"Such fat rats, wouldn’t they make good jerky?"
"Shh, quickly take them outside the manor and burn them. The butler specifically instructed that these rats might carry a plague, and we’re forbidden to eat them!"
Gauss and his companion arrived near the manor just as two servants carrying a bag of something were conversing as they passed by.
He looked away, lost in thought.
Following the caravan, they continued into the manor.
The manor was surrounded by tall stone walls, with golden waves of wheat rolling outside, and neat roads paved with flat stones inside, showcasing order and wealth everywhere.
They were greeted inside by an elderly butler dressed in an immaculate servant’s attire.
"Honorable adventurers, welcome to Wheatley Manor. This territory belongs to the esteemed Baron Hayden Walker of Gray Rock Town. My name is Howen, the butler here." Howen’s voice was calm and clear, with just the right amount of respect.
Gauss presented the task commission document to him, catching sight of the caravan that had brought them negotiating purchasing matters with the manor’s junior steward.
However, Butler Howen didn’t move away, possibly because in his mind, the presence of the two bronze-level adventurers dealing with the rat threat was far more significant than an ordinary transaction, or perhaps he simply wanted to resolve this trouble swiftly.
As for the Baron Hayden mentioned by Howen, he was the lord of Gray Rock Town, and the town’s taxes eventually flowed into this family’s coffers.
No wonder, looking from afar, the manor’s structure and prosperity far surpassed ordinary villages; it turned out to be private property of the lord.
However, according to the information Gauss gathered, the baron family members lived mostly in the bustling Barry City and only occasionally returned to Gray Rock Town to inspect their estates.
"Please follow me." Howen led the way, guiding the two deeper into the manor.
"The Baron has always treated adventurers hospitably, and he specifically instructed us that if any adventurers visit, we should entertain them well. The kitchen has prepared lunch, so please dine first, and it’s not too late to start the commission afterward."
"Much appreciated."
Gauss and Aaliyah exchanged a glance.
They both understood that the "adventurers" Howen referred to specifically meant professionals like them.
Judging by the elite guards at the entrance, holding long spears, wearing armor, and looking stern, ordinary bottom adventurers likely couldn’t even step through the manor’s gate.
As they walked, Gauss’s gaze swept over well-manicured gardens, water-flowing stone groves, towering windmill gristmills, and sturdy stone walls within the manor.
With such a wealthy manor, there must surely be professionals guarding it.
Why then, commission them additionally? A tinge of doubt crossed Gauss’s mind, but he didn’t speak rashly.
Perhaps it was some form of cooperation between the nobility and the guild, or maybe, for the manor, problems that could be solved with gold coins weren’t worth using their own protective forces.
They arrived at a villa in the center of the manor.
The two were led to a side hall for dining. Though called a side hall, its lavishness far exceeded anything Gauss had seen in this world, with splendidly carved decorations, a giant deer head specimen mounted on the wall, and a long walnut dining table. Aside from them, there were only a few servants waiting nearby, ready to respond at any time. Noble life, seen through glimpses, indeed opulent to the extreme.
Even though the owner of this manor might only come a few times a year, the grandeur of the manor was unwavering.
However, when the dishes were served, Gauss felt a slight disappointment.
Not that the taste wasn’t good; in fact, it was quite delicious. It was just that the ingredients used were very ordinary, not as astounding as his first experience at the ’Firefly Kitchen.’
He had thought noble families’ meals would be even better, but it seems he overestimated. When entertaining ’outsiders’ like them, naturally, they wouldn’t use luxurious ingredients.
A bit of a pity.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Gauss and Aaliyah focused on their meal.
Gauss, in particular, ate the most.
The innate ability of his [Energy Storage Glands] indeed made his appetite far surpass the ordinary.
After the meal, Gauss and Howen got down to business.
"The cellar is about four kilometers from the manor, located under an abandoned chapel." Butler Howen took out a map and precisely marked the location.
"It’s unclear when a group of Ratmen took it over. Recently, the number of rats in the manor has surged, which should also be related to them."
In fact, the task document also had precise coordinates, but with the client present, necessary communication was indispensable. Of course, these processes also had their benefits, at least securing a nice hot meal.
After further discussing some details with the butler,
they took a short rest, then boarded a carriage provided by the manor, heading towards the abandoned chapel.
"Sirs, just go straight along this dirt road to reach the chapel." The coachman stopped while they were still some distance from the destination, speaking with an apologetic tone. "I can only take you this far. If you need the carriage again, please find me under that big oak tree ahead."
Seeing the coachman’s timid demeanor, the two didn’t mind.
They nodded to let him stay a bit farther away.
The Ratmen didn’t pose any particularly lethal threat to them, but for ordinary people, especially with a group of over seventy Ratmen, it was undoubtedly a terrifying disaster.
Gauss looked at the surroundings before him.
Although it was the blazing sunshine of the afternoon, an eerie chill permeated this area.
The surrounding trees were strangely withered and fallen, with out-of-season brown leaves densely covering the ground.
Gauss activated the [Insight Skill], and his senses became incredibly sharp, with information from around flooding into his perception like a tide.
In the mud ahead to the left, there were traces resembling those left by rats passing through.