Chapter 71: Rose Song Manor

Chapter 71: Rose Song Manor

Backlund, Queen Borough, in the outskirts leaning slightly northwest, more than an hour away by carriage, Rose Song Manor was built along the Tussock River. Its surroundings were scenic, and within the estate, flowers and trees flourished in abundance.

Strangely enough, Backlund’s urban district was cloudy and rainy year-round, with relatively little sunlight, yet in its outskirts, the cloud layers were often thin and the sunlight brilliant. Clearly not far apart, the two places presented completely different kinds of weather. Among them, the northwestern outskirts were the most obvious example, even being one of the rather famous grape-growing regions of the Northern Continent. Yet if one followed the Tussock River another fifty kilometers northwest from this area, the weather would again grow closer to that of Backlund’s urban district.

Similar circumstances had always puzzled meteorologists. They could not find a suitable theory to explain the cause. Klein, however, had a faint guess:

In the Fourth Epoch, this place had been the capital of the Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire. The Blood Emperor, Alista, had also completely abandoned his humanity here, becoming a mad god. Therefore, for the weather and terrain to be permanently altered in a small region was entirely normal. Leonard Mitchell had once mentioned bits and pieces of this information during free exchange at the Tarot Gathering.

Furthermore, as a land with a long history and one of humanity’s earliest areas of activity, this “Land of Hope” buried who knew how many ancient ruins. All of them might very well exert some invisible influence on the weather.

The carriage entered Rose Song Manor, passed the fountain pool and small garden enclosed by the main building, and stopped outside the front entrance.

Klein had just stepped down from the carriage with Butler Walter when he saw Richardson, the manor steward, leading two rows of male and female servants as they stood by the doorway, waiting for their employer.

Compared with 160 Böklund Street, there were more servants here, though all of them belonged to the second class or below.

Looking at Richardson, whose clothes were crisp and whose appearance had been renewed, Klein smiled and nodded.

“You have done well.”

Without waiting for Richardson’s response, he removed his hat and, together with his cane, handed them to his personal valet Enuni while asking directly,

“Has the sitting room for the ladies to chat and play cards been prepared?”

“It has been prepared. We have placed poker cards, tarot cards, and several board games there. Common instruments such as the piano and violin have also been moved in,” Richardson answered fluently.

Klein passed through the main door and nodded lightly.

“And the gentlemen’s smoking room?”

“Like the ladies’ sitting room, it is on the second floor of the main building. The two rooms are separated by five other rooms.” Richardson gave the answer without needing any prompt from the manor’s servants, and without even having to think back.

For the sake of ensuring that the first hunting event hosted by his employer would have no problems, he had personally checked every minor matter. Although his body was exhausted, his mind was highly excited.

Klein asked a few more questions about dinner and the guest rooms and confirmed that everything had been properly arranged.

Before long, he welcomed the first guests to Rose Song Manor since its ownership had changed to Dantès:

Member of Parliament Macht and his family!

“This is much larger than my Elk Manor.” Macht removed his coat with a smile and handed it to a servant as he praised, “I have always heard that Rose Song’s self-brewed wine is outstanding, but I never had the chance to taste it. Today, my curiosity can finally be satisfied.”

“I hope it will not disappoint you,” Klein replied with a modest smile.

As a famous grape-growing region of the Northern Continent, this part of Backlund’s…