The week-long patrol soon ca to an end. They didn’t encounter any danger, and the days passed uneventfully.
Lawson, who Murphy felt was trouble, did nothing out of the ordinary besides giving him dirty looks all day.
The journey back to the castle was just as smooth.
This was to be expected, in Murphy’s view. After all, there were still twenty-one days left until the five-year deadline of Option Two. Based on past experience, the real crisis had yet to arrive.
Back at the main stable of the Baron’s Castle, Arthur handed the reins to Murphy and, as usual, gave instructions for the warhorse’s care.
Murphy skillfully unfastened the saddle, preparing to listen to the instructions as he always did.
However, Arthur’s tone suddenly shifted. His voice rang out clearly in the stable, "Murphy, speaking of which, what kind of girl do you like?"
This unexpected question made Allen, who was whispering with Old John just outside the stable, fall silent mid-sentence.
It was the height of sumr, and the stable’s gate was wide open, allowing the conversation inside to drift out on the breeze.
Murphy’s motion of wiping the saddle paused slightly.
He looked up and saw a rare, gentle smile on Arthur’s face.
"Lord Arthur?" Murphy asked, slightly perplexed. "I... I’ve never really thought about it."
Arthur’s voice was gentle. "Is that so? Well, what do you think of my youngest daughter, Erin?"
Murphy was genuinely taken aback.
If he rembered correctly, Arthur’s youngest daughter, Erin, was only eleven this year.
But this world wasn’t the sa as the era he ca from. It was perfectly normal here to discuss marriage for those who were thirteen or fourteen.
"You must be joking, my lord," Murphy imdiately said, lowering his head respectfully. "How could I ever be worthy of Miss Erin?"
"There’s no such thing as ’not worthy’," Arthur said, his tone quite serious. "You beca an Upper-class Groom at such a young age, and it’s highly likely you’ll beco the Stable Master in the future. Although everyone says you relied on Lord Kelvin’s favor, we’ve all seen your skills for ourselves."
It was true. Murphy had been taking care of Red Leaf by himself for two years, and he did a better job than anyone else.
The other Upper-class Grooms who had been demoted from the inner area’s main stable, like Allen, Duan, and especially Old John—who was recalled six months ago—were now assigned two n to one warhorse. Yet even so, their horses weren’t as well-kept as his.
Every ti the Stable Master made his rounds, he couldn’t help but praise Red Leaf’s glossy coat, full and solid muscles, and bright, spirited eyes.
The followers had been riding for so long that even if they didn’t know how to raise horses, they knew good stock. They could tell at a glance that Red Leaf was far more vigorous, agile, and powerful than the other warhorses.
Thus, Murphy was widely acknowledged as the most outstanding young Groom in Baron Duval’s Castle.
Arthur, on the other hand, though a follower, ca from a soldier’s background. His eldest son might not be able to inherit his status as a follower, aning his family’s standing would likely decline.
If his youngest daughter, Erin, could marry a truly capable and valued young man like Murphy, it would indeed be a secure choice for Arthur’s family.
"I am grateful for your high regard, my lord," Murphy said, maintaining his humble posture. "But right now, my only focus is on raising the horses well. I wouldn’t dare hold Miss Erin back. Besides, Miss Erin is still so young..."
Arthur waved his hand. "Her age isn’t an issue. We can wait. Just think about it carefully."
With that, he turned and left the stable.
The mont Arthur left, Old John, Allen, and even Duan, who had been moving hay in the distance, imdiately crowded around.
"Well, I’ll be!" Allen was the first to speak. "Even Lord Arthur wants you for a son-in-law!"
Old John stroked his newly grown beard and chuckled. "No wonder you never showed interest in the girls from the laundry and the kitchen. You were waiting for a better match."
Duan’s voice was filled with envy. "If you ask , Murphy, you’re the top dog among us grooms now!" He gave a thumbs-up. "Lord Arthur may not have a high birth, but he’s still a Knight’s Attendant. If you marry his daughter, your future children might have a good start in life."
Old John said, "Then again, Arthur’s little girl is a bit too young. You’d have to wait a good few years."
Duan was dismissive. "What’s a few years? Just settle the engagent first! If a great opportunity like this fell into our laps, we’d have agreed in a heartbeat."
The three of them chattered on, but Murphy could only shake his head helplessly.
Their enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming, but what concerned him more was that news of this would probably spread throughout the entire castle very soon.
’Then again, perhaps that’s exactly what Arthur intended.’
Not long after work ended that evening, Bart and Hank rushed over to Murphy’s quarters.
The mont they entered, Bart blurted out, "We heard! Lord Arthur wants to make you his son-in-law?"
Hank imdiately added, "Murphy, you have to think about this seriously. You might be an Upper-class Groom now, but if you want to beco the Stable Master, being good with horses isn’t enough."
Murphy sighed and poured them so water. "Even you two have heard."
"The whole stable is talking about it!" Bart said earnestly, taking the water bowl. "The position of Stable Master isn’t just about skill with horses; you need backing. Lord Arthur is a Knight’s Attendant. With him as your father-in-law, your voice will carry more weight in the castle."
Hank nodded. "The old Stable Master is retiring in a few years. There will definitely be several people eyeing that position. If you have this connection with Lord Arthur, your chances will be much higher."
Murphy shook his head. "Right now, I just want to focus on raising the horses. This is all too complicated."
Bart said seriously, "It’s because it’s complicated that you need soone to help you. Do you rember what happened six months ago? Why was Old John able to get hired back at the stables? Wasn’t it because he had soone among the followers putting in a good word for him?"
Hank also tried to persuade him. "Bart’s right. You’re young and promising now, but to establish a long-term foothold in the castle, you still need a backer."
Murphy was silent for a mont before finally saying vaguely, "I’ll think about it. After all, this is a major decision and can’t be made rashly."
After Bart and Hank left, Murphy sat alone in his room.
’Should I really marry Erin?’
He quickly shook his head. ’That child is far too young. I could never do sothing like that.’
’Compared to that, focusing on my Cultivation is more important.’
Murphy leaned back on a pile of hay and began to circulate his [Breathing and Guiding].
Compared to the Floating ridians he had already widened over the past two years, the channels he now needed to clear were finer, harder to find, and more difficult to expand.
But he wasn’t impatient. In fact, he quite enjoyed the process.
Every ti Qi flowed through his ridians, he could feel tangible progress. He was intoxicated by this day-by-day accumulation.
...
「Two weeks later」
A major event occurred in the Baron’s Castle. Kelvin’s daughter was born and was nad Cecilia.
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