Chapter 169: The Celebratory Tournament

“These cunning merchants from South County.”

Baron Dylan’s face was gloomy. “If I meet them again, I swear I will hang them!”

As a baron with real power, he was certainly qualified to say that.

He was even more qualified to do so.

In the laws of the Dukedom of Leo, it was clearly stated that if a merchant dared to deceive and scam a noble, they could directly hang the merchant on the gallows after they were caught. If the fraud was indeed true, there was no need for a trial at all.

With Baron Dylan’s anger, the atmosphere in the Lord’s Hall turned cold.

No one would be happy if they bought a fake.

It was a second-hand junk that had been used by others!

On the chairs on both sides of the long table.

The vassal knights who belonged to the Stone Pass and listened to Baron Dylan’s orders looked equally terrible.

Some of them even had a blush of humiliation on their faces.

They had never seen the market before, and they had praised the craftsmanship of this kind of wax candle, showing how knowledgeable they used to be. But now that Kant, who came from the top noble class, had exposed this matter, their cheeks were burning with shame.

This was no different from the country bumpkins they looked down on the most.

As knights, the noble reserve forces, they thought that they were more superior than those fat and greedy merchants who only knew about silver coins. Therefore, they were extremely embarrassed and angry, wishing that they could kill those treacherous Southern County merchants.

“Uncle Dylan, these are candles.”

Kant seemed to have sensed the cold atmosphere in the hall.

He shook his head slightly, with a sincere smile on his face, and said to Baron Dylan, “I don’t think you need to care. Those treacherous South County merchants will never come again, but to them, they have lost the wealthy noble who can buy real honey candles.”

However, Baron Dylan was still a little angry. “I don’t want to give my silver coins to these bastards who deserve to be hanged.”

“Don’t be angry.”

Kant shrugged and only advised him a little.

This baron from the Stone Pass was indeed qualified to do so.

But in reality, he could not do it.

Because there were power of the noble behind these merchants of Dukedom of Leo.

Just like how Baron Dylan had a trade caravan from his wife’s family as a tool to amass wealth, the nobles of the South County had long formed an unspoken rule. Basically, they were the backers of the merchants of the South County, otherwise, how would these merchants dare to deceive the noble? Moreover, they scammed the Baron Dylan who held power. If they were not absurdly bold, then they had a very strong backer.

Baron Dylan grumbled for a long time, and Kant listened for the same amount of time.

It seemed that he realized that something was wrong with him, Baron Dylan suddenly understood. “We haven’t started dinner yet, right? It’s all my fault. I almost forgot about this matter. Those merchants from South County are just too despicable.” ,he said and clapped his hands hurriedly. “Serve the dishes.”

The servants who had already prepared by the wall immediately served the dishes for dinner.

Roasted fat quail, roasted antelope tail, sliced white bread covered with cheese, with a glass of ale, and for dessert, apples boiled in ale and covered with honey sauce, and a thick milk soup with various seasonings.

It was a marvelous dinner.

The servants left quickly after serving the food and were waiting not far away.

The aroma of the food filled the hall.

Kant also praised, “Thank you for your hospitality. This is really a sumptuous dinner.”

“It was hastily prepared. I hope it suits your appetite.”

Baron Dylan smiled and extended his hand, he said to Kant, “Thanks to you, the standard of our food can be improved. Otherwise, with those profiteers from South County, every time they come to trade, they would plunder all the great silver coins that we worked so hard to earn. You used to be the youngest son of Archduke Cameron in South County. You definitely know that those merchants are really too greedy.”

“Yes, they are very greedy.”, Kant lowered his head unnaturally.

His face seemed to be a little depressed, but there was a hint of hatred in his voice. “To be honest, I don’t like them very much.”

His words seemed to imply something.

Baron Dylan’s expression was slightly stunned.

He immediately understood and quickly explained, “Oh, Little Kant, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

He was apologizing for his own gaffe.

“No, it’s okay, Uncle Dylan. This is the truth after all. I also don’t like those guys.”, Kant shrugged and smiled. He said to Baron Dylan, “But no matter what, I’m really touched that you can take care of me.”

“It’s what I should do.”, Baron Dylan nodded and smiled.

The welcoming dinner officially began.

Both sides were having normal conversation, but the atmosphere became cheerful.

However, most of the conversations were between Baron Dylan and Kant. There were more than 20 vassal knights on both sides of the long table, as well as the accompanying 10 Sarrandian horsemen were all eating their own food in silence. They listened to the conversation between the two people and acted as the background.

The night gradually darkened.

In the Lord’s Hall, the candles on the candlesticks had all been replaced.

As the plates were filled with residues, the dinner was about to end.

“It was a pleasure chatting with you.”

Baron Dylan laughed loudly, his mood seemed to be very good.

“The same goes for me.”, Kant lowered his head and smiled.

The conversation between the two ended with mutual flattery. After all, Kant was also a transporter who had come from the modern era. A few times of untraceable flattery and feigned curiosity made Baron Dylan talk even more lively on the topics.

The conversation was quite delightful and lively.

Timely flattery and inquiry could make the atmosphere more lively.

Of course, the dinner was about to end.

Baron Dylan glanced at the ten Sarrandian horsemen who were sitting on both sides of Kant. With a smile in his eyes, he asked, “Little Kant, are these ten brave men were the vassal knights who follow and protect you?”

“Oh, they are the people who protect me.”, Kant also answered with a smile, “But they are not knights.”

“Oh? I am very curious about that.”

Baron Dylan continued to smile and asked Kant, “They are very strong and have completely reached the level of knights. Could it be that such outstanding talents have not been conferred the title and become knights who own villages and fief?”

“There are no villages or any land in the Nahrin Desert that can be conferred.”, Kant shrugged, appearing to be very regretful and sad. “Uncle Dylan, you said that North County is a barren place. Then you definitely have not been to the Nahrin Desert. That is the real barren place.”

“Nahrin Desert, no, I’ve been there.”

Baron Dylan’s face had a hint of nostalgia. “Ten years ago, your father, Archduke Cameron, took us to exterminate those Jackalan tribes, which was to go to the Oasis Lookout.”. As he said that, his face also had a hint of solemnity. “The battlefield lasted for two weeks, and we came back. The environment there was really too harsh. Maintaining the supply line of 2000 cavalries was almost as large as the scale of the war with the Silver Platter Kingdom.”

Kant nodded, his tone still dejected. “That’s right. It was simply hell there.”

“I understand.”, Baron Dylan opened his mouth to persuade him to stay. “Little Kant, you can stay at the Stone Pass. No one will say anything. In a place like the Nahrin Desert, other than wild beasts like the Jackalans, no one is willing to live there.”

Kant shook his head. “There are still my people there.”

However, there was a hint of interest on his face. He looked at Baron Dylan and sighed softly. “I also have my own guards. Although there are not many of them, it is absolutely no problem for me to resist the attack of those small groups of Jackalan.”. His tone paused slightly, he also said dispiritedly, “Moreover, I have promised father that I will become the lord of the Nahrin Desert. I will not hide in the Stone Pass like a turtle swimming in the Reninston River. I will hide my head whenever I encounter any difficulties.”

“What a great ambition.”, Baron Dylan seemed to be very happy, he nodded and said to the vassal knights on both sides of the long table, “He reminds me of Princess Sofia. Did you know that when I followed the princess, her personality was very tenacious?”

The vassal knights nodded awkwardly.

Especially the vassal knights who had ran away in the past two years, they lowered their heads and did not say a word.

Princess Sofia was a taboo topic in the Dukedom of Leo, the remote Stone Pass was the same. This Baron Dylan, who had once followed Princess Sofia, could speak without any restraints.

They were only lowly knights, how would they dare to speak recklessly.

Kant looked at Baron Dylan sincerely, as if he had found a bosom friend. He said in a moved tone, “Thank you for your understanding, Uncle Dylan. This makes my heart full of motivation.”

“If you encounter any difficulties, come and find me!”, Baron Dylan patted his chest, his tone was not shy. “When I followed Princess Sofia, I was still a cavalry of the guards. Before you were born, I was already fighting for your mother’s loyalty by pulling out my longsword!”

“Thank you very much.”, Kant’s face was full of gratitude.

Baron Dylan nodded with a smile, as if he was a true elder.

The two of them chatted about some heartwarming topics.

Using the harmonious atmosphere, Baron Dylan said to Kant, “Little Kant, after the banquet at noon tomorrow, I will arrange a small-scale tournament in the afternoon. After all, we do not have many entertainment activities in North County. This kind of tournament will be held when you come here, as uncle’s welcoming ceremony.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the vassal knights beside him immediately had a look of joy on their faces.

Many people were whispering to each other.

The tournament was also an activity that the Dukedom of Leo was passionate about. Being able to obtain the first place in the tournament would also be helpful to one’s reputation. If a noble wanted to be conferred a knight fief, they would also consider this tournament.

After all, to be the champion of the tournament, one must be powerful.

As long as one showed proper loyalty, it was easy to gain the favor of the noble.

In the poor North County, the last tournament was held two years ago by the Viscount of the North County, Wayne, in his Logue Castle. At that time, the grand event attracted the attention of the entire North County.

It was said that the first ranked knight already had three villages as fief.

These vassal knights could not help but become restless.

Kant naturally understood the significance of the tournament, and his face was filled with emotion, he said to Baron Dylan, “Uncle Dylan, isn’t this too wasteful? The cost of the tournament is not small. Even if it was a small-scale tournament, without 500 great silver coins, it would probably not be able to be held.”

“Small-scale.”, Baron Dylan nodded with a smile, as if he was very grateful to Kant. “It’s your guards and my vassal knights. The tournament only limited to our Stone Pass. We won’t invite the lord of other places.”

“Then I’m really grateful.”, Kant was even more moved.