The sound was truly resounding...
Tia, standing beside them, instantly blushed and said,"Master, Tia desires the same!"
With that, Tia also planted a kiss on the other side of Kenley's face.
A flush crept up Kenley's face as he said,"All right, all right. Let's get on with cooking dinner without delay."
After speaking, Kenley disappeared from Daina's line of sight.
"The honorable Lord of Deshalin still has to cook meals personally?" Daina tilted her head, wearing an expression of utter bewilderment.
"Master is not like those ordinary nobles, Miss Daina," Tia said, gazing sweetly at Kenley's retreating figure, yet directing her words towards Daina.
"Indeed... I can sense that from our interactions during this period. Despite his noble status, he lacks the slightest trace of noble pretension," Daina remarked frankly.
"It's not merely that, Miss Daina. Master treats both his servants and his subjects with the same warmth and affection as if they were family. In Deshalin Town, the townspeople secretly refer to him as the Benevolent and Modest Lord. So much so that even the mayor wishes to marry his daughter to Master," Tia couldn't help but chuckle as she reached the end of her sentence.
Listening to Tia's words, Daina was somewhat taken aback. She had not anticipated that Kenley would be so beloved and revered in the Deshalin territory.
Daina was no stranger to the tales of benevolent and modest lords. Lords who treated their subjects with even a modicum of kindness and consideration were bound to win the support and loyalty of their people. However, those who loved their subjects as dearly as their own children, much like Kenley, were an extremely rare breed, almost like phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
In the Cain Empire, Daina had encountered countless nobles. There were the arrogant ones, the shrewd ones, and those with hidden depths. Yet, more or less, they all imposed certain lofty demands on their subjects. Although these demands were not insurmountable, they still imposed a considerable burden on the people under their jurisdiction.
But Kenley was different. As she had journeyed through Deshalin Town today, she had witnessed the farmers with smiles brimming with joy on their faces. Children were frolicking freely in the snow, and even the homes of farmers who had gone out to tend to the fields were left unlocked.
At first, she had assumed that this idyllic scene was a result of the approaching Kulsmatlin Festival. However, after hearing Tia's words, she had an inkling that it was closely related to the way Kenley treated his subjects.
Kenley's humility, amiability, and unconventional governing methods were indeed rather extraordinary. His approach to dealing with people and matters always seemed at odds with that of the surrounding nobles. Initially, she had surmised that since Kenley had been elevated to nobility from a peasant background, he naturally possessed these qualities. But as time went by, she had expected that his character would gradually align with the behavioral norms of the nobility.
Yet, it seemed her conjecture had been off the mark... Not only had Kenley not changed in the slightest, but he had also managed to run his territory with increasing success.
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One couldn't help but admit that Kenley was truly an intriguing individual...
...
"Is he truly such a person, my dear sister?" The flames in the fireplace flickered gently, casting a warm and tranquil glow over the hall.
Guinevere seemed to be deeply engrossed as she listened to Daina's accounts of her journey.
"Yes, my sister. I conducted an incognito investigation in Deshalin Town and even had my servant make inquiries. The answers I received were all consistent. Baron Kenley not only loves his people as if they were his own children but also implements a plethora of benevolent policies. He even established something called an agricultural company... Although I don't fully comprehend it, the farmers there enjoy stable incomes and lead lives of abundance and happiness. I have never witnessed such a vibrant and cheerful atmosphere in any other noble's territory as I did in Deshalin," Daina held a fire poker in her hand and gently prodded at the charcoal in the fireplace. The firelight danced upon her delicate features, and a faint smile played on her lips.
"Sister, it is truly rare to see you praise someone with such earnestness," Guinevere said, her eyes reflecting a hint of contemplation.
Daina set the fire poker aside and turned her gaze towards Guinevere."Do you recall Marquis Briffin?"
"Of course, I do."
"Marquis Briffin is a renowned marquis in the empire, having received the title of the Just Marquis personally bestowed by His Majesty the King. I once studied in his territory. The farmers there wore smiles that radiated genuine happiness. Children were running freely across the open fields, the patrolling cavalry was disciplined and orderly, and the merchants coming and going were as numerous and bustling as a flowing river. However, even so, the people there were not like the subjects in Baron Kenley's territory. The smiles of the people in the two territories were distinctly different," Daina carefully chose her words and spoke with great solemnity.
Guinevere's interest was piqued."In what way are they different?"
"Their smiles seem to possess a certain magic."
"Magic?"
"Yes... You would find yourself irresistibly drawn to stop and wish to become a part of this town. I have examined the records of Deshalin Town. Since Kenley first took up residence in this small town, half a year has passed, and the number of residents in the town has been increasing steadily every month. By the time I visited this time, the population of the townspeople had doubled compared to the previous month."
Upon hearing this, even Guinevere was slightly stirred."Is this not a bit of an exaggeration?"
Guinevere couldn't help but be astonished. It had only been half a year. How could the population possibly double within just two months? It was truly beyond belief.
"Yes, I shared the same sentiment as you initially. However, when I beheld the growing number of shops in the town and the construction of facilities that Baron Kenley referred to as a park and an amusement park, I came to realize that Baron Kenley has been managing his territory with great diligence and care. Deshalin Town already possesses the strength and potential to be upgraded to a city..." Daina said with unwavering conviction.
Suddenly, Guinevere recalled the incident that just three months after Kenley had arrived, he had managed to yield 1,800 jin of wheat per mu... At that time, she hadn't given it much thought. But now she was jolted into the realization that this Kenley might not merely be a powerful knight with great potential; he could very well be an outstanding politician.
"This man is becoming increasingly enigmatic... So young, of peasant origin, yet possessing such a keen and astute mind. Could it be that..." Guinevere's words trailed off as she suddenly remembered something.
"Never mind. Perhaps I am overthinking things," Guinevere shook her head.
"What's the matter, sister?" Daina asked, a hint of confusion in her voice, for she didn't quite understand.
"I just remembered a rumor."
"A rumor?"
"Half a year ago, there was a rumor that three individuals of golden bloodline had gathered in the Grand Cathedral of Light in Marlen Imperial City. Subsequently, I conducted an investigation and found that Baron Kenley and Her Highness Tia were among them. Moreover, it was rumored that the third person was the princess of the Elven Forest," Guinevere said gravely.
"The princess of the Elven Forest?" Daina exclaimed, a look of surprise on her face.
"Yes. Her Highness Tia is also Baron Kenley's Holy Servant. The Holy Servant is a contract that has long been lost to history. Apart from some records in the ancient books of the church, hardly anyone uses such an ancient contract. Therefore, I suspect that Mr. Kenley might very well be a descendant of a hero."
