The baron laughed heartily. "Caught me. I wanted to see the magical beasts."
Of course, a beast enthusiast.
Michael pointed toward a clearing behind the castle. "That's where the beast tamers are training them. Half of them are on duty while the rest are being trained—you'll get your fill there."
Delighted, Baron Kensington strode off eagerly.
Michael turned his attention to Louis and Elizabeth. Even without paying much attention, it was clear Louis was utterly smitten, while Elizabeth seemed barely tolerating his presence, suppressing her irritation.
Determined to rescue his sister, Michael stepped in.
"What brings you here, Sir Louis?" he asked.
Startled, Louis snapped out of his reverie. "Ah, Sir Michael. I didn't see you there."
Seizing the moment, Elizabeth made her escape.
"Since Michael is here, I'll take my leave. I have much to attend to. My apologies, Sir Louis. I hope you enjoy your visit."
Louis stared wistfully after her retreating figure.
"Sir Louis?" Michael prompted, snapping him back to reality.
"Oh, apologies, Sir Michael. My father sent me with a letter for you."
Michael accepted the letter, quickly skimming its contents. The information it contained was unexpectedly helpful, leaving him momentarily stunned.
A glance at Louis's naïve expression clarified things. The young noble was an open book, making him the perfect conduit for such exchanges.
No harm in returning the favor, Michael decided.
"There are many knights and mages from the capital staying here," he said to Louis. "Why not spend some time getting to know them? You're welcome to stay."
The Duke of Rochester, one of the five great dukes of the Kingdom of Lania and the leader of the northwestern nobility, was in a private meeting with his illegitimate son, Philip.
Philip was the son he had with Esmeralda, a stunning beauty who had retained her place as the duke's mistress for 20 years. The duke had ensured Philip's rise to the rank of baron through generous allocations of military merit. Now, however, it was time to send Philip elsewhere.
"This will be your foundation," the duke said firmly. "Go there and make something of yourself."
Philip, who had inherited his mother's striking features, met his father's gaze with resignation.
"Yes," he sighed. "It's clear that staying here will only lead to further clashes with my brother."
Despite his outward acceptance, Philip couldn't help but feel the sting of injustice. He was confident that his talents were at least equal to, if not greater than, those of his elder brother. Yet, his birthright—or lack thereof—was an insurmountable barrier.
Though the duke clearly favored Esmeralda and Philip over his legitimate family, the kingdom's inheritance laws were unyielding. As long as the duke had a legitimate wife and heir, Philip remained a mere illegitimate son. Even if his legitimate brother were to die, the title would pass to another legitimate relative, leaving Philip even lower in the pecking order.
The duke had shown care and affection for Philip, but he never allowed him to forget his station. Philip's resources had always been lesser compared to his elder brother's.
Objectively, Philip's situation was far from dire—he had achieved military success and secured a barony with his father's support. But for Philip, it was never enough.
He harbored a deep resentment for the sneers and whispers behind his back, for the failed marriage proposals caused by his precarious status. He saw himself as a victim, unable to recognize that much of his frustration stemmed from the unrealistic ambitions he and his mother harbored.
Esmeralda, still breathtakingly beautiful in her thirties, tearfully pleaded with the duke on her son's behalf.
"Must Philip really go to that place? Isn't there a way for him to remain here and earn more distinctions?"
The duke sighed. "Esmeralda, try to understand my position. I can only provide so much support. And we must consider what will happen after I'm gone."
Tears glistened in her large, expressive eyes as she clung to the duke. "Don't say such things. How could Philip and I possibly live without you?"
The duke spoke with measured patience. "That's precisely why I'm saying this. If Philip establishes himself in the northeast, he won't need to rely on Pavel's goodwill in the future."
Esmeralda's sobs intensified. She wasn't entirely opposed to her son leaving; she was calculating how to extract as many resources as possible for him before he left.
The northeast, though not as barren as the northwest where frequent tribal raids occurred, was still a challenging place. However, with hard work, it could yield prosperity for generations, securing not only Philip's future but also Esmeralda's comfortable old age.
Still, she aimed to push for the maximum support. Her tears, paired with a heartfelt plea the previous night, proved effective once again.
The duke relented, granting ample resources for Philip's relocation. As Esmeralda embraced the duke, she cast a sly smile at her son, her cunning evident beneath her maternal facade.
Back in his tent after inspecting the progress of his estate's development, Michael pulled out the letter he had skimmed earlier.
The missive from Count Charles confirmed that a new baron, Philip, had been selected to take over the Crassus Barony.
Reading through Philip's background, Michael's mind whirred with calculations.
"An illegitimate son of the duke, showered with undeserved accolades? A favored but overindulged bastard? Excellent. He's a prime target to squeeze for all he's worth."
Traditionally, when a new lord assumes control of a territory, they must compensate the outgoing lord for judicial rights and other administrative privileges. The kingdom often turned a blind eye to these transactions, understanding them as part of the transition process.
Michael resolved to negotiate aggressively.
The preparations for relocating his people were nearly complete. The village reconstruction was in its final stages, with the fire and earth mages having finished producing bricks, while the water and mist mages had completed the cleanup.
Other mages were absorbed in unrelated tasks, and the time had come to move the estate's residents.