In the early morning, the gentle sunlight shone into the ancient castle, through the window, and onto the bed. Hudson rubbed his tired eyes and stretched lazily. Then he decided to go out for a walk. After staying in bed for two days, Hudson felt like he was starting to grow mold all over. Without a phone, computer, or any entertainment activities, staying in bed was torture. If he wasn't worried about being caught pretending to be sick and ending up on the barbecue grill as a devil, he wouldn't have bothered to fake an illness.
In the past two days, important people in the castle came to visit him. Thanks to his excellent memory, Hudson could guarantee he didn't mistake anyone. That was enough. In this strictly hierarchical noble world, as long as he handled his relationships with the upper class well, that was all that mattered.
A large cup of beast milk, a piece of bread, a fruit similar to a tomato, several sauces, butter, and a piece of grilled meat made up Hudson's breakfast. There was no doubt that this luxurious treatment was not something an ordinary Baron's son could enjoy every day. Estimating that Father Quinn's words had an effect, Hudson needed to replenish his energy after consuming so much of it.
As soon as he stepped out of the room, he bumped into the Baroness walking towards him. It was obvious that someone had informed her. There was no need to investigate this matter. As the mistress of the castle, it was too easy to buy off a few confidants.
"Hudson, you're okay! That's really great! May the Great Lord of Dawn bless you! You know, I've been so worried these past few days..."
Hudson believed only half of what the Baroness said. She had been very concerned these past few days, but not about the health of the original owner. Instead, she was worried about her biological son who was hanging from a pillar. Although he had been lying in bed for the past two days, Hudson still knew what had happened in the castle.
According to the maid, on the day of the incident, the angry Baron Redman had beaten Leslie mercilessly. Even the Baroness who went to dissuade him had been whipped. Perhaps feeling unsatisfied, or to give an explanation to all parties, he had his men tie Leslie to a pillar. If Li Mu had not taken advantage of the situation and replaced Hudson, Leslie would probably have been in a far worse situation.
"Stealing the Life Essence." At best, it was a prank; at worst, it was fratricide.
The awakening of the Life Seed was always fraught with danger. In ancient times, only one in ten succeeded until the greatest alchemist of the Aslant continent, Kimberly, invented the Life Essence, which changed the situation. Not only did the success rate increase to fifty percent, there was also an added layer of protection. Even if the awakening failed, one could still save their life, unlike in ancient times when failure meant certain death.
It was the invention of the Life Essence that significantly increased the success rate of awakening Life Seeds, and knights blessed by the gods gradually became the mainstream of the continent. Of course, whether they were truly "blessed by the gods" remains to be further verified, but that's how it was recorded in the history books. However, knights who awakened their Life Seeds did indeed benefit. Not only did it improve their physical fitness, but it also significantly increased their affinity with animals. Almost all knights had their own mounts. When facing enemies alone, perhaps this advantage was not too obvious. However, when appearing as a formation on the battlefield, it was a crushing scene.
Nobles were precocious, and Leslie was nearly fifteen years old. It was impossible for him not to know the dangers of awakening without the assistance of Life Essence. A mere prank would not suffice.
"Respected Lady Tassif, one must take responsibility for their own actions. Making mistakes means paying the price, and this is the rule that a noble must follow." Hudson mocked without reservation.
Honestly speaking, he didn't want to confront the Baroness at this moment. But there was no other way; the relationship between the original host and the baroness had always been very bad. Now that such a thing had happened, if he were to continue to be gentle and amiable, it would be difficult not to attract attention.
"Hudson, don't say that. Leslie is your younger brother, and he's just a child..."
Before the Baroness could finish her sentence, Hudson angrily interrupted her, "That's right, he's just a child. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have to follow the rules of the game, unless the lady thinks that Leslie is not a noble?"
Mockery, naked mockery. Her background had always been the Baroness's greatest source of pain, making it impossible for her to integrate into the noble circle. Usually, if someone dared to bring this up, she would have to argue on the spot. However, that wasn't possible at the moment, as her beloved son was still hanging on the pillar, preventing her from asserting her dominance. Seeing the Baroness so angry that she couldn't speak, Hudson inwardly sighed. The insinuation was so obvious yet she didn't even understand the hidden meaning. This performance was a waste of effort.
Indeed, this kind of high-end political gameplay was not suitable for everyone. But thinking about it, if Baroness was really that capable, such a thing would never have happened. His brothers would probably also have trouble growing up smoothly. Perhaps this is also the reason why she can become the Baroness, being too smart is obviously not suitable for being a stepmother.
After a pause, Hudson said helplessly, "Alright, my Lady. For the sake of your face, I can let Leslie go this time, but I will require some compensation."
The sudden turn made the Baroness unable to keep up with the rhythm for a while. Perhaps it was her innate talent. When she heard the word "compensation", her expression clearly trembled.
"What do you want?"
As soon as the words came out, the Baroness realized she had misspoken. She was already in a disadvantageous position, and being so eager to offer something obviously did not conform to the principles of doing business. Hudson frowned. It was too vulgar to discuss prices directly, completely inconsistent with aristocratic demeanor. But after thinking about his empty wallet, he gained confidence.
"500 gold coins!"
It's not that he didn't want anything else, but the true owner of the castle was still his father. Besides having some money, the Baroness couldn't make any real decisions.
"Why don't you go rob someone?!"
The Baroness blurted out almost instinctively. Obviously, the number that Hudson considered reasonable far exceeded her expectations.
"My lady, please be careful with your words! According to the prevailing practice in the mainland war, the ransom for a noble knight is 500 gold coins. My asking price is entirely in line with the rules. Please follow the rules, my lady." Hudson said expressionlessly.
Once something is related to rules, it becomes more serious. Although matching the value with a prisoner of war ransom is somewhat ridiculous, it's not entirely baseless. Although the Baroness knew that Leslie couldn't die, as long as Hudson didn't let go, the matter was not over. If she didn't settle the matter while the news had not spread yet, when other members of the Koslow family intervene, things won't be so simple.
