Taking It Seriously

The night was deep.

Yet the castle study was brightly lit by candlelight.

Count Paxter, who ought to have been inspecting his lands, sat upright in his seat, listening as Todd Flowers recounted the entire story of Eagle's Beak's settlement.

When Todd said that Samwell had held off two thousand Wildlings outside the valley with only a hundred recruits, Horas, standing nearby, could not help but retort:

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a hundred recruits stop an attack by two thousand Wildlings? Todd, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Before Todd could defend himself, Count Paxter shot his eldest son a glare and said:

"Silence!"

Horas immediately fell quiet.

Count Paxter was small in stature, and curled up in his broad chair, he appeared even more insignificant. Yet no one in the room dared truly disregard the Lord of Arbor.

Not only them—even Duke Mace, the Warden of the Reach, had gone to great lengths to win this man over, even marrying off his own younger sister, Mina Tyrell, to him.

"Todd, continue."

"Yes, my lord." Todd hurriedly went on.

Naturally, no one dared interrupt him again.

Subduing the Tiger Tooth Tribe, ambushing the coalition army of the Thirteen Tribes, brewing Brandy, discovering a silver mine...

The expressions of the brothers Horas and Hobber grew increasingly unpleasant, as though they were listening to some absurd ghost story.

Even ghost stories were not this outrageous!

The two brothers refused to believe that the chubby boy they had once teased until he cried had now become a valiant knight capable of claiming land in the Red Mountains.

It was all fake!

Fake!

Horas rubbed his still-aching shoulder and roared inwardly.

Once Todd finally finished his account, Horas immediately turned toward his father. A bellyful of words seemed to crowd at his lips, but when he saw Count Paxter lower his head in silence, he forcibly swallowed them back.

Naturally, no one else dared speak either.

An eerie silence descended over the study, broken only by the occasional faint crackle of burning candles.

After a long while, Count Paxter finally raised his head. His expression revealed neither pleasure nor anger as he asked Todd:

"He came to Arbor this time just to purchase grain and supplies?"

"My lord, Ser Caesar has already reached a supply agreement with House Cuy in Sunhouse, so he may not be in any great hurry to buy grain and supplies from Arbor. As for the Brandy, he should be hoping to cooperate with Arbor."

"Brandy..." Count Paxter pursed his lips and said casually, "Did you bring any? Let me taste it and see whether it really is as exceptional as you claim."

"I did." Todd took out a small oak cask, stepped up to the table, and poured Count Paxter a cup.

A rich fragrance of liquor spread through the room, instantly making Count Paxter, who had seemed so languid moments before, sit up straight.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at the amber liquid in the cup for a long time before lifting it to his nose and taking a sniff.

"Fine liquor!"

Before a drop had even touched his lips, Count Paxter had already delivered his verdict.

All the Redwynes present looked astonished.

Still, the intoxicating aroma was indeed enticing, and everyone quietly swallowed.

Under their gazes, some expectant and some skeptical, Count Paxter finally drained the cup in one gulp.

Gulp—

Everyone held their breath.

Count Paxter closed his eyes and tilted back his head, as though savoring the taste.

Only after a long while did he open his eyes again and look at his eldest son, Horas.

"First thing tomorrow morning, bring Samwell to see me!"

"Yes, Father." Horas quickly agreed.

Then he looked eagerly at the cask in Todd's hand, clearly wanting a taste himself.

But before he could speak, Count Paxter ordered Todd:

"Send all the remaining liquor in your possession to the winery. Let the brewers taste it and see if they can figure out how it was made."

"Yes, my lord." Under everyone's longing gazes, Todd sealed the cask again.

Count Paxter glanced at him and urged:

"Go now."

"Yes." Todd had no choice but to turn and leave the study.

Once outside, the bastard gave a bitter smile.

He understood that he would always be nothing more than a "Flowers."

Count Paxter would never allow him into the true core of House Redwyne.

Under the dim candlelight, the castle corridors flickered between shadow and light.

Everything before him was so familiar, yet so strange.

Taking a deep breath, Todd gathered himself and headed toward the winery.

The next morning.

After getting up, washing, and finishing breakfast, Samwell could not be bothered to greet any of the Redwynes. He took his men straight to the docks.

By chance, they came across a merchant ship bound for Oldtown. Samwell paid a little money and hitched a ride.

As the massive anchor was raised from the water, the merchant ship slowly sailed out of the harbor.

Todd Flowers stood at the bow, staring at the scene with a face full of bewilderment.

Why had Horas not come looking for Samwell? Or had Count Paxter changed his mind afterward?

Sigh. As expected, I'm just an outsider. I know nothing...

Seeing Todd's low spirits, Samwell asked:

"What? Can't bear to leave home?"

"This isn't my home." Todd sighed and lowered his gaze to the sparkling water.

The sea breeze was gentle, but it could not blow away Todd's melancholy.

But the next moment, he heard Chiman beside him say:

"My lord, are those two men on the dock the Redwyne brothers?"

Samwell focused his gaze for a while. "Huh? They really seem to be. Are they here to see us off?"

Todd hurriedly looked up. Sure enough, the Redwyne twins stood on the dock, frantically waving their arms in their direction while shouting something at the top of their lungs, though they were too far away to be heard.

"Goodbye! Goodbye! No need to see us off!" Samwell waved back at the two brothers.

He did not forget to turn to Todd and add:

"I didn't expect those two brothers to be so enthusiastic."

Todd opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

At the same time, a thought surfaced in his mind—could Horas have forgotten to come take Samwell to see Count Paxter?

Surely not.

Todd shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought.

How could House Redwyne's heir be that foolish?

"Wait! Wait! My father wants to see you! My father wants to see you!"

On the dock, the two brothers frantically waved their arms and screamed toward the sea.

The laborers around them looked at them as though they were idiots.

Even after their voices had gone hoarse, the merchant ship showed no sign of turning back.

"Damn it, Brother! You idiot! You overslept!" In despair, Hobber grabbed his brother by the sleeve and shouted in his ear. "What do we do now? Father is waiting for Samwell!"

"What do we do? What do we do..." Horas stared blankly at the merchant ship gradually sailing away.

The Brandy had stirred his craving for drink the night before. After returning to his room, he had drunk to satisfy it, accidentally had too much, and then failed to wake up in the morning...

Thinking of his father's coming fury, House Redwyne's eldest son shuddered violently.