67 A large crowd of people visible through the Hwaseong Gate.
A huge street where people who cannot be seen at a glance move organically.
“The lowest price for a bag of wheat!”
“We sell rice cheaply by the bag!”
“We have imperial silk!”
Buzz.
There are as many people as the trading city of Kyle and as many merchants as Harun in the central region.
The noisy main street right behind the castle gate seemed to show that this was truly the center of the southwest.
But more than anything else, what caught the attention of Logan and Peretta was the person standing in front of them, looking at them.
The knight standing at the front among the ten knights with the symbol of the Bipros family, a rose in flames, engraved on their armor.
A middle-aged man with pure white skin and a cold impression that matches his unique appearance, with shining silver hair and even silver eyes.
“Moonlight Knight Planz?”
“The highest-ranking knight will personally meet you….”
“The Moon Knight himself?”
He was one of the two highest-ranking knights that Bipros had, and he was even more famous thanks to his striking appearance, so most knights could recognize him at once.
His appearance let everyone know that Bipros cared greatly about his successor.
of course.
“You’ve worked hard to come this far. Please follow me.”
Plantz’s attitude was stiff, as if he did not act according to his own will, but no one took issue with it.
The knights looked rather pleased that one of the strongest men in the southwestern region was guiding them.
Even Flon, who was blushing just a moment ago, felt the same way.
“It is an honor to meet you, Lord Plantz.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Despite the cold reception, it seemed like he was anxious and unable to bow down, which was quite different from when he met Logan.
Hana Logan frowned slightly, not paying attention to Flon’s actions.
‘I’m picking up two kids from the countryside, and they’re two top class knights…’
At this point, wouldn’t it be normal to think of it as pressure rather than excessive greeting?
As he was thinking that, he happened to meet silver eyes staring at him.
A look that ignores the blonde hair that keeps lowering its head in front of you.
There was deep curiosity in those eyes.
Logan also had expectations and did not avoid his gaze, so the owner of the silver eyes approached him directly.
“If that is Ferretta, is this Prince of McLane?”
“Logan McLane, Lord Plantz.”
“…I’m sure of this. It’s amazing. You’re an intermediate knight at that age?”
Logan’s greeting, blurted out by the impertinent Plantz, had a ripple effect around him.
“what?”
“That Confucius?”
“Just a good sword…”
Gossip.
Feeling the gaze pouring in from all directions, including Ferretta’s group, Logan clenched his fists for a slightly different reason.
‘It worked!’
In general, at the level of a senior knight, there was a unique sharpness that could not be hidden that could only be felt by knights of the same level or higher.
However, as he achieved the Force Score level of 3, the level of an advanced knight, he was able to control even the slightest energy.
If you put your mind to it and use your energy, you could make yourself look like an ordinary person. Even my father found that very surprising.
And that was one of the biggest reasons why I decided to go to Bipros alone.
‘You can hide your skills.’
There was no way I wouldn’t feel good since I confirmed once again that it also worked for other top-level knights.
“Thank you. I am working hard to become as famous as Lord Plants in the future.”
“Heh. Should I be satisfied with that? If you have that talent, you should at least aim for superhuman level. Anyway, it’s nice to meet you.”
The response was clearly different from how I treated Flon.
Of course, that was followed by Flon’s displeased expression and the sighs of his group.
The group walked slowly along the noisy main street and only after a couple of hours did they enter the inner palace.
Plantz, who was walking at the head of the group, stopped in front of a fancy five-story building inside the castle.
On the way, Vipros was taken aback when he learned that Logan’s entourage was not among the two heirs, but fortunately there were no further troubles.
“This is the guesthouse in Bypros. Percival and Rufmann’s successors have already arrived, so you too, please rest well and wait until the party tomorrow night.”
“Bypros Castle is really impressive. I’d like to go out and have a look. Is that possible?”
“… Entry to some areas of the inner city will be restricted, but to other areas it will be possible if you accompany our driver. You can talk to the person in charge at the guesthouse.”
“All right.”
Tick.
Unlike when they had just arrived in Bipros, Logan responded with a smile while Flon just nodded.
Soon, Plantz turned around without any reaction.
“Hmm. I wonder if someone who came without an attendant would even have party clothes.”
Flon immediately turned to Logan and sharpened his blade.
of course.
“Where is my room?”
Logan didn’t pay any attention to him and went to the guest house’s attendant.
Flonne gritted his teeth and the knights around him also looked angry.
‘These guys can’t even understand the situation. There is nothing left for them to watch.’
If those guys were heirs and knights, it wouldn’t be that difficult to occupy Pereta around the time of the civil war.
Logan grinned and turned his back on Ferretta and the others.
‘What will the Count say?’
I deliberately didn’t bring my party clothes.
Whatever the party, I had no intention of taking off my armor and wandering around here.
The old lost land of our ancestors, where you never know what might happen.
It was a place where he could be extremely nervous.
* * * The next evening.
smart.
“It’s party time. We’ll take you to the banquet hall.”
The servant who knocked on the door politely looked a little embarrassed when Logan walked out the door in his armor.
“I’m a country boy so I’ve never had a party.”
However, he could not add anything to the nobleman’s statement that he was a country boy.
at last.
“You are Prince Logan of the McLane family!”
The moment he entered the banquet hall with the servant’s shout, Logan received the attention of everyone inside.
“Oh my. What are you wearing that armor on?”
“You’re a country boy, so you don’t even know manners.”
“That’s a bit…”
The spacious banquet hall, which seemed to be hundreds of pyeong in size, was extremely extravagant with paintings and decorations hanging on every wall.
The crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling shines dazzlingly, adding to its splendor.
Logan, the only one to appear wearing armor, naturally attracted many people’s attention.
Even as everyone who saw him laughed or frowned, Logan walked confidently and arrived inside the banquet hall.
At the top of the red silk staircase on the high headstone, a middle-aged man wearing a gorgeous robe with a red rose pattern was looking down at him.
“Logan, son of McLane, meets the ruler of this land, Count Roger Vipros. Happy birthday.”
It was a polite but ordinary greeting, but perhaps it was because the person saying it was none other than ‘McLane’.
The Count, who had a rather stern expression, smiled slightly with his blue eyes shining.
“Okay. Welcome. By the way, I heard that McLine is popular these days. Didn’t you prepare a party dress?”
A straight-faced lower-class man with a worldly manner of speaking that does not suit a lord from the earldom and no manners of a nobleman.
But Logan wasn’t swayed by that.
“I’m not used to parties, so I thought it would be better to wear the clothes I’m used to. Please forgive me if I was rude.”
“I understand you attended quite a few parties in the capital?”
I flinch.
‘Do you know what?’
Although he was a little nervous this time, Logan hid his expression again and held out a gorgeously wrapped box from within his arms.
“So, as a birthday present, I brought you some of the achievements I made at the time. It’s a really good health food for an Imporic man.”
No matter how fancy the packaging, everyone now knows that Imporik is Karok meat.
Especially if it is Bipros, which is directly involved in the purchase.
This meant that it was not suitable as a birthday present for the Count.
But the Count didn’t even pay attention to Logan’s gift.
“Coming this far can be seen as McLane’s intention to follow my wishes, right?”
“If your will is for peace, McLane is always willing to take the lead.”
“Really? Hmm. He’s a young hero, so he’s alert. I thought he’d protest.”
Peace in the country, you idiot.
Logan sneered inwardly as he received the Count’s strange gaze.
“Okay. Let’s enjoy the party for a while. I’ll introduce you in a grand way later.”
‘There’s no need to do that.’
With those last words, the Count began to receive greetings from others lined up around him.
‘Percival. ‘Loopman.’
Heirs of different families who appear to be around 30 years old.
As expected, they lowered their heads with an innocent expression, as if they had only met the Count once or twice, and the Count also patted their shoulders without formality.
However, among the many people, the only ones the Count speaks to are the successors of each fiefdom.
It was an action that once again convinced me that the purpose of the party was not simply to promote friendship.
‘Up to this point, everything was within the expected range, but…’
Logan achieved another purpose of coming here just by paying close attention and observing the Count even during this short conversation.
Although it wasn’t a very pleasant result.
‘It was really the 5th circle. Write it.’
Even with his senses, which had become sensitive and sharp enough to transcend common sense, it was difficult to grasp the mana circle located in the count’s heart, to the point where it was difficult to understand at first.
It feels like the circle is being hidden by some kind of means.
And that led me to guess that the rumors I had heard in my past life were true.
It was a rumor that Count Bypros showed great prowess during the civil war.
I didn’t pay much attention to it because it was a story about the two princes’ forces that were defeated only in the previous life.
‘A 5th circle wizard could do that.’
A 5th circle wizard who is treated with the same power as a top knight.
A powerful force that exerts even more utility, especially in a large-scale power struggle called war.
It was Bipros’ hidden power that could offset even the only advantage McLane had.
It was easier to find out than I thought, but it was still difficult information to ignore.
‘The difference in power is still large. Above all, a count and two top knights. Ha…what….’
At that time, Logan frowned and was alone in his thoughts.
“The Count has something to say. Everyone, please pay attention!”
The music that was being played together stopped with a loud voice, and the attention of the audience focused on the head table.
“First, I would like to express my gratitude to the distinguished guests who have gathered to wish me a happy birthday. And…”
It seems that there are only a few distinguished guests from outside the southwestern region.
“Although he did not come in person, I would like to express my endless gratitude and respect to the second prince who bestowed the ‘Tears of the Sun’.”
In those words, Bio. Exclamations erupted here and there.
Perhaps as expected, the Count continued with a leisurely laugh.
“For a long time, the nobles of the southwestern part of our kingdom have been scattered among themselves, unlike other regions.”
The situation was going along one of the lines that Logan had expected. “Everyone here knows the complicated circumstances of the past, so I won’t bother explaining them .
I think the time has come for us to leave behind those meaningless practices and empty promises and come together as one. His Highness the 2nd Prince, the likely next heir to the throne, wants the support of our southwest!”
Logan covered his mouth with a wine glass to hide his displeased expression, but the Count suddenly raised his hand and pointed at him.
“Just like that, 200 years ago, we The heir of the McLane family, the beginning and end of the strife in the southwest, is here.” The
people around Logan, who was already alone, became even more distant.
However,
“Prince Logan is a remarkable young man. He is a leading figure in building McLane’s power by leading the last two wars to victory, and is an unparalleled genius who rose to the level of a mid-level knight at the age of only 21. Even the top knights I know could not achieve that level of achievement at that age.”
People’s gaze changed completely at the sudden praise.
“He is a talent that can be compared to the Auror users who are the pillars of the kingdom. Even now, don’t you think that the fact that you’re wearing armor shows how much you’re concentrating on your training? I think the recent divorce incident was also because I trained too hard.”
Wahaha.
Following the awkward joke, flattering laughter filled Daejeon.
“I have no intention of intimidating or coercing such a talented person. I just want to make a suggestion. Prince Logan!”
“…Yes?”
“His Excellency Duke Waltermaim, the maternal grandfather of His Majesty the Second Prince, is looking for a talented person like you. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to recommend you as his disciple. How about it?”
Biff The moment Count Ross finished speaking, Daejeon heated up.
