??Chapter 31: Chapter 31 A Strange Commission_1
Chapter 31: Chapter 31 A Strange Commission_1
The large manor near Baron Moro’s castle is actually a large village built by farrs around his castle.
There were no free farrs, everyone here was a serf.
The buildings here are obviously a level lower than those in Kari Town. All Ivita could see were thatched houses and no large buildings.
The surrounding fields were well tilled, growing crops like cabbages, radishes, fava beans, cucumbers, onions, pumpkins etc. So farrs with darkened skin were working in the fields.
So middle-aged n were chopping trees in the adjacent forest, and so were straining to move the cut logs.
Unlike the bustling rchants and vibrant workers in Kari Town, the farrs working in the fields and forests appear simple, slow and even a bit dazed.
These people were actually the serfs of the Baron Moro, the lord of the manor.
A sturdy farr walked past them, pulling a cart full of carrots.
Ivita suddenly saw his own ox secretly eating the carrots in the cart.
This scared the hell out of Ivita.
Not for any other reason, but because he seed to need to compensate for it.
Ivita called to the farr. “Sir, look at the carrots behind you, I will compensate for it.”
The cart-pulling farr looked back at the thieving ox, expressionless, thought for a mont, picked up three more carrots, and threw them on the ground. “Ox, eat more.”
Then, he turned back, continued pulling the cart forward. “No need to compensate. After all, these carrots are from the lord’s fields, it’s a waste not to eat them.”
“The lord is a fool who can’t do math, he won’t settle for a few carrots.”
Ivita: “…”
He had seen the state of mind of the serfs in the manor.
Once the man had gone.
Ivita complained to Black Wolf and Rayli, “Here and Kari Town are like two different worlds. Can you believe those greedy guys in Kari Town would not demand compensation from us! The most terrifying thing is that the distance between these two worlds is just twenty kiloters.”
Probably just like walking a few more streets on his forr earth.
So close, yet so far!
Black Wolf said, “There must be quite a few runaway slaves. These people would escape to Kari Town and beco freen.”
Rayli shook his head. “Mr. Demon Hunter, you are oversimplifying it. Firstly there’s the Seven-day Pursuit Law, which gives the lord the right to recapture runaway serfs within seven days.”
“Generally, towns do not want to invite trouble.”
“Secondly, towns are close-knit communities, without neighbors or kin, it’s impossible to settle down.”
“Moreover, freedom has a price. The citizens of the towns do not have a lord. They are their own masters and only serve the guilds and town councils, but they could starve to death, die of thirst.”
Rayli explained, “These serfs have no freedom, but their living conditions may not necessarily be worse than the citizens in the town.”
“Even during seasons of disaster, the lords will try to protect them, because they are the lord’s property.”
“A territory with few people is not an outco the lords desire.”
“But the citizens in the town have to fend for themselves, if they starve or die of thirst, except for loan sharks, no one would care for them.”
“So many people, even if they have the opportunity to beco citizens of the city and town, they will not use this opportunity.”
Rayli suddenly had an analogy. “Although this does not seem quite apt, but this is sowhat like the difference between a dostic dog and a wild wolf.”
Ivita laughed, and then they continued on their way. This ti, Ivita let Rayli watch the ox to prevent it from eating anything else.
Rayli however said that the silly ox had already eaten four carrots and should be full for now.
Unlike the orderly Kari Town, they walked around the manor for a long ti and no one cared about them. The serfs did not want to ddle in other people’s affairs.
The soldiers also seed sowhat lax in their duties.
Later they t so guard soldiers. After explaining that they were explorers, and being checked and passed, the soldiers no longer bothered them.
They only warned them not to cause trouble or steal anything from the fields, because all those belong to the lord.
If they caused trouble here, they would, at best, be banished forever, at worst, be executed by hanging on a tree by Baron Moro.
Then, after many inquiries, they asked a young man guarding the castle to notify Branton, the eldest son of Baron Moro.
After getting approval, the young man arranged for their cart and ox, and led them to a small side hall on the second floor of the castle.
Apparently, because it was only a small baron’s castle, there was no outer city and moat, only an inner city.
The most important rooms inside the castle were actually the spacious living room and the chapel, with the rest being a series of small rooms cramd together.
Ivita followed a lead servant, climbing up the spiral staircase, and he keenly observed that it ascended clockwise.
Yes, the staircases within these types of castles usually ascended in a clockwise fashion.
For instance, if an intruder wanted to attack the second floor of the castle, they would have to ascend the staircase. But since it spiraled clockwise, it posed a significant disadvantage for anyone attempting to climb from below.
This ant that those descending the stairs could do so with well-practiced habits.
Conversely, for the ones climbing from below, their chests would be directly exposed to the weapons of those at the top position.
In simple terms, it’s similar to being on an imbalanced ga map, where one side holds the familiar perspective, and the other side is presented with the unfamiliar one.
Once they reached the second floor, they weren’t led into the main reception room, but instead to a small side room.
However, this was expected.
At this point, Ivita and his companions were rely humble explorers, not nobility visiting other nobility.
Already waiting inside the side room was a young man of about eighteen, adorned in a robe decorated with intricate patterns.
That man was likely Baron Moro’s eldest son, Branton Moro!
Ivita handed over the task docunt, and a sowhat jittery Branton Moro responded, “You finally ca, you’re sincerely helping
out.”
“My sister has been missing for more than three and a half months.”
“But…”
Ivita frowned. “It’s been over three and a half months?”
Could there be any chance of survival?
“Didn’t you send people to look for her?”
To everyone’s surprise, Branton Moro began crying on the spot. “No because everyone keeps telling
I don’t have a sister. They say I’ve imagined her, but I rember distinctly she was taken by an ogre right in front of . We were hunting and stumbled upon an ogre.”
“No, it might’ve been a group of them.”
“Next thing I knew, my sister was seized by the ogres, but for so reason everyone around
insists that I have no sister.”
Ivita and the others were taken aback.
Ivita turned to look at Rayli and Black Wolf, Rayli shook his head, Black Wolf shrugged, “I’ve never encountered such a bizarre request.”
“Perhaps our client’s ntal state…”
“That’s right, my son has indeed gone mad, he doesn’t have a sister!” A forceful voice abruptly echoed in the room. Walking in from the outside, there appeared a robust man. With short hair and radiant eyes, his square face gave off a potent aura of power and authority.
Obviously, this was Baron Moro.
Baron Moro looked at Branton Moro with disgust. “Bastard, do you know how many people will covet our land if the news of your madness gets out?”
“You’re the heir to this place, and as Baron Moro you bear the responsibility of guarding important paths and scouting enemy intelligence for the Viscount. If your situation is made known, many will suggest to the Grand Viscount to replace the heir. I hope you stop playing the fool.”
Branton Moro was incensed. “No, father! Have you forgotten about your daughter? You have a daughter, and I have a sister. She used to be your favorite!”
Baron Moro sighed. He turned to Ivita and the others helplessly, “Guests, you can actually ask around, whether I even have a daughter.”
“However, let’s not discuss that right now.”
“This task is nothing but a hoax.”
“You may leave now, and I hope you depart from my land at first light tomorrow. Otherwise, I shall have my guards arrest you.”
“Now, please leave.”
Ivita was thoroughly confounded. What…
Didn’t that Druid promise that I’d get what I wanted from this mission?
What on earth is happening here?
Neither Black Wolf nor Rayli had anticipated this, and both wore puzzled expressions.
All they could do at this point was to leave temporarily. As they left, they heard Baron Moro muttering, “I suspect so witch has cursed my son.”
And so, everyone turned to look at the Hearthstone Grand Witch.
The Hearthstone Grand Witch exclaid, “What are you all looking at
for!”
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