113: Chapter 105 Diviner (4/10) 113: Chapter 105 Diviner (4/10) At this mont, Viscount Grant was not so much angry or irritable, but rather he felt an unprecedented level of tension.
The noble furrowed his brow, deep in thought about the implications behind the movents in the Imperial Capital, “Back then, my father’s mission was to build a sturdy port, allowing The Empire to take root at the edge of South Ridge.
In doing so, he would have acquired enough rit for His…
for the Forr Emperor to grant a Magic Potion, the only thod of advancent for the declining Grant Family at that ti and also a chance to return to the noble class.”
“Father indeed fulfilled his mission, but he was also gravely injured and unable to take the Magic Potion…
The Forr Emperor entrusted Harrison Port entirely to our family as compensation, which was also a way of indirectly taking control over this place.”
“Now the Imperial Capital has sent an Inspector Knight at the peak of the Second Energy Level.
What are they trying to do?
Replace ?
Want to pluck the fruits that our family has worked for decades to cultivate?”
“Impossible.”
Thinking of this, Viscount Grant shook his head, not out of luck, but because he was well aware that the probability of such an occurrence was too low, “Our Emperor is no fool; such an action would only create chaos and offer no benefits.”
“To demote a frontier noble with just a word, he doesn’t think it’s still the age of revival under the Forr Emperor, does he?”
Unlike other nobles who habitually referred to the Forr Emperor as ‘Black King’, Viscount Grant did not have this habit, “But then the question arises…
why?”
It is no wonder the viscount was so anxious.
After all, he understood better than anyone the reasons behind his family’s decline and revival…
he also knew why Harrison Port had been neglected by the Imperial Capital for decades.
Decades ago, at the height of his reign, Forr Emperor Inega II suddenly passed away, leaving no will.
The original Crown Prince intended to succeed the throne, but several princes and princesses proclaid themselves the rightful heirs, inciting a coup that almost destroyed half of the Imperial Capital in the Dark Moon turmoil.
A duke, many high-ranking nobles, and Sublimators perished, and the Empire’s Royal Family was almost entirely stripped of its mbers.
All these were but rumors, and of course, Viscount Grant had no way of knowing the true circumstances of the turmoil in the Imperial Capital half a Terra Continent away from him.
But of one thing he was certain: his family had been the ‘trusted followers’ of Forr Emperor Inega II.
The Grant Family had been nobility awarded for military rit from the original Tranquil Sea Fortress Cluster.
They had earned knighthood during the second turmoil in the Dark Mountain Range by performing distinguished military service.
Later, during the first pioneering movent, they built a castle fortress north of Deep Yarn Port, becoming one of the common Fortress Nobility of that ti, guarding the frontier.
With several generations protecting The Empire’s frontiers and fighting alongside it against calamities, beast tides, and Intelligent Aliens, the Grant Family finally produced a hereditary Viscount.
But the good tis did not last long, and the third turmoil in the Dark Mountain Range erupted.
This ti, the Grant Family failed to hold their ground.
Having lost their fortress, the support of their domain residents, and their lands, the Grant Family was left with nothing but a noble title.
Even though the Imperial Capital did not revoke their title out of recognition for their hard toil, they could only continue fighting in the frontier, along with other nobles who had lost their fortresses, hoping for a miraculous victory to reclaim their lands, now reverted to primal forest.
Until Forr Emperor Inega II reactivated them, the forsaken landless nobility.
Old Grant Viscount was a loyal follower of the Forr Emperor, even at his deathbed feeling remorse for not entirely pacifying South Ridge for The Empire — but the current Viscount was different; he was very clear about his identity in the eyes of the current Imperial Emperor, Guardian Axel, as nothing but ‘remnants of the forr dynasty’.
At least, not ‘one of us’.
No matter what they wanted Harrison Port to do, the more important the task, the more it signaled the possibility of soone being sent to replace the Grant Family and take Harrison Port into their own hands.
“What a nuisance.”
Viscount Grant heaved a long sigh, “This is the predicant of a noble without sufficient strength.”
Whether his rights existed or not was a re thought away for the true higher-ups.
And they could just as the Forr Emperor had adorned his father in gold, use his family to polish the achievents of a knight they admired and then send him off to so remote place to be a country viscount.
Indeed — no matter how rural it might be, it was probably still better than a true frontier area like Harrison Port.
But in Harrison Port, there was hope, and freedom too!
Unless he could beco a master of the Third Energy Level, a Heart Light.
Beco ‘a cornerstone of The Empire’.
Then, as long as he lived, even if the other party was the Imperial Emperor, it would be practically impossible for them to easily strip away all he had.
Because the cornerstone of The Empire was precisely cast by nobles and Sublimators working together!
“Find out what that guy’s real purpose is.”
Turning his head, Viscount Grant said to Yamm and Lamar with a solemn expression, “Have soone follow him.
I want to know his every move—where he goes, what he does, it must all be crystal clear.”
“My lord.”
Yamm and Lamar exchanged a glance, and the knight shook his head, “This Inspector Knight…
is very honest.”
“Honest?”
Stroking his chin, Viscount Grant was sowhat puzzled, “He has agreed with not to drive away our personnel following him—that is an agreent, not honesty.”
“No, my lord.” Lamar from the side spoke up, the red-haired financial officer turned his head, gesturing to the Central Avenue outside the Viscount’s Mansion windows, “Starting this morning, our guest from the Imperial Capital has taken off his armored clothing and concealed his identity, staying inside the Long Gull Tavern the whole ti.”
“A tavern?
Does he like to drink?
But there’s not a hint of alcohol on him, I can sense it, not a trace of alcohol in his bloodstream.”
Viscount Grant was even more puzzled, “The stewed fish at Long Gull is slightly better, but that dog, Boli, back in the guard squad, could only cook that one dish.”
“Indeed.” Even Knight Yamm couldn’t help but complain, “When he cooked for us, we ate stewed fish for five years.”
“Don’t ntion that dog.” Viscount Grant showed an expression of painful mories, “What on earth is he up to?”
Clearly, neither Yamm nor Lamar had an answer to that question.
At the sa ti.
Within the Long Gull Tavern.
“Hmm…
sir, your marital life isn’t quite harmonious, is it?”
In the corner of the tavern, a man with a good appearance, wearing sowhat tattered Astrologer’s robes with an air of mystery and decadence, solemnly said to a visibly uneasy sailor amidst a group of onlookers enjoying the spectacle, “Your wife is very loyal to you, yet you always suspect her of infidelity—why not consider that the problem might be with you?”
“I recomnd you go to the pharmacy and purchase so concentrated sea cucumber powder; it can effectively replenish nutrition and strength.”
“Hahaha, Sade, you morning-star man, I always said you couldn’t cut it.
Always bragging, and now you’re exposed!” “Exactly, your wife is quite nice.” “No, but how do you know Sade cannot perform?” “Nonsense, going to sea for ten or twenty days without won, even if Old Bill doesn’t know, the fish sure do!”
Rude laughter and teasing instantly filled the entire Long Gull Tavern, bringing unexpected joy to a crowd of sailors and fishern who, aside from work, led a life of drunken stupor.
No one can tell a joke that offends no one—in other words, the less tasteful punchlines that can offend are often very funny.
“Nonsense, you charlatan, your divination is completely inaccurate—”
Withdraw his hand from the ‘diviner’s’ grip, the sailor questioned about his ‘ability’ grew furious.
He picked up a cup next to him, intending to smash it onto the face of this fortune-teller who bluntly spoke the truth.
But before he could lift his hand, the fortune-teller also reached out, his hand with prominent joints and thick calluses, pressed down on the sailor’s arm.
The angry sailor still felt unconvinced.
He struggled a few tis but was suddenly shocked to find that he couldn’t move his arm at all, not even a twitch!
“Two pennies for sincerity.”
Looking into those deep erald eyes, the sailor nad Sade swallowed hard, feeling a chill down his spine, then muttered as he fished out two pennies from his pocket and slapped them on the table.
As soon as the Astrologer released his grip, he imdiately got up to leave, exchanging jeers and insults with acquaintances and strangers, staggering out of the tavern.
By the looks of it, he was most likely heading to the pharmacy.
Watching the sailor, now marked, leaving the tavern, the ‘Astrologer’ smiled faintly.
He pocketed the pennies, then presented the seat in front of him to all the onlookers.
“Special offer, only two pennies today.”
The Astrologer said so, waiting for the next client.
Just like a spider waiting for its next prey.
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