In the wee hours of the morning, the ball came to an end, and the guests were guided by the servants to their prepared rooms. Only Moriarty received the baron's instructions in advance and waited in the large study to meet his father.

"Sit down, Moriarty." The baron sat in his usual high-backed leather chair, with a cup of steaming black tea on the oak desk in front of him.

"Thank you, father." Moriarty sat down on the couch on the other side and looked at Baron Ensberg.

"I know all about Windsor Castle and the coalition operations in Beni. You're doing a great job, Moriarty. The baron took a sip of the black tea. In the mist of black tea, the baron's blue eyes were a little hazy, and they seemed to flicker.

"Thank you for the compliment, Father." Moriarty just smiled slightly.

"Yes." The baron put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and nodded.

For a moment, the father and son looked at each other in silence, and there was silence in the study.

"Moriarty, I heard that yesterday Viscount Salk sent someone to bring you a letter." After a while, the baron first broke the strange silence and said lightly.

"Yes." Moriarty nodded generously and replied, "Lord Viscount seems to be missing his pearl a little, so I hope I will 'drive' Miss Salk home sooner." However, as you can see, Miss Salk had no intention of returning home immediately, and the letter was subsequently confiscated. ”

"That's right." The baron nodded noncommittally, paused slightly, and suddenly changed his words: "Moriarty, what do you think of Miss Farazia?" ”

"Well... A very beautiful aristocratic lady, with a beautiful face and a graceful temperament, should be the object of many aristocratic men's pursuit. Moriarty thought for a moment, and said slowly.

"Yes, yes." The baron nodded, sighed softly, and said in a deep voice: "Moreover, in addition, she is also the only daughter of Viscount Farazia and the second in line to the heir of the Farazia family. ”

"Oh, that's amazing. I am not only a rare beauty, but also a large amount of wealth to inherit. It's like a gold mine. Moriarty laughed a little exaggeratedly, but remained on the couch.

"Indeed, it's like a gold mine. And now, the gold mine follows your father to the Ivy, hoping to become the new mistress of the Ivy. What do you think, my son, Moriarty? Without too many detours or temptations, the baron directly turned over the hole cards at this moment, looked into Moriarty's eyes, and said.

"So, if this marriage can finally come to fruition, what will it bring to the Ensberg family?" Moriarty met the baron's gaze, slowly stood up, and asked rhetorically without hurrying.

"The sharing of two new trade routes, the timber agency for the whole of the Ruhr county, a fifteen-year mining contract for a medium-sized copper mine, and five estates to be inherited from the Viscount of Farazia." Baron Ensberg answered Moriarty's questions word by word, his calm voice as if he were engaged in a business negotiation. It's just that this time the negotiation partner is none other than his only son.

"Trade routes, trade rights, the family's long-coveted mining industry, and thousands of acres of future territory, this is almost a long-term gain in the million-dollar gold coins. Father, I can't think of any reason to refuse. Moriarty sighed silently and said in a deep voice.

"Yes, I can't refuse. Even though I knew, at least until now, I didn't really love that woman, as the head of the Ensberg family, I had no right to refuse such a marriage that would bring great benefits to the entire family. The baron nodded, his voice a little dry and hoarse, "So, Moriarty, I hope you understand. Although, it's not easy. ”…,

"No, Father, I can understand your choice." Seeing a hint of helplessness and guilt on the baron's face that he had never seen before, Moriarty said sincerely.

If it was the original Moriarty, he might have gone crazy with anger at this moment, or fainted directly in front of the baron's father. However, as a person who has come from the past, Moriarty at this moment understands that in the interests of the great enough, most things in the world are priced, loyalty, marriage, and love.

"To be honest, I was surprised." Looking at Moriarty, who was standing quietly a few meters away from him, the baron didn't know what to say.

"It's just something that every good Ensberg person does, father." Moriarty turned his head to look at a portrait of the former head of the Ensberg family on the other wall, and said lightly.

"Yes, that's how Ensberg has grown from generation to generation." The baron followed Moriarty's gaze and looked towards the portrait wall, his gaze gradually condensing.

"So, father, when are you going to have your wedding?" Moriarty turned around and asked directly.

"It should be a year from now, and there is still too much work to prepare before that." The marriage of the aristocracy is never a matter of just two people. In particular, the marriage of prominent local nobles such as the Ensberg family and the Farasha family involved the interests of all parties and needed to be coordinated, straightened out, and paved.

"I see." Moriarty nodded and sat back down on the couch.

"Don't worry, Moriarty. Although I will have a new wife, the first in line to the throne of the family will still be yours. This will not be shaken. Looking at his son, who was sitting alone opposite, the baron felt an uncontrollable guilt in his heart for no reason, and he couldn't help blurting out.

"I have no doubt about that." Moriarty smiled casually on the surface, but he didn't take it seriously at all.

Joking, for the sake of land and wealth, the baron could sacrifice even his own happiness; Then, if new chips appear in the future, Moriarty has no doubt that the Baron will not put himself on the balance of exchange. However, Moriati didn't care about the so-called first line of succession.

"And what are you going to do next, Moriarty? Your maturity and ability have become independent, and I would like to take care of all five of my family's trade routes in the south, and to transfer to you the shares of the fur workshop to be established in Tartaglia. After all, the concept of 'local processing' was first proposed by you, and I think that if you manage it yourself, it will definitely produce better benefits." "It can be seen that the baron wants to compensate Moriarty financially. In fact, he also knew in his heart that once he and his new wife gave birth to other descendants, the deflection of the Ensberg family's inheritance would inevitably occur.

"Thank you, Father. However, there is something I want to report to you. Moriarty sat indifferently and said.

"You speak." The baron's heart couldn't help but move.

"A few months ago, I received a letter from Bracada, from Uncle Schmidt."

"I already know that, you go on." The baron sat back in his chair and resumed his teacup.

"In the letter, Uncle Schmidt wanted me to go to Bracada to continue my magical studies. I thought about it for a long time, and finally decided to accept his proposal and go to Bracada to study. With that, Moriarty stood up and bowed deeply to the baron.

"You, have you already decided?" The baron muttered as he looked at his only son, who was both familiar and suddenly strange.

"Yes, it's been decided." Moriarty was categorical and categorical. …,

"When are you going to leave?" The baron sighed deeply, then smiled bitterly.

"In a month." Moriarty thought for a moment and said.

"A month? It's good. The baron wanted to stop it, but there was no reason to stop it, just as Moriarty had no reason to stop his new marriage.

"In this way, every year in the future, the family will provide you with five thousand burakada gold coins for tuition and one thousand gold coins for living expenses until you become an official mage. May I? The baron was silent for a moment, and then said in a deep voice, sounding unusually tired.

"Thank you very much for your generosity, Father." Moriarty bowed deeply.

Six thousand Bracada gold coins are almost ten thousand kingdom gold coins, which is equivalent to the entire profit of a long-distance trade of the Bracada caravan. Caravans to Bracada are only available twice a year.

"Also, my father, in preparation for my departure in a month's time, I plan to move out of the manor tomorrow." Moriarty continued.

"Really?" The baron already seemed to be somewhat "indifferent": "Where are you going to move?" ”

"I haven't thought about this yet, but the family should have a lot of quiet places in other manors." Moriarty said.

"Then go to the 'Shell Villa', which was once a favorite vacation spot of your mother, close to the town of Arte, but very quiet, you should like it. Turning back, you just let Hugo arrange it. The baron thought for a moment and finally said.

"Thank you, Father." Moriarty nodded and said, "Then, if nothing else, I'll go back to my room first." ”

"Yes, go ahead." The baron waved his hand tiredly, his eyes focused on the black tea that had cooled down.

"Then I'll quit." With that, Moriarty turned and walked out of the study.

"Moriarty." Just as Moriarty was about to walk out of the study and close the door again, the baron suddenly raised his eyes and said.

"Yes." Moriarty stopped.

"Remember, son, I will always be your father at all times." The baron looked at his only son, who was about to disappear behind the door, and whispered.

"Yes, I will always keep that in mind. I wish you a good night, Father. Looking at the baron, who had been left alone in his study, Moriarty nodded slowly, then closed the door.

The father and son were cut off from each other

The second more