151 Division of Interests (1/2)

Delpon, which used to be much livelier, now seemed much quieter.

There were still street vendors hawking their wares, but they didn't dare to make so much noise anymore. Even if they were buying and selling goods with pedestrians, they would subconsciously keep their voices down. After all, there were still black bloodstains on the roads. The beggar army had been outside the city burying corpses for an entire night, and there were still a small number of soldiers who had not been buried.

There was a change in the garrison on the walls, and the traders going in and out were quite unaccustomed to this.

In the past, even if they brought some contraband with them, they would only need to slip some money to pass through, but now they couldn't figure out the temper of those lofty Golden Sons, so they were simply waiting for things to come to a conclusion.

Whether it would be strict or loose, there would eventually be a standard.

And the fear was that, in this kind of chaos, there would be no standard, and then anything could be singled out as a reason to screw with them.

In addition, they had heard that tonight the Golden Sons would be attending a banquet held jointly by the nobles and that a definite conclusion would be reached about the rules and the distribution of interests.

Almost everyone was waiting for the party and for the news after its end.

Waiting was torturous, and the nobles, great merchants, and even the mercenaries collectively agreed that today was the most unbearable day of their lives.

But no matter how unbearable it was, no one would die, and time would eventually pass little by little.

In the evening, the whole city was almost alive.

The nobles who were eligible to attend the banquet were already at home ready and waiting, so they waited for it to get dark, brought their wives or lovers, and headed straight for Aldo's manor.

The small nobles or merchants who were not eligible to attend also left their homes.

They gathered in the taverns, inns, and other places near Aldo's manor, waiting for news, and took up almost all the spots in these places.

Some even fought over a seat.

In the manor, in order to express the solemn atmosphere, Aldo took out all the spare magic lamps used to illuminate the Magic Tower and hung them all over the manor. He borrowed dozens of good cooks from the various noble families that were somewhat familiar with him to help with the work, as well as a few seasoned butlers to take care of the scheduling and preparation of the entire venue.

The many magic lamps created a bright curtain of light that could almost compare to daylight.

The whole manor grew clamorous as more and more guests arrived. They broke up into a dozen small groups, boasting to each other and chatting about delightful topics.

The maidservant he doted on the most snuggled up to him and said, ”I've never seen you so happy.”

”Because my manor has never been so crowded.” Aldo had an elated expression, even a bit of frenzy, having been set free from extreme repression. ”Once I knelt down to that woman, I no longer had the dignity that a spellcaster should have. But now I have it again, and even though it was earned for me by someone else, and even though it's illusory, it makes me just as happy.”

The maidservant looked at Aldo with pity, knowing full well that her master, though usually playful and critical, was actually under heavy internal pressure.

The maidservants of the entire manor were fighting openly and secretly, but inwardly, they were all grateful to Aldo. So all these open and secret battles were kept to a limit, never annoying their master or letting him know.

After all, it was Aldo who had rescued them from that slave market where there was no justice and given them a place to stay.

The maidservant was caught up in her memories, but suddenly she noticed the silence below, the chatter of the bustling crowd barely audible, and then she heard Aldo's slightly happy voice.

”They're here.”

Four young men in simple attire arrived at the entrance of the manor, each one very conspicuous.