Hana finished preparing and, around five in the evening, headed toward the castle with his knight.
Thud... thud... thud...
"Is my outfit okay?" Hana turned to ask his Chief Knight before they reached the gate. "Does it look too shabby?"
"My Lord, these are very fine clothes," The Chief Knight replied, shaking his head. These clothes were brand new, purchased just that afternoon for ten silver coins specifically for tonight's banquet.
"Forget it. As long as it's not embarrassing," Hana sighed. This was the best he had worn in years. He thought about the rumors in Sedona City—that the clothes Lucas wore were worth at least ten gold coins. Comparing the two was useless. Poverty is a heavy burden.
"Halt. State your business," A soldier at the castle gate said, blocking their path.
The Chief Knight let out a silent breath of relief. The guard's tone was polite, unlike the arrogant, condescending guards of most high-ranking nobles.
"We are here for the banquet," He said, quickly presenting the invitation.
"I see. Please, follow me," The soldier said after checking the card. He stepped aside and handed the invitation to a waiting maid.
As Hana and his knight entered the castle grounds, they were led through the gardens. They stared in awe at their surroundings, their shock growing with every step. The castle was the definition of classical elegance and luxury.
They noticed workers on the roof installing blue panels. They looked stunningly vibrant. Hana wondered if stone alone wasn't enough to satisfy Lucas's aesthetic.
"Wait... what is that?" Hana froze. Right in front of him was the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The Chief Knight's eye twitched. He finally understood the extent of Lucas's wealth. He knew for a fact that a big merchant had once offered a thousand gold coins for a single T-Rex skeleton.
In this castle, there wasn't just one. He saw three standing T-Rex skeletons and several smaller ones nearby. It looked like they were building an entire prehistoric gallery.
Nearby, Annie was supervising the fossil adjustments, with Rhea, Mira, and Amelia watching intently. Following Lucas's instructions, she was setting up a predation scene using the fossils. The sheer number of fossils found in the recent excavation was staggering.
Annie spotted Hana and handed the blueprints to the wide-eyed birdkin girls. "Here, you three supervise this. I have business to attend to."
She walked over to Hana and the maid. "You may go; I'll take them to the Master," She said to the servant.
"Miss Annie," Hana greeted her with a warm smile. He knew this fox-kin was essentially the City Lord's right hand.
"Please follow me. The Master is expecting you."
They were led to a reception hall where Annie offered them tea. Shortly after, Lucas entered, flanked by Mina and Nicole.
"Lord Lucas," Hana said, immediately standing up.
"Lord Hana, my apologies. I've been quite busy these past few days," Lucas said with a gracious smile.
"No, no! I'm the one who intruded," Hana replied. Any lingering resentment he had about the wait vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of being charmed by Lucas's charisma. Behind him, the Chief Knight was equally impressed by Lucas's noble bearing—he didn't look down on them at all.
"Please, have a seat," Lucas gestured.
Hana waited for Lucas to sit before taking his own seat, minding his noble etiquette. He then took a small wooden box from his knight, opened it, and pushed it toward Lucas. "A small token of my appreciation."
"Oh?" Lucas arched an eyebrow. Inside the box was a thumb-sized blue sapphire. "Lord Hana, this is a rather heavy gift."
Based on the size and clarity, it was worth several hundred gold coins. For a lord as poor as Hana, this was a massive investment.
"Please, Lord Lucas, I insist you accept it," Hana said, bowing slightly. This heirloom was his only leverage to ensure his requests were heard.
Lucas understood. He signaled Nicole to take the gift. He didn't want to waste time; he knew Hana had been waiting for days. "Lord Hana, I heard you wanted to discuss a partnership?"
"Yes," Hana said, his voice tense with nerves. "I want to purchase goods from Sedona City... and salt."
"Salt?" Lucas acted surprised. "Goods are no problem, but our salt inventory is actually quite low."
Lucas glanced at the sapphire and continued calmly, "Furthermore, from what I know, Chitu City's finances are in a rather... difficult state."
"I have iron ore," Hana said, his expression turning deadly serious. He knew the whole western region was starved for salt because of the pirates at sea. He had brought the sapphire as a foot in the door, but the iron mine was his true bargaining chip.
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