Chapter 269: Baron Kaffield Chapter 269 (Request for monthly tickets! Please subscribe!)
At that moment, Saint Charia realized that she might have inadvertently exposed Liz’s identity.
Seeing both Kaliya and Shafni rendered speechless, Saint Charia simply continued speaking.
"Go add a set of tableware for His Highness."
Saint Charia instructed Kaliya.
"Yes."
It was then that Kaliya snapped to attention, clapped her hands, and signaled an attendant to bring the tableware over.
"But..."
Liz still hesitated, shrinking back timidly.
Seeing this, Reiger spoke out directly.
"Sit."
Reiger commanded Liz in a tone that brooked no argument.
Thanks to that tone, the subtle bond that existed between Reiger and Liz due to their contract came into play. Before Liz could react, she had involuntarily taken a seat.
The effects of the Attendant’s Contract made Liz subconsciously obey her master’s command.
"Ah..."
Liz, having come back to her senses, hunched her shoulders and held onto her sword, sitting there in a mortified posture.
Watching Liz behave this way, Saint Charia couldn’t help but exclaim.
"His Highness truly is adorable."
Even she had been captivated by Liz’s stunning beauty and her endearing, easily flustered, small-animal-like personality.
Even Shafni cast eager glances at Liz, with a look that said she wanted to get close to Liz and become friends with her.
This young girl was also only 15 years old. Although, like the original host and Kaliya, she was a Magic Apprentice at the Spillar Academy, she was a special admission, a student enrolled ahead of schedule, making her actually a contemporary of Liz. The two of them should have had quite a few topics in common.
Regrettably, Shafni had made her allegiances too clear. It was obvious that she, like Kaliya, was a supporter and affiliate of the Codelion Family. And since Liz was of the royal family, any association between the two might cause issues between the royal faction and the duke’s faction.
Therefore, Reiger didn’t let Liz interact with Shafni, but instead turned to Saint Charia.
"Is it about time you told me?" Reiger asked: "What did that mad dog prince do?"
Reiger finally posed this question.
He did not inquire of Kaliya, naturally because the information must have come from Saint Charia’s side.
The Liya Family were merely Earls; if they could come by information about Prince Solok, then the Franzel Family should have access to the information too.
Yet Yuri had not received any such news. Given that, how could the Liya Family be more informed than the Franzel Family?
It was certainly because the source of this information did not come from the Earl of Liya, but from the Codelion Family.
As the arch enemies of the royal faction, the Duke Codelion Family must be paying close attention to the movements of the royal progeny at all times. It was quite normal for them to know things that others did not.
In this meeting, Reiger was also able to discern that it was truly Saint Charia who was in charge, with Kaliya merely facilitating the connection.
The one who actually wanted to see Reiger, to speak with him, and to discuss the matter of the third prince, was not Kaliya, but this beautiful and lovely miss of the Codelion Family.
Thus, Reiger directly shifted the conversation to Saint Charia.
Saint Charia didn’t see anything wrong with this shift, and Kaliya, for her part, seemed to step back having fulfilled her role, quietly observing the exchange between Reiger and Saint Charia.
"Indeed, my house has noticed some movements from Prince Solok," Saint Charia pursed her lips and smiled, "Based on these movements, both my brother and I believe that he’s come for you, Lord Reiger."
"I’m aware," Reiger replied, unmoved: "Ever since I publicly kicked away his recruitment at the investiture ceremony, I knew he would most likely seek ways to deal with me."
"That man is simply not right in the head," Saint Charia said bluntly, "Who would go after a Sword Saint just because of some verbal disagreements? As if being a prince means you can do whatever you please?"
Saint Charia’s rather forthright comments startled both Kaliya and Shafni, who promptly practiced selective deafness, pretending to hear nothing.
Liz, hearing this conversation, displayed a complex expression.
It couldn’t be helped, who would think that Solok, like Liz, was also royal progeny, children of the reigning King?
As the third prince, Solok was, strictly speaking, the half-brother of Liz, who was the ninth princess.
Of course, Liz had no real impression of Solok.
Due to her origin, Liz had always been somewhat ostracized by the legitimate royal progeny and was partially confined by King Hemulinp within the palace, having little contact with her other siblings. Furthermore, given Solok’s nasty character, he looked down on even his full siblings, let alone Liz, who was a bastard child.
As a result, Liz had never actually interacted with Solok. The two had only seen each other occasionally at royal gatherings that they were both required to attend, and that was it.
In such circumstance, when Solok was cursed by Saint Charia, Liz felt conflicted, yet she didn’t show any reaction.
Even if he was her half-brother, if he intended to deal with Reiger, then he would only be an enemy to her, that’s what Liz thought.
"And then?" Reiger stared at Saint Charia and asked, "What did he do?"
This question elicited an answer that Reiger had never considered from the beginning.
"He sent someone to the Baronial Lands of Kafereld."
Kafereld Baronial Lands.
Just by hearing the name, one could tell that it was a territory belonging to a baron.
Among the many noble titles, a baron is undoubtedly of the lowest rank, an unquestionable minor noble.
And in any country, lands granted to barons were those extremely remote and impoverished rural places.
Clearly, the Kafereld Baronial Lands were such a rural place.
However, this name struck a chord with Reiger’s memory.
The reason was simple.
"Originally, we were curious why that mad dog would suddenly send people to such a rural place, so we took the trouble to investigate," Saint Charia said as she looked at Reiger. "Then we found out that it was the hometown of Lord Reiger."
Yes.
The Kafereld Baronial Lands were indeed Reiger’s hometown, or rather, the original owner’s hometown.
The original owner was born there, grew up there, and after discovering that his Magic Power was extraordinary, to avoid being offered to the master of his grandfather who was a slave, he escaped and made his way to the metropolis, eventually arriving at the capital through twists and turns.
In other words, the original owner’s family and people with ties to his past all resided within those Kafereld Baronial Lands.
"We speculate that the mad dog intends to strike at your family," Saint Charia said. "The order he gave was to capture them alive, to bring your parents, grandfather, and even that Baron of Kafereld to the capital. This is information our people managed to find out with great difficulty."
What exactly he wanted to do was obvious to anyone who thought about it.
"Unless something unexpected happened, he probably wants to use your family to blackmail you, to make you submit to him, right?" Saint Charia said with extreme disgust. "True to his nature, his methods are as low and vile as ever."
Hearing Saint Charia’s words, Kaliya and Shafni both nodded.
As nobility, they were not unaccustomed to seeing even more despicable methods, but it also depended on who was employing them.
His Royal Highness the Prince, the most outstanding individual of this generation in the royal family, was indeed using such lowly tactics, which commanding no respect whatsoever.
"Master..."
Liz immediately cast a worried look toward Reiger.
However, Reiger’s expression and eyes were unusually calm.
It wasn’t a feigned calmness, nor was he suppressing any emotions, and it wasn’t the calm before the storm; rather, he was genuinely undisturbed, unshaken, as if those about to be captured and harmed were not his own family.
And indeed, that was the case.
Reiger looked on at the situation with the detachment of an observer, dispassionately.
"Has he succeeded?"
Reiger simply asked in an indifferent tone.
"Based on our calculations of the time, he should have been successful," Saint Charia, somewhat surprised by Reiger’s composure, still spoke truthfully. "The Baronial Lands of Kafereld, although secluded, can be reached via the Grand Canal by water route, and it wouldn’t take two days to get there. A round trip would only require three days, and it was five days ago that the mad dog sent his people."
Given this, it was not only possible that Solok’s men had successfully completed the mission, but they should also have already brought the people to the capital.
Taking three days for the round trip, in the remaining two days, even the most inept among Solok’s men should have finished the task.
In a baron’s territory, there’s not even talk of a proper Swordsman, let alone a decent Knight.
In such a rural area, It would undoubtedly take Solok mere minutes to act, without a hint of suspense.
"Our people are currently keeping a close watch on him, trying to find where he’s hiding them," Saint Charia said. "He won’t be able to bring the captives openly into the royal palace, so as soon as his men show up with a group of captives, they will definitely expose themselves, and we will find them."
"Good," Reiger immediately responded to Saint Charia. "If you find them, please let me know. Consider it a favor I owe you."
That must have been the purpose of Saint Charia arranging to meet and specifically tell him about this, right?
Without a doubt, the Codelion Family wanted to curry favor with him and be on good terms.
In that case, Reiger would certainly acknowledge this favor.
But...
"What do you plan to do about this?" Saint Charia asked with a rather curious smile. "If you intend to impeach that mad dog in front of His Majesty, perhaps we can still offer a little help?"
The response she received was a single, calm utterance.
"No need."
Reiger’s voice rose slowly.
"I’ll handle it my own way and show that mad dog what kind of end he will face."