Chapter 57: Dinner

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Dinner

"Bamos sent me to find you. He wishes to invite you to his residence for dinner."

Bisen stated his purpose. "The carriage is already waiting outside the Personal Guard Bureau. Is now a convenient time for you, sir?"

"Of course."

Even though he was famished, he couldn’t possibly refuse an invitation from Bamos.

Bisen nodded and took the lead, staying half a step ahead to guide Vili.

Stepping out of the Personal Guard Bureau, Vili saw a white wooden carriage pulled by a fine steed. The carriage was adorned with intricate, openwork carvings, and even the horse wore handsome ornaments. A neatly dressed coachman stood by the carriage; seeing Bisen and Vili approach, he bowed to them in greeting.

"Please get in, Sir Vili."

Bisen and Vili boarded the carriage together. The cabin was spacious, with a small table laid out with grapes and other fruits.

Vili couldn’t tell if it was the quality of the carriage or the skill of the coachman, but the ride was completely smooth, without the slightest bump.

"We’ve arrived, my lords."

The carriage stopped, and the coachman’s voice came from outside.

Vili and Bisen alighted from the carriage at the same time.

Before them stood a small, detached villa surrounded by an iron fence. The yard within was filled with all sorts of flowers and plants.

While in the carriage, Vili had already noticed they weren’t heading toward Baron Kels’s manor.

"Bamos owns many properties in and around Diamond Town. This is just one of them."

Seeing the flicker of confusion in Vili’s eyes, Bisen offered an explanation.

Bisen walked forward and pressed the doorbell outside the iron gate.

Soon, an elderly man in a black tailcoat, his hair combed immaculately, opened the gate.

"Is that Sir Vili?"

The old man, who appeared to be the butler, glanced at Vili and asked respectfully.

"It is."

Vili nodded.

"Please follow me. Bamos is already waiting for you."

The old butler bowed slightly, making a guiding gesture for Vili.

Bisen saw this and said to Vili, "Well, since I’ve brought you here, I’ll be on my way."

Vili quickly returned the farewell. He’d thought Bisen would be joining them for dinner, so he was surprised to see him leave.

The old butler led Vili through the yard full of flowers and plants and into the villa.

The villa’s interior wasn’t massive, but it was warmly and exquisitely decorated, much like the home of an ordinary wealthy family.

"Vili, you’re finally here."

Vili had just reached the second-floor dining room when he saw Bamos stand up and greet him.

Beside Bamos sat a charming woman in her thirties. When Bamos rose, she stood as well, offering Vili a simple nod of courtesy.

A flicker of an unreadable expression crossed Vili’s eyes.

Bamos was in his twenties, well past the coming-of-age of sixteen. He was not only married but also had children. His wife, it was said, was the daughter of a wealthy merchant and five years his junior. The woman beside him now, however, was clearly not his wife.

Vili had heard tales of the dalliances within noble circles even back when he was just a country boy, so he was careful not to show any hint of surprise or disapproval.

"Young Master Bamos, my apologies for keeping you waiting."

Vili walked forward and gave a slight bow to Bamos.

Bamos seemed to be in high spirits. He smiled. "Training with Olay must be rough. Please, sit. I’ve already had dinner prepared."

At Bamos’s gesture, Vili and the woman sat on either side of him.

"This is Vili, one of my father’s Personal Guards and a student of Olay."

Bamos introduced Vili to the woman.

"A pleasure to meet you, Sir Vili."

The woman smiled and nodded at Vili in greeting.

"This is Lady Laya."

Bamos’s introduction was brief, the corner of his mouth curling into a slight smile.

Vili, in turn, returned Lady Laya’s greeting.

"You may serve dinner."

At Bamos’s command, a silver-haired old servant brought one delicacy after another to the table.

Soft white bread, cakes slathered in cream, steaming pasta with a rich sauce, fragrant steaks, golden and crispy sardines, meat rolls stuffed with vegetables, sweet fruit juice, and aromatic red wine... There were more than a dozen dishes in all. The portions were generous, clearly prepared with Vili’s need to recover his strength in mind.

The old servant stood aside, using serving utensils to portion the food onto everyone’s plate.

"Vili, are you finding your academic lessons difficult?"

Bamos wasn’t worried about Vili’s training as a Knight’s Squire; he was more concerned that Vili might struggle with his academic studies.

"Master Hudier is a very responsible teacher. I haven’t found the lessons difficult at all."

Seeing Bamos begin to eat, Vili popped the sliced meat roll from his plate into his mouth.

Bamos nodded, then suddenly changed the subject. "I heard you waived the Bean tax for the villagers of Fandou Village?"

"Yes, Young Master Bamos."

Vili wasn’t surprised. He knew Baron Kels was having Fandou Village’s progress monitored, which was, in reality, a way to test and observe him.

Bamos frowned slightly. "While that was a benevolent gesture, I must remind you that as the administrator of Fandou Village, waiving the villagers’ Bean tax is not a wise choice. I know my father granted you five hundred Gold Rums, but that doesn’t mean you can loosen your hold on the villagers. You can’t just live off your savings; you need a steady stream of income."

Bamos was worried that Vili, coming from a common country family, was being too soft on people who shared his former station. Upper-Rankers and commoners played by different rules, and Bamos felt he needed to make Vili understand this sooner rather than later.

Hearing Bamos’s advice, Vili knew this was a deliberate lesson. He first offered his thanks, then explained, "I gave the matter of the Bean tax a great deal of thought. I did it because I first needed to give the villagers hope, a reason to strive for a better life. Besides, the income from the tax is negligible. I decided it was better spent winning their hearts."

"But without the Bean tax, where will the income from Fandou Village come from?"

Bamos hadn’t expected Vili to understand concepts like inspiring hope or winning loyalty. ’This kid isn’t as naive as I thought,’ he mused.

Still, Bamos was pleased to see this side of Vili. He had been worried Vili wouldn’t adapt to his change in status. After all, when one jumps social classes, mere intelligence and courage aren’t enough. You need a broader perspective to truly assess yourself and grow.