Chapter 275

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"Tell the cook to add a steak for the master," Nicholas ordered the maid after they returned to the castle.

"Yes." The maid rushed to the kitchen.

Dudian called out to the maid: "Tell him to fire up a few more as I have a good appetite tonight."

"Yes." Maids quickly replied, turned and walked away.

"I did not expect that you would come back tonight." Nicholas sat on his chair: "If I knew then I would have ordered the chef to prepare in advance."

Dudian smiled: "Are you used to living here?"

Nicholas thought of Dudian's note he had dug out in the morning. His heart was beating fast, but his facial expressions were as usual: "At least it's much more comfortable and better than the prison life. The river scenery outside is good too."

Dudian smiled, but didn't respond. A moment later a maid handed out him the dinner. He began to eat and chat with them about different topics. After the meal had finished, he went back upstairs to his own room.

Dudian glanced at his wardrobe. He went to the desk next to it and lighted the oil lamp with the match. He took out a small dark knife and a piece of wood from the drawer. He grabbed the knife with his left hand and began to carve the wood gently. He was checking the contours to determine the strength exerted by his left arm.

Dudian quietly practiced control of his left arm, while he thought about something else.

...

...

The next day.

Dudian woke up early as usual but found that Nicholas was already awake. Nicholas saw that Dudian had come downstairs, so he smiled: "Master, you are quite early. Hot water has been prepared for you." His attitude and appearance was similar to a real butler.

Dudian smiled as he used the hot water to wash himself and towel to dry. He sat in the dining room: "Today you are in good spirit."

Nicholas respectfully nodded.

Dudian looked over his shoulder: "How's the wound? Is it healing?"

Nicholas smiled: "I'm too old. The healing speed of wounds is not as good as for you young people."

"Sometimes when the wound is healed too quickly the pain is forgotten way too early." Dudian smiled: "If I'm not mistaken, you have bought blessings by relying on your wealth and your physical strength should be at an intermediate hunter's level."

Nicholas looked at his eyes: "I am just on a primary hunter level. There is still a long distance for me to reach intermediate hunter level."

Dudian smiled: "A primary hunter can't get rid of two teams of knights of the magistrate while killing four of them."

Nicholas wryly smiled: "Misinformation! Those are nothing but rumors to make sure that my crime became way worse. I can't kill a knight of the magistrate."

"Maybe." Dudian faintly smiled.

The sounds of hoofs echoed from outside. Nicholas said: "It should be the postman who has brought up the newspapers. I will go out to check." It didn't take long for him to bring back two newspapers and hand them out to Dudian: "Master, your newspapers."

Dudian nodded slightly and reached to take them.

Nicholas slowly retreated while the maid brought milk, an omelet and other sweets for breakfast.

Dudian ate and read the newspaper at the same time. His military crossbow had taken a large layout in the financial newspaper. The news mainly focused on the recent war on the border. The information about the status of warfare, mobilization of the army and so on were written.

"Is the Mellon Consortium going to attack after the limelight is gone? Are they waiting for this to pass? " Dudian looked at the newspaper published by the agency backed up by the Mellon Consortium. They mainly reported about the mining and medicine industry. These two were the most powerful weapons in the hands of the Mellon Consortium. Because of the rivalry with the Scott consortium they didn't have much of an influence in the mining business. Moreover, Scott consortium was the largest operator and still held on to a vast majority of the market share. But Mellon consortium could be described as 'invincible' in the medicine industry.

The Mellon Consortium occupied more than 70 percent of the market in all three districts. Moreover, six of the top ten hospitals belonged to the Mellon Consortium. The other four were formed as a partnership between Mellon and Green consortium. But it seemed that sooner or later they would be fully annexed by the Mellon consortium or taken over.

"The medicine is the biggest weapon of the Mellon Consortium and the main reason for its rapid rise." Dudian whispered. If he was able to get into the health care industry, then it would be a massive hit to the Mellon Consortium.

He secretly thought as he quietly read the newspaper.

As the time passed, Sergei, Scar, and Jin gradually woke up and came down to eat breakfast.

"Master in the training field I won't be calling you young master," Sergei said as he chewed a big piece of meat.

Dudian put down the newspaper: "Do not eat such greasy food in the morning."

"I like it this way."

Dudian and Sergei came behind the castle after the breakfast finished. Sergei had a circle of stones piled up to make the training ground. There were different training tools and equipment.

"I have heard that you are barely comparable to a senior hunter strength wise. However, your magic marks haven't evolved yet. Instead of going through simple things we will directly focus on nurturing you." Sergei grinned: "I heard that you have chosen to be an archer. So your eyesight, arm strength, and endurance have to be tested. This morning we will go through some strength exercises. Be careful about your arm so that you don't break it again."

Dudian indifferently smiled. His left arm should have already recovered. The places where the stitches had healed.

Sergei smiled as he saw that Dudian didn't respond: "Do you know the frog pose? The first lesson will be simple upright frog posture. Bend your arms at the elbows at ninety degrees. Put your legs close. This way you will exercise your balance."

"You should know that I have a way to go to Hunter school and check their training classes. If you're teaching differs from the hunter school know that there will be consequences."

Sergei stiffened, but in the next moment he sneered: "Go and inquire. I don't have any problems with that." However, in his heart, he was secretly glad that he was cautious with the task. Frog posture was in the hunter's school training.

Dudian looked at him and did what Sergei said.

Sergei slightly sneered: "Your body hasn't been improved. The best training time is two hours. But I assume you could go through three or four hours of training. Right?"

"You can go and expand the training ground at this time."

Sergei shrugged his shoulders: "Don't be too lazy. I will check in on you." Afterward, he turned and left.

A carriage came to the entrance of the castle while Dudian was training. It had Green consortium's banner stuck on it. A middle-aged man got off the carriage and was greeted by a maid. She immediately entered the castle to inform Nicholas.

Nicholas was watching the training through the window from the second floor. He immediately went down when the maid reported him about the guest.

"Hello." Nicholas had a wide smile on his face while his gestures and expressions were polite: "I am Mr. Dean's butler. Who are you?"

The middle-aged man laughed: "I represent the Green consortium and have come to visit the architect. Is he inside?"

"Architect?" Nicholas was startled: "He is not available now. If the message is not of importance, then I can tell him on your behalf."

Middle-aged man smiled: "It is an important talk. It's better if I talk to him face to face. I can wait for him."

Nicholas replied: "Alright. Please come inside. " He invited the middle-aged man into the living room and told the maid to bring tea.

"I didn't expect the castle of the architect Dean to be so frugal." The middle-aged man's eyes swept over the castle as they went inside: "If he doesn't have enough money, then architect Dean must tell Green consortium."

Nicholas smiled while his eyes were cold: "Master has always been in favor of saving. He wouldn't bother Green consortium for a thrift amount of money!"

The middle-aged man waved his hand: "We would never be bothered or troubled by architect Dean. As long as he is willing to sell the new inventions to our Green consortium, we can even give him a new castle. It is only a small thing."

Nicholas was shocked. In the past, he had mixed with the rich and wealthy. He had met nobility too. He knew about the identity of the architects, but he didn't think that Dudian had such an extraordinary background that Green consortium would send someone to take the initiative to please him.

Nicholas had checked the castle from top to bottom, but hasn't seen any inventions: "The Young master's new invention isn't ready yet. You should wait for him to finish it before talking about these matters."

The middle-aged man gave Nicholas a strange look. He didn't expect that people working for Dudian would be so loose even to dare to get involved in business without authorization. However, even if the man was a butler, he wasn't planning to speak coldly to him. He was closer to Dudian than the people from Green consortium, and this butler may sabotage them in the future. Even though the middle-aged man didn't like the butler's attitude, he put away the displeasure and said with a smile: "Green consortium is willing to purchase the invention even if it is not ready. The architect will definitely be satisfied with the price."

Nicholas had worked for many years. Even though there was a little smile on the middle-aged man's face, Nicholas was aware that his heart was full of disgust towards him. He no longer asked anything but Nicholas was extremely surprised. Are they willing to buy in advance? Could it be that Dudian's inventions would never be worse? Where does this confidence come from? Or was it that Dudian had already made an invention and given it to the Temple for evaluation and the Green consortium secretly got wind of it?