Chapter 88 Brent

"Core Sphere, compare the aura of this Level Three Wizard Apprentice with the residual power of the Level Three Wizard Apprentice recorded earlier!"
Lin Wei swiftly commanded the intelligent core sphere.
"Comparing... Comparison complete..."
"The result: a perfect match."
The intelligent core sphere quickly delivered its answer.
"Excellent!" Lin Wei clenched his fists, joints crackling. "If that's the case... does it mean the power behind the enemy is quite limited?"
"Although it's the strength of a Level Three Wizard Apprentice, if it's like the masked woman before, it's impossible for her to possess the true power of a normal Level Three Wizard Apprentice..." Lin Wei's eyes shimmered with thoughtful brilliance. "If so, I still have the strength to fight..."
He stood up, straightened his robe, and muttered, "If I remember correctly, the prince who came into contact with the mystical Level Three Wizard Apprentice is named Brent, the fourth son of Hudson. Looks like I need to ask Bansany about this Fourth Prince..."

---

"You mean Fourth Prince Brent?"
Bansany looked at Lin Wei, utterly confused.
Lin Wei nodded, "Yes, him. Tell me everything you know about him."
Although he couldn't fathom the way Lin Wei's mind worked, Bansany answered honestly, "Brent is very low-key, probably the most inconspicuous among all the princes and princesses."
"Low-key?" Lin Wei seemed to latch onto something, probing further, "Does he deliberately downplay his presence?"
Bansany nodded, "I suppose so... His mother died when he was very young, and her family was only a viscount's house. Within the royal family, Brent has no backing; compared to his siblings, he has absolutely no competitive power."
"Has he ever been ostracized by his brothers and sisters? Or, when his mother was alive, did she have any conflicts with other royal consorts?" Lin Wei pressed on.
Bansany pondered for a moment, as these events were years ago and he never paid much attention to an unloved prince. "I'm not sure if he was ostracized, but I vaguely recall his mother wasn't favored by Hudson. Two royal consorts seemed to harbor hostility toward Brent's mother..."
Suddenly, Bansany's eyes widened in shock. "This... no... it can't be..."

"What is it?"
Lin Wei immediately furrowed his brows, questioning.
"The two royal consorts who had conflicts with Brent's mother over a decade ago... they're the very ones who have now disappeared!"
Bansany replied, his face full of disbelief.
Among the missing members of the Kingdom of Layton were a few princes, princesses, and two royal consorts.
"As expected!" Lin Wei laughed coldly. "It seems we're getting closer to the truth..."
Bansany still couldn't accept it. He had never suspected Brent, nor had Hudson, who never doubted his fourth son. Brent was so low-key, like an obedient child, that no one ever paid him any mind.
Bansany looked at Lin Wei with a hint of admiration. He didn't know how Lin Wei had connected Brent to this, but instinctively acknowledged Lin Wei's abilities.
"But..." Bansany hesitated, "Brent is just an ordinary person. How could he do such things unless he had help... but he has nothing. How could he get Wizard Apprentices to risk their lives for him?"
"No..." Lin Wei raised a finger and gently shook his head. "What if the rumors from two years ago were true?"
Bansany's eyes widened, his mouth agape in disbelief. "You're saying, two years ago, when someone obtained the secret cache of a formal wizard, that person was connected to Brent?!"
"Exactly!" Lin Wei nodded affirmatively. "Though I can't be sure the cache belonged to a formal wizard, nor even if it truly exists, I know for certain that the release of this information is absolutely linked to Brent!"
In truth, Lin Wei hadn't disclosed all his thoughts. In his view, the wizard cache did exist, and it was more than just something left by a formal wizard.
He wasn't guessing at random, but because he thought of the Simulation Space!
The emergence of the Simulation Space, rumors of the wizard cache, Brent's secret involvement with Level Three Wizard Apprentices...
Lin Wei felt he had uncovered a great secret—and a tremendous opportunity!
"Should we move to apprehend Brent now?"
Bansany was anxious, clearly eager to resolve the matter quickly.

"No..." Lin Wei rejected Bansany's suggestion. "We don't know if Brent has others behind him. Rather than approaching him unprepared, it's better to seize the initiative."
Bansany didn't quite understand Lin Wei's plan. "Such as..."
Lin Wei paused, the corner of his mouth curving into a faint smile. "Inform the royal family members that Hudson's condition is grave, and that we need to bring him to the Shadow Forest for investigation!"
"Hmm?!" Bansany was stunned. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate? Would the academy even get involved in such matters?"
"Of course not," Lin Wei explained. "It's just a cover. We say so, but won't do it. All we need is to set up ambushes at specific locations, then lure Brent and his associates into our territory..."
Bansany suddenly understood. "I see, you want to use the opportunity of them saying their farewells to Hudson to draw them onto our turf! But what if Brent isn't the mastermind?"
"Better to err and punish the innocent than let the guilty escape!" Lin Wei's voice was icy. "You'll handle these arrangements. I need to verify a few more things."
With that, Lin Wei turned and left.

---

Night.
A palace within the royal residence.
Kathleen let her hair fall loose, dressed in a creamy white nightgown. The nightgown was short, barely covering her thighs. Her young skin was smooth and fair, her delicate features enchanting.
Although Kathleen had just turned sixteen, according to the customs of the Kingdom of Layton, she should have been married long ago. If Hudson hadn't doted on her, allowing her to follow Orian and study the way of the knight, she might already be a mother of two.
Kathleen sat quietly at her dressing table, her face troubled. The disappearance of royal family members and Hudson's suspicion weighed heavily on her heart.