Chapter 130
Even while talking with the two heroes of the Empire, I continued to think about the quest that had appeared a mont ago.
‘Reveal Your Presence in the Heart of the Empire.’
Did it an I had to turn things upside down once?
Having already acquired the long na Karl Reitz Arthur yer, my presence had widely spread throughout this capital, the heart of the Empire.
Yet, the given quest showed no reaction at all.
Didn't that an this wasn't the right way?
‘Are they really telling
to cause a ruckus or sothing?’
If I set my mind to ruining the banquet, there were plenty of targets around.
There were plenty of people eager to tear
down sohow.
It was just that, thanks to the two n standing before , many of the big fish I could catch weren't daring to approach carelessly.
Now that I didn't know how to resolve the mission, it seed necessary to move a little cautiously.
"It's a banquet full of nothing but trash, but the alcohol and food should still be enjoyable."
"It's a seat prepared for you, after all."
"Right, the old folks will step aside now, so enjoy the banquet."
"Seeing the burning gazes of those young ladies over there, I suppose I should make myself scarce, indeed."
Just when I thought no one would approach
until the end of the banquet if things continued like this, the two Marquises appropriately moved to another place.
Sure enough, the mont the two moved, everyone's gazes blazed hotly once more.
"Well, I didn't expect our young hero to know the two esteed Dukes, indeed."
Just as the young ladies were about to seriously approach , a man appeared from behind .
There stood a man with a rather greasy-looking face, who seed to have handled a sword quite a bit.
"I am Count Pierre Baru; though lacking, I am in charge of the Imperial Guard Knights."
"Karl, Free Knight."
I replied with my usual self-introduction.
I had no intention whatsoever of playing along with their empty formalities.
"Right... Free Knight Sir Karl."
My single remark, thrown at him as he continued to add unnecessary words, made the faces of Count Pierre and the other nobles who had co to greet
with him stiffen.
"Ahem, ahem... I'm saying this because you seem unable to adapt to the banquet as you've only recently arrived in the capital."
"A banquet is a place like this, where nobles greet each other and interact."
"It will be difficult to adapt if you maintain such a stiff tone."
"It's probably the last ti I'll participate today, so there's no need to adapt."
"...."
Pierre's face contorted slightly at my answer, which left him speechless.
"Count Karl! No matter how high your nose has gotten lately, Count Pierre is a man from a ritorious family that has protected this country since his ancestors!"
"Just because he's a count doesn't an he's the sa as any other count, that's what I an!"
"Is that so? My apologies."
The viscount, who had montarily lost his temper at my short apology, which he hadn't expected to co so easily, shut his mouth, looking sheepish.
"Anyway... Count Karl, since things have turned out this way, could we perhaps have a drink together and talk?"
"Of course."
Having naturally taken a seat with Count Pierre, I exchanged a few words with him.
Pierre was a typical authoritarian from a high noble family with a strong desire for power, so talking with him was rather easy.
"So, my point is this."
"If you build up your strength in Marquis Baltimo's domain and form an alliance with us, the power of Duke Yevgeny of the East, our central nobles, and the power of the North will be united, that's what I an."
In the end, the central nobles aid to consolidate their power and weaken opposing forces.
Since Duke Yevgeny Volkov of the East had a firm alliance with the central nobles, it ant they had chosen
to keep their nesis, Ellenhower, in check.
"The Andersen Domain is no different from a barren land now."
"The land is devastated, and the people have all left."
"The local minor nobles have all fled with their wealth, so even if you search from east to west, there's no wealth to be found."
"So what am I supposed to do there?"
Count Pierre's eyes glead as he watched
feign a groan.
‘This man, isn't he more reasonable than I thought...!’
He instantly caught on to what I was subtly implying.
"We will provide support with supplies and gold coins from the center."
"If that happens, settling down will beco easier."
"We'll also try to connect the roads as far as possible."
I inwardly smiled, watching the big fish that had greedily taken the bait.
"If only the Count would help."
"There would be nothing more I could be grateful for."
"Of course, shouldn't we help each other out?"
"I can certainly do that much, and more."
"I hope you beco a great pillar supporting the North."
"I have understood the Count's intentions sufficiently."
"It is truly a joyous day to et Sir Karl yer, whose fa resounds throughout the continent!"
Pierre grabbed my hand and sent
a fervent gaze.
He believed everything was going according to his will.
‘Even if Karl yer is a righteous knight renowned throughout the continent, now that he has begun to taste power, he will inevitably look to higher places and try to obtain them. That's unavoidable for a human being. Eventually, if Karl builds up power in the North, friction with Ellenhower will be inevitable. Baltimo's domain is in a sufficiently critical position for Ellenhower.’
Pierre, a broad smile on his face, gripped my hand strongly once more.
"I'll send word soon and arrange a eting."
"Do so."
Just as Pierre finished his conversation with
and left his seat, I also briefly stepped out of the banquet hall and walked onto the corridor terrace.
"Hoo... This is also sothing I can't do."
I had gained much by playing along with Pierre, but trying to do sothing I didn't usually do made my body ache.
If I had my way, I would have grabbed a few bottles of alcohol and left, but it was a necessary procedure for the people of the Andersen Domain, now my domain, which would be called the Arthur Domain.
Realistically, how could I, who had nothing, revive a domain just because I had land?
And I couldn't just leave the residents there in a harsh environnt indefinitely.
In any case, I had beco the lord of that region, and that ant I had a duty to take responsibility for those living there.
‘Was it perhaps more comfortable when I had nothing?’
After briefly thinking that, I quickly shook my head.
Having nothing was just as lonely and empty.
Looking back at myself then, it could be said that the present was much more positive.
"There was a guest here before ."
It was when I was gazing at the night sky from the terrace for a long ti.
The terrace door opened, and a woman of dazzling beauty gracefully walked towards where I was.
"May I borrow this spot for a mont?"
"Do as you please."
I briefly looked at the woman who had naturally approached my side and then turned my gaze back to the night sky.
"You seem to like the night sky."
"I do not."
"Pardon?"
The woman, perhaps not expecting such an answer, was montarily flustered and asked a short question in return.
"I just look at it sotis."
"To see where this is."
The woman montarily thought my face, as I gave an incomprehensible answer, looked incredibly lonely.
She felt an unconscious urge to hug , drawn to the deeply subrged emotion in my eyes that no one seed able to read.
‘What on earth am I thinking?’
Wanting to hug a man she had just t for the first ti, what was this?
The woman felt her heart pound montarily as she saw a side of herself completely different from usual.
"We haven't even introduced ourselves, eting for the first ti."
"I am Yoanna Volkov."
"Karl, Free Knight."
"Why do you introduce yourself like that?"
"Your Lordship is undeniably one of the Margraves of this land."
"Well, this is comfortable for ."
Yoanna's eyes narrowed very slightly and then relaxed at my blunt answer.
"Sir Karl, you are a very blunt person."
"I hear that often."
What on earth was this man?
Yoanna felt as if she was suffocating from this incomprehensible conversation pattern, yet her curiosity about
grew even stronger.
"If it's not rude, are you free tomorrow?"
"I plan to return to my domain tomorrow, so I won't have ti."
"Ah...!"
She felt her face flush bright red.
What she had just said was sothing she had uttered with considerable courage.
She, who was quite famous in social circles, had never made such a request to a man first.
‘...This hurts my pride, though?’
Just as she, her pride slightly wounded, was about to speak to him again.
"I shall take my leave now."
I had already strode back into the banquet hall.
"Huh...!"
She couldn't understand the situation for a mont, then, before she knew it, she was scurrying closely behind .
And she continued to chatter like a bird from behind
as I walked.
"Could you perhaps spare
a mont?"
"Do you have business with ?"
"Business... you say?"
Yoanna, struck once again by the crude choice of words, racked her brain.
What kind of business could a man and a woman possibly have when talking?
"Well... no particular business...."
"Then, excuse ."
I ruthlessly turned my body and took a seat at an empty table.
And I raised my glass.
‘Alcohol. Yes, alcohol.’
She, who usually couldn't even handle a single drink properly, took a seat across from
and raised her glass.
"I want to drink with you."
"Do as you please."
"...."
Hearing another rough remark, she, in her frustration, tilted her glass and poured the drink down her throat.
"It's probably strong."
I knew very well that the drink she had downed in one go was quite high in alcohol content.
It was a shot not usually drunk straight, but it seed she had just downed it since it was on the table.
‘She clearly can't handle alcohol. A strange woman.’
Thinking so, I turned my head.
It was then.
"Hey, even if a woman cos on this strong, shouldn't you at least respond to her words!?"
Perhaps drunk from one glass, the woman's voice was quite loud.
Thanks to that, the gazes of those nearby gathered on the table where I was.
"No, 'I hear that often.' 'Do as you please.' What is that?"
"Am I that unappealing?"
Her voice grew louder than a mont ago.
Accordingly, more people's gazes focused on us.
"You are drunk."
"It would be best for you to go ho."
Regardless of what gazes they sent or how she spoke, I answered drily.
"Tch... Playing so hard to get."
And in contrast, Yoanna's intoxication deepened a little more.
Her body swaying slightly and her face flushed, her inherent beauty combined with a strange, innocent charm was lting the hearts of all the n present.
"Sir Karl Reitz Arthur yer!"
Soone shouted my full na, which I thought I would rarely hear.
Looking at the one who shouted, he seed to be a knight.
His level appeared to be roughly that of a proficient Superior-grade.
His age seed to be around his late 20s.
At that age, that level was outstanding talent.
When I looked at him, who had shouted, with an indifferent expression and without answering, the man, perhaps feeling embarrassed, deliberately straightened his shoulders further and spoke to .
"Putting a lady to sha is not the way of a knight!"
"Sir, as a knight whose fa resounds throughout the world, you must uphold chivalry!"
"Where in the knight's oath is such a thing written?"
In stark contrast to him, who shouted confidently, my sowhat indifferent and apathetic tone was all too different.
"That is an obligation that must naturally be upheld!"
"You are deaning the value of a knight yourself!"
"So?"
"...Fulfill your duty!"
"What a ridiculous fellow."
"Such vulgar language!"
"To tarnish not only the lady's honor but also mine, Jean Verer, Vice-Commander of the 3rd Imperial Knight Order, in front of all these people!"
"Sir, you lack even the minimum dignity of a noble!"
I felt a wave of fatigue wash over
as I looked at Jean, who, with a greasy face, was reciting lines that seed to co straight out of a play.
"Noisy... If you have feelings for this woman, co and take care of her yourself."
"Look here! You are truly! Barbaric!"
His rigidly straight posture and exaggerated movents were the very picture of a protagonist in a play.
Just facing him brought on a wave of fatigue, so I stood up from my seat and began to walk out of the banquet hall.
Just as everyone's gaze turned to his and Jean's backs, Jean flew towards
at high speed.
He must have thought he was insulted and needed to do sothing.
He seed to have learned so martial arts, as his footwork was proper even as he rushed forward.
Just as I was thinking, 'After all that shouting about chivalry and etiquette, is he ultimately resorting to a sneak attack from behind?', Jean leaped over my head in a full circle and landed in front of .
"I, Jean Verer, Vice-Commander of the 3rd Imperial Knight Order! Formally challenge Sir Karl Reitz Arthur yer to a duel!"
"Although I have not reached the Master level, as a knight, I cannot tolerate such an insult and let it pass!"
"Alright."
"Let's start right away."
Walking briskly towards him, who had landed and shouted my full na to the very end, I, in the sa motion as I was walking, struck Jean's neck with my right arm and swept his ankles, slamming him to the floor.
Thud!
Jean rolled violently on the floor from that single, instantaneous move.
People couldn't read my sudden move at all.
At best, Count Pierre, a Master-grade knight, barely recognized it.
Jean fainted on the spot.
Just as Jean Verer, known as a proficient Superior-grade knight and a genius knight from a prestigious knightly family, fainted so anticlimactically.
The host of the banquet made his appearance.
"Let us welco His Highness Prince Neil Gloster, the 1st Prince of the great Empire!"
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