Abe the Wizard

Chapter 11 Adoption

Marshall Harry's knight's residence was located about 300 miles west of Bennett's knight's residence, with a baron's estate in between. If it weren't for the baron's estate, the two knight's residences would be less than a six-hour journey apart.

Bennett, although a feudal knight, was already considered a noble, but compared to those with true titles, a knight was just a quasi-noble. Additionally, Bennett was not good at interacting with other nobles, so he only maintained a polite distance from the surrounding nobles. He would never make a request to a baron to let his armed convoy pass through the baron's estate; he would rather take a longer route.

Around three o'clock in the afternoon, the convoy arrived at Harry's knight's residence. From a distance, they could see two equally high red tapestries hanging on the walls of the castle, each bearing the image of a white unicorn rearing, which was Marshal Harry's emblem.

Abel noticed that Bennett's expression wasn't pleasant, as if he had been provoked by the enormous emblem tapestry before him. As far as Abel knew, the tapestry on the hall wall of Bennett's castle was only three meters high and two meters wide. It was crafted by the previous lord, and Bennett had paid a large sum of gold coins to complete it. This was Bennett's pride, and he always said that it was wealth left for future generations.

"This fellow must be doing this on purpose. I've talked to him about the tapestry," Bennett gritted his teeth and managed to spit out a few words.

Seeing Bennett's expression, Abel slowed down the pace of the horse convoy, moving away from Bennett, who was becoming increasingly dangerous.

At the entrance of Harry's castle, a knight around forty years old stood in the middle, clad in full golden armor, with two rows of guards on either side, all wearing full leather armor and wielding longswords. The knight's golden armor was engraved with the pattern of the sun god on the left chest and a red-and-white unicorn shield emblem on the right chest. Coupled with the knight's tall stature and the mature aura accumulated due to age, he appeared dashing and elegant.

"Marshal."

In a loud shout, Bennett dismounted and exuded an air of combat, like a ferocious tiger. He strode vigorously toward Marshal Harry, each step producing a resounding impact with the ground.

"Cecil."

Marshal Harry, too, was startled. His former elegant demeanor vanished, and his golden hair fluttered in the air with the release of combat energy, making him charge at Bennett like a lion.

The people on both sides were astonished. Weren't these two knights supposed to be the best of friends? Why did they seem ready to battle upon meeting?

As Bennett and Marshal Harry drew closer, they jumped in place and collided fiercely in mid-air. They didn't use their fists or feet; they simply slammed their chests together, creating a tremendous sound akin to two fully powered cars colliding.

After landing, both men stepped back about ten paces. Just as Bennett struggled to steady himself, he cursed, "Why didn't you tell me in your letter that you had become a senior knight?"

Meanwhile, Marshal Harry, looking at the dents on his golden armor, replied indignantly while caressing it, "You didn't say you were also a senior knight."

Bennett looked at the dents on his armor and calculated how much gold it would take to repair them. The resulting figure made him exclaim, "You tricked me. If I weren't a senior knight, I'd be lying on the ground by now."

"Touché."

Bennett and Marshal Harry stared at each other, seemingly on the brink of another fight, but then burst into laughter and embraced each other, patting each other's armor like a blacksmith forging iron.

At this moment, all the etiquette of a nobleman and the suave demeanor of a knight disappeared. What remained was the excitement and uninhibited embrace of two brothers upon their reunion.

Abel watched with envy as he observed these two close friends. For a person with secrets like himself, finding such trustworthy friends was rare.

The adoption ceremony was conducted very formally, presided over by priests from the Temple of the Goddess of Abundance who had been summoned from Harvest City. Bennett handed Abel over to Marshal Harry, who personally draped a garment with a white unicorn emblem over Abel's shoulders, completing the adoption ceremony under the priest's supervision.

After the ceremony, a ball was held at Harry's castle to celebrate the fact that the castle now had an heir and would continue to thrive.

For a lord without natural offspring and no established heir, if the lord were to pass away, the fiefdom would be confiscated by the state. For those who relied on the land for their livelihood, losing this support meant a major upheaval. Therefore, the arrival of a new heir was a significant event for a domain lacking natural heirs.

Bennett did not attend the ball. Instead, after the ceremony, he led the convoy back to his own castle. It was impossible for Bennett to attend a celebration of his son's adoption, so Marshal Harry did not try to detain him.

Marshal Harry brought Abel to a two-story annex on the left side of the castle, gently pushed open the door, and warmly led Abel inside. He introduced, "Abel, this will be your room from now on. I hope you can feel at home here."

The first floor was spacious, with a solid stone floor and a reception table with several high-backed chairs on one side. The rest of the space was left empty, except for a weapons rack against the wall, holding large swords, shields, bows, spears, and even a giant axe used by orcs.

This space was referred to as a reception room, but it resembled a small practice room. The layout catered to the requirements of an apprentice knight, who needed ample time for training. It was evident that Marshal Harry had put considerable thought into arranging the hall.

The second floor housed the bedroom, with a feather bed that looked inviting, adorned with pristine white sheets. The glazed white oak walls and the white wool carpet gave the room an elegant and pure ambiance. Through the tall French windows, the outside view of the castle grounds could be seen.

It was clear that Marshal Harry had a fondness for white, owing to the white unicorn on his emblem. Everything on the second floor was white, including the large wardrobe, which was also crafted from white oak wood.

"I've arranged your clothes for you," Marshal Harry said, opening the wardrobe to reveal an array of garments. He then continued, "The welcome ball is still some time away. You can freshen up with a bath and rest for a while. A maid will come to remind you later and assist you in changing into the attire for the ball."

With a sunny smile, Marshal Harry gestured to Abel, leaving him feeling a warm sensation. Before turning to leave, he asked, "Is there anything else you need? Don't hesitate. This is your home from now on."

"No, you've already arranged everything so well," Abel responded. Marshal Harry's amiability and concern made Abel feel somewhat overwhelmed, but he knew that everything the marshal had done was to help him acclimate to this new home.

After Marshal Harry departed, Abel stood by the window on the second floor, gazing at the night scenery outside. In the distance, the flickering lights were the carriages of guests arriving for the ball. This place was very close to the bustling Harvest City, which was much larger than the small town of Lichester.

This would be his home from now on. Having just come into this world, accepted a new identity, and welcomed new parents and an elder brother, Abel was now entering a new family and embarking on a new life. Shaking his head and sighing, mature-minded Abel was not as he appeared. He was already contemplating his growth and how, in the future, he could assist his parents when he became stronger.

Footsteps approached from the staircase, and the bedroom door was pushed open. A maid with a round face around twenty years old entered quietly, respectfully asking, "Your bathwater is ready. Are you prepared?"

Guided by the maid, Abel was taken to the master's exclusive bathroom in the castle. The wooden bath exuded the unique scent of wood, and the marble tub was filled with steaming water emitting wisps of white vapor, with flower petals adorning the surface, imparting a floral fragrance to the water.

Upon entering the bathroom, the maid was about to follow, but Abel stopped her. Having received a modern education, he was not yet accustomed to having a maid help him bathe.

After the bath, he donned the undergarments and, with the maid's assistance, put on the attire prepared for the ball.