Chapter 13: Outside Casa City
Green chose the hill for two main reasons. Firstly, it was affordable, priced at a hundred gold coins for both the manor and the hill. Secondly, it was conveniently located near Casa City. With a regular horse carriage, they could arrive in just two days. Additionally, the hill's remote location meant that it would be unlikely for anyone to notice or monitor them. Standing on the manor, they had a clear view of the entire mountain, with no place for people to hide.
Near Casa City, there were several manors on the surrounding mountains. These manors were not extravagant vacation villas for the nobles, but rather served as additional sources of income. Moreover, these manors seldom attracted much attention from others.
After Green purchased the manor, he immediately returned to meet up with Zhao Hai and the others. They decided to stay outside Casa City for the night since it was already dark. Others might think that Zhao Hai and his group avoided entering the city because of the darkness, but in reality, they were waiting for Green to provide information about the arrangements made for them in Casa City.
At midnight, Green discreetly approached Alien and used a Space rift to enter the Space. No one noticed this, as Space did not emit any magical fluctuations and was outside the scope of normal magical detection. Inside the Space, Zhao Hai and the others were waiting for Green's return. As soon as Green arrived, Zhao Hai eagerly asked, "Grandpa Green, how did it go?"
Green smiled and replied, "Young Master, everything is arranged. I bought a small manor outside the city, where we can live and conduct our business. We can proceed with the transactions once Laura returns."
This news relieved Zhao Hai, and he nodded in approval. "That's good. Let's settle down in the manor first. I also want to visit Casa City in the next couple of days."
Green nodded and added, "Yes, we should visit Casa City. I've noticed that the Purcell Family seems to be paying close attention to us. There are also many influential figures present in the city who might be interested in us. We should make ourselves visible."
Though Green's statement seemed contradictory, Merine and the others understood his intentions. They were not afraid of people investigating Zhao Hai's current status as a Dark Magician. However, they were concerned about their true identity as the Buda Family. Green wanted Zhao Hai to attract attention and divert suspicion away from their family.
Zhao Hai agreed and said, "Yes, let's make ourselves known. I want to see how they treat me. But what worries me is the person behind Drunk. Drunk and the others have been in my Space for over ten days, and that organization might start suspecting us."
Green acknowledged the possibility and said, "That is indeed a concern. However, we don't need to fear them. Instead, we should make them come to us. Once they arrive, we can gather more information from them."
They had considered allowing Drunk and the others to interact with their organization to avoid suspicion. But there was also the risk that the organization might notice something amiss. Drunk and the others' appearance had changed in the Space, which could arouse suspicion. To prevent this, Green decided it would be better to keep Drunk and the others hidden for now, ensuring that even the organization would have no evidence to suspect them.
Zhao Hai agreed with Green's plan and said, "That sounds reasonable. Let's make Drunk and the others disappear for a while. If the organization suspects us, they won't have any evidence. It's for the best."
They decided to make Drunk and the others go missing temporarily, causing suspicion on the organization's side. This way, even if the organization suspected Zhao Hai and the others, they would have no concrete evidence.
Zhao Hai then suggested, "Tomorrow, let's settle into the manor first. Once we're settled, we can go to Casa City."
Green agreed but expressed his concerns. "Young Master, going to Casa City without enough funds will limit our purchases. We only have 50 gold coins now, which is not sufficient for our needs."
Zhao Hai sighed, realizing their current predicament. With only 50 gold coins, they couldn't even afford a basic oil press, let alone other necessities. Before, Green and the others had bought plenty of supplies, but they wouldn't run out of food anytime soon.
Zhao Hai proposed a solution, saying, "Then let's not buy anything for now. Let's go to the city and take a look. Once we return, we can show ourselves in this area, letting people know we're here."
Green chuckled and replied, "Alright, let's settle down in the city and explore. I'm curious to see how these people will deal with us."
Zhao Hai smiled and remained silent. He knew that Green and the others had faced a lot of hardships recently. The sudden destruction of the Buda Family forced them to bow their heads to the Great Nobles to protect Adam's life. This was contrary to their usual strong and independent personalities. Now, they had a chance to reclaim their dignity and act openly in the world. It was like being reborn.
Although they still remembered their Buda Family status, they knew that their current position was far better. Walking in the world with this new status meant they no longer had to fear the established Nobles targeting them. They had been hidden in the shadows for a long time, and now they could finally step into the light. This feeling was indescribable.
Green and the others were aware of their past status, but they also understood that their current behavior would not raise suspicion. Sometimes, boasting could be a way to conceal the truth. To maintain this charade, they couldn't appear to be too downtrodden. Therefore, they eagerly looked forward to the days ahead, putting all their frustrations behind them.
Merine voiced her concerns, saying, "Young Master, if we attract too much attention, how will we withdraw later? After we sell the radishes, we'll need to buy some equipment. But then, we should return to Black Wasteland. After all, that's where our roots lie. If we draw too much attention, will these people keep an eye on us?"
Green smiled confidently and reassured them, "Don't worry. Once our matters are settled here, we'll head to Black Mountain Pass and enter the forest. We'll hide in the Space for several days. Even if they search Iron Mountain thoroughly, they won't find us. Then you, Young Master, can release Drunk and the others along with the Undead Creatures to create a disturbance in Black Wasteland. I don't believe those people won't dare to come to the castle. Once the commotion subsides, we can safely return to the castle without any issues."
Zhao Hai and Merine agreed that this plan was feasible. With the large number of Undead Creatures at Zhao Hai's disposal, as well as Drunk and the others who had reached the 6th level of magic, they possessed formidable combat strength. Even Green and Merine, who were at the 8th level, couldn't easily defeat them.