Unease
The business blueprint excited him, but right now, there were more pressing matters that concerned him more.
He reined in his horse and instructed Lyon beside him, "Lyon, take the cavalry, the young men, and the wagons carrying the heads, and go to the barracks in the city to settle down and rest. I'll be there shortly."
"Yes, sir!" Lyon accepted the order and led his men toward the road leading to the barracks.
Karl took a deep breath, spurred his horse alone, and galloped toward the familiar and imposing Governor's Office in the city center.
The horse's hooves pounded on the smooth stone pavement, making a crisp and rapid sound, as if striking his anxious and expectant heart.
Soon, the magnificent gates of the Governor's Office came into view.
Karl dismounted at the door and casually handed the reins to the groom who came to greet him.
He stood at the foot of the stone steps, subconsciously straightening his collar and cuffs, which were wrinkled from riding the horse, and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his pounding heart and surging emotions.
As he stepped onto the familiar stone steps, the guards at the gate clearly recognized him as the Lord of Carnford. They did not stop him, but simply bowed respectfully before letting him pass.
Karl walked through the courtyard and down the corridor, finally stopping before the heavy door to the office that symbolized the core of Earl Rochefort's power.
He raised his hand, ready to knock on the door.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the door, Karl suddenly hesitated.
His arm hung in mid-air, unable to fall for a long time.
Countless thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant: What would the Count's attitude be? Was Charlotte really inside? What would that "surprise" be? How should I bring it up? The awkwardness of our last parting...
Just as he was feeling uneasy, his arms trembling slightly, unsure whether to advance or retreat at this crucial moment...
With a soft creak, it made a sound.
The heavy wooden door in front of him was opened from the inside without any warning.
Caught off guard, Karl's hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, froze. What appeared behind the door was not the Count or Charlotte as he had expected, but a completely unfamiliar middle-aged man.
This person was around forty years old, with a fair complexion and a slightly raised chin, exuding a sense of reserve and aloofness unique to people in the palace.
He wore a well-tailored, exquisitely made dark blue brocade suit, with intricate gold thread embroidery on the collar and cuffs, clearly indicating his distinguished status.
The other party was clearly surprised to see Karl standing at the door, but quickly regained his composure. After a quick glance at Karl, a formulaic smile appeared on his face.
His tone carried a hint of surprise and just the right amount of politeness. "You... you must be Lord Karl von Schmidt of Carnford? What a coincidence! I was just on my way to Carnford to visit you on His Majesty's orders, but I didn't expect you to have already arrived in Fran City. This saves me a lot of trouble."
"His Majesty's order?" Karl's heart tightened, and his vigilance instantly rose.
He suppressed the turmoil within him, maintaining a calm facade, and nodded slightly. "I am Karl. May I ask who you are?"
The stranger straightened his sleeves and gracefully took out a parchment scroll tied with a gold ribbon and stamped with the bright red King seal from his bosom. His tone became solemn. "I am Fritz von Hohenheim, the court scribe, hereby delivering His Your Majesty's latest Imperial Edict to Your Lord."
Imperial Edict? At this critical juncture, why would the King, far away in Prye City, suddenly send an envoy to deliver Imperial Edict to a minor Lord in the Northern Territory?
Karl suddenly had a very bad feeling; at this critical juncture, the royal Imperial Edict was probably not good news.
Just as he was about to speak, a calm and authoritative voice came from inside the office, breaking the silence at the doorway:
"Hornheim Clerk"
Karl and the messenger both looked into the doorway and saw Earl Rochefort standing behind a large desk, calmly watching them.
He continued speaking to the messenger, "Now that Lord Karl has arrived, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Hand over the Imperial Edict to me, and I will read His Majesty's decree to him, saving you another trip to Carnford."
A flicker of hesitation crossed the envoy Hohenheim's face. According to custom, he should personally read and deliver the Imperial Edict to the recipient.
But he dared not easily refuse the Earl Rochefort, the most powerful man in the Northern Territory.
He hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "Count lord, this... I'm afraid it's against protocol. His Majesty has instructed that the Imperial Edict be personally delivered to Lord Karl..."
The Count smiled slightly, a smile that carried undeniable weight, "Hohenheim, there are no outsiders here. Lord Karl is a key minister of my Northern Territory, and also my... close ally. There is nothing wrong with me conveying and reading it. Do you really think I would tamper with His Majesty's decree?"
Although his tone was calm, the pressure in his words made Hohenheim break out in a light sweat.
Hohenheim glanced at the stern-faced Karl, then at the composed Count, knowing that insisting on the rules on the Count's territory was unwise.
He hesitated for a moment, then finally chose to compromise, forcing a smile, "Your Count is too kind! Since you have spoken, then of course there is no problem. It is most appropriate for someone of your high moral standing to read out His Majesty's decree."
With that, he respectfully handed the imperial Imperial Edict to the Count who had stepped forward.
The Count accepted the Imperial Edict and nodded to Hohenheim: "Thank you for your hard work, scribe. Please go to the side hall for some tea and rest. I have some important matters to discuss with Lord Karl. After the edict is read, I will ask you to complete the subsequent procedures."
"Yes, yes, Count Excellency, please proceed." Hohenheim breathed a sigh of relief, bowed quickly, and was then led by a servant to a side hall.
Only Karl and the Count remained at the door. The Count, holding the heavy scroll of the Imperial Edict, gave Karl a deep look and said in a low voice, "Come in."
Karl took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and stepped into the familiar office.
The door closed gently behind him, shutting out the noise from the outside world.
The Count sat down behind his large desk and gestured for Karl to sit down as well.
Karl sat down in the high-backed chair opposite him as instructed, leaning slightly forward, but a strong sense of unease rose in his heart.
He keenly noticed that the Count's expression at this moment was completely different from the gentle and encouraging tone in his letter; he appeared unusually serious, even somewhat heavy.
Charlotte was nowhere to be seen in the office, which cast an even darker shadow over his heart.
"How is the reconstruction of Carnford progressing?" the Count asked, his voice steady but carrying a businesslike detachment.
Karl suppressed his doubts and cautiously replied, "Count Excellency, progress is going smoothly, thanks to your timely support. The city walls are being repaired, and the resettlement of the people and spring planting have begun."
"That's good." The Count nodded, picked up another document from the table, and handed it over. "This is the construction progress report for the standard public road from Fran City to Carnford. The project is progressing faster than expected, and it is anticipated to be fully open to traffic this summer."
He paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Karl: "Once this road is completed, it will primarily serve caravans. Karl, your Carnford has already proven its military value with blood. Now, it's time to demonstrate its economic potential to the kingdom."
"Once the road is open, more and more caravans will flock there. You need to plan and manage it in advance, so that this great opportunity doesn't turn into chaos and trouble." His words carried a clear reminder and expectation.
Karl nodded deeply and solemnly replied, "I understand, Count Excellency. I will formulate detailed commercial tax and management regulations as soon as possible to ensure order."
His unease grew stronger, and the Count seemed to be consciously steer the conversation away from something.