Chapter 211. I Knew This Would Happen (1)
At the easternmost edge of the Kingdom of Atronia.
A small, rural fiefdom adjacent to the Great Forest.
That was the Schneider fiefdom.
At least, that was the case until a few years ago.
“Kuhuhu…. Yes. This is it. It was worth diligently sending money all this ti.”
Patrick was greatly satisfied as he looked at his hotown, which he had returned to after a long ti.
For starters, the first impression had changed.
The wooden palisade, fixed in place with driven logs, was gone, and in its place stood a high outer castle wall built of sturdy stone.
Atop that wall, soldiers stood guard, holding sharp, gleaming weapons, their watch severe….
‘Huh, did that bastard just yawn?’
Who was that?
Looked like Trend?
He was dead later.
In any case, the changed appearance of his hotown, which he had returned to after a long ti, was enough to excite Patrick.
And as Patrick arrived at the gate of the outer castle wall….
“Halt? Who goes there?”
The soldiers on guard duty spotted Patrick and aid their spears at him, on high alert.
At their disciplined response, Patrick spoke with a satisfied smile.
“Hey, look who it is… who was it again?”
He tried to act familiar out of gladness, but he couldn't rember their nas.
Just then, April spoke from his side.
“They are Dylan and Tamilan.”
“Ah, right. Those were their nas. It's been a long ti, guys.”
“Who are you? Huh? April?”
“What? Did you say April?”
The soldiers recognized April before Patrick.
They hadn't recognized her at first since she had cut her long hair short and was wearing a neat butler's uniform instead of a maid's dress, but there couldn't possibly be another peerless beauty like her besides the lady of the fief.
And the person April called Young Master was….
“…Could it be?”
“Young Master Patrick?”
At the soldiers’ words, Patrick said.
“Of course, it's . Have you slackers gotten so bad you don’t even recognize my face?”
“No, it’s not that….”
“You’ve gotten taller, sir.”
The reason the soldiers didn't recognize Patrick was due to his physical change.
Before, Patrick still had the look of a young boy, but now he had returned as a full-fledged adult who could pass for a young man.
At that, Patrick spoke as if dumbfounded.
“Of course I grew taller, you bastards! What, did you think I would shrink back down?”
Hmm, that temper.
It was undoubtedly the Young Master.
The soldiers saluted with a disciplined attitude and said.
“We are happy to have you back, Young Master.”
“Yeah. Sure. I’m going inside. That’s fine, right.”
“Yes. Ah, but who are the people with you?”
Patrick then introduced the party behind him.
“This is Her Highness, Isabella Black Atronia, my fiancée and the princess of the kingdom.”
“Huck… Cough…. It is an… honor to et you.”
“An honor, Your Highness.”
The two, having seen the princess of a nation, quickly knelt and paid their respects.
And….
“This kid is Matthew. This one is Riman.”
“……”
“……”
At the relatively short introduction, Matthew and Riman wore sullen expressions.
But Patrick just ignored them with a "what do you want
to do?" look.
In the end, the two sighed and introduced themselves.
“I am Matthew, a fourth-year cadet at the Academy and the heir to the Elbador rchant Guild.”
“I am Riman Ciera, a magic swordsman from the Tower of Truth.”
The soldiers were greatly flustered by the successive appearances of such big shots they had never expected.
Toward the two who were fumbling, unsure of what to do, Patrick said.
“What are you doing? Not letting us through?”
“Ah. Yes, sir.”
“You may pass.”
“Tsk, do a good job, you guys.”
Patrick patted the two soldiers’ shoulders and passed through the castle gate.
It seed the soldiers' discipline had loosened considerably in his absence.
‘I think I need to restore discipline.’
And as Patrick’s party passed, Dylan hurriedly said.
“Send a ssenger. We need to spread this news throughout the entire fief imdiately.”
“Ah, right. We should. What’s the ssage?”
Dylan said in an extrely solemn tone.
“The day has finally co.”
* * *
The Schneider fiefdom was originally a rural area made up of a few small villages with a population of no more than 3,000.
But that was in the past; things were different now.
“Kuh, money really is the best. It’s thrilling.”
Patrick was imnsely pleased looking at the transford fiefdom.
The small dirt road, where puddles ford whenever it rained and wagon wheels would often get stuck, had been transford into a paved road wide enough for four carriages to pass side by side.
The quaint village houses of the fief, built with old and crumbling mud walls, had been replaced by neat three-story brick buildings that lined the main street.
The clothes of the fief's residents, once patched up here and there, had beco neat, and the cheeks of the children on the streets were plump.
“Money really is the best. It’s great.”
As soon as I earned money, I sent it ho.
Telling them to use it to develop the fief.
During the liberal arts classes at the Academy, they spouted nonsense about how to be a good lord, one must study hard to accumulate knowledge, care for the residents with wisdom and rcy, be loyal to the nation, and maintain the dignity of a noble, blah blah blah….
“What’s so special about being a good noble? If I feed and clothe my people well, that’s what a good noble is.”
Ever since his past life, Patrick had despised such armchair theories.
The belief that human nature is fundantally evil?
The belief that human nature is fundantally good?
Legalism?
Confucianism?
Taoism?
By Patrick’s standards, that was just nonsense spouted by well-fed people with too much ti on their hands out of boredom.
What’s so special about people?
If one’s pockets are full, they can afford to help the poor and naturally beco a good person.
If one is poor and hungry, anyone can end up doing bad things.
Starve soone for ten days with only water, and nine out of ten will resort to theft.
That’s human nature.
And yet they talk about the essence of humanity?
The virtues of a monarch?
‘Bullshit. Those guys would only co to their senses if they lived as beggars themselves. Stupid fools.’
As expected, feeding and clothing people well ca first.
Look at the expressions of the residents.
Weren't their facial expressions completely different?
Such vitality and smiles were not seen in the residents of the past.
And that was despite Baron Schneider’s benevolent rule.
“Hoh, a market has sprung up over there too?”
“Wasn't there one originally?”
“You think there was? Business needs money to circulate. Who would do business in a rural village that’s self-sufficient in all its daily necessities?”
“……”
Hearing Patrick’s grumbling, Matthew inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘Then all these changes happened in less than 10 years…. Does that even make sense?’
Although he was walking the path of a knight, Matthew was still the heir to the kingdom’s top rchant guild.
The Schneider fiefdom he was seeing now was developed enough to be mistaken for a respectable county.
And yet, it was originally a remote village so destitute that it lacked sturdy castle walls and a market for the residents to trade in….
Judging by April’s expression as she walked beside him, it didn’t seem like he was lying.
‘He really is an amazing guy.’
He had known that Patrick had been consistently sending money ho through the Elbador rchant Guild.
But he didn't know what kind of results had been achieved with that money.
He had simply thought of it as an investnt needed for silk production.
But to think it was enough to develop the fief itself to this extent….
‘This guy, he surprisingly has the makings of a good lord.’
Receiving Matthew's gaze, Patrick grinned from ear to ear and thought to himself.
‘Kekeke. How much tax can I collect from here?’
A good lord, my ass….
* * *
If one walked straight through the main street of the Schneider fiefdom, past the wide, circular plaza, and continued on….
“As expected, no matter where you go in the world, there’s no place like ho.”
Patrick smiled, thinking of his house that would soon co into view.
He couldn't help but have expectations after seeing the developed fief.
He had sent funds for the family separately from the funds for the fief's developnt.
This was because, while living in the capital, he had realized just how poor the environnt of the mansion he was born and raised in was.
‘First of all, they must have fixed that old mansion, right? They probably brought in so magic tools for daily necessities too? It would be nice if Mother was now wearing so proper dresses and so jewelry….’
Although the money he sent was for the purpose of maintaining the family's dignity, it was by no ans a small amount.
Perhaps when he returned to the mansion, at first glance it would be completely… completely….
“What is this?”
The mansion of the Baron Schneider family.
The two-story mansion, steeped in 200 years of history and tradition, was before his eyes.
History and tradition sounded plausible, but in truth, it just ant it had been 200 years since it was built.
In a word, it was filthy old.
He didn't know it in his childhood, but after living in the capital, he realized.
The mansion he was born and raised in was so old that if it were put on the real estate market, rumors would spread that it was haunted.
And that very mansion was right before his eyes.
No….
‘It looks even older than before, doesn’t it?’
Kkiiiiiiik!
Just then, the mansion door opened, and a face familiar to Patrick erged.
“Oh, oh oh…. Young Master. You’ve co.”
“Butler Lawrence!”
The loyal vassal of the Baron Schneider family.
Butler Lawrence, who had taken care of Patrick since childhood, stood there.
“Oh…. Oh oh…. Young Master. This isn’t a dream, is it?”
“Now, now, Butler, calm down. Haha….”
Lawrence's eyes welled up with tears, moved by the sight of Patrick after so long.
Patrick approached Lawrence and, with a smiling face, took the butler's hand.
As he did, sothing caught his eye.
‘He’s started using a cane.’
It was bittersweet.
The Lawrence in Patrick's mory was a man who, being a forr knight, worked healthily and vigorously for his age.
But it seed even Lawrence couldn't overco age, as he held an antique cane in one hand.
Did he sense Patrick’s gaze?
“Hohoho. What do you think? I procured this to cultivate the charm of an old gentleman, you see.”
Lawrence, on the contrary, smiled and showed off his cane.
Patrick, understanding Lawrence's heart, smiled and said.
“It does suit you. While you were at it, why not get a monocle or a pocket watch too?”
“Hoho. I will consider it if you raise my salary.”
“Ah, right. Speaking of salary….”
Patrick’s forehead veined as he spoke.
“The state of the house hasn’t changed much from before, has it? Why is that?”
“Ahem, that is….”
Just as Lawrence was about to say sothing.
“Mr. Lawrence, who are these people?”
A beautiful noblewoman with black hair appeared before Patrick.
The noblewoman, who looked good in a light purple dress, was a woman of considerable beauty.
She also exuded a dignity and grace that matched her beauty.
The mont he saw her, Patrick's mind raced, connecting the keywords.
A beautiful noblewoman he’d never seen before.
The family's financial situation, which hadn't improved much.
She’s speaking so informally to the butler?
The result of connecting these three keywords was….
“That father of mine!”
Patrick flared up in anger.
“What is the matter, Young Master?”
When Lawrence urgently asked for the reason, Patrick said.
“How dare he take a concubine while having my angel of a mother?”
“…Excuse ?”
“I knew this would happen. Aww, this is why the family finances are still crap. Bringing a vixen like this into the house.”
“Just a mont, Young Master.”
“Where is Father? I’m going in today as a son with a fiery-attribute of filial piety!”
“Young Master. It is a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding or whatever, where is Father….”
Tap, tap.
It was then.
Soone tapped his shoulder from behind.
When he whipped his head around, there was Isabella with the most troubled expression in the world.
And she whispered to Patrick in a small voice.
“That’s my mom.”
“…Pardon?”
“I said, that's my mom.”
“……”
Princess Isabella's mom.
So this person is….
“The Queen… ma’am?”
The beautiful middle-aged noblewoman smiled at Patrick, who turned his head with a creak, and said.
“I am Rose Jaynova Atronia, the 7th Queen. It’s a pleasure to et you, Young Schneider.”
“Ah…. Hello.”
It was the worst first eting with a mother-in-law, one that would rank among the worst of all ti.
* * *
Baron Schneider had been thinking.
That when his son returned soon, he would officially hand over the title and retire.
It was a matter of course, when he thought about it.
Winner of Arcana.
The youngest 7-star swordsman.
His son was so talented that the royal family had offered a princess to keep him.
On top of that, during his recent knight’s training journey, he had shown an unconventional… yes, a truly stomach-churning, unconventional path.
Although his actions were unconventional, Baron Schneider knew.
He and his son were fundantally different kinds of people.
So, he had planned to pass on the fief when his son graduated from the Academy and returned, and he would retire quietly with his beloved wife.
But then….
“You shatter that resolution in less than a day, don’t you? Hmm?”
“Hahaha. Isn't this the deep filial piety of a son who wants his father to remain active for longer?”
“To Her Highness the 7th Queen, how dare you say what? A con… concu… ugh.”
“My lord!”
Lawrence, who was waiting behind him, quickly handed Baron Schneider his blood pressure dication.
After downing the dicine with a glass of water, Baron Schneider sighed and said.
“How can a son who returns after four years cause such trouble in less than forty minutes!”
“How was I supposed to know….”
“You brat, still talking back?!”
Just then, the person who could quell Baron Schneider's anger entered.
“That’s enough, dear.”
“No, Ava, but….”
“Mother!”
Patrick was glad to see his mother after a long ti.
His mother, whom he saw for the first ti in four years, had hardly changed compared to before.
She was still beautiful and elegant.
Anyone who saw them would believe she was his father’s daughter, not his wife.
‘Well, Mother originally had the Nine Yin Severed ridians too.’
On top of that, if she had continued with the Aura Blessing Patrick taught her, Ava’s internal energy alone would be at a first-class level.
She smiled at her son, whom she hadn't seen in a long ti, and said.
“I’m glad you’re back, son. I’ve been hearing all about you.”
“I am happy to see you in good health, Mother.”
Patrick greeted his mother in a rather mature manner.
And Ava smiled and said.
“Will you introduce the people behind you?”
“Yes. This is Matthew, the heir to the Elbador rchant Guild and my friend.”
“I am Matthew. It is an honor to et you.”
“It’s a pleasure to et you, Matthew.”
“This is Riman Ciera, from the Tower of Truth.”
“I am Riman Ciera, a magic swordsman from the Tower of Truth.”
“A distinguished guest has arrived.”
Ava greeted them with a smile.
But even so, her eyes did not miss the black-haired young lady behind Patrick, whose nervousness was palpable.
“And this is….”
“IamIsabellaBlackAtronia.Itisanhonortoetyou,Baron.Baroness.”
“Senior, breathe when you speak.”
“……”
Isabella bowed her head deeply, her face completely flushed.
And Ava gazed at her calmly.
‘I was worried because she’s a princess….’
It seems she’ll be fine.
She had sowhat settled things through conversations with Queen Rose, but there was still so anxiety since she hadn't t the person herself.
But seeing her in person like this, she seed to be fine.
Even though she was a princess, she showed no signs of arrogance and seed like a cute child.
‘Hmm, passed.’
After a short but awkward silence, she spoke in a soft voice.
“Welco to the fief, Princess.”
“…Please call
Isabella.”
“Then I will. Isabella.”
“Ahem, wife, calling the princess like that is….”
Ava sent a very brief, sharp glare at Baron Schneider, who was trying to gently caution her.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea. It sounds friendly.”
And thus, the pecking order was imdiately established.
Reviews
All reviews (0)