As the night guard patrolled the manor, his sharp eyes caught sight of Dan perched on a support pole, engrossed in an activity that seemed rather suspicious. With a stern tone, the guard called out, "Hey! What are you doing up there? Get down immediately!"
Startled, Dan looked down and saw the guard approaching. He swiftly descended from the pole, wearing an expression of confusion. "What's the matter?" he inquired innocently.
The guard, realizing it was Dan, their training instructor, still maintained his duty. "Dan, it's past 10 pm. All staff are prohibited from wandering in the halls or outside during this hour. It's a city lord's order and for safety reasons."
Dan glanced around and realized the dimly lit surroundings, illuminated only by glowing crystals. It dawned on him that he had lost track of time, so absorbed was he in his quest for experience points and leveling up to meet the level 10 requirement.
Dan bowed his head apologetically and clasped his hands together. "I apologize, sir. I lost track of time while setting rat traps," he admitted. The guard placed a reassuring hand on Dan's shoulder and gently lifted him from his bow. "You're not in trouble, just head back to your room and get some rest. And remember, no more wandering in the halls past 10 pm. Off you go now," he instructed, giving Dan a gentle nudge in the direction of his room.
Dan began walking back to his room, his mind still preoccupied with thoughts of experience points. He checked his admin system and saw that he now had 67 experience points, but he still needed 33 more to reach his goal. Upon reaching his room, Dan undressed and climbed into bed, his mind already formulating plans for the next day. as he drifted off to sleep.
Dan woke up, dressed quickly, and headed outside, expecting to find the soldiers gathered for training. To his surprise, there was no sign of them. Puzzled, he returned to the manor and began searching for any staff members, but they were nowhere to be seen.
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Growing increasingly concerned, Dan made his way to the entrance hall. There, he found a large crowd gathered, including the soldiers, the maid, the butler, and even the head of the household, Gabriel, along with his son, Sebastian.
Dan, feeling a bit confused but also curious about the unusual gathering, approached Gabriel. "Good morning, City Lord," he greeted respectfully. "I'm sorry, did I miss something? Why is everyone gathered here?"
Gabriel glanced at Dan, a sense of urgency in his eyes. He quickly scanned Dan's attire with a furrowed brow. "What are you wearing? Change your clothes, and fast! We have someone arriving, and we don't have time. Go now!" he urged, his tone urgent.
Dan hurried to his room, searching frantically for suitable attire. He found a set of formal clothes and quickly changed into them, his heart racing with anticipation and confusion. Who could be arriving that required such urgency and formality?
As he rushed back to the entrance hall, Dan noticed Gabriel conversing with a distinguished-looking man who exuded an air of authority. Everyone present bowed respectfully to the newcomer, including Sebastian. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Dan quickly joined the line of guards and bowed as well, his mind racing with questions about the identity of this important guest and the reason for his visit.
Dan observed Gabriel and Sebastian accompanying the person as they turned a corner, disappearing from sight. As they vanished, the staff ceased their bowing and resumed their duties. Dan stopped one of the guards and inquired about the distinguished visitor. "That was the duke," the guard explained. Dan's curiosity piqued, he pressed further, asking why the duke was present. The guard shrugged in response. "I have no clue. We didn't even know he would be arriving in the city. When we heard of his arrival, the city lord ordered all of us to gather here to greet him."
Dan thanked him and thought to himself, "Well, I guess I won't be doing any training with the guards, freeing up a lot of my time." Just as he was about to enjoy his newfound freedom, a butler approached him and informed him that Gabriel had summoned him to the dining hall.
Dan nodded in acknowledgment and followed the butler to the dining hall, his mind still buzzing with questions about the unexpected visit from the duke. As he entered the grand hall, he found Gabriel and Sebastian already seated at the head of the table, with the duke seated opposite them.
Gabriel gestured for Dan to take a seat, and he complied, positioning himself beside Sebastian. The atmosphere in the room was tense, with everyone waiting in anticipation for the reason behind the duke's visit.