Chapter 504

The blue wig tumbled down with Shermaine, hitting the ground in a tangle of synthetic strands.

Without the wig to contain it, Shermaine’s true hair spilled free – a cascade of brilliant red that flowed past her waist. The silky strands caught the light, gleaming with an almost luminous quality that made everyone freeze in their tracks.

They’d already been staring when Cain first appeared. His red hair was devastatingly handsome in an otherworldly way, radiating raw masculine energy that was impossible to ignore. But now Boa Hanks – whoever she really was – had the same striking crimson locks.

Baykeepers hadn’t forgotten what red hair meant.

Everyone knew the stories of the royal family who had ruled Baykeep for generations.

Under their reign, the city flourished like nowhere else across the vast territories, becoming the strongest and most prosperous of all the major cities.

The people worshipped the royal blood like gods – and for good reason. They seemed capable of anything, masters of every art and skill.

Even after the royal family’s decline and disappearance from Xyperia, even after the Moreno family took control of Baykeep, the citizens carried those memories in their hearts. They remembered the glory days, when the red-haired royals commanded not just respect, but absolute devotion from everyone who served under them.

The elders who had been hiding emerged, their eyes wide with shock and excitement. “The royal family bloodline – lost for a thousand years – they’ve returned!” one of them gasped.

The declaration shocked the crowd.

“Impossible!” Bronx stepped forward, his voice cutting through the murmur. “It’s nothing more than a coincidence of hair color. The royal family was wiped out centuries ago. These people just happen to share the same genetic trait.”

Avon’s gaze sharpened as he turned toward Judy. “Then perhaps Her Highness Judy would care to explain why she’s placed such an enormous bounty on their heads?”

His tone carried weight – after all, a thousand years ago, the Kingdom of Xyperia’s ruling class had been consumed with paranoia about the royal family’s influence, constantly scheming to drive them into exile.

When faced with the crowd’s mounting suspicions, Judy offered no defense. Instead, most people found their attention drawn to the staggering reward amount – enough to make anyone wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.

Judy maintained a stoic expression. “I have no obligation to provide you with an explanation.”

While Shermaine wasn’t born into the royal family, Joshua was.

If his true identity ever came to light, the royal family’s legendary status in Xypería would send shockwaves through the entire nation.

The people who had once worshipped the royal blood like gods would inevitably bow before him again – just look at what happened with Baykeep.

Royal blood carried far more weight than any signet ring or military token ever could.

As heated discussions erupted around them, Joshua and Shermaine stood apart, their composed demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos.

Joshua set the person down and turned to Shermaine. “Sheary, where are the weapons you brought?”

“Left them in the car.”

“Why didn’t you bring anything at all?”

Shermaine narrowed her eyes slightly. “The elevator was out of order, and these things are heavy. They slowed me down on the stairs.”

Joshua considered this for a moment. “I suppose that’s not really Sheary’s fault.” He paused, then added with a hint of amusement, “Though I distinctly remember packing some essential stair-climbing gear in that bag for you. If you’d bothered to check, you wouldn’t have been cutting it so close.”

Shermaine blinked. She tried to recall when Joshua had been packing her things. He had mentioned something, but she’d been playing with Gracie at the time and hadn’t really been paying attention. “Did you?”

Joshua raised an eyebrow at her, his expression clearly saying, “What do you think?”

The corner of Shermaine’s mouth twitched. “Fine. I’ll take the blame for this one.”

When it came to Shermaine’s little slip-ups, they were never really a big deal anyway – just minor hiccups in the grand scheme of things.