Otto Kwin, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looked at his daughter who had "escaped" from Edward's arms in a panic, and the "Lord of Hornfort" who was standing there unfazed, saluting him, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh, which made the old man temporarily suppress his mood.

"Let's go back to your room first, Alan. Although the words were said with a sense of concern, they were in such an unquestionable tone. Raised his eyebrows, which were a little gray at first: "It's not too early, it's time to go back and rest." ”

“...... Yes, Father. The blonde girl only hesitated slightly, still choosing to obey. At this time, the little maid who served Alan walked in from outside, took Allen by the shoulders and walked up the stairs, and glanced at Edward with a little pitiful gaze, and then retracted her neck like a squirrel and pretended that it had not happened, although both Edward and Otto saw it.

Only Edward Witwood and Otto Kwyn were left on the stairs of the castle, and Edward, still smiling, stood in place, looking at Otto with his hands behind his back. Otto's face was still so serious, but he was still so calm, as if he was looking at him.

"It looks like you're not the same squire you were from over a year ago. Otto said in a deep voice, "But you are still you—as you said at Fort Horn, nature does not change." ”

"Thank you for the compliment. Edward bowed slightly: "I just found my goal, this is probably the only difference between me and my original self, I hope I haven't disappointed you now." ”

"It's too early to say that. Otto turned and beckoned to Edward, "Come with me." I know there's a place where two men can have a good chat without being disturbed. Viscount Edward Witwood. ”

"Thank you for having me. It's an honor under that. Edward then bowed respectfully, beat his chest with his right hand and saluted behind his left hand, and a smile rose at the corner of his mouth: "Dear Viscount Otto Kwyn." ”

Otto Kwin, who was quite unimpressed by Edward's "contrived" appearance, just nodded and walked outside. Passing through the side door next to the castle hall, the two men entered a rather "hidden" room - cobwebs and piles of dust everywhere, and there was a foul smell in the air, as if it hadn't been opened for hundreds of years.

But Otto Kwyn's face showed a look of nostalgia - only for a fleeting moment. Somewhat curious, Edward looked around, though empty. But it is quite spacious, there is even a fireplace and windows, and the solid floor is mostly made of green bricks, and the echo of stepping on it is completely different from that of ordinary stones.

"This room ......"

"Seira's room hasn't been touched since he left—I told the servants to move everything out, and this room is the only one left. After a pause, the old man said, "No one will come here - no servant will clean the dead, so you don't have to worry about anything!"

"May the heroic spirit of Sir Serra find salvation and peace in the eternal starry kingdom. Edward replied softly, "But I still don't know, what is your purpose in bringing me here?"

"Because this will be your room in a moment, Edward Witwood. Otto, who had his back to him, threw over a bottle of cherry wine: "Taste it." Serra's favorite drink was cherry wine when she was alive - Fort Hague didn't produce it, every time I left. He would beg me to bring a bottle back. ”

"My room?"

"Before you and Alan get married, and before you really become the lord of Fort Hague. Otto said in a deep voice, "I will have this room cleaned, so that they will understand that you are my heir, and that the future lord of Fort Hague, whether it is Lawrence or the other knights of the castle, will swear allegiance to you." ”

"But you need something from me. Edward asked, "Can you tell me what it is?"

"What exactly do you want to do?" Otto stared at Edward, "I swore that as long as it was someone Alan liked, even a squire who didn't even have the qualifications to inherit Fort Hague, I would accept it! But now that you're no longer an acolyte, even if it's only a territory like Fort Horn, I want to know where your ambitions are?"

"If you're just an acolyte, that's easier - I just have to think about what to do with Holard's old man, and I'll be able to protect you and Alan in The Hague Castle. Even if this castle is returned to His Majesty, I will have no complaints!"

"Are you afraid that my ambitions will ruin the Kwyn family and Fort Hague?" Edward asked rhetorically, "Standing in front of you, what crazy thing will this arrogant boy do?!"

"I'm afraid you're going to kill Eren at some point. Otto replied coldly: "Your every move in Turin Lawrence told me truthfully, you are really eye-opening!"

"The Knights of the Sacred Tree, the Royal Attaché, the Imperial Council, the Dominica Emissaries, the Capital Riot...... It's been quite busy, and I have to admit that I didn't see you through at all, but just some lucky little squire - I'm afraid becoming a lord of Fort Hague is part of your goal, right?"

"Looks like you already know what I want to do. Edward uncorked the bottle and took a sip, "Then why do you ask more?"

"You want to fight the Minesters, and you think you can do it. Otto said coldly, "But if you think that you can do this with a small Hague and Horn Fort, then you are simply arrogant to the point of losing your mind!"

"Do you think no one has tried to do this before you? It's naïve - Minest's power is spread throughout the western part of the kingdom, the richest and most prosperous towns and ports are under their control, and every galleon is their power, and these ships and caravans bind the whole kingdom together and form the source of their wealth, which no lord can easily shake!"

"Yes, no matter how rich the territory is, if there is no merchant to buy it, it will only rot in the mud - I think not many lords of Turin would like to live without jewelers, wine merchants, and grocers. Edward nodded, "But what if it's the lords of the entire South, what if everyone starts to decide that they don't want to rely entirely on the Mineste family anymore?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I didn't expect to defeat the Minesters once or a few times - destroying a tower starts with the foundations, of course, but when it first appears, everyone grinds their teeth on wooden beams as a swarm of rats. Edward chuckled.

"This will be a long and smokeless war, Marquis Holard Minest is strong enough to make the entire family prosperous with the power of one person, but that power is not only his alone, but also the accumulation of the Minest family for hundreds of years!"

But the family never produced anything - the finest jewellers and stonecarvers, skilled tailors and budget-conscious merchants. They can transport treasures from the west coast to the bloody cliffs of the east, and they can make mediocre stones worthless, but they have never produced anything, and there are not even a few farmsteads in the territory of Seahorse Harbor!"

"They depend on the whole of the South - and the lords of the whole South can only rely on them. Otto shook his head: "It's impossible to get any benefit from those lords by going against the Mineste family!"

"There's no need to go against Minest, just one more choice!" Edward's face finally showed an excited smile: "From the port of The Hague, with Fort Clarion as a transit point - we can have a complete new route to sell what is produced in the soil of the south to the north of the Kingdom of Dominica!" (To be continued......)