Chapter 6, The Restless Heart
Ah, how could a noble lord come to our place
Du Wei's expression was calm as he quietly sipped a glass of wine. Even when those around him pointed and whispered, he merely furrowed his brow slightly
Oh! It seems that he is a noble lord
Giant Tree Town is the only town within a radius of about 100 miles. In this town, which has several hundred households, there is only one small tavern, and its name is quite simple: Giant Tree Tavern
The clouds at the horizon were set ablaze by the descending sun, casting a fiery red hue. On this spring evening, a magnificently adorned carriage slowly traversed a road in the southern province of Kote of the Empire. This exquisite four-wheeled carriage was crafted from the finest materials. The heavy, noble black body, along with the intricate carvings and gilded patterns on the carriage, all highlighted the noble status of its owner.
Looking at the young knight who had just returned from his expedition, Mard had already formed a conclusion about the young man in his heart: he was most likely one of those naive and simple-minded individuals, still unaware that people like him had been exiled.
This last fellow in the gray robe is actually a wizard! ... Although he is merely a first-level wizard, the lowest rank, adorned with a silver leaf badge...
Despite being exiled, this young master has never been heard to complain even once. Every day, he simply sits in the carriage reading the books he brought from home, speaks very little, and maintains a relatively gentle demeanor towards others
Such a badge, only in the eyes of a noble who possesses sufficient knowledge of heraldry, can one truly appreciate its significance! Among all the families in the empire, few can boast of having two crossed long swords engraved on their badge! These two long swords represent that at least one figure of marshal rank has emerged in the family's history. Moreover, the crown above symbolizes a blood relationship between this family and the royal family
At this moment, Du Wei was enduring the various unusual gazes directed at him from around.
Mader sat beside the coachman, idly chewing on a root of grass. He glanced at the sky, then let out a deep sigh. Turning around, he leaned down and tapped on the carriage window: "Young Master Du Wei, should we find a place to rest? The sky is getting a bit dark."
A circle of irises entwines around the blades of two crossed long swords, while a crown rests upon the hilt, enveloped in roaring flames
The striking girl’s voluptuous thighs immediately became the focal point of many men’s gazes in the tavern. As she seemingly bent down casually, the uniquely designed neckline of her leather armor instantly revealed a snowy white and tender cleavage, causing the two nearby drunkards to stare with wide eyes, dropping their wine glasses to the floor.
On either side of the carriage, there were ten guardsmen in light armor, riding fine steeds, with their knightly swords hanging at their sides. Their armor was polished to a bright sheen, and their weapons gleamed. However, in stark contrast to their splendid attire, each of these knights bore a dejected expression.
The other knight guards had already begun to move the luggage. Mard threw out a few gold coins, and the tavern owner immediately cleared out several clean rooms and arranged for someone to feed the horses.
From the bright silver color of the arrow, Du Wei immediately recognized that it was made of pure silver! Crafting bows and arrows from such pure silver is indeed an extravagant act!
At that moment, with a loud bang, the door of the tavern was pushed open, and a group of people entered from outside. There were three men and one woman among them. From their dusty appearances and their obviously inexpensive attire, it was clear that they were not locals, but rather outsiders like Du Wei and his companions
This time, accompanying Master Du Wei back to the Lorin family's ancestral home, there are only twenty family guard knights.
After leaving the capital, the mood of everyone along the way was rather low. The only one who still maintained a calm and composed demeanor was that young master Du Wei.
In the carriage, Du Wei, interrupted from his reading, raised his head. He opened the window and glanced at the setting sun on the horizon: "Well then"
Mad, who was once a horse and * picture * book servant, still could not get used to being called "Master Supervisor." However, this honest man still nodded and tipped his hat to the young knight riding in front of him, saying, "The master has spoken; we will rest up ahead today"
The people in this small place do not recognize this badge, but Du Wei does! Moreover, some of the well-informed knights serving the Roland family beside him also recognize it
The people in the tavern were all sizing up Du Wei, assessing this seemingly young adolescent.
The girl is accompanied by several male companions. One is a burly man, built like a bull, clad in heavy armor, with a thick shield strapped to his back. Judging by the fierce aura on his face, along with the impressive muscles and several scars visible on his bare arms, he appears to be a warrior of strength. Another tall and slender individual looks quite sharp, with a longbow slung over his shoulder. From the black bowstring, his long and powerful fingers, and the black iron ring on his finger, it can be inferred that he is likely an archer.
Alas, how wonderful it would be to remain in the vibrant world of the capital city
It is important to note that in the capital city, among those wealthy families and noble households, even a simple outing for a picnic in the countryside would involve bringing along a large number of servants and guards
The final selection of these twenty knights, without a doubt, consists of a group of unfortunate individuals. They are either lacking in martial skills and deemed unfit for use, or they possess a solitary temperament, disliked or ostracized by their peers, or they are young and naive, easily deceived due to their simplistic thinking
However, the silver leaf badge on his chest is undoubtedly the mark of a legitimate magician certified by the Magic Association
When Du Wei and his companions entered the tavern, they immediately attracted the attention of those inside. After all, it was quite striking for a group of knights clad in light armor to suddenly surge into such a small tavern.
After staring intently at the badge for a while, Du Wei immediately had a thought arise in his mind
Suppressing the distractions in his mind, Ma De shouted loudly, signaling everyone to quicken their pace. This former groom, now the steward, maintained a relatively good mindset. At least he was adept at comforting himself: "Whatever, whether it's exile or anything else, after all, I was just a lowly groom before. To have what I have today is already thanks to the young master. Although I am merely an exiled 'steward', the fact remains that my monthly salary has increased by several gold coins!"
However, the last individual is the one that Du Wei is most concerned about
As the second-in-command of the imperial military command and the eldest son of Count Raymond, this journey back to his hometown is accompanied by only twenty guards, himself as the "steward," and a coachman.
As for the twenty family knights, they were also "carefully selected".
Especially the family crest on the car
Du Wei was the last to enter. By the time he walked in, the knights had already done an excellent job: they had cleared a space, set up a clean table, and then surrounded Du Wei with a protective circle
However, Du Wei was most concerned about this individual! Because he was completely shrouded in a robe, with a silver leaf-shaped badge on his chest
... ...
As Du Wei stepped out of the carriage, he glanced up at the rusted tin sign hanging above the tavern, swaying back and forth in the wind. The sounds of chatter and clamor emanated from within the entrance, while lively lights danced on the windows.
Madel immediately responded. At that moment, a horse galloped towards them, quickly arriving in front of the carriage. A family guard knight, dressed in light armor, was slightly out of breath and said loudly: "My lord, there is a small town ahead, and it seems this is the only place we can choose to rest tonight"
Especially those knights. Who wouldn't want to stay in the imperial capital, beside the earl, hoping that one day they could gain the earl's favor through their martial skills and achieve great success! Therefore, when the arrangement was made for accompanying Young Master Du Wei back to his hometown, everyone tried to avoid this task. Not a single knight would be willing to waste their prime years accompanying a cowardly master back to the countryside to oversee the lives of those farmers
This is a girl of about eighteen or nineteen years old, with long brown hair and a strikingly beautiful face, which evidently possesses an aggressive charm towards the opposite sex. She is wearing a form-fitting leather armor, clearly of high quality, though it is unknown what kind of magical beast's hide it is made from. It emits a deep blue color, adorned with some peculiar engravings. Her lower half is even more provocative, as she is wearing shorts that leave her snow-white, voluptuous thighs completely exposed. A leather belt is strapped around her thigh, with a dagger inserted into it. At her waist hangs a curved sword, and on her back is a finely crafted small bow, with a quiver containing a row of silver arrows.
Du Wei's stature is relatively tall, as he hails from the illustrious martial family of the Roland clan. However, his physique appears somewhat slender. The elegant formal attire he wears, adorned with lace at the collar and cuffs, signifies his noble status. Aside from his strikingly bright red hair, which is a typical trait of the Roland lineage, he gives off an impression of being more delicate.
The knights guarding nearby also appeared somewhat listless; in this place filled with the cheap scent of alcohol and the heavy aroma of cosmetics, they could not help but begin lamenting their future prospects.
Because it is the only tavern, the business is unlikely to be too poor... Inexpensive alcoholic beverages, cheap barbecued meat, and low-cost prostitutes... Even those living at the bottom of society need some enjoyment in life, don't they
Boss, I think you should collect the chairs this guy has sat on; you might be able to sell them for a good price
When Du Wei's convoy arrived in front of the tavern, Du Wei looked up and closed the book in his hands. He then extinguished the lantern in the carriage.
Undoubtedly, following such a master who has been sent back to his hometown to guard his ancestral estate, the future appears bleak and dim. Everyone possesses a sense of utilitarianism; everyone hopes to remain in the prosperous imperial capital. No one would willingly accompany a useless master, akin to a mere book, back to a remote and impoverished area to lead a mundane life.
Looking at the young knight's face, which was full of loyalty and determination, Ma De sighed inwardly: "What a naive young man"
Pale complexion, tall stature, fair and silent, holding a book in hand
Several heavily made-up women, dressed provocatively and exposing their shoulders and cleavage, attempted to approach Du Wei for conversation. However, Old Ma De effectively fulfilled her role, driving these women away.
Touching the hard money pouch in her arms, Master Mard displayed a smile on her face
I have heard that the Province of Kote is located in the southern part of the Empire. The girls from the south have delicate skin and petite figures. Perhaps I, old Mard, could marry a woman here.
This is a man clad in a gray robe, with an appearance that is quite ordinary, yet his eyes always shimmer with a cold light. His attire is exceedingly simple, to the point that those around him seem to overlook him.
Everyone knows that Master Du Wei has completely fallen out of favor with the family. The future of the family rests on his younger brother. Although it is not explicitly stated, everyone understands that Master Du Wei has been stripped of the title of "family heir".
The moment the tavern fell silent, all the men's gazes were almost instantly focused on the girl among the few individuals who had just entered.
After a brief silence, the tavern's patrons resumed their chatter, all discussing the arrival of Du Wei and his companions. Clearly, in such a small place, entering a cheap tavern dressed in fine clothes as a nobleman was a remarkable occurrence
This entourage is rather meager and lacking in substance
In the midst of the push, after two prostitutes were shoved aside, one could not help but point at Mad and curse a few words, using local slang that Old Mad did not mind. However, a drunkard immediately rushed over and embraced the prostitute: "Ah ha, my little darling, what’s so great about that little brat? Let me take care of you instead." After saying this, he gave her rear a hard squeeze, and the prostitute beamed with joy, immediately sitting down in the drunkard's embrace.