Count Maltz Kent of Emden has been a little uneasy lately.
I couldn't tell what was going on, but I was just feeling flustered for no reason.
He thought to himself, could it be because Master Barnett hasn't been here for a long time? Although this mysterious mage had come and gone without a trace before and only visited his territory once in a while, it was too unusual to just let him go after he revealed his future plans.
Fortunately, when Barnett left last time, he gave him a detailed explanation of what he was going to do in the future, and told Maltz Kent: If he is entangled in other things and can't escape, he should act according to the plan.
This at least prevents Earl Kent from flying around like a headless fly.
But it seems that Barnett's side doesn't seem to be going too smoothly.
According to the plan, he should incite the pirates of Northwest Bay to attack the coastal territories, and then Kent Family will send troops to quell the pirates, so as to accumulate his prestige in the minds of the coastal lords and create conditions for 'inheriting' Northwest Duke's position in the future.
But now there seems to be no movement.
News about pirates did come, but they were wiped out by the Greiman Family of Arda. These pirates are really useless, even such a weak family can easily deal with them.
But it's that Paul Greiman again. I spared him last time, but why is this guy still jumping like this and ruining his good deeds?
Master Barnett is still here. Do you want to bypass the pirates and start the next step? Earl Kent was indecisive all day long. Under the worry, he drank a few more cups of that special "drink".
On this day, he was reading books in the study, hoping that in this way he would not feel so anxious.
Suddenly the guard came to report that a child asked to see him. Earl Kent was furious, why did everyone want to see him so casually, what did this guard do?
He was about to scold the guard, but the guard seemed to have anticipated the count's reaction and quickly added, "He said he knew Master Barnett!"
"You idiot! Why don't you invite him in quickly!"
Maltz Kent is really furious this time! Why is this guard so ignorant?
"Ask him to come into the hall!"
The earl roared loudly, and the guards responded submissively and left.
Maltz Kent immediately changed into clean clothes, hurried to the castle hall, sat on the main seat and waited for the visitor.
After a while, footsteps were heard in the corridor outside, and the guards led a person in.
"Really... really... really a child?"
Earl Kent couldn't believe his eyes.
At first, he just thought that the other party was younger, so the guard said that a child was visiting him.
But the person walking into the hall now is indeed a little boy who looks to be in his early ten years! The little guy was also holding a strange-shaped wooden stick in his hand. The wooden stick was taller than his body and felt very uncoordinated.
"Earl Kent! Hello... Hello! My name is Andy, and I am here to help you according to the instructions of Master Barnett."
The little boy has blond hair and a chubby face. He looks very cute, but he stutters and seems very nervous and shy.
The earl was stunned, and the other party became even more nervous when he saw that he didn't reply. He stood coquettishly at the door, neither entering nor retreating.
"Uh... cough! Who are you?" He didn't hear clearly what the little boy just said.
"My... my name is Andy, and I am here to assist you in accordance with the instructions of Master Barnett."
Andy stammered and repeated.
"Come here and talk!"
The Earl made a serious face. To be honest, he really didn't know how to deal with it now, so he had to show his usual dignified look.
"Yes... yes, Lord Earl!"
Andy immediately trotted to Earl Kent's side.
"You said you were ordered by Master Barnett to come to help me. How can you prove that you are not lying?"
"This..."
Andy tilted his little head, seeming to be worried about how to prove it.
"Is this okay?"
I heard an unknown language coming out of the little boy's mouth, and then he hit the ground with the wooden stick in his hand.
With a whoosh, the top of the wooden staff ignited a flame.
"Ah! You are... you are..."
The earl's eyes almost popped out of his head. The little kid in front of him actually had the power he had dreamed of.
"Yes, I am a mage affiliated with Secret Art Society."
Andy admitted quietly.
"Master Andy... please sit down!"
The awe of the mage made Earl Kent's attitude suddenly turn 180 degrees, his voice softened and his tone became much lower.
"I can't bear the title of master, so you should just call me by my name."
Obviously Andy was not used to the title "Master". He shook his head uneasily and quickly corrected the other person's statement.
"So, little friend Andy, please sit down quickly."
The little boy then sat on a chair next to the count.
God is unfair! The earl exclaimed in his heart.
Such a young child can swim in the sea of magic, but he is still shut out. It is really infuriating.
Of course, he would not show it on his face, and immediately asked the question he was most concerned about, "Where did Master Barnett go?"
Andy shook his head. "I don't know either. I was ordered by him to come to your castle at this time a few months ago. He said he wanted me to help the lord here. I thought I could see him here."
Earl Kent was very disappointed.
"Where are you from?"
"A stronghold of Secret Art Society, I cannot disclose the specific location."
"Then how did you get here?"
Don't say that you, a child, traveled all the way to Northwest Bay, or that your stronghold is right under my nose.
But Earl Kent thinks that he has such tight control over his territory that he can detect even a fly coming or going.
"We were escorted here by other companions. We disguised ourselves as business travelers and came over smoothly."
Are there other mages traveling to the northwest? I don't know if I can find a way to meet him.
"Now that Master Barnett is not here, can you help me by yourself?"
The little boy said a little uncertainly, "I can control Brain Worm. Can this help you?"
"Can, can, can!"
Earl Kent was overjoyed. Barnett told him that a special bug was used to sneak into Duke Ferdinand's body that time, and the bug was used to control the Duke's brain.
When he first found out, he felt goosebumps all over his body. What would happen if there was a bug moving in his mind? He shuddered at the thought of this.
As long as the Duke can be controlled, other things will be easy to handle even without Barnett.