Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Unwanted Attention
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Carlyle was dazzling.
Clad in the Sigmund family uniform, Carlyle radiated an unapproachable beauty.
Serdian realized.
The handsome man capturing everyone's attention was not him, but the North's infamous mad dog...
“You’ve come.”
“Because you called.”
Carlyle replied to Grand Duke Guntram.
“For someone who was forced to come, you’ve made quite a stir.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Father.”
“How is that thanks to me?”
“Why did you have to give me such a handsome face? It’s nothing but a hassle.”
“Isn’t it normal to be grateful?”
“That only applies to those who crave attention.”
“…”
“I’ll hang around for a bit and then leave. An hour, maybe? You’d be satisfied with that, wouldn’t you?”
“Do as you wish.”
Grand Duke Guntram didn’t ask for more.
He was simply grateful that Carlyle, the infamous mad dog, had even bothered to attend the victory celebration banquet; he couldn't ask for anything else.
“Alright, then. Enjoy yourself for a while and go. And don't cause any trouble.”
“I can’t promise that.”
“?”
“If you were worried about me causing trouble, you shouldn’t have invited me in the first place.”
“Hah.”
Grand Duke Guntram let out a deep sigh and whispered in Carlyle’s ear.
“Your proposal—I’ve decided to accept it.”
“Are you talking about replacing the fuel mana stones with mana stone bullets?”
“Yes.”
“A wise decision.”
“…”
“I assure you, you won’t regret it.”
With that, Carlyle went and sat at an empty table in the farthest corner of the banquet hall.
It was in such a secluded, empty corner that it should have gone unnoticed, but the moment Carlyle sat down, all eyes turned to him.
*I’m not some zoo animal.*
Carlyle sipped the wine a servant had left, trying to suppress his irritation.
Half admiration, half curiosity.
The weight of their gazes was so burdensome it felt like he was sitting on a cushion of thorns.
*That’s right, I’m the North’s infamous mad dog. Stare all you want.*
Carlyle sneered inwardly as he savored the wine.
The wine was excellent.
It had a sharp, heavy acidity, with a complex and deep aroma.
*It must be a wine from the Belvedere family.*
Carlyle could identify its origin without even looking at the label.
The North doesn't produce wine.
Nor do Northerners particularly enjoy drinking it.
The wine was likely served for the various delegations attending the banquet, and it was almost certainly the finest vintage produced by the Belvedere family.
The Belvederes were a family that had been making wine for ages, and their winemaking skills were unmatched within the United Kingdom.
Just as the Sigmunds of the North were known for their vodka, and the Lauren family was famous for its beer, the Belvedere family was renowned for its wine.
*It’s not that great.*
For some reason, the wine didn’t suit his palate, so Carlyle set the glass down and drank vodka instead.
A burning sensation seared his throat as a hot warmth surged up from the depths of his stomach.
*Now, this is what alcohol should be like.*
A short laugh escaped him.
*Living in the North must be turning me into a Northerner. To think I’d find vodka better than wine.*
As Carlyle was lost in thought, a beautiful woman approached him and spoke.
“Um…”
“Go.”
“Pardon…?”
“I said go. Don’t bother me.”
As soon as the woman, on the verge of tears, was driven away from Carlyle’s table, another approached.
“Hello…”
“Go.”
“Yes.”
After that, many more women approached Carlyle, only to be rejected and sent away.
Despite this, the ladies’ attempts to court Carlyle never ceased.
It wasn't just his looks; his mysterious aura piqued their curiosity and ignited their desire to take on the challenge.
***
*What’s so great about that pretty boy that they’re lining up for him?*
Serdian’s pride was so wounded he felt like he would go insane.
Whenever he attended a banquet, he was always the star of the show.
Women would approach and court him even if he just sat still, so he was always the one doing the choosing.
But today was different.
Today’s star was Carlyle.
Nearly every woman was showing interest in Carlyle, watching him, and approaching him to talk.
In contrast, not a single woman approached Serdian.
He was supposed to be the most handsome man on the continent, but in front of Carlyle, he was completely outshined.
*This is ridiculous. I can’t accept this. I’m clearly more handsome, so why is all the attention on that bastard?*
Serdian felt like he was going to lose his mind.
He couldn’t bear it.
So, Serdian decided to approach Carlyle and examine his face up close.
He wanted to see with his own two eyes if Carlyle was truly more handsome than him.
“I am Serdian van Belvedere, the eldest son of the Belvedere family. You must be Carly…”
“Go.”
“?”
“I said go. Don’t bother me.”
Serdian was dumbfounded.
He may be the second son of the Sigmund family, but wasn’t he the eldest son of the Belvedere family?
“How rude. Is that any way to speak to someone who approached you first?”
“Who asked you to approach me?”
“?”
“Did I ask you to come over here?”
“W-well, no, but…”
“Then you’re the one being rude.”
“…”
“If you understand, then go. Stop being annoying.”
“They called you a mad dog, and you’re just as ill-mannered as they say.”
Serdian gave a cold smile.
His red eyes blazed dangerously.
“I suppose all that praise for being handsome has made you lose your senses, has it?”
“Look who’s talking, ugly.”
“W-what!?”
Serdian's mind went blank at Carlyle's verbal assault.
Ugly?
He had never heard those words in his entire life.
Of course, if some insignificant nobody had spouted such nonsense, he could have laughed it off.
Serdian knew he was handsome no matter what anyone said, so he would have known it was bullshit.
But hearing it from the more handsome Carlyle was a different story.
It felt as if a dagger had been plunged into his heart…
“Are you… finished?”
“Yes.”
“Do you really think you can get away with spouting such nonsense to me?”
“You don’t want to admit it, do you? You should look in a mirror more often. A man needs to know his place, don’t you think?”
“Get up.”
Serdian snarled at Carlyle.
“I cannot tolerate this insult. I must settle this with you in a duel.”
“I’d rather not.”
Carlyle said, annoyed.
“Why would I duel an ugly guy like you? It’s beneath me.”
“You really…!”
Just as Serdian was about to lose his composure.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Serdian.”
“Y-you are.”
Serdian glanced back reflexively and flinched when he saw Selena and Frey.
“Surely you’re not thinking of laying a hand on my little brother at the victory banquet.”
Selena warned Serdian in an icy voice.
“If you are, you’ll have to deal with me.”
It wasn't just Selena.
“You’ll have to get through me first, Serdian.”
Frey threatened Serdian in a bold, provocative tone.
Frey usually had a calm and quiet personality.
But the Sigmund blood ran true in him, and he would do a complete one-eighty whenever a fight was about to break out. This was one of those times.
“Such strong brotherly love.”
Serdian growled, taking a slight step back.
“Protecting your so-called brother, are you?”
“You should know full well that only a Sigmund can touch another Sigmund.”
“Don’t insult my brother in front of me. This is your last warning.”
Selena and Frey pressured Serdian with cold smiles.
A murmur went through the crowd.
Several people sensed the strange atmosphere and looked on with uneasy expressions.
“…I’ll back down for today. It would be my loss to get into a scuffle with you lot on such a fine day.”
Serdian backed away.
No matter that he was the eldest son of the Belvedere family, he was no match for Selena and Frey.
He knew all too well that even Frey, the youngest of them, could slaughter someone of his level in the blink of an eye.
“We’ll meet again, mad dog of the Sigmund family.”
“If you’re ugly, get lost.”
Carlyle hurled the insult at Serdian’s back.
***
As soon as the situation was resolved, Selena started nagging Carlyle.
“What on earth were you thinking? Did you really intend to pick a fight with the eldest son of the Belvedere family at the victory banquet?”
“He’s the one who started it, not me.”
“That’s impossible.”
Selena furrowed her brow as if to say, *Don’t give me that nonsense.*
“Why would the eldest son of the Belvedere family have any reason to pick a fight with you? Didn’t he just come to greet you, and you were rude to him?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“He was annoying me, so I told him to leave. He got angry on his own, so I told the ugly bastard to stop being a pain and get lost. That’s all.”
“…That *is* picking a fight. Ugh.”
Selena let out a deep sigh as if she knew it.
Frey, who was beside her, also shook his head with an I-knew-it expression.
“You can’t treat someone who approached you to be friendly like that, brother.”
“I never said I wanted to be friendly.”
“…”
“You’ve grown up, have you? Nagging me now?”
“When did I nag you? I was just…”
“That’s enough.”
“Y-yes.”
Frey meekly backed down.
*He’s just too damn nice.*
Carlyle shook his head inwardly at Frey.
In truth, Frey was an incredibly powerful warrior, and in a few years, he was destined to grow strong enough to surpass even Selena.
But despite his immense talent and strength, Frey possessed a very polite and gentle personality.
To the point where he would even treat Carlyle van Sigmund, the infamous mad dog, with the respect due an older brother…
“Please, just for today, don’t cause any trouble. Let’s get through this quietly. Okay?”
“I get it, so stop. Can’t you see I’m hiding in a corner on purpose?”
“Hmm.”
“I’m dying to get out of here too.”
Carlyle covered his face, looking genuinely exhausted.
The burden of people whispering about him and the women constantly approaching him was exhausting.
“Alright. I won’t nag you anymore. Just stay quiet. Today is an important day.”
“Yeah.”
“Did anyone else bother you?”
“Why do you ask?”
“No matter how much of a troublemaker you are, you’re still my little brother. I can’t just stand by and watch someone harass you.”
Selena said, as if the mere thought of it angered her.
“Brother, if anyone bothers you, tell me first. I’ll teach them a lesson they won’t forget.”
Frey, too, showed his resolve, making it clear he wouldn't tolerate any third party bothering Carlyle.
“…”
Carlyle was so unfamiliar with this kind of behavior from his siblings, from Selena and Frey, that he was at a loss for words.
Having been an only child in his past life, he couldn’t logically comprehend their actions—how they would protect even a mad dog like Carlyle van Sigmund out of sibling affection.
*Is this what it means to be siblings?*
Just as Carlyle was feeling a bit confused by this unfamiliar emotion.
Ting, ting, ting!
The Crown Prince tapped his spoon three times against his goblet, which was adorned with gold and jewels.
At the sound, the attention of everyone at the banquet focused on the Crown Prince.
“Is everyone having a good time?”
The Crown Prince said with a gentle smile.
“I, too, am enjoying myself immensely. It is an infinite honor to be present at this celebration of the North’s victory. I would like to thank…”
The Crown Prince continued with a clichéd speech, as was his custom.
*What kind of bullshit is he spewing now to pull a fast one?*
Carlyle’s gaze, fixed on the Crown Prince, was filled with contempt.
He knew all too well that the Crown Prince wouldn’t have dragged his lazy ass all the way to Decaron without some ulterior motive…
His prediction was spot on.
“…I understand that at a time when we should all be working together for the prosperity of the United Kingdom, an unfortunate incident has occurred. Therefore, I, the Crown Prince, on behalf of the royal family, intend to mediate the dispute between the Sigmund and Lauren families.”
The Crown Prince revealed his true colors.
“The true culprits behind the conflict between the Sigmund and Lauren families a few months ago… have been identified as the barbarians of the North.”
The moment the Crown Prince’s words fell—*crack*—the goblet in Grand Duke Guntram’s hand shattered into dust.