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Chapter 275: Marriage Alliance and Bandit Extermination
🕑 Added 2024-10-01 05:36:01 +0000 UTC"Great-Grandfather, is there more fun to be had in Dark Hawk City? Is it prettier than Twilight City?" A young, childish voice came from behind Count Nilo. A little girl stood up on the broad back of the horse, her hands resting on Count Nilo's shoulders as she scanned the path ahead. Seeing nothing in the distance, she pouted and said, "Great-Grandfather, you're lying! You said we were almost there, but I don't see anything!"
Count Nilo chuckled at her words, his face gentle and kind. He turned around to meet his great-granddaughter's wide, sparkling eyes and fair little face. Noticing her puffed-up cheeks and pouting expression, he gently said, "Gianna, I'm not lying to you. We will definitely reach Dark Hawk City today."
Gianna, with her short golden hair adorned with a few elegant little swan hairpins, looked innocent and adorable. Tilting her head slightly, she asked skeptically, "Really?"
"Of course. If I’m lying, you can make any request you want, and I'll do my best to fulfill it!" Count Nilo smiled kindly, softly stroking Gianna's golden hair.
"Wow, Great-Grandfather, you're the best!" Gianna cheered, bouncing on the horse's back. "Hehe, I want to see the Orc Circus! I've read so much about circuses in storybooks—they sound amazing, but I've never seen one. Didn’t you say there are orcs in Dark Hawk City? Please take me to see them!"
Count Nilo held Gianna's waist to prevent her from falling, but when he heard her request, a trace of helplessness crossed his face. He said, "I'm afraid I can't guarantee that. After all, this isn’t Twilight City, where everything can go your way. The orcs there don’t belong to us, so it’s unlikely they’d perform acrobatics for you."
"Huh?" Gianna dragged out the sound, her face falling as she tugged on a piece of light armor on Count Nilo’s shoulder. "What should I do, then? How can I see the orcs perform? Great-Grandfather, you must have a way, right?"
Count Nilo sighed and shook his head. After a moment, he looked ahead, squinting as he smiled, "Hehe, there might be a way, but it depends on you."
"What do you mean?" Gianna tilted her head, her face full of confusion.
Count Nilo suddenly fell silent, his smiling face turning forward again as his expression gradually returned to calm.
His voice drifted backward, "First, you must be quiet and well-behaved. No jumping around, just like your third grandmother, Julia—quiet and composed."
Four hours later, Count Nilo led his team to Dark Hawk City, following the signposts to Green Manor.
At the entrance of Green Manor, Sveta was leisurely strolling when she unexpectedly encountered Count Nilo's visit. The moment he dismounted, he displayed an unusual enthusiasm rarely seen in the southwestern borderlands over the past few decades. He quickly approached and greeted warmly, "Butler Sveta, it's been a long time! You look as spirited as ever."
The slightly sleep-deprived Sveta set down the small red watering can he was holding and responded politely, "Count Nilo, indeed, it’s been a while. Are you here to visit the Master today?"
"Yes, I have some business to discuss with Marquis Rhett," Count Nilo replied with an unchanged smile, pointing to the carriage behind him. "This is a gift from the Brenn family for Marquis Rhett. I would appreciate it if you could inform him."
"A simple matter."
Despite Count Nilo's warm greeting, polite words, and the carriage full of gifts behind him, Sveta couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
Once upon a time, his master was just a minor baron, and Count Nilo was an absolute figure of importance to the Green family, someone even his master treated with utmost respect. But as time passed, the roles had reversed. As the butler of Green Manor, Sveta felt this deeply.
Regaining his composure, he adopted the demeanor befitting a marquis's butler. With a slight smile, yet still maintaining proper etiquette, he turned to the knight behind him and said, "Kaz, go to the training grounds and find a few escort knights to move these goods to the warehouse."
"Understood, Butler Sveta!" The knight responded promptly and headed toward the training grounds.
"Count Nilo, please follow me inside. The Master is in the castle, and I'll report your arrival." With that, Sveta turned and quickened his pace toward Dark Rock Castle.
"Thank you!"
As Count Nilo followed, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed around him. Sveta turned his head, frowning slightly. "It’s best not to wander around Green Manor, especially not in the rear garden, but feel free to move about on these two open lawns." He pointed to the spacious lawns flanking the stone path.
"Those are basic rules, which I'm well aware of!" Count Nilo chuckled. Then, lifting Gianna into his arms, he asked, "This is my great-granddaughter. It shouldn't be a problem for her to accompany me into Dark Rock Castle, right?"
"Not at all. Please, follow me."
Cradled in Nilo's arms, Gianna looked around with bright eyes, her gaze filled with curiosity about this unfamiliar place.
The two entered Dark Rock Castle, where Sveta instructed the servants to attend to the guests before heading upstairs to report. However, as he reached the third-floor landing, he encountered Rhett descending the stairs. Pausing for a moment, he prepared to inform the Master of Count Nilo's arrival.
But Rhett interrupted him, raising a hand, "I’ve already seen it. Count Nilo is downstairs. Sveta, you don’t look well; you should get some rest."
"The Master’s eyes are sharp. I did have trouble sleeping last night," Sveta admitted, placing a hand on his chest.
"Take care of yourself, and let me know if you’re feeling unwell." Rhett patted Sveta’s shoulder and walked past him down the stairs.
Thump, thump, thump.
Hearing the light footsteps descending the stairs, Count Nilo straightened up, stepping forward onto the red carpet to greet the mature and composed figure approaching. In a louder voice, he said, "Marquis Rhett, it’s been a long time! Your promotion to marquis was a blessing for the entire southwestern border. I’ve been eagerly awaiting your elevation banquet, intending to congratulate you in person. But after waiting for so long without any news, I decided to come today to express my excitement."
Seeing Nilo’s outstretched arms, Rhett returned the gesture with a light hug, a standard smile on his lips. "Thank you for the compliments. The little girl with you is?"
"Boni’s granddaughter, my great-granddaughter, Gianna. You know, after Boni returned from the canyon frontlines with serious injuries, he’s been downcast, not caring much for his descendants. So I had no choice but to bring her along on this trip to broaden her horizons."
"I see." Rhett walked over to the dining table, took a seat, and gestured for Count Nilo to do the same. "Please, sit. Boni's experience is indeed unfortunate. I hope he recovers soon."
"Sigh." Count Nilo sighed, taking a sip of tea.
The two chatted casually for a while, enjoying a few pieces of dessert. During this time, Gianna sat quietly in her chair, though her large eyes darted around, betraying the lively spirit hidden within.
Noticing this, Rhett smiled slightly, "Count Nilo, Gianna seems restless. There’s no need to confine a child to one spot. Why not let her go upstairs? Dick and Karez are playing in their rooms. They likely wouldn’t mind such a lovely girl joining them. In fact, they might even be thrilled. What do you think?"
"That would be wonderful. I agree with Marquis Rhett's suggestion!" Count Nilo looked at Gianna and patted her back. "Gianna, there are other children waiting upstairs. Go on up; I have other matters to discuss with Marquis Rhett."
"Understood." Gianna obediently responded, finishing the dessert on her plate before hopping off the chair.
"Scarlett, take her to Riley's room." Rhett instructed the maid standing nearby.
"Yes, my lord!" Scarlett, dressed in a black-and-white maid outfit, responded and led Gianna upstairs.
Once the two had left, Rhett took a small sip of tea and softly said, "Count Nilo, it seems your great-granddaughter isn't too happy. Forcing children to do things against their will isn’t ideal..."
"Oh, it’s nothing like that. Gianna just wanted to see an orc acrobatic performance, but I couldn’t agree to such an unreasonable request." Count Nilo chuckled, shaking his head.
He paused for a moment, carefully considering his words before continuing, "Actually… Marquis Rhett, there’s something important I’d like to discuss with you."
"Oh? What is it?" Rhett asked, feigning surprise.
"I believe our two families should form a marriage alliance!" Count Nilo said seriously.
"A marriage alliance? You can't be serious?" Rhett’s voice suddenly grew louder as he looked at Nilo with a surprised expression.
Count Nilo maintained a sincere expression as he replied, "Yes, I’m serious. Now that you’re a marquis, the strongest force in the southwestern borderlands, and our Brenn family has been established here for a considerable time, a marriage alliance between our two families would be beneficial for both of us, as well as for the entire southwestern region."
"Whether it’s a merger of resources, intelligence, or military power, a union between our families would be mutually advantageous."
Rhett’s surprise deepened as he stroked his chin, pondering aloud, "Hmm… It does sound like a good idea, but I have to ask, haven’t you already formed such an alliance with the King family in the past?"
"Certainly not." Count Nilo shook his head. "Marquis Rhett, you may have heard that a few years ago, they planted spies in our family, creating a rift that’s hard to mend. And that’s not even the main issue. More importantly, our two families are on the same level, constantly competing in various aspects, both openly and covertly. Any so-called alliance would only be superficial.
After all, our strengths are comparable, so neither side is willing to submit to the other, and we’re both wary of any hidden schemes. It’s difficult to form a genuine union. The best we can hope for is peaceful coexistence, with each side keeping to itself."
"But you’re different, Marquis Rhett. You are the jewel of this impoverished southwestern region, destined to make this land, long overlooked by the kingdom, shine brightly." Count Nilo’s tone shifted, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm as he spoke with a hint of fervor. "You have boundless potential and great strength. With your absolute power, you can suppress any conspiracies. Your military might is the true foundation of peace, enabling us to follow your lead and achieve a more unified alliance."
Rhett stared at him intently for a moment before saying, "Count Nilo, your vision is indeed extraordinary."
"It’s your brilliance that’s too bright to miss. Anyone who isn’t blind can see it," Count Nilo replied modestly.
"Haha, alright then. We can discuss the details of our alliance later and let our subordinates handle the specifics of our cooperation," Rhett said with a smile. "But as for the marriage alliance, I should remind you that all three of my sons are already married, so it’s difficult for me to agree."
"No, no, no, Marquis Rhett, you’ve misunderstood. I’m here to propose a match for Gianna," Count Nilo quickly clarified. "I’ve done some research, and I know that Young Master Tucker has an eldest son who’s about the same age as Gianna. I think they’d be a great match."
"Dick and Gianna, huh? Hmm, I’ll need to consult Tucker about this," Rhett replied after a moment of consideration.
"No problem!" Count Nilo's expression brightened with joy. The fact that Rhett hadn’t outright rejected the idea suggested there was hope, and the chances of success were high. As the head of the family, Rhett had the final say in all matters, so the fact that he hadn’t refused outright meant the marriage alliance was likely to go through.
The two continued chatting for a bit when the dust-covered Taylors entered through the main gate. Having heard of Count Nilo’s visit while at the manor, and noticing the unfamiliar knights outside, he politely greeted them, "Count Nilo, it’s been a long time!"
"A long time indeed," Count Nilo responded warmly, standing up to embrace Taylors.
"Taylors, it looks like you’ve returned victorious. How did the bandit extermination go?" Rhett asked with a smile. About a week ago, he received news of bandits causing havoc in the southwestern borderlands, attacking, looting, and slaughtering villagers and common folk. Although the incidents didn’t occur within his territory, as the newly appointed marquis of the southwestern borderlands, he couldn’t sit idly by. So he sent White Hat along with Taylors to deal with the bandits.
Truth be told, it was somewhat overkill, but to ensure Taylors could collect destiny points, sending White Hat, a sixth-level magus, seemed the safest choice.
"Bandit extermination?" Count Nilo was taken aback for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Could it be the bandits led by a fourth-level Earth Knight? I encountered some survivors on my way here who spoke of a group like that, committing all sorts of atrocities—burning, killing, and looting without sparing anyone, young or old."
"Yes, that's the one. There were over twenty bandits in total, and the leader was indeed a fourth-level Earth Knight. They’ve all been eliminated!"
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