56 The Evil Eagle Part 1 (1/2)

There were not many large cities in the Phoenix Duchy and after walking for a day, the team had only gone past a few slightly larger estates. They had not even seen any small towns like Deep Forest Town.

Resting four times along the way and eating some dry rations, Aini was in a better condition than expected and did not delay their progress.

Nightfall approached, and the Nut Mercenary increased their speed.

”Mr. Aini, there is a castle twenty kilometers ahead. Is it fine to rest there for the night?” Flamenco sought the opinion of Aini.

”You’re the one who knows the way. I won’t interfere with your plan,” Aini replied coolly.

Saleen did not say anything as he pretended to not have heard what Flamenco said. He and Aini were carrying a lot of gemstones on them and it was hard to trust the Nut Mercenary entirely. However, the two of them had their ways of hiding the gemstones out of the Nut Mercenary’s sight without them noticing, and this had stopped them from harboring any evil thoughts.

If Saleen started showing his anxiety, they would definitely catch on.

The team immediately turned north and sped off, entering a small path. The two sides were no longer farmland and were lined with dense forest. The branches on the two ends extended above the road and the sky seemed to have darkened.

Twenty kilometers took the team less than thirty minutes to travel, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the castle.

This was an old castle with a distinct Fourth Dynasty style. It had a tall peak and an elegant stone statue. There were no battlements on the castle and instead, there were v-shaped teeth-like openings at the top. It had even kept the barbette of the magic cannons.

During the Fourth Dynasty, only a marquis could have owned a castle like this.

There were many goshawks flying in the sky overhead. Saleen lifted his head but couldn’t make out the details of the eagle. At the front of the castle, Javelin was talking affably to two other guards who were fully clad in armor. It seemed the two of them knew each other.

Saleen thought: The Nut Mercenary must have decided to rest at this place long ago. Discussing it with Aini was only a formality.

”Baron Cook is my friend,” Flamenco explained. He had brought Aini and the others here to rest to ensure their safety. Even though this place was far away from the border, it was still desolate. If they decided to camp outside, it would be troublesome if they met with any bandits.

Entering the castle, it was arranged nothing like the crudely designed castles in Sikeqinya, nor was it as gloomy and cramped as the ones in the Taggulasi Empire. Lining the wide corridors were many stone rooms that could accommodate four soldiers each, and it was spacious enough that it didn’t seem like a battle fortification.

In the hall of the castle, Baron Cook was there to accept Flamenco and the others.

”Old friend! How long you have not visited me!” Baron Cook was well-built and the silk he was wearing could not hide his muscles. He was thirty years old and in his prime. As he spoke, he gave Flamenco a big hug, seemingly not afraid that Flamenco’s armor would pierce through his expensive silk robes.

Saleen could not help but think of Viscount Gugger, as he was of the same age and was equally energetic.

Only after Baron Cook and Flamenco had exchanged greetings did they acknowledge Saleen’s presence. ”Saleen, I’m so sorry. Here I was busy catching up with my old friend.”

”Baron, your wealth is astonishing!” Saleen was direct. This castle was far too lavish for a baron like him.

Baron Cook was not embarrassed. He laughed candidly and said, ”Saleen, you must be from Sikeqinya.”

”How did you know?” Saleen was surprised. Truthfully, Baron Cook was a little impolite. Since the others had entered the hall, he had not asked Flamenco for any introductions and had only focused on catching up with Flamenco himself.

”Because you would have be clueless about the small secrets we have here. I did not buy this castle with a lot of money. Actually, it was more of a gift,” Baron Cook said smugly.

”Such a thing exists!” Saleen looked at the interior of the hall. It had the same style of the castle, so evidently, it had not been redecorated after that. He was not entirely clueless about the wealthy and could at least differentiate the good from the bad.

”It was merely a stunt by the lords. All of this is nothing to a mage.” Baron Cook stopped at an appropriate place and did not make fun of Saleen’s superficial knowledge.

Aini stood in the corner laughing to himself. He was very aware of what was happening. It was merely a case of two willing parties, and was common in big families.

Baron Cook was a cheerful person and it seemed like he was skilled in combat. If these had been times of war and he had led an army to fight alongside the emperor, his promotions would have been astounding. It was a pity, however, that the mainland had enjoyed peace for too long, and the low-grade wealthy like him and Viscount Gugger could only find means of currying favor with the higher-ups or living out their days.

The inside of the castle was spacious, and a dozen guests were nothing compared to the thousands of soldiers it could hold. After they had settled down into their rooms and everyone had freshened themselves up, the night banquet began.