After having his fill, Ludwig was about to return to his room when a sleepy-looking Hoyo and Kassandra both came down from their rooms.
Kassandra’s bed head looked no different than her the way she usually has her hair. Underneath all that unkempt hair and baggy eyes from reading too much and studying to the point of exhaustion, Ludwig wouldn’t doubt if she were to take better care of herself she’ll be a stunning beauty, but Kassandra would always remain true to her nature, an avid hunter of knowledge.
While Hoyo only needed to wash his face with some water to look as he is currently.
“Ah, I’m exhausted,” Hoyo said as he sloped down on the table.
“Get off the table man,” Ludwig said, “I’m pretty sure I saw someone throwing up on it yesterday.”
That got Hoyo immediately up with a look of disgust on his face.
“Did you guys notice,” Kassandra said as her eyes were scanning the inn.
“What is it?” Ludwig asked.
“Something’s wrong, why is everyone looking our way?” she said.
Ludwig shrugged, he had no idea.
Not a bit longer, the busboy came with two more sets of food for Ludwig’s companions.
“What’s with the stares?” Hoyo asked the busboy.
“Oh, yeah, rumors spread, apparently,” the busboy said as he looked at Ludwig, “Lord Sirou is here, and has said a few good words about someone wearing the Black Academy Uniform, though there are many of you guys in Rima right now spread all over the city, I could probably tell that he was talking about your friend there,” the Busboy said as he was looking at Ludwig, smiles an all.
“How come?” Ludwig asked.
“Well, you’re the only one who came looking like a rattling corpse yesterday. Blood and all, so people took note of that, and they put one and one together and came up with that conclusion, the one that Lord Sirou spoke about was said to have found and singlehandedly thwarted a ploy of some evildoers.”
Ludwig coughed lightly. The embarrassment was getting to him, “Anyway it’s all hearsay,” he added to try and change the topic.
“There they are!” a loud rumbustious man came into the inn, hollering and pointing at Ludwig’s party.
‘The hell is this now?’
The man seemed to be some sort of beggar, his clothes and wear were too old and decrypted.
Right behind him a couple of knights that Ludwig didn’t seem to recognize came after him, one of the knights handed a few coins to the man who happily left the area.
“Ludwig heart,” the knight said as he recognized Ludwig, “Please follow us,” he said.
“What did you do this time?” Hoyo asked.
“I don’t know,” Ludwig replied confusion still in his eyes.
“Are you his friends?” the knight said as he saw both Hoyo and Kassandra’s worried looks.
“Yes, is there a problem?”
The knight interrupted, “You too will have to come with us.” He said, with a finality to his words, an order that shouldn’t be refused.
More knights came into the inn, and from afar, Ludwig saw the innkeeper grabbing a dough roller tightly, almost ready to fight the knights even. Or maybe he just didn’t want trouble.
“Fine I’ll follow, although I think there seems to be a misunderstanding here, what’s going on?” Ludwig asked.
“Please follow us, this isn’t a topic to be discussed in public” the knight finalized.
Ludwig was confused, did they uncover something? He should have been cleared, since yesterday the guy who checked the memories of the earth didn’t see anything wrong.
Did Ludwig mess things up?
He truly regretted not getting a device to contact Van Dijk because he doesn’t think that Van Dijk realizes what’s going on.
“Let’s go and see what’s up,” Ludwig said.
The three moved up ahead, though regret was clear on Hoyo’s face since he hasn’t finished his food yet. But that was of little inconvenience compared to the serious atmosphere of the knights.
Once outside the inn, there was a large carriage waiting for them, “Get on,” the Knight said.
Ludwig and his friends were urged to get on, rudely so, but not to the point that they thought there was a threat to their life, especially with everyone watching.
“Move!” the knight shouted to the driver and the carriage moved away from the inn.
Several other horse-riding knights followed closely around the carriage, perhaps for protection, or maybe just to stop anyone from Ludwig’s group to try and run away.
“I’m a bit scared…” Kassandra said.
“Yeah, it’s a bit awkward,” Hoyo said, “Since these knights don’t have any of their house banners up, but they wouldn’t do something stupid in Rima, especially now. With Lord Sirou here, if anyone tries to mess things up, their whole family will end up in ruin. But I don’t know which house is inviting us over this aggressively…” he explained.
‘I see, someone wants to see us but don’t want his identity to be known to the public, then.’
The carriage kept moving until it reached a far away corner of the city where a single mansion was built atop a large piece of land. The whole area seemed to have gotten a lot of care. Trees and bushes, rose gardens and labyrinth like bush decor were at the front of the mansion.
Maids and servants were busy cleaning up and managing the gardens.
Right at the main door of the white mansion though there was a group of people standing as if waiting for the carriage to come closer.
Only when Ludwig and his friends came out did they realize where they were.
“Welcome to our humble estate, Master Ludwig Heart, and… friends,” a middle aged man said. He had a regal presence to him coupled with what one would call a noble pressure. Next to him were two refined looking ladies, and behind them were three young men who each seemed to take after a different one of what Ludwig presumed to be their mothers.
“Where are we?” Kassandra asked in a hushed tone.
“Can’t you see the crest,” Hoyo’s eyes looked up at the door’s entrance, “We’re on the Urbaf family mansion… more like one of their many mansions.”
‘Oh I guess Alva’s family knew of what happened yesterday… well, let’s see what’s all this abut then shall we…’