Laing smelled the scent of lavender as soon as he entered the castle.
The baron tilted his head, his expression stiff. He knew who the visitor was.
Walking through the auditorium on the first floor of the castle, Ryan followed the scent of lavender and saw a graceful figure in his study. She was looking at Ryan's collection of books with great interest. Her waist-length black hair had a moving glimmer to it.
Hearing the footsteps, the visitor said, "I always thought your castle … would be smaller than I imagined, but it's already more luxurious than many of Nord's lords' castles."
With that, she turned around.
The female councilor of the Garland Council, Teresa Trovic, appeared in front of Laing. She was wearing a bow-tied Athenian-style shirt with a slanted collar and tight black trousers. She was wearing the familiar butterfly-patterned glasses, white laced gloves, and her cold face.
Her brown boots shuffled lightly on the carpet, following the afternoon sun. The sorceress gently jumped into the baron's arms.
"It's been a year and a half, Laing. How have you been?"
"I thought you wouldn't come, Teresa." After a year and a half, the baron had mixed feelings. The last time they met, he was still a knight of Nord.
Now, he was a hereditary peer baron, the champion of the Chosen One, and a hero of humanity.
"I was delayed by some matters. I came to your place as soon as I was done. It's a beautiful territory, prosperous and beautiful. Your choice back then was not wrong, just like mine was not wrong." The sorceress saw that Laing had matured a lot and was filled with emotions. She hugged Laing's neck and whispered.
Laing reached out and hugged the sorceress, then gently pushed her away. "I wrote you a letter last year, but there was no news for several months. I thought you wouldn't come."
The Sorceress immediately felt the change in Laing's attitude. She raised her head and looked straight into Laing's eyes. "I'm late, so I'm not welcome?"
"Of course not, my dear Teresa. It's just that before you came here, something happened … Let's go to the parlor on the second floor." Laing gestured for the sorceress to follow him to the parlor on the second floor.
The prideful and sensitive female Warlock immediately felt Laing's subtle alienation. They hadn't seen each other for more than a year. He was now full of majesty and extremely strong self-confidence, and his strength had also increased. The female Warlock of the mid-legendary rank could no longer determine what realm he was in now.
Thinking of her mother's words, Teresa looked at Laing's back, stomped her feet, and hurried to catch up.
Ten minutes later.
In the luxurious parlor, carpets from Estalia, paintings from Bereon, exquisite dwarven sculptures, and handicrafts from the wood elves spoke of the baron's sincerity to his guests.
However, Teresa only felt a sense of distance. The sorceress felt as if there was a thick wall separating her from Laing. This was not what she wanted.
The sorceress sat on the soft sofa and crossed one of her long legs. Her voice was somewhat dangerous. "Is this the answer you want to give me? Lord Laing? Is this how you welcome your partner? "
"Hahahaha!" Laing couldn't help but laugh. He took out a bottle of red wine. "Your temper hasn't changed, Teresa. You're the one who's late, but you can still speak so eloquently … Do you want some red wine? Winford's wine should be very expensive where you come from, right? "
After hearing Laing's words, Teresa's pretty face turned red. She couldn't maintain her mature and cold appearance. "That's because your attitude is very bad! Laing, we weren't like this before! "
"You barged into my castle and you still have the nerve to say that my attitude is bad? My lady. " Laing put the glass in front of Teresa. The baron's face had a faint smile. "Be careful not to be kicked out by me!"
"You dare!?" Teresa stood up immediately. The sorceress saw Laing's faint smile and knew that she was being teased. She had no choice but to sit down again. "You'll have to ask Miss Bernadotte about this. If it wasn't for her and her teacher, President Margarita, I wouldn't have come to your territory so late."
"Oh? Did something happen? " Laing poured himself a glass of red wine and sat opposite Teresa. The baron was wearing a full set of noble's casual clothes. His question sounded more like a routine question to the sorceress.
He's really different now, Teresa thought. The sorceress sighed inwardly. What did Laing do in the past year and a half? How could the well-informed Councilor Garland not know?
After thinking for a while, Teresa gave up on complaining. The sorceress casually picked up the glass. "It's nothing. After I received your letter, President Margarita didn't allow me to stop what I was doing. I had to wait until I finished my mission before coming here."
"I see, Teresa. You've had a long journey." Laing stood up and looked through the window at his territory. "Do you need to rest? I'll have the servants prepare a guest room on the third floor. "
"Laing … You." Teresa was upset and frustrated. The sorceress did not know what was wrong with her. She stood up anxiously and walked behind Laing. "What's going on? Aren't we partners? Why do I feel like a lord and a wizard are having a conversation? "
"It's nothing. I'm just arranging these things, just like how you arranged for me." Laing turned around. His face was calm.
The sorceress's face turned pale. "I'm sorry …" she said softly.
Teresa knew what Laing was talking about. It seemed that he was still holding a grudge.
Leon's relationship with the Garland Parliament had been reversed. Previously, Leon was only a low-level Legend-rank knight with no foundation at all. He needed the Garland Parliament's help. In such a situation, Elder Aurora, who had the upper hand, was able to use her power to suppress him. She was able to give Leon Teresa even though she knew that Leon's partner was Veronica. She was also able to switch partners as she pleased, and she was even able to call Leon's partner away the moment he completed a mission.
Laing was no longer the same as before. There were many wizards who were willing to work for him and provide him with magic answers. As long as he needed, Morgiana would immediately send a prophet of the Lake God. The high elves also extended an olive branch to him.
So he expressed his dissatisfaction. He told the mother and daughter with a strong attitude that their previous cooperation was over. He had used up all the favors he had done. Everything had to start over.
Indeed, as Aurora had predicted, Laing's good impression of the mother and daughter had been exhausted by Teresa's clumsy performance. Laing's behavior made the sorceress feel a sharp pain in her heart.
I messed up everything. Now I have to make up for it.
"It's fine. Your willingness to apologize is already a great improvement, my dear Teresa." After hearing the sorceress's apology, Laing nodded to show that he accepted. The faint feeling of alienation disappeared. The baron's face finally revealed a sincere smile. "I accept your apology. Welcome to Baron Zeon, my territory."
"Thank you." The sorceress forced a smile. "I know I've done a lot of bad things before. I won't do it again. Trust me, Laing."
"Okay."
Teresa Trovic was indeed very different from Veronica. Veronica didn't have much wealth and could only bring her own books, clothes, magic scrolls, and a large bed. Teresa's things could be considered extravagant.
Apart from her huge personal wealth, she also brought the latest food seeds developed by the Church of Life as well as a letter from Laing's adoptive father, Norman, Lord of Orteny.
In the letter, Laing's adoptive father told him that everything was fine. Norman said that he planned to retire in a few years and pass the position of lord to Laing's cousin, Norman's nephew. Laing's various achievements were like thunder even in Nord. Norman was very proud of him. His adoptive father also criticized Laing's behavior in throwing himself into the embrace of the lake fairy. Norman said that he was very disappointed because Laing was the right person to worship.
"I went to Orteny to visit your parents." Teresa took out a small gift. "They gave me a lot of things."
"How are Father and Mother?" Ryan played with the little doll his mother had made. He recalled the memories of his childhood, and he couldn't help but smile as he recalled the past.
"They're fine." Teresa said uneasily, "Sister Ditinda and I went to visit them. She checked their bodies and made potions for them."
"This must be Lady Aurora's idea, right?" Laing put the gifts away carefully. "No matter what, I still have to thank you."
"No, it's what we should do." Teresa hurriedly shook her head.
After that, the atmosphere became a little awkward. The sorceress and baron didn't seem to have anything else to talk about.
"By the way, Laing, I saw two magus towers being built near your castle …" Teresa was trying to start a conversation when a sweet voice sounded from the door. "Oh, who's this? Why is the little princess of Jialan here in this small fief? "
Veronica, dressed in a blue dress and white high heels, entered the room with an exaggerated smile on her sweet face. "Madam Trovic? Don't you know the rules of first come, first served? Do you need me to teach you? "
"Veronica!" Teresa stood up, her silver eyes full of anger. "I don't want to argue with you!"
"But I want to argue with you! It's because our little princess Jialan doesn't seem to understand some simple truths from beginning to end! " Veronica's dark brown hair was tied with many white ribbons and a bow by her ear. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes stared at Theresa who was glaring at her. "Should I say that you're unreasonable or shameless? How dare you chase me all the way here? You disgust me, Trovic. "
"Who do you think you're talking to? Veronica! Laing wrote to me at the same time! " Theresa stood up as well. The sorceress was infuriated by the witch. She pointed at Veronica and said, "Cut the crap. Let's decide who's the winner!"
As expected, the two witches were at each other's throats. Laing was helpless to see her so agitated. He wanted to say something to calm her down, but she grabbed his hand. "Get out, my dear. This is between me and Trovic!"
"But …" "No buts. Get out. I promise I won't destroy your castle!"
"That's right, Laing. Give us some space. Veronica and I need to settle this." Theresa raised her staff as well. The sorceress glared at the aggressive Gallan and said, "This has nothing to do with you."
Laing had no choice but to leave. As soon as he closed the door, he heard a lot of vulgar words and curses he'd never heard of before.
The baron sighed and walked down the stairs to the first floor.
"Master, what's going on down there? I feel like the floor is shaking. "The dark elf was passing by with a dining cart. She stopped when she saw Laing.
"There's a feud between two witches that needs to be settled." Laing shrugged. Teresa and Veronica hated each other for a long time. He could see that their hatred had deepened because of him.
"Two witches? Is the new witch the Miss Theresa that Master once mentioned? "Olica continued to ask.
"Her arrival is a little awkward, Olica. Last year, I wrote to both Teresa and Veronica. I hoped they could come to my fief to help me with my development and provide me with magic." Laing also felt the floor shaking. "But Teresa didn't reply, nor did she come. I …"
"You thought she wouldn't come, Master. Olica said in a low voice, "Miss Theresa's arrival is a bit embarrassing for you, because there's a deep conflict between her and Ms. Veronica, and … one witch is enough for a magic consultant."
"Speaking of which, Olica, you were a spellcaster before, right?" Laing stopped.
"… Yes, Master. I was a spellcaster before." The dark elf suddenly laughed. "At the very least, the two witches upstairs combined are no match for me. But I'm only Master's maid now."
"Ah, none of the women in the house are simple. You make me sad." Laing followed Olica into the kitchen. Teresa had come from afar, so the baron planned to cook for her.
"If Master needs answers about magic, I can do it too, but Master needs to … sleep with me the night before." The maid leaned on Laing's back. "Human magic is too simple for elves."
"We'll talk about it later." Laing did not answer the question.
Theresa's arrival had already given him a headache. He really didn't expect that the sorceress would come at this time. In fact, his territory didn't need a second witch, but after all, Theresa came because of him, so he couldn't refuse.
When the baron prepared his dinner, Teresa came out of the reception room with a smile. "Laing, go and see Miss Veronica. I think she needs your help."
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