The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 94 The Realm of Honesty (Please Subscribe!)
The servants of the Barry family all understood.

My master, Mel Barry, is not an easy person to serve.

He was obese and bloated, yet he always dressed himself up impeccably.

My hair oil must be the best [Standard], my perfume scent cannot be repeated for at least a month, my bow tie is always perfectly neat, and my cufflinks are inlaid with jewels and gold...

"These nobles of Dragon Gold City have heads that are like cheese with holes!"

Whenever they went to great lengths to dress the master in a bulky coat so ornate it could blind anyone, they would always hear him say this.

"Why is it that even though I've done everything perfectly, people still say I smell like 'farm manure'?"

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

Like those aristocratic ladies, they always wear extremely tight-fitting dresses, which accentuate their graceful figures without being overly ostentatious—

The design is simple, but the fabric must be of the highest quality.

The servants dared not tell the master this fact.

After all, this gentleman is very willing to spend money.

If you want to earn more money and avoid being kicked out, you'd better keep him happy.

However, it's quite obvious that the master hasn't been so particular about things since a few months ago.

Now, all he does each morning, after being helped out of bed, is dressed in a single silk robe, and stands on the enormous balcony, gazing silently at the Upper City atop the cliff, sometimes sighing:
"The wind is quite noisy today."

It's like gazing at a girl you love but can't have.

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

That was, after all, his only child, and they really looked like they were cut from the same mold.

"Damn martial law—why are the city gates sealed off? How am I supposed to send someone to find Merad!?"
Who spread the rumor that my son is dead? We haven't even found his body yet!

The servants were also puzzled.

When they discussed these matters with outsiders, they clearly used the word 'missing,' so how did it become a rumor of 'death' as ​​it was passed around?
Perhaps it's because nobody thought that town or that young master could survive the orcs' iron hooves.

However, now is not the time to criticize the lord policy.

because--

"My lord, Lord Lionheart is waiting outside."

"Damn it, he's here again!"

This open lord was clearly not visiting Barry's manor for the first time.

But given his status, no matter how resentful he was, Lord Mel hurried to the luxurious mansion to greet him, putting on a fawning smile.

"Oh, it's an honor to see you again, esteemed lord."

Did your visit bring me news of my well-behaved child?

To be honest, he didn't really want to get too close to this lord.

The other person's broad, towering figure always filled him with dread as they drew near.

Even his imposing, subtly gleaming plate armor couldn't conceal his thick, lush, light gray mane.

He may have acted friendly enough.

But his sharp claws and dark pupils reveal his ferocious nature.

Lionheart, Leon.

A true lion.

In fact, Mel never understood.

Even though Dragon Gold City is an inclusive and open city, where you can see almost every familiar alien race...

But is it worth considering placing a lion in the position of public lord?

Not to mention, he is a well-known [Oathbreaker]—

No one knows what this lord went through in the past.

But they all speculated that this paladin, who had dedicated everything to the king, was ultimately corrupted by darkness and ambition, abandoned his oath, and pierced the monarch's heart with his sword.

Of course, this is just a legend.

Paladins are rare, and Oathbreakers are even rarer, so it's natural to be curious about the story behind them.

Unfortunately, not only Mel, but even Mel's father couldn't confirm the truth.

After all, this "Lion of Longjin City" had served for a longer period than three generations of his family.

Leon's voice was steady, even gentle:
"I'm sorry, Sir Mel. Young Master Merard is still missing."

"So, what brings you here?"

"For the same reason, Sir."

"Damn it, it's all because of that land again!"

This was clearly not the first time Leon had come knocking on their door.

He felt that this lion, and even the parliament behind him, had lost even the slightest bit of dignity as a leader.

This is clearly a group of robbers taking advantage of the chaos!

He craved this voice, which is why he attempted to obtain a seat as a masked lord, freeing his business from the constraints of Longjin City.

"No, there's no room for discussion, my lord!"
That is the hometown of our Barry family for generations. Starting from my great-great-grandfather, we have legally owned the private property rights to that territory!
You cannot, seeing how much wealth I have amassed, covet my hometown and attempt to seize my property!

Please don't misunderstand—

The system of public ownership of land was not a decision made by me alone, but a system jointly promoted by the entire parliament.

This is beneficial to the unity of the entire Longjin City, and it is by no means directed at you alone.

You've probably heard about Longjincheng's land reclamation policy a long time ago, which is why many of the 'friends' you hosted at the ball have become wealthy through land sales.

Mel's impatient tone only served to highlight the extraordinary demeanor of the lion before him.

Paladins have always been charismatic.

This made him feel like he had punched a pillow; if he continued to get angry, he would only make himself look ridiculous.

"Okay, I have heard them mention it."

"So, I've come here simply to remind you—"

Orcs are not a race skilled in farming.

If they completely destroy your farmland and orchards, causing the soil to lose nutrients...

At that time, Parliament may not be willing to offer you a satisfactory price.

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

He even shrugged, somewhat helplessly, and said, "I'm sorry you had to see my face all this time. But please believe me, this is absolutely not for my own selfish reasons—"

As a [public lord], it is my duty to announce policies, but any decision depends on joint discussion within the council.

"no no."

Seeing that even this lord had lowered his stance so humbly, what could Mel possibly say?

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

"If I were in the same situation as you, I wouldn't be much better off."

That is why, out of consideration, the council decided to make an exception for you.

If you decide to relinquish ownership of the land, the council will undertake the task of hiring adventurers to search for Master Merard in the Dusk Forest. All resources and funds will be used; even corpses will be brought to you.

Additionally, a [Duchess's Eye] will be provided free of charge as an aid in venturing deeper into the Dawn and Dusk Forest.

Damn it, you still say you're not taking advantage of someone's misfortune?
These people in power clearly know that their eyebrows have been burned off.

He even suspected that these orcs were let in by the council themselves as a ploy to coerce him into handing over territorial rights...

At worst, is Merard in their hands?

They will only release Merad if he gives in.

Regardless, Mel had already realized the reason for issuing the martial law decree, prohibiting adventurers from entering or leaving—

It must be to put pressure on himself!
"It also takes some time to issue a mission and gather adventurers."

The later you decide, the more dangerous the young master's situation will become.

The towering lion lowered its body, bowing slightly to the bloated Mel.

"Of course, the decision is yours."

As you know, Long Jincheng upholds and abides by the law.

Even parliament has no right to seize even a single penny of your interests.

They are indeed acting in accordance with the law.

However, this does not mean that there are no loopholes in the law that can be exploited.

There are only two paths ahead.

Land, or family ties?
"me--"

Mel took a deep breath, her fingernails digging into her large palms until they bled.

"Never mind, never mind..."

When he made up his mind, he felt a sense of weightlessness, like falling from a great height.

Because he knew what he was going to lose:
"You're going to draft a contract, right?"

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

"Ready—"

"father!"

Outside the mansion, the cries of those who had survived the ordeal suddenly interrupted their conversation.

Even the smile on Leon's lips froze on the spot.

Turning around abruptly, they saw a similarly overweight nobleman waving hurriedly in their direction from the gate outside the manor.

"impossible……"

Of course he recognized that 'little white pig'.

That's why it's so hard to believe.

It's not that I'm surprised that Merad is still alive.

But:

"Why was he able to enter the city gates during martial law?"

To prevent the spread of rumors, such as that "the lord is targeting the Barry family," he failed to order his guards to keep a close watch on the little white pig, 'Merard Barry'.

But I had strictly ordered that even nobles should not be allowed to enter the city.

But the fact is right before our eyes?
Even if we enter the city a minute later, it's still better—

The land transfer contract was just one step away from being signed!
Regardless of his true thoughts, Leon couldn't reveal them openly. Instead, he smirked and congratulated him:
"It seems the young master is safe and sound."

The melancholy that had been etched on Mel's brow for days finally eased somewhat.

There was no need to dwell on the transfer agreement anymore; tears were welling up in her reddened eyes.

However, he always felt awkward about showing too much concern in front of his son.

He then kept a stern face and let out a muffled groan:
"Why did you come back so late!"

This dampened Merad's slight joy.

He pushed open the manor gate, cautiously approached the two elders, and began to explain, haltingly, the 'truth' that Tang Qi had taught him.

"...That's all there is to it."

A moment of silence fell as Lord Mel remained engrossed in the dramatic unfolding of the 'truth,' unable to recover for a long time.

Leon frowned, and the ring on his hand emitted a milky-white halo, transforming into a hemisphere that enveloped the three of them.

[Domain of Honesty], a second-circle spell.

Create a magical zone that resists lies; those who cannot resist the magic's effects will be unable to lie while in this zone.

He suddenly asked:

"During your escape, did you see anything unusual?"

Merad scratched his head: "What's special about it?"

"For example, an egg?"

"Egg?"

Merard blinked.
"Huh? What egg? I don't know."

He practically slept through the entire twenty days, only seeing a small dragon along the way, never an egg.

Leon discerned the response from the ring on his hand.

Well, that's the truth.

"It's nothing, I was just asking."

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(End of this chapter)