Chapter 5: The Youth's Sky Collapsed!

The Black Pine Forest Farm was the fiefdom bestowed upon his cheap father as a reward for his heroic battles two years ago.

Although it was merely a stretch of woodland, it was still a decent asset for a minor noble family.

Lady Mary had always wanted to hand over the Black Pine Forest to her biological son, Laniel, to manage.

That way, Laniel would not need to wander outside.

But before that, Gervas would be a major obstacle; after all, by order of succession, Gervas was certainly more qualified than Laniel.

"Contending for the Black Pine Forest Farm, do you think you are capable?" Lady Mary sneered.

Buzz!

The moment her words fell, Gervas's palm suddenly erupted with the light of battle qi.

Although it vanished in an instant, it still left Lady Mary stunned.

Gervas smiled and said, "Lady Mary, I have already become a Great Knight and begun condensing the seed of battle qi; what do you think Father's reaction will be upon hearing this?"

"Is it more fitting to keep me, a titled Knight, within the family, or to keep a waste whom you have spoiled to the point of being unwilling to cultivate?"

"Of course, Lady Mary, you might say you will expel me before my father returns, but... I have heard the rebellion in the Wheat Valley has already been quelled..."

Lady Mary nearly fainted; how had he learned of the news?

Moreover, this young man had even advanced to become a Great Knight; if Andrew knew, he would very likely be allowed to stay.

In that case, her Laniel...

"Ten gold coins! I will give you at most ten gold coins!"

Gervas smiled slightly. "Forty-five! Give me the gold coins and I will leave immediately."

"Fifteen gold coins," Lady Mary said with disgust.

"Forty! If you give less, I will not leave!"

Lady Mary's slender body trembled. "Twenty-five gold coins! If you still do not accept it, then stay here and wait for your father to return!"

Seeing that Lady Mary had truly reached her limit, Gervas decided to stop while ahead: "Twenty-five gold coins is acceptable, but I need a few people!"

"What people?"

"I need to take Old John, plus five Knight Squires!"

"You also want Knight Squires?" Lady Mary was stunned.

"That is correct; the manor the Viscount gave me is a dangerous zone and requires personnel to guard my safety. Besides, they are only a few Knight Squires, not true Knights; I assume Lady Mary can still make the decision, right?"

"Very well! Then take these people and leave immediately..."

"Wait, I am not finished!" Gervas cut off Lady Mary's words. "I also want one more person!"

"Who?" Lady Mary's face was full of impatience.

Gervas first fixed his gaze on Lady Mary, looking her up and down for a moment.

For no reason, Lady Mary felt as though she had been seen through; her pretty face flushed with red, and anger rose simultaneously. Just as she was about to explode, Gervas shifted his gaze to the personal maid.

"I want her, your personal maid, Caroline!"

"Ah!" The maid's face instantly changed color. Realizing what was happening, she glared angrily at Gervas. "I am the Lady's personal maid; you are dreaming!"

Gervas ignored her and smiled at Lady Mary. "Lady, Caroline is simply too beautiful; leaving her in the castle, can you truly be so at ease?"

"Not to mention my father, even Niccol seems to have his eye on Caroline!"

"Niccol does not like cultivating battle qi; do you think this might be related..."

Killing the person by piercing their heart; upon hearing that last sentence, Lady Mary's relaxed brows immediately knitted tight.

Caroline had followed Lady Mary for so many years; how could she not see the situation?

"Lady, I beg you, do not send me to him. I promise I will absolutely not... seduce the Master or the Young Master. I was only thinking of your promise back then that you would introduce me to a noble family in the future and let me marry in to become a noble lady!"

"Silence!" Lady Mary was already troubled and agitated, and Caroline's panicked screaming only made her mood more unsettled.

"Tsk tsk! She actually wants to become a noble lady!"

It was truly the first time Gervas had learned of this personal maid's lofty ambition.

However, Caroline indeed possessed the capital for this.

She was not only beautiful but also literate, knowing how to keep accounts and do arithmetic.

In this world, she was absolutely a talent.

Therefore, what she lacked was simply an opportunity.

"Caroline can be yours, but you must promise to leave the Gale Family within tomorrow!" Lady Mary's face was gloomy.

"No need for tomorrow; once I get what I need, I will leave immediately!"

In the end, Gervas obtained the separation allowance and personnel from Lady Mary.

As for whether the personal maid agreed, no one cared at all.

Personal servants were usually sold to noble families from childhood, much like the bedchamber maids of his previous life.

Only some ordinary servants might be under an employment system, and that was merely to save expenses.

Lady Mary acted quickly; in less than an hour, she had prepared the agreed conditions.

Twenty-five gold coins, Old John, and five Knight Squires.

Of course, the most crucial part was Caroline.

Strangely, Caroline, who had been weeping like a pear blossom in the rain before, for some reason had now stopped crying.

Gervas did not probe deeply; Lady Mary's swiftness was nothing more than wanting him to get out of there sooner.

Gervas was also eager to leave; he took out a gold coin to buy a carriage from the castle, then departed with his personnel.

This was actually his oversight; he had just forgotten about the carriage.

And not long after Gervas left, a carriage came galloping toward the castle.

It was Laniel, who had returned in haste from Saint Bit City with two guards.

"Where is Gervas? Mother, where is Gervas?"

As soon as he entered the castle, Lanier anxiously looked around searching.

"Lanier, what's wrong? That fellow has already left! Look at you—where did you go playing? Your hair is all messy."

"Left?" Lanier had no time to care about his appearance, "Mother, that fellow Gervas… he's become a noble!"

"What?" Mary Lady froze mid-adjusting her son's clothes, "Lanier, are you joking?!"

"Mother, I'm not joking. It's all over Saint Peter City now—they say this year's selection produced a minor noble's second son, blessed by great fortune, from Rockpile Heights: Gervas!"

Remembering the large sum of gold coins she had been tricked out of, Mary Lady's face filled with rage, "Fraud! This fraud!"

"Mother, what fraud?"

"That fellow lied to me, claiming a viscount had taken notice of him to manage an estate, and took twenty-five gold coins and Carolyne!"

"What? Carolyne was taken…" Lanier collapsed onto the ground, the boy feeling the sky had fallen.

…

"Mi Gen, go see if there's anyone living ahead?"

"Yes, Master Gervas!"

In this world, land was vast and people sparse; after leaving Spring Day Town, human habitation grew increasingly rare.

After roughly half an hour, they had traveled about five li when Gervas spotted a wisp of smoke in the distance and immediately halted the party, ordering his attendants to investigate.

Not long after, Knight Mi Gen hurried back, "Master Gervas, there is indeed someone living ahead—a hunter!"

"Good, then let's rest at the hunter's home—I'm feeling tired."

The attendants exchanged glances with one another—only half an hour had passed, and they'd been riding horses—yet he claimed to be tired.

Their eyes betrayed resignation and disappointment, but they dared not protest, "Yes, Master Gervas!"