Chapter 74: Chapter 73: Unexpected News

Ronin didn’t recognize the Knight from Pasture City, but when he heard the name “Rogner Ironhoof,” he immediately knew who it was—someone from the Ironhoof Clan, the family of Pasture City’s Viscount.

He searched his memory for any information about the name but only recalled that this Rogner was the second son of Marvin Viscount. Beyond that, he knew nothing else.

As for Ronin himself, he had even less of a connection to the Ironhoof Clan. The only link, if you could even call it that, was his recent spending of over a thousand Gold Coins on their land.

’So what are the people from the Ironhoof Clan doing here?’

“Come on. Accompany me to see what’s going on.”

It was impolite to keep a visiting noble waiting, so Ronin didn’t delay. He called for Macken and they returned to the castle together.

Five people were currently standing outside the castle. Three looked like Guards, while the two in the lead were a man and a woman. Both wore Light Armor and carried Weapons, and they appeared to be Professional Knights.

It was the first time Ronin had ever seen a female Professional Knight, but his attention was focused more on the man, who had a black horse emblem emblazoned on his chest.

The man was powerfully built with a ramrod-straight posture. His hand rested constantly on the hilt of the Longsword at his waist, and he exuded a rather sharp, imposing aura.

He was currently looking up, sizing up the castle before him. It was unclear whether he was comparing it to the Ironhoof Clan’s castle or mentally calculating Mountain Forest Castle’s defensive capabilities.

“Rogner, they’re here,” the woman beside him whispered, having spotted Ronin and the others approaching in the distance.

The man who had been sizing up the castle finally snapped back to his senses. He quickly looked to his left, his gaze locking onto the silver-haired young man.

“Good morning, Baron Ronin!”

His sharp aura vanished, replaced by a much more pleasant demeanor. “I am Rogner Ironhoof of Pasture City. Please forgive my sudden and impolite visit.”

Ronin sized him up for a moment. With his black hair and black eyes, the man had a familiar look that Ronin found comforting, though it was a shame his skin was rather fair.

“Welcome, Sir Rogner!”

Ronin stepped forward and gave the man a light, smiling embrace. “It’s been a long time since Mountain Forest Town has had visitors. Your arrival makes me very happy.”

Rogner was a little surprised. The Baron Ronin before him didn’t seem to match the legends of the Marquis’s eldest legitimate grandson.

Although they had only just met, he found the man before him to be quite composed.

“Ronin, this is Lady Krami Snow. She is my fiancée.”

’Oh?’

This surprised Ronin even more. ’Why would he bring his fiancée to these backwater boondocks? Surely he’s not bringing his whole family to pledge allegiance to me, right?’

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Krami.”

Ronin smiled and nodded to her before turning to Rogner. “You have a beautiful fiancée.”

“HAHAHA, I think so too.”

Rogner scratched his head and laughed heartily, making Krami, who was standing beside him, a bit uncomfortable.

After a few pleasantries, the second son of the Ironhoof Clan stepped aside and led out a magnificent, spirited black horse. “We only learned in the last two days that you visited Pasture City a while ago. The Ironhoof Clan was a poor host, and my father asked me to apologize to you on his behalf.”

“Marvin Viscount is too kind. If anything, I should have been the one to present a formal letter of introduction upon arriving in Pasture City,” Ronin said, feeling a little surprised. ’Surely Rogner didn’t bring his people all the way to Mountain Forest Town just for this, did he?’

’Are nobles really this concerned with etiquette?’

“This is a Cloud Stepper with the bloodline of a Third-level Magical Beast. Although it’s only three years old and not yet an adult, its defenses are astonishing—ordinary Arrows can’t even scratch it! Moreover, its speed and endurance far surpass those of other horses. Covering eight hundred li in a single day is no problem for it at all!”

The Cloud Stepper had an agile and powerful build, with smooth, defined muscles. It radiated a potent sense of Power, and meeting its gaze, one could even feel a faint, subtle pressure.

The Cloud Stepper’s coat was jet-black and glossy, but around its four hooves were rings of pure white fur, making it look as though it were treading on clouds. It was an exceptionally handsome steed.

As Rogner spoke, he passed the reins to Ronin, leaving the latter completely stunned.

“This is…?” Ronin asked, taking the reins, still confused.

’A horse with a Magical Beast bloodline… This isn’t something you can buy for just one or Two Hundred Gold Coins. Is the Ironhoof Clan really giving one to me? Just because they felt they’d committed a breach of etiquette by not hosting me when I was in Pasture City?’

’Is the Ironhoof Clan really that rich and extravagant?’

Seeing Ronin’s dumbfounded expression, Knight Krami couldn’t help but smile. “Lord Marvin said the Ironhoof Clan had been discourteous, so he had Rogner bring the Cloud Stepper as an apology.”

’So it’s really true…’

Ronin found it all too incredible. He had a strong feeling their purpose was not so simple.

“Please convey my thanks to Marvin Viscount.”

Ronin said with great emotion, “It’s just that a horse with a Magical Beast bloodline is far too valuable. I…”

“Don’t be so polite.”

Rogner quickly cut Ronin off. “Actually, the main reason we came this time was for something else.”

Ronin’s heart skipped a beat. ’So there is something else. What could it be?’

“In that case, please follow me into the castle, and we can talk there.”

As the host, Ronin warmly invited Rogner and Lady Krami into the Inner Castle. He had Bella serve tea and several fruit platters, while also instructing the kitchen to prepare a lavish lunch to welcome the honored guests.

Lately, as the castle servants had become more familiar with the lord’s vegetable garden, the variety of fruits and vegetables had become much more plentiful than in the beginning.

Although the hospitality was still somewhat simple, it was no longer as shabby as when he had hosted Knight Philton.

Rogner and Krami said their thanks and, after enjoying a few bites of fruit, returned to the main topic.

“Ronin, bringing the Cloud Stepper to convey my father’s apologies was secondary. The main reason I came was to bring you a piece of news.”

Rogner’s voice lowered. “It’s bad news.”

“Hm?”

Ronin frowned, thoroughly confused. ’What bad news could I possibly have?’

As he spoke, Rogner took a small piece of Sheepskin parchment from his coat and handed it over.

Ronin took it, puzzled, as the other man continued, “This is a letter sent from the Ironhoof Trading Company’s Wushan City branch to Pasture City. After my father saw its contents, he felt it was necessary to inform you.”

“This is?”

Ronin unfolded the letter with a questioning look and quickly read its contents.

He wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t looked, but one glance left him shocked. The letter actually said that the Count of Wushan City—Ronin’s own father, Wiggin—had been assassinated and was on the brink of death!

If not for the Ironhoof Clan’s black horse emblem on the Sheepskin parchment, and the fact that it was delivered personally by the son of Pasture City’s Viscount, Ronin would have suspected it was some malicious person spreading false rumors.

But since Marvin Viscount had chosen to relay the news in this manner, he was essentially staking the Ironhoof Clan’s reputation on the message’s authenticity.

Ronin looked up in disbelief. “What in the world happened?”

The letter didn’t specify the exact details.

Rogner explained, “You probably know that the twenty-eighth of last month was Ossen Count’s seventieth birthday. Many nobles from the Wushan Territory sent people to celebrate. As his son-in-law, Earl Wiggin naturally wouldn’t be absent.”

“The banquet went very smoothly, but no one expected that on his way back to Wushan Castle after the party, Earl Wiggin would be attacked by assassins of unknown identity!”

Rogner sighed. “It’s said that among the assassins this time were two Silver Knights. Even though Sir Toru Vinar, who was protecting Earl Wiggin, is a Golden Knight, he could barely hold those two off. And that’s not to mention the fact that they also had a Bronze Knight and several Advanced Level Knights!”

Ronin had heard the name Toru Vinar before. He was the Leader of the Wushan Castle’s First Knight Order. Gaman Stout, whom Ronin had met before, was one of his subordinates.

’The outside world thought Toru was only a Silver Knight. When did he break through to the Gold rank?’

Of course, that wasn’t the most important thing. Despite being protected by a Golden Knight, Wiggin was still gravely wounded and left on the verge of death. The assassins had clearly come well-prepared for this attack.

Ronin was in disbelief. “Earl Wiggin… my father… he’s dead?”

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