Chapter 349 [Broken Aristocrats]

By daybreak, the carriage had bypassed a large road and crossed a hill, and a small farm appeared in front of it.

Chen Daolin, who was sitting in the carriage, yawned and stretched.

The space in the carriage is quite spacious, and the baron family sitting opposite Chen Daolin has a complicated complexion, especially Baron Pierre, after all, he is old, and the old man who has not slept all night can hardly hide his tiredness. But the baron's son, Bolomir, was sleepy-eyed, and had already dozed off several times along the way, before he opened his eyes and looked around in horror and alarm.

Chen Daolin had a polite smile on his face, and said in a low voice, "It looks like it's almost there, Lord Baron." ”

Baron Pierre nodded, looking at Chen Daolin, the old man's eyes stopped talking, but then he saw his son's relaxed sleepiness, and couldn't help but show a little disappointment.

At the front of the line, Montoya had already ridden a long distance, and the Holy Knight had a mounted spear in his saddle, responsible for guarding and clearing the way ahead.

At the end of the line, the hapless Ade was still on guard duty, the priest-turned-man with a tired face - he was woken up in the middle of the night, dragged out of bed, carried his luggage, and ran with everyone, which was really frustrating. To Ade's frustration, Master Montoya didn't seem to be in the mood to explain anything to him, so the poor young priest simply appointed.

The baron's mistress and the girls such as Barossa Chasha rode in a separate carriage. Chen Daolin pulled the baron father and son to share a car.

What surprised the baron even more was that it was ...... who was in charge of driving the car

A werewolf!!

......

It seems that the farm in front of me does not seem to be very prosperous, although the land is flat, but it is already the spring plowing season, the withered yellow thatch is still growing tall, the road is a little muddy, and there are only some simple farmhouses along the way. The walls are exposed to yellow mud, and occasionally a few skinny cows and goats can be seen in captivity between the farmhouses, only apparently undernourished.

Chen Daolin could judge that it seemed that the baron's estate did not seem to be as rich as he imagined, at least the farm looked depressed.

The muddy dirt road made the carriage a little bumpy, and there was no rooster crowing or dog barking, and it was early in the morning, but the farm had a sense of twilight.

Finally walked through a slope. You can see a slightly larger house in the distance.

The courtyard walls are made of stones, and they look quite sturdy, and they are old. The blue-brown stone was bare, and there was no painting of the walls, but there were weeds growing tenaciously between the crevices. The walls weren't too high, barely enough to hold an adult.

The gate is two iron fences, tall and imposing, but it is also clearly not painted for a long time, and there is rust peeling. A piece of black, black, yellow and yellow, slightly dilapidated.

The house inside is not small, but it has obviously not been repaired for many years, and creepers grow on the walls. In many places, even the windows are blocked, and they are blue and red.

The main building of the house has two floors, and there is a large natural courtyard in the courtyard wall, and the ground is fairly smooth. But presumably to save costs, no precious greenery was planted, not even cheap green lawns. Bare black dirt floors.

The porches of the house are tall...... It was evident that the baron's ancestors were indeed wide, and that the thick columns were carved from the finest stone, and that the floor on the porch steps was of fine stone.

It is commendable that in front of the porch of the house, in the middle of a fountain, is a sculpture of a samurai, dressed in imperial uniform, holding a sharp sword, and in a heroic posture - this is to show that the ancestors of the baron's family have military exploits, and also to show that the family has earned this family business through martial arts.

However, the fountain was dry, there was not a drop of water in it, and the stones around the edges were already somewhat broken.

When the carriage stopped, Chen Daolin opened the window and glanced at the mansion of the baron's mansion in front of him, the roof and walls were all gray, and it seemed that it had not been cleaned for a long time...... All in all, it seems to be the old mansion of a standard run-down country aristocracy.

Obviously, the baron's life was not as good as he had imagined.

In fact, Chen Daolin knew that this was also the general status quo of the minor nobles in many parts of the Roland Empire.

Fortunately, although the family is in tatters, the rules are still there. When the baron jumped out of the carriage, the servant from the porch of the house had come out quickly, and although he looked old, he was not slow to do things.

Chen Daolin and the others got out of the car, and a servant led the carriage and horses to the side and back of the house to take care of them.

When he arrived at his home, the Baron Pierre seemed to have regained a little confidence, and his waist was straightened a little, he casually threw the cloak he took off to the old servant beside him, made a gesture of invitation to Chen Daolin, and smiled reservedly: "Your Excellency, welcome to the Humble House." ”

Chen Daolin smiled slightly, took Barossa's little hand, and then followed the baron's family into the mansion.

From the inside, the house is indeed very large and spacious, but the smell of dilapidation is becoming more and more obvious.

There were not many servants in the huge mansion - probably not enough to support so many people.

The carpet in the hall was old, with a smell of stale that seemed to have been unventilated for many years, the curtains seemed to have faded, and the corners and corners of furniture such as tables and chairs had been worn off.

Although there were still some decorations on the walls, the paintings were shoddy at first glance, and there was no such thing as a master's handiwork - the only good ones were a few vases with freshly picked flowers, which was probably one of the few ways in which the baron's house could show off his aristocratic status.

However, with Chen Daolin's sharp eyes, he could see at a glance that these flowers were the same as those common flowers on the roadside that he had seen along the way, and they obviously didn't cost money.

Looking up, there was a huge copper chandelier overhead, but the magician's vision was extraordinary, and at a glance he could see the thick dust falling from it.

Probably sensing Chen Daolin's eyes looking around, the baron's face was a little red, and he groaned slightly, so he pretended to be calm and smiled: "It's been hard all the way, please go in and rest." Please allow me to change my clothes first. Then ......"

Chen Daolin smiled faintly: "Lord Baron, you're welcome, I just need a lounge where I can wash my face and drink saliva." ”

The baron made a noble courtesy, and left with his woman, and when he left, he seemed to intend to leave Boromir behind to greet the guests, but seeing that his son looked dazed and panicked, he sighed slightly, and simply gave up.

A servant led Chen Daolin and his party through the hall to a lounge.

Rinse water was quickly served, and there were some small snacks to eat—just ordinary pastries. It was nothing more than adding a little honey and cream, and Chen Daolin only ate one bite and put it down.

It was only at this moment that he had a personal feeling of "leaving the imperial capital".

In the imperial capital, the luxurious life of those real wealthy and powerful people seems to be really far away from them at this moment. Those ladies with exquisite makeup, fine utensils, expensive wines, gorgeous furnishings, lavish mansions. Even the servants wore southern silk robes......

"It seems that the baron's life is not very good. Chen Daolin sighed softly.

Montoya had been silent since he entered the door, probably because Chen Daolin had ordered him to slaughter the seriously wounded prisoners of war, but it still did not make the Holy Knight recover from the blow.

It was Ade, who glanced at Chen Daolin. He said lightly: "Do you think it's strange?"

"Huh?" Chen Daolin glanced at the young priest.

Ade shook his head: "In fact, most of the local nobles are not living as well as ordinary people imagined. Especially like this Baron Pierre, although he has a knighthood. But there is no official position. A rural aristocrat who has no real power can only rely on his ancestral property to survive, and at most do a little business on his own. and to maintain the dignity and pomp of the aristocratic life, the constraints on weekdays can be imagined. ”

After a pause, Ade said in a low voice: "Perhaps, this time because of your affairs, this baron has lost a lot of income." ”

"What do you say?" Chen Daolin was a little surprised.

"It's simple...... This birthday party for the baron, gifts and cash gifts from those guests. Ade's answer made Chen Daolin suddenly realize.

Not to mention that the courtyard was burned down by himself, it was enough to make this rural nobleman suffer a lot. And the gifts and gifts given by the famous people in the place to hold the birthday party should have been a calculated income in the baron's family - but most of the gifts have been destroyed by a fire of their own.

When I left the courtyard, I didn't have time to dispose of the corpses, and the two or three tables full of gifts placed in the courtyard were burned beyond recognition, and the only thing that was still well preserved was the set of knight's armor that I had given me.

I have to say that the quality of the products produced by the Pompeii Chamber of Commerce is still quite good, the knight's armor is not burned, but it is covered with a layer of burnt black color, and it is enough to wipe it - the armor is brought back, but there is no need to mention other things.

Chen Daolin was a little embarrassed.

Speaking of which, this baron had really suffered an unwarranted disaster, and if he hadn't run to his banquet, Anthony and the others would not have chased him here.

"If I'm not mistaken, the legacy of this Pierre family should be more than four hundred and fifty years. When the Augustinian Dynasty was established, the ancestor of this baron, who followed the Augustinian Emperor of the Zhongxing Empire to fight with the army, made war exploits, and then won the title of such a baron and this territory. However, in the past few hundred years, there do not seem to be any outstanding figures among the descendants of this family. Ade thought for a while and said slowly: "It's not easy for them to maintain such a shelf without breaking the house." ”

Chen Daolin showed a hint of curiosity and stared at Ade: "You actually know this?"

Ade glanced at Chen Daolin and said lightly: "In the academy of the church, they will also learn some imperial coats of arms - the pillar at the door of this house has their family's family emblem, I remember I saw it in the coat of arms." ”

Chen Daolin sighed and exclaimed: "Badge learning, I also read it when I was bored in the magic academy, there are at least more than two thousand four hundred families recorded in the badge of the Roland Empire, and there are more than nine hundred that are still inherited and not extinct, but it is difficult for you to remember them." ”

He said this on his lips, but in his heart, he was awe-inspiring: these clergy of the church, in the training of the younger generation, pay so much attention to the study of the imperial aristocracy, which shows that the ambition of the church and the imperial aristocracy to seize power has not really disappeared!

Thinking in his heart, Chen Daolin deliberately smiled: "So to speak." The life of these nobles was not easy. I really don't know how so many nobles in the Roland Empire live. ”

"How else can you ......" Ade seemed to be a little disdainful: "In the imperial capital, there are more than forty families who are qualified to gain a foothold in the imperial capital, have prominent public positions, and own the properties of the imperial capital, and only half of them can be regarded as first-class wealthy families. But in the imperial capital, there were more than three hundred people with the title of lord and above, including hereditary and lifelong honorary nobles!! Most of them did not hold any public office, and even their domains and ancestral properties were lost. With the title of a nobleman, he fought in the imperial capital. These ruined aristocrats came from all parts of the empire, some of them had a meager ancestral property in their hometowns, and some of them were simply destitute. If these people want to live, they have to give up some of their own decency.

Some people can only take refuge in some wealthy families, take refuge in those real aristocrats, work as followers, helpers, and even find a career in the chamber of commerce of some wealthy families, and be a steward or the like. Others simply rely on their titles of nobility to act as intermediaries or brokers, some of which are true and some of which are false. Some can also rely on their aristocratic titles to find some ways, help some small businessmen who come to the imperial capital to run away, and earn some hard-earned money to sell face. And some ...... It's just a cheat.

I've also heard that in the Mercenary Guild and several other guilds, several deacons with noble titles are hired to support the façade.

There are many such aristocrats. Most of them went to the imperial capital from the local area to eat mixed rice. However, naturally there are many aristocrats who are reluctant to leave it with their own faces, and refuse to put down their aristocratic pomp. Wouldn't do such a thing. I think this Baron Pierre is probably of this type. Seeing that his life is quite shabby, he still stays in this small place and does not go to the imperial capital. ”

While the two were talking, Chen Daolin's face suddenly moved, and he waved his hand at Ade, signaling him not to speak. He could already feel footsteps in the distance outside the door.

In a few moments, the door to the lounge was opened, and the old baron, who had changed into a clean shirt, strode in.

The baron seemed to have washed up, his face was a little bloody, and after entering the door, he smiled and saluted Chen Daolin, and then said tentatively: "Your Excellency is resting, if you need anything......

"No more. Chen Daolin immediately shook his head: "Thanks to the hospitality, we have a good rest." ”

The baron nodded, but a look of mixed embarrassment flashed across his face.

Chen Daolin immediately understood, smiled, and continued: "I have something to say to Lord Baron, I don't know ......"

The baron immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and hurriedly said: "There is a backyard behind my house, which is quite quiet, if your Excellency does not dislike it, please go and visit it with me." ”

......

This backyard is indeed quiet, but it is too quiet.

The crude vegetation was obviously not well maintained, and it was lazy and sloppy - Chen Daolin knew that it would cost a lot to hire a professional gardener.

But even so, the fact that a baron's life was so shabby was that he was a little surprised.

There were only two people in the backyard, Chen Daolin and the baron, and aside from his concerns, Chen Daolin decided to simply speak out.

"Lord Baron. He pondered for a moment, and after a moment of deliberation, he spoke, "I'm really sorry for what happened last night, and caused you so much trouble...... But don't worry, I will compensate you for any loss you suffer. ”

The baron's expression did not stretch much, staring at Chen Daolin quietly, and then he said in a low voice: "...... This one...... Your Excellency, your name should be, it shouldn't be Alan Jaager......"

Chen Daolin smiled: "I'm sorry, this is just a pseudonym, in order to hide my identity and avoid some unnecessary trouble." I think you've guessed a bit...... I'm carrying some trouble, so ......"

The baron's face was even more ugly.

However, Chen Daolin smiled and said: "Let's be honest, my name is Darling? Chen, my real identity is a magician, well, I also have a few titles, court mage, court knight." Court Scholars...... Well, but these court titles should have been deposed by now. But the title of professor of the Academy of Magic, should still be there. ”

The baron's eyes lit up, and then he showed a little awe: "You...... Is it really a magician?"

Chen Daolin spread his hands: "When you were in the other courtyard, you should have seen it with your own eyes." ”

Baron Pierre's face turned red, his breathing was a little rapid, and after a few deep breaths, he said in a deep voice: "Then ......"

"I'm ...... now I think I'm wanted. Oh, but rest assured, this wanted is not public. Rather, it is done in private. Because I have not been stripped of my status as a magician, even the Emperor does not have the right to openly want a magician under imperial law—but I have indeed offended the current Emperor, His Majesty Xilo, so I ......"

Contrary to Chen Daolin's expectations, when this Baron Pierre heard this, a relaxed smile appeared on his face, and he breathed a sigh of relief: "It's not a public want...... That's good!"

"Oh?" Chen Daolin was a little curious.

"I'm the Imperial Baron. Baron Pierre said: "According to the imperial decree, as a nobleman. I am obligated to uphold the laws of the Empire, and if you are a fugitive who is publicly wanted under national law, then I am obligated to arrest you...... I don't have that ability, but I can't stand indifferent to you in front of me. ”

There was a pause. He smiled: "Since you are not wanted by the law of the country, but only have a personal grudge with the emperor...... That's it. ”

"Huh?" Chen Daolin became more and more curious: "Even if it's a personal grudge, it's the emperor I offended, isn't it...... Lord Baron. Aren't you worried that I'm going to implicate you?"

Baron Pierre, this old man actually showed a sly smile on his face:

"I am an imperial nobleman, as long as I have not violated the laws of the country. The Emperor could not do anything to me, at most he was hated by the Emperor and removed me from public office - I am not holding public office anyway. As for my titles and domains, they are protected by the sacred imperial code, and even the emperor has no right to take them away at will, otherwise he would be on the opposite side of all the noble classes in the world. What am I afraid of?"

Speaking of this, the old man actually narrowed his eyes: "The Emperor of the Heavenly High is far away...... Anyway, I can't take care of coming here, but you, a noble magician with powerful powers, are standing in front of me alive - Your Excellency Darling Chen, within the borders of the Roland Empire, if you can make friends with a magician, it is something that no nobleman can ask for!"

This old man was able to say such a thing, which made Chen Dao Lingao look at him a few times.

Then Chen Daolin pondered for a moment, and then said with a smile: "I don't want to hide it from you, in fact, I took the liberty to come to your birthday banquet last night for some special reasons. I had to leave the imperial capital for my own reasons, and I was pursued privately by the emperor, although I was not afraid of such a pursuit...... But it made it impossible for me to get in touch with the School of Magic for the time being. And I happened to hear by accident yesterday in the town that you have a younger brother, Lord Baron, who is also a magician, and who was also a student of the Academy of Magic, which made me have some thoughts. I've come to your banquet to see if it's someone I know, or if it's a ...... Let's see if we can get through your brother and get in touch with the Academy of Magic, so ......"

Chen Daolin said this, but saw that the baron's face was actually red, his eyes flickered, and he seemed to be a little ashamed and shy.

"This ...... Master Darling, I think there may have been some misunderstanding in this matter. Baron Pierre's smile was a little bitter and a little embarrassed, and he said, "Indeed, my brother Quinn is a mage with the status of a registered wizard in the Magic Guild, but ...... He wasn't a graduate of the Academy of Magic. That one...... The legend of the town is actually ...... Hmmm......"

Next, Baron Pierre's words made Chen Daolin suddenly realize.

......

This Pierre family is indeed an aristocratic family on the verge of ruin. After hundreds of years of inheritance, the industry left by the ancestors has been empty, and the descendants do not know how to operate, and there are no outstanding talents in the family for several generations. Nor did he hold any public office with real power.

In Baron Pierre's generation, it was already a bit difficult to maintain the dignity of a baronial family.

But where is the real position of power in the empire so easy to obtain? This Baron Pierre was also known for his martial prowess when he was young, but the problem is ...... The empire has been peaceful for a hundred years, and there is no war!

If this Baron Pierre had been born a hundred years earlier, he might have been able to catch up with the era of the first Duke Tulip, the era of the war with the orcs, and this Baron Pierre had the strength of a low-level samurai. Although it is not very good, with the title of baron, if you join the army, you may be able to mix up an official position.

But the empire has been peaceful for too long in the past few decades, and there is no war, so there is no chance of getting ahead.

So this Baron Pierre took a different path and thought of an alternative way to revitalize the family: he had a younger brother named Quinn. It seems that he is still a little smart since he was a child.

Since there is no way to go through both civil and military paths, then let's just try the magic path!

Therefore, Baron Pierre sent his younger brother to the imperial capital many years ago, and let him participate in several magical talent tests, trying to get him into the magic academy as a student.

However, the truth is frustrating.

Although his younger brother is still quite intelligent, his magical talent is not enough to enter the selection of the magic academy.

But the baron did not give up: he learned that even if he could not become a real magician, if he could learn to become a magic apprentice, it would be a promising career! Maybe you can be rich for a lifetime. When the time comes, if you can rely on this younger brother to have a little relationship with those high-ranking nobles in the wizarding world......

So, after gritting your teeth and making a decision. Baron Pierre bet the prosperity of the family on his brother.

His younger brother Quinn did enter the Academy of Magic, but he was not a formal student, but ...... Auditors.

Auditors are a special group in the Academy of Magic.

Formal trainees. Each of them is a treasure of the Academy of Magic, and all of them are free to study in the Academy, not only that. He also enjoys superior free food and lodging, as well as free training, and is even carefully cared for and protected by the Academy of Magic.

But the auditors are different, they are some young students who are interested in taking the path of magic, but they are not talented enough to become official students, so they have to spend money to enter the academy to audit. These people can only observe the courses in the magic academy, but they do not have the same other rights and benefits as the official students, such as not being able to enter some special magic rooms in the academy, not being able to read some real magic books in the academy, and some special courses, which are also not allowed to learn.

But the auditors all have one thing in common: tuition is expensive!

It seems that Chen Daolin's introductory disciple, Lucius, the son of Governor Fritz, could not become a magician because he was unable to recite mantras because of his stuttering problem, but he refused to give up the ideal of magic, so he had to spend a huge amount of money to enter the magic academy and find someone to get a place as an auditor -- Governor Fritz was an important minister of the empire and the governor of the East China Sea! The family was rich and wealthy, so he could naturally afford such expensive tuition.

But for a small aristocrat like Baron Pierre, who was already in ruins, the tuition fees for auditors were a heavy burden!

In order to get a place as an auditor, Baron Pierre had spent almost half of his family's savings to get out of the house, and in order to pay for his tuition, he sold several pieces of his family's ancestral jewelry.

Then he finally sent his younger brother Quinn to the Academy of Magic as an auditor.

Moreover, in the past few years, in order to maintain his brother's study and research on the path of magic, the family has been fully supplied, and the Baron has devoted almost all his financial resources to his younger brother.

So now, as a dignified baron, life is so poor and poor.

Baron Pierre is not shy about it, yesterday's birthday party, in fact, according to his plan, this birthday party, he expects to receive a large amount of gifts and gifts, just to ease the recent financial tension of his own family.

And his younger brother, although he is an auditor in the magic academy, but externally, he can be regarded as a "magic academy student", and in this small town far away from the imperial capital, where do the people here know the difference between a formal student and an auditor in the magic academy?

Just hearing the name "Magic Academy Student" is enough to make the body shake, and bow down!

And because of some subtle vanity and face, the baron's family did not deliberately say it, and deliberately maintained this situation and statement vaguely.

This also makes Baron Pierre in this small local place, with a transcendent status, respected by local figures and faces, and does not dare to offend.

However, at this moment, there was a full-fledged professor of the Academy of Magic standing in front of him, and Baron Pierre naturally didn't dare to brag about this kind of cowhide anymore.

“...... I see. Chen Daolin frowned, a little disappointed in his heart: "So...... Your brother was only an auditor, so he should be a magic apprentice now?"

Based on Chen Daolin's understanding of the Academy of Magic, the selection of the academy is very reasonable and strict, since the selection was left behind, then the younger brother of this baron should really not have enough magic talent, and probably can't become a magician, and now most of them are still just a magic apprentice.

The baron was in good spirits, and his face showed a little pride: "My younger brother Quinn, after five years of auditing in the magic academy, left the academy, but later, he had another adventure, which can be regarded as the blessing of the goddess, he actually became a real magician! Just last year, he had passed the magician examination of the magic union! Now he is a real magician, and my Pierre family has also appeared a mage, hahahaha!"

Chen Daolin's heart moved: he had been selected by the Academy of Magic, but in the end he became a magician...... There's something strange about this, isn't it......

Just when he had already guessed something in his mind......

Outside the courtyard, the baron's son, Bolomir, suddenly strode in, and the baron's son looked panicked: "Father!! Oh no!! A group of local garrison cavalry came running, surrounded the house and blocked the gate! Yes, yes ......"

Chen Daolin smiled slightly, but his expression remained unchanged, and he said lightly: "Bolomir, don't shy away, these people should be looking for me, right?"

Polomeir looked strange and glanced at his father: "That...... These people ...... With them came Uncle Quinn. (To be continued......)