Imperial Crown.

Chapter 246: A Ridiculous Night

Fiona finally suppressed her curiosity and didn't touch Raven's desk.

Soon, Patty came back with clothes and helped Fiona change. Fiona hugged her pajamas, buried her head in them, leaving only her eyes exposed, and trotted back to her room.

Not long after, Raven returned to the study and looked at the documents on the table without saying a word.

It was a letter from the Marquis Anthony.

The wording was as ornate and complicated as usual for the nobles, but the content was simple, requiring Raven to "pay more attention" to the schedule and eliminate the other two contestants from the Fox family except Gul'dan in this round.

Raven drummed his fingers on the table, his brows furrowed, a hint of impatience creeping up his eyebrows.

There was a loud thunder, lightning illuminated the documents, and drizzle blew in through the window, soaking the back of Raven's neck.

"Damn it!" Raven pulled open his collar and stood up. The low-pressure air made it difficult for him to breathe, and his already depressed mood became even more irritable.

After closing the window, Raven folded the letter and put it in the drawer. He walked out of the room and said to Petty, "I'm going to go out for a walk. You don't have to follow me."

The sky was as gloomy as night.

The tattered pottery jar under the eaves was filled with rainwater, which kept swaying in the wind, and the water droplets on the eaves created ripples.

The raindrops shattered into pieces on the ground, gathered together in the low place, and melted into a trickle, meandering along the stone-paved road.

The stone slabs polished by thousands of feet and wheels were wet and smooth like mirrors, reflecting the fragmented light from roadside lanterns, adding a touch of tenderness to the quiet and cold streets.

The sound of frogs came from nowhere.

Under the cover of rain, Eagle Town was slowly falling asleep. There were almost no pedestrians on the streets. It was as quiet as an empty city.

Raven walked on Downing Street, listening to the dense crisp sounds of black umbrellas. His mood gradually calmed down, but he also felt a little melancholy for no reason.

I lit a hand-rolled cigarette and inhaled it into my lungs. The moist air made the originally hot and choking smoke a little softer, and also made the smell stick to my lips and linger.

The sound of heels hitting bluestone echoed in the alley. Raven looked up and saw a woman coming towards him.

She held a black parasol in her hand with the brim pressed down, blocking the breeze while covering her face, revealing half of the black veil that only widows would wear. Her robe was slightly wet by the rain, looking too heavy for her thin body.

The parasol could not withstand the heavy rain, and water droplets flowed down the lace on the umbrella head, wetting her robe and making the red lips under the black veil even more translucent and smooth.

Perhaps it was because of the cold, or perhaps it was because of tiredness, her rain-soaked arms trembled slightly.

Raven stood by the roadside like a gentleman. When the two crossed each other's paths, Raven was surprised to find that it was Mrs. Doreen.

She also saw Raven, with a look of surprise, joy, and a little embarrassment in her eyes: "Baron Raven, could you please give me a ride?"

Under normal circumstances, Raven would have asked some questions, such as where her followers were, where her maids were, and why she was here alone.

But now, Raven didn't want to think too much. He just nodded slightly and turned his umbrella to the side, covering Mrs. Doreen's head.

The young widow smiled gratefully, put away her umbrella, and walked with Raven.

She knew how to keep a good distance between them, allowing Raven to smell the scent of her hair oil, but not getting too close to him, keeping a distance.

The rain gradually got heavier, beating like drumbeats, and layers of bowl-shaped flowers bloomed in the bubbles. The water vapor condensed into mist and gradually blocked the view.

"ah--"

A puff of mud and water splashed, and Mrs. Doreen stepped into the gap between the stone slabs. Her skirt stuck to her legs, and her ankles in black stockings were stained with mud. She was about to fall, but was helped up by Raven.

Her skin was as cool as autumn water and her body was so gentle that it seemed as if she had no bones.

Mrs. Doreen leaned in Raven's arms, her pupils dilated slightly because of panic, and a blush appeared on her pale cheeks: "Sorry..."

"Are you okay?" Raven asked calmly.

Doreen shook her head slightly, held onto Raven's arm and stood up straight. She took two steps, but her legs went weak again due to the sprain. She bent down, and her soft cloak brought out the full curve of her waist.

Raven held out his arm, and Mrs. Doreen hesitated for a moment before she took it tightly, straightened up, and walked slowly.

After walking a short distance, Mrs. Doreen's breathing became irregular, her face turned pale, and her body began to tremble.

Turning the corner and coming to Baker Street from Downing Street, I saw a small shop not far away. It had no sign, only an oak wine glass hanging upside down at the door, and soft light shone through the window onto the street.

Mrs. Doreen paused, and said in a weak voice with a hint of pleading: "Let's go in and sit for a while, okay?"

In the cold rain, I felt pity for her as she huddled together.

Raven nodded and helped Doreen to the door, leaning the umbrella against the wall.

When I pushed the door open, a warm feeling hit me.

This is not a very big pub, with only four tables in total, with six or seven patrons sitting scattered around, and a stove by the wall crackling.

Doreen was obviously a noble, but there was no shortage of nobles in Eagle Town nowadays. Raven deliberately pulled up his collar to cover his face. This kind of mysterious tone was common among nobles, so it did not attract extra attention. The boss who was also the bartender enthusiastically showed them to their seats.

"What do you two need? We recently purchased Angel's Tears in the flavor of 'flaming orchid', which is perfect for this kind of weather."

"Then have a drink." Raven said, looking at Doreen again.

Mrs. Doreen said softly, "A glass of hot milk."

The two sat opposite each other. Raven still felt a little stuffy, so he opened the window slightly and breathed in the air that flowed in.

Soon, two drinks were placed on the table.

"You seem to be worried..." Mrs. Doreen held the porcelain cup with both hands, her body relaxed a little, and her pale face became more red: "About the competition?"

Raven came back to his senses and took a sip of the wine in the glass. The hot feeling flowed from the tip of his tongue to his stomach. "It's just a small problem. I have already thought about what to do."

"But you're still unwilling to give up?" Doreen blinked.

"..." Raven raised his head and swallowed most of the glass of wine: "The word 'unwilling' is not in my dictionary."

"I will call it - it's not that I don't want to take revenge, it's just that the time has not come yet."

Dorinsu held a spoon in her hand and stirred the cup slowly. She looked at Raven with admiration and worship in her eyes. "That's why you have come this far. As a baron, you have stirred up the entire Nord Province and made the Eagle Territory in the remote area the center of attention of the entire province."

Raven chuckled: "After all, it's just a weight that comes at the right time."

"But it is enough to affect the balance of the scale." Doreen said seriously, "And you can decide where to put the weight."

Raven rarely heard such compliments. He smiled and drank the wine in the glass. "Just say it, Mrs. Doreen. As long as it's not too much trouble, I will help you even for your husband's sake."

Mrs. Doreen's eyes lit up slightly, but dimmed again after hearing the second half of the sentence: "It may not be a problem for others, but it is definitely a problem for you."

Raven didn't like to cause trouble for himself. He listened to the sound of rain outside the window and gradually began to feel a little sleepy: "Come on, Mrs. Doreen, I'll take you home."

As he said this, he stood up, but as soon as he stood up straight, he felt a black screen in front of his eyes, his hands and feet began to feel numb and weak, and his consciousness was drifting away.

Oops, there's something wrong with this wine!

Raven supported himself on the table with his hands, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single syllable. He slid off the table and fell to the ground with a thud.

In his last consciousness, he heard the voice of the tavern owner: "Hey, Madam Doreen, how is our Sons of Bane mercenary group doing?"

Mrs. Doreen stood up, walked to the fallen Raven, and gently helped him up: "Not bad, very good."

The tavern owner rubbed his hands, looked at her beautiful face and swallowed his saliva: "Then, shouldn't you give us the balance?"

"Of course, if you'd like to pay in other ways, we wouldn't mind."

The surrounding drinkers also stood up and slowly surrounded them.

Mrs. Doreen stroked her fingers across Raven's cheek and said softly, "I will send it to your family."

"What, you are..." The tavern owner choked before he could finish his words. He bent down and spat out a ball of black blood. Then he fell to the ground, his limbs twitching, his eyes wide open, and gradually stopped breathing.

Around them, the so-called drinkers who were actually mercenaries panicked. Some wanted to escape, some wanted to threaten Doreen, but no one succeeded. They just made a mess of the tavern and followed the boss's footsteps. The door opened, and a group of warriors in black robes walked in.

Lady Doreen stood up and said, "Take Baron Raven away, but be sure not to hurt him. Get rid of all these mercenaries."

"Yes."

……

Consciousness slowly returned to Raven's body. He opened his eyes and saw the candlesticks hanging from the stone ceiling. The dim light filled the room.

My body felt inexplicably heavy, as if something was pressing down on it.

His eyes gradually moved downwards and saw...

Mrs Doreen.

She was still wearing the widow's iconic black veil on her head, and her once neat hair was now disheveled, sticking to her forehead and cheeks with sweat.

His brows were furrowed, his eyes showed a bit of confusion and joy, his pearly teeth were biting his lower lip tightly, and he occasionally made a few dull and painful nasal sounds.

Under the black robe was a patch of white snow with a crimson tinge.

In the depression of the delicate collarbone, there were crystal beads rolling, which were not sure whether they were rain or sweat, flowing down along the edge of the collarbone, flowing through mountains and valleys, pausing slightly on the smooth abdomen, breaking through the obstruction of sweat hair, and flowing into the small belly button.

She must be a woman who loves sports. Not only is the skin on her lower abdomen tight, but the outline of her abdominal muscles can be clearly seen through the almost transparent skin.

The thighs wrapped in black stockings are voluptuous and full, reflecting the dim light.

Feeling Raven's gaze, her movements became more intense, but her eyes shifted away, and the finger she passed across her chest was still wearing a golden wedding ring.

A trace of surprise and anger rose in Raven's heart.

Suddenly, Mrs. Doreen felt dizzy, and the next moment, the ceiling appeared before her eyes.

How did he recover so quickly!?

However, before she could think clearly, Raven's sullen face appeared in front of her, and his arm clamped her throat like steel: "Are you fucking crazy?!"

Like a drowning fish, Mrs. Doreen opened her mouth, completely unable to breathe, but a blush appeared on her face. She raised her arm gently and pinched Raven's chest.

Snapped--

A slap landed heavily on Doreen's face, causing her pretty cheek to swell visibly. Raven gritted his teeth and said:

"You really think I dare not kill you!?"

Because of suffocation, tears were flowing from the corners of Doreen's eyes, but her legs quietly wrapped around Raven's waist.

"You're fucking crazy!"

"crazy……"

……

a long time.

Raven stood up and sat on the bed, holding his clothes in his palms, his finger bones protruding, and sneered sarcastically, "Oh, you are really brave."

He could guess that Mrs. Doreen's purpose was nothing more than to strengthen the relationship between the two of them and find a backer for herself. If she could get pregnant with his illegitimate child, the relationship would be even more unbreakable.

But this is in the Eagle Territory. If there is any omission in her plan or the news leaks out, she will be doomed.

Mrs. Doreen curled up in the quilt, revealing only her slightly torn black stockings. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she wiped her tears, about to cry, with sobs in her voice:

"I've never been born brave. I just don't have anyone behind me."

Raven was speechless.

The way he said this sounded as if he had forced her to do something!
After weighing the pros and cons, Raven stood up and put on his clothes. His voice was cold: "If anyone knew about this..."

Doreen raised her head and continued, "It's not that I don't want to report it, it's just that the time has not come yet."

"…I'm glad you know!" Raven glared at her with a sharp look, grabbed his hat, pushed the door and left the room.

Looking at the door knocker that was still shaking slightly, Mrs. Doreen's face, which was as beautiful as a pear blossom in the rain, suddenly broke into a smile.

She stroked her red and swollen cheeks, and the look in her eyes was like that of a gambler who was already penniless but turned the tables!

"You are so excellent in every field, Raven..."

After an absurd night, Raven returned to his normal life rhythm. There were no bad rumors from the outside world, as if nothing had happened.

However, Old Gordon reported a case a few days later, saying that a group of mercenaries had disappeared in Eagle Territory, and the Mercenary Guild sent people to ask for an explanation.

Raven looked at the vividly portrayed face of the hotel owner on the information handed over, snorted, and threw it into the trash can.

Although Old Gordon felt it was a bit strange, he did not pay too much attention to it - it was just a mercenary guild, and the Baron did not have any obligation to respond to them.

After a few days of rest, everyone in Eagle Castle became busy again regarding the upcoming 6th round of the competition.

Before the schedule was announced, Ingola found Raven again and asked him to do the final review.

After reading it, Raven made a slight adjustment to the schedule and arranged the other two knights from the Fox family to compete in the same game.

This was his response to Marquis Anthony, and it could also be an explanation to the Fox family.

For Marquis Anthony, this will inevitably eliminate a member of the Fox family; for the Fox family, it can guarantee that one person will advance to the next round.

Ingra didn't quite understand the meaning of this arrangement, but he chose to obey it. However, after the change, he took a look and frowned: "Baron, there is another problem."

"Previously, it was basically men versus men and women versus women, which was relatively fair and interesting enough to watch."

"After you make the switch this time, the only pair of female knights will be separated, and Savanna will face the Knight 'Wami' of the Pintson family..."

Savanna is one of the two contestants sent by the Church of Light to this duel tournament.

Ingra always arranged female opponents for her. In addition to the reasons mentioned before, it was also to take into account the face of the Church of Light.

Raven knew this, of course. He shook his head and said, "Don't worry, it's okay."

If Archbishop Thomas intended to compete for the crown, he would not have sent only two second-level knights.

Now that they have both made it to the top 32, it is enough to give face to the Church of Light. Archbishop Thomas will not have any objection if they are eliminated in this round.

"Yes, Lord Baron."

Soon after, the list was announced, which immediately excited the nobles who had been waiting for a long time.

There is quite a lot of information worth noting in this round. In addition to the two male-female duels that appear for the first time and the civil war in the Fox family, there is also new explosive information.

That is, as the game progressed, a match between three levels finally appeared, and two games were scheduled at once.

They are Gul'dan against Baron "Omaha" of Seaside County; Akori against Baron Vissaxin of Snowmaple County!

These two games, one at the beginning and the other at the end, are full of highlights and explosive moments, so much so that before the games even started, a large number of people had already started betting on these two games.

The focus of betting is not only on winning or losing the game, but more people are betting on who can deal with the opponent faster between Gul'dan and Akori!
During this period of time, Raven focused his main energy on enchantment. When he got tired of playing with plate armor, he would enchant the staff to relax. The progress was quite encouraging. The upgrade progress of the first-level staff reached about 75%.

It is August 8th, and the 7th round of the competition officially begins.

That day, Raven did not go into his secret room, but came to the box of the Colosseum and sat together with Marquis Anthony, Archbishop Thomas, Earl of Montreal, and Earl of Tyrone for the first time in a long time.

Underneath the calm surface, undercurrents surged.

……

(End of this chapter)