Are There Answers on It?

Amid the creaking and groaning of wooden planks, Raven followed Laxus all the way to the outside of the study.

Laxus pushed open the door and lightly tapped the wall.

At once, lines of patterns lit up across all four walls before going out one after another. Accompanied by a low hum, the crystal lamp hanging from the ceiling, shaped like a cluster of flowers, suddenly lit up.

Brilliant white light poured down, illuminating the entire room as brightly as day.

Although Raven had long known that Laxus came from an extraordinary background and possessed immense wealth, he was still left dumbfounded by the sight.

Magic lamps!

Forget commoners—even most noble families could not afford such a thing.

A single magic lamp cost at least a thousand gold coins. Including labor and the process of embedding the array into the building, a total of sixteen or seventeen hundred gold coins was perfectly reasonable.

That was more than the annual tax revenue of many baron families!

At that moment, Raven had only one thing to say.

Rich lady, please keep me!

Laxus was tidying the desk. When she looked up and saw Raven's expression, she asked in confusion, "Come in. What are you standing there thinking about?"

Raven came back to himself. As he walked into the room and helped her tidy the desk, he said, "I was just thinking... Was the reason you refused to come to Eagle Fortress to tutor me in Elvish because you thought the candlelight there was too dim?"

"Yeah, it really hurts the eyes." Laxus nodded. She carefully examined the cover of the book in her hand, then turned and stuffed it into an empty spot on the bookshelf.

Raven had not expected Laxus to be so straightforward, and he was momentarily stunned. "Then why didn't you just tell me?"

"Even if I did, you couldn't afford one." Laxus answered as if it were only natural.

Raven could tell that Laxus was simply stating a fact. There was not the slightest hint of any other meaning.

But precisely because of that, Raven felt even more depressed.

Lies did not hurt people. The truth was the real blade.

Was this the difference between frontier nobles and the true upper class?

"Actually, you don't need to worry about it." Seeing Raven's dejection, Laxus gently consoled him. "Most nobles can't afford one anyway."

Raven nearly suffered internal injuries.

How was that consolation? It was clearly another stab!

Who knew what Laxus would say next? For the sake of his mental health, Raven coughed and decided to change the subject.

"I recently invented a new product. Do you want to take a look?"

As expected, Laxus's attention was immediately diverted. A trace of anticipation appeared in her eyes. "Is it another kind of alcohol, like Angel's Tear?"

"It isn't alcohol. It's this." Raven brushed a hand across his waist and placed a glass bottle in his palm. "My new invention, Angel's Kiss."

"Angel's Kiss?" Laxus took the bottle and held it up to the light, looking at it from one side and then the other. A hint of curiosity showed in her eyes.

Under the illumination of the magic lamp, the liquid in the bottle gleamed with a noble golden hue, as alluring as a flowing gemstone.

"Open the bottle and apply a little to your wrist." Raven coaxed her patiently.

Even beneath the bright glow of the magic lamp, Laxus's skin was dazzlingly fair.

Her long golden hair fell loosely behind her. Beneath her slender, willow-leaf brows, her blue-green eyes were as tranquil and enchanting as a lake.

Her nose was straight and delicate, while her lips were pink and fine. Slightly pursed, they revealed the youthful charm unique to a girl.

Her slender fingers spread the perfume evenly over her smooth, delicate wrist. At once, a fresh, elegant jasmine fragrance drifted through the air. She brought her wrist close to her nose, her brows lifting slightly.

"What a lovely fragrance. It's jasmine." A smile danced in her eyes. Then, as if she had suddenly thought of something, her expression turned solemn. She capped the bottle and casually set it aside.

Raven was bewildered by the sudden change. "What's wrong? You don't like the scent?"

"No, I like it very much." Laxus opened her eyes wide and gently shook her head.

Raven was about to ask more, but Laxus said, "We've already wasted enough time. Didn't you want to learn Elvish? We should get started."

As she spoke, she opened the Holy Word Record and asked in the tone of a teacher testing a student, "Chapter One, Section Two. Which Elvish word is the easiest to confuse?"

At first, Laxus focused on the details. But after discovering that Raven had an excellent memory for vocabulary, she began shifting her attention to sentence structure and grammar.

The two of them went back and forth, one sentence after another, and the atmosphere grew increasingly harmonious.

But a person's attention was limited.

Gradually, Raven began to lose focus. Even after reminding himself several times to concentrate, his mind grew increasingly muddled.

Laxus's voice in his ears began to warp and fade, while his thoughts drifted in an uncontrollable direction.

Just like every office worker slacking off at work and every student spacing out in class.

His thoughts became wild and completely unrelated.

In a daze, he seemed to return to the classroom of his previous life.

A fashionably dressed English teacher stood on the podium. Her snow-white feet rested in high heels, the smooth lines of her insteps flowing gracefully. Through her nearly translucent fair skin, faint blue veins could be seen, giving her a vivid, sensual allure.

"Raven!" Laxus's voice suddenly rose. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?" Raven shuddered and answered reflexively, "I was... thinking about the answer."

Laxus's voice carried a hint of annoyance. "Then why are you staring at my feet? Are the answers written on them?"

Only then did Raven completely come back to himself.

What he was looking at was not the English teacher's feet at all. It was Laxus's!

"It's not that we can't try, but I can't see clearly from this distance." Raven scratched his head and asked half-jokingly, "How about you put your foot there and let me take a closer look?"

That was indeed a little too much. Laxus's pretty face flushed with anger. She snapped the book shut and puffed out her cheeks. "It's getting late anyway. Hurry back to the castle. I need to rest too."

"Oh, it really is late." Looking at Eagle Town, which had gone completely dark, Raven stood and stretched. "Um, could I ask you for a favor?"

Laxus blinked and asked warily, "What is it?"

"Um... I'm a little afraid of the dark." Raven rubbed his hands and asked tentatively, "How about I stay here for one night? I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, before dawn."

"Oh... so that's how it is. You're afraid of the dark." Laxus nodded as she walked to the corner. Suddenly, she snatched up a broom and advanced toward Raven step by step.

"You won't be afraid after you pass out."

Many years later, when Raven remembered the afternoon he had been driven out of the orphanage, he shuddered again.

This posture had quite a bit of the old matron's spirit.

"I was only joking."

"Hey, you're really hitting me?"

"Stop, stop! I'm leaving right now. Spare me, Priest!"

Under Laxus's "threats," Raven scampered out of the Church.

Watching his departing back, Laxus's stern expression softened. In the end, she burst out laughing, closed the side door, and turned toward the study.

Recalling Raven's deliberately comical appearance as he left, the smile on her face grew wider and wider. Only after she returned to the study did it gradually fade.

Her gaze fell on Angel's Kiss. Laxus walked to the desk and picked it up.

The faint fragrance of jasmine still lingered in the air. Laxus's eyes brightened slightly, but her lips pressed into a line.

"Hmph. Denise has been using hers for so long, and only now did he remember to give me one."

During this period, she had occasionally visited Eagle Fortress and could always smell a rich floral fragrance on Denise. She had not known why before, but Angel's Kiss had given her the answer today.

However, the fragrance on Denise was that of roses, while the one Raven had given her was jasmine.

That made Laxus feel a little better.

"Since you put some thought into it, I'll let you off this time."

As she spoke, a smile curled across her lips. She held Angel's Kiss to her chest and walked briskly toward the bedroom.

Raven, of course, knew nothing of Laxus's thoughts.

Even if he had known, he could probably only have sighed.

Women's thoughts are so hard to guess!

As soon as Raven returned to the study at Eagle Fortress, he heard a sharp hiss.

Immediately afterward, a flame rose in the corner, illuminating an old, deeply wrinkled face.

"What the hell!" Raven nearly threw the Holy Word Record away. Only after seeing the man's face did he let out a long breath. "Mr. Gordon, what kind of performance is this?"

"If my nerves weren't strong, at least one of us would be meeting the Lord of Light today!"

A single Holy Word Record weighed six or seven pounds. If Raven had thrown it, Old Gordon would not have been able to speak for at least ten months afterward.

Alternatively, if Raven had stopped breathing after the shock, he would not have taken another breath for ten months either.

Old Gordon's face was filled with gravity. He placed the candlestick on the windowsill and said solemnly, "Lord Baron, there is something I must get off my chest!"

"Although my eyesight has grown dim with age, Lord Baron, after forty years of serving House Griffith, I believe that handing control of the finances to Denise was an utterly disastrous decision!"

Raven's brows rose slightly.

As expected, this was about that matter.

He had thought Old Gordon could hold his temper, but less than half a month had passed and he was already unable to restrain himself.

Raven casually tossed the Holy Word Record onto the desk, poured himself a glass of Angel's Tear, and turned his chair toward Old Gordon. "Go on."

"Lord Baron, Denise is not a suitable candidate." Old Gordon ground his teeth as he spoke. "Although she is nominally a member of House Griffith, she does not carry the family bloodline, nor has she borne offspring for House Griffith. She cannot be trusted!"

"Besides, she is a lowly, treacherous merchant who will do anything for profit!"

"Mm." Raven nodded slightly in approval.

That somewhat absentminded attitude made Old Gordon even more distraught.

"She revealed her cunning nature long ago!"

"Oh?" Raven crossed his legs, seemingly interested.

Old Gordon appeared to have been encouraged. He raised his voice and said, "To curry favor with you, she purchased a Temperature Control Array in your name, completely disregarding the state of the finances. That cost 647 gold coins! Shining Gold Town's tax revenue this year was only 617.65 coins!"

"And just last month, she withdrew 200 gold coins from the accounts for no apparent reason and refused to reveal where they went. She may well have lined her own pockets!"

"Therefore, I hope you will immediately take back her financial authority. Otherwise, the House Griffith that has only just begun to recover will fall into ruin at her hands!"

"Well said!" Raven poured another glass of Angel's Tear and held it out to him. "You've been holding those words in for a long time, haven't you? Here, have a drink and soothe your throat."

"Thank you for your consideration, Lord Baron." Old Gordon accepted the glass but did not drink. "So, does that mean you agree to my request?"

Raven did not answer immediately. He walked to a wooden board standing in the corner of the study.

"This is a map of our Eagle Territory."

He raised the candlestick to illuminate the map. "Do you notice anything, Mr. Gordon?"

Old Gordon walked over and pushed up his monocle. "Eagle Town is too small. It isn't even as big as a fingernail."

Raven nodded and continued asking, "Why? Why has Eagle Town, located in the heart of Eagle Territory with fertile land and abundant water, fallen into this state?"

Old Gordon let out a heavy sigh. "Please allow me to say something disrespectful. It is all because of Baron Donald's mistaken decisions."

"He was far too obsessed with 'magical experiments.' During the middle and later years of his rule, Eagle Town lost many residents every year. In the worst year, counting those who fled and those who died, Eagle Town lost a full 332 people!"

"No, it wasn't only because of that." Raven spoke with absolute certainty. "Ultimately, it was because Eagle Town's position was never clearly defined."

"Position?" Old Gordon asked in confusion.

"Yes, position!" Raven's finger landed on the map. "Looking at the terrain, Eagle Town lies at the center of Eagle Territory. Eagle Fortress is to the north, Golden Sand River to the south, and natural mountain barriers lie to the east and west. It is a wealthy land that is easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"But every head of House Griffith treated it only as a grain-producing area. None of them ever truly wanted to develop it. Instead, they made Shining Gold Town the economic center!"

"If Eagle Town had ever truly flourished, how could Uncle Donald have abandoned it so easily?"

A glimmer appeared in Old Gordon's eyes. He asked with some anticipation, "Lord Baron, do you mean to develop Eagle Town?"

"That's right!" Raven declared. "Shining Gold Town and Eagle Town are only 6.4 kilometers apart. Shining Gold Town's advantages can be completely transferred to Eagle Town!"

"Anyone capable of crossing mountains and rivers to reach Shining Gold Town won't mind walking for another hour to reach Eagle Town."

"I understand!" Old Gordon swallowed and said excitedly, "The reason you wanted to rebuild the roads was to prepare for this!?"

"Mr. Gordon, you finally understand." Raven patted his hands in delight. "Transportation is only the first step. The truly important thing is industry!"

"Restaurants, taverns, general stores, equipment shops, casinos, dueling arenas... and so on!"

"Only after all of those are built can Eagle Town become as brightly lit as Shining Gold Town is now—or even replace Shining Gold Town as the true center of Eagle Territory!"

Old Gordon had served House Griffith for forty years. He had dreamed of seeing Eagle Town flourish, and Raven's vision moved him deeply. He swallowed, trembling with excitement. "My lord, you truly are... extraordinary!"

"Even back when your great-uncle, Baron Donald's father, Baron Eivor, was still alive, he once thought of building a dueling arena in Eagle Town. It would have been an important place for raising the family's prestige and cultivating the martial spirit of the territory's people."

"Unfortunately, he was unable to fulfill that wish during his reign. He died still carrying that regret."

"If Eagle Town is developed as you describe, it will certainly raise all of Eagle Territory to another level!"

At this point, he took a deep breath and said sincerely, "That is all the more reason for you to take back the authority in Denise's hands."

"She is a merchant. She will never recognize Eagle Town's importance."

Old Gordon's vision was detailed and reliable, but in the end, his perspective was still too limited.

Moreover, Raven did not agree with his assessment of Denise.

"I know." Raven revealed a meaningful smile. "Isn't that what you're here for?"

Old Gordon froze for a moment before understanding the hidden meaning in Raven's words. "My lord, you mean...?"

Raven spoke unhurriedly. "As you said, Denise is an outsider. She doesn't realize Eagle Town's importance, so I never intended to hand Eagle Town over to her."

"But you're different, Mr. Gordon."

"You've already seen three heads of the family off!"

"We are, without question, one family."

At this point, Raven heavily patted Old Gordon on the shoulder.

"I intend to place you fully in charge of Eagle Town's development!"

Old Gordon's breathing grew heavier than ever before.

Being fully responsible for Eagle Town's development would be an immensely important task, and it had now landed on his shoulders!

It meant that Raven trusted him without reservation.

It was both an affirmation of his abilities and a reward for his loyalty.

"Lord Baron, rest assured. I will turn Eagle Town into the most prosperous town in the entire Nord Province!"

"Let's take it one step at a time." Raven smiled and raised his glass. "How about we set a small goal first?"

"Surpass Shining Gold Town within three years!"

Old Gordon also raised his glass. "I will not disappoint you, Lord Baron!"

The glasses clinked together.

They produced a clear, pleasant, and beautiful sound, just like Gordon's mood at that moment.

After finishing the wine in his glass, a light shone in Old Gordon's eyes as he bowed and said, "My lord, I won't disturb your rest any longer."

"Go." Raven nodded.

Old Gordon respectfully withdrew. He had just reached the study door when Raven's voice came from behind him:

"Mr. Gordon."

"Never let anyone know what you truly think. Ever."

A trace of surprise flashed through Gordon's eyes. His footsteps faltered, and he paused briefly:

"I will heed your teachings, Lord Baron!"

Only then did he open the door and leave.

At that moment, Old Gordon's steps were lighter than ever. With his hands clasped behind his back, his formerly stooped spine had straightened, and he hummed a cheerful tune.

Lord Baron truly had remarkable foresight!

Thinking back, the decision to build the workshop near Eagle Town instead of the more prosperous Shining Gold Town had probably already been paving the way for Eagle Town's development.

In Old Gordon's view, territorial development was the foundation. Foreign trade could only bring in quick money.

Now that the goal of developing Eagle Town had been set, no matter how much power Denise held, she could no longer influence the future of the Griffith Family!

"His Lordship's arrangements are truly ingenious. He clearly made use of Denise, yet she thinks she came out ahead."

The more Old Gordon thought about Raven's various arrangements lately, the more he admired Raven, and the more gratified he felt.

After suffering decline for several successive generations, the Griffith Family had finally welcomed a wise lord.

The corners of his withered mouth curved into a smile. "Looks like it's time to call Fiona back..."

In the blink of an eye, another nine days passed, bringing the date to October 12.

That morning, Raven had just finished meditating when he heard a hurried set of footsteps. "Lord Baron, there's a calling card here. You need to look at it personally."

Raven said calmly, "Bring it here and let me see."

Patti pushed open the door and handed over the card.

Raven took it, opened it, and skimmed the contents at a glance. His brows first furrowed, then he laughed in anger.

It was a calling card from the Fox Family.

It said that Nancy would be coming to stay at Eagle Fortress for a while to "escape the summer heat."

Autumn was almost over. What summer heat was she escaping?

Nancy was definitely up to no good.

She couldn't seriously think he would let her stay here, could she?

With that thought, Raven snorted and said, "Tell Old Gordon to draft a reply on my behalf. Say that I haven't been in good health lately and am unable to receive guests. The wording can be courteous, but the attitude must be firm."

He stuffed the calling card back into Patti's hands. Seeing her remain motionless, Raven asked, "Is there something else?"

"No, my lord," Patti said cautiously. "It's just that... it's already too late to send a reply."

"Too late? Didn't this calling card only arrive this morning?" Raven asked in confusion, glancing at the date written on it again.

There was no mistake. It was October 12.

According to the etiquette between nobles, calling cards had to be delivered at least five days in advance.

"You'll understand if you look for yourself..." Patti pointed toward the window.

Raven rose and rushed to the window in three strides. The moment he pulled open the curtains, he froze.

A long convoy stretched along the road from Eagle Town to Eagle Fortress.

Every carriage was extravagantly luxurious, bearing the Crest of the Fox Family.

Nancy, the "Fiery Rose" of the Fox Earl's Family, had actually come in person!