Chapter 60. The Devil’s Contract (5)
The Viscount has finished signing.
Signing was quick.
As if there was no second thought, he teased the pen with a single stroke.
From the viscount’s point of view, it was lawful.
It was because the last hope had collapsed.
“Sir Courno. It is evident from the fact that the author entered the reception room and kept his eyes open throughout the entire time telling the truth without interfering. It was so obvious.”
The road from Viscounty to Barony.
said Lloyd from the back of the saddle.
Xaviel in the front seat nodded.
“It seemed that way to my eyes too.”
Certainly it was.
Lord Cournot rushed into the audience room.
They jumped in. There was no time to stop them.
Still, after that, the Viscount was able to restrain himself sufficiently.
He should have been able to crack down on his senior knight by shouting at him or scolding him in a low voice.
But the viscount did not.
“Perhaps he expected his article to create a variable. That would have been my last hope. You cut it off.”
“I guess that’s what it was.”
“uh. So, how does it feel to have a new title?”
“A new title?”
“Pee maker.”
“….”
“Right. Are you swinging your sword? Sir Cournot’s sword is cut off, huh? That’s why Sir Cournot wets the hem of his pants while saying he’s a mother, huh?”
“….”
“Anyway, thanks to that dark history, Sir Cournot won’t be able to lift his head up for a while. I’ll kick the blanket off every night If it were me, I would pack my things right away and move to another estate tonight. No, I might cross over to another continent without anyone recognizing me at all. well done anyway cool.”
“It just stopped the cowardly act of striking someone in the back.”
“indeed! After all, the mannequin maker.”
“….”
“why? Don’t you like it?”
“I don’t think there is any need to answer.”
“Is it okay if I take it as the meaning of liking you?”
“I absolutely hate it.”
Tak percussion!
Xaviel yanked hard at the poor reins.
A mischievous smile bloomed on Lloyd’s lips.
“Anyway, thanks to you, your swordsmanship skills have spread all over the world.”
It was true.
Xaviel cut Lord Courno’s sword.
To cut a sword with a sword.
It was never easy.
No, it was a matter of putting the sword on top of the anvil and deciding whether or not to strike it down.
Besides, what kind of knight is Lord Cournot?
It was a senior article of the Viscount Command.
He was a man with a reputation for his swordsmanship skills.
“Rumors say that Lord Cournot’s level is surpassing the intermediate level of sword expert. how is it? What is the feeling of a person who has directly clashed swords?”
“Rather, it was better than rumors. It was definitely the sword of someone who reached the intermediate level of sword expert.”
“You are the one who cut the sword of such a person.”
“Is that so.”
“uh. Thanks to that, rumors will spread not only in the vassal territory but also in the neighboring provinces.”
“What kind of rumors will there be?”
“Maybe something like this. The youngest knight of Baron Prontera in the eastern corner, Xaviel Asrahan, subdued the knight of Sot Expert Intermediate in the neighboring province with a single sword.”
“The modifier “sword expert advanced” will follow.”
“I guess so.”
Perhaps.
Cutting the opposing knight’s sword.
It is only possible when there is a difference in skill level of at least one level.
In other words, from now on, the baronial domain of Prontera will be known as a territory that has sword expert knights.
“Thanks to that, there will be both advantages and disadvantages.”
“What do you mean by pros and cons?”
“First of all, there will be fewer people who look down on our territory. You have a deadly and terrifying weapon.”
“Then what are the downsides?”
“you.”
“…yes?”
“Probably a lot of people will be targeting you.”
“Who the hell are you talking about me?”
“Who is it? Others that are the subject of countless lords around you.”
“You mean you’re going to recruit me?”
“of course.”
Lloyd nodded.
“lets think. It’s a sword expert advanced. Besides, he’s only 20 years old, barely naked? If you were a successful lord or merchant, what would you think upon hearing the news?”
“…I think you want to make him your henchman.”
“yes?”
“yes.”
“that’s right. I’m going to try to make you a confidant. You’re going to spend money trying to grow it. because. ‘Cause I’m only twenty now Seriously, if you invest and nurture it for just 10 years, you might be able to become a sword master at around 30 years of age.”
Thirty-year-old sword master.
It was a great story.
This was all the more so considering that quite a few sword masters were all in their 40s or older.
‘It’s literally like having a 20-year-old Guan Yu, Jo Ja-ryong or Michael Jordan, Ronaldo Messi.’
What if you just get it?
You will be able to serve not only the current generation but also the next generation of masters for about two generations.
other lords.
influential merchants.
Maybe even the king of this country.
There is no way they would just leave such a delicious rice cake.
“Maybe I’ll have to get a bout of measles.”
Lloyd looked at Xaviel in the front seat.
A guy with only the back of his head.
So I couldn’t read his expression.
But I could feel what kind of expression he was making.
“Measles. It doesn’t matter. I have no intention of serving another lord.”
Yes, as expected, Xaviel is this kind of guy.
It was like that in the original iron blooded knight.
He was not swayed by any temptations around him.
It was the same during the time of the fall of Baron Frontera in the novel.
If you put your mind to something like a completely ruined territory, you could throw it away and leave.
He was able to choose a comfortable path by serving a more powerful and promising lord.
But Xaviel didn’t.
until the death of the baron.
not even after death.
He did not serve another lord until the end.
It was the same even after he reached the level of a sword master.
He resolutely rejected even the proposals of the mighty Grand Duke and the King and Emperor.
He was with the dignified ambassador that his lifelong master was only Baron Frontera.
‘Anyway, he’s a great guy.’
Actually, living like that is not easy.
No, it’s just impossible in reality.
The guy who stubbornly kept it all his life was Xaviel, who was sitting in the front seat.
‘So I don’t have to worry about him going to find another owner.’
Instead, the recruitment competition for Xaviel.
They should prepare for the Baron’s territory not to be harmed by that chain.
Lloyd, who had planned the future, suddenly smiled.
It was because it reminded me of another knight who was loyal to Baron Prontera in the novel Iron Blooded Knight.
“Oh, by any chance Lord Bavaria doesn’t say anything to you?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“What do you mean? It’s about blasting that you wrote about every time you did construction.”
“ah.”
Xaviel nodded as if he knew what he was talking about.
“Even so, when Lord Bayern saw my blasting, he said something.”
“What?”
“They said it was great.”
“Is that the end?”
“yes.”
“Did you get any reaction like wanting to learn yourself or wanting to check your swordsmanship skills?”
“Ah, I told you once that I was envious. That’s it.”
“It’s the Bavarian sirens.”
It’s definitely like a novel.
Lloyd recalled what had been mentioned several times in the iron-blooded article.
It was a description of Lord Bavaria.
‘His talent is ordinary, but he is honest, fair, and has a simple personality without greed.’
True to his personality, he didn’t seem to feel much envy even though the young Xaviel’s skills surpassed his own.
No, on the contrary, it seemed to welcome it.
‘They must think that as much as Xaviel gets stronger, he’ll be of help to the territory.’
A personality that puts the development and profit of the territory first rather than individual competition.
I thought it was really good to entrust the management of the Corps of Engineers.
At the same time, I thought that I should gradually improve (?) Sir Bayern’s skills.
“By the way.”
“hmm?”
“Why did you do that earlier?”
Xaviel’s sharp question pierced my thoughts on this side.
Lloyd tilted his head.
“What’s wrong? what?”
“Lord Courno’s request for a duel.”
Xaviel’s voice became slightly rough.
As if pointing out a mistake, he said.
“You were a little careless.”
“Could it be that he refused the duel request?”
“I think you should have given a clear reason for refusal, rather than just refusal.”
Xaviel’s words continued.
“If you refuse a duel without a justification, you will get into gossip. Of course, I know that Lloyd-sama doesn’t care about such gossip. But Lloyd is not just an individual. Apparently a member of the Prontera family, and therefore….”
“If I refuse a duel without any sincerity, who will it be to the reputation of the estate and the baron?”
“…yes.”
Xaviel in the front seat shook his head.
The boy’s words continued.
“Perhaps Julien-nim would have handled it more sophisticatedly.”
“Julian?”
“yes.”
“Tsk Why are you talking about him here?”
Lloyd laughed bitterly.
This was the reason why another character from the novel Iron Blooded Knight suddenly came to mind.
‘Julian. He’s Lloyd’s younger brother.’
Julien Frontera.
Lloyd’s younger brother by the age of five and the second son of a baron.
Unlike the drunkard Lloyd, he had a sincere and benevolent personality.
It was like a combination of the best qualities of a baron and a baroness.
‘Thanks to that, I’m going to study abroad with the baron’s great expectations. To the capital’s academy.’
And in the novel Iron Blooded Knight, it meets a miserable end.
He is kicked out of the academy because he cannot pay his tuition.
That evening, as luck would have it, he encounters a robber in a back alley in the capital.
Refusing to give the item the robber is asking for.
An old pendant given to me by my mother, the baroness.
He gets stabbed while trying to defend it.
To die such an absurd and futile death in a dim alleyway where no one passes by.
That was the fate met by Julien Frontera in the original novel.
‘Of course, it’ll be a bit different now.’
Now that the Baron family has escaped downfall, Julien will not be kicked out of the academy either.
As in the novel, there would be no encounter with robbers wandering through back alleys.
However, regardless of Lloyd’s thoughts, Xaviel’s nagging bomber continued to bombard a wide range of facts.
“…Looney Lloyd, like his younger sister Julien, should have a more mature self-awareness. All of Lloyd’s actions and words are not unique to Lloyd. You must take responsibility that the honor and reputation of the Frontera family are at stake in all of your actions.”
“Oh yes.”
“Of course, it cannot be denied that Lloyd-nim has shown great results this time. It deserves to be praised. Therefore, I dare to think that if you show a little more aristocratic demeanor, it would be even more icing on the cake.”
“So next time, you should be more plausible in rejecting duel requests?”
“yes.”
“Why don’t you show your back after recklessly provoking the opponent like before?”
“yes.”
“You are still there.”
“…yes?”
A word that I spat out as if this was passing by.
At those words, Xaviel in the front seat hesitated.
Lloyd laughed.
“You were with me. I believed that no matter what situation came to me, you would protect my back. Because you are that competent and trustworthy guy.”
“….”
For some reason, Xaviel didn’t respond.
Lloyd tilted his head.
“Write. why no response? Didn’t my words just give you goosebumps?”
“….”
“hey?”
“….”
“Are you sure you fainted?”
“I didn’t faint. Just-”
“Just?”
“I was barely able to hold it in because I felt like my stomach would turn upside down.”
“omg. Did you almost throw up?”
“yes.”
“Was my sincerity that terrible?”
“yes.”
The back of Xaviel’s head in the front seat nodded coldly as if it were natural.
But at that moment, a message with the exact opposite meaning appeared before Lloyd’s eyes.
Ding dong.
[I am moved by the sincerity of what you said to Xaviel Asrahan.]
[The awkward doubts that Xaviel Asrahan had toward you are disappearing.
] It is being ruminated on.]
‘Huh?’
Against the background of Xaviel’s silver-haired head, a message comes to mind.
Seeing this, Lloyd’s eyes widened.
[Haviel Asrahan’s affinity for you has increased by +14.]
[Current relationship with Xaviel Asrahan: +5]
[Acquired 252 RP by greatly improving the relationship with the main character]
[Currently owned RP: 1607]
[Intimacy level with Xaviel Asrahan has been raised by 2 levels from < Uncomfortable > to < Ordinary Interest > beyond < Routine Others >.] [An additional 50 RP has been obtained as a
bonus for the 2 level increase in intimacy level.]
[Current Possessed RP: 1657]
‘Huh.’
I took over 300 RP at once.
‘This is almost at the level of achieving social achievements.’
A whopping 18 RP guy.
Lloyd looked warmly at the back of Xaviel’s head as if he were looking at a precious piece of gold.
If it was okay, I would want to stroke that chestnut-like back of the head.
I was able to realize on the one hand at the same time.
‘There was a reason why this guy’s favorability rate had only risen to the point of being tantalized.’
In fact, there were quite a lot of things he had given to Xaviel so far.
It solved his malignant insomnia.
He helped complete the sluggish mental method.
In the ant nest, I risked my life to carry him on my back.
In addition, he taught blasting, an advanced application of the dark heart method.
It wasn’t just one or two things he was grateful for.
It wasn’t surprising if the affinity pierced the sky.
‘But the reality was different.’
It was really different.
Oddly enough, my affinity with him didn’t go up well.
When I went up, it was all about climbing up as much as ant eyes.
I was puzzled at first.
I thought it was like that later.
‘I thought it was just because of his aloof personality.’
I didn’t see it now.
‘He didn’t believe in my sincerity.’
It was literally hitting a wall in my heart.
That’s why even if this side did a favor, I didn’t accept it as it was.
‘You bastard!’
On the one hand, I thought so.
But on the other hand?
Considering it from Xaviel’s point of view, it made some sense.
‘Because he was saved and raised by a baron when he was young. I’m sure you’ve seen all of Lloyd’s bullshit all the way he was growing up.’
From kindergarten age to adulthood.
He was a guy who had grown up watching and experiencing Lloyd’s truth for decades.
In other words, Lloyd’s depravity and truthfulness that Xaviel felt as he carved it into his bones was indeed a grade that was no different from a venerable (?) tradition.
But just because this side has been conscious for a few months?
Just because you suddenly started to treat me well?
‘He’s not soft enough to allow his heart so easily, Xaviel.’
That was Xaviel’s personality.
Basically, he was a tough guy.
I was careful about the favor of others.
Once he opened his heart, he showed sincerity, but he was a guy who did not open his heart easily.
However, the door to her heart was finally opened as slightly as a fingernail.
Lloyd smiled at the back of Xaviel’s head.
“hey.”
“yes.”
“Did you hate me that much?”
“Can I be honest with you?”
“uh.”
“I still hate it.”
“omg.”
“Do you remember the first time I held a wooden sword when I was six?”
“no. at all.”
“Lloyd-sama was the one who stepped on and broke the first wooden sword I was bestowed by my lord that day.”
“…Whoa.”
“Actually, I haven’t thrown away the wooden sword that was broken then.”
“Did you keep it at the dorm?”
“yes.”
“why? Is there something to remind you of your gratitude to the baron?”
“no. I don’t want to forget Lloyd’s atrocities.”
“…Kuck.”
Harroid Frontera.
How trash were you really?
I’m running out of things to say.
At this point, it was enough to understand why Xaviel had been so cruel to her a hundred times over.
Xaviel’s words continued.
“That’s why I still hate it to the point of creepiness. I’m begging you, but I hope you don’t pretend to be friendly.”
“Oh is that so?”
“yes.”
Ding dong.
[Xaviel Asrahan is complaining.]
[Xaviel Asrahan is clearing out an old lump in his heart.]
[Contrary to his cold attitude on the outside, Xaviel Asrahan feels a little goodwill towards you who listens to him.]
[Haviel Asrahan’s affinity for you has increased by +1.]
[Current relationship with Xaviel Asrahan: +6]
[18 RP obtained by slightly improving the relationship with the main character]
[Currently owned RP: 1675 ]
‘…This disingenuous fellow.’
Lloyd let out a wry smile.
Even after that, Xaviel’s nagging and prickly grumbling like thorns continued.
But somehow the complaint didn’t sound as cold as before.
Tough but not cold.
As such, Lloyd readily accepted his complaint (?).
Two people sitting back and forth on top of a clattering horse.
We couldn’t see each other’s expressions.
Instead, he had a similar smile.
I passed the evening sunset and returned safely to the barony.
As such, a small festival was being held in the newly arrived territory to commemorate the completion of the waterworks.
On the one hand, new and welcome news was also waiting for Lloyd.
“You came just fine. Did things go well in the vassal territory?”
“yes.”
The baron was the first to come and greeted us.
“Good job. Well done.”
“thank you.”
“Yes, I heard that the story went well, so I will do it later.
The Baron pulled something out of his bosom.
It was a rolled up parchment letter.
“This came earlier in the afternoon. Do you remember what you asked of me the other day?”
“A request I made?”
“okay.”
“Oh, did I tell you to find a place to sell the treasure you got from the Orc tribe?”
“Yes, that’s right. The answer just came around noon.”
The baron had a smile on his face.
“The Earl of Cremo from the trading city of Cremo has sent a message asking you to bring the treasure saying that he intends to buy all the treasures at once.”
A parchment letter that the baron unfolds with a smile.
The same smile appeared on Lloyd’s lips when he saw that.
Finally, there was an opportunity to turn the vast treasure that had been laid aside into money.
