"What about the slaves... are you sure that this brother of yours can be trusted?" Carmelo asked curiously.

"Absolutely!!

I wouldn't have even left my other sworn brother there if I didn't trust him that well.

It's strange, we've only known each other for a while now... but straight away, I can tell that he's somewhat similar to me."

Santa went on to talk about everything he knew about Landon.

Of course, he particularly kept out details about Baymard's development..... since he wanted them to be thoroughly surprised when they got there.

He had just told them that he would take them for a vacation, and that was all.

When he showed them the V.I.P passes, their eyes immediately lit up as they looked at it's cool sleek appearance in marvel.

They looked at Santa's mischievous smile, and came to a conclusion that his Landon fellow wasn't as easy as he seemed.

A person who was abandoned by an entire empire..... wouldn't have the guts to take down any of Nopline's forces, except he was absolutely sure of his strength.

Coupled with these cool looking V.I.P passes before them, they couldn't help but wonder what Baymard was actually like.

"We're going!" Carmelo and Adrian said at once.

"Sure, but the only thing that I can promise you all..... is that if we don't bring my mother-in-laws, aunties and my cousin-in-laws, then they would personally kill us all when we get back.

Thats why even though we have only 10 V.I.P passes here, it doesn't mean that the number of people going has to be restricted."

Carmelo's eyes lit up and he smiled.

Since he was going, then he might as well bring his 2 wives, as well as his sister and her family along.

As for Adrian, he would be joining them alone... since his wife (Carmelo's mother), passed away a long time ago.

In Santa's own case, he planned to take his mother, his sisters, as well as their children for this trip.

Of course he had hoped for his father to join as well, if he would only agree to it.... the man was all work and no play.

"Pumkin, would you be okay without usin Carona?" Asked the doting grandpa Adrian.

"I'm not alone remember?

Even though you both are leaving, I still have uncle Samuel (Carmelo's brother) and the other ministers by my side." Penelope answered with a rare smile on her face.

In truth, everyone in the empire doted on her like a priceless item... so she always had hundreds of people looking out for her wherever she went.

Some of the ministers even took her as their adopted daughter who they pampered effortlessly.

As for her doting uncle, he was the same breed as her father and grandfather.

In her opinion, this vacation was a good break from some of her overly doting family members.

She loved them dearly, but sometimes... they were just too much for her to handle, especially her mom.

The only thing that made her a little sad, was that Santa was going to leave again.

"Benjy, you can leave and show them the way.... but after 2 weeks, I expect you to come back immediately.

They can stay for as long as they wanted to.... but in your case, don't even think about it!!!"

.

--Riverdale City, Arcadina--

.

"So you're saying that those group of knights went there but never came back?"

Marder was sitting on this throne arrogantly, as he looked at the lowly hunter who had come to give a report about the suspicious men he had seen a while back.

A while ago..... he had been hunting deep in the forest, when he saw a group of knights jump onto the roads from the other side of the woods.

He was around the outskirts of Riverdale city that was facing the direction towards Baymard city, when he saw those knights come out from the woods.

Fear!

Fear quickly engulfed him, and he hurriedly hid himself for more than an hour, while waiting for the men to disappear from his sight.

And after realizing that they had gone to Baymard, his fear instantly turned to confusion.

Weren't they afraid of Alec Barn's wrath?

Anyway, just to be sure that they wouldn't attack Riverdale next, he had been hunting around that area ever since.

And the more he kept a look out, the more anxious he became.

His entire family and their surviving generations, all resided in Riverdale city.

So he felt that it was his obligation to warn their new city lord about this matter..... lest those knights plan to attack the city.

"Pabio!"

"Yes my lord!"

"Give this man 6 silver coins for his troubles." Marder commanded.

5 minutes later, the man had left in gratitude towards the new city lord.

"My lord.... should I send people to investigate this matter?" Knight Captain Pabio asked.

Marder thought for a while and shook his head slightly.

Right now, his forces were weak, so he was afraid of offending someone he shouldn't.

If those men hadn't returned yet, that meant that they had successfully killed Alec Barn's bastard son... and claimed Baymard for themselves.

Thinking about it thoroughly, these knights had probably passed through the woods just to evade Riverdale City.

So it was clear that their target wasn't his city to begin with.

He was a knight himself, so he knew how these things worked.

If they truly wanted to attack him, then they wouldn't have waited for so long just to do so.

They had gone through that route because they wanted everything to be done in secrecy.

So if he sent spies and they got caught, these people might think that he was their enemies.

With his current strength, he couldn't afford any battles at the moment.

Hence he would investigate the matter thoroughly... but not right now.

"A month from now, we will send Yves and Shylock to look into this matter.

By then, those men would've properly settled down in Baymard... so it should be fine to just stroll into the town as usual.

But in the meantime, keep an eye out on the roads leading to Baymard... as well as the forest region..... just in case they plan to launch any attacks on us.

Even though we're weak right now, that doesn't mean that we'll welcome any threats what so ever."