Caros Manor.
The warm morning light poured into Iron Fort, bathing the entire hall in golden radiance.
“Mother!”
Two young girls, around seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in ladylike gowns, elegantly bowed before Amilia.
Xilis, Saixier, after breakfast, go obediently to your tutor. The etiquette master that Sir William hired for you once studied in Howlingburg and knows the most elegant manners of the blue-blooded nobility!
Amilia said with a stern face: “Even though the master is away, you must not skip classes! A well-mannered lady would not spend the entire day tending flowers in the garden. Do you understand!?”
“We understand, Mother!”
The two girls stuck out their pink, adorable little tongues, lifted their skirts, and replied with expressions of cuteness mixed with mischief: “When will Godfather be back?”
“Very soon!”
Looking at this scene, Amilia inwardly sighed.
She knew her two daughters had already grown into renowned beauties, but she also sensed a subtle affection they secretly harbored for the noble sir.
Unfortunately, given their status, it was now impossible for them to become the wife of the noble sir. However, becoming mistresses…
As if recalling some scenes, Amilia’s cheeks flushed red.
“Also…”
The younger-looking girl, Saixier, hesitated and asked: “That Lord Ciser is really too annoying… When will he leave?”
“Lord Ciser?”
Amilia’s smile instantly faded, replaced by a slightly nervous expression: “What happened?”
“He keeps leering at me and my sister!”
Saixier pouted. At her age, she already understood what was going on, and she was very dissatisfied with Lord Ciser, who had taken over the best guest room in Iron堡 since his arrival.
“How to deal with him is a matter for the noble sir to decide!”
Amilia regained her smile: “Alright… The ladies should now go to their lessons for today!”
After the two young ladies left, the smile on her face gradually turned cold: “Madam Saata!”
“Honored Lady, how may your servant assist you?”
The door opened, and a tall, stern-faced middle-aged woman entered.
“Recently, I want you to stay close to the two young ladies at all times, especially keeping a close eye on Lord Ciser. Do you understand?”
Amilia was no ordinary noblewoman; her past hardships had honed her into a shrewd strategist.
“If this man truly harbors ill intentions, deal with him the same way we handled those previous arrogant fools…”
Her cold chuckle made Madam Saata shiver, for the punishment she referred to was indeed excessively cruel for men.
After Madam Saata left, Qiao Fu, dressed in military uniform, entered: “My Lady!”
Due to health issues, Old Qiao Fu was no longer suited for frontline service, but with his wealth of experience, he was more than capable of serving as the local constable, successfully maintaining peace and order throughout the Caros territory.
“What’s the matter?”
Amilia rubbed her temples, sensing that Qiao Fu would not bring good news.
“Lord Ciser not only expressed interest in our factories, but several of his attendants were also caught last night crossing the security line and were captured by the factory guards!”
“A thief?!”
Amilia was first startled, then smiled.
Wu Ming had imposed strict military control over critical departments such as steel and weaponry. The factory guards were all well-trained veterans led by experienced non-commissioned officers. In times of emergency, they could be mobilized into a formidable force.
Attempting to spy on such well-guarded facilities would be tantamount to suicide unless attacked by an even greater force.
“There were five of them. How should they be dealt with?”
Qiao Fu asked solemnly.
“Did they access any sensitive information?”
“The most they managed was a distant glimpse of our production line. All our document rooms and blueprint archives remain intact!”
Qiao Fu stood proudly, answering with a sense of accomplishment.
“Imprison them all!”
Amilia immediately decided.
“But… what about Lord Ciser?”
Qiao Fu hesitated slightly.
“Remember, Qiao Fu, what you captured last night were merely a few ill-intentioned thieves! What noble status does Lord Ciser hold that he would associate with such despicable lowlifes?”
Amilia said with a smile.
“I understand, my Lady!”
Qiao Fu’s eyes lit up as he bowed and exited.
…
After arranging all these matters, Amilia exhaled in relief, a hint of fatigue appearing on her face.
Only at such moments did she realize she was still a woman, longing for someone strong to lean on.
“Please come back soon, my Lord!”
Amilia silently thought. But as she entered the drawing room, she once again donned a professional smile, looking at a nobleman seated there, holding a knife and fork, attacking a ham: “Good day, Lord Ciser. I hope everything here meets your satisfaction!”
The so-called Lord Ciser appeared to be under forty, with blue eyes, pale skin, and a wig on his head. Approaching him, one could immediately detect a cheap perfume scent, almost nauseating.
Amilia naturally knew the background of this lord.
In fact, within the Windfly Plains, only a few nobles received actual fiefs. Some noble descendants, despite their noble bloodlines, faced financial difficulties and struggled to maintain self-sufficiency, forcing them to serve other great nobles for rewards, even hoping for fiefs.
Some had earned merits but hadn’t qualified for fiefs, or there simply weren’t enough lands to grant, so they were temporarily awarded honorary lordships—non-hereditary titles, making them half-nobles.
With such titles, if they could obtain a fief and pass it down through generations, they could gradually integrate into the noble class.
Thus, these honorary lords became the most fanatical dogs of the great nobles, willing to do anything to earn enough merits.
“In fact… it’s quite unpleasant!”
Lord Ciser shoveled every dish on the table into his mouth, as if his stomach were bottomless, his eyes shamelessly ogling Amilia. This brazen gaze made Amilia clench her teeth inwardly.
“I want to see Sir William Wallace!”
He wiped his mouth with a white napkin in what he considered an elegant gesture, then said: “But he’s always away! Oh! Doesn’t William know his responsibilities to this land as a lord?”
“My master is an excellent lord who has brought endless wealth to the territory, allowing every subject to live in peace and prosperity!”
Amilia responded firmly.
“But a good lord should not leave his domain and must fulfill his duties!”
Ciser waved his knife and fork, nearly pointing the silver blade at Amilia’s nose: “William’s liege lord, the great blue-blooded leader, Earl of Blue Mountain, is now at war. Yet as a vassal, he fled when he should have fulfilled his duty! What is this? This is the most blatant betrayal of the sacred oath!”
He solemnly accused William outwardly while inwardly rejoicing.
The wealth of Caros Manor was renowned throughout the Windfly Plains. If he couldn’t make a fortune this time, how could he justify the effort and the long journey he had endured for this mission?
Even deeper in his heart lurked a secret desire.
He knew his own lord was dissatisfied with Sir William. If he could find an opportunity to strip the knight of his fief and have it re-granted to himself… He could already envision a river flowing with golden coins.
Though difficult, with the connections he had cultivated with the Earl, there was still a chance. At that time, all the gains from this mission could be invested as bribes.
As for the return? No problem. This land would give him the best reward.
As a feudal lord, collecting taxes was second nature. Not stripping this place bare would be a disservice to him.
“I protest!”
Amilia was so angry that her ample bosom heaved: “Sir William left his domain before the summons arrived! He did not intentionally neglect his responsibilities! Moreover, immediately upon receiving the summons, I dispatched a hundred soldiers to fulfill their lord’s duty to Earl Blue Mountain!”
“But facts are facts! Even a thousand strong soldiers cannot replace the fact that their knight did not arrive!”
Lord Ciser pulled out a parchment sealed with the Blue Tiger wax seal and shrugged: “I regret to inform you that if Sir William does not return within a month, I will have no choice but to temporarily ‘take over’ this territory according to the Earl’s decree.”
“Sir William will surely return!”
Amilia said firmly, her expression resolute.
“Alright then!”
Ciser leaned back in his chair, lazily asking as if by chance: “By the way… where have my loyal servants gone?”
“That should be your concern!”
Amilia sneered.
“My men have gone missing in Caros territory…” Ciser’s face turned cold: “You must give me a satisfactory explanation!”
“My Lady!”
At this moment, another gray-clad servant rushed in and whispered something in his ear, causing Ciser to immediately stand up, his face reddening: “You dare detain the Earl’s envoys? Do you intend to rebel?”
Amilia was inwardly startled, not expecting him to discover it so quickly.
“I will go to the factory right now and demand they release my servants and hang everyone who laid hands on them!”
Seizing the opportunity, Lord Ciser’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he roared.
“You… you have no right to do this!”
Amilia said sternly.
“I do have the right, for now, I represent the Earl!”
Lord Ciser replied smugly.
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