"That's it, that's good."
Nok replied in a daze. He couldn't help but think of little Jasmine in Tarn Village. Leo also thought of Makina's voice and smile, as well as Makina's concern and care for him.
"However, I still want to know the whereabouts of Makina and her daughter."
Nok asked Lady Freya.
"They are now, ah, how should I put it?"
Mrs. Freya was a little embarrassed to say it, as if the news was cruel to her.
"What happened?
Lady Freya, just say it! "
The protagonist said anxiously.
"They, they're probably all dead."
Mrs. Freya replied solemnly.
"What!?"
Nok and Leo both looked at her in surprise: "Didn't you say she just disappeared?"
"no."
Mrs. Freya said hesitantly: "I don't know the specifics. I just heard what others said, saying that someone ransacked the tavern, and when they escaped, they set the Makina Tavern on fire. The villagers put out the fire. Later, fatal injuries were found on the charred body of the waiter. It was obvious that he had committed murder first and then set the fire on fire.
Viscount Fred and Ron, the villager, concluded that someone was coveting the property of the tavern, so they killed and set fire to the tavern. If there is no clue, the matter will be settled.
However, a few days later, someone discovered a female corpse not far from the Viscount's castle. It was said that she looked a bit like Makina.
Some people speculate that Viscount Fred may have set his sights on Makina's wealth due to financial pressure, so he teamed up with Ron from the village and took action against the tavern.
But I don't know what the truth is. "
"that's all?"
Nok asked in surprise.
"that's all."
Lady Freya returned calmly.
Nok said no more, but glanced at Leo silently.
Leo was calm, at least on the surface.
His hand holding the tea cup didn't even shake, he brought it to his mouth calmly, not moved by the news at all.
If Nok hadn't discovered that the handle of the teacup was cracked by Leo, Nok would have thought that Leo was really hard-hearted!
Seeing Leo's performance, I couldn't help but quickly end the topic without irritating him any more.
"Thank you, madam, for bringing us this news. However, the matter in Tarn Village has nothing to do with us. I am not afraid of your laughter if I tell you. We were driven away.
We deeply sympathize with what happened to Ms. Makina and her daughter, but it has nothing to do with us. Before we left, we had already left behind compensation for them to have enough food and clothing. "
Nok's words seemed a bit ruthless, but reasonable.
At least Mrs. Freya was satisfied with Nok's approach.
"Father Ryan thinks so. I was very angry when I learned that you were expelled. If it hadn't been Fred's territory, I would have sent people to crush those ungrateful people. A pariah.”
There was a trace of resentment on Mrs. Freya's face, but she did not feel that her words were cruel at all.
Because this is how nobles behave.
What the nobles give is a gift. Civilians should be grateful to them.
Anyone who covets the wealth of the nobles should be cut to pieces if the nobles do not give it to them.
Although Mrs. Freya is a woman, she is also a qualified noble.
"Okay, let's not talk about such disappointing topics. Why did Madam come to such a remote town?"
Nok asked Madam Freya's purpose casually.
This kind of behavior is somewhat rude, but Mrs. Freya doesn't care.
With a playful smile on her face, she didn't care at all that Leo was nearby, and teased Nok: "If you want to know why I came to Maple Town, you can come to me at night, and we can talk by candlelight.
By the way, I stayed at a hot spring hotel in the town and rented a small courtyard with a hot spring called [Wenxiang Yuan]. Welcome to come see me, Ryan. "
After saying that, she stood up and said goodbye: "I still have something to do to visit the mayor. The appointment is at three o'clock. It should be almost time now, so I will leave first."
Without giving Nok a chance to stay, Mrs. Freya left the teahouse accompanied by Ms. Charlotte.
Nok turned his gaze to Leo and asked, "Leo, what are your plans now?"
"Intend?"
Leo smiled helplessly: "What plans can I have.
Just take it one step at a time. "
"Since you have no plans, keep an eye out for me at night and hide my tracks."
Nock said.
"What? You want to go to the appointment? Mrs. Freya is indeed good. Her mature body is indeed fatal to young people like you. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to resist it."
Leo smiled: "But aren't you surprised to meet your old sweetheart here this time?"
"It's just weird, so I want to confirm her true purpose tonight myself."
Nok's expression turned playful.
"You don't believe this was a chance encounter?"
Leo asked playfully.
Nok's face darkened: "Too many coincidences, then it is not a coincidence, but a carefully planned arrangement."
"How to say?"
Leo became interested.
Nok looked around. This was a private room and it seemed very quiet, but he was not sure whether the partition wall had ears.
Therefore, he uneasily released an exploratory technique and took in the whole teahouse scene. He found that the boss and the waiter were at the counter downstairs. The second floor was empty except for the two of them. There was only one table of guests downstairs, but They are two rich ladies.
Come to think of it, tea is a luxury product. It is very rare for a teahouse to appear in a small town like this. How come so many people can afford it?
After realizing that no one was eavesdropping, Nok explained: "If we met Mrs. Freya by chance on the street, how do you explain that she is not surprised at all by how I look now?"
Hearing this, Leo put down the tea cup with its handle broken off, tapped his fingers on the table, and said in deep thought:
"Indeed, you are many years younger than when you were in Tarn Village. Although you are a little less mature, your youthfulness is more in line with the appetite of such an experienced woman. She did not express her love to you immediately. This is It’s somewhat abnormal.”
Nok looked at Leo speechlessly, this guy actually had the intention to make fun of him!
"Besides, don't you think it's strange that she mentioned the matter of Makina's Tavern to us as soon as she opened her mouth? If she got the news by asking about it, there's no reason why she didn't know that the two of us were scolded by Makina and ran away, and then broke off. The relationship is a completely broken relationship.
But she is very sure that we will be interested in this news and care about the life and death of Makina and her daughter. Don't you think it's strange? "
"It's indeed strange." Ren gave a pertinent reply and waited for Nok to continue.
Nok gave up the idea of letting Leo use his brain and directly analyzed: "A carefully planned encounter, and then he started to use the news of the suspected death of Makina and her daughter to attract our attention, and then brought us here, I guess I want to delay the arrangement of something.
After the time delay, he still didn't forget to invite me. When did the aristocratic circle get so open that they actually invited another man on a date in front of other men. "
Nok's analysis made Leo also fall into deep thought.
"Indeed, our encounter with her was too coincidental. We saw her as soon as we went out, as if her carriage had deliberately stopped there waiting for us."
"Bingo! That's it!"
Nok glanced at Leo appreciatively and said, "Since the invitation has been sent out, I will naturally go to find out what's going on tonight."
"Find her loopholes and explore her depths!"
Leo's eyes lit up and he said a little excitedly.
"That's right, seize her vitals. When the time comes, we can knead her whether she is round or flat. Let's see if she dares to plot against us."
Knock looked like he had a chance to win and was full of confidence.
But Leo suddenly worried: "But since she dares to invite you, could it be a trap? If she catches you, won't you have to be controlled by her?"
"Don't worry, this kind of thing is impossible! I have always been careful to be wary of these aristocratic women. As the saying goes: one learns from every experience. After meeting a woman like Anna, how dare I be careless!"
Nok's words made Leo put aside his worries.
"It's you, you are in the church, be careful of others doing something to you. Especially the old man Molière's attitude is unclear, so you'd better be careful. You are my protective force on the surface. If there is a trap, maybe they will attack you first. Take action."
"I have Ucao's protection. Even if Altdorf and Molière join forces, I will be sure to leave safely. You don't have to worry about me."
"That's OK!"
The two of them made a decision, got up and left the box, preparing to go back to the church to prepare.
Unexpectedly, I was asked to pay when I left!
Mrs. Freya didn’t pay the bill!
This made Nok feel depressed. How could anyone treat someone else to pay the bill?
The other party is a lady, so fine, there is no reason to ask a lady to pay the bill, it is not gentlemanly at all.
So, Nok gritted his teeth and paid twenty gold coins for tea!
Then in the evening, I went to the appointment excitedly.
At the hot spring hotel where Nok once stayed, Nok saw the guard Jon guarding the door.
Under the leadership of Jon, Nok entered the hot spring hotel.
"Huh? Why does the hotel seem so quiet today?"
Nok asked doubtfully.
Jon smiled ambiguously: "Our lady has booked the hotel today, please feel free to enjoy the night, Father Ryan."
Nok smiled knowingly: "That's natural. You can't live up to Madam's kindness, right?"
Jon took Nok outside a courtyard and stopped.
"Father Ryan, this is [Wenxiang Courtyard]. You can go in by yourself. I will leave first. I will be on duty tonight."
"Walk slowly!"
Nok watched Jon hurried away, his eyes flashing with thought.
It is recorded in ancient books that the other party has an old saying: "As soon as you come, let it be."
Nock decided to improvise.
He immediately walked into the courtyard.
The yard is not as big as expected. There is no bridge or flowing water, but there is a pool of warm soup.
The rising mist is looming in the moonlight, adding a bit of mystery.
There are no lights in the house in the yard. Could it be that the lady has gone to bed?
Or is this invitation just a trap from beginning to end?
"Madam, Ryan is here as invited."
Nok stood at the door of the courtyard and shouted loudly towards the dark house.
Unexpectedly, a lazy laughter came from the diffuse mist.
"Hey, Father Ryan is really informal! He is also a married woman, and he is so high-profile."
Nok followed the sound and saw a graceful figure looming in the mist-filled hot spring pool in the courtyard. From the sound of the voice, he seemed to be Mrs. Freya.
Nok probed: "Mrs. Freya? You are here..."
"I came to a hot spring hotel to soak in the hot springs. Father Ryan, don't be so polite. Come and have a chat. I'm not as high-profile as you. It's embarrassing to keep shouting."
After hearing this, Nok hesitated and walked towards the hot spring pool.
As he gradually approached the hot spring pool, Nok discovered that Freya had pulled up her hair and tied it back with a silver hairpin.
The fair face and slender neck exude an alluring luster in the mist.
The smooth shoulders and two arms rowed the water in the pool casually, causing ripples, just like the ripples beating in Nok's heart.
As for the scenery that made Nokk think about it, they were all hidden under the water. The rising mist from the hot spring prevented him from fully enjoying it, and he felt regretful in his heart.
Nok stood by the pool with an embarrassed expression, not daring to look into Madam's eyes.
"Ahem, I didn't expect Madam to be so elegant. Did I come at the wrong time?"
Freya said with a resentful expression: "How could it be? Although I am a noble lady, my life is a bit lonely. My husband always attends endless social events, and comes back late at night every day, and falls asleep. .
Over time, people could only live in separate rooms with him. Everyone lives their own lives, she looks glamorous on the surface, but in fact she is just a pitiful and lonely woman.
Therefore, brother Ryan, please don’t say such disappointing things, just spend time with others tonight, drink and listen to their complaints! "
"This..." Nok hesitated: "This is not good, a man and a woman alone, and drinking..."
"Alas! I know that Brother Ryan dislikes me for being old and old, and is unwilling to talk to others. Also, I am almost forty, and I really can't compare to those little girls."
"What! Madam is already forty?! I thought you were only twenty-seven or eighty-years-old!"
When it comes to the issue of a woman's age, even if Nok doesn't have much experience, he knows that he can't take the woman's words seriously, and he needs to fight hard to survive!
Sure enough, upon hearing such "sincere" praise from Nok, Mrs. Freya laughed so hard that her branches trembled, and the water surface became rippled.
"Hey, little brother Ryan can indeed talk. It's really exciting. How about this, brother Ryan comes down and soaks in the hot springs together. I heard it can relieve fatigue, lift the spirit, and make people energetic!"
Freya's double-entendre invitation put Nok in a dilemma, and he didn't make any move for a while.
"Oh, I knew it. My brother said he didn't dislike it, but his body disliked it very much. Fortunately, I was prepared. Come out! Help our Father Ryan change clothes."
As Freya complained bitterly, a figure walked out of the dark door. Under the caress of the moonlight, he slowly walked toward Nok.
Nok looked at the woman holding the flask and glass with a surprised expression.
It was actually the housekeeper, Ms. Charlotte.
At this time, she lost her capable aura and had a hint of shyness on her face. She was wearing the moon's gauze and walked towards Nok in her most primitive form.
Every step she took, Nok's chest seemed to be slapped by waves, and his heartbeat accelerated, as if it was about to jump out of his chest.
"Father Ryan, do you need Charlotte to help you change?"
The soft-smelling beauty slipped into his arms, and her voice as thin as a mosquito's voice was a little shy, making Nok lose himself completely.
When he came to his senses, he was already soaking in the hot spring, holding a wine glass in his hand, and surrounded by beauties in his arms.
Thanks to his lack of concentration just now, he was able to remain calm and did not make a fool of himself.
"Ahem, madam, can you tell me your purpose of coming to Maple Town now?"
Nok held the wine glass and remembered his purpose.
"Oh, during the drinking time, can you please stop talking about these spoiling things? If you have to give a reason, just pretend that they were guided by the Holy Lord and came here to meet you, my brother!"
"That's right, Mr. Lane, let's have a drink together! After drinking, we can do some activities together! I heard that there will be a special experience in the hot spring!"
Sherlock's eyes were drunk and blurred, and his eyes exuded the breath of spring.
Nok felt his arms sinking into the huge waves. He wanted to struggle but lost the ability to resist.
In the end, he could only sink into this rough sea.
Waves of waves crashed on the shore, but they couldn't stop Nok's desire to conquer the waves.
So, he roared and roared, venting his unwillingness, but in the end he could not withstand the continuous power of the waves.
Finally, exhausted, he fell into the waves.
