(Second update!)
After looking over the small manor's terrain for a while longer, Donald and the butler climbed back into the carriage and went to see the old lord's estate, now known as the large manor.
Only after they arrived did Donald realize that the situation was even worse than Sir Jesse had described.
As far as the eye could see, the land was vast and barren. Even the weeds struggled to grow there, leaving the whole area a drab, withered yellow.
Although this wasteland was almost half the size of the Red Maple barony, its dry, barren soil made it completely worthless.
"No wonder they'd only sell it as part of a package. The Royal Family and those people on the Council of Nobles really know how to scheme! If I hadn't bought it, anyone else who did would've been the one to suffer. In the end, the Royal Family would've bought it back at a low price, ready to sell it to the next sucker!"
Donald crouched and grabbed a handful of the barren soil, examining it closely. He found that what should have been a layer of soft, fertile earth had turned into gray-white sand, like the soil in a barren sandstone region. With no desert or wasteland nearby, there was no way natural weathering could have caused such a change in just a few decades.
"Was this a man-made disaster, or did some magical beast cause it?"
Without any concrete evidence, Donald couldn't tell. But he was certain the land's transformation hadn't happened naturally.
Fixing the problem wouldn't be easy, but it was possible. The real issue was that if the soil became barren again after he restored its fertility, wouldn't all his effort have been wasted?
So Donald decided to set the large manor aside for now and focus on running the small one. Once he discovered what had caused the change, he'd come back and deal with it for good!
"Besides, the small manor is big enough to keep me busy for a while."
With that in mind, Donald assigned Code a task, then had the coachman drive him back to town. He got off at the small manor along the way, planning to work out what he wanted to do with the property. When the butler came back, he might be in for quite a surprise!
At the thought, Donald couldn't help smiling.
After watching the carriage carrying the butler disappear into the distance, Donald summoned an Owl to scout the manor's surroundings. Once he'd confirmed there was no one around, he walked to the center of the estate and opened the Book of Truth.
Through the Owl's eyes, Donald got a rough sense of the small manor's layout.
The small manor covered only about fifty mu, but most of it was good farmland.
"Hmm! I can summon a farm here... I can build a fence here to keep livestock... This spot would be good for grazing..."
After planning everything out and committing the details to memory, Donald summoned a warhorse. Thinking of his backside, he spent some of the energy stored in the Book of Truth to summon a saddle as well, then rode toward Red Maple Town. There was no one around to see him, so he didn't have to worry about causing a stir or starting a panic.
When he got home, Code still hadn't returned. It seemed he was out carrying out the task Donald had given him.
The task Donald had assigned Code at the manor was to buy supplies in town.
For one thing, the manor was newly established and would need plenty of materials for construction. For another, Donald wanted word of his becoming an Apprentice Mage to spread.
Donald had deliberately told Code to spread the news that he'd acquired the Mage profession. His aim was to boost his reputation and make a name for himself. This would expose him to the notice of anyone who was paying attention, but it would also save him a lot of trouble. At the very least, with the combined deterrent of his status as a noble heir and an Apprentice Mage, anyone who harbored ill will toward him would think twice before making a move.
After all, the Merlin Family had once been one of the local powers and had its share of enemies. They would surely be delighted to erase the name Merlin from history for good. All they had to do was cut off the family's bloodline.
Donald and his former servant had suffered a great deal over the years. Things had only improved after they sold off the last of their possessions and moved to Red Maple Town. The Red Maple Baron and the Merlin Family had once been close, so outside forces didn't dare go too far on his territory.
But living under someone else's roof was no pleasant thing, especially for Donald, who was determined to restore his family's glory and make it prosper.
Now, however, things had changed just as Donald had expected. Butler Code had gone on a shopping spree around town with a huge sum of Gold Sol, and after hauling cartload after cartload of goods back to the courtyard, the news had spread.
By now, many people in town knew that the young master of House Merlinar had become a noble Apprentice Mage. It was only a matter of time before he inherited the family's knighthood. And that prospective knight and mage had just bought two manors in one go. It seemed the Merlin Family's resurgence couldn't be far off.
As the lord who ruled over Red Maple Town, the Red Maple Baron's household naturally had the best-informed network of eyes and ears in town. News that a Mage had appeared in town reached the Baron at once.
A Mage had appeared in his town. Even if he was only an apprentice, his age and noble status meant the Baron had to take him seriously.
After giving it a little thought, the Red Maple Baron summoned his butler, wrote an invitation, and sent him to Donald's residence.
Two hours later, Donald emerged from his room after finishing his meditation. Seeing the building materials and supplies nearly filling the front and back of the courtyard, he was very pleased with his butler's efficiency.
Code, having finished the task Donald had given him, was in the courtyard. He'd brought back an invitation from a noble. The red maple leaf stamped on it was the family crest of the local lord, the Red Maple Baron.
"The Red Maple Baron? He heard about me quickly enough. But why invite me over? Is he after my manor?"
Donald turned the exquisite, gold-trimmed invitation over in his hands, wondering aloud.
After all, he was only seventeen, and in his previous life he'd been a homebody. He didn't understand much about how nobles thought.
Butler Code knew a little more about such things. He explained to his puzzled young master:
"Young master, I don't think the Red Maple Baron means you any harm by inviting you. You now have a hereditary title, you're a bona fide Apprentice Mage, and you've caught the eye of Master Messer, North Shire's Number One Mage. Your prospects are unlimited. The Red Maple Baron never invited you before because you were just a fallen noble with no backing. The fact that he allowed House Merlinar to settle in his territory was already a kindness, considering the history between our families. Now that you have status and strength, it's only natural that he wants to get closer to you!"
After listening to the butler's explanation, Donald understood somewhat better. Still, his impression of the Red Maple Baron was neither good nor bad. He was grateful that the Baron had taken them in when they were down on their luck. Though he hadn't offered them financial help, allowing them to settle in Red Maple Town had been a kind of protection. On the other hand, Donald resented him deeply for offering no help when the Merlin Family was in crisis, causing it to fall so quickly. The family lost its territory, and his grandfather, father, and even mother died as a result. In his heart, Donald was deeply dissatisfied with this former ally of the Merlin Family.
It was true that the Red Maple Baron was said to be a calculating man who wouldn't do anything unless there was something in it for him. But people had feelings, too. When the Merlin Family was struck down, the forces opposing them were only a little stronger than those of the Red Maple Baron, himself a local noble. With his help, the Merlin Family might have held on to at least half its territory and wouldn't have fallen so far. Helping them would not have cost the Baron much, at most a little money.
Other nobles would likely have lent a hand, but the Red Maple Baron hadn't. That showed what kind of man he was. Donald had already decided he wasn't someone to get close to.
So Donald hesitated over the invitation.
"Uncle Code, do you think I should go or not?"
The butler thought for three seconds, then replied:
"Go! Of course you should go! The Baron did let us live in town, and that counts as a kindness. You can see how he treats you and look for a chance to repay him. Besides, though the Merlin Family now has a chance to rise again, we still haven't reclaimed our lost territory. Without land, we have no foundation, and we can't recruit people into the family's service at the manor. So it would be good to get on better terms with the Red Maple Baron and use his influence to deter some of the Merlin Family's old enemies. Otherwise, they'll do whatever it takes to obstruct your progress!"
A glint flashed in Donald's eyes. He spoke coldly:
"Good! Then I'll go meet the Red Maple Baron! And as for those rats who only know how to scheme behind people's backs—if they dare reach their claws out toward me, I'll break them all!"
Before you continue