Chapter 43: Chapter 41: Together again~

“No, I’m too busy,” Ren Xiyang said immediately.

Baron Carmine scowled. “Earl Rosewood, understand that you’re now a lord, not a lazy child!”

Ren Xiyang remained unperturbed. “Do lords have to accept all challenges by law?”

Baron Carmine gritted his teeth. “There may not be law but you accepted Prince Rian’s challenge—”

“Then there’s no law.” Ren Xiyang looked away in a dismissive manner. “Unless you pay me 2500 gold and organise the referee and shields, I’m too busy.”

He pulled out the number ‘2500’ gold subconsciously. It would pay employee salaries for the entire year, be enough investment for some other projects, and still give hefty pocket change. It was too high for anyone to actually pay it—

Baron Carmine snorted. “Only 2500 gold? Done! And when I win…heh, you can immediately head to the Capital to speak to the King for me!” When he saw the young earl freeze, Baron Carmine felt a sense of victory. So, the Rosewood fief was poor! He didn’t care about the number anyway, since he was going to win of course and not pay up.

Ren Xiyang could suddenly see gold in his future. Wasn’t this a free delivery of fortune right to his door? He looked at Baron Carmine. “Since you’re sincere, I agree to duel with you. Please prepare a contract. I’m also not familiar with duelling arrangements.”

Baron Carmine smirked. That suited him perfectly. “You want me to instate a referee and shield caster?”

“Yes please.”

Baron Carmine sneered slightly at the politeness. “Very well. Don’t worry, I’ll have a healer mage on call too.” He oozed confidence and superiority.

“My grateful thanks,” Ren Xiyang said drily. Posturing men were a dime a dozen, did Baron Carmine think he was uniquely threatening? “I’ll see you later on the duelling field, Baron Carmine.” Ren Xiyang walked to the door and opened it. “Kel, escort Baron Carmine out.”

Kel bowed. “Yes, my Lord.”

After Baron Carmine left, Ren Xiyang returned to his study room. Rather than looking at expensive ways to make money, Ren Xiyang pondered to himself: how could he drag out the duel? He would feel guilty if he didn’t give Baron Carmine his money’s worth.

 

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At lunch time, Kel delivered his meal.

“My Lord, Baron Carmine intends to hold the duel in front of the manor grounds, where you previous duelled His Highness Prince Rian. Baron Carmine has also spread the news that he will be duelling you in three days. Many people might come and watch…”

Ren Xiyang straightened, seeing more opportunity. His eyes and lips curved slightly in a meaningful way. “That’s convenient. We can spread the news too. Kel, have the cooks produce small snacks and drinks and sell them to the audience on the day. Have both accessible and expensive items. You can also prepare dedicated seating to audience members willing to pay, for example, elevated seats, or with shade.”

This way, Baron Carmine could help him make even more money, heh.

Kel blinked, quickly catching on. “Yes, my Lord.”

The reliable Kel hurried down to the kitchens to deliver Earl Rosewood’s latest plan. Compared to Earl Rosewood’s other plans, this was practically normal!

 

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Rian was relaxing in his armchair in his study room. The crystal ball on the table in front of him was connected to Ayden’s crystal ball. Rian was interrogating Ayden about various matters (food) when Ayden suddenly said:

“—Oh, and Baron Carmine challenged me to a duel. I accepted.”

Rian snapped up straight in his armchair. “Pardon?! You have a duel planned with me first, Earl Rosewood!”

“He agreed to pay me 2500 gold when he loses,” came Ren Xiyang’s nonchalant reply.

Rian: “…” He cursed that Earl Rosewood’s crystal ball wasn’t advanced enough to transmit images, or else he would have given the earl a look.

And dammit, he knew that money was Ayden Rosewood’s weak spot! If Baron Carmine simply threw gold coins around on the duelling field, he might even win instead of Ayden!

“I’ll be there,” Rian vowed.

“It’s a waste of time to travel over just for this.”

“No.” Rian smirked to himself. “Earl Rosewood, this is a great excuse and opportunity. Don’t forget your promise.” And maybe he could lure the earl back to the Capital too.

Ren Xiyang’s mood inexplicably picked up. “Hm, then I’ll await your arrival.”

 

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The news made its way to the Capital and into Count Aegean’s ears.

Count Aegean instantly went alert. He dismissed the servant who had just delivered the news and hurried to visit a certain Prince Rian—

He had a headache upon seeing the prince’s servants packing.

“You heard the news, didn’t you?” Count Aegean said with a scowl. “You’re thinking of running back to Rosewood fief, aren’t you? Before you duel Earl Rosewood again, perhaps you should train some more!”

“Then I should train under Earl Rosewood?” Rian innocently mused. “I’ve already told my Imperial Mother that I’m going. My little brother is coming with me.”

Actually, Rian didn’t want his little brother to come with him, also known as a wonky third wheel between him and Ayden Rosewood. But his little brother wanted to see Earl Rosewood duelling and his Imperial Mother had told him to take his younger brother to see more of the kingdom.

One did not deny the Queen’s orders.

“Then, I’ll—I’ll—” Count Aegean wanted to say that he’ll go with them, but he didn’t want to go with them. They already had tofu transported to the Capital, he didn’t want an aching behind again.

“Alexius’ tutor, your younger brother Sir Gerlach, will be coming with us,” Rian said. “You can tell him all of your instructions.”

Count Aegean pursed his lips. His own younger brother Gerlach Aegean was reasonably serious, but he was also much too relaxed and lenient in Count Aegean’s eyes.

For the Aegean family, it was good that Gerlach never had intention to contest the heirship. He had been assigned as tutor to Prince Alexius because Prince Alexius was also not in line to become the Crown Prince.

Count Aegean wavered. He really should go. But he really didn’t want to go.

“You can also assign me some reading to do,” Rian said. “I’ll also bring back more tofu from the Rosewood fief for you.”

“Very well,” Count Aegean capitulated. “I mean, I will assign you a lot of reading, and it will all be tested the moment you come back.”

Rian gave his cutest smile. “Thank you, Count Aegean!”

 

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The day before the duel, Rian set off.

Alexius and Gerlach Aegean were both sitting his carriage. Their servants were in a second carriage. Their Royal Guards riding on horses flanked the carriages.

This was the longest period of time Rian had ever spent with his younger brother in recent memory.

“—Wait, so, so, Ayden Rosewood can really knock allllllll of your ice shards out of the sky?” Alexius asked as though he hadn’t asked twice already.

For a moment, Rian could almost sympathise with Count Aegean. Was this how Count Aegean felt when Rian was being deliberately annoying?

“Did Sir Gerlach teach you how to cast ice shards yet?” Rian said instead, pulling Alexius’ attention slightly away from him.

Alexius nodded. “Yes! I’m really good!”

“Prince Alexius is very good,” Gerlach said with a smile.

Alexius’s eyes suddenly lit up. “What if! What if you and me both duel Earl Rosewood at the same time! We’ll definitely defeat him!”

“Our Imperial Mother would execute me,” Rian said drily.

Alexius opened his mouth—

Rian pulled back the curtains. “Oh, look, isn’t that Redmond town?”

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Rather than pulling back the curtains on his own side, Alexius leaned bodily over Rian to look out the window.

“No, that’s not it!”

The view from the window were farmland and countryside. That inspired Rian to tell Alexius all the farming knowledge that Earl Rosewood had told him to the point that Alexius became sleepy and tipped over onto Rian’s lap in an impromptu nap.

 

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The Imperial group finally arrived at the Rosewood summer manor in the late afternoon.

Ren Xiyang hadn’t bothered to meet with the random nobles who decided to come to the Rosewood summer manor earlier. In fact, it was a pain since by etiquette he should host them for free in the manor.

However, Prince Rian was a different matter. Ren Xiyang waited at the front of the manor when he detected Rian’s approaching heat signature. His expression was blank though because he could also detect strangers near Rian.

The two princes and one Sir Gerlach climbed out of the Imperial carriage.

Ren Xiyang bowed first. “Your Highnesses, welcome back to the Rosewood fief.”

“Good afternoon, Earl Rosewood,” Rian replied. “You’ve met my little brother, Prince Alexius. This is Sir Gerlach Aegean, my brother’s tutor.”

“Hello, Sir Aegean.”

“Good afternoon, Earl Rosewood,” Sir Gerlach bowed slightly. In terms of seniority, he was the lowest among this group of young boys.

Aaron stepped forward and bowed. “Your Highnesses, Sir Aegean, your suites have been prepared already.”

Rian glanced at his little brother. “I’m perfectly well, but I think Prince Alexius will like a rest—”

“NO, I’m coming with you!” Alexius insisted.

“Come, then,” Ren Xiyang said.

Alexius regretted what happened next.

Earl Rosewood made them walk all around the estate! As they walked, Earl Rosewood and his brother started to talk like boring adults!

Earl Rosewood showed Rian (and thus everyone else following) the new tofu mill and wholesale store, pointing out how the mill could still run by horse-power if the wind was lacking. He showed them the vegetable gardens, where various quick-growing vegetables were maturing. Then he went to the farms and had some of the farmers demonstrate the new and improved ploughs.

Then, he went further out into the farms and showed them the small joint waste-treatment warehouse and fertiliser-creation facility.

There were many layers, so it wasn’t stinky from the outside.

But just knowing what was inside made Alexius imagine the most stinky smell ever. Blegh! He didn’t know if he wanted to eat dinner anymore!

“And oh, your Highness,” Earl Rosewood said to Rian, “As promised, I’ll cook for you while you’re here.”

Before Rian could reply, Alexius bounced back from his dejected posture. “You can cook? Aren’t you a noble? Why would you do that!”

Rian strongly rubbed the top of his brother’s head. “He wasn’t inviting you.”

“Oh, but you get to eat something made by Earl Rosewood, then I should too!”

Ren Xiyang stepped back slightly, watching in faint amusement as the two brothers bickered.

Rian even tried to bribe Alexius, but Alexius wasn’t having any of it.

“Prince Rian, it’s not a problem for me to cook for a few more people,” Ren Xiyang finally said, including Sir Gerlach in that group.

Rian released a breath. “Then I thank you for your graciousness, Earl Rosewood.” He pinched his younger brother.

Alexius glared at his brother and then smiled cutely at Earl Rosewood. “Thank you for your graciousness, Earl Rosewood.”

Ren Xiyang took them back to the Rosewood summer manor as the evening set in.

Earlier, the staff had helped him prepare a makeshift kitchen in one of the less used drawing rooms on the ground floor with an adjoining bathroom. Most of the original furniture had been moved to take up only half of the room, and there were now a few sturdy wooden tables with washed ingredients and cooking utensils, large barrels of fresh water, and a large wooden tub to store used pots and pans.

Things that took a long time to rest or make, like the noodle dough and soup stock, had been made earlier. Everyone washed their hands first.

Then, in front of his audience, Ren Xiyang skilfully pinched together a large plateful of dumplings, much to Alexius’s big wide eyes.

Ren Xiyang used fire mage on the pan directly to cook the dumplings. While the dumplings cooked, Ren Xiyang showed them how to use chopsticks.

The stumbling practice that followed perfectly filled in the time. As the others practiced, Ren Xiyang prepared a dip with citrus, sesame, ginger, spring onions, vinegar and soy sauce. When the dumplings were done, Ren Xiyang picked them out with a long pair of cooking chopsticks, arranging them on four different plates for each person.

Rian slowly manipulated his chopsticks to pick up a small dumpling, dipped it into the sauce, and plopped it into his mouth. Textures and flavours burst in his mouth. The base of the dumpling was crispy, the top had a gentle bite, the filling with firm yet soft made of fatty pork and mild chives, and the sour sauce made it all extremely moreish.

Arrgggg, he had been missing out on this for so long!

“This is extremely delicious, I commend you,” Rian said to Ayden.

“Wow, so Earl Rosewood can beat you and can cook!” Alexius said happily.

Rian shot his brother a disgruntled look. “Speak in that tone again and I’ll never bribe you again in the future.”

Alexius blinked innocently. “What are you talking about, brother?”

Ren Xiyang’s eyelids lowered as he smiled faintly. He silently added some more dumplings to Rian’s plate, before going on to deep fry silken tofu with a teriyaki sauce, to cook the main noodle course for the evening, and of course, to prepare a sweet fruity shaved-iced dessert.

 

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Alexius ate with relish.

Alexius’s thoughts about Earl Rosewood had jumped back and forth a lot that day. At first, he wanted to be friends (Earl Rosewood was even a tiny bit smaller than him!), and then he didn’t (Earl Rosewood acted like a boring adult, which was one of the worse crimes of all!), and now he wanted to be friends again (there was just so many new and delicious foods!).

Though, when Rian said he wanted to have a meeting with Earl Rosewood after dinner, Alexius firmly declined joining them. (Meetings, bleh!)

Rian smiled as his younger brother and his tutor departed first.

“Don’t take my brother’s actions to heart.”

Ren Xiyang merely gave Rian a look. Prince Alexius was just a cute and fickle kid, Ren Xiyang didn’t care that much. “To my suite?”

“Lead the way,” Rian said with a smile.

It felt like a long time since Rian had been in Ayden’s suite. There was now an entire new bookcase in the study/living room area, full of papers and books.

Rian closed the door behind them and cast the sound-blocking spell as usual before turning to Ayden.

Finally, they were alone together again.

 

 

 

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~oh~ what could they be doing together ~alone~ in ~private~? ????????

 

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