The road leading to Golden Oak Manor in Pinghu Town is almost 70 kilometers long, and it took Victor nearly 3 hours to reach Golden Oak Manor on a swift bird.

The housekeeper of the manor received Victor graciously and said that Nicole had not returned, and that she would stay at Rose Castle for the night.

Victor filled his stomach at Golden Oak Manor, and then led twenty swift birds to Nicole's Rose Castle.

Standing on the shores of Lake Rose, the Rose Castle is a standard baronial castle consisting of a ring wall, a fortress, a castle courtyard, a castle gate, and a moat.

As the center of power in the barony, Rose Fort was surrounded by logistics facilities such as material warehouses, freight yards, cavalry stables, barracks, blacksmith shops, and armament workshops, as well as some houses for craftsmen and soldiers' families.

As farmers developed the land around Rose Lake, there were more and more houses, streets and shops, and a settlement of more than 9,000 people gradually formed. Then, the church sent a priest to build a chapel, and the settlement was elevated to a small town, Rosetown.

Pioneer Collar usually develops in this way, but Rose Town was planned by Victor himself, and the layout of the town's houses, streets, shops, squares, churches, and even landscaping green belts and sewers is similar to that of Pinghu Town, clean and tidy and future-oriented.

In fact, Barony Phinicos' villages, workshops, streams, reservoirs, pastures, farmland, as well as a 600-strong mercenary corps and 50 Swiftbird hussars were all run by Victor. He had promised Nicole a rich territory.

Today, the promise has been kept.

By the time Victor and his guards arrived in Rosetown, it was completely dark.

The captain of the guard in charge of the night vigil heard the cry of the swift bird and immediately stepped forward, and personally escorted Viscount Randall to the drawbridge of Fort Rose. He waved his torch a few times in the opposite direction, and it wasn't long before the heavy drawbridge was lowered with a "creaking" sound.

Victor crossed the drawbridge, and Nicole's butler Joffrey and several attendants greeted the man with the etiquette of greeting him, bowed his hand, and said, "My lord, welcome back." ”

"Where's Nicole, did you sleep?" said Victor, uncloaking off his cloak and handing it to one of the castle attendants, striding into the small castle vestibule.

Joffrey followed Victor and said as he went, "Madame is resting in the fireplace room on the fourth floor, and I will send someone to inform her." ”

"No, I'll go find her myself. Arrange accommodation for my guards, and send someone to take care of the swift bird mounts. Victor commanded.

"As you wish, my lord. The Joffrey butler stroked his chest and retired.

Four castle attendants held aloft the menorah and led Victor and the two guards into the large Knights' Hall.

Connected to the antechamber, the Knights' Hall is the largest room in the castle and is mainly used to entertain guests and receive vassals. In the center of the hall are long tables and chairs. On one wall of the hall is a large fireplace that heats the hall during the water season.

Directly above the fireplace was a huge bone rod nailed.

That's Nicole's loot.

There was also a specimen of the old ogre's head, and her subordinates hung the monster's head and its weapons in the most prominent position on the wall as the glory of their masters.

Ogre is a humanoid monster, its facial features resemble humans, but they are even more terrifying. Victor believed that it would always be uncomfortable to hang such ugly decorations in the Knights' Hall. He insisted on burning the old ogre's head to ashes. However, Nicole loved the specimen because it was a testimony of her love affair with Victor.

Eventually, the ogre's skull specimen was stored in the storage room of Rose Castle.

Victor glanced at the bone stick on the wall, and secretly regretted that he had not burned its owner in the first place.

Following the spiral wooden staircase of the tower, Victor ascended to the fourth floor of the castle. At the entrance of the road, a heroic female probationary knight and two maid swordsmen used the light of the candle to see the uninvited guests going upstairs. They inserted their swords into their scabbards and curtsy, "Good night, my lord." ”

This female trainee knight has a capable short hair, a convex figure, straight legs are slender and powerful, the facial features are as deep as sculptures, and the high nose bridge and thick eyebrows and big eyes make her appearance a little less feminine and more heroic and strong.

Her name is Lauveta, and she was originally the secret knight of the Rose Manor. Nicole became a vassal lord of the House of York, and Sylvia arranged for her three subordinate knights, and Levita was one of them.

Levita comes from a humble background and relies on the cultivation of bloodlines to be promoted to a trainee knight, but as a secret knight cultivated by the Rose Manor, her personal strength and will to fight are enough to crush ten Alices. It's just that she's 29 years old this year, she's past her prime, and her combat power will decline with age, and it's precisely because of this that Sylvia let her and her two companions break away from the sequence of secret knights and follow a baron lord.

The other two knights started a family, and her husband, Jomoson, was canonized by Nicole as a lord and served as the garrison of the realm, responsible for guarding the southern fortress. Only Lauveta is currently single.

Hey, Levita is good-looking, has a good figure, is still strong, and the most important thing is that she has a simple background, which is just right for Nelson...... Well, I'm a little older, and my blood is a little worse, but I have a recovery potion, which will definitely help her resonate with the 11 elemental positions, enhance her strength, and delay aging...... Victor looked the female cadet up and down, smiled and said, "Lavita, is Lady Nicole asleep?"

Lauvita was a little inexplicable by Victor's staring, but she was self-aware and didn't misunderstand that the man was interested in her. She honestly replied, "I don't know." ”

"I'll go see her myself. Victor nodded and ordered, "Renault, Shak, you can find your own room to rest." Lavita, you ask the bathroom on the fourth floor to prepare hot water, and I'm going to bathe in a moment. ”

"Yes. ”

With a wave of her hand, Lauvita took the menorah from the hands of the castle attendants, one leading Victor to Nicole's bedroom, and the other with Renaud and Shaq to choose a resting room.

As soon as Victor reached the door, he heard Nicole say inside, "Honey, the door is not locked, come in by yourself." ”

Pushing open the oak door, Victor's beautiful back came into view, her long hair and shawl, wearing a nightdress, kneeling barefoot on a round stool, leaning against the long wooden table, sewing a garment. The soft light bloomed in more than a dozen crystal lampshades, outlining the charming and warm body curves through her loose and thin gauze skirt.

Victor closed the door, took off his boots, stepped on the fluffy woollen carpet, and stood quietly behind her for a moment.

Nicole realized this, turned back to Victor and smiled sweetly, and was busy with the needlework in her hands.

"Are these my clothes?" Victor walked over to the wooden frame, picking up his cloak and coat and examining them carefully. The materials used in the garments are particularly exquisite, and the workmanship is exquisite, and there are not even traces of stitch in the joints of the fabric, which is a unique and cumbersome sewing technique.

"My dear, I didn't expect you to have such a tailoring skill. Victor exclaimed.

"When I sew the sleeves of this shirt, you put it on for me to see, if it fits. Nicole said as she threaded the needle.

Victor rehung his cloak and coat, found a nearby chair and sat down, admiring Nicole's skillful and smooth movements, "I went to Golden Oak Manor first, and the housekeeper said you were in Rose Castle, and I came to you again...... My dear, why don't you do these things in the manor, which is much more comfortable than the castle. ”

Castle life is far less romantic than one might think. For defensive purposes, the castle has cramped windows and cramped spaces, and for fire prevention, only the knights' hall and a few living rooms have fireplaces, and no random lighting is allowed in the corridors. As a result, the castle is poorly ventilated and lit, and it is dark and damp all year round. Rats ran around in the straw on the floor, and the castle attendants, who had a limited number of people, had to release many cats and dogs to deal with these annoying thieves. The musty smell in the air and the stench of animal feces are mixed together, and it is not to mention the sourness.

Designed by Nicole's brother, Lord Anthony, the Rose Castle has nearly two hundred rooms, enough to accommodate more than 600 people, but only 57 soldiers and servants are stationed in the castle. This amount of manpower is sufficient to maintain the basic repair and fire prevention needs of the castle, and it is simply not enough to maintain a clean and comfortable environment.

"Victor, you rarely talk to me about your family, do you have a castle at home?" asked Nicole in a soft voice.

Victor drew the little baron's memories in his mind, shook his head, and said, "There is a castle. However, my father was a baron of the royal family, and the castle was the property of the royal family. It is almost a hundred years old, and there are many eerie stories that circulate it, and it is said that some people will disappear inside for no reason. I once saw a white skeleton with my own eyes, and it had been 15 years since the unlucky guy accidentally broke his neck while repairing the castle window. ”

"We lived most of the time in the farmstead, but during the windy season, my father would take the family to stay in the castle for a few days, to meet the farmer, to attend to trivial matters, or to entertain the royal tax collector. Anyway, I'm always scared and definitely don't dare to sleep alone. Trust me, it's not a good memory. Victor shrugged his shoulders and shivered.

"Poor little Victor. Nicole glanced at Victor sympathetically, slicing the fine spider silk from the copper needle with her fingernails and tying it deftly, "My father has the title of Lord of the House of York, but he doesn't have a castle of his own. My mother, who was originally a tailor in the family, was pampered by my drunken father and gave birth to me. As you know, I'm an illegitimate daughter......"

"Now, you are a noble lord, a mighty knight, and the pride of your parents!"

"Don't interrupt. Nicole sneered, paused, and continued, "I grew up listening to stories about knights and castles, and dreamed of one day owning my own castle, whether as its owner or hostess. Of course, the most fantasies were to be the mistress of the castle, and I was in charge of the affairs of the whole castle: whether the tiles of the watchtower roof needed to be replaced, whether the rainwater cistern needed to be repaired, and whether the servants were urged to tie small bells to the fruit trees in the courtyard and drive away the birds that stole the fruit. Well, I'll also record the offerings made by the farmers in the tax books. When night fell, I asked my husband to prepare dinner and eat with my husband and children. Then let the maid pour hot water into a large wooden barrel, sprinkle fragrant spices and flowers, and serve her husband to bathe. We may need a very, very large barrel and then inlay the edges with material to make the barrel stronger and not break easily. ”

Victor nodded and smiled: "Boiling water and bathing in the castle is a very luxurious thing, and it can be said to be a privilege of the castle owner's family. My father would invite friends and guests to bathe together, which really required a very large, very strong barrel. ”

However, this privilege would seem particularly ridiculous to the great nobles. They have many castles that symbolize wealth and power, but they like to live in comfortable and luxurious villas, just like we do now. ”

Nicole glanced at Victor and said softly: "I awakened the knight blood at the age of 14, was elected to the Rose Manor, and was accepted as a disciple by Teacher Trisley to receive knightly education. My female companions marveled at the beauty and sophistication of Rose Manor, and disdained the family castle. I have to cater to everyone's opinions, but I've always had fantasies about castles. ”

"Do you know why?"

"Because, they have a castle, and I don't. Nicole sewed the left sleeve of her silk shirt as she spoke, and began to sew the other sleeve.

Victor was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Baby, you now have a baronial title, a castle, a domain, loyal and heroic knights and vassals, and hundreds of well-armed and well-trained mercenaries. It has taken you more than ten years to realize the dreams of several generations. Your story has been sung by bards and inspired countless young nobles who have traveled all the way to the hills to make their dreams come true. ”

The corners of Nicole's lips rose, and she said softly, "I still have you." ”

Victor said with a straight face: "Honey, I must remind you that I own you. For the sake of my self-esteem, don't do it the other way around. ”

"Well, my love, you own me. Nicole sneered, shook her head, and said, "Honey, you seem to be a natural nobleman. When you conquer your territory, you live in a shack like a palace. Later, Randall led the construction of the first castle, and he didn't see how happy you were, and the castle seemed to you as if it was not worth mentioning. ”

"The castle in Pinghu Town made me happy for two days. The freshness passed, and I had to worry about the money. Victor spread his hands and said, "The pioneer lord is always short of money. ”

Nicole pursed her lips and smiled, "I didn't worry about money. ”

"Baby, I'm here today to tell you that your good days are over. Victor said viciously: "From now on, you have to worry about our money bags." ”

Nicole put down the shirt in her hand and asked enthusiastically, "Tell me about it." ”

"Uh...... Can you sew the sleeves for me? Victor propped his chin in his hands and said, "We can talk about mercenaries first." ”

Nicole nodded, continued to sew up her sleeves, and said, "I will go back to the Rose Manor this time and teach the Blue Wolf Skill and the Eaglelion Skill to the Fangs Legion. Madame Caterina was very impressed with both of these skills, and she asked me to bring you a message. ”

"What did she say?"

"She thinks it's best to maintain the size of the mercenary corps of 500 people, and she hopes to be able to discuss this with you in person. ”

Victor pondered for a moment, then bowed his head and said, "There are family political reasons for this, but I believe in Katerina's military vision, but it's not yet time for us to take a stand...... "After a pause, he asked instead, "Does Lauvita have a marriage partner?"

"No, I don't. Nicole looked at Victor warily and raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?

Victor coughed dryly and explained, "It's Nelson...... The Duke of York wanted to marry this guy, and he valued the Randalls' influence on the strategy of the Grand Army. You know, because of Anna's business, I can't refuse the Duke of York and Katerina. I fear that other vassal lords will make similar requests, and they will use them to offset the pressure of the Duke of York's marriage to the Randalls. If that's the case, Nelson will have a lot of fun. ”

Nicole bowed her jaw and said, "I see what you mean." Teacher Trisley is Lady Sylvia's knight of the guard, and you are Madame's intimate companion. In fact, we Randall are descendants of Rose Manor, and Lauveta was born as a secret knight of Rose Manor, and Lord Nelson married her as another lady, which is in line with our position. As she spoke, she smiled, "I'll take a chance to ask Levita for her opinion." ”

"Hopefully she won't dislike Nelson. Victor smiled and asked, "Do you remember my instructor Barrett?"

"Of course, he's missing. Nicole said indifferently: "What you didn't say, I won't ask." ”

"I was about to tell you about it. Victor pondered for a moment and said, "Barrett is under my orders to secretly form a large mercenary group, and they will explore the development direction of the large army in actual combat. Only when I have detailed information can I talk to Katerina about the mercenary corps. ”

"In addition to Barrett's large mercenary group, I also have a dozen small mercenary groups that specialize in smuggling goods. ”

"Smuggled goods?" Nicole glanced at Victor quizzically.

"That's ......"

Victor told the origin, progress, and idea of the Golden Regiment, and as he narrated, Nicole stopped her needlework, her mouth slightly open, and her face full of incredulity.

After Victor finished speaking in one breath, he asked expectantly, "Honey, what do you think of the Golden Regiment plan?"

After a long pause, Nicole muttered, "You decided to take the risk of smuggling goods in order to sell coffee at a high price? And because the size of the smuggling caravan was too small, you designed a public carriage? Then, you are not satisfied, and plan to annex Sophia's Chamber of Commerce? Next, you want to unite the powerful lords of various kingdoms to jointly run the Golden Regiment? So, the Centaur Hills Two-Headed Lizard Joint-Stock Chamber of Commerce is also part of your plan?"

"That's right. Victor nodded smugly and said, "Tell me what you think." ”

Nicole's eyes flashed and she asked, "So, Lady Sylvia doesn't know your plans, Miss Chebman doesn't know your plans, Sophia doesn't know your plans, only I know?"

Victor was speechless for a moment, the Golden Regiment plan was far more shocking than the water conservancy project, and Nicole was concerned about this kind of thing.

"And Lilia knows. Victor scratched his head and said helplessly, "Sylvia wants Sophia to stay in the centaur hills, and I don't want her knights to interfere in the affairs of Randall's territory." The plan is to separate Sophia from her men, so that her men will follow our orders and concentrate on running the Golden Order. When Sophia realizes that she has been calculated, she will inevitably anger Lilia and Nelson. Lilia is under a lot of pressure, she is not suitable to take care of the affairs of the Golden Regiment anymore, I hope you can take over. Of course, she's also the head of the Randall family, and she'll help you with all matters in my absence. ”

"Like the Lord's Lady?"

Victor smiled, "You were originally my lord's wife. ”

"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" asked Nicole, narrowing her eyes and smiling.

Victor was prepared for this question, and he said confidently: "In the beginning, the smuggling caravan was just a trivial matter. I didn't expect my money-making plans to grow bigger and bigger, Lilia and Nelson couldn't handle it, and now only my wife could share the responsibility for me. ”

"Really? Then I'm going to think about it. Nicole smiled slyly, lowered her head, and concentrated on the needle and thread in her hand.

After a moment, Victor asked cautiously. "Honey, are you angry?"

Nicole shook her head, picked up the sewn shirt, stood up and said softly, "Try I'll sew clothes for you." ”

Victor changed into Nicole's sewn shirt, coat, trousers and cape, and looked at himself and Nicole in the mirror, feeling warm, "It fits perfectly." I love it. ”

Nicole put her arms around Victor from behind, pressed her cheek against him, and said, "I am a vassal lord of the House of York, and I cannot accompany you to the king's coronation, but the dress I sewn with my own hands will cling to you." ”

Victor's heart trembled, turned around and hugged Nicole into his arms, and said emotionally: "Honey, you are the first person to sew clothes for me......"

"Nonsense. Are those clothes of yours conjured up?" said Niri teased with a coquettish smile in her lover's arms.

"That's not the same ......"

Before and after Victor's crossing, his mother died young, and no one had ever selflessly sewed clothes for him. It was only at this moment that he realized that the unknown Nicole had always been his most important person.

"I heard a story. The farmer takes his two sons to work in the fields every day, the wife prepares food for her husband and sons at home, and the farmer and his son eat and sleep when they return home. Day after day, year after year, at last one day they came home and saw hay on the table, and the husband and son were shocked and asked the woman, "Is there something wrong with the brain?" and the wife said, "You never told me that you don't eat hay!"

Victor sighed: "The people we tend to overlook the most tend to be the people who care about us the most. ”

"And do you want to hear me now?" asked Nicole softly as she stared into Victor's eyes.

"Yes, I'd love to!"

"Honey, don't let Sophia come back. Nicole shook her head, hugged Victor and said, "She'll take you away from me." ”

Victor was stunned for a moment and smiled bitterly: "Nicole, you have no confidence in me?"

"Do you have confidence in yourself? Hmph, I was immediately smitten by Judy and Gillian, Sophia was prettier than both of them. Nicole snorted, stroked her lover's face, and sighed, "This is also what fascinates the high-ranking female knights. If you don't have it, you always want to have it, and if you don't have it, you always want to get it back, and every footprint we leave behind is precious, which is related to the future gold field, including love. ”

"Sophia is already standing at the door of the Elemental Sea, but her career is about to collapse, and the only thing she can hold on to is you, the Randall family. She'll make herself fall in love with you, and she'll do everything she can to get rid of the Randalls, and she'll do everything she can to get rid of me. Lady Sylvia knew that, and I knew she would. Nicole hugged Victor and trembled and pleaded, "Don't let her come back to you, my dear." ”

"Okay! I won't let her come back. Victor said firmly.

"Really?" Nicole raised her teary eyes, and then asked worriedly, "What about Lady Sylvia?" ”

"There's always a way, I can always think of a way. Victor said in a deep voice.

The butterfly flapped its wings and set off a hurricane. Victor and Nicole would not have imagined that because of this decision, they would change the political landscape of Gambis, so much so that Victor would fall into an inexplicable predicament, and eventually change the course of human history.

However, if you can't even defend your lover, what's the point of power and power?

It's all worth it.