Chapter 123: Barrel
Asher’s figure reappeared within his room in a silver blur. It was already four o’clock in the evening, and his exploration for the day had come to an end. With a heavy sigh, Asher lowered himself into a sitting position on the bed, his gaze distant and pensive.
Unlike what he had read in numerous novels, stories where commoners bore an intense hatred for nobles, that sentiment didn’t seem to apply here... or at least not within the Wargrave Ducal Territory.
He was certain many commoners in other regions would harbour resentment toward nobles such as Barons and Viscounts, particularly due to the constant beast invasions and the nobles’ apparent inability to bring a lasting end to them.
These nobles could only continue to spend gold coins, hiring adventurers or mercenaries to perform the duties that their knights could no longer fulfill. And yet, they couldn’t flee from their territories even if they wished to, not when all their sources of wealth were rooted within the Barony, the land, the taxes, the businesses, the knights. Abandoning it all would be tantamount to treason.
’I wonder what it would be like if I ruled?’ Asher mused silently.
But then, his thoughts shifted to his father. Whenever he caught a glimpse of the man in his chambers, the Duke was always immersed in documents and official reports. It appeared to be an overwhelming amount of work, especially for someone as inherently lazy as Asher.
’Should I start thinking about becoming the next Primarch?’ he wondered. But the thought vanished almost as quickly as it came, and he shook his head, dismissing it altogether.
He was simply too weak to entertain such a grand aspiration, and besides, the only conceivable reason he might even consider becoming Primarch would be if he ever found another woman he loved... someone like Jennifer.
With a sigh, his body slumped back, collapsing into the plush comfort of the king-sized bed. As his back sank into the softness, his thoughts shifted to the child he had met earlier, the one desperately searching for herbs to treat his ailing mother.
’There are always bad apples among good ones,’ Asher thought as he stared blankly at the ceiling. Everyone around seemed cheerful and content, yet even within the Wargrave Ducal territory, thugs and troublemakers persisted.