Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 49 Banquet
After all, the truth will come out.

The news that the Wolfhair Knights' territory had been ravaged by a "large army" during the summer harvest, losing more than half of its grain and a large number of farm tools, spread like wildfire among the neighboring knight territories and manors, causing a great uproar.

At almost the same time, Lion Tooth Territory was also attacked by bandits, although they were repelled.

However, the news that a considerable amount of grain had been "lost" was leaked intentionally or unintentionally by someone, adding to its credibility.

The two knightly territories were attacked almost simultaneously, and according to rumors, the attackers were numerous, well-organized, and acted swiftly. This was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing great panic and tension in the surrounding area.

This is the crucial time of the summer harvest, and every lord is like a mother hen protecting her chicks, keeping a close eye on the golden harvest in their own fields.

Nobody wants to work hard for half a year, just when the grain is about to be stored away, only to have a powerful band of robbers suddenly appear out of nowhere and plunder everything!
The fear stemming from this uncertainty spread rapidly.

In response to this sudden security threat and to find out who was behind it, the lords of several neighboring territories, after urgent communication and consultation, decided to form a joint investigation team to thoroughly investigate the truth behind the two attacks and discuss the possibility of coordinated defense.

To build momentum for the investigation team and provide an opportunity for the lords and their representatives to communicate face-to-face, Sir Hiddink, heir to the most prestigious and powerful Baron Merk in the region, offered to host a banquet at his family castle.

In no time, exquisitely crafted invitations bearing the Merck family crest and wax seal were delivered by fast horse to various knightly territories and manors in the surrounding area.

At Lion's Tooth Fortress, Kruse also received such an elegantly worded invitation, yet one that implied an undeniable sense of refusal.

The invitees were clearly listed as: Kruze the Lion Knight, Reza the Lion, and Miss Elena the Lion.

Clearly, in this sudden upheaval, Lion Fang Territory, as one of the "victims" and which has recently been making frequent moves such as large-scale land reclamation, is at the center of this controversy.

And this young man, who had just returned and immediately condensed a vortex and displayed extraordinary abilities, had already attracted enough attention from the upper-class nobles and the surrounding neighbors.

Upon receiving the invitation, Butler Buffet dared not be negligent. He bowed respectfully to Kruse and then went to the depths of the castle's storeroom to retrieve several trunks carefully stored in camphor wood that had almost never been used on formal occasions.

The box contained only a few of the territory's most prized and presentable "glamorous" outfits, which were kept at the bottom of their coffers.

These were the outfits that Lord Reyes had painstakingly prepared for his three children when he was still alive. He would never wear them on ordinary days and would only take them out on extremely important occasions.

Most of the time, Buffet would simply take them out periodically to air them out and maintain them, and carefully disassemble and mend them according to the ever-growing figures of the three young masters and ladies, to ensure that if needed, they would at least fit properly and not be too shabby.

These dresses, which have been repeatedly cared for but whose fabrics are still somewhat worn and whose styles are not the latest, reveal just how financially strapped Lion Tooth Collar was in the past.

As Kruse looked at the dabrit menswear with its intricate embroidery and lace trim that Buffet had presented, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Having traveled to this era, he couldn't muster much affection for the ornate yet restrictive clothing worn by male nobles.

The tight-fitting top, the loose shorts, the long stockings, and the ubiquitous straps... made movement extremely inconvenient and unbearably hot. Especially the stockings; for a grown man to wear stockings, in his previous life, would probably be considered perverted, but in this world, it was standard male attire, while women rarely wore stockings.

However, these stockings are not the same as those from the previous life. They are mainly made of wool, linen, and silk, and feel more like thick, long stockings. Wearing them in the middle of summer shows how hot they must be.

His current status is merely that of a minor knightly lord. In such aristocratic social settings, he must adhere to the etiquette of this world and simply follow the crowd.

When he finally managed to put on the outfit piece by piece with the help of Lauru's male servant, it only took a moment for him to feel as if he had been stuffed into a magnificent steamer, and fine beads of sweat began to seep from his forehead.

He tried to keep his facial expression calm, but deep down he was already missing the T-shirts and shorts on Earth.

In stark contrast to him are his younger brother Rezal and younger sister Elena.

Rezal was thrilled to have a decent knight's uniform, turning around in front of the mirror and striking various poses he thought were majestic, as if he could already see himself attracting the attention of countless noble ladies at the banquet.

Elena was as excited as a lark.

Buffet brought her a pale yellow dress, though made of ordinary fabric, but exquisitely tailored. She carefully stroked the hem of the dress, her little face beaming with happiness, already looking forward to the delicious desserts she had heard of but never tasted at the banquet and the lively ball.

Looking at the three neatly dressed young masters, the old butler Buffet couldn't help but reveal a complex light in his eyes, a mixture of relief, emotion, and a hint of barely perceptible sadness.

He walked up to Kruze, carefully smoothed the wrinkles in his collar, studied him for a moment, and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice filled with reminiscence:

“Young Master, you look incredibly dashing in this outfit... you already have some of the old master’s youthful charm.”

This statement is not only a praise of Kruse, but also a reflection on the lord's youth, and contains expectations for the future of Lion's Tooth Territory.

Kruse looked at his reflection in the mirror—a reflection both familiar and unfamiliar, wrapped in glamorous clothes—and took a deep breath of the sweltering air.

“Let’s go,” he said, his voice calm yet carrying an unwavering determination. “Let’s see what kind of ‘surprise’ Baron Hiddink has prepared for us at his banquet.”

The only vehicle that Lion Tooth Territory could use, and which could barely be considered a mode of transportation for the nobility, was this old four-wheeled carriage.

It was anything but luxurious; the paint on the wooden carriage was peeling and worn, and the velvet cushions inside were also badly worn, revealing the yellowed sponge underneath.

When needed, it even had to act as a wagon for transporting grain or supplies, and some muddy traces that were difficult to wash off remained on the ruts and walls of the wagon.

(End of this chapter)