The Villain Saint is my secondary account

The disdain on the faces of the group of ducal nobles nearby intensified, and one of the richly dressed young women couldn't help but sneer, "Heh, then we really have to visit you sometime, Baron Caron. I just don't know if your tiny place can fit so many steam tanks."

Ye Xiao chuckled awkwardly, took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "Hehe, this... steam tanks are unnecessary. My place is small, and the people are quite simple and honest. It would scare them."

“You seem quite frightened as well, Baron Caron,”

Another male nobleman muttered Ye Xiao's alias with a playful tone, "Do you know what the word 'Kalon' sounds like to us?"

"Um? Please enlighten me, sir..."

"Rat Hole! To be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen someone use 'Rat Hole' as a surname, hahaha!"

As the young nobleman finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter, and the scene instantly became a sea of ​​joy.

They could mock the "rat hole" baron without restraint, since the latter, in his position, not only couldn't do anything to them, but also had to bow and scrape to them.

Ye Xiao curled his lip, somewhat speechless. What Ted Heh-style bullying?

However, as these people wished, he put on a humble appearance, as if his dignity had been humiliated, and he was filled with resentment, yet he had no choice but to force a smile.

Baron Caron is like a toy for everyone's amusement; if the toy spoils the fun, no one will talk to him anymore.

Only Zhou Lixun remained unsmiling. He sized up Ye Xiao, feeling that it was somewhat abrupt for this person to approach him for no reason.

Even if he wanted to curry favor, there were other Tedher nobles in the hall. Despite being a border noble, he accurately found a high-ranking general in the legion. To call it a coincidence was somewhat hard to believe.

With war imminent, Loren would most likely plant spies here at such a grand banquet.

Thinking of this, Zhou Lixun's gaze towards Ye Xiao deepened with suspicion.

But as he observed, he quickly noticed several other gazes directed his way from the hall.

He looked in the direction of the source without making a sound and saw a small group of nobles from the Kingdom of Doom watching them from a distance.

As the leader of the Duchy's player spies, Zhou Lixun had met many people and could easily see the worry in their eyes.

So that's how it is. He came on behalf of those cowardly little nobles to inquire about post-war plans.

Zhou Lixun realized the reason behind this, and the cautious man lowered his guard against Baron Kalon a little.

His speculation was quickly confirmed by what the other party said next.

"Hahaha, General, actually I've come with a small request,"

Ye Xiao scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly, "It's about the matter of our territory after the war ended..."

"What? Does our 'Rat Hole' Baron also want a piece of land?"

The young nobleman teased again.

Everyone burst into laughter again, while Ye Xiao looked embarrassed. "No, gentlemen, I just wanted to know... my family's territory... shouldn't it still be under our family's management in the future, right..."

"What do you mean 'your family's territory'? That's the territory of the duchy. Even though it's a rat hole, it's still the property of the duchy, do you understand?!"

A group of people seemed to have a particular fondness for mocking the surname "Kalong," constantly throwing out a joke.

Baron Nacharon was also grinning, just like when he was in school and had to use his name as a joke to fit in with the class.

Human social interactions, despite the variety of occasions, are often remarkably similar.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Sound of Wind and Cranes

"Hahaha, but... esteemed lords, my family has been in the Nephrolepis for hundreds of years, and we have more experience in managing our territory and its people. Moreover, as you can see, my ancestors were personally appointed by the founding king of the kingdom..."

“Hey, don’t you understand? Baron ‘Rat Hole’, what Doom Kingdom? That’s all in the past.”

The elegantly dressed young noblewoman couldn't help but speak up, "Your royal family has already cowered and fled to Loren, becoming cowards. Now, this place is ours to call the shots!"

"But……"

Ye Xiao looked anxious.

"Hey, there's no need for everyone to be so ruthless in their words."

Just then, General Doppler spoke up to smooth things over.

He patted Ye Xiao's shoulder with his calloused hand, "You're a guest, after all... hmm?"

"W-what's wrong, General?"

"It's nothing, hehehehe,"

General Doppler glanced discreetly at the hand that had patted Ye Xiao's shoulder and then withdrew it.

"To continue, what I mean is that since the Legion Commander specially invited all the nobles of the Kingdom of Doom to attend this banquet, he must have his reasons. However, the specific plans are not up to me or the Legion Commander; ultimately, it is up to the Council to decide."

"So asking me this question is useless. But don't worry, with your sincerity, the Duchy will not treat you unfairly."

This banquet was ultimately intended to appease and win over the local nobles. Although Baron Caron was not a big name, he might spread rumors in his own circle, which could affect the duchy's future rule over the region.

Those young noblemen were hot-blooded and could say whatever they wanted, but General Doppler had to consider many things.

"Ah... I'm relieved to hear that, General."

Ye Xiao's brows relaxed, as if he truly believed General Doppler's words, "Although my place is not large, under the diligent management of our family, there have been quite a few more people in the territory recently, so it still has great potential for development."

His words sounded like those of a hapless nobleman trying to demonstrate his value in developing his territory. General Doppler initially listened casually, but soon he realized something was off about Baron Caron's words.

"Wait a minute, you just said that there have been quite a few more people in your territory recently?"

"Huh? Yes, they're probably refugees from other places. After all, our territory is relatively stable under my rule, so it attracts people..."

"Who are they?"

"Ah... ah?"

"Tell me, who are all those extra people?"

General Doppler frowned slightly, but then realized he seemed to be acting too aggressively, so he softened his tone a bit, "Oh, I was just curious, about the numbers, their ages, their health conditions, and so on..."

"Oh, well, since it's a recent event, I didn't have time to finish the statistics before I came over, but there are quite a few more young and strong men here..."

"I see."

General Doppler interrupted Ye Xiao, his gaze shifting as he gave a wink to the spy standing nearby. "I have something to attend to and I'll step aside for a moment. You all can continue your conversation."

After saying that, he and Zhou Lixun left the crowd and went to a small corner not far away.

"Mr. Zhou, when you go back later, find a few people to keep a close eye on that nouveau riche."

After scanning his surroundings, General Doppler got straight to the point, “I just patted him on the shoulder and noticed that this guy is quite strong, not nearly as frail as he looks. He doesn’t seem like an ordinary nobleman. However, some nobles do practice swordsmanship and such, so just keep an eye on him and don’t do anything else.”

"Understood. Also, General, are you going to investigate the information that guy mentioned?"

Zhou Lixun nodded.

"Well, the able-bodied young men in the surrounding area should have been conscripted by the duchy, so there aren't that many strong and healthy refugees."

General Doppler narrowed his eyes. "The population fluctuations in his territory are more likely due to the Loren army operating in secret than refugees. The Nephrolepis are in our rear, so just in case, I have to find someone to confirm the information he's giving us."

"Your insight is remarkable, General."

Zhou Lixun had actually thought of this when he heard Ye Xiao's words, but as a subordinate, providing his superiors with some satisfaction at the right time is also an essential lesson in officialdom.

Not far away, Ye Xiao, who was being ridiculed by the noble children, was also secretly observing the two people who had run to the side and were whispering to each other.

When General Doppler said he had important business to attend to and had to leave after hearing his words, Ye Xiao knew that his plan had succeeded.

As a general with extensive battlefield experience, this guy would inevitably verify any suspicious intelligence he heard that involved the war, regardless of whether it was true or false.

The only downside was that when the other person patted him on the shoulder, they seemed to have noticed something. But it wasn't a big deal. In any case, once he revealed this information, he would definitely be the other person's prime suspect.

Now that he has the backing of other minor nobles in the Kingdom of Doom, his motives for coming can be reasonably explained. Therefore, the most the other party can do is to keep a closer eye on him, and they won't do much more until their suspicions deepen.

This conversation, though seemingly just a few words, revealed a complex web of hidden agendas on both sides.

Zhou Lixun quickly returned to the group alone, bowing slightly to several young noblemen as a sign of respect.

"The General has some matters to attend to. Please continue to enjoy the banquet."

As they spoke, Zhou Lixun paid special attention to Ye Xiao's reaction, but the latter did not show any concern for General Doppler's whereabouts. He simply smiled and nodded, continuing to try to curry favor with the remaining noblemen.

Even so, Zhou Lixun did not completely let his guard down. According to the intelligence above, both player spies and the saintess's attendants had the ability to transmit messages remotely. Baron Kalon's inaction did not mean that his possible accomplices were also inactive.

So the spy opened the system panel and sent a message to the duchy player spy hiding in the lobby.

Not long after, Ye Xiao also received a message from his own people.

[Shan Quan Er Er: The Duchy's spies have been more active than before. They may have noticed something. Mr. Ye, please be very careful.]

Ye Xiao glanced at Zhou Lixun, whose expression remained unchanged. He knew without a doubt that it was this guy who was sending the message.

Why is this guy so cautious? He must have been the kind of obsessive-compulsive person who wouldn't relax until the very last minute of every exam when he handed in his paper.

He had originally wanted to find an excuse to leave the group and help Ella, but now it seemed best not to rush to leave and at least keep the spy's attention.

At the same time, Ella, who was at the edge of the venue, swirled the red wine in her glass and gracefully began to move.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Small Actions

Watching General Doppler walk along the edge of the hall through the bustling crowd and up the stairs to the second floor, Ella took a sip of red wine and followed him.

In brightly lit places like stairwells or corridors, if a rat demon were to run past, it would be easily spotted. In that case, several noblewomen would have to scream "There's a rat!" and the operation would be ruined.

So Ella chose to approach on her own, but a smartly dressed servant at the top of the stairs stepped forward to block her way and reached out his hand to her as he saw her approaching.

"Excuse me, ma'am, could you please show me your travel permit?"

Passport?

Ella glanced at her side and saw a young nobleman from Tedeh being stopped by a servant as he passed the stairwell, just like her. He then took out a letter with an eagle emblem from his breast pocket and handed it to the servant.

The attendant's inspection wasn't very thorough; he mainly checked the authenticity of the seal before letting the nobleman pass.

The Tedeh nobles often wore evening gowns with pockets sewn onto the chest. When attending banquets, they would usually put items that needed to be frequently touched, such as invitations or keychains, in these pockets.

It seems that a similar certificate is required to go up to the second floor. The first floor is mainly for a lively atmosphere, while the second floor is a quiet place for banquet participants of higher status to talk.

Unfortunately, Ye Xiao's identity as Baron Caron was not high enough to warrant this letter.

But if there's no letter, you can just find one.

After observing, Ella smiled gently at the servant and said, "Okay, please wait a moment while I look for it."

After saying that, she pretended to grope around in her bosom.

At the same time, Ye Xiao, who was chatting with a group of noblemen under Zhou Lixun's watchful eye, glanced at the people around him and locked onto his target. Then, he "accidentally" spilled the wine in his hand on one of the noblemen.

"Hey!? Baron Karon, what are you doing!?"

"Sorry sorry!"

While apologizing, Ye Xiao hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped the wine that had been spilled on the nobleman.

Using his body as cover, his ring and little fingers swiftly and quietly slipped a letter from the other person's chest into his own sleeve.

The mouse hidden inside Ye Xiao's clothes caught the letter in its mouth, and a small portal immediately opened from the side, from which two slender fingers reached out and took the letter away.

Ella, who was standing not far away at the top of the stairs, took out a letter from her bosom and handed it to the servant.

After the attendant checked the letter and found nothing wrong, he nodded and returned it to Ella before respectfully making way for her.

The next moment, the nobleman whose clothes were soaked with wine impatiently slapped Ye Xiao's hand away and subconsciously touched his chest, his expression revealing surprise.

"Wait a minute, what happened to the things I put here?!"

He rummaged in his pocket, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Ye Xiao began to seem a little strange.

"It must be you, you country bumpkin, trying to do something clumsy!?"

Zhou Lixun, who had been silent all along, also frowned. When the wine was spilled, his view was blocked by Ye Xiao, and he felt something was amiss. Now, hearing this noble young man say that his things were missing, his suspicions grew even stronger.

But just as the atmosphere began to grow heavy, Ella had already put the letter back into her bosom and then opened a spatial portal to send it back to Ye Xiao, who was far away.

Ye Xiao felt the letter return to his sleeve. With a slight movement, he made the rat carry the letter down his body to his trouser leg. Then, he adjusted the angle and flicked the rat's head, sending it flying close to the ground.

"This... I don't know that? I didn't touch anything in your pocket."

Ye Xiao feigned an innocent expression. Just as the nobleman grabbed his collar and was about to lash out, the nobleman's companion inadvertently glanced at the ground, bent down, and picked up a letter. "Hey, Pierberg, this is yours, isn't it?"

"Hmm? Uh?" The nobleman's expression turned somewhat awkward when he saw the letter in the other person's hand. "It really is."

It all seemed to be a misunderstanding; Baron Caron had simply spilled his drink by accident.

He unconsciously loosened his grip on Ye Xiao's collar, and Ye Xiao showed no concern whatsoever for the other's "misunderstanding."