Cycle of Destiny

Chapter 61 The Fallen Viscount

Initially, it was just a case of inexplicable crop reduction in the southeastern grain-producing regions of the empire.

This anomaly was not immediately taken seriously, and it was only reported when the problem continued to worsen.

At the time, both the royal family and the church sent people to investigate, but they found nothing.

No one expected that this disaster from afar would eventually spread throughout the country and affect the capital.

In the beginning, what the residents of the capital felt most deeply was that the prices of all food and household items were skyrocketing.

The nobles could ignore all of this and continue to live a life of luxury.

But during the banquet, conversations began to revolve around rising prices, such as fresh asparagus being three times more expensive and certain wines being unavailable.

For ordinary people, life became difficult.

Having enough to eat has become a major problem. Potato prices have doubled, meat is becoming increasingly scarce, and even enjoying oysters requires careful consideration.

The lines for porridge in the temple square grew longer each day.

The situation became even more serious the following year.

There are noticeably fewer banquets held by nobles now, and it's becoming more common for tea parties to serve only one type of dessert. It's not uncommon for once-expensive courtyards to be sold at low prices, and there are even rumors that some nobles have started selling their jewelry.

It's possible for others to be in trouble, but no one would believe that Odell would also be broke.

With the overall rise in prices, his orchid business will definitely be affected, but no matter what, it's an exclusive business for him, so it won't be too bad.

His family continues to host banquets, even more frequently than before, and the food on the tables remains as delicious and expensive as ever, seemingly unaffected by anything.

But what happened next completely dragged him into hell.

At that time in the capital, magicians began to sell orchid grass sporadically. This orchid grass was very similar to the one sold by Odel, both having larger leaves and a pleasant fragrance, but it was cheaper than the one sold by Odel.

The seller claims it's a mutated orchid that can also identify imposters.

The royal family realized it was a scam, so they arrested several of these fraudsters, thinking they should be taught a lesson.

Similar scams have occurred before, but this time is different. No matter how they are interrogated, they insist that the orchids they sell do have the same effect.

Finally, the royal family, on a whim, had people drink the water infused with this mutated orchid.

Although the cholera outbreak was over, the royal family still wanted to understand why there were imposters, so they secretly imprisoned a group of imposters.

Surprisingly, these mutated orchids actually worked and could help detect the disguised person's distinctive red eyes.

The captured magician later confessed that another magician had sold them the orchids. Following this lead, the royal family easily located the magician.

A large quantity of these mutated orchids was found in his room.

He said he discovered the mutated orchid grass in Orion's Dark Forest.

He saw a large patch of orchids that looked and smelled remarkably similar to those sold by Odell. At first, he didn't believe they would have the same effect, but as a magician, he was eager to try, so he picked some.

After returning home, he drank the water infused with these orchid herbs and was surprised to find that, just like when he drank the water infused with orchid herbs cultivated by Odel, he felt a strange magical trace in his magic, and the two traces were exactly the same!

What's even more remarkable is that he discovered these mutated orchids could also reproduce!

The reason Odell was able to sell orchids for so long was not only because he was the only one who could cultivate the broad-leaved variety, but also because the orchids he sold could no longer reproduce.

The orchid grass that the magician discovered not only had the same effect, but could also reproduce.

Just plant one, and it will grow into a whole patch in just a few days!

At the time, the magician knew he had discovered a great treasure, but he didn't have the money to buy a shop, so he chose to sell these mutated orchids at a low price to other magicians and have them help him sell them.

He was shrewd and knew that if others discovered the secret of how the mutated orchid could reproduce, he would lose his advantage, so he removed the roots from all the orchids he sold.

But after being arrested, the interrogators quickly discovered what he was hiding, and under severe torture, he had no choice but to tell them everything.

The desire for gold coins was far less intense than the fear of cholera. The royal family subsequently announced the discovery.

Before long, this mutated orchid began to replace ornamental wild grasses and appear in residents' yards.

The magician who first discovered the mutated orchid was eventually released and received a large sum of gold coins.

After being hit hard by this mutated orchid, Odel persisted for several more months, but in the end, he had no choice but to close the shop.

And so, he lost his biggest and only source of income.

His situation could never be the same again; he was no longer entitled to choose his guests. It wasn't surprising to see him and his wife at the Viscount's banquet; he had fully accepted the fact that he was no longer a marquis.

Subsequently, as the strange events in the southeastern part of the empire escalated, prices continued to rise.

Laura tried to persuade Odell to cut back on spending, but Odell wouldn't listen. He was less sensible about money than a child.

Later, even the gold coins in Odel's pocket couldn't maintain his status as a viscount. He had no choice but to sell the province of Orion.

Land was cheap at the time; food, clothing, and utensils were expensive. In addition, Orion was sparsely populated after the cholera outbreak and had little mineral or other valuable resources, so he didn't actually sell many gold coins.

After describing the bleak scene of Odell selling off his ancestral property and receiving only meager gains, the goddess paused for a moment.

She lowered her eyelids, looking at her clasped hands, as if those palms also bore the heavy weight of that past. The air in the study seemed to grow oppressive as the story unfolded.

"After that," she finally spoke again, her voice lower than before, "Audell started drinking heavily."

This word is like a cold stone thrown into still water.

Harry's brow furrowed involuntarily, as if he could see the dejected figure of that impoverished nobleman drowning his sorrows in a dimly lit tavern.

The goddess slightly raised her gaze and looked at Harry.

"Finally, in a tavern," she said clearly and slowly, recounting the decisive ending, "he accidentally killed a baron and was imprisoned."

"An accident?" The word struck a nerve with Harry, who almost immediately asked the question, leaning forward slightly, his blue eyes filled with curiosity.

"That's right, it was an accident." The goddess nodded affirmatively. "The situation at the time... was very chaotic. He originally drew his sword to stab someone else, but that person dodged. That sword, by some twist of fate, was caught by an unlucky baron who was just watching the show."

Harry's brow furrowed even more. A pub brawl, a wrong assassination target, the death of an innocent bystander... it sounded like a clumsy farce, but it was enough to push Odell completely into the abyss.

"Then why did he want to kill that person?" Harry pressed on, his gaze fixed on the goddess. This was the key; the cause of a conflict often reveals the truth more than the outcome.

The goddess met his gaze, her expression calm. She didn't answer directly, but instead steered the conversation to another person.

"This brings us to Laura."