Tome of Blood

Earl's Mansion, Banquet Hall.

The elf musicians in traditional silk gowns elegantly command the half-elf band to play the elf music that is popular in Myria, which is quite exotic; the gorgeous crystal lamps illuminate the gorgeous hall magnificently.

The well-dressed nobles of Castel chatted and laughed, gracefully holding goblets, toasting and chatting with each other in the hall of the Earl's Mansion.

Looking around, there may be three or four hundred nobles and nobles attending the banquet, ranging from three viscounts to seventeen landed barons, large and small fief knights and landless nobles in the territory. Almost all who can come have come.

Ever since the former Earl of Castel took office as the head of the Boulder Mages, the Castel Territory has not held a banquet of this scale for more than ten years.

If one counts the servants and guards who accompanied the nobles and were not qualified to enter the hall, the number of people attending the banquet at the Earl's Mansion would probably be even greater.

"Your Excellency Baron Angus, I haven't seen you for many years, but you are still so chic."

"Your Excellency, Baron Ghent, is this your youngest son? I didn't expect him to grow up so much in a blink of an eye.

"Mr. Cole, I heard that you are planning a new alchemy workshop recently? Are you looking for investors?"

"Hahaha, Mrs. Laura, are you interested? If the Legris family is willing to participate, that would be great!"

"..."

The nobles gathered in twos and threes, talking and laughing.

There are those who exchange pleasantries, those who reminisce about the past, and those who exchange information, and there are many who take advantage of this opportunity to carry out family cooperation.

Almost all nobles in Castel have fiefs.

Even those who do not have land, at least there will be a manor or workshop industry, or some major shareholders or organizers of certain chambers of commerce and fleets.

Although the nobles would hold banquets with each other on weekdays, most of the time they stayed honestly in their own territories.

Communication often brings information, and information is always accompanied by opportunities. As for the exchange of favors among nobles...it is a necessary daily routine to join Castel's high society and maintain status and identity.

That's why, as long as you are not stupid, no one will miss this good opportunity to fully communicate with other nobles and come to Beigang to attend the banquet.

After all, only the lord of Castel was able to gather all the nobles from the entire territory.

There are more and more nobles in the banquet hall, and the atmosphere of the venue is getting more and more enthusiastic.

When the fairy dance music sounded, the highlight of the banquet also followed.

Ballroom dancing was always an important part of the social life of the nobles of Myria, and almost all banquets were inseparable from dancing.

The melodious melody sounded, and the nobles saluted each other gracefully in pairs, dancing to the music.

The dance made the atmosphere of the venue lively and joyful. Even the most serious nobles were gradually infected by the atmosphere and smiled unconsciously.

Even the old Viscount Romain Foer, who was drowsy, was beating the beat of the music and shaking his head slightly.

Aristocrats like Laura, who were originally enthusiastic and unrestrained, had already left the stage. With the cooperation of their dance partners, they danced lightly, which aroused applause.

And when the lord of the North, Charlotte de Castel, Earl of Castel, came to the venue accompanied by the elf steward, the atmosphere in the banquet hall suddenly reached a climax.

This was the first time Charlotte held a banquet as a lord, and it was also the first time she stepped into the venue as a lord.

Today, she chose a corset dress with white as the main tone. Her soft blond hair and pink skin shined brightly under the light, giving people a mysterious, noble and holy feeling.

On her breast she wears an ornate ribbon with a black eagle painted on it, symbolizing the glory of Castel.

The moment Charlotte stepped into the venue, the half-elf band stopped playing knowingly, while the waiters, maids and personal guards saluted her respectfully.

The nobles also quickly noticed the arrival of their lord. The men and women who were dancing stopped almost instantly, and hundreds of eyes fell on Charlotte.

That sight, there is amazement, joy, respect, and curiosity...

Regardless of how the nobles present saw her in their hearts, when Charlotte cast her eyes on everyone, all she saw were smiling, respectful and elegant faces.

No malice, no hostility, no contempt.

Yes, there is only a bright smile that seems to come from the heart.

If she hadn't felt the contempt of the nobles, Charlotte would have almost believed it.

drama.

They are all actors!

Charlotte complained in her heart, but her face was elegant and demure, like a noble lady.

With the help of Sebastian, she gracefully passed through the crowd and walked to the front of the banquet hall.

The nobles moved aside on their own, opening the way for Charlotte to the frontmost lord's seat.

Whenever she passed by, the nobles on both sides would consciously bend over and salute, with standard and respectful movements.

The black cat, Niss, still followed Charlotte.

Looking at the nobles bowing like wheat in the wind on both sides, it raised its tail high, held its head high, and revealed the pet circle with the Black Eagle coat of arms on its chest, with a haughty look. I thought it was the nobles who came to visit.

Charlotte walked slowly to the front of the banquet hall, and the hall that accommodated hundreds of people could hear the sound of needles dropping.

Under the watchful eyes, Charlotte came to the lord's seat, sat down gracefully, then nodded slightly, greeted the band, and uttered a word with a smile:

"continue."

After being signaled, the half-elf band continued to play the music, while the nobles hesitated for a moment, then continued to dance, and soon the lively atmosphere returned to the venue.

Charlotte sat on the lord's seat, propping her head gracefully with one hand, and resting the other on the gorgeous armrest. Her azure blue eyes swept across the crowd, and according to the costumes and coats of arms of the nobles and her own The data I have seen corroborates.

Maddock, the mayor of Northport, stood beside her.

Whenever Charlotte's gaze was cast, he would bend slightly and respectfully introduce the other party's identity and family background to Charlotte.

Charlotte nodded while secretly observing, and soon recognized the three viscounts and the seventeen barons among the fiefs and vassals directly under him.

The dancing nobles looked chaotic.

However, if you observe carefully, you will find that the Castel nobles gathered in the hall are faintly divided into four factions.

Among them, the three major viscount families each formed their own faction, and each had their own friendly nobles, especially Len Castel and Legris, who could be called stars.

The information of these two families also quickly appeared in Charlotte's mind.

She is very familiar with Leon-Castell, the main house of Baron Sharon, a branch of the Castell family, and also a loyalist noble in the data records. She may have some small thoughts of her own, but it has always been Cass A die-hard supporter of Taylor.

Its patriarch, Amory, is a senior Silvermoon Knight who has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Earldom for many years and has a very wide network of contacts.

As for Legris... It is said that he was the earliest knight who followed the first Earl of Castel. He has the blood of the red dragon and is a real dragon descendant.

The Legolis family's fief is adjacent to the Grand Duchy of the North, and they have a brave cavalry unit, whose influence in the Earldom cannot be underestimated.

However, Charlotte remembered that the Legolis family recorded in the information had declined in recent years with the death of its old owner, but what I saw today was not the case.

Its new head of the family is actually Yinyue, and she is such a young woman.

As for the last family of the three viscounts, although the number of nobles gathered around the Roman-Fauer family is the least, this family has the strongest aura.

Charlotte keenly noticed that the other nobles almost invariably moved away from the place where they gathered, and there was a feeling of isolation, awe, and fear in it.

This is similar to the information she has read.

Different from other families, the Roman-Fore family is a submissive family with the most complicated background.

Their ancestors, the Roman family, used to be pirates in the northern border. Hundreds of years ago, when pirates were rampant in the northern border, the northern tribes to which the Roman family belonged often attacked the coastline of the New Moon Kingdom.

Later, the Roman family occupied the northern land of the New Moon Kingdom. In order to win them over, the Crescent Royal Family, whose monarchy was declining at that time, had no choice but to designate them as the Duke of Roman, which is the origin of the Roman Dukedom.

However, the Roman family later invaded the Fallen Star Kingdom and established the Roman Dynasty in the Fallen Star Kingdom, and the Roman Principality followed suit, becoming an enclave of the Fallen Star Kingdom.

The Romain-Fore family was separated from the Roman Duchy shortly thereafter.

Unlike the main Roman family, they chose to stay in the New Moon Kingdom.

Because they also inherited the tradition of pirates, the reputation of the Roman-Fore family was not very good. Although they had a choice of privateers, they were despised by many nobles.

However, despite being despised, the Roman-Fore family controls a powerful fleet. In Castel, which is famous for its commerce, it exists completely sideways and is feared by almost all the families.

Not only that, but during the Star-Moon War, it is said that they were once vacillating between the two kingdoms, which even angered the then Duke of Bold...

In short, they are a powerful family with complex backgrounds and subtle stances.

Recalling all the materials he had read, Charlotte slowly looked away from Viscount Romain Fore.

For some reason, the moment she saw the other party, she faintly felt a sense of familiarity.

In addition to the three viscounts, there are also some landless nobles who have formed a small circle of their own. Although their titles are very low compared to those old nobles, many of them only wear the title of baron or knight without a fief, but the clothes they wear But it is quite gorgeous, and even looks richer than many old-fashioned nobles.

After browsing the information, Charlotte knew that these people were the upstarts who had gradually grown in recent years. Unlike the traditional aristocrats who relied more on territorial taxes, almost all of them were in business, or had workshops, and many of them were even merchants. , titles are bought.

They don't care about anything else, they only care about making money and how to gain a higher status in the Earl's Land.

These four forces are almost the status quo of the Castel nobles.

Charlotte doesn't know which of these people are related to the Ness blood clan, it may be a certain faction, or there may be more than one faction.

However, her purpose today is to observe.

Of course, observation alone is not enough.

If you really want to understand, you need to communicate and explore.

Charlotte gestured with her eyes, and the waiter immediately understood, and drew the curtain in front of the lord's seat.

The curtain is engraved with exquisite and complicated patterns, and if you look carefully, you can also see some magical inscriptions.

This is a special veil blessed by special magic.

The curtain can block the sight of the nobles outside, but inside the curtain, Charlotte can clearly see every move of the nobles on the field.

Not only that, the curtain cut off the sound from inside and outside, Charlotte could vaguely hear the music at the venue, but the conversation inside the curtain would not be transmitted at all.

This is a curtain specially used to meet the lord!

This is a banquet, and it is also an event to accept the audience of the nobles. While holding the banquet outside, Charlotte will accept the audience of the nobles in turn on the side of the curtain.

Of course, not all nobles are required to have an audience. Charlotte only named three viscount families and a few baron families with relatively large influence. The rest must apply for an audience if they want to have an audience.

The curtain was drawn, and only Charlotte, Sebastian, and Nice were left inside.

The nobles looked at each other, knowing that the opportunity to meet the lord had come.

However, it was not the Castel nobles who came to see Charlotte first.

But an old acquaintance of Charlotte.

"Sister Lottie, I haven't seen you for a few days. Is the work of the church going well?"

Looking at the gentle priestess in front of her, Charlotte smiled in surprise.

She only asked about Lottie's work a few days ago, and she heard that the lady priest was busy without touching the ground after she came to Castel, and she didn't know how much work there was in the church in Castel.

Charlotte had thought that Lottie would not be coming today.

After listening to Charlotte's words, Lottie sighed, looking a little tired:

"It's a bit complicated. The church in Castel has accumulated more affairs than I imagined. It has been busy these days, and it's finally free..."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but said:

"Did you know? There is no priest in charge in the Castel Church! After arriving at the church, I realized that my priesthood is the highest!"

Charlotte was instantly happy.

She knew that the control of the Holy Royal Court in Castel was very weak, but she didn't expect it to be so weak.

"Not even the priest in charge? Wouldn't that be equivalent to a continuous shutdown?"

"Yeah, the problem is...even the Boulder Church doesn't know that Castel's head priest has long since disappeared, and Castel's church has never reported it. It's been seven years!"

"Seven years?"

Charlotte's heart skipped a beat.

She was quite sensitive to the number "seven" now because of the bad things about the Castel Silver Mine.

"Yes, it's been seven years. Seven years ago, after the chief priest of Castel was promoted, no new priest has been arranged. There is no record in Boulder, and the trial court of the Principality has not been inspected for many years. .”

Lottie said.

Charlotte raised her eyebrows:

"Suppressed by the great priest Linus?"

Lottie sighed:

"I'm afraid so."

Charlotte sneered:

"This copper smelting addiction has been tried and still lingers. It seems that I didn't lose the benefits of some guys back then."

Lottie's heart moved:

"Some guys?"

"Some rats who want to make trouble, I thought they were just reaching out to the nobles, but now it seems that they may even infiltrate the church."

After hearing Charlotte's words, Lottie's expression also showed a trace of worry:

"Speaking of which, Lord Earl, I have also heard a lot of bad rumors these days, about you and the church..."

"Say I want to push the faith forcefully and force unbelievers and disbelievers to convert?"

Charlotte said.

Lottie hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Don't worry about them. After all, I'm not a true holy believer. These rumors will be self-defeating as time goes by."

Charlotte shook her head and said.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to think of something again, her expression was slightly condensed:

"etc……"

"Master Earl?"

Lottie looked puzzled.

And Charlotte pondered for a moment, then suddenly said to Niss, who was eating a small dried fish:

"Nice, after the banquet is over today, you go back to the church and give all the priests of the church an identity check."

Nice put down the dried fish:

"Identity check? Meow? Lord Charlotte, do you suspect that Castel's church has also been infiltrated?"

Charlotte narrowed her eyes:

"Just be on the safe side. Although I'm not afraid of some rumors, I have to be wary of others messing around in my name."

Then, she smiled at Lottie again:

"However, maybe this is also a good thing. Since Castel does not have a priest, then we may apply to Grandpa Raoul to let you serve as the chief priest of Castel."

After listening to Charlotte's suggestion, Lottie hesitated to speak.

Of course, she understood what Charlotte meant, which was to completely control the belief in the territory and completely empty the holy royal court.

As the priest of the holy royal court, she should have prevented this kind of thing, but at this moment, she only hesitated for a moment before accepting it.

The speed of acceptance surprised even herself.

Perhaps... from the moment I knew that the umbrella behind Drunken Dream Salon was the Great Priest, I had already fallen.

Lottie sighed in her heart.

After her faith was shaken, she was still protected by the Holy Light. To be honest...she didn't even know what she should believe in now.

Perhaps... only time will gradually tell her the answer.

"Sister Lottie, please be careful when you are in the church. When the banquet is over, go back and bring two guards from the Earl's Mansion for self-defense. I found two advanced guard captains at the mining workshop. It's pretty good."

Charlotte said.

"Thank you for your concern."

Lottie bowed her head slightly.

No matter how her beliefs change, while she is a priest, she still keeps in mind that she is a descendant of the Broglie family.

The Broglie family has always reciprocated their kindness. After being rescued by Charlotte, she had already decided to follow him. Only this point... can never be wrong.

...

Lottie's audience was more like a greeting.

After chatting for a few words, she exited the veil.

And after Lottie withdrew, as a branch of Castel, the Patriarch of the Len-Castel family with a somewhat detached position in the earldom, Amory, Viscount Len, entered the veil first.

As soon as the old Viscount entered the curtain, he tremblingly bowed down to Charlotte, with a solemn expression:

"My lord, I have important information to report to you!"

"The Legolis family... I'm afraid there is something different!"

It's the end of the month, so be ashamed to ask for a monthly pass..._(:з)∠)_