Chapter 270 - 214: The Lord, a Hot Commodity for Noble Ladies (4)

He had designated the hilltop a restricted military area, and outsiders were strictly forbidden. Therefore, the site for the chamber of commerce was chosen at the foot of the hill, in a spot with decent scenery.

"Out with it. What brings you here this time?"

Inside the small cabin, Baisitina poured tea for the two men and sat quietly to one side, listening.

"Ahem, Lord, I think it would be best if we discussed this in private," Si Kai said, glancing pointedly at Baisitina.

"Tina is the person I trust most. Is there anything that can’t be said in her presence? Just speak your mind."

The Lord, however, just waved his hand.

"This...?" Si Kai looked at Levi’s earnest expression, hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth, pulled several letters from within his coat, and placed them on the table.

’You decided this yourself, Lord. Don’t blame me for selling you out,’ Si Kai thought.

"What are these?" Levi asked curiously.

"Lord, these are letters to you from the noble ladies of Bailiu City," Si Kai said with a look of resignation. "They entrusted me with delivering them."

"Worri, why didn’t you say so sooner!"

The Lord was kicking himself. He could already feel the temperature beside him drop by several degrees.

But who was he? He was the Lord of High Cliff Castle. His status was undeniable.

"So, which noblewomen wrote these?" Levi asked nonchalantly.

"Just as you’d expect, they’re mostly from minor nobles—the majority are Barons," Si Kai said frankly.

Levi’s enthusiasm instantly deflated. Just a bunch of Barons. Their lands were pathetically small, their forces were mostly Militia, and their combat prowess was dubious at best.

They were of no help to him.

"Forget it. You can throw them out for me," he said, waving his hand without interest.

But at that moment, Baisitina spoke up. "Levi," she said with a smile, "since you don’t want to deal with these letters, allow me to help you."

"Alright," Levi nodded.

Baisitina took the letters, suppressing her inner excitement. Clutching them to her chest, she left the room, her retreating figure looking considerably more cheerful.

Once he was sure Baisitina was gone, Levi quickly locked the door and sat down across from Si Kai. They exchanged a look—no words were necessary.

"Lord, these are from two Counts," Si Kai said, producing two more letters from another pocket.

"Any from a Countess?" Levi asked as he took the letters.

"COUGH, COUGH..." Si Kai nearly choked on his tea. With a look of resignation, he said, "Lord, these are from two of Bailiu City’s most powerful male Counts."

"I’m acquainted with them, as it happens. They’re the ones who asked me to come and deliver their letters; I just brought the others along with them."

Hearing this, Levi’s interest waned once more. He found it difficult to muster any enthusiasm for letters written by a couple of old geezers.

As he read, Si Kai introduced the two Counts.

"Count Andao Tili is in his prime. He doesn’t have any daughters, so he probably wrote to you as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to establish a connection early on."

"Count Luke Fuss, on the other hand, is elderly. He has several daughters and one son. I suspect he wants to arrange a marriage alliance. With a son-in-law as militarily powerful as you, his own son would be in a much better position to secure the title of Count."

"Besides, you’re an outsider here in the Northern Territory. Despite your military strength, you’re not in a position to meddle in their internal politics."

Si Kai’s analysis was quite astute.

’It’s simply that I’ve become something of a hot commodity in Bailiu City, attracting a bit of investment from those with a keen eye.’

Levi shook his head and tossed the letters back onto the table. Aside from the flowery praise at the beginning, the actual text was only a few lines long, and the content was exactly as Si Kai had predicted.

Clearly, Si Kai knew these two men very well.

He stroked his stubbled chin, unshaven for a few days, and asked curiously, "Si Kai, this Count Luke... what does his third daughter look like?"