58: Circus (Thank you for your recommendation and monthly tickets)

This matter was not over. Arthur thought that behind one mystery often lay more mysteries.

But that was no longer his concern.

The Blazing Fire Glue from the New Temple was being discreetly removed, so at least he didn't have to worry about being blown sky-high at the inauguration ceremony.

His father, the Earl, had been secretly sent back to the castle.

At a time when guests were plentiful, the Earl's predicament had to be kept strictly under wraps to prevent ill-intentioned individuals from exploiting it.

Fortunately, after a series of diagnoses, both the doctors and the priests believed that the Earl was not in serious danger.

His symptoms, aside from the magical influence beneath the temple, were largely due to inhaling an excessive amount of Purple Nightdew.

He only needed a period of rest to recover.

Finally free, the first thing Arthur did was catch up on sleep, sleeping straight through until the middle of the night.

After checking the day's intelligence and confirming there were no urgent matters, he fell back into a deep sleep.

Now, he was almost certain that the conspiracy targeting the New Temple had come to an end.

The remaining finishing touches could be handled by others.

---

The next morning, after breakfast, Arthur unhurriedly arrived at the small building in the Upper City.

He remembered this uniquely styled building had been gifted to him by a construction merchant five years ago.

In return, he had introduced the merchant to his mother.

At that time, some housing needed to be built near the New Temple to accommodate pious and wealthy believers.

The merchant naturally secured that contract.

Thus, when people traveled along the new avenue of Wolf Den City to the New Temple,

They would see houses with pointed red tiles and white painted walls lining both sides of the road.

When Arthur arrived, Catherine was watering the roses in the front yard.

She put down the watering can, wiped her muddy hands, and came to greet him, a little surprised.

“I didn’t expect your sudden visit, my Lord.”

Arthur looked around the small building.

Because his former self had spent a lot of time in taverns and brothels,

The house had always been vacant, and he had never properly seen it.

“How is the house? Is there anything wrong?”

The noblewoman shook her head: “It’s fine, my Lord. It’s just that the attic roof leaks a bit, and Iron Shovel and Newt are repairing it.”

“Is that so?” Arthur nodded, “Are they all here?”

“They are all here. Uh, Drax is training in the backyard, Jessica is reading in her room.

“Old Hutu has always lived in the warehouse, saying he needs to look after the livestock.

“As for Old Joe, you know, he’s tinkering with his gadgets in the study.

“Airo... Miss Airo, I don’t know where she is. Should I call everyone?”

“No, no need. Let them be busy. You come with me.”

Catherine followed Arthur to the living room, and the noblewoman brought Arthur a cup of hot water.

This was the only drink they could offer.

Arthur told Catherine about the supplies collected from Red Maple Village and the five Mountain People who had newly joined.

Catherine took notes with paper and pen, then said, “It seems we still need about ten more people.”

Arthur, however, said, “Ten people are probably not enough.

“I hope to form a trained team in a short time.

“At least these people must know how to use weapons, understand battlefield commands, and be able to hold their positions.”

Catherine frowned and pondered for a while, saying, “I don’t know much about fighting.

“But I discussed it with Warden Robert, and the journey to Qingfeng Valley will take about a week...”

“No, not a week.” Arthur corrected, “We are not going through the border.

“Instead, we will depart from the south, first going to my brother Hunter’s fief.

“Then head east into the Bull Family’s territory, and finally arrive at the Calimshan people’s Great Al-araksin City.”

Catherine didn't understand why Arthur wanted to take such a long detour to Qingfeng Valley.

She calculated in her mind and said, “This will take about five extra days,

“And that’s only if the weather is good.

“Warden Robert said that eastern Amn is rainy in early spring, often for several days, and the roads will be very difficult.

“My Lord, won’t you reconsider? This will greatly increase our expenses.

“Is the border war not looking good?” Jessica, who had come down the stairs, interjected, “Is that why we’re taking a detour?”

Arthur motioned for her to sit, “That’s right. Yesterday I chatted with the Sheriff in the city for a while.

“The front-line situation is very unfavorable. The noble coalition is united in name only, and each family is thinking of minimizing their losses.

“So they are all putting in effort but not their full strength. Plus, these orcs seem quite fierce this time.

“And there’s a very cunning great chieftain, named... named... Mag the ‘Man-Eater’.

“In short, going through the border is too unsafe. If we encounter an orc raiding party, we won’t be able to handle it.”

Jessica nodded and walked towards the study. Shortly after, he and Old Joe came out together.

He spread a map of eastern Amn on the table and gestured with his hand at the route Arthur had just described.

“You guys are really something. Where did you get this map?” Arthur couldn’t help but ask.

One must know that in Amn, any unauthorized use of maps is a serious crime.

“From the black market, of course, my Lord.” The dwarf Old Joe jumped onto a chair, “You can buy anything there if you pay.”

“So how much did this cost?”

The dwarf laughed, “Not a cent. Do you remember the dwarf Long Legs found?”

Long Legs was the nickname Old Joe gave Jessica.

Arthur later found out he also had a nickname—Baron Good Guy.

Arthur remembered the dwarf whose entire family had been killed by Eldred.

“You got it from him?”

“Yes, it was him. His map came from the Free City-States, which are not under Amn’s control.

“He used the map as a bargaining chip to have us take him to see the Sheriff, so he could identify that priest.”

The dwarf recounted vividly.

“Unfortunately, this fellow named Ingabado disappeared after that night, so the dwarf couldn’t get his revenge.” Arthur sighed.

Just then, Iron Shovel and Newt pushed the door open from outside.

Hearing Arthur’s words, the Old Dwarf Iron Shovel comforted him, “Don’t worry, my Lord.

“That lad is only one hundred and thirty-seven years old. For us dwarves, he’s in his prime. He has plenty of time for revenge.

“And his craftsmanship is good, he won’t starve wherever he goes.

“Our greatest virtue as dwarves is persistence; we rarely give up halfway.”

“I’d say stubbornness.” Old Joe chimed in.

“Shut up, you little scoundrel!” Iron Shovel waved his fist at Old Joe.

Old Joe was unconcerned, taking off his hat to smooth his wild, upright hair.

“You don’t understand, old man, this is the latest trendy hairstyle.”

The half-elf Newt cast an envious glance, seemingly wanting a similar hairstyle.

“Stop bickering. Since you’re all here, Newt, go call Drax as well.”

Catherine quickly brought the conversation back on track, “It’s rare for the Lord to have time. Let’s have a meeting to discuss the matters of the journey. But I don’t know about Miss Airo...”

“I’m here.” Airo appeared from a shadow within the house.

Catherine was startled by the sudden appearance of the female rogue, “For earth mother’s sake, Miss Airo, could you please not appear so suddenly in the future.”

“Just call me Airo.”

Catherine nodded, still shaken, and offered a handkerchief: “Your mouth, uh, seems to have some sauce on it?”

Airo instinctively reached for her mouth. She took the handkerchief and nodded in thanks to the noblewoman.

“The journey will be longer, and the dangers will increase, so an armed team is essential,” Airo said while wiping her mouth.

Arthur nodded and said, “The border is in turmoil, and the entire east is unsafe.

“Refugees, bandits, rebels, and even the Wood Elf rebels are causing trouble. We must be fully prepared.

Drax walked in from the backyard, placed his axe aside, and said to Arthur, “I know a few gladiators from the arena. They’re quite skilled.

“If my Lord doesn’t mind, I can try to persuade them to join, but the ransom...”

Arthur pondered for a moment: “Money is not the issue, loyalty is key. Are they reliable?

“Are they willing to go to Qingfeng Valley? I don’t want them to run away halfway.”

The orc mused for a moment, then said, “Then there’s only one fellow left. He meets your requirements.”

“Is that so? You can take me to see him later.”

Jessica, who had been staring at the map, spoke, “My Lord, I can still contact some of my former subordinates.

“If you trust me, I can try to persuade them to follow you to Qingfeng Valley.”

“Roughly how many people?” Arthur asked.

Jessica shook his head, “The last time I met them was half a year ago.

“At that time, there were only about ten of them. Now, I expect there will be more.”

His words visibly excited Iron Shovel and Newt.

“Are they all combatants?” Arthur asked again.

Jessica shook his head, “Most are just survivors of the massacre, and some are soldiers abandoned by the Fury.

“If you wish, I can train them to be warriors, just like Newt and Iron Shovel.”

Arthur remained silent.

“The Fury? Is that the xenomorphic rebel organization?” Catherine questioned, “Warden Robert, I must remind you.

“Although the Lord, as the Baron of Qingfeng Valley, has the power of amnesty, amnestying so many people at once might...”

“I understand.” Jessica said, “That’s why I wanted to consult with my Lord.

“After those Fury soldiers were abandoned, they all left the organization. As for the survivors, most are civilians. So...”

“Go contact them first.” Arthur finally gave his opinion, “No matter what, meet them first.”

Jessica bowed to Arthur: “Thank you, my Lord. I will go and do it shortly.”

Afterwards, Arthur and the others discussed the journey details in depth, recording all useful suggestions.

After the meeting, he kept Catherine and Airo behind alone.

Catherine seemed to guess what Arthur wanted to discuss and spoke first: “My Lord, regarding Warden Robert’s men, I think we should be cautious.”

Arthur looked at Airo: “What do you think? Can these people help me establish a foothold in Mist Town?”

Airo thought for a moment and replied, “If we include Jessica’s men, then reaching Mist Town should not be a problem.

“But to contend with those dark entities, it’s probably not enough.

“However, as long as we can establish a foothold in Mist Town, there’s hope!”

This was the first time Airo had given such an optimistic conclusion.

Previously, when discussing the situation in Qingfeng Valley, she had always been vague.

Arthur could tell Airo was holding something back, but he was not in a hurry to press her.

In his experience, it was just not the right time; with the right trigger, Airo would likely reveal the truth.

“Catherine, if I accept Jessica’s people, can the manpower problem be solved?” Arthur asked.

Catherine thought for a long time before answering: “That depends on how many of them are combatants and how many are ordinary people.

“My Lord, in my opinion, someone like Warden Robert should focus on training soldiers and the safety of the team.

“So the trivial matters like daily necessities should be handled by others.

“Although I don't understand military matters, I know that for a team to maintain morale, logistics must keep up.

“Therefore, we not only lack soldiers but also lack personnel to ensure the soldiers’ daily lives.”

Arthur nodded with satisfaction, “You’ve thoroughly studied Warden Robert’s plan and added your own insights. Very well said.

“Troops must be provisioned before they move. Only with well-trained soldiers and ample supplies can one be victorious.

“But if Warden Robert were here, he would probably never agree to recruit these people.”

Although Catherine held an opposing view, she mostly hoped Arthur would choose carefully.

Rather than blindly incorporating everyone into the team.

After all, they were an expeditionary force, not a refugee camp or a shelter.

She asked doubtfully, “Is Warden Robert worried that these people are too dangerous and troublesome?”

“That’s part of the reason. He has mentioned to me multiple times that he fears Jessica’s influence might become too great, and I would be constrained by him.”

This was an angle Catherine hadn't considered.

“But I see Jessica is also worried about the same issue,” Arthur added, “that’s why he’s so cautious.”

“Then what do you mean?” Airo asked.

“If in doubt, don’t use; if used, don’t alienate.” Arthur gave his judgment, “But this place isn’t somewhere just anyone can enter.

“Listen, Catherine, this team of ours is starting to look more and more like a circus—a mixed bag, with all sorts of people.

“The more diverse the people, the harder it is for them to get along, and then trouble is bound to arise.

“So I hope you can make these people live in harmony, not cause trouble, or engage in infighting.”

The noblewoman, suddenly entrusted with such a heavy responsibility, was clearly flustered.

She asked with a bewildered expression, “My Lord, I... I am very grateful that you value me so highly.

“But I... I’m afraid I cannot undertake such an important task. I believe Warden Robert is more suited than I...”

“No, no, no.” Arthur waved his hands repeatedly, “Things aren’t that serious yet.

“You were once a noble; you know how to interact with people gracefully.

“You are also an anomaly, because you help those whom nobles consider inferiors, so you also know how to communicate with commoners.

“In my opinion, no one is more suitable for this task than you.”

“My Lord, uh, I really don’t know how to go about it.” Catherine said.

“Ensure they are fed and clothed, then teach them right from wrong, and honor from shame.

“Thus, they will naturally be able to correct their attire and conduct themselves properly.

“At this point, they will also be better able to get along with others and unite.”

“Of course, if they refuse to be educated, then let Warden Robert deal with them.”