288: Chapter 91: The Earl who Died Blossoming 288: Chapter 91: The Earl who Died Blossoming Hill sat silently on board the white sailboat, and as soon as he settled into the cabin, the members of the Undead Tribe who had accepted the mission began to hop onto the deck.
Hill divided the cabin into two parts, leaving the larger half for them.
Once Srei confirmed the Earl’s location, he began to ascend slowly.
Under the twilight sun, the little white boat, tinted with the colors of the sunset, flew briskly toward the North.
Hill listened helplessly as the Undead Tribe outside chattered about the Earl’s death.
“How did Hill’s crappy dad suddenly kick the bucket?”
“It seemed like he had a premonition.
He just issued a task yesterday to learn about his crappy dad’s current situation.”
“That idiot brother Manton, didn’t he use to keep in touch with him?”
“Charles has established his own territory, probably too busy for that now.
And if I remember correctly, during that time, he seemed to have been promoted to Grand Knight and didn’t need to rely on Hill anymore, right?”
“Are everyone here involved in the task of helping Charles establish the Duchy?”
“Most likely.
Otherwise, how would you even get there for Hill’s task, since most people wouldn’t know the way, right?”
“Did all the families send someone here?”
“Even Black Rose is here?
What are you doing here?
Haven’t you already taken a big share?
Are you even competing for such small tasks!”
“Small task my ass!
It obviously has a plot, and it might even be connected to Obastian!
We won’t give up!”
“Right, the other day, why did the Old Age Striking King switch to attack mode and beat up Snow Cloud Peak?”
“Yeah, although everyone knew Snow Old Dog was useless in a fight, to be smashed flat with a hammer by a priest, that’s just too excellent!”
“Don’t say that!” someone from the Magic Cult argued weakly, “Is that an ordinary priest?
That’s a female tyrannosaurus!”
“Shut up!
Snow Old Dog got beaten up because he asked for it,” said someone probably from Black Rose.
“Actually, being a loudmouth isn’t a big deal!
It’s not like it’s anything new.” Someone said with a laugh, “It’s just that he said it in front of someone’s attendant, practically no different from provocation!”
“Bullshit!
That nosy kid, eavesdropping on Snow Old Dog!”
“You could hear what he was saying through the wall; that’s not really eavesdropping, is it?”
Hill remembered, was it about the Duchess’ incident last time?
He hadn’t expected that after so long, he’d still hear a follow-up.
To think that it took so long to hit him, the Old Age Striking King must have gone back and practiced a long time how to fight a Mage, right?
“Sigh, Cunlü is terrifying enough, and she’s often with the Elder.
Now they even have that super scary pig with them!”
“Aren’t both of them priests?
Apart from a waste like Snow Cloud Peak, who could possibly fail to beat them!”
“You don’t understand shit.
Haven’t you seen it these few days?
The idiots from Doomsday, when they see those two women coming out with a pig, they give way immediately.
That pig, called Duchess, when she summons that muddy pond, it’s just too horrifying!
It stinks and sticks!
Plus the two priests healing, that pig is incredibly strong!
Go and fight them if you’re so capable!”
“You’re so worked up, have you been trampled on before?”
“Those from his Magic Cult wanted to retaliate for their leader, but they all ended up crushed under the pig’s hooves.”
“No worries!
Next time you fight, you can share and compare the feel of the pig’s trotters with those from Doomsday.”
“Get lost~~~~~~~~”
In the midst of roaring laughter, only those from the Magic Cult were infuriated.
Hill couldn’t help laughing along with the Undead Tribe outside, feeling joyfully amused.
Forget it, there’s no need to think too much about it.
Once he arrived, he’d know what was going on.
Hill knew Manton wouldn’t have laid a hand on the Earl.
Not just because of faction issues, but also because he was fully aware that once the Earl was gone, Hill would certainly have no further contact with him.
Moreover, he was now a Grand Knight, holding a position at Charles’s side far more important than the Earl’s.
The time for granting fiefs had not yet arrived, as Charles’s Duchy was still in the midst of striving for expansion.
Besides, Charles wouldn’t hesitate to bestow a title upon Manton.
Leaning against the crystal window, Hill turned and looked out into the night, unable to suppress his laughter; the reasons he deemed Manton wouldn’t kill the Earl did not include one that should be obvious—that the Earl was their father.
Srei controlled the speed of the flight, arriving at Charles’s territory just as the sun rose on the next day.
This was Hill’s first sight of this place, and he thought this unique territory must have been chosen by the Magister beside Charles.
Usually, when knights choose a piece of wilderness for their territory, they mostly opt for a valley.
Only a Mage would choose a peak.
Hill, back in his day, chose a valley because of the Earth Elemental Spirits by his side; with mountains all around it was easy for him to establish a territory.
A Mage’s territory rarely considers ordinary people, so peaks are chosen more often.
The territory Charles chose was a ring of hills surrounding a taller mountain in the center, its layout resembling a lotus flower.
On each petal, a Grand Knight family was arranged, while Charles himself lived on the central tall mountain, which allowed him to fly to the rescue at any moment.
The Magic Tower also stood beside his castle, with the Defensive Magic Array reaching every mountain peak.
Indeed, it was a rare good place.
If only it weren’t surrounded by a pack of magical wolves.
“But it’s safe now, the pack of wolves has run away.”
“For Manton, it turned out alright.
He became a Grand Knight in the battle against the wolves.”
“He had only been stationed on a petal mountain for a short while, enduring hardships for some time, when the wolves ran off.”
He looked up at the white sailboat flying through the sunlight and ordered his attendant, “Wave the family’s crest.
Hill is coming.”
Hearing the report from Srei, Hill stepped onto the deck.
Manton stood atop a small peak, waving at him.
Hill first nodded slightly to acknowledge the sight coming from the Magic Tower before letting the boat descend.”
“Long time no see, Hill,” Manton said, embracing him with a smile.
Hill looked at him silently.
‘I’m here for our fathers’ funeral—can’t you act like it’s less of a social visit?’
“Don’t look at me like that.” Manton’s face beamed with an innocent smile.
“These last few days have been so interesting, everyone’s been checking to see how I’m holding up.
Even Duke Charles deigned to visit, wanting to admire the final appearance of our ‘great’ father.”
Hill looked at a nearly deranged Manton and hesitated before asking, “What did he do?
Could he manage to make a spectacle even in death?”
“He got involved with a widow from the Kral Clan,” Manton sneered.
Hill gave him a puzzled look.
‘That’s it?’
“The woman should be calling me ‘Uncle’ due to our relative ages.” Manton looked at Hill expressionlessly.
“Their night revelries were so loud that the whole territory knew about it.
The face of the Kral Clan has been thoroughly disgraced during this time.”
“How did he die then?” Hill furrowed his brow.
‘Did someone from the Kral Clan lose their patience and kill him?
After all, the Earl, as a Grand Knight who’d not fought in years, might even be killed by an ordinary Knight.’
“He died in that woman’s bed,” Manton said, his face twisted with bitterness.
“A Grand Knight, dead in a woman’s bed!
Or what did you think?
Why else would Duke Charles come to see?
It’s miraculous!
What kind of woman could entrap a Grand Knight to his death!”
“Are you okay?” Hill gestured for the Undead Tribe following him to scram, to go dig up other news in the territory!
Watching the Undead Tribe leave amid a flurry of discussion, Hill thought sure as hell they’d dig deep into the scandal.
Though it might mean losing face before the whole world, he guessed the truth would soon emerge.
“I’m far from okay,” Manton said through clenched teeth.
“With such a death, my uncles definitely can’t help me now.
Many young ones in the Kral Clan utterly hate him!
That woman’s husband died defending the territory!
To have a warrior so dishonored posthumously…
If no one from the Kral Clan kills him, it’s only because of my relationship.
But they won’t be able to keep helping me.
At this rate, in a few years, the Kral Clan and my Perast will be two parallel lines.”
Hill looked at Manton with sympathy.
If that Countess orchestrated such an incident, she must be quite formidable!
With one stone, she hit several birds!
But the Countess was still somewhat sensible, not plotting to kill Manton as well.
Nevertheless, Manton could hardly bear goodwill towards Edgar.
That he didn’t harm him was already indicative of some knightly honor.
After all, for the Kral Clan and Manton, it was merely a loss of face.
Hill thought it best to keep silent for now.
The reports from the Undead Tribe detailed the Countess from Noah quite clearly; William’s people must be aware.
They didn’t need to know who she was, just that she came to cause trouble.
In his heart, Hill still wanted to give Edgar a chance.
A child, yet to make the wrong choice, shouldn’t have to live in agony.
Moreover, if the Countess was wreaking such bold vengeance on Count Perast, could there be an issue with Edgar’s lineage?
But the Earl was certainly not the type to wear a cuckold’s horns, right?
Hill felt certain there was something amiss with Edgar’s bloodline.
So did she truly believe the Earl had wronged her?
Hill, overwhelmed and following Manton, simply couldn’t comprehend these complexities with his own straightforward life views.
He just thought to himself, ‘This couple really was a match made in heaven.’
“You’ve arrived at a good time, the third day,” Manton said.
“Let’s bury him this afternoon, before someone denies him a place in the nobility’s cemetery.”
Hill, noting Manton’s somber expression, understood.
There were surely already objections to the Earl’s burial place.
Indeed, the nobles who died at this time were mostly those who fell defending against Magical Beasts or during unfortunate migrations.
Many people, if not for the sake of Manton, would never tolerate such a man resting beside their loved ones.
Especially the Kral Clan, as the woman’s husband was also buried there!
Hill nodded in agreement.
The afternoon sun shone brightly.
In a hollow of Lotus Mountain, Hill and Manton watched a group of attendants bury the Earl’s casket.
The two exchanged glances, knowing neither had any interest in showing love for the Earl by burying him with their own hands.
Count Perast had lived such a life that not a single person of Great Nobility came to his funeral, not even out of mere politeness.
Besides Hill and Manton, even the several illegitimate sons of the Earl standing behind them showed no sorrow.