However, Catrina cited the need for time to manage the family's business, so Lathel did not bother her.
The next day, he lay bored in bed, sleeping until his mind felt a little confused.
'Ah! No scenario, how boring. This world also has no internet or games, which makes me feel even more bored.'
[Do you want me to give you a different scenario?]
Lathel: "..."
'No need! Don't even think about taking away my day off.' Lathel pouted, secretly cursing in his heart.
[Kekekeke...] The System laughed mischievously.
Lathel sighed, changed his clothes, and then decided to go out. After all, he had nothing to do; taking a stroll and learning a little about this world was also good.
Sometimes, in a game, an 'Easter Egg' will be placed in a location we least expect.
Carrying his curiosity, he used a carriage to go to the street he had visited the day before. However, that time was for a mission; this time, he came for his own interest and curiosity.
Krit!
The carriage stopped abruptly, startling him: "What's wrong?"
The maid outside also spoke worriedly: "Young Master, outside... someone has fainted."
"Heh?!" Lathel instinctively stepped out of the carriage compartment, his eyes looking forward.
In the middle of the cobblestone road, flanked by dense trees, a girl wearing a black robe was lying face down.
Lathel: "..."
'Damn it! I just left home and already encountered a dead person. Am I this unlucky?' Lathel secretly cursed in his heart, but when he saw her body move slightly, seemingly still breathing, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Check her a bit." Lathel waved his hand, signaling the maid to examine the girl.
The servants around him were all selected by his mother; not only were they capable of serving him, but they were also all Awakened, so he wasn't overly worried.
The maid checked her for a moment, then let out a light sigh of relief and said: "Young Master, she's fine, just exhausted."
Lathel nodded upon hearing this: "Tie her up and have her stay in the carriage compartment with me."
"Ah! Is that okay?"
Hearing the maid's words, Lathel frowned and replied: "Whether it's okay or not depends on whether you tie her up tightly."
The maid: "..."
....
"Um..."
Inside the carriage compartment, the woman slowly woke up, muttering: "This is... where is this place?"
"Awake now?"
She was startled when she saw a very handsome young man with golden hair, bright eyes, and a smile like a warm ray of sunshine in front of her.
"Ah! You are..." Upon seeing him, she remembered what everyone had once told her.
'Your Master is an extremely handsome person; he is like a warm ray of sunshine heating up this cold world.'
"You... you are... heh?!" She was even more surprised when she realized she couldn't move; she immediately discovered she had been tightly bound.
The girl's face turned pale, and she struggled: "What... what are you going to do? I will... ah!"
She struggled for less than 3 seconds before feeling so physically exhausted that she almost fainted again.
At this moment, seeing this, Lathel smiled and asked: "I'll ask you 3 questions; if you can answer them, I will release you."
The girl felt that Lathel would not harm her, so she decided to sit still. But even if she didn't want to sit now, she had no other choice.
Lathel glanced at the girl in front of him. Her face was beautiful but also carried a slight childishness, around 20 years old, with platinum hair reaching her shoulders, large eyes like two precious gems, and a petite, extremely adorable figure.
She wore a white dress, with leather pouches on her body that made Lathel think of a Steampunk style.
Lathel smiled and said: "Don't worry, I won't harm you."
The girl also nodded, her mouth unexpectedly blurting out: "I... I know you won't harm me."
Lathel felt she was a bit foolish, so he flashed a teasing smile: "I'm a bad person, aren't you afraid?"
The girl looked at his smile, her face flushed, and her eyes held a hint of anticipation as she said: "I... I'm not afraid. I'm sure you're not a bad person."
"Hahahaha..." Lathel laughed loudly. Transmigrating to this world, it was the first time he had heard someone say that a villain like him was not a bad person, which made him feel happy inside.
"Good!" Lathel asked: "First question, what is your name?"
The girl immediately answered, seemingly without any hesitation: "Rinnie!"
"Ah!" Lathel was a little surprised, and continued to ask: "So... why did you faint in the middle of the road?"
"This..." Rinnie hesitated a little, but seeing Lathel's eyes gradually turn suspicious, she quickly said: "I... I'm from the North. But I spent all my money on the way here, so... I... I'm hungry..."
Lathel frowned upon hearing this, feeling that the girl in front of him was a bit... unusual.
Without waiting for Lathel to ask further, she quickly said: "Soon, a competition for Alchemists will be held nearby; I want to participate in that competition, which is why I came here."
"Ah!" Lathel heard this, and a little relevant information about this world popped up in his mind.
Just as she said, one month later, the Empire would host a competition for young Alchemists. At this moment, he realized that the leather pouches on her body were indeed somewhat related to this profession.
"Good!" Lathel said with a smile, then began to untie Rinnie's bindings.
She was freed from the ropes, and before she could say anything, Lathel asked: "Hungry?"
Rinnie nodded shyly, and Lathel smiled: "Let's go, I'll take you to eat something delicious."
"You..." Rinnie stammered: "Aren't you afraid I'm a bad person?"
Lathel teased: "Looking as adorable as you do, I believe you're a good girl."
In reality, the reason he treated Rinnie so well was that he saw his own reflection when looking at her.
In his previous life, he once fainted from hunger while working a part-time job to earn tuition fees. At that time, a kind woman also gave him a bun and a bottle of water, along with a little money.
Although that was enough to make him feel happy and joyful, she said: 'I only have this much; don't be sad.'
At that time, he truly wanted to tell that woman that he wasn't sad; on the contrary, he was very happy.
Because at that moment, he felt that there was still someone in this world who cared about him.
Seeing Rinnie faint in the middle of the road, he knew the girl seemed to be just like him, without relatives, and hungry to the point of collapse.
That is why, in helping her, he was not only helping his past self, but also wanted to spread the warmth that the woman had once placed in his heart.
Moreover, another reason was... she said he, a villain, was a good person.
At this moment, Lathel's eyes looked at Rinnie, filled with warmth. She also felt that warmth, her heart beating faster, her face gradually blushing, and her small lips pressed tightly together.
She lowered her head slightly, avoiding Lathel's gaze, but her heart did not calm down; instead, it beat even stronger.
'Ah! If he were the Young Master everyone spoke of, that would be wonderful.' Rinnie pouted, thinking to herself.
...
The atmosphere inside the carriage compartment became strange, but the carriage quickly arrived at the busiest street in the Kingdom.
Lathel got out of the carriage and walked with Rinnie, entering a luxurious restaurant nearby.
In the private room, a table full of delicious food made Rinnie's eyes widen, filled with disbelief: "Is this... all for me?"
"Uhm!" Lathel nodded.
It was Rinnie's first time seeing such delicious food, and her heart was violently moved; her eyes became moist, as if she were about to cry.
Before, when she was in the organization, she could only rely on one pill each day to fight off hunger.
Over time, she had forgotten what food smelled like, and even when she ate, the food in the organization was too awful, like mud and straw.
Seeing Rinnie so agitated that she was about to cry, Lathel sighed, secretly thinking: 'This girl is truly pitiful; perhaps her past was very miserable. In that case... let a villain like me help her feel a little warmth in this world.'
She didn't rush to eat, but looked at Lathel with a guilty expression, clasping her hands tightly around her skirt, and softly asked: "Lathel, you... this... what do I need to do?"
"Hm?!" Lathel asked, puzzled: "What do you mean?"
"I know... there's no free meal. You treat me to such good food; what do you want me to do for you?"
Hearing Rinnie's words, a flash of annoyance appeared in Lathel's heart, but then he smiled and said: "You are an Alchemist, right?"
"Yes." Rinnie said proudly.
"Good!" Lathel smiled warmly and said: "Then can you work for me? I also need an Alchemist."
Rinnie smiled upon hearing this, about to nod, but she suddenly realized something, her eyes widening as she looked at him.
She swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then said: "Lathel, you... you... do you have a dream?"
"A dream?!" Lathel suddenly burst into a joyful smile: "Of course I do! I dream that all the beautiful women in this world belong to me!"
BAM!
Rinnie's mind was struck by a lightning bolt; her eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief.
'Could it be... could this be the arrangement of fate?'