Chapter 754: Fonterra Bastide II
CH754 Fonterra Bastide II
***
This was not the first time in the century since the fall of the north-eastern fiefdoms and the Great Berserk Beast Forest’s encroachment upon the Imperial border that a noble had been sent to rule the Frontier March.
However, every noble who had come before had been sent there as a form of punishment and had done everything possible to leave as quickly as they could.
This noble and his entourage, however, seemed different.
At the very least, they had shown no obvious disdain or disgust towards the state of the territory. The most they had displayed were evaluative glances.
The guards knew what genuine disdain looked like.
They saw it on Ralf Hahn’s face almost every day.
The magistrate had spent five years serving in the territory, and he could hardly wait to leave.
As expected, the moment he finished reading the edict and realised he had been relieved of his duties as administrator of the territory, his face brightened noticeably.
The middle-aged man, now in his late fifties, then quickly tried to hide his reaction. Unfortunately for him, everyone had already seen it.
"The wisdom of the Emperor is boundless. His will shall be done," Ralf Hahn said in a hastily adopted solemn tone before carefully storing the edict within his robes and rising to his feet.
The edict also served as his official discharge letter, summoning him back to the Imperial Capital for reassignment.
Having endured one of the most undesirable postings within the Empire, he would undoubtedly return as a veteran of frontier service and likely receive preferential treatment when assigned his next position.
"Please, come. You must be tired from your journey," Ralf Hahn said. "Rest for now. The handover will take some time to prepare."
Alex studied the man for a moment before shaking his head lightly.
"There is no need to delay matters with ceremonies. Simply hand over the necessary documents, and you may be on your way. You have already sacrificed much for the Empire. There is no reason to extend your term by even a single day unnecessarily."
A gentle smile appeared on Alex’s face.
He stepped forward, shook the man’s hand, and then embraced him briefly while whispering into his ear.
"I have a chest prepared with your name on it. Consider it a gift in recognition of your years of service, and a little support as you begin your new life in the Capital."
Ralf Hahn’s eyes watered.
Alex’s words had touched the bitterness buried deep within his heart.
"Thank you for your consideration, Count Skywalker. I will have the necessary documents before you by morning," Ralf Hahn said as they separated.
The man moved as though a spring had been added to his step as he ushered the group back to his residence—a relatively lavish manor that served as the magistrate’s official residence.
Compared to the other buildings in the town, it might as well have been a fortified castle.
Indeed, it was a residence befitting a noble.
More importantly, the stench that permeated the town was greatly diminished within the estate.
Fresh flowers lined the corridors, filling the air with pleasant scents that could make one forget about the town’s foul odour entirely after living there long enough.
The manor also doubled as the territory’s administrative headquarters, and, surprisingly, there was more than enough space within the grounds to accommodate the hundred-man force Alex had brought with him, especially with them taking over the manor guard responsibility, and rotating amongst themselves.
The magistrate, having received prior notice of the handover several days earlier via messenger bird, had already tactfully vacated the manor’s master bedroom, allowing Alex and his wives to move in immediately.
After casting several [Clean] spells to bring the room up to their standards, they were finally able to sleep in a proper bed for the first time in quite a while.
Watching Zora and Eleanore change into their nightwear and sit together at the bedside, chatting softly, stirred something deep within Alex.
He felt a familiar warmth rise within him as blood rushed between his legs.
A mischievous smile appeared on his face as he approached the two women.
Wrapping his arms around them, he planted affectionate kisses upon their lips.
The women immediately understood his intentions.
Though they felt a little sorry for Udara, who was still out in town gathering information, they soon returned Alex’s affection.
Before long, the three of them spent the rest of the evening enjoying each other’s company and celebrating their arrival in their new home.
-
Alex woke late the following morning.
The sun had already risen high into the clear blue sky before he finally stirred awake.
He had undoubtedly overestimated his stamina, daring to spend the evening with not only Zora but Eleanore as well.
That said, the time spent with his wives had washed away the weariness accumulated from their long journey, leaving him refreshed and ready to face the challenges of a new day.
When Alex rose from bed, he realised his wives were nowhere to be found. Judging by what remained of their lingering scents within the room, they had been gone for quite some time.
He got up, freshened himself with the water that had already been prepared for him, and then left the room.
"Sir, the madams asked me to bring you to the study when you wake up."
Sergeant Lopota saluted.
Alex nodded and followed the Silver Wolf Guard leader to the manor’s study.
Upon entering, he found Zora and Eleanore reviewing documents alongside an unfamiliar elderly man who appeared to be in his sixties.
"You’re here," Zora said, her eyes lighting up when she saw him enter. "How was your training?"
Alex immediately caught on to the excuse they had given for his absence.
"I didn’t manage to break through yet, but the fatigue from the journey is gone," Alex replied bitterly.
"I’ve conquered that wall before. It won’t be long before I do it again."
Eleanore blushed, while Zora smiled teasingly as both women understood the hidden meaning behind his words.
They might have bested him in the ’training’ the previous night, but he was determined to get a win over them later.
The old man, however, remained completely oblivious to the conversation’s true nature. Instead, he assumed Alex was referring to a cultivation bottleneck.
Alex turned his attention towards him.
"You are...?"
"This one is called Milton, Sir Count," the old man quickly introduced himself after assessing the young noble. "I am the Vice-Magistrate of the Frontier March."
"The Vice-Magistrate? Where is Magistrate Hahn?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We figured you wouldn’t want to see him anymore, so we sent him off on his long journey back to the Imperial Capital," Zora said. "Besides, Elder Milton here is the real brains behind the magistrate’s office. He’s been keeping the Frontier March running for nearly four decades."
"Is that so?"
Alex’s eyes lit up as he looked at the old man with newfound appreciation.
"This one has merely done what he could to make the lives of the citizens a little easier," Milton replied. "Their lives are already difficult enough."
Though his tone was humble, the subtle message hidden within his words did not escape Alex.
"That is commendable. I hope you will continue doing so. At present, there is no greater asset within the Frontier March than the people who call it home."
Milton’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at the response.
***