The Magic Thief Chapter 5:

The news that Eckert is coming back is not a thing to be thankful for Ribo.

Kierle had told him long ago that when Eckert came back, that was when Ribo was tested.

In fact, Ruibo is not yet mentally prepared to become an accomplice of a fraudster.

When Eckert was halfway through the breakfast, Eckert suddenly walked in from the door. Most people were quite happy to see Eckert’s return, and Ribo had to go with everyone and express his "joy." "Mood.

Soon, Ribo knew why Eckert was so popular.

Eckert gave everyone a gift.

The butler was given an extremely beautiful black-rimmed silk soft-bottom top hat. The butler had long wanted to have such a top hat to match his black silk-collared dress. He had a pair of nice pants and a pair of birthdays. The leather shoes that Mr. Hyde gave him that day were short of a hat like this, and a full set of dresses were available.

The housekeeper got a silk scarf, the kind that noble ladies often wear, but the color is a little worse. Ruibo estimated that it was still quite expensive.

Mr. Hyde’s gift is a walking stick carved from walnut. Although it is not worth a lot of money, it is very finely carved. The head of the little lamb on the handle and the circle of maple leaves in the middle are vivid, except for this. There is not much decoration outside, and the cane has not been painted or gilded. It is purely a carved cane used by ordinary elderly people.

Mr. Hyde is extremely satisfied with the simple and delicate carving. It is indeed a very interesting gift for a person like him who is used to seeing rare and precious treasures.

"Where did you buy it?" Mr. Hyde asked.

"Bought it from a shepherd in Piton for five coppers," Eckert said.

"Good thing, I haven't seen such exquisite carving craftsmanship for many years. Unfortunately, the shepherd is in Piton. If he was in the capital, in Sorthburg, or in Southport, he would have made a fortune long ago. "Mr. Hyde sighed.

"If in these places you mentioned, the shepherd might not have carved such a beautiful cane. A low-quality work painted with lacquer and then affixed with gold will not become a piece that anyone can hold. Is there a decent cane in it? How can others pay attention to whether the carving is superb?" Eckert said.

"Yes, yes, you are talking now, more and more philosophical." Mr. Hyde nodded and laughed.

Except for Mr. Hyde’s gift, which was just a cheap handicraft, everyone else got them. They were all expensive. They had been envious for a long time, but they were reluctant to buy them.

Ribo got a model of a sailboat.

It was a Xibai galleon, which is often seen in Nangang.

The hull is carved from a single piece of pine wood. The sides, portholes, warehouses at the stern, handrails on the deck, and rudders are all carefully carved out.

The sail is made of white silk, and the cables and various sling ropes seem to be made of cotton thread, with gold paint on them.

The whole ship is decorated with colorful paint, shimmering and beautiful.

When Ruibo was in Nangang, he saw the same sailboat model. Although he liked it very much, the price made him dare not even think about it.

Before the model was bought, Ruibo had to take a look almost every day.

He envied the whole summer.

Unexpectedly, Eckert would give him such a valuable gift.

Ribo patronized with excitement, and even forgot to say thank you.

"I know you like sailing boats. I just saw this model sold in the store, so I bought it. I didn't expect that such a poor place like Piton would have such an exquisite sailing model." Eckert said .

Ribo found out that he was very rude. If it was such a big mistake in class, he would only get one result, that is, he immediately got a hot pointer on his ass, and then had it before going to bed at night. While telling what mistakes he had made on this day, he determined how much punishment he should be punished. Less, the punishment will be doubled; more, Eckert will not remind himself kindly.

Thinking of this, Ribo hurriedly thanked him with sincerity and fear.

"Sir, how did Ribo study when I was away?" Eckert apparently didn't care about the originally terrible mistake, he turned around and asked Mr. Hyde.

"It's pretty good. In my opinion, for a kid his age and living in France, his Spanish is good enough." Mr. Hyde said.

The servants who received their own gifts and happily returned to their posts. The housekeeper quickly took out a plate of fragrant fried lamb shanks from the kitchen, which was originally prepared for Eckert of.

Kierle never eats in the living room. Mr. Hyde has a bad appetite and doesn’t like to eat greasy food. Riber has his own very strict recipe, eating indiscriminately, which once caused his **** to suffer. One of the main reasons.

The breakfast time has been extended.

After a long journey, Eckert, who was tired from the journey, was obviously really hungry.

I never talked to Mr. Hyde’s table. Ripple didn’t know if it was to get me into a habit, or it was the way it was originally. When I was with Aunt Betty, I always had a meal. The most lively.

When they were full, Mr. Hyde and Eckert returned to the lounge. The butler went to prepare strong tea as instructed. Obviously, Mr. Hyde and Eckert were going to talk for a long time.

Ribo had nothing to do, so he went to the backyard to practice shooting by himself.

The backyard was originally a green lawn with a marble hall in the middle. Inside the hall was a table and several chairs with backrests. This was originally a quite laid-back place, but the autumn breeze made people feel a bit chilly, so it became a place for everyone.

Kierle took a fancy to this place. He set up a few targets on the lawn, seventy or eighty meters away from the hall, and twenty or thirty meters closer.

On the table in the middle of the hall, there is a box full of crossbow arrows.

Those crossbow arrows are specially made, only four inches long, and the head is made of stainless steel. The three-struck shape is extremely sharp and can even penetrate armor at close range.

Ribo picked up three crossbow arrows from the box. Three bursts is the only shooting skill he has not yet proficient in. Among the three arrows, there is always a large deviation of one arrow, and it can be shot within 30 meters. The target, a little further away, it will inevitably be shot out of the target.

Ribo practiced on his own, probably because something was in his mind. Today's results were not very good. For a whole afternoon, there was not even a shot on the bullseye.

Just as Ribo gradually felt a little boring, the butler greeted him from a distance to go back into the house.

Mr. Hyde and Eckert are obviously over.

Entering the lounge, a strong smell of tea came out. Ruibo had heard that this drink came from Thor, and it originated further east, probably where Mr. Hyde had been. Kina Country.

Even in Thor, this kind of drink is not produced, and even fewer can be shipped to France. Therefore, tea has become a drink that only a few people can afford.

Ribo has tasted it once, and the taste is not very good. If he is allowed to choose freely, he would rather drink milk.

Mr. Hyde and Eckert both like to drink tea, but only when there are important things to discuss, Mr. Hyde will ask the butler to prepare this drink.

"Sit down," Mr. Hyde ordered.

Ribo carefully followed Hyde's orders.

The thick animal fur is warm and soft. In the days of autumn wind, sitting on such a chair and embedding the body in expensive fur is no more comfortable.

Because of this, Ribo gradually settled down.

"It’s been four months since you’ve been here, and you’ve learned everything that should be taught to you. Mr. Hyde and I are quite satisfied with this. However, you can learn the lessons we teach you. This does not mean You are really qualified for the role you are about to play, you have to try it before you know." Eckert said.

Speaking, Eckert took out an invitation card. It was the most advanced invitation card. On the cover wrapped in bright yellow silk, the content of the invitation card was written in a neatly decorated body.

On the back of the invitation is painted the coat of arms of the nobility-a shield and two flowers Ruibo's heraldic knowledge is not enough to let him see at a glance which rich family in the kingdom the origin of the coat of arms comes from, just know that There was once a great official in the family, so a shield was placed on the coat of arms.

But, God knows which one it will be? In France, even a nobleman who had been the lord of a small city like Lai could do everything possible to add a shield mark to his family's coat of arms. This type of coat of arms is too widespread in France.

"Baron Ronna of Piton will hold a grand ball the day after tomorrow to celebrate his happy twenty-year marriage. He invited all the nobles he can appeal to." Eckert said.

He handed the invitation card to Ruibo.

Opening the invitation gently, Ribo first pays attention to the bottom line.

"Lord Piton, faithful servant of His Majesty the King, Baron Lona Bertmo Dench invites you to Lord Keveele Egret Hyde..."

"Lord Keveele Egrett Hyde?" Ribo said the name in a puzzled way. Could this be his new identity? 

"Any questions?" Eckert asked.

"Is this my new identity?" Ribo asked directly.

"Haha, no, Keveele Egret Hyde is my name." Mr. Hyde said with a smile beside him.

"Lord Kyviele Egret Hyde?" Riber was obviously still a little confused.

"Mr. Hyde’s public identity is Lord Keveele Egret Hyde, a great navigator and naturalist. Mr. Hyde is also a close friend of the Master Priest. The title of the Lord is to praise Mr. Hyde in diplomacy. Awarded for his outstanding contributions." Eckert further explained.

All this is absolutely impossible for Riber to imagine. He knew that Eckert didn't need to deceive himself on this trivial matter. Mr. Hyde's identity must be real, and the title of Lord must be granted by His Majesty the King himself.

But this is really surprising. Commoner aristocrats. Although this title is the lowest among the aristocracy, there is no benevolence, and it cannot be hereditary, but the people with this title are really in France. It is so pitiful that only the most outstanding people can enjoy such an enviable title.

In the entire south, Ribo has only heard of two commoner nobles. In addition to Mr. Hyde, the other is the chairman of the Southport Chamber of Commerce. The companion who was born and died with Mr. Hyde, Mr. Mel Duffin .

"Mr. Hyde, you are a commoner noble like Mr. Mel Duffin?" Ribo asked in surprise.

"It’s a bit different. My noble title can be hereditary." Hyde said: "I bought a foreign noble title from a declining Yi Lei noble, and a certificate of feudalism. That piece of land It has already fallen into the hands of the Thor people, so it has become worthless, but it is quite useful to me. In this way, my identity has become a bankrupt hereditary aristocrat who fled to Francis, and I tried to find a way to get it. Here comes the title of a lord. It’s much easier to have a title of nobility. In this way, the title of the lord can be hereditary. Of course, inheriting this title requires paying a large sum of money to His Majesty the King. However, it is worth it. ."

"Does the Baron Ronna know you?" Ribo asked.

"I have never heard of this man." Hyde said.

"Baron Ranna was a hereditary aristocrat who lived in Piton. His ancestors had military merits in the Banan War. He was named a nobleman in Jin Dynasty. He was a lord of military merit and was able to inherit. The first generations of his ancestors worked hard, so they were reused. , Who was once ordered to guard Tahrenberg, that is the origin of the shield in the coat of arms.

"Baron Rona really talked about that ancestor, and he counted his ancestors to me over and over again for the eighteenth generation. However, they are still Lords, and those credits did not bring higher to their family. It was not until they had an idle and suave ancestor who seduced a daughter of a Duke, and the family gradually became lucky.

"After three generations of hard work, I have climbed to the position of baron, but the descendants after that are obviously satisfied with this identity, so there is no more capable person, and now they have been reduced to those idle nobles. "In Piton, Baron Ronner owns more than 30 acres of land next to the manor as his beneficiary. It seems that the harvest is not very good, and he can afford to pay the annual tax for this title. Very good, so I guess there will not be many nobles will appreciate his party. "Eckert introduced everything he knew in detail.

"Is it okay if I don't see through when I go to the prom?" Ribo asked.

"No, that's not enough. We have spent so much energy training you to make you quickly accepted by the noble circle. You have to be truly welcomed, not just undetected. As far as I know, After the ball, Baron Rona will hold a banquet. The guests invited at the banquet are the people he really appreciates. You have to be recognized by Baron Rona. The invitation to the banquet is the proof of your true success. You must be invited. "Eckert said.

"Accept the invitation, how is this possible? I'm just a stranger who has just been met. Nobles can't easily invite strangers they don't know." Ribo said eagerly.

"Yes, this is where the biggest problem lies. It is precisely because this matter is quite difficult. Therefore, it serves as a test for you, because I have confidence in you. As long as you are willing to do it, you It can easily attract everyone's attention. Therefore, I hope you can prove that you are the best, not just satisfied not to be seen through by others." Hyde said slowly, his words are quite inspiring: "As long as Do it seriously, don’t be too cautious, you can definitely do it all. I can give you a suggestion, don’t rush to show yourself to that baron, you have to show your talents to everyone present, let Everyone is attracted to you, let the baron pay attention to you, let him come to you, understand?"

"Talent? I don't have any talent." Ribo said puzzledly.

"No, you are very talented. I noticed this when I first saw you. Eckert and Kyle can also prove it, and in these four months, We try our best to cultivate you in this respect, behave elegantly, be gentle, not proud, and studious. Now coupled with extensive knowledge, these are enough. This is the talent, the talent that can attract anyone." Hyde said.

"Yes, as long as you let us accept you, let everyone in the room recognize you, accept you, and you will succeed. For you, it's really simple." Eckert also helped. road.

When Mr. Hyde and Eckert said this in unison, Ribo seemed a little more confident.

Returning to the room with a thick pile of materials, Ribo didn't want to delay for a minute, and immediately read it carefully.

During this entire month, Eckert obviously spent a lot of effort to sort out everything he could collect about the Baron Ronna and write it down in these materials.

Ribo patiently followed the method Eckert had taught him before, and analyzed in detail what kind of person this Baron Ranna was like.

From the information, it can be seen that Baron Rona is a character with a strong taste of nobility. Although the family does not have much wealth, the baron still insists on supporting the meaningless appearance of nobles.

There are only two valuable properties in the hands of the baron. One is an ancestral house. From there you can see the scene of the family’s prosperity, but it has long since fallen. It takes a lot to maintain such a mansion. Money, if it were Ruibo himself, he would have already sold the house, it would be a lot of income. The money from the sale of the house will be invested in Nangang, and it will take less than a few years to sell the house. Redemption is of course necessary.

However, the Baron has obviously never considered this kind of thing. The only way he can save money is to excuse his bad health, so he has lived in a villa on the outskirts of Piton for many years, leaving only a few family members to guard. The empty old house. This empty old house can only come in handy when there is a dance party or when a major event occurs.

The villa in the outskirts is the real home of the Baron. If you say how embarrassing the Baron’s family is, there is almost no doubt. In those materials, there is a list of food purchases from the Baron’s family for a month. It's almost all vegetables, only on Sundays, there is occasional meat dish.

It is conceivable that for such a family, it is really not easy to organize a dance party and add a banquet.

Ribo has always felt inexplicable for this stupid behavior of swollen face and fat man. This baron is not a special case. There are many such shabby nobles in France. Many of them stayed in addition to their ancestors. Apart from the empty title, there is no wealth at all. Although it will not borrow money to live a life, there is absolutely no taste in living anyway. Some people who are willing to put down the bottom will go to the rich upper-class nobles to serve as private secretaries. On the one hand, To maintain the ancestral industry, on the one hand, we are waiting for the chance to make a comeback.

However, most people are willing to work hard, and at the same time refuse to let go of the meaningless aristocratic dignity.

The Baron is definitely one of these people, but despite the hard days, the Baron obviously thinks that his married life is quite happy.

The baroness was originally the daughter of another ruined noble family. These ruined nobles also seem to have become a special class. They are neither willing to intermarry with the common people, and it is not easy to marry the rich.

Intermarry with common people, even if their relatives have money, they will feel indecent.

While marrying with a wealthy family, the wealthy family may not be worthy of them. The wedding is the real problem. The wedding of the wealthy family is extremely grand and luxurious. It is far from the shabby aristocracy can afford, even if it is a decent gift. , Can make the ruined nobles completely bankrupt.

So the ideal marriage partner of the ruined aristocracy is also the ruined aristocracy.

The baron’s marriage is clearly a so-called match made in heaven.

The couple have a deep relationship, so spending 20 years together has become a memorial day worth celebrating.

But you can imagine what kind of people will be there at that time, and that is probably a big display of the rundown aristocracy in the south of France.

If the baron and his wife have the most precious property, then it can only be their daughter.

It is mentioned in the information that the baron has an 18-year-old daughter. It seems that in addition to celebrating the 20 years that the couple spent together, a suitable candidate was selected among the children of many ruined nobles. It is also an important reason.

The information contains detailed descriptions of the baron’s preferences, tastes, and tempers.

Like most rundown nobles, the baron has a wide range of knowledge, and the rundown noble families have no extra money for entertainment. Reading has obviously become the best way they can afford to relax.

These shabby nobles are also very gentle and mild-tempered people, because the people who work for them are often not easy to find, and they lose their temper and make the servants leave them. Such a huge loss, they absolutely bear Sorry.

Ribo looked at the information while thinking about how to attract the attention of the Baron and everyone.

If there are a lot of shabby aristocratic children who are about the same age as you are present, compared to their solid reading skills, they have been desperately absorbing knowledge for more than four months, after all, time is still shallow, and it is quite difficult to stand out with these. , And if it comes to areas that I'm not good at, that can be troublesome.

The only thing I’m proud of is that I have seen countless precious commodities from all over the world in my previous store, and Mr. Hyde’s private collection is even the best among the treasures.

When it comes to knowledge and appreciation, the children of the shabby nobles are certainly not as good as themselves. If you want to be a blockbuster, it is a good choice to make an idea in this regard.

Thinking of this, a plan slowly emerged in Ribo's mind.

All night, Ruibo was there repeatedly thinking about every step of the plan, every possible accident, and the measures to deal with such accidents.

All of this was taught by Eckert.

Now Ribo really comes in handy.

When he stopped thinking about everything, the sky was already pale.

Although he didn't sleep all night, Ribo still felt refreshed.

According to the daily habit, after running around the manor along the route that Kyle had previously established, Ribo returned to the house.

In the living room, the housekeeper and Eckert were already ready. On the sofa in the living room was a set of well-made gowns. There was no extra decoration or any flashy foil.

With the help of the housekeeper, Ruibo completed a whole set of work such as combing his hair and washing his face. After washing his face and washing his face, he also added fragrance extracted from flowers that he didn't know about.

The hairdressing is done by the housekeeper. Although even the shirt is wet, after finishing the work, the new look makes Ruibo feel that all this is worth it.

After changing the shirt and putting on the dress, Ruibo is a little unaccustomed to shirt lace with a large section of cuffs.

The leather boots have already been prepared. The bright red and speckled leather was taken from the unfortunate little sika deer.

Everything is ready to stop.

Ribo asked: "Mr. Eckert, can you prepare a tea brick for me? The one you and Mr. Hyde often drink."

Hearing Ribo's puzzling request, Eckert thought about it for a moment, and immediately understood what Ribo meant, and even he was able to guess every step of Ribo's plan.

Eckert is very happy about this, and it seems that education is a success.

"Take a package of large pieces. Those small pieces of bread are covered with gold leaf. It is obvious at a glance that they are good things. Those large pieces are not suitable for gifts, so there is no packaging on the outside, just fire. La Yanyan wrapped it up on the spot. If I haven't seen it before, I definitely can't think of how expensive such a large piece is." An old voice came from behind him.

Ribbo doesn’t have to look back to know that Mr. Hyde made an exception today and got up early.

Seeing that I thought about a plan that I thought was brilliant all night, Eckert and Mr. Hyde saw it through at a glance. Ribo felt a little discouraged. Maybe the plan was not that perfect, maybe Baron Ronna could just as easily. see through.

Eckert can guess a little bit about what Ribo thinks in his mind, but the boss didn’t express it. Eckert didn’t know whether to comfort his students or not. In his opinion, the plan was quite perfect. , The chance of success is extremely high.

After hesitating for a while, Eckert finally decided to keep his mouth shut. Ribo will definitely encounter when he is not around in the future. He has to learn to make the right decision, which will affect many things.

Therefore, it is best to let Ribo fully grasp the ability to think and decide problems independently before that important moment arrives.

Everything is ready to stop, and the carriage is already waiting outside the door.

The coachman was the same person who brought him here, but the carriage has been changed to another one.

It was obviously an aristocratic private carriage. The outside was painted with brown paint. Two pieces of transparent glass were placed on the windows on both sides of the carriage. That is a rare thing, that is, the scenery outside the window can be seen. Nor will the wind blow in. Screen windows are installed on both sides of the ordinary stagecoach. It's good to say in summer, and the cold wind goes straight into the carriage in winter.

This carriage is obviously taller than the stagecoach, and it is even big enough for Ribo to stand upright in the carriage.

There are two spotlights at the front of the carriage, and the hemispherical bronze mirror can shine the light of the oil lamp far ahead.

An ordinary stagecoach can only have a half-bright lantern. If there is no moonlight, it will not be able to drive at all.

After Eckert got into the carriage, the butler instructed the servants to load their luggage and gifts onto the luggage rack on the top of the carriage.

When the coachman confirmed that everything was in place, there was no looseness, and it would never fall, the carriage moved slowly.

For Ruibo, this is not the first time he has gone out, but sitting in such a luxurious and comfortable carriage has a brand new feeling that has never been experienced before.

The calf leather back seat is covered with a thick layer of cashmere. Although it is not as precious as the animal fur spread in Mr. Hyde's lounge, there is not much difference between the two in terms of comfort.

The carriage carriage is made of pine boards painted in deep purple, with an enamel-coated gold embossed on the top, which is a picture of the harvest goddess and the mountain goddess dancing gracefully.

Except for the roof, although there are not many decorations in other places, they are also inlaid with enamel and gold.

Such a luxuriously decorated carriage is rare even in the homes of those wealthy people in Nangang.

It's completely different from the stagecoach, which travels fast and steady on the country roads.

Across the thick glass windows, the sound of horseshoes stepping on the ground and wheels crushing the road is very quiet.

Because of the good heat preservation, coupled with the sunlight coming in from the car windows, it is radiantly warm on people, and it is extremely comfortable.

Ribo, who had not had a good rest all night, became a little drowsy.

The carriage was driving fast, and the inside of the carriage was shaking, and Ruibo's eyes slowly closed.

He leaned on the back of the soft chair and fell asleep gently.

In the confusion, Ribo felt the carriage over several hills, and there seemed to be several small bridges in between.

After the road went, it became more and more difficult to walk, and the bumps became more and more severe.

When Ribo opened his eyes, the sun had already risen above his head, and the scene had already changed.

If we say that the road from Nangang to Lai is green, full of vigor, and everything is so vibrant, then this is a completely lonely and desolate scene.

One or two crops were planted sparsely on both sides of the road, and the trees were not luxuriant. It seemed that they were almost cut down by people, and bare tree stumps could be seen everywhere.

Compared with Nangang and Lai, the land here is much flatter, and there are only two small hills at a glance, unlike Nangang to Lai, which is full of mountains all the way.

Climbing over a hill, you can see two families from a distance, sitting alone there, with mud walls and straw roofs.

A small vegetable plot was cultivated next to the house. It was the only green here.

In the distant wilderness, the withered and yellow thatch grows old and tall, and a few goats can be seen faintly tied there. They are obviously not interested in these nutritious feeds.

The carriage continued to gallop forward, and Ribo even felt a little hungry.

When getting in the car, the butler placed a basket in the corner of the car, and there was food in it.

Ribo glanced there.

The basket has obviously been opened.

He turned his head and glanced at Eckert.

Eckert is dozing off with his back leaning on the seat and his eyes closed just like he did just now.

Ribo bent down and opened the basket.

In the basket are a stewed goose and a plate of barbecued pork. Two goose legs have been torn off, but the barbecued pork hasn't moved much.

Ribo put the basket on his knees, took out a sleeve and a scarf from the drawer under the seat, put it on, and ate with relish.

The braised goose is quite good. It seems that the cook has burned it for at least a whole day. It is quite tasty. The barbecued pork is also very good, sweet and delicious.

Ribo's appetite is not very big, two wings and a few pieces of barbecued pork are already filling his stomach.

When I finished eating and drinking, and cleaned up, the carriage had already drove into a small town. The road in the town was also very uneven, and the slabs on the ground had already been broken into sections. Those **** thrown around and no one picks up reminds Ruibo of where they live in Nangang.

The houses in the town are also made of mud bricks. The gray roofs seem to have never been cleaned, and it seems that it has not rained in a few years.

Passing through the town, the road in front has finally become a lot wider. Although the road is still in such a broken state, it has at least some of the momentum of Tong County Avenue.

The carriage drove for another twenty or thirty miles, and a city appeared in front of her eyes.

Different from the bustling and bustling of Nangang, it is also different from the long and deep life of Lai Er. This city occupies a very large area, and it looks even larger than Nangang.

At a glance, there are low bungalows everywhere, and the only tall buildings stand out in this place.

The carriage slowed down and drove into the city.

The streets are also full of shops, but there is obviously no Nangang and Lai as lively.

The roads in the city center are fairly smooth, and it is also the most prosperous place in the entire city.

In a corner of the central square, there is a tall building, a spacious porch, thick supporting columns, a floor paved with marble, and a huge family crest made of marble placed on the top of the porch. , All of this shows that their destination has arrived.

The builder of this mansion was obviously a very pragmatic man. There were no walls, no gardens, and no countless spacious rooms.

Except for the front hall for banquets and dance parties, the entire mansion has a small exquisite garden on the west side. Although there are no precious flowers planted, it is lushly covered with morning glory, roses and violets. Coupled with the patchwork layout, it also seems to live alone.

The second half of the mansion is probably where the owner lives. All the rooms are facing the south and there is absolutely plenty of sunshine.

The builders of this mansion had obviously reduced unnecessary wear and tear as much as possible. The current owner, Baron Ronna, can’t even afford to live in such a mansion. You can imagine how embarrassing the economy is. .

The downtown square is a natural horse-drawn carriage parking place. Obviously, the builders of the mansion also included this.

There are all kinds of carriages parked everywhere in the square.

As Ribo imagined, most of the people who participated in the dance were the ruined nobles.

Most of those carriages are quite old, and many of the horses that pull the carriages are old enough.

"You can get out of the car, do a good job!" Eckert said.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Ribo asked.

"No, you can't rely on me. You must win everyone's attention yourself. Ted will be with you. He is your driver and servant. This is quite in line with the status of a weak nobleman. There are many guests here. Most of them are like this. I am waiting for you in the car." Eckert said.

Ribo obeyed and got out of the carriage. Coach Ted was already waiting in front of the car door, holding a tea brick wrapped in silk as a gift in his hand.

Ribo took out the invitation card from his pocket, and then carefully checked it from head to toe to confirm that there were no flaws, and then walked towards the gate of the mansion.

When he came closer, Ruibo discovered that the baron’s mansion was indeed much taller and magnificent than Hyde’s manor. The two statues of the gods of war in front of the door showed that the builders of the year were relying on military merit to earn this. For the family, the columns and walls are made of blue stone, which is the material used to build the fortress.

The two servants standing in front of the door had already seen this half-aged child with a simple and elegant dress and a childish face coming here, and a servant with a gift was followed behind him.

Another noble child has arrived. It seems that this one is from a better family than the other noble children, at least the clothes he wears are not cheap, and the carriage he rides is also brand new.

Wait until I receive the invitation and take a look, "Lord Keveele Egret Hyde".

The two servants opened the guest record and quickly found the name of the lord.

"Are you Lord Keveele Egret Hyde?" a servant asked.

"Oh, no, the Lord is my grandfather. He is too old. He hasn't traveled far for five or six years. For the invitation of the Lord Baron, I can only express a little bit of heart for him." Ribo said .

"Welcome, welcome, the master is waiting inside." The two servants said respectfully.

Walking into the hall, there were already full of guests who came to the party. Some came from the whole family, and some came from fathers or mothers with their children, and all around them were servants holding gifts.

As soon as Ribo walked into the lobby, he did immediately attract everyone's attention.

Obviously, it was his expensive clothes that made him so eye-catching, and another reason was that Ribo came to the prom by himself.

The appearance of Ribo caused a bit of hostility among the surrounding nobles, but when they saw that Ribo was obviously two or three years younger than the Baron’s daughter, the hostility gradually faded. Went on.

Ribo stood alone in a corner of the hall and watched carefully.

Obviously, the host hasn't appeared yet, and the guests are not impatient. It was originally a rare opportunity for them to participate in such a gathering.

Most of the adults gathered together and chatted. Some people stood tired and greeted the attendants standing next to them to bring a chair.

As for the young people standing there alone, they didn't mean to talk to each other actively.

Although there are one or two people who were summoned by their parents to introduce them to other nobles, they never talk to other people themselves, and many of them appear extremely restrained.

This is the life of a nobleman, Ribo thought to himself that this was far from what he had originally expected.

In his original imagination, the nobles should live in extremely luxurious mansions, with many servants underneath, and what they eat is the delicacies of the mountains and the sea. The noble ball is even more luxurious. The wine is served in a precious glass and you can drink as much as you like. In addition to all kinds of exquisite snacks, the nobles dancing at the ball are noble and elegant.

These are the nobles Ribo originally imagined. In fact, Eckert is also training him to be such a noble.

But everything here is obviously not that perfect.

Although drinks are also provided at the party, there is nothing other than water and light and tasteless ale. The snack is a golden cookie that tastes quite good, but, just came out, Ruibo only Once you taste a piece, it's gone.

Some of the attendants standing next to each other stand together and whisper to each other, while others appear careless. It's hard to imagine how the master here disciplined them.

All of this is far inferior to those middle-rich people in Nangang.

The only thing these nobles can use to prove their identity is the jewelry.

Actually, the jewellery does not match the clothes they are wearing.

These jewelry really opened Ruibo's horizons.

Some were passed down from the time of Emperor Lei Duke to the present, some were from the period of Francis III to V, and some were from the period of the split of the Yi Lei dynasty.

These jewelry may be really good with the clothes of the time, but the matching with the dress seems a little out of harmony. What's more, some of them were worn by ancient clergy, and the combination with secular dresses has a strange charm.

The most interesting thing is that a ring worn by monks in the era of Francis III on their fingers to prove that they served the gods for life and gave up all the joys of the world was worn by a noble lady who had two sons. superior.

It seems that these ruined aristocrats can only use these things to restore some dignity.

Just as Ruibo was observing all the guests present with relish.

The host of the prom appeared on the venue.

Baron Rona wore a sky blue casual knight costume, with a red ribbon draped obliquely on his shoulders, looking very energetic, and a pair of polished cowhide boots could be seen.

When the Baron was young, he must have been a handsome and unrestrained character. Although the ruthless years had caused wrinkles to climb on his forehead, his demeanor and demeanor were still among the best.

The baroness is wearing a long fuchsia silk dress. Although the style looks like 20 or 30 years ago, it is still pretty, like a brand new one; there is a very thin necklace hanging around her neck It is from the time of Francis VII, and it seems that it is also a treasure left by the ancestors.

Twenty years ago, the Baroness must have been a beautiful woman. Otherwise, she would not be able to hold the Baron’s heart. She can see some of her beautiful and attractive appearance in her youth.

The baron's daughter is indeed quite beautiful. No wonder the nobles are excited to bring their sons to the prom, hoping that their sons can win the hearts of beautiful women.

The baron greeted warmly with a few guests who were obviously old acquaintances.

After the greetings, the nobles led their children, on the one hand they presented congratulatory gifts, on the other hand, they introduced their sons to the baron couple.

As for those young people who have intentions, they should be as gentle as possible, or personable, in order to make a good impression in the eyes of beauties.

Ribo enjoys all this with gusto.

Those gifts are quite intriguing. Since they are aristocrats, they must not be too shabby, but they are too expensive, and these shabby aristocrats can't afford them.

A porcelain plate, the most common type with blue printing, is already a relatively eye-catching gift, and it is more of a stack of silk handkerchiefs.

The most boring thing is an extremely ridiculously gilded lacquer jewellery box, which seems to have some history. I don’t know how many circles it has traveled among the run-down aristocrats in the South.

As for the words of introduction, it is also one of the things that makes Ruibo interesting.

The nobles tried their best to introduce their sons perfectly, and in the end, they all became the same.

In fact, it’s not wrong to see those noble children who are extremely cautious, expressionless, and dare not to express themselves, saying that they are all the same.

Finally, all the other nobles have been introduced.

Ribo sees that the time is almost there. Some nobles have already started the second round of introductions with their sons.

Ribola pulled Ted who was following him, and walked towards Baron Ronna.

Baron Ronner was a little surprised when a teenager without a parent appeared alone in front of him.

"This is..." the baron asked.

The servant next to him, the attendant who received the invitation at the door, replied gently: "This is the visit on behalf of Lord Keveele Egret Hyde."

"My name is Reb Heide, you can call me Reb The Baroness has been in good harmony for a hundred years." Riber had been thinking about these remarks for a long time.

"You are the grandson of Lord Keveele Egret Hyde? I know your uncle Mr. Eckert very well, why didn't he come this time?" the baron asked.

"My family is thin, and the previous generation was only Uncle Eckert. All the business was managed by the uncle alone. He was really busy. Originally, the uncle planned to come to congratulate you personally, but temporarily Something happened and he had to come forward to solve it. Uncle really couldn't get away, so he asked me to apologize on his behalf." Ribo explained.

After saying this, Ribo made a gesture, and Ted, who followed behind him, offered the gift respectfully.

The gift wrapped in exquisite silk immediately attracted the attention of everyone around him. Everyone guessed what the bread was there? 

The servant behind the baron stretched out his hand to accept the gift, and under the baron's approval, gently opened the silk package carefully.

If the exquisite silk makes everyone next to me feel extremely curious, then the stuff inside is obviously quite disappointing for them.

Even the faces of the Baron and his wife clearly showed disappointed expressions.

The tea brick sealed with fire lacquer, people who don't know its value will indeed be disappointed by its humble appearance.

The tea brick was originally black and lacquered, and looked like a strange-looking jewelry box from a distance. It was light and fluttering in the hand, and obviously there was nothing hidden in it.

The fire lacquer on the outside has a very hard texture. To be transported here from the far east, there should be no dampness along the way. The thickness and hardness of the fire lacquer can be imagined.

But the bright appearance of lacquer does not prove its value. Compared with lacquerware, it lacks luster and brilliant colors.

Most people obviously treat this thing as another "ugly jewelry box", and some people's faces have clearly shown contempt.

And this is exactly what Ribo needs.

"Thank your uncle for me, and help me convey my greetings to your grandfather." The baron said, he hadn't forgotten the courtesy he should be, and he obviously didn't mind this "inconspicuous gift" too much.

Ribo didn't pay attention to what the baron said, he was waiting for the servant to deal with the gift.

Sure enough, he did not disappoint. Everyone present obviously did not recognize the origin of this gift. The servant even thought that he was holding a piece of trash that shouldn’t have appeared on this occasion. Tea bricks are stuffed under the many gifts.

Seeing this situation, Ribo began to take the next move he had planned. I saw him say: "Mr. Baron, a small gift is not a tribute. This is a temporary provision by my uncle, Mr. Eckert, to express his apology for not being able to attend this event in person. It is relatively fragile and cannot withstand pressure. If it appears If you want to store it for a long time, please cut it into small pieces and place it in a sealed porcelain. It is best to seal the opening with wax to prevent moisture from entering."