Options
Bookmark

Chapter 450: change of house

Dorothy’s father, York, was drinking tea in the manor of the Earl of Olsenburg.

Old York was holding the tea in the cup in fear. Judging from the color and fragrance, it should be the first-class jasmine tea from Faroese.

But he was not in the mood to taste the tea in the cup now.

“Master Lars, are you sure that is really the sage of Roursk?”

Count Cruz paced back and forth in the hall of the manor. The spell caster who had just returned from Nolan and his eldest son, alterk, stood respectfully to the side.

“Even if I’m blind, I can’t have mistaken my teacher for someone else. Sir Count, my teacher did indeed protect that little girl named Dorothy.”The spell caster named Lars reported everything that had happened in Nolan.

“Dorothy, Dorothy…”

Count Cruz repeated the name over and over again, then looked at Old York who was standing on the other side. The old merchant almost could not hold his teacup.

“Why would an ordinary merchant’s daughter be protected by the gray-clothed man? When did Nolan’s seven sages become so kind-hearted?”

“This… My Lord, before I came here, I collected information on this aspect on Nolan’s new spell, ‘Magic Net’. It’s said that the little girl named Dorothy won the runner-up in the open tournament called Hearthstone, and she once defeated my mentor in the competition,”said the spell caster.

“Defeated the sages?”Count Cruz widened his eyes. “Wait… What’s the competition of Nolan’s Open Tournament?”

“It is said to be… a card game called Hearthstone legend. It is very popular among the Nolan Dwarves, and my mentor seems to be very interested in it.”

“Card game.”

Hearing this, Count Cruz did not know what to say. In Orson Castle, there were also some card games that were popular for ‘winning points’, however, this game was always on the same level as gambling and those shady underground activities.

No noble who was on the surface would touch the things played by those rats.

But in Nolan, some kind of card game was popular? They even held a competition openly, and even the sage participated in the competition!

All of this seemed to challenge the worldview of the Earl of Cruz, which made the Earl of Cruz want to find someone to ask, “What happened to Nolan recently? !”

“Father, they’re just a group of spell casters. Is there a need for us to be so afraid… ?”Attek looked at his father, who was pacing back and forth, and showed a puzzled look.

“Just a group of spell casters?”Count Cruz sighed at his son’s ignorance. “Listen carefully, attek! “Now, our Great Emperor, His Majesty Biskelyn, is one of the students of the gray-clothed men! “Including the one or two introductory classes I attended in Nolan when I was young, at least one-tenth of the inscriptions of order in this world were discovered by the gray-clothed man. Do you still think he is just a Spellcaster?”

”…”alterk opened his mouth, not knowing how to answer, and could only choose to fall into silence.

“Sir Count!”

The report wasn’t over yet. A spy wearing leather armor walked quickly into the hall of the manor.

“We found the trace of that little girl named Dorothy.”

“Where!”

“The headquarters of the silver-patterned chamber of Commerce.”

Count Cruz walked out of the manor without hesitation. The people around him followed him.

Hearing the news of Dorothy’s return, her father York’s heart sank.

He was not sure whether the count would completely demolish his chamber of Commerce headquarters and take away his daughter.

With fear and unease, the manager of the silver-patterned chamber of Commerce immediately followed the count.

With the count’s acquiescence, he got into a magic car.

The magic car sped through the streets of Fort Orson for about ten minutes before arriving at a street that Old York was familiar with.

Now, he could only pray that his daughter had long learned that the count had brought people to this place and quickly ran back to Nolan!

But the moment he got off the car, he saw Dorothy standing at the door of the Chamber of Commerce.

Her long wine-red hair that reached her waist was so eye-catching no matter where she stood.

“There’s no need for these anymore. Move them out! Also, move those glass windows in the Hall!”

Dorothy carried a pile of boxes filled with sundries and placed them outside the Chamber of Commerce. The few remaining servants in the Chamber of Commerce were also constantly moving things in and out.

What… was she planning to do?

York was stunned as he watched his daughter not only order the servants to move the furnishings in the Chamber of Commerce outside, but also start to ‘demolish’his own house.

“Father! You’re back!”

Dorothy saw her father standing by the street. She was in an extremely good mood after successfully recruiting a monster-level ‘investor’.

When she walked to her father, she suddenly found that the highest manager of the city, Count Cruz, was standing by the side.

“Sir Cruz.”Dorothy had long expected that this day would come. She was neither servile nor overbearing and wanted to raise her skirt to the person in front of her.

However, Dorothy suddenly realized that in order to carry the sundries, she was still wearing the simple men’s clothes. There was no skirt for her to carry..

“No need. Are You Dorothy?”Count Cruz looked at the girl in front of him. He understood why his eldest son was so fascinated by her.

This kind of girl who was both beautiful and could roll up her sleeves to work was indeed very popular among the men of the country of steel.

But now, Count Cruz was not here for a blind date.

“Yes,”Dorothy answered.

“I have a question to ask you,”Count Cruz asked straightforwardly the question in his heart. “What is your relationship with one of Nolan’s Seven Sages, the gray-clothed man?”

“The… Gray-clothed Man?”Dorothy thought that the count was someone who had “Caused trouble”, so when she was suddenly asked this strange question, she did not know how to answer it.

“My friend, are you satisfied with this answer, Cruz?”

The gray-clothed person slowly walked out of the shop with a cane, and Count Cruz quickly recognized the identity of the old man.

“I didn’t expect that Sage Ruersk would personally visit Orson Castle.”After seeing the gray-clothed person, Count Cruz instantly lost the mood to think about the relationship between the girl and the gray-clothed person.

“I was asked by someone to come to this chamber of commerce to take a look.”The gray-clothed person shook his head and rejected Count Cruz’s invitation in advance. “I will return to Nolan soon.”

“This chamber of Commerce? If you are interested in the magic-conducting machinery of Orson Castle, I can show you more.”

Count Cruz glanced at the silver-patterned chamber of Commerce behind him. This chamber of Commerce had mainly sold magic-conducting machinery a long time ago.

The steel country’s most powerful means of attracting spell casters from other countries were all kinds of advanced magic-conducting machinery. Therefore, Count Cruz also guessed that the gray-clothed man had come specifically for this purpose.

“Magic-conducting machinery?”The gray-clothed man also turned to look at the Kelia Chamber of Commerce. “This chamber of Commerce is not a chamber of commerce that sells magic-conducting machinery.”

“Lord… Lord gray-clothed man.”

At this moment, as the manager of the Chamber of Commerce, York finally could not help but want to step forward.

If the Sage had visited his chamber of Commerce, this could also be a powerful propaganda method. However, at this moment, his daughter interrupted what he wanted to say.

“Father, a merchant from Nolan wants to merge with our chamber of Commerce.”

Dorothy did not show any mercy and directly said that not only did she tear down the house, but she also sold it in passing.

After all, the deal that Josh had proposed would usher in a new era of prosperity for the silver florist guild, and Dorothy did not think that there was anything to hide about it.

Comments 1

  1. Offline
    Reader0722
    + 10 -
    Chapter 450: Change of House

    Dorothy’s father, York, sat within the imposing manor of the Count of Osenberg, a teacup clutched in his trembling hand. The delicate aroma and pale gold hue suggested a first-class jasmine tea from Farucci, yet his anxiety rendered him incapable of appreciating its subtleties.


    “Master Lars, are you truly certain he is the Sage of Norland?”


    Count Cruz paced the length of his grand hall, his agitation palpable. The recently returned Mage Lars, along with his eldest son, Akite, stood respectfully aside, their expressions mirroring the Count’s unease.


    “Even if blindness claimed my sight, I could not mistake my teacher for another. My lord, the Gray Sage did indeed protect that young woman named Dorothy.” Mage Lars recounted the events in Norland with unwavering certainty.


    “Dorothy, Dorothy…”


    Count Cruz repeated the name, a mixture of frustration and bewilderment coloring his tone. His sharp gaze then settled upon York, who appeared on the verge of shattering the delicate porcelain in his grasp.


    “Why would an ordinary merchant’s daughter warrant the protection of the Gray Sage? When did the Seven Sages of Norland become so… magnanimous?”


    “This… My Lord, prior to my return, I gathered information regarding Norland’s novel spell, the ‘Magic Net.’ It is said that the young woman named Dorothy achieved second place in an open tournament known as Hearthstone, even defeating my mentor in a match,” Mage Lars explained, a hint of lingering surprise in his voice.


    “Defeated the Sage?” Count Cruz’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Wait… What manner of competition is this?”


    “It is described as… a card game called Hearthstone. It enjoys considerable popularity among the Norland Dwarves, and my mentor seems to have developed a significant interest in it.”


    “Card game.”


    The words left Count Cruz utterly perplexed. In Osenberg, card games were synonymous with “winning points,” a thinly veiled term for gambling and the clandestine activities of the city’s underbelly.


    No self-respecting noble would ever associate with such vulgar pastimes.


    Yet, in Norland, this card game was popular? They held public competitions, and even a Sage participated!


    The revelation shook the very foundations of Count Cruz’s worldview, leaving him with an unspoken cry: “What bizarre transformation has befallen Norland of late?!”


    “Father, they are merely a collection of spell casters. Is there truly cause for such profound fear?” Akite observed his father’s agitated pacing, a look of genuine bewilderment etched upon his features.


    “Merely a collection of spell casters?” Count Cruz sighed, lamenting his son’s ignorance. “Listen closely, Akite! Our Great Emperor, His Majesty Biskelyn, is himself a student of the Gray Sage! Including the introductory lectures I attended in Norland during my youth, at least a tenth of the fundamental runes of order in this world were discovered by him. Do you still believe him to be just a… spell caster?”

    Akite’s mouth opened, but he found himself without a suitable response, opting instead for a chastened silence.


    “My Lord!”


    The tense atmosphere was broken by the urgent arrival of a spy, clad in practical leather armor, who hurried into the room.


    “We have located the young woman named Dorothy.”


    “Where!”


    “The headquarters of the Silver Flower Chamber of Commerce.”


    Without uttering another word, Count Cruz strode purposefully out of the manor, his concerned retinue trailing swiftly behind.

    Hearing the news of Dorothy’s return, her father York’s heart sank like a stone.


    He was consumed by the fear that the count would not only dismantle his struggling Chamber but also seize his headstrong daughter.


    Driven by a potent cocktail of fear and unease, York hastened to follow the count.

    With a curt nod of permission from Count Cruz, he squeezed into a waiting magic carriage, his anxiety intensifying with each turn of the wheels.


    The carriage sped through the familiar streets of Osenberg for approximately ten minutes before arriving at a street etched in his memory.


    Now, York could only cling to the desperate hope that his daughter, somehow forewarned, had already fled back to the relative safety of Norland!


    But the moment he alighted from the vehicle, his hope crumbled. Standing defiantly at the entrance of the Chamber of Commerce was Dorothy.


    Her long, wine-red hair, a vibrant cascade reaching her waist, was an unmistakable beacon, drawing all eyes.


    “There’s no need for these anymore. Move them out! Also, move those glass windows in the Hall!”


    Dorothy, sleeves rolled up, directed the flurry of activity with surprising authority, carrying stacks of dusty boxes filled with forgotten sundries and placing them unceremoniously outside the building. The few remaining servants of the Chamber were diligently hauling furniture and goods in and out, their movements a chaotic ballet.


    What… was she planning to do?


    York watched in stunned disbelief as his daughter not only instructed the servants to remove the Chamber’s furnishings but also began what appeared to be a systematic dismantling of his own establishment.


    “Father! You’re back!”


    Dorothy’s voice, surprisingly cheerful, cut through the commotion as she spotted her father standing bewildered by the street. Her good spirits stemmed from the successful recruitment of a formidable ‘investor.’


    As she approached him, her gaze sharpened as she noticed the imposing figure of Count Cruz standing nearby, his expression a mask of controlled displeasure.


    “My lord.” Dorothy, having anticipated this confrontation, adopted a posture that was neither subservient nor defiant. She instinctively began a curtsy.


    However, the weight of the boxes she had been carrying reminded her of her practical attire. Clad in simple men’s work clothes, there was no skirt to gracefully gather.


    “No need for greetings. Are You Dorothy?” Count Cruz’s gaze was direct and assessing, and York understood why his usually discerning eldest son had been so captivated.

    This type of woman, possessing both striking beauty and a willingness to engage in hard labor, held a certain appeal among the men of Ogounis.


    But Count Cruz’s presence here was far from a social call.


    “Yes,” Dorothy replied, her voice clear and unwavering.


    “I have a question to ask you,” Count Cruz stated plainly, cutting straight to the heart of his inquiry. “What is your relationship with one of Norland’s Seven Sages, the Gray Sage?”


    “The… Gray Sage?” Dorothy, bracing herself for accusations regarding her elopement, was momentarily thrown off balance by this unexpected line of questioning. She hesitated, searching for the appropriate response.


    “My friend, are you satisfied with this answer, Cruz?”


    An elderly man slowly emerged from the shop’s entrance, leaning heavily on a gnarled cane. Count Cruz instantly recognized the unmistakable aura of power that surrounded him.


    “I did not expect that Sage Lursk would personally visit Osenberg city.” Upon seeing the Gray Sage Lursk, Count Cruz’s simmering anger and curiosity regarding Dorothy’s connections evaporated, replaced by a profound sense of awe. He bowed deeply.


    “I was asked by someone to come to this chamber of commerce to take a look.” The Gray Sage shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic scene before him, preemptively dismissing any attempts at polite formalities. “I will return to Norland soon.”


    “This chamber of Commerce? If you are interested in the magic-conducting machinery of Osenberg, I can show you more.”


    Count Cruz glanced at the Silver Flower behind him, its current state of disarray a stark contrast to its former glory as a purveyor of advanced magical technology.


    The country’s most potent means of attracting spell casters from other nations were their intricate and powerful magic-powered devices. Therefore, Count Cruz naturally assumed the Gray Sage’s visit was for this very purpose.


    “Magic machinery?” The Gray Sage also turned to look at the Chamber of Commerce, his expression contemplative. “This chamber of Commerce is not a chamber of commerce that sells magic-powered machinery.”


    “Lord… Lord Gray Sage.”


    At this moment, as the head of the Silver Flowers, York finally could not contain himself, stepping forward with a flicker of desperate hope.


    If the Sage had indeed visited his struggling Chamber of Commerce, it could serve as invaluable publicity. 


    “Father, a merchant from Norland wants to merge with our chamber of Commerce.”


    However, his daughter’s next words shattered his fragile optimism.


    Dorothy spoke with a bluntness that bordered on audacity, revealing not only her radical plans for the building but also its impending acquisition.


    After all, the deal that Josh had proposed promised a new era of prosperity for the Silver Flower Chamber, and Dorothy saw no reason for further pretense.
    Read more