Chapter 126 126: Baron Cardinal.

The day came to an end, and Snow found Leo going to bed, and asked, "Why are you heading to bed so early?"

Leo coiled his arm around her waist and pulled her close as he said, "I have to dream about being a Baron and have you rule the fief with me."

Snow chuckled and smacked the back of his hand gently as she said, "Have you been talking like your daughter a bit too much? She was also telling me that she will dream of being a princess and fix everything in the world."

Leo was surprised but he didn't reply and lay down beside her, snuggling softly. He waited for a bit and gradually fell asleep. As he drifted deeper in sleep, a voice echoed in the back of his mind, 'Ping: Host is entering deep sleep, initiating dream sequence. Syncing brain waves with the daughter. Synchronization complete, sweet dreams host.'

…

When Leo opened his eyes, he found himself standing on top of a big wall, looking over a big town. He was surprised, and then he raised his hands to check the feedback. It turned out that everything was real, then after testing all the motor skills, he pinched himself and felt a faint pain. He sighed and said, 'System, you have added a pinch too much realism here.'

'Ping: Host, this is to make you realize that even though this is a dream space, you must be conscientious about your actions.'

Leo nodded and was about to locate Lily in this place, when he heard a voice, "Baba, look, that pony is coming over."

Leo turned around and found Lily standing next to the wall. He was surprised to see her standing so close to the edge, he moved over and picked her up in his arms. He asked, "Baby, why are you leaning so close to the edge, what if you fell?"

Lily looked at him with a faint smile and said, "I know Baba will not let that happen."

She leaned over his shoulder and his heart almost melted in his chest. He turned to look at where she was pointing earlier and saw a pony rushing around the fenced area. He frowned a little and then looking around he realized that this wall belonged to his resident, a small palace.

However, this small palace was four times the mansion of his parents. He took a deep breath and said, "Shall we head in?"

Lily nodded and the young man carried her inside. On the way he saw many guards, they were all bearing resemblance to Jock, Kyle, and the rest of them.

They came inside the palace, and Leo found Snow weaving something on a crochet, she smiled at her and said, "Have you two finally returned? You know that our identities have changed? We are now nobles, so we have to act like them as well. Don't just run around all the time."

Leo smiled faintly and at this moment, memories of the dream setting appeared in his mind. He was a general in the war, and due to his excellent performance, they won a crucial victory. Leo Cardinal saved the border towns with sheer wit and grit. So, the King, sitting a thousand miles away in the capital, rewarded him with the title of a Baron and gave this town as a territory.

The young man had just arrived in his fief and taken charge of the matters. An old man was assigned to him as an assistant. Just when the family of three were interacting, the Old Butler said, "Sire, shall we send the invitation to invite all the other nobles to celebrate your ennoblement?"

Leo shook his head and said, "No, Mister Crawford. First, I would like to take a look at the territory. Before we invite others, we should make sure that we are capable enough to invite them. Guests often use the aspects we fall weak in to ridicule the host."

The old man nodded and bowed his head as he said, "I shall prepare the carriage for us, Sire."

Leo waved his hand and said, "A couple of horses, and two knights to follow would be enough. The carriage would restrict the view a little too much."

The old man nodded and Snow said, "Good, I will take the inventory and prepare the list till then."

Lily was still being held in the arms of her father and said, "Baba, I want to go along too."

Leo looked at his wife, who nodded and he said, "Fine, it would be good for you to see the town, after all, in the future, it will be up to you to make a better world."

Lily smiled and the butler nodded silently. This man assessed that the Young Baron was not complacent and was going to instill the value of service in the heart of his daughter. This was the proper conduct of a noble.

Mister Crawford had served as a mayor in the past, and has been in touch with many nobles in the small city near the capital. To him this countryside was a very easy task. His roles were to guide the young baron and teach him about the proper etiquettes.

Leo pondered over his memories and found that his family had received some guidance in decorum manners and all. They stood under the porch of the palace and the two knights, Jock and Kyle came over with four horses.

Leo placed Lily atop a black horse, and patted the neck of the magnificent steed gently as he said, "Today, Lily will come along, Maximus, be gentle."

The horse fluttered its lips and Leo hopped on the saddle as well. He found that Mister Crawford also hopped on a horse, along with the two knights as they moved out.

As they exited the main gates, Leo asked, "Mister Crawford, are you familiar with the geography of this town?"

Mister Crawford was riding half a horse's length behind Leo and he said, "My lord, Akasia Town is a small countryside settlement. The people here mainly get by farming. There is a small market as well where many different things are sold. The town is divided in four quadrants and is spread in a diameter of Seven kilometers with the Palace as a center.

That is the inner town, the outer town was established two decades ago to shelter the travellers and the refugees who came over from the other villages to avoid getting raided by the bandits. The total area covered by the town is twenty square kilometers."

Leo thought and said, "This town is on the smaller side. Do you know how many people live here?"

Crawford was stunned and then he shook his head. Leo said, "Can I ask you to find a few people for me? They should be literate, and must be able bodied."

The old man nodded and said, "I will arrange that soon, Sire."

Leo nodded and they began to move through the inner town. Many people saw them and bowed in greeting. Lily said, "Baba, can we see what lies beyond those walls?"

Leo had been thinking about just that and then asked, "Why do you want to go through those walls?"

Lily thought for a bit and said, "I want to see how it is like there."


Leo nodded and as he turned his horse around he asked, "What would you do if you don't like what you see there?"

Lily thought for a bit and said, "I will seek methods to change it for the better."

The young man nodded and said, "Good, then we shall go."

Crawford hesitated and said, "Sir, the conditions in the outer town are not as pleasant as in the inner town."

Leo nodded and said, "I am aware of that, Sir Crawford. However, as the landlord of this place, it now befalls me to make sure that everything should be nice. Yes, these people were refugees, but that was the past. Now, they are our own. They have lived here for two decades, so it is only valid for them to be treated like us."

Crawford was surprised, but then he smiled and said, "You are right, Sire."

The five people riding four horses came to the gates of the inner town. The soldiers there were surprised but then they saluted him. These people belonged to a force of seven hundred soldiers that Leo was given for the Town safety.

They were loyal to him because the system made it so. The people trotted through the outer town, and they understood what disparities meant. Leo asked, "Lily, what do you see?"

The young lady replied, "People hardly smile."

Leo nodded, and Crawford was shocked to look at the young lady. He looked at Leo, who said, "The streets are dirty, that is causing the people to have immunity issues. They are filled with the stench of feces. Mister Crawford, find me the best masons and call them to the palace. Also, I want woodworkers and chefs to report to me by morning tomorrow. You can use the aid of the guards."

Crawford was surprised and asked, "Your Grace, what do you want to do?"

Lily replied, "Grandpa Crawford, we are going to change this place for better."