What happened next, the servant guessed, was that the master had given the order.

No further word came from Rupert, but the valet was forced to leave the lie.

He could no longer serve Rupert Benevento, and only did odd jobs outside another villa, occasionally looking up at the window that was always covered by curtains on his idle days and daydreaming—and then he became doubly sad.

The young master can no longer go to school, and he probably doesn't want to anymore.

'Benevento! Benevento!'

Kiss me! Kiss me now! Say you love me! Love me now!

Rupert Benevento slowly opened his eyes, listening to the lingering scorch marks in his memory.

The train swayed steadily from side to side, moving with its regular rhythm.

Theodore remained seated opposite him, now joined by Roland Collins.

Two people are facing each other, opening their playing card fans and comparing whose cards have the higher value.

Currently, Theodore has the upper hand.

We were worried that the wind would make you sick.

Theodore looked up at the girl who had just woken up and was still a little dazed. After thinking for a moment, he took a card from his deck of cards and placed it in front of him.

“…If you were worried, you shouldn’t have lured me to the roof.” Rupert replied in a low voice, busy checking whether her outfit after her nap was inappropriate—she clearly didn’t have the hazy memory of her dream like most people do when they wake up.

She wasn't in a good mood. She listlessly rummaged through the pile of cards on the table for a while, then picked up a nine and fiddled with it in her hand.

"How long are we going to stay in this poor place?"

“Twenty-five days at most, Lulu. If you’re lucky…maybe only half a day.” Roland played a nine, beating Theodore’s four. Rupert pursed his lips, picked up another nine that had just fallen, and paired it with the one in his hand.

"Looks like I need to prepare for a 25-day stay... Dragon... No wonder the Tribunal has such a bad reputation. You all use these excuses to take leave? How did you convince your superiors? How much did you spend?"

Theodore played a ten, and after Roland shook his head, he played two nines.

then.

Another number five.

Rupert then pressed down on Theodore's two cards.

Now, I have four nines in my hand.

“I need the dragon bone, Lulu. Not for a mission, not for a vacation—the dragon bone, the very remains of a true alien species. I need to take it back to London in twenty-five days.”

"Roland said softly."

Rupert rubbed the cards in his hand: "Are you kidding me? That's Dragonbone, Collins. You don't think just anything's attracted to your face, do you? When did you realize you could make your wishes come true?"

He watched as Roland played a nine, covering Theodore's five, and his outstretched arm suddenly paused.

Look down.

Looking at the four numbers nine in his hand.

Then look at the 'brand new' number nine on the table... and Theodore, staring at his hand in deep thought, completely oblivious.

A hint of mischief flickered across his brow.

She silently pressed the nine with her palm, turning it into her fifth collectible.

"After meeting my sister."

Dragon bones are mostly used in large-scale ceremonies, and thanks to Natalie, Rupert's knowledge of ceremonies should be sufficient... at least enough to deal with Roland.

“I don’t care what rumors or silly news you’ve heard, Collins, the keel can’t stay in a ‘well-known’ place—you heard the conductor say there used to be a gold mine in Cornwall. What does a gold mine mean?”

This means a surge of gold prospectors, miners, and mining companies...

It also means the ritualist.

If dragons were truly present, they would never be the ones to be seen.

knock knock.

The knocking interrupted the conversation.

The train attendant who was granted entry looked as if he had been punched, his face extremely pale.

"...I must disturb you all now."

As the door was pushed open, a cacophony of noise from outside the carriage rushed in.

Roland heard the argument.

"A gentleman has lost something."

There was silence for a moment.

Rupert sat up straight and tilted his head back slightly. "And then? Sir, you don't really think that I, or any of the other gentlemen in this carriage of similar high moral character, have anything to do with the lost item? Whatever it may be. In fact, we are the least likely to be involved, don't you think?"

That's a relatively mild statement.

His gentle demeanor was tinged with contempt and arrogance.

The train conductor didn't think there was anything wrong with Rupert saying that, given his attire. He just…

But she couldn't go against the other person's wishes.

"...The last time I delivered food, you and the gentlemen weren't in the carriage, so..."

A thick hand pressed down on his shoulder and pulled him back sharply like a kitten.

A burly man with a full beard just 'crashed' in like that.

"That means you are also suspects."

(End of this chapter)