Volume 7: Doing Business with the World Chapter 202 Senior Sister Lola
Valentine, East Gate.
The city gate officer Dominic sat in the duty booth and watched a group of strong women walk out of the city gate together.
These women wore scarves on their heads to cover themselves from dust, patched aprons, and baggy pants instead of skirts. They either carried baskets or cloth bags on their heads, and talked and laughed as they walked, their rough faces beaming with joy.
"Another woman working at the amusement park." The old soldier looked outside, coughed, and continued to sip water. "Recruiting so many workers is not enough, and so many women are recruited. Is that Knight Robbins planning to build a new city on that wasteland?"
"Who cares? The city lord's family knights have the right to remodel his fiefdom into whatever they want." Dominic retracted his gaze. "Besides, this is not a bad thing. With fewer idlers wandering the streets, everyone can live a more peaceful life."
"That's true. There are fewer idlers in East City. The grain store next to my house hasn't complained for months about someone stealing their wheat bran piled at the entrance of the alley." The old soldier grinned, "But it's not the right thing to ask women to work. You know, sir, if women have money in their hands, they will inevitably get angry."
The soldier at the gate nearby said jokingly, "Yeah, there was a big incident in the South City a few months ago. A woman who worked for the grassland people wanted a divorce, and the man in her family had to tie her up. Then Knight Robbins actually sent someone to snatch the woman away. What kind of incident is this?"
"Yes, yes. I heard that Knight Robbins's men threatened the male owner of that house, saying that anyone who prevented the female workers from going to work would be against Knight Robbins. This is too overbearing. Isn't she someone else's wife? He even controlled how other couples lived."
"My cousin from my aunt's family wanted to work at the amusement park, but my uncle didn't let her go. If she had gone, she would have become their person and they would be in charge of everything. Who would she be able to complain to..."
Dominic did not join in the discussion with his colleagues. He quietly stood up and walked out of the rest pavilion.
Sea merchants entering the city from the port go through the North Gate, and traveling merchants coming from land go through the South and West Gates, with the East Gate not involved in any of them. Even though there is an "amusement park" under construction more than 20 miles to the east, and the workers and building material merchants coming and going every day have added some popularity to the East Gate, it is still quite deserted compared to the other gates... Most of the soldiers at the gate hide in the rest pavilion to chat, and two or three people can keep an eye on it.
Dominic walked out of the pavilion, and the soldiers sitting inside at the city gate looked at his back intentionally or unintentionally, and continued chatting.
Dominic, who is over fifty years old, has been serving as the gate officer of Valentine for ten years.
After the new city lord, Viscount Pope, took office, he replaced many of the people who had followed Earl Philip, leaving only Dominic behind - it was not because Dominic had connections or was a disciple of Viscount , otherwise he would not have been transferred from the busiest North Gate to the East Gate - it was simply that Dominic was not good at building personal connections and could not be relied on anywhere, so Viscount Pope did not see a small figure like him.
Just like now, Dominic, who has a stubborn personality, did not choose to join in the bad words about Knight Robins in order to get along with his new subordinates...
Dominic, the city gate officer who was born an adventurer, was very respectful to Knight Robbins, who was also born an adventurer but was officially awarded the title. Knight Robbins' behavior of employing a large number of residents in the lower city and providing the poor with food increased Dominic's favor.
Dominic walked slowly around the city gate. Occasionally, farmers and small vendors passing by him, entering and leaving the city, bowed to him and greeted him, and Dominic nodded in return.
Most of the people entering the city from the East Gate were vegetable vendors from nearby towns and villages. The gate tax was only a few copper coins, which was not much. The only benefit the gate soldiers could get was to pick up some fresh vegetables from the vegetable vendors' carts and take them home to cook. After Dominic was transferred to the East Gate, even this "little benefit" was prohibited. No wonder the other gate soldiers always felt a layer of closeness with him...
"What is that?" The city gate soldier who was lazily leaning against the city wall with his gun in his hand suddenly stood up and looked into the distance in surprise.
"Is there a caravan coming?" The city gate soldier who was collecting city taxes with the vegetable vendor looked in the direction his companion was looking. "Eh, it doesn't look like a caravan?"
Dominic walked forward a few steps and looked into the distance - at the end of the road in the south, a convoy was heading this way.
Leading the way in the front were knights on horseback, in the middle were civil servants in long robes riding chocobos, and the gold-painted carriages in the convoy were gorgeous and ostentatious. From afar, one could vaguely see the glittering golden family crests of nobles hanging on the carriages.
There were rules for important people to follow when entering or leaving the city. Dominic shouted to the pavilion where the soldiers were resting, calling out the gate guards inside. They lined up on both sides of the city gate, quietly waiting for the noble convoy to approach.
The knight who led the way came forward on his horse, pulled the reins tight and stopped abruptly, shouting to Dominique, who was wearing the armor of the city gate officer: "Countess Philip, enter the city, open the main gate, and clear the road!"
Dominic was shocked, and he tried hard to keep his face straight without showing any abnormality, and responded in a deep voice: "Yes! Your Excellency!"
When they heard that it was the Lord Earl of the neighboring Bolton County, the soldiers at the East Gate immediately got busy. Some drove the idlers to the side of the road, while others worked together to turn the capstan and open the main gate in the middle of the city gate, which was used exclusively for important figures to enter and leave the city.
The convoy gradually approached, and the pedestrians, farmers, and vegetable vendors who were driven to the sides of the road and were originally murmuring and complaining all held their breath and lowered their heads in fear - the pomp of the nobles' travel was completely different from those common caravans with more carriages and horses. Apart from anything else, the awe-inspiring aura emanating from the knights riding their horses in an orderly manner and fully armed was enough to make people dare not raise their heads.
More than a dozen knights stopped in front of the city gate and lined up on the left and right to make way for the middle space. A golden-painted carriage pulled by two dragon-bone lizards slowly passed through the center.
When the carriage with the family crest of a great noble passed in front of Dominic who was standing quietly at the city gate, a light "Huh" was heard from inside the carriage.
Someone inside the car seemed to knock on the window, and the driver who was driving the dragon bone lizard hurriedly stopped the two monsters, each worth more than hundreds of gold coins.
Dominic felt his breathing quicken a little, and he raised his head in anticipation and nervousness.
The servant walking beside the carriage opened the door and pulled up the curtain. The countess sitting in the carriage turned her head to look at Dominic.
Dominic quickly knelt on one knee.
Countess Philip smiled slightly, raised her left hand and extended the door curtain: "Please stand up, Dominic."
The soldiers standing in line at the city gate had different expressions on their faces, and they kept secretly looking at their new superior.
——Miss Lola, she remembers my name!
Dominic was very excited. He tried to control his excitement and stood up. He held Laura Philip's gloved left hand and kissed the back of her hand gently: "I am very happy to see you so healthy, Miss Laura."
"Me too, Dominic." Countess Philip took back her hand and smiled gently. "It has been three years since we last met in my mansion. The time was truly unforgettable. I will be staying in Valentine for a while. It would be great if you could come and reminisce about the past."
"This is exactly what I expected." Dominic quickly bent down and said devoutly.
Countess Philip smiled and nodded slightly. The servant lowered the door curtain, closed the door, and the golden-painted carriage moved forward slowly again.
Dominic watched Philip's motorcade drive into the city, clenched his fists and waved them gently... What he had been waiting for finally arrived!
The accidental assassination of City Lord Philip coincided with the handover of Valentine City and Bolton Territory, and then Master Marcus died of illness in a very short period of time, causing chaos in Philip's family. Miss Lola only had time to take away some of the people arranged by old Philip during his lifetime, and those who were more marginalized, such as Dominic, were left behind.
Two years have passed. Miss Lola has reorganized the Bolton territory and is finally coming to pick up the followers of the Philip family!
The soldiers at the city gate gradually dispersed after the Countess's motorcade disappeared. Some of them secretly looked at Dominic, who was still standing there, and whispered something. Others surrounded the officer who was not very close to them, and tried to find out who Dominic was behind the scenes.
Two years ago, no, a year ago, being able to eat public food in Valentine was an extremely enviable thing; but as the Kingdom of Kronin became more and more vicious in sucking blood from Valentine, even the noble lords in the upper city had a hard time, not to mention these low-level city gate soldiers - the last time they received a salary was three months ago.
Obviously, Valentine's port is still absorbing wealth continuously, but Valentine's city hall is so poor that it can't even pay the salaries of its employees. How can anyone accept this bizarre phenomenon?
In comparison, it is said that the neighboring Lord Bolton has undergone many eye-catching changes in the past two years... At least no one has heard that the Countess of Bolton would let her subordinates starve and suffer from poverty.
If it were someone else, they might have an inflated mentality of having their vanity satisfied, patting their chest and bragging loudly, but Dominic was not that kind of person. He did not talk about his relationship with Philip's family, but frowned and sent others back to their posts.
That night, Dominic tossed and turned all night in his home in Midtown. After dawn, he waited patiently for a long time. Only when the servant sent by Miss Lola came to the door did he get dressed and hurried to Uptown.
The Philip Mansion, which used to be closed and guarded by only a few servants, was unusually lively today. In the gatehouse, Dominic met many people who were left in Valentine like him.
Dominic's life was relatively easy, at least he had not been fired and could still afford to live in Midtown. Those who had been fired were miserable, for example, the Secretary-General of the Maritime Trade Department, who in Dominic's memory always had his hair neatly combed, was now so turned yellow.
The group of people chatted reservedly but eagerly. After waiting in the lobby for a while, Philip's butler came out to greet them and lead them into the living room.
Miss Lola, who was still childish two years ago, has changed a lot in temperament now. Even if she is wearing the common home clothes of aristocratic women, she can't hide the shrewd and noble temperament of the earldom lord. Dominic's eyes are hot when he sees it... He was also very worried when the old city lord and Master Marcus died one after another. Now Miss Lola has stood up firmly, and the glory of Philip's family will finally not be cut off.
What makes Dominic and other loyal followers feel uncomfortable is that Robbins, the knight of the new city lord Viscount Pope, is also on Miss Lola's guest list.
Especially since this knight was treated with great courtesy by Miss Lola and was arranged to sit in a position just below the Countess - most of the people present were not doing well in their lives, which was closely related to Viscount Pope. If these people had not had no feelings for Miss Lola (who would have thought of pleasing Miss Lola when Marcus was alive), some of them might have expressed their dissatisfaction.
Isaac sat quietly aside, and waited until Laura greeted and appeased all the followers of the Phillip family one by one before he smiled and said, "Senior Laura, the Phillip family has so many talents to use. I really envy them."
Well...Although Isaac is a dozen years older than Laura, who can blame him for starting late...
Dominic and the others were stunned by the title of "senior". Colbert, who was the Secretary-General of the Valentine Maritime Trade Department, couldn't help but ask, "Ms. Laura, may I ask who you and this Knight Robbins are...?"
"Isaac Robbins is the fourth disciple accepted by my teacher." Laura raised her hand to introduce, "I'm sure you have heard that Bolton Territory has received great care from the grassland tribes in the past two years. My teacher, Sage Ayun, is a wise man from the Fire Tribe on the grassland. The vermicelli and woolen textiles that came across the sea and relieved the pressure on Bolton Territory were originally transferred by the Adventurer's Association. Now that my junior brother Knight Robbins has come to Valentine, my junior brother will directly negotiate with Bolton Territory for the grassland materials needed by Bolton Territory."
Everyone in the hall had different expressions. Of course, not many people in the illiterate people in the lower city would know the name of the sage Ayun, but these people present were not so poor that they could not even afford a copy of "Travels on the Continent" at two silver coins.
Dominic's face showed realization, then gratitude, and he even liked Isaac more - no wonder Bolton County stabilized in just two years, and agricultural products and low-end industrial products could still flow to Valentine... Miss Lola became the disciple of the sage of the Northern Continent, which was naturally good news for the revival of Philip's family.
Colbert, the former secretary of Valentine's Maritime Trade Department, was even more excited: "Ms. Laura, if you need someone to be in charge of maritime trade, I hope you can consider me."
Laura nodded gently and smiled. "Of course, Colbert, who is better suited for this than you? I plan to set up a maritime trade department of Bolton in Isaac's territory. If you are willing, I hope to hand over this maritime trade base to you to operate."
"It's my honor." Colbert quickly left his seat and bowed deeply with one hand on his chest.
Laura smiled and nodded, then looked at Dominic: "Dominic, I think no one knows the situation around Valentine better than you. Can you stay and assist Colbert for me?"
Dominic didn't expect that he could get Laura's arrangement so quickly. He stood up and bowed in surprise, saying, "I'm willing to serve you."
Laura smiled and nodded slightly... Colbert was a native of Valentine and had a complicated network of relationships; while Dominic was an adventurer from outside and was very loyal to the Philip family. With Dominic around, Colbert made her feel more at ease.
Xiao Yun is a very protective person, or rather, he doesn't even know how to protect his own people. It is difficult for him to become big no matter in which world or under which rules of the game he is in - Laura is his third disciple, and as long as he is not crazy, he will not look for anyone else to develop the Kronin market.
The grasslands wanted to cooperate with Lola, the Lord of the Earldom, to develop the market for Kronin, and the flow of funds and materials between the two sides would not be a small number; Lola set up the maritime trade department in Isaac's territory, firstly to bypass Valentine's legal tax evasion, and secondly, with Isaac, her junior, watching over the place, she was not afraid of her subordinates stealing from the company...
After arranging a small part of Grandfather's old subordinates on the spot, the rest were taken back to Bolton County to make plans (mainly because Laura couldn't remember everyone); the meeting ended and the butler was asked to take the followers away. The Countess, who had just been dignified, turned into a lively little girl in the blink of an eye, and jumped in front of Isaac with great interest: "Junior, when can I go to your theater to watch a play? You said in the letter that I can see it when I come! Don't lie, otherwise I will write to Ayun and say bad things about you!"
Isaac just couldn't get used to this extremely young senior's style changing so quickly...
"Uh... please be patient and wait for a few more days, Senior Sister, until Senior Sister Evelyn brings guests from the forest elves and the sea tribe..." Isaac explained, trying not to feel awkward. "You know, since last month, the construction of my territory has begun to take shape, and Lamia's spies have come here almost every day. If there are no heavyweight guests to shake up the place, it will be difficult for me to prevent Lamia from causing trouble..."
"Is Evelin coming? Hooray!" Laura raised her hands happily and turned around three times. "I miss her so much! By the way, will Crest come? Is Crest as handsome as he is in the travel notes illustrations?"
"General Kleist will come... He's pretty handsome, isn't he?" Isaac said this a little bit against his will. It's really hard for someone who has seen the river to sincerely praise another man for being handsome...
"Where's Hongye? Is Hongye handsome?"
Isaac answered immediately: "Hongye's muscles are very handsome."
Laura: “???”
"By the way, senior, didn't you say you wanted to see how cute Ruhua is? Ruhua and Harris are in my territory. If you want to see them, we can go now." Isaac was afraid that Laura would continue asking questions, so he quickly changed the subject.
Although Mr. Ayun's two serials are often discontinued, every issue they publish can cause a temporary sensation.
General Crest and Hongye were the real "prototypes" and that was fine, but Isaac had been asked countless times who the gourmet hunter was whose race had not yet been revealed. He had no idea! Even Teacher Ayun didn't know who the gourmet hunter was!
"Okay, I want to see the little babies of the snow wolf tribe!" Laura said happily.
Laura Philip was forced to grow up to be a countess. The pressure from her family and territory made her consciously suppress her nature, but after all, she was only a fifteen-year-old girl this year... In front of Isaac, her junior who was taught by the same teacher, she was rarely free.
It takes two hours to travel from Valentine to Isaac's territory by carriage. Lola, who traveled light, arrived at the amusement park under construction before four o'clock in the afternoon.
After visiting the completed theater that was waiting to be put into use in amazement, she also met with architect Sue Gallagher who had worked for Philip's family. After resting for a while in Isaac's Knight's Mansion, which was only slightly better than a work shed and about the size of a farmyard, Laura suddenly heard a commotion outside.
"Ruhua, stop now!"
“Ouch——!!”
"Alex, stop her!"
"You must be joking! Why don't you stop it?!"
“Bang! Clang!”
“Aaaaaa——”
"Wayne was knocked flying!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"Be careful, Edward!"
Laura and the knight of the Philip family who accompanied Laura looked at Isaac in surprise and suspicion, while Isaac drank tea calmly with a blank expression.
"Junior, what's that noise outside?" Laura was a little scared.
"Ruhua must have gone to the beach to play in the water and was dragged back by Harris." Isaac was very calm and not surprised. "Let's wait until Ruhua is controlled by them before we go out."
Laura: “???”
The family knight said dissatisfiedly: "Knight Robbins, are you serious? Let the young lady meet such a dangerous creature?"
"The cubs of the Snow Wolf Tribe are just naughty." Isaac was unhappy that the Snow Wolf Tribe was called a dangerous creature, but since they were Laura's people, he had no right to criticize them. He patiently explained, "Don't worry, she only loses her temper with strong-looking humans. There are so many female workers in the amusement park, and no one has been hurt by her."
The family knight was very dissatisfied with Isaac's comparison of Miss Laura with the women working on the construction site, but before he could speak, Laura nodded with starry eyes: "I believe that Teacher Ayun is the cub of the Snow Wolf Clan. He is so gentle to me!"
Isaac became worried upon hearing this, and said quickly: "Well, Senior, we'd better not use Teacher Ayun as a standard to measure other Snow Wolf cubs. They are still very naughty, very naughty. Although Ruhua has no record of hurting people , the cub Moss of the Fire Department once caused a female worker in the woolen mill to break a bone—"
The family knight took a deep breath and said sadly: "Miss!"
“Stop talking, that’s just a baby who’s less than three years old.” Laura scolded softly, stood up and walked towards the door.
The family knight had no choice but to rush forward, open the door and walk out, standing in front of Laura vigilantly.
Then the two of them saw the little Snow Wolf baby that Isaac had mentioned, who was less than three years old...
The Knight's Mansion, which had no walls, had a clear view of the nearby construction site. Next to the sand field not far away, several professional warriors from the human and snake tribes were trying to surround a snow-white wolf that was more than one meter tall and more than two meters long and was charging forward - "trying" meant that anyone could see that they had failed to surround it, and were instead being chased around by the wolf, which was sticking out its tongue and jumping around.
The family knight slowly turned around to look at Isaac who had followed him out, raised his hand and pointed forward: "Is this what you were talking about, baby?"
Isaac: “…”
There was no point in explaining at this time. Isaac walked around Laura and came to the front, shouting to Ruhua: "Ruhua! Eat something spicy!"
Ruhua, who was tormenting Harris, Edward and the others, paused and turned her head towards this side with shining eyes...
