Werewolf Hunting Rules.

Chapter 582 A Refined Game

On the eve of the horse racing festival, one big news story after another broke in Sasha.

First, someone accused the tournament's judge, Clayton Bello, of being of low character. Then, the judge retaliated by pointing out that the reason he was being attacked for defamation was because he had acquired a magical new mount that had made the news. Caroline Cures had also coveted the stone horse, but failed to obtain it, so he sent someone to slander him as revenge.

In order to salvage his reputation and punish Caroline Curles for his misconduct, Clayton Bello challenged Caroline Curles to a duel, and both agreed on the matter and had already set a venue and time.

This whole affair can certainly be considered a good appetizer before the horse racing event, and perhaps even something of higher quality.

It's hard to say whether horse racing or dueling is more entertaining.

"Who the hell does he think he is?!" Caroline Cures roared in fury.

Red velvet adorns the space, while crystal chandeliers and glassware by the bar reflect the light streaming in from the windows, sparkling like diamonds.

This floor boasts a bar, pool table, gambling table, and study, with a restaurant downstairs and a lush green tennis court outside.

This is the Yewwood Club in the Parish of St. Alvin. Its opulent interior and extensive entertainment facilities prove that those who can enter are no ordinary people.

Besides the few close friends who were already around him, Kules's roar also attracted the attention of many gentlemen who were talking or moving around. However, they were not afraid, only puzzled.

There were no outsiders here, only his relatives and accomplices.

In other words, most of the people here are nobles and aristocrats, and that is precisely why he was angry.

Being challenged to a duel by a commoner was a huge loss of face for him, because it is well known that people usually do not challenge someone they respect to a duel, nor do they challenge someone who is obviously stronger than themselves.

Clayton Bello specifically asked him to come out, which shows that he neither thinks Caroline Courles is worthy of respect nor considers him strong.

Kules, who had just received the newspaper, was no better off than Bello, who had seen the defamatory report. The servant who handed him the newspaper hurriedly withdrew, fearing that he would be punished.

Sir Callahan, who was over thirty, sank three balls in one shot on the pool table next to him. Hearing the cheers from the side, he put away his cue with satisfaction, tucked his jacket under his left arm, and slowly walked towards Kules. On the way, he casually leaned his cue against the bar, ordered a cocktail and the same newspaper that Kules was reading from the bartender, and soon found out the reason for Kules's anger.

"That's unusual. A commoner actually dares to openly challenge you. I don't know if he's just too courageous or if he's exceptionally skilled."

As he approached with his wine glass and newspaper, the other gentlemen around Curles made way for him.

"So, Kules, is that horse really that good? Even you want it, now I want to see it too."

He spoke casually, took a relaxed sip of his drink, and did not become cautious because of Kules's anger.

Because he was Sir Callahan, one of the highest-ranking nobles in Sasha, no less than Caroline Courles, and Caroline Courles' only sister was his wife.

The Kules family has lost all its direct heirs. If they want to continue the family line, they can only adopt a child from him.

Facing his brother-in-law, Kules' face was grim as he forcibly suppressed the violent heaving of his chest:
"Callah, do you think he's telling the truth?"

Callahan took another sip of his drink: "The newspapers say you've decided to duel with this Mr. Bello. Don't look at me like that; many newspapers say so."

Enraged, Kules crumpled the newspaper into a ball and swung it into the wastebasket ten paces away, making it spin twice.

"The devil will be waiting in hell to pull out their false tongues!"

“So that’s not true.” Callahan was disappointed. For people like them, they had to work hard every day to stir up the stagnant waters of life so that boredom would kill their spirits, and Sir Courles’ duel with a commoner was undoubtedly an interesting story.

"Of course not! It's just a clumsy stone horse. This kind of thing is no different from a gargoyle. It can't recover from injuries and can't fly. It's useless on the battlefield and in the arena. Do you really think I'm such a boring person?"

Forced to say these things against his will, Kules grew increasingly angry.

"So what are you planning to do next? If you deny it, those leech-like reporters will definitely write that you are cowardly and have lost your aristocratic demeanor in front of ordinary people."

“But I advise you not to even think about going into battle yourself. Who knows what that guy is capable of? To have earned Sir Jonard’s favor, his combat skills must be at least close to those of a knight commander. I’m an honest man, and I have absolutely no chance of winning if I were to fight him.”

"However, if you want someone to take your place in the duel, that's a different story. I know a few good fighters, and I can introduce them to you if you need them."

As Callahan spoke, the other gentlemen also expressed their concerns for him. After all, times had changed, and Koules's reputation had never been good, especially after his defeat in the mayoral election; the reporters no longer had any scruples.

Of course, whatever Sir Cousins ​​chooses, winning is always better than being afraid to fight or losing.

"Just because he said I did it, I have to admit it? Do you think I'm that stupid?" Kules said coldly, and the people who were just comforting him fell silent.

Callahan shook his head and placed the empty cup and newspaper on the table next to him. After sitting down, he raised his hand to invite them to join him.
“Good heavens, of course that’s not what I thought, but I thought you would want to test your power—like Sir Jonard did. You’re different from us. You’ve spent thirty years honing your secret power. Haven’t you ever thought about using your full strength in a real fight? That guy seems to be someone Sir Jonard also thinks highly of. I think he must be a superhuman as well.”

As the accuracy of artillery fire has increased, few nobles are now willing to spend time on such painstaking matters. Most eldest sons are only willing to complete the minimum requirement for succession to the noble throne—to obtain the secret teachings and avoid being expelled from the family. After that, they must start working hard to complete the task of continuing the bloodline. Naturally, they cannot continue to refine the secret teachings that affect fertility. Whether this power can grow in the future is left to fate.

Compared to those extraordinary individuals who obtained secret teachings by chance, they actually didn't have many advantages.

Caroline Cures was a minority among the nobles. He had been honing his skills, but no one knew the extent of his secret powers or the direction of his research. Callahan was naturally very curious as well.

But this time, Caroline Courles, who was known for his volatile temper, actually suppressed his anger and refused.

“Dueling with such a despicable person would only lower my status, and readily agreeing to the duel would only make him feel smug about his successful scheme. However, I must not let him think I am weak and easily bullied; I will repay him a hundredfold in the same way he treated me.”

"Sir Jonard may think highly of this man, but he is old, and it is normal for him to misjudge occasionally."

"This Mr. Bello had better be a saint, someone who has never made a mistake. Otherwise... well, a journalist would certainly be more interested in a commoner who dares to challenge a nobleman than in me."

Even if Sir Jonard thought highly of this fellow, it couldn't stop him from upholding his dignity; it was an unspoken understanding among nobles.

With Kules' decision made, Karahan and several other nobles changed the subject.

With the horse race just around the corner, and the guy challenging Kules being the race's referee, they naturally started talking about the race and predicting the horses' outcome. Besides their interest in horse racing itself, they also had a stake in the racetracks where those horses originated.

Moreover, the recent cheating rumors that suddenly appeared out of nowhere have also caught their attention.

A considerable number of nobles hoped to obtain more accurate information, including mutual friends of Courles and Callahan. They were not without shame, but to maintain a respectable daily life alongside nobles with an annual income exceeding ten thousand pounds, their expenses were destined to be unsustainable by land rent alone.

In this era, nobles were not allowed to become bandits in other noble territories, so the more ways to make money, the better.

A nobleman casually mentioned a rumor circulating in the city: "I've heard that an oracle cave has appeared in the city. Its power may not be enough to answer any questions, but if we are only seeking a prophecy about the outcome of a match, perhaps we can find the answer."

“Or perhaps the answer is already circulating, but we just don’t know it,” another person said. “Whether it’s Freckles or Morning Star, that is the question.”

Upon hearing his words, Kules paused, but he wasn't interested in the rumors:
"The Oracle Cave?"

“I’ve heard this rumor too,” Callahan said with interest. “I know a friend who works at a car dealership, and he believes in it a lot. Unfortunately, that’s precisely why I think it’s very likely that the Oracle Caves are just a rumor and a fabrication.”

Kules snorted and didn't press the matter further.

Melcher has already been assigned to look after the racehorses, and no matter what method others use to cheat, they cannot bypass him.

He earnestly admonished the gentlemen who trusted him: "Horse racing is just a game; don't think you can make a fortune from it. Think about our real business, and don't forget how much we could have gained before. The current winner is Kunti, but that doesn't mean he will resist our ideas. He has also discovered that the government is short of money, and the Druids may not be able to keep him in the same position."

This reminder came at just the right time, instantly bringing everyone back to the theme of last winter.

Developing suburban land has always been the hope of these conservatives.

Those lands belong to them, but they don't earn much money because they are designated for agricultural use.

Land value changes with planning. If it becomes industrial land, the government is required by law to provide an industrial subsidy in addition to the standard land rent.

The nobles only owned the land; the management rights belonged to the government.

Setting up a factory on one's own land can certainly change the land classification, but if the purpose is to subsidize industry, then this is an ineffective measure.

Industrial subsidies are essentially environmental pollution subsidies; the government will not pay extra for nobles polluting their own land.

Moreover, there's not much profit to be made in opening a factory in Sasha. Things might only turn around when river transport resumes and transportation costs drop. Right now, sheep farming is the hottest industry in the area.