"When Roger returns, he will surely be delighted to see the gift I have prepared for him."
"He doesn’t lack the ambition to revive the family, but the world is so cruel. Even if it’s only through Initial Awakening, I will find every possible way to help him advance."
"If need be, I’ll ignite his soul, even if it means burning myself!"
The housekeeper’s eyes flickered as if she wanted to say something, but hesitated and swallowed her words.
She knew Chloe well; once she made up her mind, it was nearly impossible to change it.
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
Gradually leaving the manor, the carriage sped up. The coachman looked rough, but he was skilled, minimizing the bumps as much as possible.
However, the technological development of this world was truly backward, the roads were far from smooth, and the journey was anything but delightful.
The compartment of Joseph’s carriage wasn’t very large, but it could accommodate a table for four. Now, with only him and Roger inside, it felt exceptionally comfortable.
Trailing behind the carriage were two lines of accompanying knights, one sent by Chloe and the other by Joseph.
After all, this world was far from peaceful, with beasts and bandits. The kingdom’s territory was not exactly safe, let alone the unknown regions beyond.
Since getting into the carriage, Roger hadn’t spoken a word, just stared blankly out the window. Joseph attempted to strike up a few conversations but received lackluster responses, and eventually, he fell asleep amidst the bumpy ride.
It was unclear how much time had passed when Joseph woke from his slumber to see Roger still in the same position, while from outside the compartment came a rough voice.
"Gentlemen, we have arrived!"
Unlike the manor where Roger lived, this was an old castle built atop a hill, with peeling walls and some visible cracks.
Normally, the surrounding green forest would almost entirely encase the castle, but now it was early autumn, and the changing seasons made various plants display a multitude of colors.
Bright as blood, dazzling as gold, with a sea of green hillsides and other colors as embellishments, the entire castle and the surrounding scenery blended into one, like an unfolding painting.
To be fair, the autumn scenery here was no less impressive than at Roger’s manor.
However, for a private outing, there was no need to enter the city and disturb the baron. The carriage veered slightly, heading to a small estate near the castle.
"Joseph, you’ve arrived just in time; if any later, you’d miss the upcoming hunt."
As the carriage stopped, a young man with curly brown hair and a warm face stepped forward.
Roger noticed that the young man showed a brief moment of surprise upon seeing him, though he hid it well enough that Joseph didn’t notice.
Through introductions, Roger learned the young man’s name was Bondi. According to Joseph, this fellow should be from the Royal City. Although his family had fallen on hard times, he was at least still better off than the master of Greenburg.
After entering the estate, passing through a garden and fountain directly facing the entrance, the two stepped into the main hall. Quite a number of people had come for this outing, besides local nobles, there were some like Roger—fallen nobility.
No matter how difficult things were in private, at least on the surface, everyone maintained basic decency. The women dressed splendidly, the men spoke elegantly, chatting in small groups.
Passing by them, Roger heard that the most common topics of conversation were art and opera.
Under Bondi’s lead, Roger and Joseph soon met the organizer of the outing, the eldest daughter of the Baron of Greenburg, Biska.
Biska looked around twenty-four or twenty-five, with a broad frame appearing taller than other women. Her dress pressed a shallow line against her chest. Though her face was attractive, her chin was slightly pointed, and her protruding cheekbones gave her a somewhat arrogant look.
In truth, her current emotions were clearly written on her face.
Joseph went forward to offer a hand-kiss, but Biska feigned modesty.
When it was Roger’s turn, he merely nodded symbolically and withdrew.
Even while controlling a body, Roger didn’t want to approach Biska’s hand, which had been kissed by countless others.
Biska’s gaze narrowed slightly, and she let out a cold snort from her nose but said nothing more.
She had already heard of Roger’s identity from others. Despite once being part of this group herself, she no longer harbored any sympathy for the likes of fallen nobles such as Roger.
The glory of the family shall continue.
Joseph was adept at socializing, flitting around like a butterfly among flowers, treating every attendee as a bloom, frequently weaving through the crowd.
Roger, on the other hand, found a relatively quiet sofa to sit on. Even though his senses weren’t as sharp as before, just by glancing around, he could easily discern the desired information from people’s lip movements.
Not long after Roger and Joseph arrived, a few more people entered. Seeing enough had come, Bondi clapped his hands.
"Let us depart and start today’s hunt!"
"This is not just a simple outing; I believe it holds little interest for many of you. In this hunt, all gentlemen must participate, and victory will be decided by the quality and quantity of the game."
"The winner is sure to earn the favor of all the ladies present."
As he spoke, Bondi winked, eliciting a burst of laughter from the crowd.