Abe the Wizard

Chapter 21: Boring Banquet

The splendor of the lord's mansion exceeded Abel's imagination. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw a massive fountain, with lights casting a magical glow on the dancing water. The servants of the lord's mansion, dressed in black livery, were polite and courteous, while the guards patrolling the surroundings wore half-body armor and carried long swords, displaying the prowess of professional fighters of at least Level 4 in Qi cultivation.

These professionals included warriors, knights, and assassins, all of whom trained in Qi cultivation to develop special abilities. Warriors were the most common, skilled in using various weapons such as swords, hammers, and spears. Knights, on the other hand, received superior education and abundant resources, resulting in comprehensive training and the finest equipment, including warhorses and armor. Meanwhile, assassins, though fewer in number, not only trained in Qi cultivation but also learned numerous covert techniques. Their Qi bursts were more intense, but at the cost of reduced duration.

In the Carmel Principality, obtaining a noble title was challenging. The regulations set by His Royal Highness, the king, restricted the number of nobles and formulated rules to limit inheritance rights to estates and titles. For example, there were restrictions against female inheritance of titles, non-feudal titles decreased by one level with each succession, and estates would be reclaimed if no heir was available. Countless noble families vanished during the ongoing process of power centralization.

The only condition for acquiring a title was to render significant service to the Principality. This was especially difficult during times of peace, and during war, gaining merit often required the sacrifice of many quasi-noble lives. Consequently, tensions between the king and the nobles had intensified in recent years. The major aristocratic families continued to strengthen their power, while the king sought opportunities to suppress those who dared challenge his authority.

The low rank of the Lord of Abundance City exemplified the diminished status of noble titles in the Carmel Principality. A lordship in a large city was only a baron, whereas in the neighboring Thunderous Principality, a city of similar size held at least a duke title.

All of this appeared remote to Abel, merely recounted by Knight Marshal during their carriage ride to the lord's mansion. Knight Marshal, having gained his territorial title through military merit, paid little attention to these matters, mentioning them only as an amusing anecdote for Abel's benefit.

Observing the guards at the lord's mansion, Abel couldn't help but think of Knight Marshal's stories about the powerful nobles constantly bolstering their strength to resist the king. Each of the hundreds of guards, even if just a basic warrior, could wield formidable combat power, equivalent to that of a legion of thousands.

The hall was crowded, and Abel was disappointed by the food at the lord's mansion. Due to the winter season, only pastries and roasted meat were available at the buffet table, but the supply of red wine was ample.

As Lord Dickens, the baron, made his appearance, the banquet officially commenced. His speech, though delivered to a large audience, reached every ear through his powerful Qi, according to Knight Marshal. This annual display of strength showcased the baron's wealth and formidable military might, enabling Lord Dickens to better govern his vast lands.

This was the most boring banquet Abel had attended. He didn't know anyone here except for a few friends introduced by Knight Marshal. Left on his own, Abel retreated to a corner, quietly observing the high society gathering, realizing why there was hardly any need for prepared food—most attendees simply carried their wine and engaged in conversation around the room.

In such an environment, Abel's eyelids grew heavier. The bustling sounds around him became a lullaby, and he eventually drifted off to sleep, exhausted from a day of exploring the streets. The noises of the night, like a mesmerizing melody, carried him into slumber until the end of the banquet, when Knight Marshal shook him awake.

Upon their return, Knight Marshal mocked Abel for falling asleep at the banquet. The knight couldn't believe that a Level 5 squire would doze off at a social event after a day of strolling through the city.

The next morning, Knight Marshal took Abel back to Harri Castle. As they left the mansion grounds, the steward, Robin, saw them off, and Abel leaned out of the carriage to wave goodbye.

This gesture alerted the servants, who had been on watch all night, that Abel was about to leave. They hurriedly reported to their master.

"What? They're heading for the south gate? Are you sure?" Upon hearing the report, Joshua immediately gathered a group of men.

Joshua's father was a viscount known for his business acumen. Over the years, he had purchased over a dozen storefronts along the main roads in Abundance City, nearly controlling 50% of the city's garment market. This made him a true noble businessman, and his substantial wealth provided Joshua with excellent training conditions. At 19 years old, Joshua was already a Level 4 squire. The viscount had always hoped that Joshua would achieve military merit and become a knight with his own territory.

Due to this, the viscount spared no expense in supporting Joshua's growth. Even the purchase of the Hundred Refinements Greatsword for Joshua was a clear demonstration of the viscount's investment in his son. Joshua had not dared to tell his father about losing the wager; he had planned to avenge the loss first and then find an opportunity to explain it to his father.

A team of thirteen, including twelve robust servants, each armed with a horse and a long sword, set out to pursue the carriage. Joshua rode a fiery red warhorse, leading the chase.

Meanwhile, Knight Marshal leisurely enjoyed a bottle of red wine in the carriage, swaying gently with its movements. Abel, meanwhile, tried to imitate the posture of a knight, but found the carriage too rigid, without any suspension. Whenever it jolted, causing the wine in Knight Marshal's cup to shake vigorously, Abel, undeterred, carefully observed and mimicked the knight's posture.

Although the draft horses were not particularly fast, the group of thirteen soon caught up with the carriage. Joshua's cold face broke into a sinister smile.

"How interesting, someone dares to pursue my carriage," remarked Knight Marshal, setting down his wine glass with a slightly menacing smile.

Not having brought a long sword due to his attendance with Knight Marshal, Abel instead readied his bow, equipped with arrows, preparing to shoot at a moment's notice.

"Go, stop the carriage, and pull out the people inside," Joshua ordered his twelve servants.

If Joshua had seen the carriage's heraldry from the front, perhaps he wouldn't have taken such action. The prominent white unicorn emblem on the carriage's front could indicate a noble family.

The twelve servants brandished their swords and charged at the carriage, ignoring the warning from the coachman: "This is the Harri family's carriage. Attacking it will incur the wrath of the Harri family."

The charging servants were unaware of the significance of the Harri family. If it had been the carriage of Knight Marshal, they might have known. Consequently, they did not halt their horses and continued toward the carriage, successfully stopping it.

Once Joshua caught up, he immediately noticed the very conspicuous white unicorn emblem at the front of the carriage. A chill ran down his spine, realizing that he had attacked a noble carriage. Although he hadn't clearly heard the coachman's words, seeing the coachman's confident demeanor, he understood that the other party had powerful backing.

At this point, attacking the noble carriage had become inevitable, and Joshua found himself in a difficult situation. He couldn't help but harbor sinister thoughts—what if he killed the coachman and the blacksmith inside? Who would know that he had done it?

"Kill them all," Joshua uttered ruthlessly.

The twelve servants hesitated for a moment. While they had assisted their young master in bullying others before, the most they had done was to disable someone's limbs. They had never killed anyone. However, they had to obey their young master's orders. Thus, they swung their swords chaotically and rushed towards the coachman.