Chapter 380: Maric: Hastur, You’ve Forgotten Your Friends for Beauty

Chapter 380: Maric: Hastur, You've Forgotten Your Friends for Beauty

In the study, Audrey and Hastur sat on the sofa, enjoying the afternoon tea at the Earl of Hall's residence. Susie lay lazily at Audrey's feet, occasionally glancing at Aisala, who was curled up in Hastur's arms.

After sneaking a small fish snack, Aisala wandered around before boldly taking another snack that Audrey had specifically brought, hiding it in Hastur's arms.

"Did you say Susie was awakened by Aisala?"

After hearing Audrey describe Susie's awakening, Hastur looked down in surprise at Aisala, who was contentedly eating the fish snack.

How did he not know that Aisala could heal?

Could it be something it learned from Sharon?

Faced with Hastur's disbelief, Aisala closed its eyes, too lazy to explain.

"Yes, Susie was in a deep sleep until Aisala came along and woke her up," Audrey elaborated on how Aisala had awakened Susie.

Susie, lying on the ground, secretly pricked up her ears to listen.

"..."

Hastur fell silent, his expression complex as he glanced at Aisala. If he guessed correctly...

Aisala had simply patted Susie's head, not intending to wake her up with this method, but just because it felt like patting her while she slept. Unexpectedly, Susie woke up at that moment, giving Audrey the wrong impression.

"Meow."

Aisala responded softly, then buried its head.

Hastur did not explain this to Audrey, only smiling as he said, "Perhaps they have a way of communicating that we humans cannot understand."

"Woof, woof?"

Susie instinctively tried to communicate with Aisala in dog language. Aisala lazily squinted at Susie and then reluctantly meowed.

"?!"

Susie stood up, eyes wide in disbelief at Aisala.

"Do they really have their own way of communicating? Even though one is a dog and the other a cat?"

Audrey curiously observed Susie and Aisala, still skeptical of Hastur's explanation.

"Ants and bees have their own languages, let alone such intelligent and magical creatures as Susie and Aisala."

"Aisala too?"

"Yes, it's a natural assassin."

Audrey showed a look of sudden realization. No wonder her little tricks never fooled Aisala; it turned out Aisala, like Susie, possessed intelligence no less than that of humans.

Her recent attempt to lure Aisala with fish snacks must have seemed very childish, right?

"Meow."

Aisala meowed at the right moment, as if sensing Audrey's thoughts.

She couldn't help but glance at Aisala, realizing she was overthinking. Aisala was merely urging Mr. Hastur to give it another fish snack.

"You've already sneaked quite a few today; your belly is almost round."

"Meow..."

Aisala immediately deflated, lying motionless in Hastur's arms.

Audrey enviously watched the interaction between Mr. Hastur and Aisala, then inadvertently glanced at Susie, whose belly was also round, and sighed.

When Susie was young, she was very cute, small enough to hold in her arms, occasionally needing to be fed some goat milk.

Now, Susie's sturdy body made it a chore to lift her from the ground.

"Woof?" Susie looked up and met Audrey's gaze, her eyes clearly expressing, "Is it my fault for growing up?"

Around four in the afternoon, Hastur left the Earl of Hall's residence. He had originally come at Audrey's invitation to check on Susie, but Aisala had solved the problem unexpectedly, saving him a lot of time. He also took the opportunity to bid Audrey farewell.

In a few days, once Backlund returned to its usual calm, he would set off back to Southwell County.

Back home, Aisala leapt from Hastur's arms, accurately finding Sharon, who had arrived unnoticed.

"Meow, meow..."

Aisala meowed, as if discussing something with Sharon or secretly tattling and instigating.

Hastur ignored the mischievous Aisala and said to Sharon, "This time Maric wants to return to Southwell County with us. What do you think?"

Sharon did not answer, only looked at Hastur.

"I'll refuse Maric's request. He's still young and should be striving in a big city like Backlund," Hastur quickly said.

Sharon withdrew her gaze and gently stroked Aisala's small head.

...

Around nine in the evening, Hastur arrived at the Brave Bar and firmly rejected Maric's idea of going to Southwell County.

Maric's already pale face now looked like a corpse buried for days, staring at Hastur with a resentful gaze, "You've forgotten your friends for beauty!"

Hastur ignored him, naturally sipping his drink and savoring its quality.

"You're paying for tonight's drinks!"

"No problem."

Hastur smiled, generously pulling out a stack of ten-pound notes from his coat pocket, counting out ten in front of Maric, and placing them on the table, "This money is enough for you to drink for three days and nights."

"..." Maric was speechless, "Do you think money can make up for forgetting your friends for beauty?"

"Then forget it."

Hastur made a move to take back the money, but Maric quickly pressed it down with his right hand, "Once money is out, there's no taking it back."

Hastur clicked his tongue, leaning back slightly, "Even spilled water can be gathered back, let alone a word."

Spilled water cannot be gathered back, as the saying goes.

But in this extraordinary world, achieving this is simple.

Maric snorted twice, not arguing, then called the bar's waiter, took five ten-pound notes from the table, and told him to announce that all the night's expenses were on Mr. Hastur.

"..."

Hastur almost choked on his drink but managed to hold it in.

"Maric, you really are a talent," Hastur sincerely praised.

"Do you need to say that?" Maric sneered at him.

When Hastur came out of the billiard room, the bar waiter greeted him loudly, "Mr. Hastur, thank you for your generosity tonight."

This greeting drew the attention of all the bar patrons, who began to thank him one after another.

Hastur's face stiffened slightly, while Maric hid in the shadows, watching the show.

Under the gaze of the happily drinking patrons, Hastur left the Brave Bar.

As soon as he stepped out to breathe some fresh air, a carriage stopped beside him, waiting for him to get in.

Hastur glanced at it; this carriage was not from his home, nor did it look like it was hired by the Brave Bar.

"Count Campbell, you're really hard to invite." A voice filled with anger came from inside the carriage.

"Who are you?"

"Heh."

The person inside chuckled twice, pulled back the curtain, revealing his face.

Oh, it was the second prince, the son of George III. What was his name again?

Hastur thought for a moment but couldn't remember.

He only remembered this second prince had once threatened him over the matter of the former Duke of Southwell.

"Does the second prince have something to discuss?" Hastur still politely inquired.

Lenart Augustus, with a dark face, said, "I am now a prince!"

Forgot about that.

Hastur showed a look of realization, then sighed, "The image and voice of King George III are still fresh in my mind."

"..."

Lenart Augustus hadn't expected Hastur to come up with such a line, leaving him unable to blame the other for his rudeness.

"Get in the carriage, I have important matters to discuss with you!" He ordered with a frown.

"I've had quite a bit to drink and need to go home and rest. Or does the second prince want to argue with a drunk man?"

"..."

Lenart Augustus suppressed his anger, "You can wash your face first, then you'll be sober."

"No."

Hastur directly refused, not bothering to pay him any more attention, leaving Lenart Augustus fuming, finally dropping the curtain in anger and ordering the coachman to drive away.

"George III just died; I'm not interested in getting involved in your royal affairs."

Hastur didn't need to guess to know the other party's purpose. Currently, he was making a name for himself in Southwell County, and with the Duke of Southwell's accidental drowning, he was practically the actual ruler of Southwell County.

Being young, he indeed had value to be courted.

Maybe in a day or two, when Govington II had time, he would also send someone to find him.

Such troublesome matters, he had no interest in getting involved.

He'd leave such decisions to people like the Earl of Hall.

Sure enough, the next afternoon, the new King of Ruen, Govington II, sent someone to invite him to a banquet that evening.

The Earl of Hall and other powerful nobles had all received invitations.

Hastur didn't want to get involved in these matters, but since he hadn't left Backlund yet, he had no reason to refuse.

Moreover, this new King George Augustus III had just ascended the throne; if he refused, it would lead to too much speculation.

So, Hastur went to the Earl of Hall's residence first and then accompanied him to the banquet that evening.

Even if something happened, he could discuss it with the Earl of Hall.