Under the warm sun near noon, a low-key and luxurious carriage was slowly driving towards the "Withered" Castle, the core of the noble district in the southwest of the Ural City.
Along the way, pedestrians who saw it, whether nobles or citizens, gave way to both sides and respectfully let it pass first, because it was a carriage belonging to Count Vet, the lord of Ural City, and it was not an ordinary three-set carriage for transporting goods.
In the carriage, Lucian pretended to appreciate the exotic scenery on the street, looking at the map of the Shahran Empire specially collected in the Soul Library, and concentrated near the Ural City.
The count's invitation came suddenly, and Lucian couldn't find a reason for a normal nobleman to refuse, so he had to agree to go. This made Lucian feel very emotional in his heart, and when he played a nobleman very well, he was also bound by this identity.
"This invitation should be unexpected by Kareliana and Ivanovsky, which may not only ruin their original arrangements, let them be caught off guard, make big mistakes, but also may bring drastic and dangerous changes, I must prepare early."
Lucian was sure that the invitation was not planned by Kareliana and Ivanovsky, because they would certainly not risk appearing in front of Count Wert until they controlled themselves or other members of the Vladimir family who had no big background. If Count Werther suddenly took a fancy to himself and appointed another Werther family girl, their greed and desire would be in vain like a bamboo basket.
This judgment is also one of the reasons why Lucian accepted the invitation.
"But shouldn't Kalilena and Ivanovsky strictly control what Count Witte sees and hears? How could there be an unexpected invitation from them?" Lucian thought suspiciously, since he was deliberately plotting to steal Count Vetter's inheritance, and Count Vetter was in the midst of old age and serious illness, with Ivanovsky's ability and the degree of Carriliana's favor to him, it should not be difficult to hide it from his subordinate great knights and knights, so that he could only know what they wanted him to know.
If he couldn't even do this, Lucian could only persuade Ivanovsky to go home and buy a manor, land and mine as a landowner, stop being a smuggler, and stop thinking about seizing the inheritance of an earl.
While looking at the map, Lucian casually asked Leo next to him about the scenery around Ural City, especially if there were any eerie and often haunted places.
Prepare for the worst from the beginning.
"Mr. Peter, there is a church, and the often haunted places only exist in stories that scare children, or are created by evil magicians who live in seclusion in the mountains. However, as far as I know, there are several ores in the west of the Ural City that have been stopped from mining because they often collapse and many people die, and are called 'places cursed by demons' and 'caves that connect to hell'." After hearing the conversation between Lucian and Leo, Nikolai, the count's servant who came to invite Lucian, introduced the guests in detail as the host's representative.
He was a strong man of the official knightly rank, with the title of lord, but when fighting against heretics in the south, he was a subordinate of Count Witt, and he had been saved many times, so he willingly did not enjoy the prominent status and status, and served as the count's chamberlain.
In fact, whether it is a great nobleman, a grand duke, a king, or an emperor, there are similar figures, who are different from the noble knights who follow the knightly obligations and join the knights to take turns protecting the lord.
Some of them transfer their rights to their children and act as guards to consolidate their rights or obtain family titles beyond their own rank; some are because of the grace of saving lives; some made a knightly promise when they accepted the lord's secret training and material provision, promising how many years they would serve as a guard after becoming a certain level; some are simply for the precious and unique method of refining and improving the bloodline passed down from generation to generation by the lord's family.
After listening to Nikolai's words, Lucian smiled and said, "Mr. Nikolai, in fact, there is a very gloomy place in the Northwest Province, often haunted, and the dead cannot be at peace. This is indirectly proving his identity as a member of the Vladimir family.
"According to you, Mr. Peter, there may be one near the Urals, but it is also controlled by the church, so we have no way of knowing. What is the need to discuss things that I just don't know?" Nikolai, who is typical of a military person, even when he tries to show his humor, seems a little stiff and not soft enough.
Lucian didn't mind and continued to ask Nikolai and Leo to improve his understanding of the detailed terrain and environment nearby.
…………
Half an hour later, the magnificent castle covered with withered vines and smelling desolate appeared in front of Lucian.
At the same time, a delicate and gorgeous carriage hurried from the other direction.
As soon as Lucian stood firm, he saw the carriage stopping with its front legs held high, and a beautiful woman in a beautiful woolen dress walked down with the help of the maid, looking quite anxious. Her snow-white clothes set off herself beautifully and dignifiedly.
"Mr. Peter......
"Lady Carolina......"
Neither Lucian nor Carilliana expected to meet outside the castle gate, and greeted each other in surprise.
Looking at Carolina's appearance and recalling her previous actions, Lucian smiled: "Madame Carolina, are you here to visit Count Witt?"
"Yes, I heard that Uncle Witt invited a guest and was worried that he would not follow Dr. Shantang's instructions, so he came to remind him not to be too tired and to rest well." Carrilina's surprise turned her smile into charming and bright, just like she did at a banquet.
Lucian bowed slightly and stretched out his hand like a gentleman: "Mrs. Carolina, I will follow your reminder and will not delay the Count's rest, please."
"Mr. Peter, your manners are the best among the nobles of Shahran I have ever seen, and I like it very much." After Carriliana praised, she walked in front with the maid.
She was telling the truth, most of the nobles of the Shahran Empire only observed the most important etiquette, preferring battle and spirits, so they were often called simple and rude "barbarians" by the nobles of the countries to which the Southern Church belonged.
Sure enough, it was an unexpected invitation, what happened inside the castle? Lucian calmly followed Carilliana into the "Withered" castle.
…………
In a small living room in the Withered Castle, the fireplace burns with a blazing flame, creating a room as warm as spring.
Lucian took off his ordinary coat and coat that he had specially worn outside, handed it to the waiter to hang on the coat rack, and he saluted an old man with formal aristocratic etiquette: "It's an honor to meet you, Lord Count Witt."
The old man sat on the sofa by the fireplace in the living room, wearing a thick black coat, wrapped tightly as if he was very afraid of the cold. His face was gray and haggard, but he could vaguely see the stern and hard facial lines of the past, his light blue eyes were as yellow and cloudy as other old people, and he wore a black soft hat on his head, covering his hair that seemed to have become sparse. The whole person is like a dry plant that lacks water.
This was a level seven heavenly knight who was extremely brave and powerful back then.
Seeing Count Werther's appearance, Lucian felt the horror of the passage of time from the bottom of his heart, and spontaneously felt the fear of aging and death.
"Fortunately, magic has many ways to extend life." This fear caused Lucian to have a strong desire.
Fear of death, yearning for immortality and immortality are the tireless pursuit of intelligent beings like human beings.
Count Werther wriggled his lips as if they had smeared a layer of gray, and said in a weak and old voice: "Peter, I am also very happy to see you. In the southwest of the empire, I rarely see such a young and outstanding member of the Vladimir family."
After saying a word, he took a few breaths: "This is my niece Carlyna, you should know her. This is my housekeeper Semyon, who has followed me for many years and is an excellent housekeeper."
Caroliana sat on the left side of Count Witt to serve him, while the gray-haired Semyon stood to the right of Count Werther, his blue eyes looked at Lucian, nodding in salute with a faint smile, there were not many wrinkles on his face, but each one was deep, making it difficult to judge his age.
It is said that he is a strong man at the level of a great knight, and he is not as rigid and serious and meticulous as other butlers.
"Yes, Countess, I have been warmly received by Lady Carriliana, who is a rare good person." Lucian said "sincerely", and then sat down on the sofa next to him.
Carilliana always felt wrong, but Lucian's words were impeccable, and she could only curse him for being a good person for the rest of her life.
Count Werther laughed and said, "Carriliana is a good girl. In fact, I have been looking for a young man from the Vladimir family during this time, and it turned out that Peter, you happened to come to the Ural City......"
Before he finished speaking, he started panting again, and his physical condition was really bad.
And Carilliana next to her became nervous, and the two hands holding Count Werther were slightly stiff, and the back of her hands seemed to have blue veins.
Lucian did not interject, politely waiting for Count Witt to catch his breath.
Count Witt said in a slow voice: "I am very old, I am no longer as determined and rigid as before, I have never been weak, and I have begun to like to recall the past. I still remember following my mother to the Northwest Province when I was a child, and I wonder if there are still so many prey, so many strange trees and flowers in the Tula Forest?"
"Lord, although I haven't been back for many years, everything in the Tula Forest is still clearly in my mind, such as the Crimson Demon Tree that can move and pounce on its prey like an animal......" Lucian replied without any jerk.
Carilliana next to her relaxed.
From then until lunchtime, it was carried out in Count Witt's memories and Lucian's supplement, and the atmosphere was harmonious, and then Count Werther invited Lucian to lunch and invited him to be a guest here for a day, and then return to the departing caravan tomorrow.
Considering that there were many great knights and knights guarding Count Wert's castle, Lucian agreed. Now that things have changed, they can no longer proceed according to the previous ideas.
…………
The night began to thicken, in a certain room of the withered vine castle.
"How could Count Witt know about Peter's existence?" Ivanovsky didn't know when he sneaked into the castle, and questioned Kareliana in front of him with some anger.
(End of this chapter)