Chapter 884

Chapter 884: The Girl by the Hearth

In Baron Moroz’s castle.

The room was brightly lit by large candles made of pine resin, and Baron Moroz sat behind his desk, holding a small seal in his hand, turning it over and over as he thought deeply about the issues he had been facing recently, his expression unchanged.

The room was very quiet, with the curtains tightly drawn. This was his private space, one of the few places where he could completely calm down.

Just as his father had taught him long ago when he was still a youth.

“Think deeply to find solutions. You must learn to discover the essence of the world on your own. Any information provided by others will mislead you; this is what makes a qualified man.”

Three days had already passed, and at the speed of carrier birds, the other party should have received the message long ago, yet there was no response.

If it wasn’t them, they wouldn’t need to be so silent. But if it was their doing, and they were still silent now, that would indeed be interesting.

They knew their actions had been exposed but didn’t want to talk to him just yet, dragging out the time. This might suggest only two possibilities.

One was that they were still looking for an opportunity, seeking a chance to uncover his secrets, giving them more leverage in negotiations.

The second was that the man in jail was already expendable, and they had already obtained what they wanted to know and get, thus showing no concern.

Whichever possibility it was, it meant that in the forest and the city below the mountains, the other party still had people who allowed them such leisurely behavior.

How amusing it was for himself to be made a fool of like this. Although he was merely a minor baron, as the heir of the Moroz family, which had been passed down for over twenty generations, did they really have so little face?

Compared to the other party’s malice, this ignorance and disregard instead ignited Baron Moroz’s anger even more.

Hmph, since you’re like this, I’ll have no choice but to go down fighting. Without that key artifact, he had almost no chance of breaking the seals in the ruins, practically driving him into a corner.

Baron Moroz stayed in the study for a while longer before leaving the room.

“Master, may I ask if there are any orders?” Outside the room, his loyal butler had been waiting for quite some time.

“Tomorrow, have someone drag the captured person into the city, announce his crimes publicly, then hang him.”

“Oh, and before he dies, hang two signs on him, ‘Fire-eyed Nightingale’ and ‘Blindfolded Man.’ Let’s see if they react to these.”

“Yes, understood,” the butler bowed deeply and silently followed behind this short man.

“Has the high-ranking investigator from Titania arrived? Have him come see me. Tell him I invite him to dinner together.”

“Yes.” The butler responded again.

“If you won’t let me gain anything, then I’ll make sure you lose everything.” On the gray stone corridor, Baron Moroz’s lips curled into a cruel smile.

——

At the headquarters of the Lenz Chamber of Commerce, Lolan Hill was sitting with a group of people in a warm little room. They gathered around a burning pile of wood, where dry branches and charcoal were burning, radiating waves of heat.

The residents of the Southern Region of the Empire were different from those in the North. They joined the Verdant Empire relatively late and still retained many old habits. Instead of using beautiful but inconvenient fireplaces, they preferred this type of communal stove that allowed them to gather around.

Perhaps there would be some smoke and ash, making the room less tidy. But it was easy to construct, allowed more people to sit by the fire, and also enabled cooking or smoking sausages hanging from the roof.

With winter approaching, the local residents began preparing for the winter, and Lolan Hill also sat by the fire, learning how to knit sweaters from a nearby aunt.

“Miss Mesia learns quickly,” said a plump aunt sitting by the stove, watching the threads in the young lady’s hands gradually become neat, offering a small compliment.

“It’s because I’ve encountered similar things before.”

The girl recalled the remote mountain village in the East, where Bai Zao had taught her how to knit. Though it wasn’t exactly knitting sweaters, there were many similarities, making it easier to learn.

“That’s great. Usually, fewer young girls do this kind of work. It’s mostly us older folks.”

Several aunts laughed. Most of them were local residents, serving as maids or kitchen helpers in the headquarters. Besides them, there were only four younger ones present, including Lolan Hill and Lotte, along with two local girls.

At the moment, they were also learning to knit, though their stitching wasn’t as neat as Lolan Hill’s. Of course, if we were to talk about the worst, it wasn’t these two but rather Lotte, who was deep in thought on the other side.

This young lady from the duke’s family, although skilled in wielding swords, was not particularly adept at delicate handiwork.

How does the needle pass through and hook together like this? She looked at the tangled yarn in her hands, feeling it was difficult. However, everyone else was doing it, so Lotte didn’t want to give up. She didn’t want Miss Mesia to think she was a girl who liked to avoid challenges and lacked perseverance.

When that gaze occasionally looked over, Lotte felt both warm and nervous, hoping this sister-like gentle young lady would look at her but also not wanting to expose her weaker side.

“If you don’t have any ideas, why don’t you put it down first? Or come sit by me and watch for a while; perhaps you’ll gradually understand.” The girl noticed Lotte’s distress and beckoned her to sit closer.

“Okay.”

Amidst the envious gazes of the other two girls, Lotte switched seats and sat beside the blond girl in white, watching her deft and practiced hands weave the thread back and forth. Her pale blue eyes were calm and focused, evoking a sense of serene tranquility.

If she were truly my sister, that would be wonderful.

Lotte thought quietly, then shook her head lightly, concentrating on the slender and fair fingers of Lolan Hill, weaving the simple yarn into neat and aesthetically pleasing clothing in graceful butterfly-like motions.

The sweater had a layered appearance, with a dense and smooth base layer. Raised stripes adorned the surface, highlighting the lines of the sweater. Between the stripes and the base layer, there were small embellishments resembling leaves and berries, making the garment visually appealing without being monotonous.

As the knitting time extended, part of the unfinished sweater rested on her knees, warmed by the hearth, reflecting a faint luster of the silk threads. If touched, one could feel the softness and warmth of the yarn.

Watching the sweater slowly take shape, although she hadn’t knitted it herself, Lotte still felt a subtle sense of satisfaction and happiness.

“Is this sweater tailored to your own figure?” She curiously looked at the girl in white by the hearth.

“Not really.” The tranquil voice of the girl echoed by the hearth.

“It’s for you, Lotte.”