"You are smarter than I thought, and you know how to measure. Did Kurtag (Mr. Yinfang) teach you? This outfit is very handsome, but I can see that you think practicality is greater than beauty.
people."
The Marquis of Barton clapped his hands, and a maid brought a document, and he signed it casually: "Listen, little Grant recommended you with the quota left by his father. I didn't want to accept it because his boy didn't have it.
If he doesn't have the temperament of a patrol knight, what good talents can he bring out? I highly doubt this."
"Actually, if you ask me, Old Grant is just like that. Apart from being loyal and capable of fighting, his brain is indeed not very easy to use. But who told me that I fought side by side with Old Grant back then? I am too embarrassed to refuse his son.
"
"You're a surprise, Ian."
With a flick of his hand, this frivolous document was delivered directly to Ian, suspended in mid-air.
The young man carefully lifted it up slowly, and then gently removed it from the 'invisible wind pressure' without damaging the document.
The Marquis of Barton was thoughtful, then smiled - he waved his hand and asked the maid to retreat.
The second prepared document is no longer needed.
"I already am?"
The young man scanned the contents and signatures on the document. Now Ian was really surprised: "There is no assessment? Or is it a test..."
"You just left Harrison Port and captured the special operations spies from the Flying Fire Land and exposed their biological warfare conspiracy."
Marquis Barton shook his head: "Then he killed the sharp-clawed tiger and protected Golden Leaf Town. Then he exposed the conspiracy of the Ryan Territory - Lapole is really stupid. He wants to ask me for help. Will I not help him?
?I have to cooperate with the people from the Lingzhiyuan, and I will be backlashed in the end."
"Especially because his son is actually the Chosen One... He didn't report this to me, so what are he planning to do? He died of his own greed and concealment. He didn't regard himself as a noble of Nanling or an empire at all.
people!"
Ian pretended not to hear this, put down the document, and took a bite of bear meat.
"Your achievements are completely sufficient. If you register at the Imperial Capital Headquarters, you will be an official patrol knight apprentice. Of course, you will have to wait until you reach the third level to become a full-time official, which will probably not take more than ten years for you."
After scolding Baron Ryan for a while, Marquis Barton finally concluded: "The Grant family's luck has always been good. When Bai Wu went to his place, I said that their family's luck is good, and now you are here. He will
To fulfill his father’s wish.”
"I will prepare a new set of armor and sword for you later, and then help me bring a document to the imperial capital. Now, continue eating."
The general's tone allowed no room for rejection, but the last sentence was the real point.
Ian narrowed his eyes slightly, and he felt a hint of crisis - where did the Marquis come from, what kind of documents did he need to deliver to the first level?
There must be some plan behind this.
But Ian knew very well that he had no right to refuse.
What's more... if it's as he guessed, then maybe it really isn't such a bad thing.
"Has it been used as bait? Are you trying to catch a traitor or other forces? That's why you have been testing my observation skills so that I can confirm who it is then."
With a chuckle in his heart, Ian showed just the right amount of hesitation, and then said firmly: "Promise to complete the mission, General."
The corners of Marquis Barton's lips raised and he nodded: "Very good. Then continue eating.
"Don't be offended, even Master Oak and the others can't eat the prey I hunted with my own hands."
"With your own hands?" This surprised Ian quite a bit. He put down the cup he was drinking tea from: "The prey you hunted with your own hands?"
"of course."
Marquis Barton used his pocket knife to cut off a piece of grilled and oily beef brisket, and then took a big bite: "Do you think... is this table luxurious?"
Ian looked at it and saw that the food on the table was indeed rich in variety, with all kinds of World of Warcraft ingredients. Among other things, the plate of fresh fish fillets was made from the body of sea blue marlin, which is pure and nutritious.
It will cause distortion and taste extremely delicious.
Such a small plate of fish fillets is enough for an average person to work for a year.
Luxury? If calculated in terms of money, luxury cannot be more luxurious.
But what if, if these are the proceeds of an Ascended person's daily entertainment of "excursion hunting" and the old man's favorite "fishing"...
"That's really home-cooked food. It's even a bit shabby and frugal."
He murmured: "A third-level sublimator, eating these things is like a child drinking honey water, it's just a taste..."
"good."
The old general continued to eat indifferently. He was like a black hole, constantly devouring the dishes on the table and the dishes brought by the maid: "Some people think that I eat a lot and it is too wasteful, but these things are nothing like luxury.
Can't talk about it."
"Look. This cow." He raised his hand and pointed to the brisket in front of him: "I went to the mountains to hunt."
"Look at this bear's paw again. It's dangerous to the townspeople. I saw it when I was walking and ran over to kill it."
"And this fish. To be honest, after fishing all afternoon, I was so angry that I almost went to the fish market to buy it, but I finally caught it."
The Marquis of Barton was simply showing off, showing his prey to Ian: "As a noble, you should not ask for it from your subjects, but give it to them."
"The late emperor once said, 'Those who ascend should not compete with the people for profit.' I have always believed that. This is the highest virtue of the nobility, and it is far more pragmatic than the slogans of 'protection,' humility, and compassion' -
As long as those of us who have ascended don’t always think about collecting food from people’s homes and trivial Bysons and Tallers, the world will be ten times more peaceful.”
"Black King..."
Ian said this, then seemed to realize something, and changed his words: "The late emperor actually said such a thing? It sounds reasonable, but it is not practical..."
"As a knight, you should study more."
Marquis Barton squinted his eyes, stared at Ian, and then nodded slightly: "And it is indeed true. On the Ryan side, Lapore failed precisely because he was too deeply involved with ordinary people - he wanted to ask
I beg for the help of cloning equipment and psykers to help transfer the soul of his chosen child into a new body. How could I not help him?"
"I will help him with great fanfare and make this matter a major event that will shock the entire empire... He will become the father of the resurrected person, and I will also gain great fame."
"It's a pity." The old general sighed: "He doesn't do this. Not only that, but he also insists on making some boring calculations... The structure of La Boer and the people of Lingzhiyuan is too small."
"I do not understand……"
A chill ran down the spine, and Ian didn't dare to answer these words.
He finally figured it out. On the surface, the Marquis Barton looked like a stubborn soldier, but in fact, he had three traps in one sentence.
If he dared to respond, everything would be exposed!
Why is this man so good at telling lies? And he suspects that he and the section chief of the Academy of Gnosis are related to the death of Baron Ryan? How did he guess this?
Ian was a little confused about this question, because Marquis Barton's speculation was completely illogical, and his actions would never be exposed according to ordinary thinking.
But he could tell by the reaction of the frost butterfly in the alchemy pouch at his waist that even if he was really exposed, at most it would only reduce the impression of Marquis Barton, and nothing bad would really happen.
--eccentric.
——By the way, why did he talk to me about the virtues of nobility? I am obviously just a knight, right?
This subtle, unclear and even confusing atmosphere made the young man feel quite uncomfortable.
But on the surface, he still pretended to be a normal knight, staring at the old general in front of him with a cautious, confused and puzzled expression.
"Actually, little Grant is like this too."
Marquis Barton looked at Ian, his eyes bright and sharp, as if he wanted to see through Ian's heart: "If he really wants to develop the labyrinth to benefit himself and his people - then he will
Hold on to your good card of 'Lord of the Labyrinth' firmly instead of throwing you in front of me."
"Unless it's a subtle way of showing weakness...but I don't think Grant Jr. has that ability."