The Lord of Sakura City fought the urge to grab more fish with his hands and leisurely enjoyed his meal. He squinted at Baron Adam, who was devouring the food like a starving beggar, and couldn't help but sneer internally. So this is Count George's son? Eating like a commoner?
"Here, try this tea as well," Sakura's Lord said, lifting the cup of tea with a grin. "It's a new beverage at one silver coin per cup. I wonder if it suits your taste, Baron Adam."
"One silver coin per cup?" Baron Adam's hand trembled slightly as he held the spoon. Was it really that expensive?
Baron Adam stared blankly at the light brown beverage in the ceramic cup, which was not wine. He lifted the cup, sniffing it, and was met with a rich milk aroma combined with a hint of something floral.
"Glup..."
As the tea touched his lips, Baron Adam was stunned. The milk flavor carried a slight bitterness and a subtle sweetness, leaving a lingering taste in his mouth.
"What is this?"
Baron Adam stared intently at the Lord of Sakura City, immediately recognizing the potential value of this drink. He thought to himself, if he could secure this beverage and present it to the Fourth Prince, he might gain the prince's support and secure his position as the heir to the Count George.
"This tea is a new type of drink, produced in very limited quantities, and it is quite expensive—one silver coin per cup." The Lord of Sakura City said indifferently.
"City Lord, who invented this tea?" Baron Adam asked softly, quickly regaining his composure and adopting a neutral demeanor.
The key was to obtain the recipe for this tea. With the recipe, he could plan many things. From his perspective, this tea seemed to be a revolutionary product in the beverage industry.
"Uh..." Sakura's Lord hesitated, considering whether he should negotiate for some advantage. Then he saw Baron Adam place three large rubies on the table.
"Hahaha… This tea was invented by the Lord Lucas of Sedona City." The Sakura Lord said, a hint of greed flickering in his eyes.
"I see. Please accept this as a token of my appreciation." Baron Adam said, pushing the rubies forward.
Immediately, a maid stepped forward to collect the rubies, carefully placing them in front of the Sakura Lord.
"May I ask, Baron Adam, what brings you here this time?" The Lord of Sakura City said, discreetly picking up the rubies.
"I have come to seek your advice on a matter, city lord." Baron Adam said seriously.
"Oh?" The Sakura Lord's heart skipped a beat. 'Could it be that he has come to demand answers about Baron Omar? How should I respond? Should I blame Lucas for this?'
"My brother, Baron Omar, has gone missing, and I wanted to inquire if you know of anyone who might have had a deep grudge against him." Baron Adam said, his gaze fixed intently on the Sakura Lord's face.
"What? That's not possible."
The Sakura Lord was taken aback, staring at Baron Adam in shock. 'Could it be that Baron Omar discovered his plans and fled?'
But that doesn't make sense. Baron Omar has the support of Count George; even if his actions were exposed, he wouldn't need to fear retaliation.
"In fact, Baron Omar has been missing for several days." Baron Adam said, frowning. The Sakura Lord's reaction wasn't the panic he expected but rather an expression of surprise.
"I'm afraid I don't have much information on that." The Sakura Lord said seriously, feeling that Baron Adam might be probing, so it was better to keep his responses minimal.
"If you hear any news about Baron Omar, please make sure to inform me." Baron Adam said seriously.
"Of course, of course." The Sakura Lord replied with a cold smile. He would be more than happy if Baron Omar were to meet his end.
"Well, I must be going now. Thank you for the wonderful meal today." Baron Adam said as he stood up.
"Baron Adam, are you leaving so soon?" the Sakura Lord feigned disappointment. "I was hoping to discuss some political matters with you."
"Sorry, but I have other cities to visit. I hope to receive news about Baron Omar soon." Baron Adam said, shaking his head with a look of regret.
He decided to hold off on any attempts to win over the nobility for now. From the intelligence he had gathered, Baron Omar's disappearance seemed suspicious. It would be risky to invite an enemy into his circle, as it could be dangerous.
"Well, do stay next time, Baron Adam." The Sakura Lord said, again putting on a look of regret.
"I certainly will." Baron Adam replied, then left the castle with his group of knights.
"How is the investigation going?"
Baron Adam asked as he left the castle, "What went wrong with the horse thieves plan my foolish brother devised?"
A figure emerged from the shadows and said, "My lord, I interrogated the commoners in Sakura City. They all said it was the knights from Sedona City, led by Lucas, who saved Sakura City."
"Oh? It seems Sedona City is not so simple." Baron Adam said, narrowing his eyes as he considered various calculations.
As for how Baron Adam knew about Omar's horse thieves plan, it was due to torturing a useless knight. After having five of his fingers chopped off, the knight confessed everything.
To Baron Adam, the horse thieves' plan was a brilliant idea, but it was ruined by Lucas from Sedona City.
"My lord, Sakura City's forces could not withstand the horse thieves. Sedona City is quite formidable if they could defend against the horse thieves."
"It is indeed formidable. Or rather, does Omar's disappearance have a lot to do with Sedona City?" Baron Adam speculated.
The ability of Sedona City to defeat hundreds of Omar's horse thieves was what concerned Baron Adam the most. Nobility sometimes isn't just about titles but about the strength one wields. The number of knights and the quality of their armor are the greatest powers.
"Send word to my father. I need a squad of elite knights." Baron Adam said, his eyes flashing with calculation.
He planned to use his power to intimidate. He intended to see what kind of person Lucas from Sedona City truly was and secure the milk tea recipe.
"Yes."
"Let's go to the next city."
Baron Adam walked towards the carriage, determined to continue his efforts to court more nobles.
Moreover, he would only go to Sedona City once his knights arrived. He didn't believe that a mere baron would dare to defy his father, Count George.
In the end, Baron Adam only needed an excuse. Even if Omar's disappearance had nothing to do with Sedona City, he would still frame Lucas for it.
.
.
.
.
You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
pat reon.com/GreenBlue17
250 Power Stones for 1 extra chapter.
5 New reviews for 1 extra chapter.
Goal refresh every week.