Chapter 10: Interesting

At the end of the hall, the two men who sneaked in in the manufacturing facility of Lord Hardwicke, crouched down as they saw the cages where the captured children and women are. The captured men were chained and forced to work for separating the leads just under the office which was at the top of the cave. The guards are wearing masks to prevent being exposed and poisoned compared to the captives.

Jerome frowned at the sight, "This is inhuman..." He muttered.

The alleged Rowan nodded, "We can't do anything gawking here, we need to find a way to help them escape."

The shorter looked around and noticed that they're actually in a cave and there's a port where they discreetly import the leads, "We could escape with the ships, we could take the captives and the evidence of Lord Hardwicke using the lead once we did... Maybe there are documents inside too..."

The latter nodded, "I'll just beat up the guards then—"

"Do you usually work with violence?" Jerome looked at him in disbelief.

The taller rolled his eyes, "Do you have any more bright ideas, Mr. Know-it-all?"

The question made the shorter sigh and keep quiet, "Thought so. You didn't even let me finish... We just need to take two guards, take their uniforms and discreetly move. Is that good for you, Princess?" The alleged Rowan sarcastically asked the latter.

"Don't call me that." He huffed and proceeded to move forward.

"You act like one, Princess. Now be careful, we don't want you harmed." The taller teased as he followed behind.

At the end of the staircase, they looked around and saw two guards talking with their backs facing the two, just across from them at the end of the metal platform and were probably inspecting the workers separating the leads.

This gave Jerome and his companion the chance to take them and dragged them to the side where some of the boxes are placed. It is a dead-ended hall which was used as a storage.

The alleged Rowan knocked his captive out with a slam on the wall and Jerome knocked his with a hit on the man's neck.

"See. I can fight." The shorter told the latter proudly.

"Sure do, Princess." The taller chuckled as he took the guard's uniform, "Now, don't go peeking on me." He said as he starts to undress.

Jerome got flustered and turned around, "As if." He kept himself busy by taking his captive guard's uniform and undressed quickly, changing before the latter finished dressing himself.

He couldn't even try to question himself as to why he got flustered, he was busy distracting himself.

"Done, Princess?"

"I told you to stop calling me that." Jerome looked at him and they both still have a cloak to cover themselves but their masks were exchanged for gas masks from the guards.

"Why not? It's cute." The alleged Rowan chuckled as they left the corner.

"Did the guard that you got your clothes from has a key or anything?" The shorter changed the topic.

"Just some gum."

"Mine's useless too... I guess it's up in that office." Jerome looked up at the only room that could have a view of everything.

"Being together makes us suspicious, I'll try to look for clues down here." The taller stated, making the latter nod.

The two moved towards the end of the metal platform and got separated by a staircase which was one for the direction of the office and one for the direction of the cages which the alleged Rowan went to look around for some kind of clues.

As Jerome was about to get near the office, he was stopped by a guard, "Halt. What is your business at the office? Lord Hardwicke is not present."

The black haired man assumed that this guard is Lord Hardwicke's right hand man if he's the one to guard his office and to know his whereabouts, he has to think quickly.

"I have letter sent for him."

"A letter?"

"Yes... here it is..." Jerome acted as if he was rummaging through his pocket before punching the guard in front of him, knocking him out.

He knows that he asked the alleged Rowan if he usually works with violence but here he was, punching a guard to avoid being caught.

Jerome sighed and pulled the unconscious man aside, hiding the evidence. He then rummaged for any keys or important items that he could use and thankfully, he found a key.

'I guess this is the office key.' He thought to himself as he stood up and climbed up the stairs.

He still looked around for any guards or even Hardwicke that could spot him doing something suspicious and once he reached the office door, he immediately opened it and looked around.

He tried the unlocked drawers first, taking the keys that he might find which could soon be helpful. He then looked at the documents on the table and taking some helpful files too. However, none would point out to Hardwicke's business partners and so, he took the frames on the wall and just as he suspected, there's a safe.

He just don't know the password, Jerome sighed, 'I don't have time for puzzles.' He took the emergency axe on the wall and broke the safe open. 'I'm not much different from the brute.' He thought to himself.

"Hey! What's that?!" He heard from down the office, the other guards are getting suspicious. Jerome immediately took everything from the safe and before the door bursts open, he jumped off the window and hanged on the side.

"Princess! Jump!" He saw the alleged Rowan below him and so, he took a deep breath and jumped.

He could feel his heart fell as he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact but he was successfully caught by his companion.

"Landed safely, Sweetheart." That nickname, Jerome was frozen. He knew who uses that nickname a lot and he was beyond flustered.

If he could count it in the novel, it would probably take long since its a nickname Rowan Lennox uses a lot on others.

He was in denial at first but this man was really Rowan.

"You good? You're staring." Rowan tilted his head, his face and red hair were still hidden by a cloak and a mask and Jerome was glad that his was too, or his red blushing face would be noticed.

"I-I'm good... put me down. We need to move while the guards are distracted." The shorter said and rushed as soon as he was put down by the taller.

'That annoying man was really Rowan? I... I don't remember him being this annoying?' He felt annoyed, it was the emotion he used to hide his fluster. He just met the main character of the novel he reincarnated in after all.

The sole man that made his heart flutter from behind the screen when he reads the novel numerous times.

'Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.' Jerome told himself like a mantra as he rushed to the chained captives to unlock their restraints before running to the cages.

"Here. Try this for the others." The shorter threw a different batch of keys to Rowan who caught it and immediately worked.

"Someone infiltrated the area!" The two heard the guards exclaiming, looking around and so, they rushed.

"Run to the ships!" The freed captives followed and ran to the ships but some guards blocked them.

Jerome immediately punched those that would harm the captives, "Those who can fight! Fight!"

The men that are separating the leads used their hammers to fight back, even their chains.

Rowan who was also done with freeing the others, helped out.

"Come on!" Jerome took Rowan by his wrist and ran to the ships with the captives.

"Do you know how to stir a ship?" The taller asked.

"No." The latter answered and tried to stir it, 'This is like a car, right?'

Rowan helped him, his chest pressing a bit on Jerome's back making him flustered once again.

"I can do it!" The shorter exclaimed, hiding his fluster.

"Clearly you can't."

Soon, they were able to arrive at the seaside where some of the royal knights are waiting.

Wystan was also there, waiting while holding his sword, "Your highness, we have captured some of Hardwicke's employees who tried to escape and a man named Liao Feng also arrived with him. He's already held captive by some of our men."

Rowan removed his cloak and mask, exposing himself. Showing his red hair and golden eyes and Jerome was stunned.

The taller looked at him and smirked, "I know I'm handsome Princess but no need to gawk."

Jerome looked away, annoyed and flustered. He rummaged through the pockets of his jacket and gave the papers to the crown prince, "Here... the evidences."

The red haired man tilted his, "Hey, I showed my face, the least you could do is show yours. You helped me save these captives and I want to know the face and name of the person who helped me achieve this."

The shorter shook his head, "No need, I only want Hardwicke to be exposed of his wrongdoings." He said and walked past him, seeing Liao waving at him with a smile.

"My lord! I brought Hardwicke here! Aren't I great?!" The Eastern man exclaimed like a child while Wystan and Rowan looked at the two.

"Yes, yes... I'm tired..." Jerome sighed as he walked with the older.

"Wystan, have that man investigated... have him compensated whether he likes it or not." Rowan smirked.

"As you wish..." The knight bowed politely, the other knights helped the captives and the others were unloading the leads off the ships.

"The King wouldn't like what you did today though..."

"Is that new?" The crown prince chuckled as he walked ahead, his knight following right behind him.

As Rowan saw the short man who accompanied him in this adventure tonight, climbed in the carriage with his Eastern friend, he stopped from walking to follow the carriage with his eyes as it left.

'He's interesting.'