Baron of Red Maple's Invitation II

(Second update!)

After observing the terrain of the small manor for a while longer, Donald and his butler turned back to the carriage to inspect the original baronial fief, now a large manor.

Upon arriving, Donald discovered that the situation was even more severe than what Sir Jesse had described.

Before his eyes lay vast, desolate land where even weeds struggled to grow, presenting a scene of gray, withered decay.

Although this wasteland was nearly half the size of the Baron of Red Maple's own territory, the barren, parched earth rendered it virtually worthless.

No wonder they insisted on bundling this place with the sale. Those fellows in the Royal Court and the Council of Nobles certainly have a clever scheme! If I hadn't bought this, anyone else would have been bled dry, only for the land to be bought back by the Royal Court at a pittance, ready to be sold to the next fool!

Donald crouched down to scoop up a handful of the barren soil, examining it closely. He discovered that what should have been loose, fertile topsoil had transformed into gray-white sand similar to that of a barren sandstone region. Given the lack of any nearby deserts or Gobi regions, such weathering would be impossible to achieve naturally in just a few decades.

Is this an artificial disaster, or the work of some magical beast?

Without concrete evidence, Donald could not distinguish the cause, but he was certain that the transformation of this land was not a natural occurrence.

While resolving this phenomenon would be troublesome, it was not impossible. The problem was, if the soil quality reverted after he had already invested the effort to fix it, wouldn't it all be in vain?

Therefore, Donald decided to shelve the large manor for the time being, focusing solely on the small manor until he could uncover the root of the anomaly and resolve it once and for all.

Besides, the small manor is quite large enough to keep me busy for a while.

With this thought, Donald assigned a task to Code and instructed the coachman to drive him back to town. He himself disembarked at the small manor midway, intending to carefully design the future layout of the estate. By the time the butler returned here, he might be in for quite a surprise!

As he thought this, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Donald's mouth.

Watching the carriage carry the butler away, Donald summoned an owl to patrol the perimeter of the manor. After confirming that no one was around, he walked to the center of the estate and opened the Book of Truth.

Through the owl's perspective, Donald gained a rough understanding of the small manor's topography.

The small manor covered about fifty acres, most of which consisted of arable, fertile land.

"Hmm! A farm can be summoned here... a fence can be built here to enclose livestock... this area is suitable for grazing..."

After planning and committing the details to memory, Donald summoned a warhorse. For the sake of his own comfort, he expended a small amount of the energy stored within the Book of Truth to summon a saddle before riding back toward Red Maple Town. Since no one was around to see him, he had no fear of causing a stir or inciting panic.

Upon returning home, Code had not yet arrived, presumably still busy with the tasks he had been assigned.

Back at the manor, the task Donald had given Code was to make purchases in town.

This was partly because the new manor would require many supplies for construction, and partly to deliberately spread the news that he had become a mage apprentice.

Donald intentionally had Code circulate the news of his mage profession to boost his own reputation and visibility. While this would expose him to those with ulterior motives, it would also reduce many other troubles. At the very least, the dual deterrent of being a noble heir and a mage apprentice would make those harboring hostility toward him think twice before taking action.

One must remember that as a former local power-holding noble, the Merlin Family still had enemies. They would surely be delighted to see the name "Merlin" erased from history, and all they would need to do was sever the family's bloodline.

Donald and his butler had suffered greatly over the years, and it was only after they sold their last assets and moved to Red Maple Town that their situation had improved. Because the Baron of Red Maple had once been on close terms with the Merlin Family, outside forces dared not act too brazenly within his territory.

However, the taste of living under someone else's roof was bitter, especially for Donald, who was determined to restore his family's glory and expand its influence.

Now, however, that situation had been resolved. Just as Donald had anticipated, after Butler Code took a large sum of Gold Sol and made a series of purchases in town, returning with carts piled high with goods, the commotion had done its work.

By now, many in town knew that the young master of the Merlin Family was a noble mage apprentice, and that his successful inheritance of the family's knight status was a foregone conclusion. Furthermore, this prospective knight and mage had purchased two manors at once; it seemed the day of the Merlin Family's resurgence was not far off.

As the lord governing the town, the Baron of Red Maple's estate naturally had the most sensitive ears in Red Maple Town. The news that a mage apprentice had appeared in town reached the Baron's ears immediately.

A mage had appeared in his town—even if only an apprentice, the individual's age and noble status compelled the Baron to take notice.

After brief consideration, the Baron of Red Maple summoned his butler, wrote an invitation, and sent it to Donald's residence.

Two hours later, Donald finished his meditation and stepped out of his room. Seeing the courtyard nearly filled with various building materials and supplies, he was quite satisfied with his butler's efficiency.

Code, having finished his errands, was in the courtyard. He brought with him a noble invitation, the red five-pointed maple leaf seal upon it being the family crest of the local lord, the Baron of Red Maple.

"The Baron of Red Maple? He certainly found out quickly. But what does he mean by inviting me over? Could he be eyeing my manor?"

Turning the gold-inlaid, exquisite invitation in his hand, Donald asked himself, feeling somewhat puzzled.

After all, he was only a seventeen-year-old youth, and in his previous life, he had been a shut-in; he did not yet fully grasp the intricacies of noble intentions.

Butler Code, however, had some understanding of these matters and said to his perplexed young master:

"Young Master, I do not believe the Baron of Red Maple has any ill intent. You are not only a hereditary noble but also a formal mage apprentice, and you have caught the eye of Master Messer, the top mage of North Shire; your future prospects are limitless. In the past, the Baron did not invite you because you were merely a destitute noble without a foundation. His allowing the Merlin Family to remain in his territory was already a gesture of respect for the old ties between our families! Now that you possess noble status and strength, it is only natural for him to want to draw closer to you!"

Hearing the butler's explanation, Donald began to understand. However, his impression of the Baron was neither good nor bad. He was grateful that the Baron had taken them in during their lowest point—though he provided no financial aid, allowing them to settle in Red Maple Town was a form of indirect protection. On the other hand, he felt deep dissatisfaction toward the man for failing to provide any assistance when the Merlin Family was in crisis, which led to their rapid decline, the loss of their territory, and the deaths of his grandfather, father, and mother.

Indeed, it was rumored that the Baron of Red Maple was quite utilitarian and would not act without benefit. But people have feelings; when the Merlin Family was under attack, the Baron's power was only slightly greater than theirs. Had he helped, the Merlin Family would have had a good chance of retaining at least half their territory and would not have withered to their current state. Helping them would not have cost the Baron much—at most, some money.

Other nobles might have lent a hand, but the Baron did not. From this, Donald concluded that the man's character was not suited for deep friendship.

Therefore, Donald was hesitant about the invitation.

"Uncle Code, do you think I should go or not?"

The butler thought for three seconds before replying:

"Go! You must go! At the very least, the Baron's acceptance of our stay in town is a favor. You can go to gauge his attitude and find an opportunity to repay that debt. Furthermore, although our family has hope for a resurgence, we have yet to recover our lost territory. Without territory, we have no foundation, and we cannot recruit subjects for the family. By building a good relationship with the Baron, you can use his influence to deter the old enemies of the Merlin Family! Otherwise, they will surely use unscrupulous means to hinder your development!"

A sharp light flashed in Donald's eyes as he said coldly:

"Very well! Then I shall go and meet this Baron of Red Maple! As for those rats who only know how to scheme in the shadows, if they dare to reach out their claws, I shall simply break them all!"