Chapter 5: The Boy

Black Pine Farm was a land grant awarded to my cheap father two years ago for his heroic service in battle.

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

Lady Mary had long wanted to hand Black Pine Farm over to her biological son, Lanier.

That way, Lanier wouldn’t have to wander away.

But before that, Gervas would be a major obstacle—after all, by succession order, Gervas was clearly more entitled than Lanier.

“You think you’re fit to compete for Black Pine Farm?” Lady Mary sneered.

Hum!

No sooner had the words left her lips than Gervas’s palm burst into a flash of aura light.

Though it vanished in an instant, it left Lady Mary stunned.

Gervas smiled. “Lady Mary, I’ve become a Grand Knight and begun condensing my aura seed. What do you think my father’s reaction will be when he finds out?”

“Is it better to keep me, a titled knight, in the family—or to keep the waste you’ve coddled into refusing cultivation?”

“Of course, you might say you’ll drive me out before my father returns—but I’ve heard the rebellion in Wheat Acre Valley has already been crushed…”

Lady Mary nearly fainted. How did he know that?

And this boy had advanced to Grand Knight? If Andrew found out, he might very well be allowed to stay.

Then what of my Lanier…

“Twenty-five gold coins! I’ll give you no more than twenty-five!”

Gervas smiled faintly. “Forty-five. Give me the gold and I’ll leave immediately.”

“Fifteen gold coins,” Lady Mary spat, her face twisted in disgust.

“Forty. If you give me less, I won’t leave.”

Lady Mary’s slender frame trembled. “Twenty-five gold coins. If you still refuse, then stay here and wait for your father to return!”

Seeing he’d reached her limit, Gervas decided to stop pushing. “Twenty-five gold coins isn’t out of the question—but I need a few people.”

“Who?”

“I need to take Old John and five knightly retainers with me.”

“You want knightly retainers?” Lady Mary stared in shock.

“Correct. The baron’s estate assigned to me lies in a dangerous region—I need guards for my safety. And these are just knightly retainers, not true knights. Surely you, Lady Mary, still have the authority to decide this?”

“Fine! Take them and leave immediately…”

“Wait, I’m not done,” Gervas interrupted. “I need one more person.”

“Who?” Lady Mary’s face was full of impatience.

Gervas first fixed his gaze on Lady Mary, scanning her from head to toe.

Lady Mary suddenly felt as if he could see straight through her. Her cheeks flushed red, and anger rose—but just as she was about to snap, Gervas shifted his gaze to her personal maid.

“I want her—your personal maid, Caroline.”

“What?!” The maid’s face turned pale. Realizing what he meant, she glared at Gervas. “I’m Lady Mary’s personal maid! You’re dreaming!”

Gervas ignored her, smiling at Lady Mary. “My lady, Caroline is far too beautiful to leave in the castle. Can you truly be at ease knowing she’s there?”

“Not just my father—even Nicol seems to have designs on Caroline.”

“Nicol doesn’t bother with aura cultivation. Could that have something to do with it…”

A killing blow to the heart. At those last words, Lady Mary’s relaxed brow tightened instantly.

Caroline had served Lady Mary for years—how could she not see the situation?

“My lady, please don’t give me to him! I swear I’ll never… seduce Master or Young Master! I only hoped you’d keep your promise—to introduce me to a noble family, so I might become a noble lady!”

“Shut up!” Lady Mary was already agitated; Caroline’s frantic cries only made her more unsettled.

“Tsk tsk. So you want to become a noble lady?”

Gervas had never known his maid harbored such lofty ambitions.

But Caroline truly had the potential.

She was not only beautiful, but literate, skilled in bookkeeping and arithmetic.

In this world, she was a rare talent.

All she lacked was an opportunity.

“Caroline can go with you—but you swear you’ll leave the Gail family by tomorrow!” Lady Mary’s face was dark.

“No need for tomorrow. As soon as I have what I need, I leave.”

In the end, Gervas received his severance pay and personnel from Lady Mary.

Whether the personal maid agreed mattered not at all.

Personal maids were usually sold to noble families as children—akin to concubine maids from my past life.

Only ordinary servants might be hired; that was merely to cut costs.

Lady Mary acted swiftly—less than an hour later, she had prepared everything promised.

Twenty-five gold coins, Old John, and five knightly retainers.

Of course, the most crucial was Caroline.

Oddly, the maid who had wept uncontrollably moments ago had now stopped crying.

Gervas didn’t question it—Lady Mary’s haste was clearly to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Gervas was eager to leave too. He pulled out a gold coin, bought a carriage from the castle, and departed with his people.

It was his oversight—he’d forgotten about the carriage entirely.

Not long after Gervas left, a carriage galloped toward the castle.

It was Lanier, returning hastily from Saint Peter City with two guards.

“Where’s Gervas? Mother, where’s Gervas?”

As soon as he entered the castle, Lanier frantically scanned the surroundings.

“Lanier, what’s wrong? That fellow’s already gone! Look at you—where did you wander off to? Your hair’s a mess!”

“Gone?” Lanier had no time for appearances. “Mother, Gervas… he’s become a noble!”

“What?” Lady Mary froze mid-adjustment of her son’s clothes. “Lanier, you’re joking, right?!”

“Mother, I’m not joking. Saint Peter City is buzzing—it says this year’s selection produced a minor noble’s second son, blessed by fate: Gervas from Stone Ridge!”

Remembering the huge sum of gold she’d been tricked into giving, Lady Mary’s face flushed with rage. “Cheat! That fraud!”

“Mother, what fraud?”

“He lied to me—he said a baron wanted him to manage an estate, and took twenty-five gold coins and Caroline!”

“What? Caroline was taken…” Lanier collapsed onto the floor. The boy felt the sky had fallen.

…

“Migen, go check if anyone lives ahead.”

“Yes, Young Master Gervas!”

In this world, land was vast and people sparse. After leaving Spring Day Town, human habitation grew thinner.

After about half an hour, having traveled roughly five li, Gervas spotted a wisp of smoke in the distance. He halted the party and ordered a knightly retainer to investigate.

Soon after, the retainer Migen returned hurriedly. “Young Master Gervas, there’s indeed someone living ahead—a hunter.”

“Good. Let’s rest at the hunter’s home—I’m feeling tired.”

The knightly retainers exchanged glances. Only half an hour had passed, and they’d been riding horses—how could he already be tired?

Their eyes held resignation and disappointment, but they dared not protest. “Yes, Young Master Gervas!”