In Oak Ridge in midsummer, the forest is like a forest of oak trees. Those dark green leaves are connected together, making the forest airtight.
It had just rained, and there were freshly formed streams everywhere in the mountains.
The climate in Helensa in July is humid, and some ferns will grow in Oak Ridge. In the past, the villagers of Wall Village often went into the forest to pick these ferns back, and then boiled them in water in a large pot.
Then dry them in the sun and they will become very good dried vegetables in winter.
Even if the living standards of the villagers in Vol have improved, and they no longer rely on these dried vegetables to survive the long winter, there will still be villagers who go to the mountains to pick these bracken.
In the past two years, the old village chief, Uncle Bright, has sent people to widen this mountain road almost every year. Now, except for dangerous passes, this mountain road can now allow two four-wheel carriages to run parallel.
Surdak still remembers that when he first returned to Wall Village, the villagers had to walk through deep and shallow snow in the winter and run into the mountains to pick up the remaining tree rice.
At that time, almost every household did not have enough to eat.
Surdak talked to Aphrodite about the days when he first returned to Wall Village, and the two rode horses side by side on this mountain road.
I still remember the days when I first came back. There were almost no pedestrians on this mountain road. During the time when he was studying at the Helensa Knight Academy, Surdak also met a group of bandits here, and he even rescued them in a straight man's way.
Miss Hoyle's life.
Nowadays, almost all the people traveling on this mountain road are four-wheeled trucks. As the free market at the entrance of Wall Village becomes more and more prosperous, many merchants are transporting various supplies from Helensa City.
"With so many adventure groups coming to Wall Village, are there always some inexplicable people running into the territory?" Suldak pulled the reins and asked Aphrodite beside him.
She did not wear the mithril mask, with a hint of intoxicating charm on her delicate face. She smiled at Suldak and said: "Almost rarely, they can see the boundary markers at the border, and besides touching their knees near the volcano,
There is nothing but volcanic ash, so what can they do here?"
"And they also know that it is the territory of Earl Suldak."
"There is a sulfur mine in the territory. The mine supervisors patrol along the boundary markers every day, so basically no one will be willing to wander in your territory."
Surdak asked her: "Would it be boring to live alone in the mountains?"
Aphrodite smiled slightly and then said: "How could it be one person? There are so many kobold slaves over there... and the overseers of Wall Village."
The two of them climbed over the last mountain ridge, and the city of Halanza finally appeared in sight halfway up the mountain.
Seeing that the city in front of him was still the same, Suldak was deeply moved. This mountain city hidden deep in the oak forest had hardly changed at all in the past few years.
Walk into the familiar mountain city.
When passing the city gate, Suldak also met a group of guard camp knights. The officer leading the group on horseback was also a familiar face.
However, few of the young knights in the guard camp knew Surdak. When they saw the count badge on Surdak's chest, they immediately pulled the reins of the horses and asked the cavalry to stop. All the guard camp
The knights were all giving a military salute to Surdak.
Suldak also returned a military salute in a formal manner, then rode his horse and walked over, smiling at the guard battalion officer at the front of the team and asked: "Why... haven't we seen each other for so long that you have forgotten all your old friends?"
Already?"
"Are you Suldak...the earl?" Jasper looked at Suldak in surprise. At this moment, he didn't know what to say. "Dak, you...when did you become the earl?"
of?"
Surdak laughed and said, "It was about this time last year... Hi, Jasper, congratulations on your finally being promoted to a squadron leader!"
Jasper had a wry smile on his face. When he and Carl competed for the position of squadron leader in the guard camp, it was because Carl took the position of squadron leader away from him with the help of Suldak.
Unexpectedly, Surdak would become an earl in just two years after leaving Helensa.
Suldak's friendship with Jasper was very average, so he asked him: "Is Carl in the city?"
Jasper immediately replied: "Yes, but he is off today, so I guess you should know where he is."
"I know, thank you!" Suldak nodded to express his gratitude.
…
After entering the city, Suldak checked into the hotel in Garden Square as usual.
When I came to the square garden, I found that the low shrub wall in the garden pond had been removed at some point. Now there is a small light yellow flower planted in the flower pond, which makes the area of the garden square look much more open.
.
There were a few more vendors on the street, but the hotel was still the same. Surdak walked around the main entrance and rode into the backyard. Looking through the arched door, he saw the boss Cohen and the groom were cutting hay in the yard. The wall
The stables next to it were actually crowded with horses.
Boss Cohen raised his head and glanced at Suldak, but in his busy schedule, he didn't even notice the noble badge on his chest.
Showing an honest smile, he said to Suldak: "Dak, leave the horse here!"
Upon hearing this, Suldak agreed, handed his and Aphrodite's two horses to Boss Cohen, and then took Aphrodite to the reception hall on the first floor of the hotel.
Mrs. Cohen, the proprietress, saw Surdak and Aphrodite walking in from the outside. She was surprised at first. She couldn't wait to get her plump body out of the chair, and her white chest even moved back and forth in the thin gauze dress.
Shaking, but when she saw clearly that the noble badge on Surdak's chest was shining with golden light, and Aphrodite's mithril mask behind her, the silver cup filled with ale in her hand shook violently,
fell to the ground.
The ale spilled on the counter, and she hastily wiped it with a rag.
"Dak... Lord Count!" After Mrs. Cohen said half a sentence, she immediately realized that something was wrong and immediately changed her words.
Suldak didn't even stop. He walked directly to Mrs. Cohen, gave her a big hug, and said kindly to the somewhat at a loss Mrs. Cohen: "Mrs. Cohen, long time no see..."
Then Mrs. Cohen's movements became a little shaky. She felt like she was a little drunk. When climbing the stairs, she even didn't know which foot to take first...
It's still the room on the top floor. The room is clean and tidy, and the window sill of the attic is full of flower pots.
Mrs. Cohen opened the door to the room and gave the key to Suldak. After confirming that they did not need afternoon tea, she went downstairs.
Surdak saw that there was only a large double bed in the room, so he lay down on it.
Aphrodite opened the window, smiled and said to Suldak: "I have always suspected that this is the place where Mrs. Cohen secretly dated her lover. Only when you come will you take out the key and open this room."
, but now it seems that it should be just an ordinary VIP room."
The succubus was in a good mood and gave Mrs. Cohen a very fair evaluation.
…
When I came to the Magic Guild in Halanza City again, I discovered that this magic tower, which was as hollow as a shopping mall, looked so old.
When Suldak reported Lance's name, he almost didn't have to wait too long. Lance hurriedly ran down the stairs, rushed into the reception hall on the first floor, and came to the Magic Tower.
There were a lot of people working around, so he avoided the crowds and hurriedly ran to Suldak.
The two hugged each other tightly... When old friends meet, there is always great joy.
"Duck, you're back!"
Lance knew that Surdak had been recruited into the big battlefield, so he was so surprised when he saw Surdak this time. After all, it was called the tomb of the second-turn strong man.
"Well, Lance, how have you been lately?" Lance pulled Suldak to sit down on the sofa in the corner, and Suldak took the opportunity to ask.
"Not bad, have you seen Karl?" Lance forced a smile, and then asked Suldak.
"Not yet. I heard that he had a day off today, so I didn't go to the guard camp to look for him." Suldak said.
Lance rubbed his hands in embarrassment, and then explained to Suldak in a low voice: "Actually, Carl has been resting for several days. To be precise, he has been suspended from work for a while."
Suldak looked surprised. Although Karl was only a noble baron, the Casement family behind him was considered a prominent family in the city of Helensa. Even if he made some minor mistakes, he should not be suspended!
"What's going on?" Surdak asked with a puzzled look on his face.
Lance continued to whisper: "Mrs. Mariana Christie is no longer responsible for managing the affairs of the Christie family. Carl was also targeted, so he was suspended."
Lance said in his tone that this involved an internal struggle within the Christie family. It was obvious that Mrs. Mariana Christie had been seized of power.
Moreover, in order to attack Mrs. Christie, her lover Karl was also implicated and even suspended from his duties in the guard camp.
"Where is Karl? Take me to find him." Suldak said with a gloomy face.
He clearly remembered that when he came to Helensa City alone, it was Karl who was the first to reach out to him.
"He should be hiding in the tavern now..." Lance stood up after finishing speaking.
Surdak also stood up with Lance. The two walked out of the Magic Guild and found a magic caravan on the street. Surdak tied the horse to the back of the magic caravan, and the two boarded the car.
He introduced to him the recent situation in Helensa City.
In fact, when Marquis Bernard Christie was seriously ill, Marquis Bernard couldn't wait to give up the position of marquis to Darcy Christie. Darcy also hurriedly took the position of consul of Felanza City. Bernard
When the Marquis de Marquis was alive, no one among the nobles in the city dared to stand up against Darcy Christie.
In the past two years, Marquis Bernard's health has been deteriorating. Last winter, he finally failed to survive the harsh winter and ran to see the Statue of Liberty.
After the death of Marquis Bernard, Darcy Christie's life in the city of Helensa was not so easy. The nobles in the city were unwilling to hand over Helensa to Darcy Christie's management due to various distrusts.
In order to convince the nobles in the city, Darcy Christie did everything herself. Although she worked very hard every day to handle Helensa's daily work, there were still several mistakes. In order to make up for the mistakes she made, Darcy Christie
Collapsed in endless anxiety and excessive fatigue.
In this way, the nobles felt that Darcy Christie did not have the ability to manage a city.
At this time, someone in the Christie family took the opportunity to gain power, and removed Darcy Christie's power within the family.
And Darcy Christie's long-lost husband suddenly appeared in Helensa City, and his second wife turned out to be a widow of the Dunstan family, a great nobleman in Bena City. Because Darcy's husband was from the Dunstan family,
With his support, he actually wanted to become the governor of Halanza City this time.
Surdak was a little dumbfounded when he heard this. He didn't expect that the management of Helensa City had become like this...
The magic caravan stopped at the door of the tavern. The tavern also had a closing sign and the door was closed.
Lance took Suldak in the back door in a familiar manner. There were almost no lights in the pub, and all the windows were closed with wooden boards, so the room was very dark. There was only a candle lit next to the bar. Karl
Sitting side by side with Mrs. Christie on a high stool, the proprietress of the tavern was drinking with the two of them.
Hearing the footsteps, Karl looked back drunkenly.
Lance led the way. Carl recognized Lance at a glance and asked him: "Lance, why are you here at this time? Don't you have some important experiments to do today?"
Lance moved his body away, revealing Suldak behind him, and then said to Karl: "Look who I brought here..."
"Duck, are you back?" Karl shook his head first, then felt that he was not awake enough, rubbed his eyes hard, and then asked doubtfully.
Suldak walked up to the drunken Karl, hugged Karl tightly, and then said to Karl: "Yes, I'm back!"
He took a wine glass from Karl's hand, and then asked Karl: "You can drink the wine later. Come on, tell me first, who stopped your position, and let's go talk to him!"
"Hey, Duck, when did your temper get so bad?"
Karl patted Suldak hard on the back and motioned for him to sit down first...
"It would be great if you came back, otherwise I would like to write to Selena to see if there is any news about you..." There was a relaxed look on his face, and he put a hand on Suldak
On his shoulder, he said with a relaxed expression.
Then he turned to Mrs. Christie and said: "Now that Suldak is back, Mariana, you don't have to worry about Darcy now. Let Dak go and treat Darcy. How powerful is his Holy Light Technique?"