Chapter 19
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19
Barely suppressing his boiling rage, Joshua hurried his pace.
There was no point in staying any longer; he knew only more mockery awaited him.
Go ahead, enjoy yourself while you can. Do you think anything will change just because you won? Aside from a moment of petty bragging, you’ll have nowhere to use this victory!
Though he had been humiliated, only the four people present knew the truth.
Joshua himself and his servant certainly wouldn't speak of it, and Sword Saint Eisen wasn't the type to go around gossiping about such trivial matters.
The only exception was the victor, Lucian.
However, Joshua wasn't worried about Lucian at all.
Let him blabber all he wants. Do you think rumors spread that easily? Managing information is a basic skill for a noble, you fool!
Spreading malicious rumors about opponents and swaying public opinion was a common occurrence among the nobility.
Conversely, the ability to block those rumors and quell the chaos was also a measure of a noble's competence.
While it wasn't exactly his specialty, Joshua was reasonably well-versed in this kind of information warfare.
If his opponent had been skilled in the art of manipulation, he might have been helpless, but his opponent this time was the half-wit Lucian.
There were countless ways to bury a rumor before it could even take root.
"Keep a close eye on him, just in case. If he tries to spread word of today’s events..."
"I will make sure to block it, no matter what. Please do not worry."
Joshua nodded at his servant’s confident boast.
Though the man was occasionally incompetent, he was a servant who handled this kind of cleanup perfectly.
He figured if he left it to him this time, everything would be fine.
It was exactly one day later when the storm broke.
—I heard the Fourth Young Master challenged the Third to a duel with real swords and was utterly crushed!
—They say the Fourth Young Master’s legs gave out and he collapsed right on the spot!
—The Third Young Master demanded his sword as a trophy, and he just handed it over without a fight!
"Are you kidding me?!"
Crash!
Hearing the rumors that had spread in just a single day, Joshua lost his mind and flipped the table in his room.
Cleanup? My foot!
Even the sword he’d given away because he didn't need it had been twisted into a story about him surrendering it out of fear!
Trembling at his master’s fury, the servant pressed his forehead against the floor.
"K-Kill me, please!"
"Stop saying things you don't mean! Explain what happened before I actually do kill you!"
"That is..."
Joshua was dumbfounded as he listened to the servant’s explanation.
"So, you're saying the servants spreading the rumors wouldn't listen to you?"
"To be precise, it was those new thugs he brought in. No matter how much I coaxed or threatened them, they wouldn't shut their mouths. They didn't even blink when a blade was put to their throats, so there was nothing I could do..."
"Damn it! What on earth were they promised that makes them so loyal to that brat?!"
The rumors about the servants Lucian had brought from the back alleys were already well-known.
They were madmen who followed only Lucian’s orders and didn't even flinch when the Second Young Master, Jordi, threatened them.
It was baffling why they remained so loyal to Lucian, a man with no foundation.
Was it because their lives were already at rock bottom, so they just lived however they pleased?
"So, bribery and threats didn't work, and that’s your excuse? If they won't listen to reason, you should have at least broken their legs!"
"I... I tried to do that."
"And what now?!"
"The men I sent all came back with their own bones broken. Their leader, a man named Hugo, is no ordinary fellow..."
Joshua clutched the back of his neck, stunned.
Not only did they fail at bribery and threats, but they also got beaten up and sent back.
He hadn't just lost the duel; he was now being outmatched in the quality of his subordinates as well.
To make matters worse, instead of being blocked, the rumors were being distorted and spread in a way that favored his opponent even more.
"Hooo... Haaaa..."
Joshua sat in a chair, barely managing to steady his breathing.
He felt like he would collapse if he didn't get his emotions under control.
But, incredibly, that wasn't the end of it.
"And..."
"Do you really want to die by my hand?!"
"I-I haven't said anything yet!"
"I'm sure it's just more news about how I was bested by Lucian! I'd rather just sew your mouth shut than hear another word of it!"
"No! It's just a progress report! There's nothing more involving the Third Young Master, so please, calm down!"
Joshua gnashed his teeth but glared at the servant, signaling him to speak.
As much as he hated hearing it, he couldn't afford to neglect information.
Even if it was bitter news, he had to be aware of it.
After a moment of hesitation, the servant spoke in a trembling voice.
"The Third Young Master’s servants are using Sir Eisen’s name. Now that it’s known the Sword Saint presided over the duel, even the knights are taking an interest. Some have even gone to the Sword Saint to confirm it, and he told them it was the truth... Young Master? Young Master!"
"Gurgle...!"
At the news he least wanted to hear, Joshua finally collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
"Young Master, I heard the Fourth Young Master collapsed. Do you have any idea why?"
"He probably just couldn't handle reality and fainted. He’s always lacked backbone, just like yesterday."
At Hans’s report, Lucian chuckled and sipped his tea.
The aroma of high-quality tea, which he could never have touched in his past life, tickled his nose.
"Why did he even bring a real sword? He would have had the advantage if he’d used a wooden one."
"Is there really that much of a difference between a real sword and a wooden one?"
"A massive difference. If someone were swinging a sword at you, which would be scarier: a wooden one or a real one?"
"The real one, obviously."
"It’s the same for everyone. He probably chose the real sword to scare me, but he forgot that he’d be just as terrified standing before a live blade."
If it had been a wooden sword, Joshua would have felt much less psychological pressure.
He likely would have responded calmly to Lucian’s attacks instead of panicking.
And Lucian, who was disadvantaged in terms of pure strength, would have struggled more.
But the fool had been hoisted by his own petard while trying to hatch a petty scheme.
"It made things easy for me. It was a match that should have ended in a draw at best, but thanks to that real sword, I won decisively."
"I see."
Hans nodded at Lucian’s words, then realized something strange.
"But Young Master, wasn't yesterday the first time you’ve ever held a real sword? You managed to realize that and use it to your advantage."
"Well... it was just improvisation."
Lucian was a man who had once felt the cold touch of a blade grazing his eyebrows.
There was no way he would be afraid of a sword more than a span away.
Especially when the person wielding that sword was a pampered young master who had never fought for his life.
However, since he couldn't reveal that truth, Lucian just brushed it off.
"Anyway, things should be quiet for a while. Neither my pathetic older brother nor my younger one will have the leisure to worry about me for the time being."
Jordi had lost almost all his liquid assets due to the previous Milk Siblings Incident.
No matter how wealthy his maternal family was, it would take time for funds to be transferred.
To be safe, he wouldn't move until his pockets were full again.
Joshua’s case was even worse than Jordi’s.
While Lucian was the candidate with the weakest foundation, Joshua’s position wasn't exactly rock-solid either.
After suffering such a public humiliation at Lucian’s hands, he would be busy for a while trying to stabilize his crumbling internal support.
Well, there’s still one person left, but given his personality...
Thud!
"Young Master!"
Lucian’s thoughts were interrupted by Hugo, who burst through the door.
Hugo was drenched in sweat, as if he had run all the way there.
"What’s the matter? Did Joshua have another fit?"
"I received word from my subordinates. The House of Roglan will be visiting in one week."
"...!"
"They asked to meet at the Bestra Territory, where the workshop was built. What should we do?"
"First..."
Lucian set down his teacup and stood up from his chair.
"I should inform my father."
"Ridiculous fools."
Grand Duke Sigmund gave a bitter smile at Lucian’s report.
In terms of distance, it was the closest territory, but because of poor transportation, it had lost its role as a transit hub to other cities.
Despite being next to a massive city like Kelheim, Bestra was a marginalized place that barely maintained its status as a town.
Yet, the fact remained that it was the closest location, and they wanted to meet there.
"At this point, I don't know if they're being bold or if they're just looking down on Valdek. It’s not exactly the lion’s maw, but it’s certainly right under its teeth."
"They probably believe your eyes won't be turned that way, Father. It’s a city with absolutely nothing to gain, after all."
"...True, I hadn't given it a single thought until I received your report. In a way, it’s a blind spot."
Grand Duke Sigmund smiled wryly as he studied the map.
Then, his expression turned serious as he met Lucian’s eyes.
"So? Why did you report this to me? I believe I told you I would leave everything to you."
"I need power."
"Power?"
"Just because a beast is caught in a trap doesn't mean I have the tools to hunt it."
"So you came to me because I have the tools?"
Grand Duke Sigmund lowered his eyes, looking somewhat disappointed by Lucian’s answer.
"A rational judgment. Certainly, if you borrow my strength, catching a trapped beast would be no trouble at all."
"Then..."
"But do you think those around you will call that beast your kill? I don't believe they will."
Lucian remained silent at the Grand Duke’s words.
When there was no response, the Grand Duke’s sharp critique continued.
"One is recognized as a great hunter only when they take down the prey with their own strength. No matter how brilliant a plan you devise, if you cannot execute the hunt yourself, you will remain nothing more than an apprentice who hasn't yet stood on his own."
"...."
"I gave you an opportunity. I even gave you the authority to hunt for yourself. And yet, you intend to throw this chance away just because you lack the strength? You would choose safety over glory, handing the credit to someone else?"
"Yes. I will gladly do so."
"What?"
At the remarkably confident answer, Grand Duke Sigmund’s eyes widened.
As the Grand Duke stood speechless, Lucian, who had been quiet until now, poured out his rebuttal.
"The most important thing in a hunt is the success of the hunt itself. When the villagers are trembling in the shadow of a beast, how can it be called bravery to insist on being the one to thrust the spear just to satisfy one's ego? Even if it succeeds, that is nothing more than a commoner's foolhardy bravado—a foolish act that only erodes people's trust."
"...!"
"And does it matter if my name is overshadowed? Even if no one else knows, the master hunter knows the merit of his apprentice. Between an apprentice who charges a beast barehanded for his own fame and one who ensures the kill even if he must share the credit—when the master hunter can no longer draw his bow, to whom will he pass it?"
Lucian took a breath and bowed deeply.
"Even if the apprentice’s devotion is not recognized by the master, it does not matter. By then, the apprentice will have become a hunter in his own right, roaming the mountains with a spear and bow he carved himself. Rather than acting recklessly to catch a beast with my bare hands, I will hand the credit to my master, learn how to carve a spear first, and then set out to hunt. That is my way of becoming a hunter."
"...."
A heavy silence descended upon the Grand Duke’s office as he finished speaking.
The servants, in particular, stood wide-eyed, unable to move a finger.
Even if he was his son, to talk back so boldly to the Master of Valdek!
In a second that felt like a minute, everyone swallowed hard.
"Bwahahaha!"
The Grand Duke’s booming laughter shook the office.