Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 866 Do you want to stay for dinner?

This is a dim study room, which is a bit crowded because it is full of miscellaneous items. There are two rows of bookshelves more than three meters high standing by the wall, with a wide variety of books on them, from Victor Hugo's "White Mountain Priory" to Shakespeare's "Hamlet", from Metso's romantic poems to Mindreas's realistic masterpieces. In front of the lattice square window half-hidden by the curtains, a long walnut desk is piled with thick stacks of papers, but there is not a single word on it. The fireplace by the wall is still heating the charcoal left over from last night, and the tiny flames gradually grow into scorching flames, gently licking the blackened inside of the fireplace, filling the whole room with a faint smell of burning.

The old man was leaning back in a recliner by the fireplace, with a flannel blanket covering his thighs, quietly gazing at the scene outside the window. The bright summer sunshine flooded the streets and trees of Shadoli Manor, but they were separated from the mansion by a visible line, as if they had signed some kind of mysterious contract and had nothing to do with the loneliness of the world.

The old man in the recliner seemed to hear the footsteps of someone coming. He slowly turned around. His old, skinny face and his snow-white beard told how long time had passed in this weathered body. Perhaps only the old butler Weber, who grew up with him and accompanied him through his youth, adolescence and middle age, could count all these years one by one. Therefore, he was not surprised at his aging, but only felt a sense of regret as expected.

As for others, even Miss Xinuo, she would probably sigh at the impermanence of the world, as the stern and strict grandfather in her memory turned into an old man in his twilight years in the blink of an eye.

But aging does not mean a decline in spirit. Weber knew that the old man he served still contained a strength that was no less than that of any young and strong man. It was the only obsession that supported him to live in this world even if he would rather fight against death. It was the firewood that ignited a body, and it was not yet time for it to be extinguished.

At least, he would never fall before witnessing the end of the fate of the Gustave family.

"Have you visited today?" The old man cast his eyes on his squire. Many years ago, when knights still galloped on the battlefield and the spirit of knights still shone in people's memories, their relationship was like this, not the relationship between the master and the butler today. Then, he asked in a calm tone, his voice low but deep, like a horse's hoof stepping on a stone slab: "So, how is the situation, Weber?"

Today, Weber was ordered by the head of the family to inspect the many industries of the Gustaf family in Grindelwald, but he knew that was not his main task. As an elderly man, he no longer had an obsession with money and other external things, so he did not ask about the operating conditions of those industries, but about another matter.

"There is no sign of waking up yet." There were clearly only two people in the room, but the old housekeeper subconsciously lowered his voice, so that even the crackling of the charcoal in the fireplace was louder than his voice, and perhaps even more piercing in this dim and silent room: "However, farmers living near the Bolian Manor claim that they heard unusual noises in their sleep, and sometimes there were slight earthquakes, and the moods of cattle, sheep and other livestock were becoming increasingly anxious... I estimate that it will not be too far away from the time when it escapes."

"She's a stubborn child."

"Because today, an interesting thing happened." The old housekeeper replied: "Miss Xino brought some new friends to visit the manor. Two of them will participate in this year's Yamit Cup Championship. They are currently practicing on the manor's court. Miss volunteered to be their sparring partner."

Although the United Church of Williard had existed since the age of steam, the flag of the whitethorn had flown over this land earlier than the flag of the church, so the old man was qualified to say such things.

After this sentence was spoken, the room fell into a strange silence, as if both of them knew the true meaning of this sentence, but tacitly did not say it out loud. After considering for a while, the old butler made a suggestion: "If Miss Xinuo is still unable to make up her mind, perhaps we can choose to ask the united sect for help, sir?"

The old man's eyes narrowed when he heard this. His five bony fingers gently stroked the armrest of the recliner, looking like he was thinking. After a while, he slowly shook his head and said, "This is a bad idea. Even if the religious group agrees to our request, it won't be without cost."

What's more.

Waver could also understand the difference. He said helplessly, "In this case, perhaps things can only turn around when Miss Shino realizes her mistake."

In order to monitor that guy, the Gustave family left a lot of people nearby. The Bolian Manor was nominally a wine manor, but in fact it was a surveillance base. The employees there were all the Gustave family's confidants, which was the so-called noble leader in the Kingdom era. There are many surveillance bases like the Bolian Manor, which are basically disguised as vineyards and wineries. It is precisely because the confidants were arranged in various bases that the Chardoly Manor, as the ancestral home, is so empty and deserted.

"new friend……"

Because of the oath they had made to the aliens, the relationship between the Godafu family and the Church Union had become strained in recent years. If they asked them for help, the Inquisition would probably ask them to abolish the oath and expel the aliens, which would undoubtedly be a betrayal. Although the Church Union would not let them do it themselves, how could the noble and righteous Whitethorn Flower easily betray its allies?

After listening to Weber's report, the old man didn't say anything. He looked away and silently stared at the scene outside the window. The iconic burgundy eyes inherited from the pioneer Baron Vince had accumulated turbid shadows due to the precipitation of time. The passionate and flamboyant color of his youth gradually disappeared, but it seemed deeper because of this. After a long time, he spoke slowly, "Is that child Xinuo still not mentally prepared?"

But the same thing applies: they are not allowed to have that kind of time, as that guy's awakening is imminent.

"What's wrong, Weber?" The old man asked without turning around, as if he saw the expression on his face: "You seem to have something to say?"

The old butler lowered his head: "Miss may need some time."

At this moment, the old man was also recalling the young girl in his memory. When Leonard, now a father, excitedly held his daughter to show him, the old man saw at first glance that she had a stubborn blood flowing in her bones, even more so than the ancestors of the Gustave family. What happened later indeed proved his point of view: "The death of Mistyan, the death of Leonard, and the death of Claire all caused her to change drastically, but that was because she decided to change herself. If she refused to change, no matter what others said, it would not affect her mind."

"We are not allowed that kind of time," said the old man.

When the old butler heard this, he hesitated to speak.

"This is the mission and destiny of the Gustave family." The old man said calmly: "The people of the united sect will not understand, they are outsiders."

The old man was in a trance when he heard this word, but he quickly realized that it was probably the group of special guests that his granddaughter mentioned to him at the dinner table yesterday. Unexpectedly, they became good friends in just one day. Was it because of the wind flower ball? Yes, the child liked wind flower ball for a long time, probably influenced by her mother. She once said that she wanted to become the greatest wind flower ball player in the world when she grew up, but her dream was always shot down by the cruel reality again and again, just like the wind flower ball that flew out of the baseline powerlessly...

——You are the heir of the Godafu family.

——But I am also my mother’s child! How can I really count the wishes of a child?

The old man slowly closed his eyes and whispered, "Let her go for now."

"I understand." The old butler bowed slightly and said, "In addition, Miss Xinuo also said that she wanted to keep the guests at the manor for dinner. Let me ask your opinion, Master."

The old man did not open his eyes, and said calmly: "Warmth and tolerance are the ways of hospitality of the Gustaf family. It just so happens that I also want to meet those guests. You can arrange it, Weber."

The old butler nodded in agreement, and then, noticing that the old man looked a little tired, he knew that enough had been said today, so he took his leave and left, gently closing the door of the room, leaving behind a long silence that spread amid the crackling of the fire.

The footsteps gradually faded away, and this ancient mansion was once again surrounded by empty loneliness.

……

Before I knew it, it was already dusk.

The sunset glow in the sky was so bright that it seemed to be burning. A large group of birds flew in a V-shaped formation towards the end of the mountains and fields, gradually submerged in the shadow of the manor. The last bird stopped when it was about to leave, wandered in the air for two or three circles in a daze, and finally turned around and flew back. It flapped its wings and flew over the wool warehouses and bee farms of the ancient times, over the Longdale River dyed red by the sunset, and over the cypress forests rustling in the evening breeze... until it slowed down over the stadium and slowly landed on an arm stretched to the sky. It folded its wings and cried softly.

“Haha, Xiaobai, you’re back!” The gray-haired girl, who had just finished exercising, still had beads of sweat on her face. She said happily, “Bai Ye thought you were lost and was very worried!”

A voice with hidden annoyance came from my mind: "I'm not worried about this guy!"

The fully recovered Gray Feather Falcon seemed to be able to hear her words, and tilted its head in confusion, not knowing which owner to believe. Gloria quickly moved closer to its head and said in a low voice: "Don't believe Bai Ye's words, she is just embarrassed to express it, just like Alice said, tsundere."

"You think I can't hear you, silly Gloria?"

"Hey?"

After a little cuteness to get away with it, Gloria put Xiaobai on her shoulders and started to clean up the court. Because Alice liked to serve randomly, the wind and flower balls that were hit out of the baseline fell everywhere. If it weren't for the barbed wire, it would probably fly into the woods farther away.

Although the others did not participate in the training, they watched the practice for an entire afternoon, so they also helped to clean up. Only Alice, the instigator, not only did not come to help, but also posed there with her racket, and let out a disgusting laugh or two from time to time. She was probably imagining the scene of herself becoming famous with one goal and attracting everyone's attention after stepping onto the court.

When Xinuo went to pick up a wind flower ball under her feet, she stopped him and asked excitedly: "After practicing for an afternoon, do you think my level has improved, Xinuo? Am I qualified to participate in the main competition?"

I really have no idea at all.

Shino smiled awkwardly: "Compared to the main competition, I think it would be better for you to consider how to participate in the trials first, Miss Alice."

"What kind of words are you talking about?" Such a demoralizing statement immediately aroused Ai-chan's dissatisfaction: "Do you think I can't even pass the selection competition?"

"That's not what I meant. It's just that - you need an amateur certificate to participate in the open trials. Miss Alice, you don't have one yet, right? Even if you rush to the association in Sumiya City to take the exam and get the certificate as quickly as possible, it will take a week. I don't think it's possible to catch up with the registration deadline for the open trials." After Xino finished speaking, he tilted his head slightly, and the ponytail behind his head swung left and right: "Why, didn't Mr. Ling tell you about this?"

She even reminded me specifically.

"No!"

Alice was greatly surprised, but she glared at Linger fiercely, as if she wanted to bite a piece of flesh off him. But the young man, holding a basket of balls, walked towards the warehouse where the equipment was stored with an expressionless face, ignoring her.

This guy must have done it on purpose, he just doesn't want me to participate in the competition!
Ai-chan was so angry that her teeth itched, but it didn't matter. As smart as she was, she quickly thought of a way to break the situation. Not only could she successfully participate in the open trials, but she also had a good chance of winning the main competition. So the dissatisfied expression on her face immediately turned into a smug smile, and she was complacent in her heart: Lingge, Lingge, you are still too naive. How can a small obstacle stop my talented Fenghana Ball Beauty from winning the championship?
"Okay, everyone."

After cleaning up the court, Xino clapped his hands lightly to attract everyone's attention: "Let's stop practicing here for today. Now, we should go to dinner. Grandfather is waiting for us in the restaurant."

Half an hour ago, the old butler Weber brought back the reply from Xinuo's grandfather, who said that he was looking forward to dinner with the guests. So, Lingge and his friends decided to stay in the Chardoly Manor and leave after dinner. Just now, Xiaobai went to Yunjingkong Island to send a message to the proprietress. Otherwise, she would cook too much and no one would eat it. When Lingge and his friends returned, she would definitely nag them endlessly.

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)