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Fine cups held scarlet wine, its fragrance wafting from the goblets.

Green's place alone at the dining table was piled high with all manner of delicacies: foie gras, spiced stewed meat, truffles, and a host of other precious ingredients that filled the entire table.

There were also several kinds of meat Green had never seen before.

Green could not help shifting his gaze to the three girls accompanying him. Even in a noble's restaurant, such extravagance was normally impossible. At most, there would be white bread with some stewed meat.

For such a lavish meal, the three girls had probably paid a considerable price.

He simply did not know whether it had been their own decision or an arrangement made by their elders.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was relatively quiet, though faint sounds could still be heard.

Noble etiquette demanded silence during meals.

However, most of those dining in the noble's restaurant at this hour were boys and girls fresh from the training grounds, and the rule was not strictly observed.

Inside the restaurant, aside from Green, who was earnestly enjoying the food, no one else's mind was on the meal.

Ashlyn, Ayla, and Mia, dining with Green, each harbored her own little schemes.

Those at the other tables had also subtly focused their attention on Green's table. Everyone loved gossip, and nobles were no exception.

"Three people competing. Who do you think will win in the end?"

"I don't know, but Mia probably doesn't stand a chance. Her birth is poor, and her figure isn't much to speak of. She's simply not a match for Green."

"I think Ashlyn is the most likely. Look at the way Ashlyn is acting—she's practically pressed against him already. Green probably won't be able to hold out!"

"It's too early to draw conclusions. Green's potential is so great that Baron Klow might marry Lilith to him."

"Exactly. Lilith is a possibility too. Green is about to inherit from Old Green and can accept the Breathing Method ahead of time. His potential must be extraordinary. The baron might even marry Lilith down to Green."

The people present formed small groups and whispered among themselves. Their voices were not loud, but to the three girls, who had been paying close attention to everything around them, the conversations nearby could not escape their ears.

At first, the three girls could still steady their minds. But as soon as Lilith entered the conversation, the faces of all three turned ugly.

Lilith was Baron Klow's eldest daughter, and her status was utterly different from everyone else's. If the baron truly decided to marry Lilith to Green, they would have virtually no chance of competing.

Just as the dining hall was steeped in a strange atmosphere, a commotion suddenly arose at the castle gates. Baron Klow and the captain of the guards had returned with their men from investigating the Annabur Mountains.

Everyone's attention shifted at once. Most of the nobles who were eating set down their knives and forks and headed outside.

The news Baron Klow and the captain of the guards had brought would determine whether war would erupt in this land. If not, they could continue living peaceful lives. But if war was imminent, a series of changes would surely occur within the castle.

"Let's go see what news the baron brought back!" Without waiting for the three girls to agree, Green wiped his mouth with the napkin beside him and quickly left the restaurant. The three girls exchanged glances, but in the end, they still followed Green out.

As soon as Baron Klow and Os, the captain of the guards, returned to the castle, they summoned the nobles within it to the top floor of the central building to discuss the matter.

The guards who had accompanied them remained where they were, continuing to await Baron Klow's orders. Every guard had been placed under a gag order. Until the baron's command, no one was permitted to speak to outsiders about what had happened during the investigation.

Seeing that he could not learn anything from the guards, Green bade the three girls farewell and returned to the guest reception room.

The three girls also realized that something was clearly wrong. After saying goodbye to Green, they each prepared to ask their mothers what had happened.

As Green expected, when he returned to the guest reception room, he did not see Old Green. No one else knew this, but Green was perfectly aware that Old Green was not as frail as he appeared. The master of the castle, Baron Klow, should know this as well. If war truly broke out, Old Green would be a tremendous fighting force. Old Green had probably already retrieved the things from the warehouse. His disappearance now was likely because the baron had summoned him.

But with Old Green absent, Green could only wait patiently.

The creak of the door being pushed open rang out. Green, who had been pacing around the room, immediately turned toward the entrance.

Old Green entered with a solemn look on his face, but upon seeing Green, a faint smile appeared, covering up his grave expression.

"Old Green, what exactly happened?" Green got straight to the point and asked him directly.

Old Green did not answer Green's question. He merely walked slowly to the side of his bed, pondered for a while, and then looked at Green gravely.

"Things don't look good. At the place where you saw the firelight, the baron and the others found a large number of footprints, along with some military supplies and daily necessities. It was most likely an exploration squad from the Saladin Kingdom," Old Green said worriedly.

Green fell silent as well, and the entire room quieted down.

"Still, there's no need to worry. There shouldn't be a war this year or next year. At the earliest, it would be the year after that. The Saladin Kingdom probably hasn't fully explored the passage yet. The lord-level beasts in the Annabur Mountains pose a tremendous threat to their march. By the time Saladin's exploration squad was discovered, judging from the military supplies and daily necessities they left behind, they had already lost at least two-thirds of their men," Old Green said, comforting Green.

"Exploration squads are usually made up of the army's elites. If even they suffered such heavy losses, an ordinary army would have an even harder time crossing the Annabur Mountains. We still have a period of peace ahead of us. Besides, the final exit may not even be within the baron's territory."

Green felt a weight lift from his heart. As long as war did not break out immediately, he would have more time to develop.

"Get plenty of rest these next few days. In a few days, I'll pass the Breathing Method on to you."

"Mm." Green knew that the most important thing now was the Breathing Method. After agreeing to Old Green, Green barely left his room over the following days. Aside from mealtimes, he stayed inside and rested.