I was delayed in the update last night. It was really busy and a headache when the end of the year came...

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During the morning tea the next day, there were more people who could sit at the table with the king than before. The old Marquis, who showed his noble temperament, the old Marquis's eldest son, the middle-aged but still elegant family heir, the wife of Fitrell, the mother of the Secretary of State Short-O-Grady, and the owner of the manor, Del O-Grady, with his jewel-like wife and their young and beautiful daughter.

Everyone sitting at the dining table has gorgeous clothes, exquisite hairstyles, elegant manners, and appropriate speech. If this scene is painted as a painting, there may be no title that is more suitable than "King and Noble". The loss of the old Kingdom of Ireland is, how long it took for the O'Grady family to not be bathed in the glory of royal power. In terms of law, these people have long been equivalent to the common people, but in their bones and deep in their souls, there is still a continuous inheritance of aristocratic tradition. They are dormant from generation to generation, accumulating strength from generation to generation, waiting to reappear the glory of the past. At this moment, the noble king is sitting in front of them, and they are only a few feet away from the same dream that this family has made for hundreds of years. Every face and every pair of eyes are full of sincere expectations.

"Your Majesty... did you rest well last night?" The old Marquis' words seemed to be ordinary greetings, but the way of breaking sentences had a unique meaning.

Xia Shu replied in a plain tone: "All the journey is exhausted, and you can sleep well if you have a quiet and comfortable place."

The old Marquis turned to Charlotte, who was sitting beside the summer tree, and asked politely: "Where is such a noble Miss Hill? Are you still used to living here?"

Whether it is a noble to the common people or a civilian to the common people, there is no need to use "noble" as the prefix. The old Marquis was obviously deliberately trying to please Charlotte.

Although Charlotte had no aristocratic title, she came from an orthodox aristocratic family. She responded very appropriately: "You are so polite, the hospitality here has been well arranged."

After a polite compliment without showing off, everyone started to eat, and the meal was quiet, with only occasionally the sound of knife and fork rubbing the plate. Everyone's posture and manners were in line with strict aristocratic education, and their communication was limited to their respective practices. When everyone finished their meal, the servants changed to refreshments. The old marquis turned to the side and faced the Xia Shu and said respectfully:

"Your Majesty, I listened to your teaching last night and felt that I had a great harvest. I was so happy that I had no intention of sleeping all night. For a long time, the members of the Grady family only survived for survival, busy all year round but had no direction. Now we have figured it out clearly that we are the people of Ireland, accept the protection of the kingdom, and have an absolute obligation to serve the country. Compared with ordinary people, the knowledge education we receive, the family inheritance we obtain, and the innate resources we possess have advantages, so we can and should make more contributions to our country and the royal family. From Your descendant to Ireland, this country has been undergoing positive changes. We firmly believe that Your Majesty is the messenger sent by the Holy Lord to guide Ireland out of darkness and towards light. I would like to swear allegiance to you unconditionally on behalf of the Grady family. As long as you give your order, we will offer you everything without hesitation!"

This almost explicit confession shows the choice made by the old Marquis and the Grady family represented by him on the issue of major issues. Xia Shu did not accept the allegiance of the nobles and knights as he had ever been. As he said to Charlotte last night, Ireland today is no longer a traditional monarchy. The belief in freedom and equality is rooted in the hearts of the people. They can accept a certain degree of gap between the rich and the poor and class differences. However, to allow the old nobles who made few contributions in the most difficult period of the War of Independence and the founding of the country to be above themselves and enjoy privileges for generations, the people will inevitably become resistant. If foreign forces take the opportunity to incite, the foundation of the country's rule will be shaken. Which is more important is obvious at a glance.

After staring at the old Marquis indifferently for half a minute, Xia Shu said in a strong tone: "I know that you love Ireland is no less than anyone. However, I am not a person born and raised in Ireland. I have limited understanding of its historical origins and cultural traditions. I cannot judge which family deserves the status of aristocratic status through my personal knowledge and cognition. Therefore, if you want to restore the glory of your family in the past, please prove yourself with realistic actions."

The old Marquis had almost no hesitation, and he responded quickly: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will gain your recognition through our unremitting efforts, and we have full confidence in this."

Xia Shu nodded, then glanced at Short-O-Greddy, who was his secretary of state, and said to the old Marquis: "A family that can cultivate pillars is worth looking forward to."

The old Marquis narrowed his eyes and smiled: "We are all very honored that Short has been favored by you."

Just out of gratitude for the host's kind hospitality, Xia Shu shook hands with the members of the Grady family behind the old Marquis, but in the other party's eyes, His Majesty the King's actions undoubtedly placed high expectations for them.

Before sending the summer tree onto the car, the old Marquis specially found an opportunity where no one is nearby and whispered to him: "If your Majesty is going to Balishannon to meet the people, please be sure to be more vigilant and it is best to avoid appearing outdoors, because we heard that Balishannon has many strange faces appearing in the past few days. Maybe they were sent by His Majesty to explore and pave the way, but I have a vague premonition that those guys who have lost their minds may follow the route you have taken to determine the place where you will be at your next stop, and then do things that are unfavorable to you and your family."

Xia Shu looked at the old Marquis' eyes seriously again, and there was no trace of panic in his eyes. Regardless of his inner thoughts, this was indeed a person who did big things. If he could put aside the entanglement of noble privileges and make him a member of the government cabinet, perhaps one day he could replace Haldes as the head of the government.

This time, out of respect for the old Marquis, Xia Shu said meaningfully: "The undeparted itinerary can be changed just like the future. Looking forward to our next meeting, my dear priest!"

After Xia Shu and Charlotte got on the bus, Secretary of State Short O'Greddy bent down near the door and asked him in a low voice: "Your Majesty, are we still going to Bali Shannon?"

Despite having some meaning to the old Marquis' words just now, Xia Shu still gave a positive answer, and there was no additional explanation. Short was very clear about his responsibilities. He did not have any form of contact with the family members. After conveying the king's will to the military officials responsible for the schedule and security, he got into a car in front.

The co-pilot position of Xia Shu's car has become a member of the personal bodyguard "Heimdal". It will only be temporarily occupied by Short if there are special orders.

During this inspection of the north, the itinerary and security were commanded and coordinated by the Irish Army. "Heimdal" was specifically responsible for the king's personal safety. Captain Lem Murai, the captain, didn't have much to worry about at this moment, so he sat in the passenger seat in front of Xia Shu with a submachine gun. As the car moved, he looked around and vigilantly.

It is only a few kilometers from the Grady family's manor to the town of Bali Shannon. While the two were talking, the convoy turned a corner. The charming lakeside town suddenly appeared in front of sight. It was not large in size. There were two or three hundred houses distributed on the open plains. It was neither luxurious nor simple, and looked antique. Among these buildings, the most eye-catching thing was the Victorian castle on the lakeside. It was square in shape, without walls and arrow towers, and each floor had large windows that were conducive to lighting. Judging from the architectural style and appearance, it should have been built in the past century.

The night before, Captain Murai went to the town to investigate the situation, and then he played a guest tour guide: "The castle by the lake is located on the south bank of the local river. It was originally a British nobleman and was nationalized after the War of Independence. It is now the location of the town council, police station, hospital, prison and other departments. Our destination is there. According to your request, this morning, the town council will issue a notice to the residents of the town, so that everyone will stay near their homes and not walk around at will. They will select fifty representatives to the town council to listen to the holy words. Furthermore, considering that the buildings in the town are too dense, it is recommended that you cancel your plan to patrol in the town."

"I agree," Natsuki responded, and then said to Charlotte in English: "After meeting and talking to the public representatives, we set off and left, about two hours' trip to Bandoron, and from there we took a boat back to Limerick."

Charlotte was looking at the view outside the window and hearing Xia Shu talk to him. Then he turned around and smiled at him, indicating that he obeyed everything.

After Charlotte turned his gaze out the car window again, Charlotte said to Captain Murai in Irish: "Just just now, the leader of the Grady family told me that several strange faces have appeared in the town of Balishannon these days. It may be ours, or it may not be."

Until now, Xia Shu's Irish language is not very fluent. When speaking to the public, he must write a speech and let people correct the grammatical wording. However, it is still possible to express his meaning clearly in normal conversations. Captain Murai was not surprised when he heard this. He frowned: "Our cordon was deployed last night, and the sharpshooters are already in place. Even if a gangster sneaks into the town of Balishannon, we will not let them find a chance to attack you."
Chapter completed!