Chapter 865 The Mysterious Castle
Susan had only ever seen castles on television and was quite intrigued by them, but it didn't seem entirely appropriate for her to accept Hugo's invitation to visit one.
Even though she was super curious about the castle, she politely turned down Hugo's generous offer.
"Hugo, thank you, but you've already spent so much time with me. I'll just explore Rainbow City on my own," Susan said, feeling like Hugo was maybe a bit too eager.
Hugo just smiled and said, "Funny thing, I actually have some business in Rainbow City over the next few days. Plus, I haven't been to the castle in ages. I need to check if anything needs fixing. We can keep each other company, and it won't be so lonely, right?"
Susan couldn't find a way to say no after that.
Sensing her hesitate, Hugo added, "Rainbow City has a ton of historic buildings. Without a good guide, you won't really get the full experience. And come on, staying in a castle for a few days doesn't sound tempting at all?"
Hugo's words finally did the trick.
Susan really did want to stay in a castle and get a taste of the Zandoria nobility life.
She raised her glass and smiled. "Looks like I owe you dinner next time!"
Hearing her agree, Hugo was thrilled and raised his glass too.
Early the next morning, Hugo drove Susan to their destination himself.
During their drive, Susan and Hugo became well-acquainted. Susan found Hugo's humor delightful and his considerate nature made her feel at ease, leading them to become close friends before they even realized it.
They arrived at Hugo's castle on the afternoon of the third day.
The castle was in the suburbs of Rainbow City, with mountains behind it and a river nearby. It was grand and imposing, like something straight out of the Middle Ages.
As soon as Susan got out of the car, she was blown away by the stunning scenery and couldn't take her eyes off it.
The car drove into the estate, where people were walking around, along with some sheep and rows of grapevines.
A middle-aged couple dressed like farmers saw Hugo and Susan and quickly came over.
"Mr. Graves, you're back?" they said, very respectfully.
"Yeah, this is my friend. Are the rooms ready? And make some food; we're hungry," Hugo said, looking around the estate.
Susan could tell Hugo had deep feelings for this place, but he probably hadn't been here in a while.
"Yes, sir." The couple hurried off to get things ready.
Hugo smiled at Susan and asked, "What do you think?"
"It's amazing," Susan said, looking around the estate, feeling like she was in a fairy tale.
Places like this were usually only in storybooks, and she never thought she'd get to experience it in real life, let alone stay here for a few days.
"I'll show you around inside," Hugo said, seeing how mesmerized she was by the scenery, his blue eyes sparkling even more.
Susan nodded and followed Hugo into the grand castle.
The place had five floors, each one more luxurious and fancy than she ever imagined.
The furniture and decor were clearly old but super grand and elegant.
But there weren't many servants around. Besides the middle-aged couple who took care of the place, there were just a few young guys doing farm work and raising animals, and a few young women cleaning the castle.
The castle was pretty remote, far from the city, and the cell signal was spotty. Susan found it a bit hard to get used to at first.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Hugo said, leading Susan to a large room on the top floor.
"Totally unlike anything I've ever experienced," Susan said, standing by the window and looking out at the endless green fields.
"This is your room. Mine's right next door. If you need anything, just holler. But don't wander off on your own, or you might get lost and not find your way back!" Hugo grinned, showing his white teeth.
"Got it." Susan nodded. The idea of getting lost in a castle was kind of thrilling but also a bit scary, especially since the deeper parts were dimly lit and pretty dark.
Just then, a copper bell at the door rang.
Susan jumped, not knowing what it was.
Hugo chuckled and said, "Don't worry, it's just the castle's communication system."
Susan watched curiously as Hugo walked out and pulled the copper bell in the hallway a few times.
"The bell rang three times, which means it's time to eat. I rang it twice to say I got the message," Hugo explained.
Susan walked over to the copper bell, intrigued. She noticed that every room seemed to have one.
"Isn't there a phone in the castle?" she asked.
Hugo smiled. "There weren't any phones back in the day. Even after they were invented, not many people lived here regularly. I only come here occasionally, so we still use this old-school method."
"It's pretty cool," Susan said, touching the golden copper bell.
"Let's go eat," Hugo said with a smile.
"Sure," Susan nodded and followed him out.
Dinner was set up on the first floor. The castle was brightly lit tonight, signaling the presence of a special guest.
The dining table, adorned with classical silver embellishments, was set with exquisite food. Tonight's tableware was all silver, even the candlesticks were antiques, and a beautiful bouquet of tulips graced the table. Hugo was dressed in a formal black tailcoat, looking very grand.
Sitting at the opulent dining table, Susan glanced down at her jeans and white embroidered shirt and said with a laugh, "I don't think my outfit matches this place at all."
Hugo looked at her warmly and smiled. "I think you look perfect."
"Thanks for the hospitality," Susan said, raising her glass.
"You're welcome," Hugo replied, clinking his glass with hers and then downing his drink in one go.
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