Chapter 14: The Baron Is a Hero! (Please Continue Reading)

Fortunately, a police cordon had already been set up outside the Alchemy Merchant Guild.

Inside the chairman’s office, two bodies lay sprawled on the floor, one behind the other—an eerie scene reminiscent of the sleepless night just past.

But this was not Ron’s first time encountering such a sight, so he remained calm. Standing composed, he patiently explained the situation to the priest before him.

“Baron Mark was a hero!”

At these words, everyone present at the crime scene was deeply moved.

The saints who had arrived first, all under the authority of the Holy Church, had heard of Baron Mark’s bravery—how he had shielded Ron from a fatal blow with his own body.

“Child, he will surely find peace in the Kingdom of God.”

The elderly priest, dressed in a white robe embroidered with gold, regarded Ron with kind eyes, silently comforting the boy’s wounded heart.

‘They must have been very close,’ the priest thought to himself.

Hearing the priest’s words of solace, Ron’s spirits sank even lower. He pressed his lips together but ultimately resolved to help fulfill Baron Mark’s final dream.

“Father Bain, I know this may not be the right moment to bring this up.”

“But this was, after all, Mr. Mark’s last wish!”

The blond boy’s face was grave, his voice tinged with sorrow as he continued:

“Though Mr. Mark made many mistakes, he has repented sincerely under my counsel. His only remaining dream is to be recognized as a ‘Saint’ by the Church after his death.”

His declaration stirred a commotion across the scene.

Whispers spread among the crowd—everyone was aware of Baron Mark’s notorious reputation.

Seeing this, Ron felt compelled to speak up in defense of the deceased baron.

“Ladies and gentlemen, dreams should never be mocked!”

“We all err at times, but with true repentance, the holy light will guide our path!”

“Before he died, Baron Mark entrusted me with only one task: to use his wealth to make amends to those he had hurt.”

His resolute words silenced the murmurs, overpowering the buzz of speculation.

A hush fell over the room; no one had expected Baron Mark to be so earnest.

“I agree!”

At that moment, a hoarse voice, heavy with grief, spoke up to seal the matter.

Father Bain was taken aback. Looking toward the source, he saw none other than Baron Mark’s fifth wife, Lady Elena Mark.

He had already been briefed by his subordinates.

Lady Elena had been found unconscious in the dressing room, apparently struck down by the assailants.

Her contact with Silan Valentine, who had disguised himself as a doctor, was through a mutual acquaintance—seeking treatment for the baron’s headaches.

Her connection to Baron Mark’s death was tenuous, with a solid alibi to boot.

At this moment, Elena’s face was haggard, as if unable to accept the cruel reality of her husband’s death.

She approached the baron’s lifeless body, her legs giving way as she collapsed to the floor, quietly sobbing.

Father Bain felt a wave of dizziness. He had hoped that arriving before the Stardust Society would allow him to secure the “Forbidden Truth” supposedly left behind by Silan Valentine.

Instead, they had found nothing, and now had to manage the deceased’s last wish and the grief of his family.

How absurd.

Growing anxious, Father Bain motioned for two saints to watch over Ron, then ordered another pair to drag Silan Valentine’s body outside for a thorough search.

As for himself, he knelt beside Elena, offering gentle words of comfort.

After all, Baron Mark had been a major client of the Holy Church, and it was both a matter of duty and compassion to care for his family.

“Madam, grief will pass. We must look forward.”

“Right now, the most important thing is for Baron Mark’s eldest son to inherit the title swiftly, to uphold the Mark family’s legacy.”

Father Bain’s words only deepened Elena’s sorrow.

Tears streamed down her reddened cheeks as she choked out, hoarse with emotion:

“His eldest son... passed away three months ago... sob...”

“...”

“Uh... I’m sorry, that son...”

“Sob... the second son ran away from home a year ago and has not been found since... sob...”

Father Bain’s mouth opened and closed, sweat beading his forehead.

“And the youngest...”

Elena’s eyes were swollen and red from crying, her breath ragged.

“He is the child of the fourth wife and is only a year and a half old now...”

She suddenly collapsed onto the baron’s body, wailing loudly:

“Sob... you may be dead, but have you thought about how your widow and orphans are supposed to survive with this vast estate?!”

...

Ron watched this scene with a complex expression, suspecting Elena’s intentions.

Silan Valentine’s presence here was no coincidence.

But regrettably, he had no proof.

Pressing his lips tight, the boy took in the expressions of everyone present, a flicker of disappointment flashing across his eyes before vanishing.

Had he not been championing Baron Mark’s story just now, these Church men might have immediately dissected the baron’s corpse in search of the “madman’s curse” left behind by that “Forbidden Truth.”

None of these people genuinely mourned the passing of a life.

Ron’s clenched right fist trembled slightly, a sense of injustice for Mr. Mark’s death swelling within him.

Bang—

At that moment, the sealed door burst open with a loud crash, kicked wide by a powerful boot.

The striking black hair was the first thing Ron saw, followed by high-heeled, knee-high black boots.

Perhaps from the force of the kick, the fabric of the pants was stretched taut, revealing the elegant, slender contours of the wearer’s thighs.

Olivia stormed in from outside, and at that instant, the anxious boy’s heart, which had been tight with worry, finally settled.

This fierce woman somehow gave him an inexplicable sense of safety.

“Chairman!”

Ron called out as if seeing a close relative, quickly breaking free from the Church saints who tried to pull him into a corner.

He had heard that the Holy Light Church harbored many perverts, whose only pastime was preying on handsome boys like him.

If it weren’t for his efforts to help the baron fulfill his dream and stall these men, Ron dared not imagine the horrors that might have befallen him.

Chairman?

He was an investigator from the Stardust Society?

Hearing the boy’s shout, Father Bain was stunned, seemingly realizing Ron’s true identity for the first time.

Recalling the boy’s righteous demeanor moments ago, his own face twisted with a bitter, sour expression.

What a load of nonsense about the baron’s dreams, his deathbed repentance, and the desire to become a “Saint.”

All of it was just an excuse for that despicable fellow to buy time.

What was more unbearable was that they actually believed it!

‘The high-ranking cursed object left behind by Silan Valentine must be on this boy!’

Soon, the priest’s lips trembled with fury, his breaths growing ragged as he nearly collapsed from a stroke.

As Ron came running over, Olivia’s mood was complicated. She remembered that her mission was simply to report on the progress of the Baron Mark case.

How could such a straightforward task have blown up like this?

“Was this your doing?”

She pointed at Father Bain, trembling all over with anger, Lady Elena Mark weeping uncontrollably, and the two peaceful bodies on the ground.

Ron’s face was filled with panic as he shook his head repeatedly.

“How could it possibly be me?”

“I’m the most timid and trouble-averse person!”