Dark King

"Tell the cook to add a steak for the master." Nicholas ordered the maid after they returned into the castle.

"Yes." The maid rushed to the kitchen.

Dudian called out to the maid: "Tell him to fre few more as I have a good appetite tonight."

"Yes." Maids quickly replied, turned and walked away.

"I did not expect that you would to come back tonight." Nicholas sat on his chair: "If I knew then I would have ordered the chef to prepare in advance."

Dudian smiled: "Are you used to living in here?"

Nicholas thought of the note he had dug out in the morning when he saw Dudian's note. His heart was beating fast but his facial expressions were as usual: " At least much more comfortable and better than prison life. The river senery outside is good too."

Dudian smiled but didn't respond. A moment later maid handed out him the dinner. He began to eat and chat with them about different topics. After the meal finished he went back upstairs to his own room.

Dudian glanced at his wardrobe. He went to the desk next to it and lighted the oil lamp with the match. He took out a small dark knife and piece of wood from the drawer. He grabbed the knife with his left hand and began to gently carve the wood. He was checking the contours to determine the strength exerted by his left arm.

Dudian quietly practiced control of his left arms strength while he thought about something else.

...

...

The next day.

Dudian woke up early as usual but found that Nicholas was already awake. Nicholas saw that Dudian had come downstairs so he smiled: "Master, you are quite early. Hot water has been prepared for you." His attitude and appearance was similar to a real butler's.

Dudian smiled as he used the hot water to wash himself and towel to dry. He sat in the dining room: "Today you are in good spirit."

Nicholas respectfully nodded.

Dudian looked at his shoulder: "Hows the wound? Is it healing?"

Nicholas smiled: "I'm too old. The healing speed of wounds is not as good as you young people."

"Sometimes when the wound is healed too quickly the pain is forgotten way early." Dudian smiled: "If I'm not mistaken you have bought blessings by relying on your wealth and your physical strength should be at intermediate hunter's level."

Nicholas looked at his eyes: "I am just on a primary hunter level. There is still a long distance for me to reach intermediate hunter level."

Dudian smiled: "A primary hunter can't get rid of two teams of knight of the magistrate while killing four of them."

Nicholas wryly smiled: "Misinformation! These are nothing but rumors to make sure that my crime way worse. I can't kill a knight of magistrate."

"Maybe." Dudian faintly smiled.

The sounds of hoofs echoed from outside. Nicholas said: "It should be the postman who have brought up the newspapers. I will go out to check." It didn't take long for me to bring back two newspapers and hand them out to Dudian: "Master, your newspapers."

Dudian nodded slightly and reached to take them.

Nicholas slowly retreated while the maid brought milk, omelette and other sweats for the breakfast.

Dudian ate and read the newspaper at the same time. His military crossbow had taken a large layout of the financial newspaper. The news mainly focused on recent war on the border. The information about status of warfare, mobilization of army and so on were written.

"Is Mellon consortium going to attack after the limelight? Are they waiting for these to pass? " Dudian looked at the newspaper published by the agency backed up by the Mellon consortium. They mainly reported about mining industry and medicine industry. These two were the most powerful weapons in the hands of the Mellon consortium. Because of the rivalry with the Scott consortium they didn't have much of an influence in the mining business. Moreover, Scott consortium was the largest operator and still held to the vast majority of the market share. But Mellon consortium could be described as 'invincible' in the medicine industry.

Mellon consortium occupied more than 70 percent of the market in all three districts. Moreover, six of the top ten hospitals belonged to Mellon consortium. The other four were formed after a partnership with Mellon and Green consortium. But it seemed that sooner or later they would fully by annexed by the Mellon or taken over.

"The medicine is the biggest weapon of the Mellon consortium and the main reason for its rapid rise. " Dudian whispered. If he was able to get into health care industry then it would be a massive hit to the Mellon consortium.

He secretly thought as he quietly read the newspaper.

As the time passed, Sergei, Scar and Jin gradually woke up and came down to eat breakfast.

"Master in the training field I won't be calling you young master." Sergei said as he chewed a big piece of meat.

Dudian put down the newspaper: "Do not eat so greasy in the morning."

"I like it this way."

Dudian and Sergei came behind the castle after the breakfast finished. Sergei had a circle of stones piled up to make the training ground. There were different training tools and equipment.

"I have heard that you are barely comparable to a senior hunter strength wise. However your magic marks haven't evolved yet. Instead of going through simple things we will directly focus on nurturing you." Sergei grinned: "I heard that you have chosen to be an archer. So your eyesight, arm strength and endurance have to be tested. This morning we will go through some strength exercises. Be careful about your arm so that you don't break it again."

Dudian indifferently smiled. His left arm should have already recovered. The placed where stitches were had been healed.

Sergei smiled as he saw that Dudian didn't respond: "Do you know the frog pose? The first lesson will be simple upright frog posture. Bend your arms around elbow at ninety degress. Put your legs close. This way you will exercise your balance."

"You should know that I have a way to go to Hunter school and check their training classes. If your teaching differ from the hunter school know that there will be consequences."

Sergei stiffened but the next moment sneered: "Go and inquire. I don't have any problems with that." However in his heart he was secretly glad that he was cautious with the task. Frog posture was in the hunter school's training.

Dudian looked at him and did what Sergei said.

Sergei slightly sneered: "Your body hasn't been improved. The best training time is for two hours. But I assume you could go through three or four hours of training. Right?"

"You can go and expand the training ground at this time."

Sergei shrugged his shoulders: "Don't be too lazy. I will check you." Afterwards he turned and left.

A carriage came to the entrance of the castle while Dudian was training. It had Green consortium's banner stuch on it. A middle-aged man got off the carriage and was greeted by a maid. She immediately entered the castle to inform Nicholas.

Nicholas was watching the training through the window at the second floor. He immedaitely went down when the maid reported him about the guest.

"Hello." Nicholas had a wide smile on his face while his gestures and expressions were polite.: "I am Mr Dean's butler. Who are you?"

Middle-aged man laughed: "I represent Green consortium and have come to visit the architect. Is he inside?"

"Architect?" Nicholas was startled: "He is not available now. If the message is not of importance then I can tell him on your behalf."

Middle-aged man smiled: "It is an important talk. Its better if I talk to him face to face. I can wait for him."

Nicholas replied: "Alright. Please come inside. " He invited the middle-aged man in to the living room and told the maid to bring tea.

"I didn't expect the castle of the architect Dean to be so frugal." The middle-aged man's eyes swept over the castle as they went inside: "If he doesn't have enough money then architect Dean must tell Green consortium."

Nicholas smiled while his eyes were cold: "Master has always been in favor of saving. He wouldn't bother Green consortium for a thrift amount of money!"

The middle-aged man waved his hand: "We would never be bothered or troubled by architect Dean. As long as he is willing to sell the new inventions to our Green consortium we can even give him a new castle. It is only a small things."

Nicholas was shocked. In the past he had mixed with the rich and wealthy. He had met nobility too. He knew about the identity of the architects but he didn't think that Dudian had such an extraordinary background that Green consortium would send someone to take the initiative to please him.

Nicholas had checked the castle from top to bottom but haven't seen any inventions: "Young master's new invention isn't ready yet. You should wait for him to finish it before talking about these matters."

The middle-aged man gave Nicholas a strange look. He didn't expect that people working for Dudian would be so loose even to dare to get involved in business without authorization. However even if the man was a butler he wasn't planning to speak coldly to him. He was close to Dudian than the people from Green consortium and this butler may sabotage them in the future. Even though the middle-aged man didn't like butler's attitude he put away the displeasure and said with a smile: "Green consortium is willing to purchase the invention even if it is not ready. The architect will definitely be satisifed with the price."

Nicholas had worked for many years. Even though there was a little smile on middle-aged man's face, but Nicholas was aware that his heart was full of disgust towards him. He no longer asked anything but Nicholas was extremely surprised. Are they willing to buy in advance? Could it be that Dudian's invention would never be worse? Where does this confidence come from? Or was it that dudian had already made an invention and given it to the Temple for evaluation and the Green consortium secretly got gift of it?