Temperature Control Array

As a Baron, it was proper etiquette to welcome one's aunt.

Raven stood in the hall of Eagle Fortress, watching Denise approach him step by step, supported by her maids.

Having not seen her for two months, the mature woman seemed even more captivating.

She wore a beige soft felt hat on her head, her smooth black hair cascading down her shoulders. Her willow-leaf-shaped eyebrows accentuated her sharp and spirited eyes, and a faint smile played on her full lips, though it couldn't quite hide the fatigue of her journey.

Her steps were light, her hands holding the hem of her skirt. Bound by her corset, her full figure swayed slightly like jelly. Under the gentle contrast of her light purple dress, she appeared like a wisp of sunset clouds drifting in.

"Aunt Denise, you're back," Raven said with a smile, taking Denise's hand and gently kissing it, his little finger lightly tickling her palm.

"Yes, I'm back," Denise's voice gave a slight jump, and she subtly withdrew her hand.

"It's been two months, and you've become even more radiant," Raven said in his magnetic voice. "I've prepared Angel's Tear. Why don't you have a drink with me, Aunt Denise, rest a bit, and tell me about your travels?"

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm a bit tired right now." To Raven's surprise, Denise gently shook her head, refusing the suggestion with a cold and distant tone.

She turned her head and instructed, "Angie, go help Steward Gordon move everything inside."

Angie was the maid who had been supporting Denise. Compared to Freyra last time, she was purer and carried herself with a more elegant demeanor. She bowed her head and replied, "Yes, Madam."

Denise nodded slightly, "Excuse me."

With that, she walked straight through the hall and upstairs.

Hearing the footsteps, Raven wanted to turn around several times but ultimately restrained himself. He wasn't the type of man to force himself on someone. He called out loudly, "Eric!"

The retainer who was called stepped forward and bowed, "My Lord Baron."

"Let's go train those new recruits!" With that, Raven strode away from Eagle Fortress.

In the military camp, the three rows of private soldiers had already formed a respectable formation, basically capable of executing orders without hesitation. At Eric's command, they neatly formed three orderly square formations in the plaza.

"Tsk..." Raven frowned slightly as he looked at the soldiers before him.

Eric cautiously asked, "My Lord Baron, is something wrong?"

Raven glanced again at his personal guards, who were arranged separately, and said, "Their bearing is still... too flighty."

As a veteran soldier, Eric immediately understood what he meant and gave a wry smile. "There's nothing that can be done about it. Your personal guards have seen battle, killed people with their own hands, and witnessed their comrades die. Even if these new recruits are trained well, they can't compare."

"And they're town soldiers," Raven sighed. "Let alone killing people, they might not have even seen a pig slaughtered."

Eric agreed wholeheartedly. "If it were a life-or-death situation now, even without being extraordinary, I could lead your personal guards and tear through these new recruits."

Hearing this, Raven pondered for a moment, then shook his head and let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

"My Lord, what is it?" Eric was a bit bewildered.

"I just had an idea," Raven said with an unfathomable smile. "What do you think if I take these new recruits to Bloody Highlands for a tour?"

Eric's eyes widened. "That idea of yours is truly... insane!"

Only the word "insane" could describe Raven's plan. Since the failed Conquest War eighty years ago, only bandits from Bloody Highlands had dared to raid the surrounding areas. No imperial army had ever dared to counterattack.

"But... it's far too risky. We don't have enough transport capacity to maintain logistics, and we're not familiar with the terrain up there..." Eric quickly advised.

"I know, that's why I didn't say it right away." Raven chuckled, patting his shoulder. "I'm not crazy, you really think I'd do that?"

Eric was speechless. Because of every action Raven had taken so far: using strategy to subdue him, confronting Denise alone to make her give up her inheritance, publicly humiliating Baron Anger, retaking Shining Gold Town, publicly disciplining Nancy Fox...

In his eyes, these actions were all insane. If Raven were to produce a diagnosis certificate right now stating he had a mental illness, Eric would absolutely not doubt it; he might even feel a sense of relief.

"I mean, let these new recruits see some blood," Raven said. "After that, when we send you pigs, they won't be live pigs, but pigs that are still alive. Let them do the killing themselves!"

Eric doubted the reliability of this method, but since they would be eating meat anyway, this step wouldn't make much difference. He nodded and said, "Your will shall be carried out, my Lord!"

Raven nodded. "Begin the training!"

The warm-up exercises began, running ten laps around the military camp.

Watching the dust kicked up around the camp, Raven's gaze deepened.

Counterattacking Bloody Highlands seemed like an unrealistic goal for now, but in the long run, it might not be unfeasible. There was no better place than there to hone new recruits.

The number of soldiers was still too small. Once the military strength was expanded again, it would be time for him to set his sights on Bloody Highlands.

Being passively beaten was not his preference.

If the bandits can go, so can I.

After having lunch in the military camp, Raven didn't linger. He took a few personal guards to inspect the construction site, mainly to see if there were any deficiencies that needed to be addressed, and to boost the morale of the craftsmen.

Every time Raven came here, they worked especially hard – at least, that's how it appeared.

After finishing all this, the sky began to darken. Raven returned to Eagle Fortress, covered in dirt and sweat.

For Raven, every return to the castle was a test, not a small one.

Although the outside was breezy, Eagle Fortress, baked by the sun all day, was as stuffy as a steamer. Sweat that had subsided immediately drenched him from the inside out.

But today, as soon as he walked through the main gate of Eagle Fortress, a cool chill swept over him, instantly dispelling the lingering heat and causing Raven to let out a sigh of relief.

Patti, who had been waiting in the hall, brought him the daily essential red wine. "My Lord Baron, you're back!"

"Mmm." Raven took the glass of wine, still dewy with condensation, and downed the Angel's Tear in one gulp. The icy liquid, combined with the cool air, made him shiver with comfort. "Ah, that's nice... Why is the castle so cool today? Did you take the ice out of the ice cellar?"

Patti shook her head, her face beaming with joy. "No, it's Madam Denise. She followed your instructions and bought a Temperature Control Array from Monen City. It was just installed not long ago, and the central unit is in the ice cellar."

Raven blinked, he hadn't asked Denise to buy this kind of thing.

She paid out of her own pocket but credited him with the fame. This was clearly a gesture of goodwill, so why was she so cold when she came back.

Playing hard to get?

Patti was still sharing her joy with Raven: "Mr. Gordon said that an array that can affect the entire castle costs at least 600 gold coins. My Lord, you are so thoughtful!"

600 gold coins!

Raven's heart skipped a beat.

He knew nobles liked to enjoy themselves, but he hadn't expected them to be so extravagant. 600 gold coins was enough to buy two first-tier God-Given Potions, and he wouldn't have spent money like that himself.

He wondered how long a Magic Crystal could keep the array running.

Mages really made money!

For a moment, Raven's desire to become a mage intensified.

He wondered when the Mage Potion would arrive. Should he go ask Laxus?

"So you really like this array?" Raven asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Patti nodded vigorously: "Before, when I washed clothes or tidied the room, I would always break into a sweat. My Lord, you even 'punished' me for this before."

Raven chuckled. That time, Patti's skirt had gotten caught on something, and the shape was truly alluring.

Patti said happily: "But now it's much better. No matter how hard I work, I feel refreshed, and I don't have to change clothes as often anymore!"

Patti was just a representative of the many maids in the castle, and she wasn't the only one who benefited from the Temperature Control Array.

Old Gordon, sitting in his chair and proofreading accounts, wore a relaxed smile.

He was a rather classical noble butler, always impeccably dressed, never unbuttoning his collar even in summer, and certainly not when he was alone.

He would often start sweating profusely shortly after sitting down, constantly wiping his hands to ensure the documents wouldn't be smudged. The sweat and friction from his clothes also caused large patches of itchy and painful red rashes to appear on his neck.

But now, it was different. The room was as cool as a spring night, allowing him to focus on proofreading his accounts and calculating every expense.

"Hmph, how could it be bought by my Lord? He doesn't even know when Denise left," Old Gordon grumbled indignantly. "Denise must have wanted to deliberately please my Lord!"

Undoubtedly, Lord Raven was a charismatic noble. Everything he did was decisive and purposeful, and he had indeed breathed unprecedented vitality into the dying Eagle Territory.

And Denise was undoubtedly a witness to the resurgence of the Eagle Territory. Her actions also proved that, at least for now, Lord Raven held significant importance in her heart.

He just hadn't expected Denise to do something like this for Raven.

That was 600 gold coins!

He genuinely worried that his Lord would be unable to resist that woman's seduction.

"If that day ever comes..." Old Gordon mused, considering: "If that day ever comes, I must guard his secret for him."

Eric, also a retainer of Raven, didn't have as many convoluted thoughts. Sitting in the kitchen, he downed a large mug of beer and let out a long sigh: "Refreshing! There was little ice in the ice cellar before, so I didn't dare ask my Lord for ice. Now I can finally drink iced beer in the summer!"

He raised his mug: "Long live my Lord!"

"Yes, my Lord is truly amazing," Bolo chimed in beside him. "You're doing alright. For me, the cook, it's torture. Not only is it hot outside, but the stove is also burning inside. After a day, I sweat more than I urinate!"

"Pfft—" Eric spat out the mouthful of beer he had just taken, chuckling wryly. "Bolo, I'm eating and drinking here, can you say something nicer?"

"Besides, do you think I have it easy? You only suffer in the summer, but I wear my plate armor year-round. In the summer, it's like being in a furnace, and in the winter, I'm practically a block of ice. Now it's finally good; I don't have to pour out a puddle of water every time I take off my armor after coming home!"

Bolo sized him up. "When are you going home today? I need to seal the stove."

Eric said, "If you're in a hurry, you go ahead. I'll help you seal the fire later."

"I just don't understand. You have children, and your salary is saved for your son to buy armor. Why don't you want to go home now?" Bolo asked.

"My home doesn't have a Temperature Control Array; it's incredibly hot. My wife has been wanting me every day recently. I'll wait until she's asleep before I go back," Eric said with a hint of dread. "A peck from a middle-aged couple can give you nightmares for nights!"

Bolo chuckled and teased, "If you don't do some things yourself, someone else might do them for you."

Another mouthful of beer sprayed from Eric's mouth.

However, Raven was the one who could best appreciate the convenience of the Temperature Control Array.

As the saying goes, there's no harm without comparison. When others say summer is hot, they've always endured it. When Raven says summer is hot, he has truly experienced the benefits of modern air conditioning.

He thought he would never experience the same comfort again, but now he was able to.

After bathing with Patti's service and changing into a light pajama, Raven leaned back in his lounge chair and let out a heartfelt sigh: "This is what living like a human is like."

Elvish was already difficult to understand, and his eyelids began to droop. The room was as hot as a sauna, and the cotton fabric of the lounge chair was soaked with sweat. Leaning on it felt hot and sticky, causing Raven immense physical and mental distress.

Before, Raven typically spent five minutes reading Elvish, then ten minutes calming himself, then another ten minutes mustering his energy, and then another five minutes reading Elvish, cycling through this process. It was far from efficient.

Now, it was completely different. In the cool room, he could put on light pajamas, then snuggle into his chair and pick up a book.

It was like holding his phone, enjoying the air conditioning, and slacking off at his desk in his previous life.

As comfortable as could be.

"It seems she's really prepared to stay long-term this time."

This "she" naturally referred to Denise.

Thinking of his aunt, Raven's thoughts drifted for a moment. He felt he couldn't quite grasp her intentions.

He didn't need to come back after he left, but now that he's returned with so many things, even purchasing the valuable Temperature Control Array in his own name, clearly intending to stay permanently, why is he acting so cold towards me?

Why?

Just then, a knock sounded on the door. The icy aura caused Raven to change from his previous agitation, and he asked, "What is it?"

A strange voice replied, "My Lord Baron, Madam Denise specifically made some pastries and asked me to bring them to you."

"Come in," Raven said.

The door opened, and Angie, Denise's new personal maid, walked in. She placed a tray on the desk, bowed, and was about to leave.

"Did Denise say anything?" Raven asked.

"Reporting to my Lord Baron, the Madam said that if you asked, it means you should think about what you've done," Angie replied, a hint of panic on her face, clearly afraid Raven would take his anger out on her.

Raven waved his hand. "You may go."

The door closed softly, and Raven's gaze fell upon the items on the tray: a small silver bowl and a wooden box.

The silver bowl contained pudding. As he held the small bowl, a coolness spread from his palm to his hand, indicating it had been chilled beforehand.

He gently scooped a piece with his spoon, and the pudding quivered. He placed it in his mouth and gently pressed it, and the pudding melted, releasing the fragrance of milk, eggs, and a hint of sweetness, invigorating his spirit.

"It really isn't Bolo's cooking," Raven said with a smile.

After finishing the pudding, Raven picked up the box and opened it gently, revealing a flash of golden light.

It was a brooch, the crest of the Griffith Family.

It was entirely golden and heavy in his hand, clearly made of gold. An eagle, mid-strike against a dragon, its wings spread high, with every feather meticulously detailed. The eagle's beak was outlined in silver, sharp and clear, and its eyes were adorned with a sparkling sapphire.

This was Denise telling Raven that she acknowledged his position as the head of the Griffith Family, and Weston would completely abandon his claim to the title from now on.

It also conveyed another message: Denise was also a member of the Griffith Family.

"Heh heh..." Playing with the crest in his hand, Raven understood why Denise was displeased. He decided to personally resolve this misunderstanding.

Tonight.

With light steps, Raven arrived at Denise's door and gently knocked. "Denise, it's me, open up!"

Slightly flustered footsteps could be heard from inside the room, then they stopped. Denise's voice followed, "I told you, I'm tired today. If you have something to say, wait until tomorrow."

"But I specifically want to talk today," Raven said, leaning against the door and whispering through the crack. "Haven't it been a long time since we were alone together?"

Denise was standing right behind the door. Hearing this, her breathing hitched, and she was immediately reminded of a night two months ago. That night, only she and Raven were in the room, and at that time...

Thinking about what happened then, a blush crept onto her cheeks. "I am your aunt. It's not appropriate for us to be in the same room."

"Isn't it simpler this way?" Raven's voice continued to seep through the door crack. "I am Raven, and you are Denise; I am a man, and you are a woman."

Denise bit her lip tightly. "But I would never fall for a man like you who breaks his promises!"

"You're still angry about that, aren't you?" Raven said with a smile. "In your eyes, am I really such a foolish person?"

"It's done now, and it's too late to say anything else," Denise felt a surge of anger again, her tone laced with displeasure. "I hope you realize that I am also a person and need respect, but you betrayed my trust!"

"...Alright, it's true that I was wrong for not discussing it with you beforehand, but I'm not going to let my gold go into someone else's hands for nothing. Our interests are always aligned," Raven's voice held a hint of helplessness.

Denise's heart softened slightly, but her tone remained firm. "Stop wasting your breath, 'My Lord Baron.' I'm not the kind of woman you can coax into your bed with a few words. This won't work on me."

"Alright, I was planning to give you a surprise, but it seems it has to be this way now..." Outside the door, a rustling sound could be heard, and then a piece of parchment was slipped through the door crack.

Denise took the parchment and looked at it in the dim light. Her resentment instantly vanished, and a happy smile curved her lips, which she quickly suppressed. "Hmph, it's just a deed for a shop in Shining Gold Town. What's so special about it!"

Silence reigned outside the door, broken only by the sound of the wind.

"Raven? Are you still there, Raven?" Denise asked with a frown.

She hadn't heard Raven leave. Perhaps she was too engrossed in looking at the deed to notice?

A few more minutes passed, and there was still no movement outside the door. Denise asked again, "Raven?"

Still no sound.

Denise unlocked the door and pulled it open. A figure appeared at the doorway – it was Raven, a triumphant smile on his face. "Finally decided to open the door?"

"You...!" Denise was first surprised, then a helpless smile touched her lips. "Looking like this, how are you like a Baron?"

"Then, esteemed Ms. Denise," Raven said, placing a hand over his chest. "May I have the honor of being invited inside to talk?"