Chapter 168: Baron from Today Onwards
Chapter 168: Baron from Today Onwards
Lamar, feeling a sense of responsibility, had been discreetly gathering information and learned from a secret source that Rayne might be participating in the Enlistment Examination.
Coincidentally, he had just received an order from the High Priest to return and report, leading to the current situation.
After hearing Lamar's findings, the High Priest remained silent for a while.
The entire underground hall fell into a brief moment of eerie silence, and Lamar could even hear his own breathing.
The High Priest was speechless at this moment!
This Rayne, wasn't he just a newly promoted Knight?
How could it be that after several encounters, not only did he not get defeated, but he seemed to be getting stronger each time?
This was simply illogical!
The previous time node's Flame Prayer had also missed its opportunity due to the failure in Shangjin Town, resulting in a setback.
Currently, preparing for the next time node's Flame Prayer ritual was of utmost importance.
But if Rayne wasn't dealt with, it would not only be a loss of face but also a potential disruption to the church's plans again.
At this moment, the High Priest, with his tall and obese figure, shifted slightly in his large chair. He turned his head to look at Lamar and asked, "Just now, you mentioned that Rayne went to Rosby City to participate in the Enlistment Examination, right?"
"Yes, High Priest," Lamar nodded affirmatively.
"Then, do you think he can pass the examination?"
Lamar wanted to say of course, but he didn't want to boost the enemy's morale and diminish his own prestige. So, after choosing his words carefully, he said, "He should... be able to, right?"
The obese High Priest didn't mind Lamar's slippery use of a questioning tone at the end. Instead, he continued, "If he can, then after he returns, it will be time for his knighting and promotion, right?"
"Yes, High Priest. According to the official procedures of the Empire, that's how it should be," Lamar replied, his speech quickening as he realized the High Priest was merely confirming the Empire's official process.
"Mmm, Lamar, contact Baron Alonso and inform him of the situation. Since Rayne has become a noble, let's arrange for him to be promoted to the Sheriff of Fishing Harbor Town," the High Priest said, a glint of determination flashing across his plump face.
However, Lamar furrowed his brows and asked, "High Priest, are we're going to use the pirates to deal with this, aren't we?"
"Not the Church of the Sea God."
"The Church of the Sea God has started to make moves again? Aren't they afraid of another crackdown?" Lamar asked in surprise.
"Yes, after a long period of inactivity, they've begun to stir. Otherwise, why would the pirates have been so cooperative with our actions, and behind it all is the Church of the Sea God," the High Priest explained.
Lamar's expression turned into one of understanding.
No wonder during the previous actions, the timing of the pirates' attacks and the Church of the Black Flame's operations had been so well-coordinated, diverting a significant portion of the Empire's official forces in Master County.
He hadn't realized it at the time, but the Church of the Black Flame didn't have anything to constrain the pirates. It turned out that the High Priest had contacted the Church of the Sea God.
Everything made sense now!
"Lamar, go to Baron Alonso and take care of this matter. Afterward, our focus will still be on preparing for the Flame Prayer ritual," the High Priest's deep voice echoed after a brief silence.
"Yes, High Priest, I'll go now," Lamar replied, bowing respectfully with his hand on his chest before slowly backing away.
---
Rosby City, Navy Home Inn.
Has, a tall man, was bidding farewell to Rayne.
"Rayne, I currently reside in Lachmond Fishing Harbor, adjacent to the Golden Coast. If you travel south from Rosby City, you'll reach it in about two days. Remember to visit me when you have the time," Has said.
"Oh, and the stewed giant salmon is a specialty of our region. When you come, I'll definitely treat you to it," Has added, his throat visibly moving at the mention of the stewed giant salmon.
Rayne realized that Has was quite a food enthusiast!
Upon hearing the term 'Golden Coast', Rayne was reminded of Kraya's letter mentioning the swordmaster Gunther Otinger, who was in seclusion at the Golden Coast.
Perhaps, there was a chance Rayne might encounter Has again.
Rayne had been considering whether to continue traveling south to the Golden Coast to learn from the swordmaster after the examination in Rosby City, or to return home first.
After some thought, Rayne decided to go home first.
If he went to learn from Gunther Otinger, it would likely take at least a month, if not longer. His parents would undoubtedly worry if he didn't inform them.
Moreover, as the Sheriff of Shangjin Town, if he were to be absent for an extended period, he should at least notify Hamilton beforehand.
"Alright, Has, I'll visit you when I have the chance," Rayne smiled and nodded.
"Fair winds and following seas!"
After seeing Has off, Rayne began to explore Rosby City.
Upon his arrival, he had already wandered around the Navy Home Inn, gaining a general understanding of Rosby City.
Judging by the city's scale, Rosby City was nearly twice the size of Master County Town, and it was also more bustling, a characteristic of trade-oriented cities.
In general, coastal trade cities tend to be more prosperous than inland cities due to their bustling maritime trade.
With three days to spare, Rayne wasn't in a hurry. He planned to explore the lively alleys or the vicinity of taverns first.
Perhaps, just like the Bat Market, this Nightingale Market might also be located in a bustling yet secluded area.
Under the warm winter sun, a gentle breeze from the sea brought a hint of saltiness. Along the way, Rayne noticed a more diverse array of seafood, shell products, and goods from remote islands at the bustling stalls.
After walking around for a while, Rayne was surprised that he couldn't find the entrance to the Nightingale Market. This made him wonder.
After spending most of the day exploring, he had already covered the more bustling and lively areas of Rosby City.
Could it be that the location of the Nightingale Market was the opposite, situated in the noble mansions or the wealthy district? Rayne pondered for a moment and felt that this possibility was unlikely.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Rayne, and he thought of a place he might have overlooked.
The docks!
There were multiple docks in Rosby City, such as the navy dock, the fishing boat dock, and the cargo ship dock, and there were even two docks dedicated to fishing boats.
So, Rayne began searching the docks one by one.
Soon, when Rayne approached the cargo ship dock, he spotted a nightingale emblem not far from a tavern called Sailor's Home.
This delighted Rayne, and he made his way over.
Just like the Bat Market, after passing through a magical illusion, Rayne found himself in a market with a familiar scent.
People bustled about, most of them wearing hoods or even veils to conceal their identities, while some boldly revealed their faces, but they were relatively fewer in number.
The market was quite crowded, but everyone spoke in hushed tones.
At that moment, the red-haired girl, Evelyn, was also at the Nightingale Market, shopping for ingredients for her potions. Soon, she noticed a familiar figure.
"Huh? How did he end up here?"
Seeing Rayne wandering around, Evelyn paused in her tracks.
To be honest, Evelyn was quite curious about Rayne, who had caused a ship to explode during the Enlistment Examination.
Although she was a bit introverted and proud, it depended on the person.
For her, who ranked almost first among the noble heirs of her age in Rosby City, it was inevitable to feel a bit proud and reserved when facing most of the so-called 'young talents.'
But Rayne was different. His performance during the Enlistment Examination was astonishing, and she deeply admired him.
With her keen senses, Rayne naturally noticed Evelyn's gaze.
Although she wore a hood, the glimpse of her red hair and familiar bright eyes allowed Rayne to quickly recognize her as the red-haired girl, Evelyn.
Soon, their eyes met.
Rayne smiled slightly, and Evelyn immediately smiled back.
After a moment's thought, Evelyn approached him and said, "Hello, Rayne Knight. I'm Evelyn. Your performance during the Enlistment Examination was truly remarkable."
"You're too kind, Evelyn Knight. Has Klein has told me about your strength and beauty. Compared to you, I merely took a shortcut," Rayne replied with a smile.
Evelyn covered her mouth and giggled, saying, "Rayne Knight, I thought someone as powerful as you would be busy training and not be good with words, but it seems I was wrong."
"By the way, Rayne Knight, if you don't mind me asking, what brings you to the Nightingale Market? Perhaps, as a local, I can guide you," Evelyn offered.
Evelyn was puzzled as to why her mood suddenly became cheerful after hearing Rayne's praise.
You see, young men who flatter her daily are unavoidable, at least seven or eight of them.
Moreover, what they say is more straightforward and flattering than Rayne, but not one of them can make her feel the way Rayne just did.
Although Rayne only paid a simple compliment, and it was mostly due to their first formal conversation, Evelyn was inexplicably happy.
Perhaps it was because Rayne's strength was truly remarkable, Evelyn thought to herself.
"Of course, it would be my honor to have a powerful and beautiful knight like Evelyn as my guide," Rayne agreed with a smile.
Besides, after some thought, he felt there was nothing to hide.
After all, their presence at the Nightingale Market indicated that, from a certain perspective, both he and Evelyn were kindred spirits, and she was most likely a wizard apprentice, though he didn't know her specialization.
So, Rayne continued, "I wanted to see if there were any suitable magic models for me, but after looking around, it seems there aren't any high-power magics."
Evelyn smiled and said, "Of course, there won't be any here. In a mysterious market like this, there won't be high-power magics or first-level magics. But sometimes, you can find some decent entry-level magics."
"Hmm? Is there a reason for this?" Rayne asked with a hint of confusion.
"The actual managers behind these markets are jointly managed by the Empire and some wizarding schools, so some things are still restricted," Evelyn explained.
"Oh, I see!" Rayne nodded in understanding.
No wonder! He remembered the last time at the Bat Market when he took a large package of items from Adam's shop and was later stopped by two market administrators.
However, after he revealed his family background, he was allowed to pass without further trouble.
As he had suspected, these mysterious markets were indeed under some form of management by the Empire.
Looking at the red-haired girl, Evelyn, Rayne couldn't help but think of another noble girl, Jenny.
However, Jenny's status was slightly lower, and secondly, Jenny was purely a noble lady who was not skilled in combat.
As for Evelyn, not only was she a noble heir of a higher rank than a baron, but her personal strength was also very impressive.
Rayne had a feeling that her strength might not be much weaker than his own.
Like him, Evelyn was both a wizard apprentice and a knight, and she possessed a strength beyond the typical Master Knight.
So, Rayne continued to ask for guidance, "Then, what paths are there to learn high-power magic?"
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Evelyn looked at Rayne with her beautiful eyes and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, "Knight Rayne, you already know the answer to that."
"Well, there are generally two ways to go about it. One is to join an ancient wizarding school, and the other is to hold a high-ranking position within the Empire's enforcement agencies."
"If you hold a high enough position, you'll have access to many secrets, including those confidential magic spells, combat techniques, and research materials."
As they chatted and strolled, they quickly became more familiar with each other.
Evelyn also learned that Rayne was not a noble heir, which suddenly made her realize why Rayne had asked so many questions earlier, which she considered common sense.
However, after thinking about it carefully, she was even more surprised!
A commoner heir had achieved such strength? Evelyn was even more intrigued by Rayne.
She knew that both the path of a knight and a wizard apprentice required many resources, and it would be incredibly challenging for a commoner heir to reach Rayne's current level.
With Evelyn, who was familiar with the Nightingale Market, as his 'tour guide,' Rayne quickly explored the entire market.
Indeed, as Evelyn had said, high-power magic was generally not openly sold in the market.
However, there were many rare materials, such as the starfish grass, a necessary ingredient for the 'Spirit Elixir' mentioned in Rayne's 'Beast Taming Journal,' which was available for purchase here.
Spirit Elixir: After consumption, it can enhance an animal's spirituality.
In some places, it is also known as the 'Wisdom Elixir,' as feeding this elixir to animals can increase their intelligence to a certain extent.
This elixir requires one primary ingredient, the starfish grass that grows in the sea, named for its five-pointed shape resembling a starfish.
"Hmm?" Rayne spotted an old book in a shop, its cover adorned with runes that read 'Magic Notes.'
The name of the wizard should have been written before these words, but perhaps due to the passage of time or other reasons, it was no longer legible.
Rayne thought for a moment and asked, "Excuse me, may I take a look at this book?"
"You can only look at two pages," the shopkeeper nodded and handed the book to Rayne.
Rayne carefully flipped through two pages and then closed the book. Evelyn also glanced at it from the side.
Although Rayne's expression was blank at this moment, he was quite delighted inside because the content of the first two pages indicated that this was likely a magic notebook recording fire-based magic.
"How much is this book?"
"Two thousand imperial gold coins!"
Rayne nodded; the price was acceptable. Just as he was considering buying something to acquire this book...
Evelyn, standing beside him, suddenly spoke up, "The first two pages are indeed the original manuscript of a wizard, but the rest of the book feels off. If you look closely, there are subtle differences. I don't think this is an authentic piece."
The shopkeeper's expression changed upon hearing this, but he forced a smile and said nothing.
Rayne immediately understood what had happened, and his expression turned serious as he left the shop.
"Thank you for the reminder, Evelyn. I almost got cheated just now."
Rayne felt that shopping for magic models in this mysterious market was like searching for antiques in Panjiayuan in his previous life.
To find a genuine bargain?
It wasn't impossible, but the probability was low, and one needed sharp eyes.
"You're welcome, Knight Rayne. I just have a bit more experience than you in this regard. It's not easy to find good items here," Evelyn smiled slightly.
---
Minster, the capital of Minster Province.
In his office, Envoy Javier Stewart received the enlistment examination materials from Theo in Rosby City, and he was quite surprised to see Rayne's name at the top of the list.
He had expected Rayne to perform well, but seeing his score of over two thousand points shocked him. He knew exactly what that meant.
After some thought, he quickly stamped the 'Agreed' seal and immediately sent someone to report to the Imperial Capital.
Two days later.
Baron Theo received a reply from the Imperial Senate, and he was initially quite happy.
But what followed was an invitation-style letter, which instantly made Viscount Theo's expression turn solemn. He sighed and exclaimed, "It's an invitation from the 'Swordholder'!"
Immediately, he shook his head slightly, sighing, "It seems that General Silva's favor won't pay off after all."
After some thought, he felt it was best to inform General Silva of this 'bad news' early on, to prevent him from wasting further effort.
Just as he arrived at General Silva's office door, he heard the general's voice, slightly tinged with anger.
"That idiot from Master County actually rejected my transfer order, asking me to take a look. The one who rejected it is a Baron named Alonso Habsburg."
"What! Habsburg? This person should be a direct heir of Count Habsburg."
When he mentioned 'Habsburg', General Silva was visibly surprised, as he was well aware of Count Habsburg, the head of the neighboring county, even though he was far away in Rosby County.
Given Rayne's current administrative authority, he naturally fell under the jurisdiction of Master County. All transfer orders for Rayne had to go through Master County.
For lateral or non-direct superior department transfer orders, Master County had the right to reject or dismiss them.
Unless it was from Minster Province or a higher-level transfer order, Master County would not dare to reject it.
Hearing this, the Viscount Theo outside the door couldn't help but smile, and he quickly knocked on the door.
"Knock knock knock!"
"Come in!"
"Please enter!"
"You're just in time, Viscount!" General Silva saw the visitor and couldn't help but repeat his previous complaint.
"No way! If the Sixth Fleet's face isn't enough, I'll issue the transfer order in the name of the Imperial Southern Fleet, and I'll see who in Master County dares to dismiss it!"
However, after listening to General Silva's complaint, Viscount Theo shook his head and consoled him, "General, I think you don't need to be angry. Perhaps, you should take a look at this first."
General Silva took the 'invitation' from Viscount Theo with a puzzled expression.
A familiar yet rarely seen invitation appeared before his eyes.
On the invitation, five differently posed and flying giant dragons were depicted.
"This is an invitation from the Imperial Swordholder Organization, how did it arrive so quickly!" General Silva was taken aback and exclaimed.
General Silva had originally thought of delaying, but before the special departments of the Empire discovered Rayne's potential, they had already taken him under their wing.
After all, on the Imperial level, the Southern Fleet was a formidable force, responsible for the security of the Imperial territory. After Rayne's transfer, even if the special departments wanted to transfer someone, it wouldn't be that easy.
At the very least, they could engage in a tug-of-war, and even if they succeeded in transferring him, they would still receive some form of compensation.
But now, his transfer order from the Sixth Fleet had been dismissed by Master County, and the Swordholder's invitation had already arrived.
These past few days had been a waste of effort.
"That's right, General. Once Rayne receives this invitation, he will be a candidate for the Swordholder. So, even if you succeed in getting him, it won't be of much significance."
General Silva thought for a moment and sighed, "Yes, instead of this, it's better to nurture our own."
"Viscount, when announcing, I won't go to Master County. I'll leave it to you."
As for Rayne, he naturally had no idea about the twists and turns in the middle.
Rayne was completely unaware that he had missed an opportunity to participate in the Grand Voyage, to experience the vast ocean, treasures, and clashes with pirates.
Navy Home Inn, second floor, a certain guest room.
A rhythmic yet steady knocking sound suddenly echoed.
Rayne opened the door and was slightly startled. The big shot he had only seen during the Enlistment Examination stood before him.
This person, dressed in Noble Hunter Attire and sporting a goatee, was apparently the head of the Enlistment Examination, and his title, as told by Navy Lieutenant Commander Marika, was Viscount Theo.
"Viscount, good day!" Rayne quickly invited him into the room.
Obviously, the other party was here for something important.
Viscount Theo smiled and, after entering the room, looked around. Seeing that Rayne was staying in an inn, yet his items were neatly arranged, he couldn't help but add a bit of approval in his heart.
Who said Rayne lacked discipline? This clearly showed he had it!
"Knight Rayne, I just received a letter from the Imperial Enlistment Examination Committee. Your excellent performance in the examination has been reviewed and approved, so you will be conferred the title of Baron."
"Thank you, Viscount!" Rayne was overjoyed, and his fists couldn't help but clench slightly.
The dust had settled, and from this day forward, he was a noble, a baron!
"However, Knight Rayne, perhaps you'd rather see this." Viscount Theo said with a smile, handing him an invitation-style letter.
(End of Chapter)
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