It was starting to get colder in the Ascart Fiefdom as autumn deepened.
Farmers started to get busy, and merchants urged their distributors to hasten the transportation of goods so that supplies could arrive before the onset of winter. The number of carriages and patrolling soldiers on the road significantly increased, but it was worth noting that most people had smiles on their faces.
The farmers had a bountiful harvest this year, and the proxy fief lord, Roel, had reduced their taxes. Many merchants were also able to make more trips and maximize their profits thanks to the increased efficiency in the accounting system.
As for the soldiers, the improved financial condition of the Ascart Fiefdom had allowed for greater benefits for them, most notably, a raise in their salaries.
All of these translated to increased prestige for the Ascarts. There was no need for the Ascarts to spread word of their deeds at all; the populace could see the improvements that were being made to their lives themselves.
As such, when they learned that their proxy fief lord, Roel, was about to return from his studies, the civilians living in the vicinity of Ascart City immediately rushed to the city with excited smiles on their faces.
Just a few days back, an explosive piece of news reached their ears. They learned that Roel had clinched the champion trophy in the Challenger Cup. This was indubitably a huge affair. Even when the Ascart Fiefdom was a long distance away from the Country of Scholars, most civilians were still aware of the prestigious centuries old tournament and the significance of it.
All of a sudden, Roel’s standing rose from just the proxy fief lord of the Ascart Fiefdom to the hero of the people. Under the leadership of the Ascarts’ manor, the entire city began making preparations to welcome Roel back home.
Dense crowds filled up both sides of elaborately decorated streets, leaving Roel wondering if he had stumbled upon some festival when his carriage first arrived at the city. It was only at Anna’s explanation—she had been patiently waiting at the entrance of the city for Roel’s return—that he realized that this fanfare was prepared just for him.
“As much as I appreciate the sentiment, there’s no need to make such a huge fuss over this. We shouldn’t disturb the people for our own personal reasons.”
“You’ve misunderstood, young master. While the celebration was planned by our Ascarts’ manor, the people chose to come here on their own accord. They wish to welcome you from the bottom of their hearts.”
“Still, this causes a huge disruption to the traffic and trade…”
“We made sure to announce the celebration a month in advance so that businesses can make preparations in advance. The celebration was also carefully planned to minimize disruptions on major routes. On top of that, we have also expanded the city gates according to your blueprints so merchants can access the city through the side gate should there be any emergency situations.”
“… I see.”
Afterlife Of The Party
It Came From Below
Free Guy: Guy Meets Girl (60 Second Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Icon (Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Tickets On Sale (Spot)
A Journal For Jordan (Teaser Trailer 1)
Everyone's Talking About Jamie: (Trailer 2)
He's All That (French Trailer 1)
Free Guy: Las Reacciones Maximas De Deadpool (Latin America Market Subtitled)
Collection
Roel nodded in response. He first looked at the crowd around him before stepping out of his carriage and leaping to its top. He waved at his people, and his people responded with excited cheers. Looking at the smiles on the faces around him, he felt like the fatigue he had built up over the month’s travel was completely swept away.
He was heartened.
The people were no fools. Even if they couldn’t fully comprehend what Roel was doing, they could still sense gradual improvements in their lives, and that resulted in increased support for him. Everything he had done wasn’t in vain.
Under the warm welcome of the crowd, Roel soon arrived at the Ascarts’ manor. Watching as the servants opened the gates, he suddenly felt a sense of liberation striking him.
Over the past month, due to the huge procession formed by the convergence of the Ascarts and Sorofyas’ convoys, they didn’t meet with any danger along the way. However, within the procession itself, Roel faced an endless onslaught of problems created by Alicia and Charlotte.
Unable to compete with Charlotte under the grounds of legitimacy, Alicia had no choice but to make a tactical retreat and resort to defensive measures. Charlotte made use of this opportunity to begin her assault, resulting in a constant bustle in Roel’s carriage.
Be it meal time, rest time, tea time, or card time, the two women were constantly competing with each other in the first half of the journey. Roel had hardly any private time to himself, and mediating between them left him utterly exhausted.
In the end, perhaps sensing that their competition wasn’t doing anyone a favor, they eventually decided to sign a ceasefire agreement and enjoy the latter half of the journey. Things got much better after that.
Roel even spared two days to hunt together with them, though the process left him rather speechless.
Anyone who had hunted before would know that it was an activity that required a diverse array of skills, be it discerning an animal’s trails, tracking it, or taking it down. It could be described as a battle of wits, such that some hunters even considered it an artform.
Yet, when it came to the two ladies, hunting became trivialized. Charlotte tossed a coin with closed eyes to determine the location of the hunt whereas Alicia released silver birds that combed through the forest to search for prey. Then, they would take down their prey with a simple burst of magic each time around.
Hunting was supposed to be a fight against the wild, filled with passion and hot-bloodedness. Yet, there was zero excitement and tension, almost like a streamlined hunting operation.
Roel had no idea what to make of this at all. It was clear to him that the two young ladies couldn’t understand a man’s romance toward hunting. Nevertheless, when the two of them approached him to showcase their accomplishments, he still offered them compliments.
He wasn’t surprised by their hunting competency, but the guards were completely amazed by the abilities they had displayed. The hunts filled the two convoys with a joyous atmosphere as they began making preparations for a feast.
Such harmonious warmth continued till a few days ago, when they finally reached a crossroad near the Ascart Fiefdom’s southern border. Roel and Charlotte had no choice but to reluctantly part ways.
Charlotte had wanted to accompany Roel into the Ascart Fiefdom, but she received a letter from her family urging her return. The arrival of the letter initially confused them, but Charlotte soon thought of something. She first assured Roel that everything was alright before quickly taking her leave.
Roel was concerned, but he chose not to probe too deeply into it.
Charlotte was the successor of the Sorofyas, so she was bound to have many troubles of her own. It was already a miracle how she was able to spare so much time to accompany him. Besides, she was on close terms with her family, so she would want to spend time with them over the holidays too.
It was the same for Roel too.
When he was still a week’s journey away from the Ascart Fiefdom, he dispatched an envoy to inform Carter of his return. Both Carter and him were often busy and had hardly any time for each other; this holiday was a rare opportunity for them to catch up.
It had been several months since Roel had left the Ascarts’ manor. The moment he stepped into the estate, he felt a sense of security and comfort, which allowed him to better understand his heart.
Life in Saint Freya Academy was exciting and fruitful. His victory in the Challenger Cup had shot him to stardom in Leinster, and he received looks of respect and admiration no matter where he went. Yet, he found that none of these mattered to him.
Most youths struggled to understand the warmth of home since it was presented to them on a platter, but to Roel, who had to brave through many dangers from a young age, there were very few places in this world that could truly make him feel safe.
He was fond of the light ink fragrance suffusing the study rooms of the Ascarts’ manor. He liked how the afternoon sun would shine in diagonally through his bedroom windows. He missed the tea that Anna would brew for him every morning to start off his day.
These were probably insignificant in the eyes of others, but it was these minor details of everyday life that instilled in him a sense of belonging. They told him that he was home.
Neither Ascart City nor the Ascarts’ manor could be said to be the most amazing place in the world, but they were one-of-a-kind to Roel. They were filled with fond memories. He wouldn’t change them for anything in the world.
Sitting on a chair in the dining room and leisurely sipping on a cup of red tea, Roel patiently listened to Anna’s report on the development of the Ascart Fiefdom over the last few months. Alicia quietly listened in from the chair adjacent to his.
Most of the recent plans concerning the Ascart Fiefdom’s development were vetted and set in motion by Alicia, but she chose to have Anna report on them instead of doing it herself because she didn’t want to influence Roel’s evaluation. She wanted to know his objective feedback on whether she had done well or not.
This was an important consideration in how she determined her self-worth. She wouldn’t accept herself being a baggage to her Lord Brother.
Time slowly ticked by.
Soon, Anna was finally done with her report.
“You have done well,” said Roel with a nod of acknowledgment.
With those words, Alicia was finally freed from the crushing pressure in her chest, and her heart swelled with pride.
While it was unlikely that she could defeat Roel in terms of transcendent abilities, she was confident that she could be of help to him in a fight. However, when it came to fief governance, not a single person who knew the previous state of the Ascart Fiefdom would dare claim that they were superior to Roel.
Afterlife Of The Party
It Came From Below
Free Guy: Guy Meets Girl (60 Second Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Icon (Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Tickets On Sale (Spot)
A Journal For Jordan (Teaser Trailer 1)
Everyone's Talking About Jamie: (Trailer 2)
He's All That (French Trailer 1)
Free Guy: Las Reacciones Maximas De Deadpool (Latin America Market Subtitled)
Collection
Not even Charlotte, who was known for her sharp business acuity, would dare say so.
It was as if the predecessors of the Ascart House had relinquished their talents in management so that Roel could inherit all of it. Such could be seen from the earlier bustle caused by his return. Most in the Ascart Fiefdom would see it as a huge honor to receive his acknowledgment.
Alicia was overjoyed to have received Roel’s words of affirmation. Roel glanced at the beaming Alicia and smiled as well.
Having grown up together, Roel could tell what was on Alicia’s mind even when she wasn’t saying a word at all. Just like how she knew him better than anyone else in the world, it was the same the other way around too.
He sharply noticed how many of the problems that arose during his period of absence were resolved in a manner in line with Alicia’s style of doing things.
A while back, some of the nearby fiefs started maliciously spreading rumors to discourage merchants from doing business with the Ascart Fiefdom. Roel and Anna would have retaliated by engaging in information warfare, but Alicia instead opted to get rid of the ones spreading the rumors.
In Eyes of the Chronicler, Alicia was an agent for the Theocracy, an assassin who removed threats from the shadows. She preferred resorting to methods that resolved problems once and for all. Part of it stemmed from the nature of her occupation, but her personality played a part in it as well.
Alicia was an extreme person. Her world existed in two colors, black and white. Those whom she treasured would be more important to her than anything else in the world, but those whom she carried no attachment for would be no different from weed growing by the roadside.
That was why she had no qualms taking the lives of others.
When Roel took a different attitude to her and changed her future, he thought that she would grow up to become a graceful noblewoman. Things clearly didn’t go as planned. Instead, the militaristic aspect of the Ascart House further drew out her innate personality.
However, this wasn’t a concern for Roel.
Regardless of whether Alicia was a graceful noblewoman or a decisive transcendent, it made no difference to him at all. Alicia was Alicia. She was the closest kin to him, and this was a fact that would never change.
Roel continued sipping his tea with a smile whereas Alicia lowered her head and immersed herself in her joy.
Looking at this harmonious scene, Anna felt deeply moved.
Having served Roel as his personal maid from a young age, she had a good grasp of what kind of person he was. Nevertheless, when she heard that Roel was going to enroll in Saint Freya Academy, she still felt deeply worried as the fanclub manager of the Roel X Alicia Ship.
Adolescence was the age where people tended to easily lose themselves in the moment and act recklessly. It was one thing when they were in the Ascart Fiefdom, but Leinster was a city filled with youths of the same age. With Roel’s looks and credentials, there were bound to be many women who would view him as their prey.
There was no saying whether Roel could remain steadfast in the face of temptation.
Hardly a day went by where Anna didn’t worry.
It was only at this very moment, when she saw the harmonious scene between the two of them, that her heart was finally put at ease. She was healed by their interactions.
As expected. No matter how many distractions there are along the way, there’s nothing in the world that can hope to undermine the true love that exists between young master and young miss!
Before she knew it, Anna already had a warm smile on her face. The lips of the nearby servants also curled up as well as they nodded in approval. Such a simple sight had brought about a merry atmosphere in the dining room.
However, the question Roel asked after finishing his cup of tea shattered the warm atmosphere.
“Anna, were there any letters from the Holy Capital?”
“Of course. Ever since news of your accomplishments in the Challenger Cup got out, we have received quite a few congratulatory letters from high nobles,” replied Anna with a proud smile.
“I’ll deal with the others later on. Bring me Nora’s letter first.”
Roel began waiting patiently for Anna to deliver the letter to his hand, but unexpected, the latter didn’t move. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, and Anna’s reply caused him to narrow his eyes.
“Young master, we didn’t receive any letter from Her Highness.”
It was starting to get colder in the Ascart Fiefdom as autumn deepened.
Farmers started to get busy, and merchants urged their distributors to hasten the transportation of goods so that supplies could arrive before the onset of winter. The number of carriages and patrolling soldiers on the road significantly increased, but it was worth noting that most people had smiles on their faces.
The farmers had a bountiful harvest this year, and the proxy fief lord, Roel, had reduced their taxes. Many merchants were also able to make more trips and maximize their profits thanks to the increased efficiency in the accounting system.
As for the soldiers, the improved financial condition of the Ascart Fiefdom had allowed for greater benefits for them, most notably, a raise in their salaries.
All of these translated to increased prestige for the Ascarts. There was no need for the Ascarts to spread word of their deeds at all; the populace could see the improvements that were being made to their lives themselves.
As such, when they learned that their proxy fief lord, Roel, was about to return from his studies, the civilians living in the vicinity of Ascart City immediately rushed to the city with excited smiles on their faces.
Just a few days back, an explosive piece of news reached their ears. They learned that Roel had clinched the champion trophy in the Challenger Cup. This was indubitably a huge affair. Even when the Ascart Fiefdom was a long distance away from the Country of Scholars, most civilians were still aware of the prestigious centuries old tournament and the significance of it.
All of a sudden, Roel’s standing rose from just the proxy fief lord of the Ascart Fiefdom to the hero of the people. Under the leadership of the Ascarts’ manor, the entire city began making preparations to welcome Roel back home.
Dense crowds filled up both sides of elaborately decorated streets, leaving Roel wondering if he had stumbled upon some festival when his carriage first arrived at the city. It was only at Anna’s explanation—she had been patiently waiting at the entrance of the city for Roel’s return—that he realized that this fanfare was prepared just for him.
“As much as I appreciate the sentiment, there’s no need to make such a huge fuss over this. We shouldn’t disturb the people for our own personal reasons.”
“You’ve misunderstood, young master. While the celebration was planned by our Ascarts’ manor, the people chose to come here on their own accord. They wish to welcome you from the bottom of their hearts.”
“Still, this causes a huge disruption to the traffic and trade…”
“We made sure to announce the celebration a month in advance so that businesses can make preparations in advance. The celebration was also carefully planned to minimize disruptions on major routes. On top of that, we have also expanded the city gates according to your blueprints so merchants can access the city through the side gate should there be any emergency situations.”
“… I see.”
Afterlife Of The Party
It Came From Below
Free Guy: Guy Meets Girl (60 Second Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Icon (Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Tickets On Sale (Spot)
A Journal For Jordan (Teaser Trailer 1)
Everyone's Talking About Jamie: (Trailer 2)
He's All That (French Trailer 1)
Free Guy: Las Reacciones Maximas De Deadpool (Latin America Market Subtitled)
Collection
Roel nodded in response. He first looked at the crowd around him before stepping out of his carriage and leaping to its top. He waved at his people, and his people responded with excited cheers. Looking at the smiles on the faces around him, he felt like the fatigue he had built up over the month’s travel was completely swept away.
He was heartened.
The people were no fools. Even if they couldn’t fully comprehend what Roel was doing, they could still sense gradual improvements in their lives, and that resulted in increased support for him. Everything he had done wasn’t in vain.
Under the warm welcome of the crowd, Roel soon arrived at the Ascarts’ manor. Watching as the servants opened the gates, he suddenly felt a sense of liberation striking him.
Over the past month, due to the huge procession formed by the convergence of the Ascarts and Sorofyas’ convoys, they didn’t meet with any danger along the way. However, within the procession itself, Roel faced an endless onslaught of problems created by Alicia and Charlotte.
Unable to compete with Charlotte under the grounds of legitimacy, Alicia had no choice but to make a tactical retreat and resort to defensive measures. Charlotte made use of this opportunity to begin her assault, resulting in a constant bustle in Roel’s carriage.
Be it meal time, rest time, tea time, or card time, the two women were constantly competing with each other in the first half of the journey. Roel had hardly any private time to himself, and mediating between them left him utterly exhausted.
In the end, perhaps sensing that their competition wasn’t doing anyone a favor, they eventually decided to sign a ceasefire agreement and enjoy the latter half of the journey. Things got much better after that.
Roel even spared two days to hunt together with them, though the process left him rather speechless.
Anyone who had hunted before would know that it was an activity that required a diverse array of skills, be it discerning an animal’s trails, tracking it, or taking it down. It could be described as a battle of wits, such that some hunters even considered it an artform.
Yet, when it came to the two ladies, hunting became trivialized. Charlotte tossed a coin with closed eyes to determine the location of the hunt whereas Alicia released silver birds that combed through the forest to search for prey. Then, they would take down their prey with a simple burst of magic each time around.
Hunting was supposed to be a fight against the wild, filled with passion and hot-bloodedness. Yet, there was zero excitement and tension, almost like a streamlined hunting operation.
Roel had no idea what to make of this at all. It was clear to him that the two young ladies couldn’t understand a man’s romance toward hunting. Nevertheless, when the two of them approached him to showcase their accomplishments, he still offered them compliments.
He wasn’t surprised by their hunting competency, but the guards were completely amazed by the abilities they had displayed. The hunts filled the two convoys with a joyous atmosphere as they began making preparations for a feast.
Such harmonious warmth continued till a few days ago, when they finally reached a crossroad near the Ascart Fiefdom’s southern border. Roel and Charlotte had no choice but to reluctantly part ways.
Charlotte had wanted to accompany Roel into the Ascart Fiefdom, but she received a letter from her family urging her return. The arrival of the letter initially confused them, but Charlotte soon thought of something. She first assured Roel that everything was alright before quickly taking her leave.
Roel was concerned, but he chose not to probe too deeply into it.
Charlotte was the successor of the Sorofyas, so she was bound to have many troubles of her own. It was already a miracle how she was able to spare so much time to accompany him. Besides, she was on close terms with her family, so she would want to spend time with them over the holidays too.
It was the same for Roel too.
When he was still a week’s journey away from the Ascart Fiefdom, he dispatched an envoy to inform Carter of his return. Both Carter and him were often busy and had hardly any time for each other; this holiday was a rare opportunity for them to catch up.
It had been several months since Roel had left the Ascarts’ manor. The moment he stepped into the estate, he felt a sense of security and comfort, which allowed him to better understand his heart.
Life in Saint Freya Academy was exciting and fruitful. His victory in the Challenger Cup had shot him to stardom in Leinster, and he received looks of respect and admiration no matter where he went. Yet, he found that none of these mattered to him.
Most youths struggled to understand the warmth of home since it was presented to them on a platter, but to Roel, who had to brave through many dangers from a young age, there were very few places in this world that could truly make him feel safe.
He was fond of the light ink fragrance suffusing the study rooms of the Ascarts’ manor. He liked how the afternoon sun would shine in diagonally through his bedroom windows. He missed the tea that Anna would brew for him every morning to start off his day.
These were probably insignificant in the eyes of others, but it was these minor details of everyday life that instilled in him a sense of belonging. They told him that he was home.
Neither Ascart City nor the Ascarts’ manor could be said to be the most amazing place in the world, but they were one-of-a-kind to Roel. They were filled with fond memories. He wouldn’t change them for anything in the world.
Sitting on a chair in the dining room and leisurely sipping on a cup of red tea, Roel patiently listened to Anna’s report on the development of the Ascart Fiefdom over the last few months. Alicia quietly listened in from the chair adjacent to his.
Most of the recent plans concerning the Ascart Fiefdom’s development were vetted and set in motion by Alicia, but she chose to have Anna report on them instead of doing it herself because she didn’t want to influence Roel’s evaluation. She wanted to know his objective feedback on whether she had done well or not.
This was an important consideration in how she determined her self-worth. She wouldn’t accept herself being a baggage to her Lord Brother.
Time slowly ticked by.
Soon, Anna was finally done with her report.
“You have done well,” said Roel with a nod of acknowledgment.
With those words, Alicia was finally freed from the crushing pressure in her chest, and her heart swelled with pride.
While it was unlikely that she could defeat Roel in terms of transcendent abilities, she was confident that she could be of help to him in a fight. However, when it came to fief governance, not a single person who knew the previous state of the Ascart Fiefdom would dare claim that they were superior to Roel.
Afterlife Of The Party
It Came From Below
Free Guy: Guy Meets Girl (60 Second Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Icon (Spot)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Tickets On Sale (Spot)
A Journal For Jordan (Teaser Trailer 1)
Everyone's Talking About Jamie: (Trailer 2)
He's All That (French Trailer 1)
Free Guy: Las Reacciones Maximas De Deadpool (Latin America Market Subtitled)
Collection
Not even Charlotte, who was known for her sharp business acuity, would dare say so.
It was as if the predecessors of the Ascart House had relinquished their talents in management so that Roel could inherit all of it. Such could be seen from the earlier bustle caused by his return. Most in the Ascart Fiefdom would see it as a huge honor to receive his acknowledgment.
Alicia was overjoyed to have received Roel’s words of affirmation. Roel glanced at the beaming Alicia and smiled as well.
Having grown up together, Roel could tell what was on Alicia’s mind even when she wasn’t saying a word at all. Just like how she knew him better than anyone else in the world, it was the same the other way around too.
He sharply noticed how many of the problems that arose during his period of absence were resolved in a manner in line with Alicia’s style of doing things.
A while back, some of the nearby fiefs started maliciously spreading rumors to discourage merchants from doing business with the Ascart Fiefdom. Roel and Anna would have retaliated by engaging in information warfare, but Alicia instead opted to get rid of the ones spreading the rumors.
In Eyes of the Chronicler, Alicia was an agent for the Theocracy, an assassin who removed threats from the shadows. She preferred resorting to methods that resolved problems once and for all. Part of it stemmed from the nature of her occupation, but her personality played a part in it as well.
Alicia was an extreme person. Her world existed in two colors, black and white. Those whom she treasured would be more important to her than anything else in the world, but those whom she carried no attachment for would be no different from weed growing by the roadside.
That was why she had no qualms taking the lives of others.
When Roel took a different attitude to her and changed her future, he thought that she would grow up to become a graceful noblewoman. Things clearly didn’t go as planned. Instead, the militaristic aspect of the Ascart House further drew out her innate personality.
However, this wasn’t a concern for Roel.
Regardless of whether Alicia was a graceful noblewoman or a decisive transcendent, it made no difference to him at all. Alicia was Alicia. She was the closest kin to him, and this was a fact that would never change.
Roel continued sipping his tea with a smile whereas Alicia lowered her head and immersed herself in her joy.
Looking at this harmonious scene, Anna felt deeply moved.
Having served Roel as his personal maid from a young age, she had a good grasp of what kind of person he was. Nevertheless, when she heard that Roel was going to enroll in Saint Freya Academy, she still felt deeply worried as the fanclub manager of the Roel X Alicia Ship.
Adolescence was the age where people tended to easily lose themselves in the moment and act recklessly. It was one thing when they were in the Ascart Fiefdom, but Leinster was a city filled with youths of the same age. With Roel’s looks and credentials, there were bound to be many women who would view him as their prey.
There was no saying whether Roel could remain steadfast in the face of temptation.
Hardly a day went by where Anna didn’t worry.
It was only at this very moment, when she saw the harmonious scene between the two of them, that her heart was finally put at ease. She was healed by their interactions.
As expected. No matter how many distractions there are along the way, there’s nothing in the world that can hope to undermine the true love that exists between young master and young miss!
Before she knew it, Anna already had a warm smile on her face. The lips of the nearby servants also curled up as well as they nodded in approval. Such a simple sight had brought about a merry atmosphere in the dining room.
However, the question Roel asked after finishing his cup of tea shattered the warm atmosphere.
“Anna, were there any letters from the Holy Capital?”
“Of course. Ever since news of your accomplishments in the Challenger Cup got out, we have received quite a few congratulatory letters from high nobles,” replied Anna with a proud smile.
“I’ll deal with the others later on. Bring me Nora’s letter first.”
Roel began waiting patiently for Anna to deliver the letter to his hand, but unexpected, the latter didn’t move. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, and Anna’s reply caused him to narrow his eyes.
“Young master, we didn’t receive any letter from Her Highness.”
