Lady Roslin

The towering stone walls of Deddings Town came into view.

This was what one could truly call a castle.

That lonely, three-story tower at Foulkeep wasn't even fit for a dog to live in!

Suleiman grumbled inwardly.

The banners of House Deddings fluttered in the wind atop the five-meter-high walls.

Because it was wartime, and Lord Balon Dating was currently defending against enemies at Seaguard.

The guards were armored and armed, their defensive posture stern and imposing.

The castle gates were tightly shut.

Seeing three armed, armored, and mounted men approach, the soldiers on the wall quickly sounded the horn for an emergency assembly.

Suleiman reined in the white horse gifted by Raymun Darry, while Lushen and Roslyn pulled up behind him, looking somewhat nervous.

"Who goes there!" the four guards on the wall shouted sharply, their bows drawn taut and aimed directly at them.

Suleiman was genuinely afraid of these archers; if one hand slipped, the three of them would be turned into hedgehogs.

He hurriedly urged his horse forward, pulling his seal and family token from his robes.

"Sir Suleiman of Foulkeep, here to seek an audience with the Lady," Suleiman shouted.

The captain of the guards eyed the three of them suspiciously.

Suleiman wore a black robe and cloak, a sharp sword at his waist, and rode a fine steed, looking quite extraordinary.

Behind him, Lushen and Roslyn, though only wearing light armor, sat tall in their saddles with swords at their hips, their eyes alert and their posture rigid—the very picture of seasoned veterans.

The guards on the wall whispered among themselves.

"Foulkeep?"

"I heard they were dirt poor, didn't even have horses, let alone guards."

"These three don't look like that at all."

"And wasn't it said that everyone from House Foulkeep died at the hands of the Ironborn? The only little one left had his head smashed in by the Ironborn and was sent back home to wait for death."

A guard was lowered from the wall in a basket.

He walked over cautiously to take the seal and family token Suleiman handed him, examined them carefully, and then looked up at Suleiman.

His expression shifted from initial vigilance to surprise, and then to confusion.

"Sir Suleiman of Foulkeep?" he confirmed.

"Indeed."

The guard returned the seal and family token to Suleiman, his tone softening considerably.

"Please wait a moment, I must report this."

He turned back to the basket and was hoisted back up to the wall.

The wait was not long.

Soon, the castle gates swung open, and a dozen knights galloped out, surrounding Suleiman and his men.

The lead knight spoke with a measure of respect, though his hand remained tightly gripped on his sword hilt, his gaze scanning the three of them.

"Sir Suleiman, Lady Roslin will see you now."

Suleiman nodded and urged his horse forward into the town.

Lushen and Roslyn followed closely behind, struggling to maintain their composure, though their expressions were slightly stiff.

After all, being surrounded by a dozen knights while entering the city was no small matter.

Upon entering Deddings Town, the sight before them made Lushen and Roslyn gasp in secret.

The roads were paved with flagstones, flanked by sturdy two- or even three-story houses built of bluestone, with patrolling soldiers visible everywhere.

No wonder Master Suleiman called our place a refugee camp!

The knights then separated the three of them to verify their information once more before finally confirming their identities.

After escorting the three to a side hall, they demanded they surrender their weapons and armor and subjected them to a search.

"Please wait here, Sir Suleiman," the knight said.

The side hall was small, simply furnished, yet clean and tidy.

Suleiman found a chair to sit and rest, closing his eyes to gather his strength.

Lushen and Roslyn, however, appeared restless and uneasy.

"My lord, these horses... they really aren't meant for people to ride," Roslyn whispered, grimacing as he rubbed his inner thighs.

Lushen nodded with a bitter face, "My backside feels like it doesn't even belong to me anymore."

"I used to think those knightly lords looked so dashing and majestic on horseback, I never imagined it was such a torment," Roslyn continued to complain.

Lushen hurriedly stopped him, "What are you saying! The Lady giving us horses to ride is a sign of her high regard for us."

Suleiman opened his eyes, a faint smile curling the corners of his mouth.

He said indifferently, "You'll get used to it."

"There will be plenty more opportunities to ride horses in the future."

Hearing this, the expressions on the two men's faces turned even more bitter.

Before long, the sound of light footsteps approached.

A woman with brown hair, dressed in a simple gown, walked in accompanied by two maids.

She was about forty years old, her face haggard and her expression weary, her hair simply pinned back as if she hadn't had a good rest in a long time.

Yet her eyes were gentle and calm, and there was an inherent dignity of a Lady of the House in her stride.

This was the Lady of House Deddings, Lady Roslin.

Suleiman stood up and bowed in salute: "Good day, honorable Lady Roslin."

Lushen and Roslyn hurriedly followed suit, mimicking Suleiman's movements, appearing somewhat clumsy.

"Little Suleiman, there is no need for such formalities." "Please, sit." Lady Roslin's voice was gentle, carrying a trace of imperceptible hoarseness.

"Little Suleiman, have you come here to inherit your family's title?"

Lady Roslin asked.

Suleiman took a deep breath, his face instantly filled with sorrow.

Life is like a play, and it all depends on one's acting skills.

His eyes reddened, and he rushed forward to kneel, clutching Lady Roslin's legs tightly!

His voice choked with sobs: "My Lady! My Lady! My Lady! My father and my two brothers! They have all! They have all died in battle at Seaguard!"

"My mother thought we had all perished! In her grief and despair, she threw herself from Foulkeep!"

"My Lady! My Lady!"

As he spoke, he seemed overcome with grief, bowing his head as his body shook with continuous weeping.

His hands gripped the hem of Lady Roslin's skirt even tighter.

Lady Roslin watched him quietly, a trace of pity in her eyes as she reached out to gently stroke Suleiman's hair.

What this poor little one must have endured.

She sighed:

"I have heard of the tragedy at Foulkeep."

"Your father and two brothers were brave Warriors, and House Deddings will remember their loyalty!"

"Your mother was also an excellent mother; she raised three fine children."

Suleiman looked up, tears already swirling in his eyes:

"To answer the call to arms, my father exhausted almost all of the family's savings to purchase equipment and weapons. Now, now, I am the only one left at Foulkeep. The granaries are empty, the treasury is devoid of a single coin, and my subjects and I are on the verge of starvation!"

Suleiman wailed in pain, his voice miserable: "I implore you, my Lady, have mercy. For the sake of my father and two brothers who died on the battlefield for Lord Deddings, please open your coffers and help me through this crisis!"

Lushen and Roslyn stared blankly at the miserable sight of him kneeling on the ground, clutching Lady Roslin tightly and wailing in agony.

What was happening? Had Master Suleiman been pretending not to care in front of them all this time, only to be hiding his own pain?

Our Master Suleiman had actually kept his tears buried in his heart for so long.

They felt guilty once again, wondering why they were so incompetent.

Lady Roslin looked at the young knight kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down his face, a flicker of sorrow and pity crossing her eyes.

She was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"Little Suleiman, your family has bled dry for Deddings. This loyalty is something House Deddings will never forget!"

Her voice remained soft, yet it carried a sense of insight.

"But I have also heard that after the merciful Sir Suleiman returned to Foulkeep, he distributed the family's remaining food and wealth to the families of those fallen subjects?"

Upon hearing this, a storm raged in Suleiman's heart, and the sorrowful expression on his face instantly stiffened.

It stood to reason; if a liege lord couldn't know the situation of their vassals immediately, they wouldn't be much of a lord.

But Suleiman reacted quickly, continuing to weep and choke as he held onto the Lady's legs:

"My father and brothers died in battle, and those farmers also died for my family!"

"Their families were left helpless and alone, and I, I simply could not bear to watch them starve to death!"

"You know, my Lady, I am the youngest son of the family and have never received the education of a family heir!"

He raised a hand to wipe away his tears: "I acted on impulse; I just, I just didn't expect the family's situation to be so dire."

Lady Roslin looked at him, her eyes holding a bit more scrutiny, and also a bit of indescribable emotion.

Lady Roslin sighed softly, her tone carrying a trace of pity, and a hint of helplessness.

"You will be a kind and benevolent lord."

She reached out her hand, gently helping Suleiman to his feet.

"Rise, little Suleiman."

"Regarding your request, I will consider allocating some grain to help you through these difficult times."

Suleiman rose with the momentum, his face still wearing the perfect balance of gratitude and sorrow.

"Thank you, My Lady! Thank you, My Lady!"

The best way to move a woman is to stir her empathy.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the door.

A guard rushed in, looking flustered, having even forgotten to announce himself first.

"My Lady! My Lady! Urgent military intelligence!" The guard panted, his face deathly pale.

Lady Roslin frowned: "What is the meaning of this panic?"

The attendant presented the letter in his hand to Lady Roslin.

As Lady Roslin read the letter, her expression shifted rapidly, eventually settling into a grave look, the weariness on her face deepening.

Lady Roslin then turned to Suleiman, her voice tinged with apology:

"Little Suleiman, I will need some time regarding the matter you requested."

"You may stay in the city for now; once I have handled these urgent military affairs, I will give you an answer."

What a pity, Suleiman thought to himself, could it not have arrived a moment later?

The Lady had seemed ready to open her coffers.

With no other choice, he could only say respectfully: "I shall await your news, My Lady."

Lady Roslin nodded: "I will be as quick as I can!"

"Suleiman takes his leave!"

He led Lushen and Roslyn out of the side hall, calculating his next move.

Lady Roslin's attitude did not seem bad at all.

Moreover, she had seemingly been moved to be generous toward him, only for that urgent military intelligence to make her change her mind and decide to reconsider.

But a reconsideration also meant uncertainty; he wondered what that urgent military intelligence could be.