บท 53: Chapter 53: The Ziwu Manor, An Abnormal Temperature
Chapter 53: The Ziwu Manor, An Abnormal Temperature
After chatting for over an hour, Audrey finally understood why Grelint held Baron Campbell in such high esteem.
His knowledge of mysticism was so profound that even Mrs. Fors, who had become an Beyonder person, could only be a docile student in his presence.
Moreover, she felt that Baron Campbell had much more knowledge to share, his scholarly depth was as unfathomable as the ocean.
"Should I pursue a higher sequence of promotion?" Fors asked, her fighting spirit kindled by Hastur's words.
"Lying flat is also a very reasonable way of life if you don't mind being powerless when facing danger."
"If it's so dangerous, wouldn't lying flat and not going out reduce the risk of danger?"
"Of course."
Hearing this, the spark of ambition in Fors's heart was extinguished. She felt it was better to lie flat and safe, preferably not even venturing beyond the front door.
"WhichBeyonder path suits me?" Audrey asked, her most pressing question as time grew late.
"Being an observer is quite good; it aligns with your initial pursuit of theBeyonder world."
"Thank you," Audrey sincerely thanked Baron Campbell for his guidance.
Hastur smiled silently, knowing the formula for the potion of the observer but choosing not to tell Audrey at this moment, lest it affect her future path.
It was better for her to continue on her predetermined trajectory; that was the most suitable path for her.
Not long after, Grelint, who had rested for a while, returned, and after another half-hour of idle talk, Audrey had to leave.
She couldn't stay out too late; her personal maid had already come to remind her twice.
Hastur and Fors also made excuses to end the evening's gathering, leaving Grelint feeling unfulfilled.
…
Ziwu Manor.
Maric arrived near the grand manor two days ago.
He didn't enter the manor directly but instead walked around the nearby area.
The manor, with its grand scale, exquisite sculptures, and beautiful lakes, covering a vast area, was guarded by only two people when he arrived—an elderly man and a reticent middle-aged man.
The two guarded the grand manor but did not live inside; instead, they resided in a small house at the edge.
Every day, the old man was either tending to the garden or lying on the grass in front of the manor, basking in the warm sun.
The middle-aged man was more diligent, carrying stones back from the mountains and sculpting his works in the sculpture garden, also responsible for preparing three meals a day for both.
The two rarely communicated, only occasionally speaking a few words during meals, mostly about the weather.
Soon, a butler-like person arrived with a group of people. They opened the manor's doors, cleaned and repaired the interior, and brought many daily necessities.
Maric quietly observed without interfering.
From the occasional conversations of these people, he learned they were Hastur's household butler and servants, so he no longer focused on the manor. Instead, he went to a lake in the forest behind the manor, temporarily hiding there with his squad of living corpses.
He didn't know if it was because of the dense vegetation, but he always felt a bit cold, especially at night.
On the first night, he didn't pay much attention, thinking he was new and not yet accustomed to the environment.
After all, this was the countryside, surrounded by a forest, and it was normal for the temperature to be lower than in the city.
On the second night, he felt something was amiss. As a Sequence 6 living corpse, his sequence traits meant he was not easily affected by external temperature differences, especially cold environments.
On the third night, a cold wind blew, and a thin layer of frost formed on the lake, alerting him.
But he did not act rashly, waiting silently until dawn when the warm sunlight spread, leading his squad of living corpses to explore deeper into the forest.
To prevent any mishaps, he had two living corpses scout ahead, maintaining a safe distance of about fifty meters from himself and the others.
Always vigilant, he thoroughly investigated the area and found signs of human activity deep in the forest but nothing else.
The forest connected not only to Ziwu Manor but also to other grand nobles' estates, essentially a shared forest park.
Human activity was normal, and he even avoided two groups of nobles who were hunting and adventuring in the forest for leisure.
After an unsuccessful search, he returned to the lakeside, digging holes to bury the living corpses, so they wouldn't be easily discovered.
On the fourth night, the sky was cloudless, the moon shone brightly, and the temperature in the forest was particularly chilly.
The living corpses buried in the deep pits made scratching noises with their nails.
Maric, who never felt sleepy, immediately noticed the abnormality in his squad of living corpses. He looked towards the dense forest, frowning, as this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
Faintly, he heard the sound of a whistle coming from deep within the forest, light and cold, like tendrils reaching out from the depths of one's heart, incessantly scratching at your heart.
He dared not explore the secrets in the forest, only trying to suppress his squad of living corpses, preventing them from being affected.
Fortunately, they were far enough from the source of the whistle, and the living corpses were only minimally affected, which he could manage alone.
After about two hours, the whistle sound from deep within the forest completely disappeared, and the living corpses calmed down, lying obediently in their pits.
Maric remained silent for a long time, choosing not to complicate matters further, as any additional problems could spell disaster for him.
On the fifth day, Maric finally saw Hastur's figure descending from a carriage.
Seeing that there were quite a few people nearby, he did not approach but planned to wait until the night was deep to reminisce with Hastur.
At the entrance of Ziwu Manor, Hastur gazed at the grand manor, stunned for a moment.
The butler Neil had told him the manor was large, but he hadn't expected it to be this vast.
Just the garden area in front of the gate was twice the size of his current residence, not to mention the artificial lake with fountains spraying water in all directions.
To the right was the sculpture garden, which he could glimpse from this position, definitely not small in scale. Neil had mentioned that a sculptor was currently responsible for carving there, and his payment had already been settled.
Although he didn't quite remember the glorious moments of the Campbell family, he was certain that even among the grand nobility, this manor was rare.
To have preserved it until now from Voltaire Campbell, the gambler, the old butler must have put in untold efforts.
"The estate of Earl Richard is nearby, and further away, there's one belonging to the royal family…"
Neil patiently introduced Hastur to the situation of the nearby grand nobles, so he wouldn't be unfamiliar with them later.
As Hastur listened, he walked into the manor.
Passing through the garden area, Hastur met the old man responsible for guarding the place, the butler's cousin, and a loyal member of the Campbell family.
He was not young and suffered from illness, so he had initially volunteered to stay at the manor and take up the task of guarding it.
Originally, the manor had over forty people, including maids, laborers, and chefs, but before the former owner prepared for the resurrection ceremony, he dismissed them all, leaving only the sculptor, who had not finished his work, to accompany the old man.
When the old man saw Hastur, his wrinkled face squeezed out a smile: "It's wonderful, the Campbell family has finally welcomed its true heir."
Hastur couldn't help but feel moved, wondering just how disappointing Voltaire Campbell must have been.
"The old butler has been very kind to me. Whether the Campbell family flourishes or declines in the future, your well-being will be taken care of by the Campbell family," Hastur solemnly promised.
"Yes, the glory of the Campbell family will shine again throughout the Rune Kingdom!"
The old man was very excited, and Hastur quickly supported him to prevent a fall.
Hastur turned to Neil and said, "We should hire a family doctor in the future."
"Alright."
Neil understood Hastur's meaning; this was to hire a personal doctor for the old man, to take good care of him and ensure a comfortable old age.
After a brief chat, Hastur let the old man go down to rest and had a large room prepared for him in the house.
At seven in the evening, Hastur finally enjoyed a belated dinner in the manor.
He had wanted the old man to join him, but the old man refused. Hastur didn't insist and had a suitable meal prepared for him separately.
After dinner, Hastur didn't go upstairs but went out for a walk near the manor.
Before coming, Miss Sharon had already informed him that Maric had arrived near the manor ahead of time.
Sure enough, when there was no one around, Maric emerged from the bushes.
"Tsk, they say your Campbell family has fallen, but just this grand manor alone could sell for a fortune."
Maric brushed off the grass and leaves from his body, jokingly commenting.
He estimated that the grand manor could sell for tens of thousands of pounds at least. The location and environment were excellent, and the neighbors were all grand nobles, even royalty.
It was a manor that money alone might not be able to buy.
Hastur replied with a smile, "
Hastur replied with a smile, "The Kenigan Duke family is the true epitome of grand nobility; they reside in castles."
Although times have changed and technology has advanced, some things remain the same.
For instance, the old castles are the real hallmark of grand nobility.
Nowadays, most members of the Kenigan Duke family live in the Queen's District, enjoying the conveniences of modern life. The castle serves more as a symbol than a residence.
Because these structures are typically built within their territories, nobles with castles are akin to kings in their own right.
That is the true mark of grand nobility. The current Campbell family still has a long way to go.
(End of Chapter)
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