An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2457

After a short meeting, Austin invited Jovian to explore the West Lucozia castle.

The castle was huge, with many facilities, and it was easy for newcomers to get lost in its size.

Jovian, who had traveled a lot, was still amazed as he walked through the castle. Unlike the flashy displays of wealth in other grand homes, this castle was simply majestic and inspiring. Everything he saw radiated a sense of grandeur.

The most impressive part for Jovian was the House of Heroes, a nine-story structure that looked like an ancient monument. The walls were filled with memorials for fallen soldiers. Thousands of tablets lined the space, each one inscribed with a hero’s name and a detailed story of their life, meant to be honored by future generations.

Jovian thought about his own family, the Ballard family, which had a family tree featuring a few notable figures. However, their records seemed small compared to the vast history represented in the House of Heroes. It was clear why the West Lucozia cavalry was so strong; their power came from this rich heritage.

By the end of the tour, the sun had set. Austin had prepared a special dinner and invited Jovian to join him. Despite the 30-year age difference, they got along surprisingly well.

As they talked, Jovian realized that Austin, often called a troublemaker, was not the reckless person people made him out to be. In fact, he was very educated, capable, and smart, excelling in both civil and military matters. Jovian, with all his experience, felt somewhat less accomplished in comparison. The Rhys family clearly had many talented members.

While Jovian and Austin enjoyed their dinner inside the castle, a different scene was happening outside.

A group of high-ranking officials waited anxiously at the gates. They had asked questions all day, but no one inside responded. Despite their worry that someone else might take advantage of the situation, none of them were ready to leave.

Huxley looked at the setting sun and then at Percival, whose face was pale and sweaty. He couldn’t resist teasing him, saying, “Mr. Wentworth, the sun is setting. Are you planning to keep waiting here? At your age, can you handle this much stress?”

Huxley and Warrick, both from military backgrounds, were strong and didn’t mind waiting in the hot sun. In contrast, Percival was used to a life of comfort and luxury. He had never been in a situation like this before.

“Hmph! I know my limits, Sir Thatcher. I don’t need your concern,” Percival replied gruffly as he wiped his forehead.

Behind him, his attendants had found some leaves and were fanning him, trying to show their loyalty.

Huxley smiled and said, “Waiting here isn’t getting us anywhere. Why don’t we find a place to sit and eat? People need food to survive, and it’s hard to wait on an empty stomach.”

“Well…” Percival rubbed his stomach, which had started to growl, tempted by the idea. He hadn’t eaten since early morning, and his hunger was becoming unbearable. The only thing keeping him going was his willpower. But as soon as he thought about it, his stomach growled even louder.

“Mr. Prescott, what do you think?” he asked Warrick instead of answering Huxley directly.

The three men shared the same goal. If Percival took a break with Huxley and Warrick, he didn’t want to fall behind.

Warrick looked at the closed gate and then nodded. “It seems they won’t be opening the gates again today. A few drinks wouldn’t hurt.”

His earlier impatience had faded away. He had come to repay a favor to Matthias and to gather some information for him. After waiting all day, Warrick wanted Matthias to know he had tried his best.

“Alright. Since Mr. Prescott has spoken, I’ll join you for a drink,” Percival said with a smile.

At that moment, they shared a silent agreement.

“Gentlemen, this way! Drinks are on me tonight—let’s have some fun,” Huxley said, waving his hand as he led them.

“Great! I won’t hold back,” Warrick replied.

“Sounds good to me,” Percival added.

With their groups following behind, the three men headed out together.

They didn’t go far; a tavern was just 200 yards from the castle. They chose a private room with a great view of the West Lucozia castle entrance.

As they enjoyed their drinks and meal, they kept an eye on the entrance, making sure they didn’t miss anything important.

Percival and Warrick were glad Huxley had picked this place. If they had known about it earlier, they could have avoided waiting in the hot sun outside the castle.

While they were sipping their drinks, a scout entered the room and whispered something to Huxley. Huxley’s expression changed instantly, and both Percival and Warrick could tell that something was wrong.

“Sir Thatcher, what’s going on?” Percival asked cautiously.

“Gentlemen, I’m afraid we have a problem,” Huxley said, putting down his utensils with a serious look. “According to the latest reports, someone else has beaten us to our goal.”

Hearing this, the mood in the room shifted, and all three men’s faces darkened.