The first-floor dining room of Baron Weiss's manor.
A long wooden table stood in the center, set with several large platters.
The platters held thick cuts of roasted steaks, golden butter-roasted potatoes, and bread with a crispy crust.
Baron Weiss and Rhine were already seated at the table, with Daisy sitting off to the side.
Seeing Rosie walk in, the baron stood up and pointed to a seat next to the head of the table, greeting her warmly and politely, “Miss Rosie, please have a seat.”
A servant pulled out the chair for Rosie.
She set her helmet aside and sat down.
“Miss Rosie, this is venison hunted just the day before yesterday. Please, give it a try,” Baron Weiss said hospitably.
At the same time, a nearby servant filled the wooden cup in front of Rosie with ale.
Rosie nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
She speared a roasted venison steak with her fork and transferred it to the wooden plate in front of her.
The steak was cut thick, coated in a layer of dark brown sauce and garnished with chopped herbs. A rich herbal aroma wafted up, perfectly whetting her appetite alongside the scent of the meat.
She cut off a piece with her knife and chewed it slowly.
The steak was tender and juicy, roasted to perfection—slightly charred on the outside and soft on the inside. The gamey flavor of the meat was well masked by the herbal sauce. Overall, it tasted truly delicious.
She picked up her cup and took a sip. The ale was slightly sour yet sweet, carrying a hint of cinnamon aroma.
Rosie ate at a brisk pace, devouring two steaks, several buttery roasted potatoes, and a piece of chewy bread in one go.
A servant then brought over a steaming bowl of cream of mushroom soup and placed it before Rosie.
The creamy white soup was thick, with minced mushrooms and chopped herbs floating on the surface. The steam curled upward, carrying a pleasant buttery aroma.
It was then that Baron Weiss spoke again:
“I heard the whole story from Rhine. Thank you so much, Miss Rosie. If not for you, I might never have seen my darling daughter again.”
As he finished speaking, his gaze lingered on his daughter's face for a moment before returning to Rosie.
Rosie took a sip of the mushroom soup, set down her bowl, and smiled slightly.
“Lord Weiss, I only did what I felt was right.”
Baron Weiss nodded at her words, reached under the table, and produced a small pouch, placing it on the table.
He slid the pouch toward Rosie, his tone earnest.
“While I, Weiss, may not be a man of great capability, I still understand that a favor must be returned. Though this sum is modest, it is a small token of my gratitude. Please accept it.”
“You are too generous, Lord Weiss.”
That being said, Rosie still set down her soup bowl and reached out to take the pouch. It felt somewhat heavy in her hand; judging by the weight, it contained about fifty gold coins.
For an impoverished baron, this was a rather substantial reward.
Seeing Rosie accept the purse, the baron continued:
“Since you were able to deal with so many bandits and kidnappers alone, Miss Rosie, your strength must be extraordinary. Might I ask who your mentor was?”
Rosie wanted to say she was self-taught, but that was obviously implausible.
“I am an Honorary Dawnguard, and Duke Grest's niece, Vera, is a friend of mine.”
She once again brought up the name of the Dawnguard.
“Ah, so you are an Honorary Dawnguard! No wonder you are so formidable!”
The baron marveled, no longer probing into Rosie's background.
At this point, Rhine, who was sitting below the baron, looked up. “Miss Rosie, do you have any plans for the future?”
Rosie glanced at her and smiled. “I'll just go wherever the road takes me. I set out primarily to gain experience and appreciate the beautiful scenery along the way.”
Rhine looked at her with a trace of envy in her eyes. “You're amazing.”
“It's nothing special, just a journey on a whim,” Rosie said.
Daisy suddenly chimed in, “My Lord, I think we could ask Miss Rosie to help us investigate this matter. Why would someone target the young lady?”
She clearly didn't say this on a whim; she had been holding onto this thought for a while.
Baron Weiss pondered for a moment, then looked at Rosie with a sincere tone. “Actually, I had the same thought. What do you think, Miss Rosie?”
Rosie originally wanted to say she wasn't interested, but considering she had just accepted a pouch of money from them and was currently eating their food, declining outright seemed a bit rude.
She formulated her words and said, “Does Lord Baron have no clues at all?”
Baron Weiss shook his head with a bitter smile. “Our territory is not wealthy, and I have always kept a low profile, never making enemies, so...”
His voice suddenly cut off. “Wait... I remember now! There might be something related.”
The baron continued, “Two months ago, a merchant came by. He wanted to buy an undeveloped tract of land from our family. But I didn't agree.”
Rosie asked, “Why didn't you agree? Was the price not right?”
Baron Weiss shook his head. “The price he offered wasn't low. The main reason I refused him was because of our ancestral teachings, which forbid the transfer of any family land.”
“My Lord, could it be that the merchant wanted to capture the young lady to blackmail you?” Daisy guessed boldly.
“It is possible.” The baron nodded, then wondered aloud, “But why would he go to such lengths?”
“It might have something to do with the land you refused to sell him,” Rosie said.
The baron spoke of the area: “That mountain ridge has never been developed because of the terrain. It's neither suitable for farming nor does it have any minerals.”
“Is it possible that you simply haven't discovered its value yet?” Rosie speared a potato with her fork, took a bite, and said.
“It's possible...” the baron muttered thoughtfully.
He fell silent for a moment, then looked up, his gaze earnest as he stared at Rosie.
“Miss Rosie, could I trouble you to help me investigate that forest?”
The baron's words fell.
Several lines of translucent text appeared at the edge of Rosie's vision.
【Optional Adventure Quest: Oh, There Seems to Be Something There】
【Quest Objective: Discover the hidden secret】
【Quest Reward: ???】
Rosie's eyes narrowed instantly.
Reward: ???
It was this situation again.
The last time an unknown reward appeared was during the vampire elder incident, which ultimately rewarded her with a bloodstone after she repelled the vampires.
The difficulty of this kind of quest was usually higher than ordinary quests, but lower than those with completely unknown rewards.
Perhaps she should check it out.
She swallowed the potato, took another sip of mushroom soup to clear her throat, and set down the bowl. Her eyes met the baron's expectant gaze.
“Alright, I'll go take a look and see what the issue is.”
Baron Weiss's eyes lit up. “Then I will leave it in your hands, Miss Rosie.”
“I'll need a local guide,” Rosie said.
“I'll do it!” Daisy volunteered.
Baron Weiss glanced at the maid, thought for a moment, and nodded.
“Very well.”
Rate on N.U.
