The Shame of the Saint Cain Family

The scorching midday sun cast its blazing heat through the mahogany round window, illuminating a small turret near the walls of the Saint Cain Estate.

Du Chen lay naked on a single bed, covered with a white velvet blanket, inside the turret. His gaze was fixed on the crystal ceiling of the bedroom, the dazzling light shining directly into his eyes, yet he made no effort to turn away.

The crystal panels on the ceiling were intricately joined in long strips, exquisitely crafted and transparent, reflecting Du Chen's current appearance like a mirror.

Golden long hair, large sky-blue eyes, a normal height of just over 1.7 meters, yet his build was slender and sickly. However, his skin was remarkably good — fair, delicate, and so soft it seemed water could be squeezed from it with a pinch. Such skin would surely be the envy of ladies who spent their days chasing beauty with cosmetics.

Yet, Du Chen was deeply troubled by his current appearance. He numbly stared at his reflection in the crystal, utterly unable to believe that the handsome, golden-haired youth before him was himself!

He should have yellow skin, black hair, and black eyes!

Du Chen rolled over, turning his head to examine his backside in the crystal. On his left buttock, there were thirty-six water lotus bud tattoos. These thirty-six buds, varying in size, length, and flatness, were strangely arranged to form a Bagua pattern. The first bud on the trigram Qian, comprising three unbroken lines, was already on the verge of blooming, while the other thirty-five remained wilted flowerets.

Seeing the tattoos, a bitter smile finally touched Du Chen's numb face. 'The Lotus Seal of Purity followed me too…'

Two memories intertwined in his mind. One told him he was Du Chen, a disciple of Patriarch Bodhi and junior brother to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong. That old lunatic of a master had forced upon him a cultivation technique that relied on good deeds, forbidding him from women until he achieved mastery. This led him to desperately perform good deeds, ultimately sacrificing himself heroically during an act of valor.

The other memory informed him that he was Francis Saint Sigurd Cain! The third son of Duke Anges of the Lanning Empire.

Du Chen's memories were crystal clear, while Francis's were a chaotic mess. Strange terms like 'Ains Continent Common Tongue,' 'Battle Qi,' and 'Holy Artifacts' piled together haphazardly like a thick, muddled porridge.

Laboriously sifting through the memories in his mind, and cramming Francis's runaway past into his brain, Du Chen finally made sense of a few things.

After dying heroically, he had reincarnated, possessing the recently deceased body of a noble youth named Francis in another world.

The reason Francis's memories were so chaotic was because he had been a complete idiot! From fragmented memories of constant insults and mockery, Du Chen extracted two nicknames for Francis—now his own: 'The Shame of the Saint Cain Family' and 'The Idiot Third Young Master of Saint John City!'

'Damn it! I really became an idiot!? You stinking monkey, your junior brother despises you!' Du Chen thought maliciously as he climbed out of bed, surveying his new bedroom while searching for clothes.

Things had come to this; what else could he do? In his previous life, Du Chen had been an orphan, begging and stealing to survive since he was five. What hardship hadn't he endured? What suffering hadn't he faced?

Regret, anxiety, uneasiness—these detestable emotions would only lead to a worse future. Du Chen knew this truth well!

Since he had no attachments anyway, he might as well settle down and be the idiot Third Young Master! At least, he wouldn't face starvation again.

However, since the thirty-six lotus bud tattoos had also appeared on Francis's body, then the Lotus Seal of Purity would certainly have to be cultivated further. He would still need to perform good deeds to approach women!

Du Chen approached the mahogany wardrobe by the bed, taller than a man. The wardrobe was locked with a common medieval European bronze spring lock, and the key hung on its door handle.

But Du Chen didn't reach for the key. Instead, he snapped off two thin wooden splinters from the foot of the bed and, with a casual jab, 'click!' the lock sprang open!

Opening a lock with a key was far too unsophisticated. What had Du Chen been in his previous life? He was known as 'The Lock-Breaker,' a thief daring enough to even steal from immortals.

To open a lock with a key… Du Chen couldn't possibly stoop so low!

As he picked the lock, Du Chen noticed his fair, delicate hands didn't tremble at all. His movements were clean and swift, perfectly matching the skill he had painstakingly honed for over a decade in his previous life. He couldn't help but secretly rejoice, 'Heh, so the Lotus Seal of Purity reincarnated with all my cultivation progress, skills, and knowledge intact!'

Interesting! As long as his thieving skills remained, he wouldn't starve anywhere! Of course, the prerequisite was not to steal from an immortal again, especially not from an old perverted immortal who was a bit unhinged!

The clothes in the wardrobe were mostly medieval European noble attire—the kind with puffy sleeves and tight bodices paired with mini-trousers. Du Chen disliked them; they looked hideous, like two sausages supporting a big loaf of bread!

Picking through the selection, he found a white, floor-length robe and put it on. Looking into the overhead crystal again, he saw a truly handsome and dashing noble youth, though with the sole flaw of appearing somewhat sickly.

Secretly pleased with his good looks in this new life, Du Chen pushed open the round wooden door and stepped out. Little Francis's memories timely reminded him that the turret had three floors: he resided on the top floor, while the two lower floors housed his old servant Foye and the slave Aliza.

Stepping out of the turret, Du Chen spread his arms and deeply inhaled the air of the Ains Continent. Looking at the medieval European noble estate before him, he felt quite good!

From today forward, he was no longer an orphan who had to steal to fill his belly, but the young master of an imperial duke!

Just then, a plump woman rounded the corner, interrupting Du Chen's good mood. With a 'clatter,' she dropped the washbasin in her hands and exclaimed, 'By Sigurd, the Holy Radiance War God! Francis, you idiot, you're not dead yet!?'

Du Chen whirled his head around, glaring sharply at the plump woman who dared to call him an 'idiot.' She was dressed in coarse gray linen, clearly a servant, and so fat she could fit two Du Chens. Her belly was so immense, she surely couldn't see her own feet when she looked down!

A servant? A servant daring to curse her young master!? Damn it! Little Francis must have been utterly spineless in the past, hadn't he?!

Du Chen's temper flared. In his previous life, everyone who knew him either hated him or feared him, but no one had ever dared to insult him. Those who did paid a heavy price!

The plump woman continued to babble incessantly, 'Heavens, the shame of the Saint Cain Family continues! My friends will laugh at me for being a servant to an idiot…' She caught Du Chen's menacing gaze, and her heart suddenly quivered, an inexplicable fear gripping her.

How could this be? He was just an idiot, even the Duke paid him no mind, why should she be afraid of him?

The plump woman mustered her courage and snapped, 'Francis, since you're not dead, hurry back to the turret and stay inside…'

SPLAT! Du Chen stepped forward and slapped her across the face.

'You dare hit me?' SMACK! Another slap.

The plump woman raised her thick arm, poised to retaliate, but Du Chen lunged forward, tripped her feet, and shoved her horizontally. With a single move, he toppled her tonnage-sized body to the ground, then pressed his foot onto her cheek.

At that moment, Francis's memories provided a phrase, and Du Chen coldly spoke in the Ains Continent Common Tongue, 'Dare you strike me again!? My dear madam, are you unaware that assaulting the descendant of a titled War God will earn you a trip to the pyre!' Du Chen surveyed her, shaking his head and clucking. 'It seems I should indeed send you to the pyre. According to the Holy Church's scriptures, I have the right to do so! No, I'll sell you to the West City's market. With all that grease on you, you'd fetch a good price as firewood!'

As he spoke, he pressed harder with his foot, cruelly trampling the wicked servant.

The plump woman was dumbfounded, the pain on her cheek nothing compared to the shock in her heart. Heavens, Francis seemed like a completely different person after his great illness. He… when did he learn to speak so fluently!?

When Du Chen increased the pressure once more, she felt her cheek was about to be crushed. Finally terrified, she stammered, 'Y-Young Master, please forgive me, I…'

'You insulted me today; I've noted it!' Du Chen interrupted her, then asked, 'Where are Old Foye, Aliza, and my eldest brother?'

These three were people Francis remembered very distinctly, and all had been very kind to him.

Du Chen categorized them as aids to understanding this new world, so he sought them out first.

'Young Master Steve has been confined by the Duke in Sigurd Church. Old Foye and Aliza, they… they were just thrown out of the house!'

'Foye and Aliza thrown out!? Damn it! Who did this!?' Du Chen felt a surge of anger, intense anger. He had inherited everything from Francis, and naturally, his emotions too.

The two who were now being driven out: one was his old servant who had cared for him for over a decade, like a father and a teacher, who not only didn't scorn him for being an idiot but showed him extra affection; the other was his only friend! How could Du Chen not be furious!?

'When did they leave?'

'Just after the ritual confirmed your death. They should be just reaching the gate now, Young Master. Please spare me, I'm willing to pay any price to atone!'

'I'll deal with you when I get back!'

Du Chen released the plump woman and rushed towards the Saint Cain Estate's main gate. He didn't have time to survey his surroundings, his mind fixated on a single thought: he couldn't lose these two closest people!