Which nobleman is the most suspicious? This is a strange topic, but Benjamin has heard it many times more strange than this. People who drink too much have thoughts like green-skinned, neurotic, blood-sucking ducks that you can't imagine what it is.

The tavern keeper casually added some firewood to the fireplace, and then added some free wine to the few remaining people at the table, and stood by and listened to their small talk.

"Of the twelve nobles who lived here, seven had fought with the great King To'o I, and three had family histories dating back to before the empire was founded, if the newly relocated family was included. Of course, the Count of Guise was no different. Old Todd said with a mysterious expression, "You know, the more ancient the aristocracy, the more evil its essence is, so there are many more strange things in this city than you think." You're still too young. ”

"For example?" asked Barrett, the new waiter.

"When I was younger, I worked as a servant in the house of the Earl of Guise. Old Todd took a sip of his wine, "At that time, the current Earl was only an underage boy, about the same age as Karl. He had two older brothers and a sister above him, and the old earl was in good health, and it seemed that he would have no problem living for at least another forty or fifty years, so the title was not his turn to inherit it. But when our Lord Earl came of age, his two elder brothers died suddenly, one after another, and the old Earl grew thinner and soon dying, and his older sister never came out of sight again. ”

"Is it dead?" asked Karl.

"I don't know, it was announced that it was missing at that time. Don't tell me what I'm going to say!" old Todd took another sip. "When I was young, I was in charge of the stables at the earl's house, and I was not a blower, but I was quite skilled in taking care of the horses, whether it was a war horse or a gelding pulling carts and transporting goods, I could easily handle it, so I was very favored by the old earl at that time. The old earl also said that he would promote me to be the knightly squire of his eldest son, but unfortunately, not long after he finished saying this, the eldest son of the heroic eldest son died, and the cause of death was some kind of disease that no healer had ever seen, and even the powerful healing potion made by the mage could not be used. ”

"The second son died of the same disease not long after, and the old earl was very sad, and the whole family was terrified, and servants like us did not even dare to breathe loudly during that time. Strange things happened one after another, and some people swore that they saw a black cat wandering in the attic, but when they tried to catch it, they always disappeared. ”

"You know, most black things are evil, and black cats are the most terrifying creatures among them. Old Todd looked around, satisfied that everyone's attention was focused on him, "Then the old earl was no longer good, I don't know if it was because of excessive sadness. When the old earl was buried, two branches of the Guise family also came to participate, and it seemed that they wanted to play some tricks on the succession to the title, but our earl, who was still very young at the time, easily coped with it. ”

"I don't know what they were talking about at the time, but anyway, the few people who came from the family branch that day all got on their horses from the stables with pale faces, and ran away without looking back, as if they were afraid of something. And since the old earl's burial, we servants have never seen the earl's sister again. Later, the Earl succeeded to the title in the presence of the prefect and married the daughter of the Viscount of Palm, and the old family slowly came back to life. However, on the night of the full moon, strange things often happen, some servants saw the earl's sister wandering around the garden in a white robe, and some servants heard an ethereal song coming from somewhere. And I've seen something even more terrible with my own eyes. ”

"What's the matter?" asked Karl, a little nervous.

"Two brown horses have produced a black foal! I have never seen anything more peculiar in my life!" said old Todd, his eyes wide, and then he burped, "So, if there is a collusion between the nobles and the devil, the Earl of Guise is the most suspicious." ”

"Not necessarily. Hobert, who was already a little sleepy-eyed, retorted, "I think Viscount Palme is the most suspicious. I had seen him with my own eyes, and I was quite close to the Viscount, right by his side. He was leading his servants into the jewellery shop called 'The Conquering Woman' not far from here, and I happened to be there. ”

"I've heard that everything in there is very expensive. Harriet, who was settling accounts, suddenly looked up and said.

"It's expensive, but it's worth it as a gift for the 10th wedding anniversary. Hobert said smugly.

"Your wife is so happy!" Harriet said wistfully, turning her head to look at Benjamin again, "someone wouldn't be so willing." ”

The tavern owner shook his head and smiled bitterly, and quickly covered up the topic, "Why is Viscount Palm suspicious?" ”

"He walked up to me and I immediately tasted a mixture of roses and black tea. Hobert said in a low voice.

"This is normal, everyone knows that the aristocracy likes to wear perfume and fragrance. They always make themselves fragrant, as if this can show their status as a superior person. Old Todd snorted disdainfully, "To me, it's more like a roast chicken stuffed with spices." ”

"No, the strange thing is not the smell, but the smell. Hobert said again. "When I sniffed it carefully, I smelled a faint stench of corruption from the viscount. ”

"Maybe it's because the viscount doesn't like bathing. "As far as I know, a lot of people don't like to take a bath. ”

"No, that subtle stench of corruption is very different from that of a person who does not bathe," explained Hobert, "and the smell is more like that of a dead man." My nose is very sharp, I can't smell it wrong!"

Immediately afterwards, they talked from Viscount Palme to Baron Richard, who was obsessed with theater, and from Baron Richard to the widowed Countess Telisa, and so on and so on they talked about all the eleven nobles, as if each nobleman behaved very strangely.

"And what about the family?" asked Benjamin again as he heard his new recruit.

"Didn't this family come from Saint-Watt, they haven't lived in the city for more than fifty years, and they are not really our nobles here. "In Holy Alaso, if you haven't lived somewhere for generations, you're not a person in this place at all. ”

His words were echoed by everyone except the outsider.

"Why doesn't the Magic Association have a branch in our city?" Karl asked curiously, sitting on the sidelines, "I don't think there would be so many strange things happening if the Magic Tower of the Association was in charge." Moreover, our city of San Nino is also very large, no worse than San Watt. ”

"Because these two equally rich cities are so close together, people are used to calling them 'twin cities,' like twins. Benjamin replied to his son's question, "And a high-ranking mage would not build two magic towers at such a close distance, and for a mage, there is no need for it. ”

In the middle of the moon, Benjamin led his wife and son home. He said goodbye to Barrett at the door of the tavern, "It's late, you don't have to pick up the garbage, it's too late to dispose of it tomorrow." ”

"Okay, no problem. Barry nodded and turned to close the tavern door.

I hope this guy can get a good night's sleep in a strange place, Benjamin thought to himself.

......