The servants, each content with their new gifts, returned to their duties with smiles on their faces. The housekeeper soon emerged from the kitchen with a platter of fragrant fried lamb, a dish prepared especially for Eckert. Kayler, as usual, did not join meals in the dining room, and Mr. Hyde, with his delicate stomach, avoided greasy foods. As for Rebo, his strict dietary regimen left little room for indulgence—straying from it had often resulted in painful consequences.
Breakfast was prolonged, with Eckert clearly hungry after his long journey. There was never any conversation at Mr. Hyde's table—a rule Rebo had grown accustomed to, though he wasn't sure if it was just to instill discipline in him or if it was simply the way things were. He recalled how meals had been lively affairs with Aunt Betty, full of chatter and laughter.
Once they were done eating, Mr. Hyde and Eckert retired to the study, while the butler prepared a strong brew of tea, signaling that a long discussion was about to take place. With nothing else to do, Rebo headed to the backyard to practice his shooting.
The backyard had once been a lush green lawn, with a marble pavilion in the center furnished with a table and chairs. It was an ideal spot for leisurely relaxation, but the chill of the autumn breeze had driven everyone away, leaving the place deserted.
Kayler had turned this area into a shooting range, setting up several targets at varying distances—some as far as seventy or eighty meters, others closer at around thirty meters. On the table in the pavilion sat a box filled with bolts for Rebo's hand crossbow. These bolts were specially made, only four inches long, with finely crafted steel tips that were sharp enough to pierce armor at close range.
Rebo picked up three bolts from the box. His three-shot technique was the only skill he hadn't yet perfected. One of the three bolts often strayed too far from the target, hitting the mark at thirty meters but missing entirely at longer distances.
He started his practice, but perhaps due to the weight on his mind, he wasn't hitting his targets as accurately as usual. By noon, not a single bolt had struck the bullseye. Just as Rebo was beginning to lose interest, the butler called him back into the house.
Mr. Hyde and Eckert had finished their conversation.
As Rebo entered the study, the strong aroma of tea filled the room. He had heard that this beverage came from Tor and was originally from a place even farther east—perhaps the same place Mr. Hyde had visited, the mysterious kingdom of Kina. Tea was not produced in Tor, making it even rarer in Florans, and only a few could afford such a luxury.
Rebo had tasted tea before, and while he hadn't been impressed, preferring milk instead, Mr. Hyde and Eckert seemed to enjoy it. However, Mr. Hyde only requested tea when there was something important to discuss.
"Sit down," Mr. Hyde instructed.
Rebo carefully followed Mr. Hyde's order, sinking into the chair lined with thick, luxurious animal pelts. The warmth and softness were comforting in the chilly autumn air, and soon Rebo found himself relaxing.
"You've been here for four months now, and you've learned everything we've taught you," Eckert began. "Both Mr. Hyde and I are pleased with your progress. But learning isn't the same as doing. We need to see if you're truly ready for the role you're about to play."
Eckert pulled out an invitation—a high-quality one, with a bright yellow silk cover and elegant calligraphy spelling out the details. On the back was a noble crest featuring a shield and two flowers. Rebo's knowledge of heraldry wasn't deep enough to immediately recognize which noble house it belonged to, but he knew it indicated a family with some history, one that had produced a notable figure in the past. However, in Florans, even a minor noble who once governed a small town like Ler could find a way to add a shield to their family crest, making such symbols rather common.
"The Baron of Peyton, Lonna, is hosting a grand ball in two days to celebrate his twenty years of marriage. He has invited every noble he could think of," Eckert explained, handing the invitation to Rebo.
Rebo opened the invitation and immediately noticed the line at the bottom: "Peyton Steward, Faithful Servant of His Majesty the King, Lonna Beltemo Danqi, Baron, cordially invites Sir Kawiere Egret Hyde..."
"Kawiere Egret Hyde?" Rebo read aloud, confused. "Is that my new identity?"
Eckert chuckled, "No, Kawiere Egret Hyde is my name," Mr. Hyde replied with a smile.
"Kawiere Egret Hyde, Sir?" Rebo still seemed puzzled.
"Mr. Hyde's public identity is Sir Kawiere Egret Hyde, the esteemed navigator and naturalist. He is also a close friend of the high priest. The title of Sir was bestowed upon him in recognition of his outstanding contributions to diplomacy," Eckert further explained.
This was all beyond Rebo's wildest imagination. He knew Eckert had no reason to deceive him about something like this. Mr. Hyde's identity was genuine, and the title of Sir had indeed been conferred by the king himself.
But it was still shocking. Titles of nobility, especially for commoners, were exceedingly rare in Florans. They were the lowest rank in the nobility, with no land holdings and non-heritable, yet only the most distinguished individuals could ever hope to receive such an honor.
In all of Florans, Rebo had only heard of two commoner nobles. Besides Mr. Hyde, the other was Meryl Dolphin, the president of the Southport Merchant Guild and Mr. Hyde's former comrade-in-arms.
"Mr. Hyde, you're a commoner noble like Meryl Dolphin?" Rebo asked in astonishment.
"Not exactly. My noble title is hereditary," Mr. Hyde replied. "I bought a foreign noble title from a ruined Irei nobleman, along with a deed to a plot of land. That land had long since fallen into Tor hands and was worthless, but it was useful to me. This allowed me to present myself as an impoverished hereditary noble who had fled to Florans. I then acquired the title of Sir, which made certain things easier to manage. This way, the title can be passed down, though the heir must pay a significant sum to the king. But it's worth it."
"Do you know this Baron Lonna?" Rebo asked.
"I've never heard of him," Mr. Hyde replied.
"Baron Lonna is a hereditary noble residing in Peyton. His ancestor earned his title through military service in the War of Banan. It's a military service title, and it can be inherited. His early ancestors were diligent and highly regarded, once tasked with defending Tarenburg, which is why the shield appears in their crest. Baron Lonna is particularly proud of that ancestor, and he's recounted his family's history to me more times than I can count. However, they remained at the rank of knight and didn't rise much higher until a charming, idle ancestor managed to woo a duke's daughter. That marked the beginning of their family's rise. After three generations of effort, they attained the rank of baron, but their descendants have since settled into the comfortable life of the idle nobility. In Peyton, Baron Lonna has about thirty acres of land adjacent to his estate as his domain. From the looks of it, the yield isn't great, and being able to pay the annual tax on his title is an accomplishment in itself. I doubt many nobles will attend his ball," Eckert detailed all he knew.
"So, my task is to attend this ball and avoid detection?" Rebo asked.
"No, that won't be enough. We've put in a great deal of effort to train you so that you can quickly be accepted into noble society. You need to be truly welcomed, not just pass unnoticed. From what I've learned, after the ball, Baron Lonna will host a dinner party, and the guests invited to that dinner are the ones he truly admires. You need to earn his favor and receive an invitation to that dinner. That's the real proof of your success," Eckert explained.
"An invitation? How is that possible? I'm just a stranger he's never met. Nobles don't invite strangers they're unfamiliar with," Rebo protested.
"Yes, and that's precisely why this task is so challenging. That's why it's your test. I have confidence in you. If you put your mind to it, you can easily captivate everyone's attention. I want you to prove that you're the best, not just content yourself with passing unnoticed," Mr. Hyde said, his words filled with encouragement. "If you approach this with the right mindset and don't hold back, I'm sure you'll succeed. Here's a piece of advice: Don't rush to showcase yourself to the baron. Make sure everyone at the ball notices you, draws them in with your talents, and let the baron come to you. Do you understand?"