Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 289: Chapter 92 The First Interaction with Charles

Hill remembered these people; they were about his age, probably a few years younger, and had always followed Manton.

When Hill left the castle, they were also accompanying Manton during his training.

Hill blinked, it seemed that since he turned ten, the Earl hadn’t had any other children!

His mistress had never been lacking, but in those years no children were born, so was that why he valued Edgar so much?

Was it after realizing there might indeed be a problem with his fertility that he began to seriously doubt Edgar’s lineage?

However, these bastards would have been kicked out of the castle long ago if they weren’t following Manton.

The Earl never treated his bastards as people; giving them food and drink and a bit of education was already generous.

That they could live so comfortably for many years was all because Hill’s mother, Melanie, didn’t interfere with castle matters.

No matter how arrogant the steward might be, he wouldn’t dare to oppress the Earl’s offspring.

Nobles were all the same in that regard; he might disregard his own bastards, but if a servant dared to bully such a semi-master, being caught would mean being beaten to death.

So the only one who could bully these few was the Countess.

But at that time, Manton also needed manpower, and the people sent by the Kral Clan were after all servants and attendants, unable to do many things.

These few, however, were quite useful to Manton.

Any servant who dared to neglect Manton was dealt with by these fellows.

Manton still kept them by his side.

On a sunny afternoon, the simple funeral hastily came to an end.

Manton led Hill back to his own small castle.

Manton took his seat at the head of the table with ease and beckoned Hill to sit.

”Are you the master here?” Hill felt that Manton didn’t just start taking charge in these few days.

”How could Duke Charles trust someone who followed Prince Edward? Of course, he would only appoint me as the guardian of this mountain range.” Manton gestured for Hill to sit down, ”Luckily you’re here.”

”Duke Charles doesn’t let anyone bully you here, right?”

”The wolves are gone! This is actually a good place now.” Manton looked around, ”This is the place I fought desperately to keep, how could I possibly give it up.”

”People from the Kral Clan?” Hill caught on. If it was someone else, how could the Kral Clan not lend a hand to Manton, only if their own members caused trouble would Manton’s uncle be unable to help.

”What can I say?” Manton said dejectedly, ”It’s that woman’s husband’s brother. Though it’s profiting from a dead man’s loss, he himself has no ability; but what can I do with such a father?”

”And that woman?” Hill asked curiously.

”A woman who could exhaust a Grand Knight in bed,” Manton revealed a strange smile, ”How many men do you think would want to keep her safe?”

Hill was speechless for a while. Were that many men truly so reckless?

”Very beautiful?” Hill couldn’t imagine.

”Not even half as attractive as the previous one,” Manton said with a face full of sarcasm, ”but it did embarrass the Kral Clan. That brought him joy.”

So the Earl was possibly the only Great Noble that this lady could latch onto?

Then, was she a hidden spy from the beginning, or did something go wrong along the way?

”No issues with the Earl’s cause of death?” Hill inquired, ”I checked several times and really didn’t pick up on any evil presences.”

”Of course not,” Manton exhaled, ”I don’t know how many times I’ve tested that woman, faction-wise she’s neutral, and not a hint of demon’s presence. The testing tools came from the Temple of Time and Space; there couldn’t be any mistake.”

Manton probably really wished to make that woman out to be a Succubus or something, to cover some shame for that damned old Dady of his.

”Potion?” Hill remembered the trip to Haifa, ”Not poison, the kind that spices things up.”

”None,” Manton said coldly, ”Or if there was, it’s undetectable by now.”

Hill sighed deeply.

Manton said this, which meant he had already checked the woman’s luggage and found nothing at all.

”There must be an accomplice.” Hill could only pin his hopes on the Undead Tribe now, ”After I leave, let the Undead Tribe stay with you.”

”Do you think they can find out?” Manton raised a finger and looked at it, ”If they can, that would be for the best. Although I’m really annoyed by him, I don’t want to see him die like this.”

Hill nodded, ”It’s not just you who would be embarrassed, okay? He’s my father too. If we can’t find the truth, soon this will spread to Saral. Even though I’m not interested in socializing, I don’t want people to gossip about me when I step outside.”

Hill glanced at the several bastards, ”They’re still following you, huh?”

”I’m not interested in destroying the bridge after crossing the river.” Manton leaned back in his chair and laughed, ”They’ve followed me for so long after all. Besides, they’re all Knights now. During the time they followed Edward, they were all scared. Our father is too unreliable; following him is a dead end, better to strive on their own and maybe become Knights. Those guys used to hide at the first sign of trouble, it was rare for them to rush forward bravely back then.”

Hill nodded slightly, to his surprise, Manton’s character was actually pretty decent.

Being selfish, greedy, and petty doesn’t necessarily make one a bad person.

”In a while, after we get through this awkward phase,” Manton continued, ”Duke Charles is going to recruit for his personal army. I’ll send all of them into it, that should ensure a good outcome for them. They could have joined already, if it weren’t for this mess!”

Joining the army now would likely mean they’d be bullied to death. Hill understood what Manton meant.

The army led by Charles would definitely be dominated by the Kral Clan’s forces.

”If there’s a conspiracy, who would target the old man?” Manton was perplexed, ”Could there be an issue with that woman? But creating such trouble, Duke Charles certainly wouldn’t be interested in her! He would want to lay hands on the Helen type of women, just to slaughter them.”

”Maybe it’s just to create some chaos?” Hill said calmly, ”Aren’t there many men who are interested in her? If something happens at a critical moment, it might just trap Duke Charles.”

”Hey~” Manton waved his hand dismissively, ”We don’t need to pay attention to that now! Until Duke Charles submits to the King of Saral, there will be spies all over this camp. After that day, they just disappeared. Besides, compared to our bachelor Duke who has no wife, Ramsden, who is married with children, is worth more of their attention, right?”

”Duke Charles still doesn’t want to get married?” Hill asked curiously.

”He’s very frustrated now. He thought after he became King, he could marry a wife to his liking.” Manton couldn’t help but laugh, ”After all, he’s a Sky Knight. Duke Charles hoped to marry at least a Grand Knight, thinking he wouldn’t have to marry the daughter of the Great Nobility for alliance once he was King.”

”Who doesn’t know his intentions,” Hill said resignedly, ”In those years, so many noble women struggled to train, hoping to become Knights or even Grand Knights, mostly for his sake! But now that it’s come to this, he doesn’t need to consider political marriages anymore, he should just find someone he likes! I’ve always felt, it would be more suitable for him to find a Mage.”

”Don’t imply I’m foolish in such a roundabout way!” Charles, who had been eavesdropping outside, finally couldn’t bear it any longer.

”Duke Charles.” Hill stood up to show respect and then sat back down.

This guy had been crouching on the 2nd floor. Otherwise, Hill wouldn’t have bothered to care whether he got married or not.

”Duke Charles!” Manton was incredibly annoyed, ”Why are you eavesdropping again!”

Charles, big and muscular like a small hill, flopped down onto the main seat which Manton had vacated for him, ”He brought so many of the Undead Tribe here, I had to come and see what he’s up to.”

”Mr. Magister, you know much more than Duke Charles!” Manton retorted, ”You’re just here to enjoy the show!”

”Psh, who would have thought that Perast’s kid is not someone to be trifled with,” Charles snorted, ”Even more composed than when I heard the news of that idiot Edward’s death.”

”As long as you stay away from that woman, you’re fine.” Hill sighed, ”And also the Kral Clan, please keep a wide berth from the young ladies associated with this woman.”

”This woman, more terrifying than Helen.” Charles’s rugged face showed a tinge of numb laughter, ”I’ll stay far away. As for the Kral Clan, there’s no way I’d marry a woman from their family.”

Hill looked at Charles curiously.

”Sigh! You look just like the typical Mage, knowing nothing.” Charles waved his hand dismissively, ”I would never marry the daughter of a military-achieving family. It has nothing to do with power or anything like that—ordinary Nobles aiming for the throne, it’s not so easy. If something were to happen to me, and my death was questionable, William could intervene directly. Mainly, being a King, where’s the benefit? If even the King’s Mistresses in the Royal Palace are all considered good people. I can’t guarantee I would always be good to a good wife after marrying her.

People fight hard for you, you marry their daughter and then infuriate her, that’s just too inhumane. Hey~ The old man just didn’t understand this principle, and look at the Spencer Family—they knew William’s true identity early on, and yet they didn’t even blink when they helped William. Now in Saral domestically, who doesn’t want to marry a Spencer wife? Maybe their son will become the Crown Prince.”

Hill watched this guy, who started laughing at his own words, and deeply understood why those Mages in the Magic Tower didn’t like him much back then.

Clearly, knowing that William would be alerted when someone spoke his name, Charles intended to go back and say it a few more times.

”Many of the Undead Tribe have come this time.” Hill reminded him lightly, ”His Majesty the King can directly communicate with them.”

William will assign missions to the Undead Tribe to beat you up.

And the Magister following you won’t stop it.