Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 21 Confidentiality
Su Mu and his group arrived in the Marquis's territory three days later.

This was the first time he had ever seen a magnificent human castle in real life.

Longlet Castle stands nestled among the mountains, its towering walls coiling like a dragon, protecting the entire marquisate. Watchtowers and archer towers are riddled with arrow slits, sharpshooters on constant alert, their eyes gleaming. The Magic Guild shines with dazzling light, its ancient stone walls etched with mysterious runes, radiating the power of the four elements.

At the edge of the castle, on the steep and treacherous Griffin Cliff, several majestic griffins circled in the sky, their massive forms swift and agile, brooking no intrusion. Inside the barracks, swords clashed, and swordsmen honed their unparalleled swordsmanship, their sweat pouring down their brows.

The ancient cobblestone streets are lined with tall buildings, their pointed roofs and magnificent halls creating a stunning spectacle. In the city center market, the cries of vendors rise and fall, while horse-drawn carriages weave through the narrow alleyways.

The entire castle gleamed in the morning light, bringing together all of Su Mu's fantasies about humanity and making them a reality.

Only then can one understand the source of many people's respect for Longletburg; it truly is the light of humanity.

The more this happened, the more eager Su Mu became to establish his own city. One day, he would make Cloud City hang high in the Xilin Sky.

"Where did you come from? Do you have a castle pass?"

"Our master is a distinguished guest invited by Baron Eugen, and is the guardian of Kuraki Town."

"Barons? There are plenty of people with titles in the castle. I don't care who invited you; you can't be let in without a pass!"

Su Mu and his group were clearly different from ordinary people; each was clad in armor and armed with arrows, and their guards were all level 2 soldiers. But the gatekeepers completely ignored them and refused to yield an inch.

Orling stepped forward, took out the letter from Longlet Castle, and showed it to them: "We come from Kuraki Town, invited by Garfield, and bear the Marquis's seal."

After reading the letter, the guard waved for the people behind him to make way and let them in.

The spearmen sized up the strange group of sharpshooters, pointing and whispering: "I heard they held off Isildur's centaur army and killed over 500 centaurs? Is that even possible with these skinny guys?"

"You don't know, do you? The other side is full of centaur leaders. I heard that this little Kuraki Town has produced a rare archery hero who has mastered advanced archery and can take people's heads from a thousand meters away."

"What bullshit archers? I have inside information. In fact, Cangmu Town secretly colluded and offered up its timber resources in exchange for the help of the Kingdom's smuggling gang to deal with the centaurs. These guys from the villages and towns are hiding in the forest and have never even drawn a bow."

The soldiers made their comments, and the locals added fuel to the fire, clearly showing their disdain for this unit from Kuraki Town.

After all, Longlet Castle is a marquisate, and it has seen all kinds of heroes and soldiers. Perhaps Su Mu and his men fought well in this battle, but that's all. They still have to come to the castle to receive their titles.

The newly recruited archers were at a loss, but Orin was used to it, simply organizing his troops and heading towards Baron Eugen's mansion.

The Baron's courtyard was large enough to accommodate the 50-man squad. After the steward had arranged the soldiers, Su Mu finally saw the Baron, whom he had not seen for a long time.

"Hey! Brother Su Mu, it's been a while. I didn't expect you to win such a victory. I always thought you had extraordinary talent. Have you already become a hero?"

Eugen grabbed Su Mu and patted his back with his large hand, a slight flow of magical energy probing his strength.

Su Mu knew he couldn't hide it this time, so he simply released his aura, revealing some of his characteristics. Dust swirled around him, indicating the earth's favor towards him, but it couldn't withstand Eugen's power, showing that the two were still far apart.

"With a bit of luck and a stroke of luck, I've mastered basic earth magic, but unfortunately, I still don't have a spellbook and I don't know any combat magic. I'm truly ashamed. I hope you can take me with you to the Magic Guild to study."

Seeing that he had investigated enough, Eugen relaxed his grip and readily agreed: "No problem. I'll throw you a welcome banquet tomorrow night, and in a few days I'll take you to the Magic Guild. The guild master is an old friend of mine, and I guarantee you'll learn a lot."

The two put their arms around each other's shoulders, seemingly having completely forgotten the unpleasant experience of asking for help earlier.

As he entered the inner room and sat down, several attractive female slaves filed in. A fox-woman, her breasts imposing, approached the baron with a plate of sweet fruit, feeding him; a gentle, adorable elf girl fanned the distinguished guest; a blue-skinned fairy, dressed in a skirt, exuded a fragrant aroma. There was even a female centaur, her upper limbs bound by shackles, kneeling humiliatingly before the hall.

Su Mu had only one thought at that moment: the Qi Observation Technique was incredibly accurate in judging people. That old lecher!
He pretended to uphold justice in Kuraki Town before, but now his true nature has been completely exposed.

The baron, enjoying the beauty's service, patted the centaur's rump and laughed, "I heard you got ripped off by centaurs in Kuraki Town. How about you borrow this mare Lily to vent your anger?"

Su Mu hurriedly waved his hand: "I won't take what belongs to others. Baron, you can enjoy it yourself."

"We can have fun anytime, but I have some private matters I'd like to discuss with you, sir."

The baron shook his head: "Men strive for women and money, don't they? You're so boring!" But he still waved the female slave away.

Su Mu then said somewhat awkwardly, "Since I entered the city, I've heard everyone talking about the battle of Cangmu Town."

Oh dear, it's one thing to pretend on the outside, but you know the real situation all too well.

"Thanks entirely to the support from the refugee camp and Ouling's archery skills, I, as the commander, was only in charge of the entire army to prevent everyone from retreating; otherwise, the destruction of the forest would be too heartbreaking."

The Baron knew everything about Kuraki Town's connection to the refugee camp, and even about Orin's origins. After all, it was the Baron who had introduced this eagle; their deal might be kept secret from others, but not from the Baron.

Eugen downed a glass of wine and said magnanimously, "Judging people is also a skill. The fact that you were able to give such an important position to a group of prisoners shows that you are both bold and meticulous. As a hero, you are often the one behind the scenes. No matter how your soldiers perform, as long as you win, the credit will naturally go to you."

On this point, the adults of Longletburg were in agreement.

Su Mu nodded hurriedly and offered a few drinks.

Eugen continued, "Franz, Wood, as the mayor and captain of the guard of Kuraki Town, deserted his post, which is intolerable to everyone. Although they have said a lot of bad things about you, the officials in power can distinguish right from wrong. From now on, you are the mayor of Kuraki Town."

You must learn to be grateful!

Eugen made a pointed remark, and Su Mu repeatedly agreed: "If the forest farm can continue to produce logs safely, it can even increase production and ensure that the transactions with the guild are error-free."

I simply wanted to ask the Baron which officials have spoken on my behalf, so I can repay them in return.

Eugen was very satisfied: "The president of the Magic Guild, the head of the market trade, and many lords have all spoken up for you. Don't worry, I recommended you. As long as you choose the right side, you won't suffer any losses!"

The guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts.

After drinking to his heart's content, Su Mu said with a flushed face, "Sir, I will definitely take good care of the forest for you. I also hope that you can support me with some treasures, otherwise I will be looked down upon by Ouling and the archer. I will give you all the wood."

That guy got a little bit of military merit and started eyeing positions. A bunch of ordinary soldiers listened to him. He's such an ungrateful bastard!

You must stand up for me!

Eugen, supporting Su Mu, advised, "Be magnanimous! You must be magnanimous! You are a hero. What kind of chicken or dog is he? Does he even deserve to compete with you?"
Don't worry, your brother will back you up!

After another round of heartfelt conversations, Su Mu recounted the hardships and horrors of the forest camp's defensive battle, even mentioning his desire to retreat to Langlitburg. Eugen managed to dissuade him with great difficulty.

Seeing that Su Mu was completely drunk, they sent someone to take him back to his room.

When the hall became empty, the previously drunken baron suddenly woke up, his face serious, with no trace of drunkenness remaining.

"Go and find out how Ouling is regarded in the marksman team."

Eugen stroked his beard, looking puzzled.

Could it be that Ouling awakened after being framed by Garfield? Judging from Su Mu's cowardly appearance, he doesn't seem like a commander capable of leading troops to fight against several times and half a centaur.

Perhaps it was indeed the sharpshooter commander who led the lord to achieve merit.

As for heroes? There are quite a few heroes born under the Burning Moon, but many of them are ungrateful and their graves are overgrown with weeds.

If Su Mu is sensible enough to hand over all the timber produced by the forest farm, it wouldn't matter if he were made a puppet. If he doesn't know what's good for him, then we won't be polite.

As for Ouling, if he is truly capable of commanding, helping him advance in rank and recruiting him could make him a great asset.

After all, this man had been betrayed by Garfield.

(End of this chapter)