It was the end of autumn.
As the originally green mountains were dyed red and yellow, it was time for the harvest.
The people got busy once again. Farmers harvested crops, stored food, and prepared for winter.
The merchants were busy collecting their goods so that they could sell them at a good price before winter arrived.
Even the nobles of the ruling class began to calculate their gains and losses in the past year. At the same time, they wanted to ensure that the year-end Sabbath would once again end with a grand, gorgeous banquet to mark the end of the year.
The knights rode on their warhorses and galloped forward with the pitch-black carriage. The elegant carriage and the magical radiance of the carriage's headlights were like two flags that attracted everyone's attention.
Even the farmers who were busy harvesting their crops in the fields couldn't help but raise their heads and look at the carriage in front of them, curiously guessing which important person had passed by here.
However, Jenn wasn't interested in the peeping gazes at all. At this moment, he was sitting in the carriage and listening to Daly's introduction about the process of the Scal Federation's ruling officer election.
"The Scal Federation's ruling officer is elected through an election. There are a total of 12 overlords in the federation and one has to obtain the support of at least half of them to become the new ruling officer.
Among them, our Parkwood Family and the Soros Family have four votes each.
So what we have to do is to obtain the approval of the remaining four neutral overlords.
But this has little to do with us. As the sword and shield of the Parkwood Family, we only need to display our strength in the arena. "
"I didn't expect there to be people who are willing to support your Parkwood Family."
Upon hearing this, Zayen blinked.
Facing his answer, Daly let out a helpless sigh.
"Mr. Zayen, I think you may have misunderstood. The goal of the Parkwood Family is to unite the increasingly loose alliance once again, and not for our own selfish desires.
Besides, with the current state of the Scal Federation, it's impossible for anyone to become a king.
It's due to this that we have a pleasant working relationship with the other overlords.
A few overlords agree with Father's philosophy. They believe that we shouldn't argue endlessly for the petty benefits before us. Instead, we should focus on the long-term future … "
Bullsh * t.
Jenn didn't believe in Daly's words. If it were before this, he might have agreed with the so-called 'long-term view' of the Parkwood Family's patriarch. But after Jenn tested him, he confirmed that the current patriarch of the Parkwood Family had huge ambitions.
However, he didn't know if Daly was aware of this. Although Jenn felt that this noble young lady lived up to her reputation as a Mage and had a quick mind, he didn't believe her.
Besides, she had experienced the entire process of the deal between Jenn and her father. As long as she was smart, she should be able to tell that her father's reason wasn't as high-sounding as she described it.
Therefore, Jenn didn't know if Daly was feigning ignorance after knowing her father's thoughts or if she didn't think in that direction.
After all, this young lady was still too young. She wasn't even 20 years old. No matter how talented she was, she wouldn't be able to understand the human heart to such an extent.
But this way …
Thinking of this, Zayen sized up Daly with a meaningful gaze.
For him, this might be a very good breakthrough point.
"Mr. Jenn?"
Sensing Jenn's gaze, Daly couldn't help but pucker her brows.
She hadn't interacted with Jenn many times, but it wasn't a small number either.
Daly believed that she had some understanding of this young noble. Proud, willful, powerful, and smart.
Apart from his unyielding attitude that made people criticize him, he was considered a rather dazzling star among the younger generation that Daly knew.
That was why Daly had a good impression of Jenn in private.
Of course, it would be better if he could maintain a gentlemanly demeanor in front of her and not be so forceful to put her in a difficult position.
But just now, when Jenn gazed at Daly, the young lady felt a chill for no reason.
It wasn't the kind of chill that came from being stared at by a lecher.
It was more like she was in the mouth of a wild beast with death in its mouth. For an instant, Daly even felt the beast's cold, hard teeth pressing against her neck. If it bit down hard, she would be torn apart.
However, this feeling only lasted for a moment before it returned to normal.
Daly was a little lost in thought. She wasn't sure if it was an illusion caused by her long journey. But out of caution, she looked at the man in front of her doubtfully. A woman's intuition told her that this man wasn't as simple as he seemed.
However, Jenn didn't mind Daly's gaze at all. He gestured to Daly as though he didn't know what had just happened.
"Please continue, Miss Daly."
"Ah, alright."
Upon hearing this, Daly snapped back to her senses. She nodded with a dazed expression, but she quickly put on a serious expression again and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine.
"The meeting this time will be held in Hard Stone City. This is the territory ruled by Overlord Sulett. He is a neutral overlord and every federal meeting is held here.
Hard Stone City is a peaceful, beautiful, and hospitable city. I'm sure you'll like it, Mr. Jenn.
And I think … "
But before Daly finished speaking, the galloping carriage suddenly slowed down and gradually came to a stop.
Upon realizing this, Daly and Jenn were taken aback.
They lifted their heads and looked outside through the window. They could see the roads on both sides and the queues of vehicles and people waiting to enter the city.
But this shouldn't have anything to do with them. What exactly is this …
Just as Daly was puzzled, a knight from the Parkwood Family who was in charge of clearing the path arrived beside the carriage. His expression was stern, but there was also a tinge of anger.
"What's wrong?
What happened? "
Daly knew something was wrong when she saw the knight's expression, but she didn't know why she was stopped.
The knight hesitated for a moment and said, "It's like this, Miss.
They're forbidding us from entering the city … "
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, Daly was shocked. She widened her eyes in disbelief.
"They're forbidding us from entering the city?
Why? "
"Erm … They said that it's because the Harvest Festival is nearing the end of autumn. To ensure the safety of Hard Stone City, they need to inspect all vehicles entering and exiting the city …"
"Are we going to be inspected too?!"
Daly interrupted the knight in disbelief. For the first time, incomparable anger appeared on her beautiful face.
What kind of international joke is this?
They were representing the Parkwood Family to participate in the Federation Conference. The family knights in front of them were raising the Parkwood Family's flag high, which was enough to show their identity to everyone.
According to etiquette, they should have opened the city gates to welcome them in.
But what Daly didn't expect was that not only did the people of Hard Stone City not open the city gates to welcome them, but they even used the excuse of inspection to obstruct them in every possible way!
Daly absolutely didn't believe in the excuse of the Harvest Festival. It wasn't the first time the Federation Conference had been held, and it had always been during this season. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
But she couldn't understand why they would make things difficult for her this time. This is too much!
They want us to return the way we came and queue up with the merchants and refugees?
At this thought, Daly lifted her head and looked through the window at the long queue.
She couldn't see the end of it …
"Mr. Jenn, I'm very sorry. I didn't expect …"
At this moment, Daly's expression was a little awkward after her anger subsided. After all, she had told Jenn that Hard Stone City was a peaceful, beautiful, and hospitable city. She didn't expect him to slap her in the face so quickly, which infuriated her so much that she wanted to throw a fireball at those bastards and blast them into pieces.
But now, in front of Jenn, she more or less had to maintain her ladylike demeanor.
However, compared to Daly's anger, Jenn was rather calm.
"It's nothing, Miss Daly. You don't have to be so agitated.
In fact, this is just a little trouble … "
As he spoke, Zayen waved his hand.
Along with his movement, the carriage that had come to a halt once again moved forward.
"Mr. Jenn?"
Daly was a little taken aback when she sensed the carriage moving forward again. For some reason, she had a bad feeling deep down in her heart.
But before she could say anything, the carriage sped up again, passed through the escorting knights, and dashed toward the city gate of Hard Stone City!
"What's going on?
What is that carriage trying to do?! "
"Damn it, hurry up and stop it!!"
Seeing the carriage dashing toward the city gate, the guards in charge of guarding the gate turned pale with fright.
Jenn's magic carriage didn't need anyone to drive it, so in their eyes, the black carriage before them seemed to have gone mad and was extremely dangerous without anyone controlling it.
Seeing that the carriage was about to crash into the city gate, the passersby screamed in fear and quickly retreated in all directions.
Not only that, but the guards at the city gate also shrieked in fright when they saw the carriage. Some of them even fell to the ground in fear as they watched the black shadow grow larger and larger and roll toward them.
However, to everyone's surprise, the pitch-black carriage didn't crash into the city gate as they had imagined. Instead, the instant the carriage was about to come into contact with the guards, they stopped in unison. Then, the carriage that was charging forward stopped and didn't move at all.
"Who are you? How dare you behave so atrociously in Hard Stone City!"
Looking at this scene, how could the guards not know that they had been fooled?
They gripped their weapons tightly and stared at the carriage with widened eyes. They couldn't wait to drag the person down and give him a good beating!
Just now, they even thought that they would be killed by the carriage. They were scared out of their wits and made a fool of themselves. Some of them were so scared that they almost wet their pants.
At this moment, when they recalled the scene, the guards flew into a rage out of humiliation. After all, they were under the watchful eyes of the public!
Apart from them, there were also the citizens and merchants who were entering and exiting the city waiting to be inspected!
Thinking until here, the guards became even more furious. Before anyone gave the order, they had already gripped their swords tightly and rushed over to surround the carriage.
"Get out here!
You thugs!
This is Hard Stone City, not a place where you can behave atrociously! "
But before the guards could finish their words, they saw a flash of light in the sky not far away.
At the next moment, a spear flickering in silver radiance descended from the sky and struck the city gate.