Ch. 94 - Domain of Honesty

The servants of the Barrye family all understood one thing.

Their master, Merle Barrye, was not an easy person to serve.

He was fat and bloated, yet always insisted on dressing himself up in splendor—

His hair oil had to be the finest Stendcon, his perfume scents could not repeat within a month, his necktie was always perfectly neat, and even his cufflinks had to be inset with gems and gold...

"These nobles of Longgold City have heads like cheese full of holes!"

Whenever they expended great effort to dress the master in his luxurious, eye-blindingly ornate coat, they would always hear him say,

"Why is it that I've achieved perfection in every aspect, yet they still say I have a 'manure stench'?"

They actually wanted to complain: "This style of dress became a thing of the past decades ago. Modern nobles prefer a more minimalist aesthetic..."

Like those noble ladies who always wore extremely form-fitting dresses that accentuated their graceful figures without being overly ostentatious—

Simple in design, but made with the finest fabrics.

The servants dared not tell the master this truth.

After all, this master was quite generous with his money.

To earn more wages and avoid being swept out the door, it was better to keep him happy—

However, clearly, starting from a few months ago, the master didn't seem so particular anymore.

Now he would simply put on a silk robe after being attended to in the morning, then stand on the enormous balcony, silently gazing at the Upper District atop the cliff while occasionally sighing:

"Today's wind is quite clamorous."

Like gazing at a girl he loved but could not have.

Until a few days ago, when news of the young master's disappearance reached the mansion, the master's sighs finally turned to sobs.

After all, that was his only child, and truly, they seemed cut from the same mold.

"Damn this martial law order—why seal the city gates? How am I supposed to send people to search for Melade!? Who the hell is spreading rumors that my son is already dead when they haven't even found a body!"

The servants found it strange too.

When they discussed these matters with outsiders, they clearly used the word "missing," so how did it become a rumor of "death notice" as it spread?

Probably because no one believed that small town or that young master could survive under the iron hooves of orcs?

But regardless, now was not the time to curse the lord's policies.

Because—

"Master, Lord Lionheart is waiting outside."

"Damn it, why is he here again!"

This Public Lord was clearly not visiting the Barrye mansion for the first time.

But with his status laid bare before him, no matter how resentful he felt, Master Merle still hurried forward with rapid steps to greet him at the luxurious mansion entrance, putting on a welcoming smile:

"Oh, how honored I am to see you again, esteemed Lord.

I wonder if you've brought me news of my well-behaved child this time?"

Truthfully, he didn't really want to get too close to this lord.

The other's broad, towering physique always made him tremble with fear when he drew near—

Even that solemn plate armor gleaming with radiance couldn't conceal his thick, vigorous light-gray mane.

He might appear friendly enough.

But those sharp claws and pitch-black pupils—everything about his exterior revealed his savage nature.

Lord Lionheart, Leon.

A true male lion.

In fact, Merle never quite understood.

Even though Longgold City was an inclusive, open city where one could see almost all known non-human races...

Was it really appropriate to let a lion occupy the position of Public Lord?

Not to mention, he was a widely known Oathbreaker—

No one knew what this lord had experienced in the past.

But they all speculated that this paladin who once dedicated everything to his monarch had ultimately been corrupted by darkness and ambition, abandoned his oath, and driven his sword through his lord's heart.

Of course, this was just legend.

Paladins were uncommon, and Oathbreakers even rarer, so naturally people were curious about his backstory.

Unfortunately, not even Merle—let alone Merle's father—could confirm the truth.

After all, this "Lion of Longgold City" had held office longer than three generations of their family line.

Leon's voice was steady, even gentle:

"My apologies, Sir Merle. Young Master Melade's whereabouts remain unknown to this day."

"Then what is the reason for your visit?"

"The same reason as before, Sir."

"Damn it, the land again!"

This was clearly not Leon's first visit.

He just felt that this lion, along with the Council behind him, had not a shred of dignity befitting leaders.

They were clearly a pack of brigands taking advantage of a crisis!

He craved this voice precisely because he coveted a Masked Lord's seat, no longer wanting his business constrained by Longgold City—

"No, this matter is not up for discussion, Lord! That is the ancestral homeland of our Barrye family. Since my grandfather's grandfather, we have legally owned the private rights to that territory! You cannot covet my homeland and attempt to seize my property just because you see how much wealth I've earned from it!"

"Please don't misunderstand—

The Public Land System is not my arbitrary decision alone, but a system collectively promoted by the entire Council.

This benefits the unity of all Longgold City and absolutely does not target you alone.

I'm sure you've long heard of Longgold City's land reclamation policy, which has allowed many 'friends' you've entertained at balls to live prosperous lives by selling their land."

Merle's agitated tone only made the lion before him seem all the more gracious by contrast.

A paladin's Charisma was always considerable.

This made him feel like he'd punched cotton—if he continued to lose his temper, he'd only make himself look ridiculous:

"Fine, I have indeed heard them mention it."

"So I've come this time merely to remind you—

Orcs are not a race skilled in cultivation.

If they completely destroy your farmland and orchards, causing the soil's nutrients to be depleted...

At that time, the Council may not be willing to offer you a satisfactory price."

Leon continued smiling, which gradually made him look like a docile cat.

He even shrugged, somewhat helplessly:

"I apologize for constantly showing you my face. But please believe me, this is absolutely not for my personal benefit—

As Public Lord, announcing policies is my duty, but all decisions are made through collective Council deliberation."

"No, no."

Seeing even this lord lower his posture to such a degree, what more could Merle say?

"I've been too anxious because of my child's disappearance. I apologize to you."

"If I encountered the same situation as you, I wouldn't be any better.

Precisely because of this, the Council has decided to show consideration by opening a window for you—

If you decide to relinquish ownership of the land, the Council will take on the responsibility of hiring adventurers to search the Dawnmist Forest for Young Master Melade. We'll use all available resources and funds—even if it's just a corpse, we'll bring it back to you.

Additionally, we'll provide a Duchess's Eye free of charge as aid for venturing deep into Dawnmist Forest."

Damn it, and you say this isn't taking advantage of a crisis?

These rulers clearly knew his "eyebrows were on fire."

He even suspected whether these orcs were deliberately let in by the Council as a theatrical ploy to coerce him into surrendering territorial rights...

At the very least, was Melade in their hands?

Only when he relented would they release Melade?

Regardless, Merle had already realized the reason for issuing the Martial Law Order prohibiting adventurers from entering or leaving—

It must be to pressure him!

"Issuing quests and gathering adventurers also requires time.

The later you decide, the more dangerous the young master's situation becomes."

The tall lion bent down and gave the bloated Merle a shallow bow.

"Of course, the decision is yours.

As you know, Longgold City respects the law and follows it.

Even the Council has no authority to forcibly seize a single copper of your interests."

They were indeed acting according to law.

But that didn't mean the law had no loopholes to exploit.

Two paths lay before him.

Land, or family?

"I, I—"

Merle took a deep breath, his nails nearly drawing blood in his plump palm.

"Fine, fine..."

When he made up his mind, he felt like he was free-falling from a great height.

Because he knew what he would lose:

"A contract needs to be drawn up, correct?"

The lord, having received a satisfactory answer, nodded with a smile:

"It's already prepared—"

"Father!"

Outside the mansion, that shout of survival suddenly interrupted their conversation.

Even the smile at the corner of Leon's mouth froze in place.

Spinning around sharply, he saw before the manor's outer gate an equally bloated noble young master frantically waving in their direction.

"Impossible..."

He naturally recognized that "little white pig."

That's precisely why it was so unbelievable.

Not shocked that Melade was still alive in this world.

But rather:

"How could he enter the city gates during Martial Law?"

To prevent certain public opinions from fermenting—such as rumors that "the lord is targeting the Barrye family"—he hadn't ordered guards to specifically watch for "Melade Barrye," that little white pig.

But he had strictly ordered that not even nobles be allowed through the city gates, hadn't he?

Yet the fact was right before his eyes.

Even if he'd arrived one minute later—

That land transfer contract was just one step away from being signed!

But no matter what he thought inside, Leon couldn't show it obviously. Instead, he pulled his mouth into a smile and congratulated:

"It seems the young master is safe and sound."

In Merle's brow, the melancholy that had accumulated over many days finally dissolved somewhat.

No longer needing to deliberate over that transfer contract, his reddened eye sockets nearly overflowed with tears.

But before his own son, he was always awkward about appearing too concerned.

So he maintained a stern face and snorted:

"Why did you come back so late!"

This dampened some of Melade's joy as well.

He pushed open the manor gates, cautiously approached the two elders, and haltingly explained the "truth" that Tang Qi had taught him.

"...So that's how it was."

The air fell into a brief silence. Seeing Lord Merle immersed in the dramatic twists and turns of this "truth," unable to recover for a long while.

Leon frowned, and the ring on his hand burst forth with a milky-white radiance that formed a hemisphere, enveloping the three of them—

Domain of Honesty, a second-circle spell.

Creates a magical zone that resists lies. Those who fail to resist the magical effect cannot tell lies while within this area.

He suddenly asked:

"Did you see anything special during your escape?"

Melade scratched his head: "What kind of special thing?"

"For instance, an egg?"

"An egg?"

Melade blinked.

"Huh? What egg? I don't know anything about that."

He'd practically slept through the entire twenty-day journey, only encountering a small dragon along the way—where would he have seen any egg?

Leon discerned the response conveyed by the ring in his hand.

Mm, it was the truth.

"Never mind, I was just asking casually."

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