Fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood's wolf mentor

"Uncle Hans, so the Duke never really intended to give you that gold?"

"That's right. How could someone so greedy allow a disposable tool like me to have even a bite of his meat?"

Inside the Duke's mansion, in a guest room, the mahogany furniture exuded an extraordinary elegance, far superior to anything in a commoner's tavern.

Hans leaned against the soft cushions, his face extremely gloomy.

He looked out the window at the imposing Duke's mansion, as if recalling some past events...

......

Several years ago, on the border of the Sino Kingdom.

Merchants and travelers hurried along the road, while in the middle of the road, several gold-armored knights blocked the path of a plainly dressed man:

"Mr. Hans, please stop."

The leader of the knights was a delicately dressed, fair-skinned man.

It was the Duke's special envoy.

"I wonder what business the special envoy has. My letter of resignation is already prepared, and the Duke agreed yesterday to let me leave..."

Hans said with a bow.

"But you took something belonging to the Duke."

The special envoy stared intently at the head-sized, spherical object wrapped in cloth in Hans's arms, with a faint glimmer of gold showing through the seams.

"Special Envoy, this is the wage the Duke gave me yesterday. I didn't take it. Are you going back on your word?"

A flash of anger crossed Hans's eyes.

"Of course not. The Duke is a benevolent and trustworthy man... He would never do such a thing."

The special envoy smiled, speaking calmly, "However, Mr. Hans, it will be difficult to return home with something so valuable, wouldn't it?"

"Is this also the Duke's intention?"

Hans said through gritted teeth.

"Impudence!"

A knight instantly drew his sword, holding it to Hans's throat!

"Don't be impatient, Mr. Hans just hasn't thought it through yet."

The special envoy smiled, suppressing the knight's sword, and continued unhurriedly, "Have you figured it out? Mr. Hans."

As he spoke, the special envoy gestured, and a knight dismounted from his horse.

"The Duke is merciful, and is simply considering you, and wants to exchange it with you. This precious horse is worth a thousand gold pieces, and can travel a thousand miles a day. It is equivalent to your wages and can also satisfy your longing for home—how about that?"

A chill ran through Hans's heart. He understood that he probably had no choice.

"Okay, then... thank you, Special Envoy."

A head-sized piece of gold, and a horse...

Equivalent in value?

Ha!

Watching Hans disappear into the distance on horseback, the smile vanished from the special envoy's face.

"Special Envoy, that kid..."

"It doesn't matter. Does he think that's the end of it?"

The special envoy sneered, turned his horse around, and rode towards the Duke's mansion, "Someone will take care of him. He can't escape—that horse will be back soon."

......

"Uncle Hans, so the special envoy yesterday... was the one who took your gold?"

Leike asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, that's how it is. Wealth—was never meant for people like me."

Hans shook his head, wanting to say something, but then, there was a knock on the door.

Poro got up, went to the door, opened it, and immediately bowed with a smile.

"Special Envoy, what brings you here this time?"

The special envoy, dressed exquisitely and with an arrogant expression, glanced at Poro, disguised as the second leader, and nodded:

"You did well this time. The Duke is very pleased, and there will be rewards soon."

"Thank you for informing me, Special Envoy."

Poro also smiled and placed a few silver coins into the special envoy's hand, "I wonder what the special envoy does under the Duke's command?"

"Oh?"

The special envoy accepted the silver coins and glanced at Poro with a playful look.

"We are both working for the Duke, there is no real difference in status between us.

I just handle the funerals, and you do the dirty work..."

The special envoy patted Poro on the shoulder, saying meaningfully,

"Work hard, the Duke will not let loyal subjects like you feel cold!"

After the special envoy left, he seemed to be in a good mood.

As one of the top figures in the Duke's mansion.

He had done many things for the Duke, including but not limited to...

Searching the city for beautiful women and providing them with a "comfortable" job; finding talents and forcing them to join the Duke's command with "interests"; contacting some special professionals to persuade the Duke's political enemies to shut up or disappear; if anyone resisted, he would use their families and health to explain the advantages and disadvantages...

In short, the special envoy had done a lot for the Duke's "cause" and was highly valued.

When the special envoy returned to his residence, he saw that two eunuchs were already waiting for him.

The special envoy had seen them before, they were people close to the Duke.

"Is the Duke asking me to go over? Well, I understand."

The special envoy was a little surprised, and thought about it.

He guessed that the Duke had some new requirements? Or perhaps, to reward him?

But when the special envoy walked into the Duke's room, he felt that something was wrong.

Several expressionless eunuchs stood on both sides of the room, and at the front, the old but obese Duke sat in a chair.

At the Duke's feet, a skinned and bloody woman lay on the ground—it was the Duke's mistress!

In that instant, a huge fear surged into the special envoy's heart!

His knees weakened, and he fell to the ground!

"Duke, I was wrong, I was wrong—spare me!"

The special envoy completely lost his arrogance in front of others, and he kowtowed on the ground!

He had always been a meticulous person, although a moment of lust had made him do something he deeply regretted, he had always covered it up very well!

But everything, once done, leaves a trace.

He shouldn't have been discovered, this time it was probably—just bad luck!

"Oh? Mutual affection, I understand."

The Duke lowered his eyes, watching his former "confidant" kneeling on the ground, crying bitterly.

Even his forehead was bleeding from the kowtowing.

Compared to himself, his confidant was very handsome. The Duke used to appreciate this, but now, he only felt immense hatred in his heart.

"Duke, I was confused, I have always been devoted to you!"

"I know."

The Duke said slowly, giving the special envoy a glimmer of hope, "I have never mistreated loyal subjects, and I am very tolerant of those who work for me..."

"Thank you, Duke! Thank you, Duke—"

The special envoy heard this and hurriedly kowtowed even more vigorously!

He thought that as long as he survived this ordeal, as long as he worked harder for the Duke and seized more benefits, he could—

"Clang—"

But the next moment, a dagger was thrown in front of the special envoy.

The special envoy's eyes were dull, his face pale, completely devoid of color:

"Duke... Your Grace?"

"I am very tolerant, so I won't torture you. You have followed me for so long, you know what it means—do it yourself!"

More than ten minutes later, two corpses were carried away by the eunuchs.

One eunuch was left, washing the bloodstains on the floor with water, and at this moment, a guard pushed the door open and entered:

"Duke, the Green-Red Witch is outside."

"Well, let her in."

Then, an old woman in a robe, with gray-white hair, walked into the room—it was the old woman who had noticed Leike's red cloak in the courtyard before!

She didn't pay attention to the bloodstains on the ground, and cupped her hands:

"Duke, recently someone in your mansion possesses magical items..."

"Magic?"

The Duke was stunned, a trace of greed revealing in his eyes, "Who is it? Even those few... shouldn't make things difficult for me."

The Green-Red Witch pondered slightly, then described the situation she had inquired about, as well as the identities of those people.

Hearing this, the Duke's expression relaxed:

"What, just a few of my black gloves, probably... they robbed it from some unlucky passerby again."

Saying that, the Duke waved his hand and summoned a eunuch,

"Let the special envoy—"

He paused, remembering that his most useful confidant had just died, so he changed his words, "You, go directly and invite the special ops knight who returned from the mountain stronghold."

After the eunuch left, the Duke pondered to himself,

"Well, right now, I happen to be short of manpower—Second Leader, is it?

I just hope you can be more sensible, this opportunity is not something I can't give you..."