Chapter 47: Greed
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 47: Greed
The sudden departure of the baron and Joang Conrad cast a pall over the banquet hall. The attendees glanced at each other, unsure of what to do.
They didn't know whether the banquet was over or if they should wait for the two men to return. It was then that Baroness Adeleade stepped forward.
“Play the instruments.”
As the musicians struck up a tune, the banquet, which had been on the verge of an awkward end, resumed. With no one left to be wary of, the atmosphere became even livelier than before.
The baroness was a wise woman.
She had a kind heart, too.
In a future that would now never come to pass, when Aenya became the baron’s mistress, Baroness Adeleade was the only member of the Rasino family who had treated her with kindness.
When her eyes accidentally met mine, she gave a slight bow and looked away. A virtuous woman, through and through. That made me like her even more.
I licked my lips and turned my gaze away. The cheerful music and the magnificent feast heated the atmosphere of the hall. People chatted amongst themselves, and young men danced with their partners in the center of the hall.
I was still an outsider.
This was an age of barbarism. Befriending a skilled knight like me would have been a clear benefit, yet they still treated me with the same awkwardness as when we first met, keeping their distance.
It wasn't that I couldn't understand. I was an uncomfortable presence to begin with, and not only had I killed three knights who likely had deep connections with them, but just a moment ago, I had also received the baron's permission for war.
Even I would think I was a madman.
Worse, I was a greenhorn who had just received his knighthood. It was no wonder they found it difficult to decide whether it was safe to get close to me.
The same went for Zaenbold.
He was eating in a corner of the banquet hall, and even when our eyes met, he pretended not to see me and turned his head. As I walked toward him, his expression darkened, and he let out an audible sigh.
“Damn it.”
“That’s a harsh way to treat a friend.”
“I’ve never been friends with a madman. And even if I was, we’re not friends anymore. My god. A war? You barely escaped with your life, so why are you walking right back into hell?”
“It was necessary.”
Zaenbold’s face crumpled.
“There you go again! You said the same thing last time when you approached the young lady, didn't you? And look at the result.”
Zaenbold gestured with his eyes toward Eusebia. She was surrounded by Baroness Adeleade, other noblewomen, and young ladies.
On the surface, it looked like they were having a pleasant conversation, but whenever my eyes threatened to meet hers, someone would physically block the line of sight. It happened more than once, so it was clearly intentional.
And was that all? On the outskirts of the group, two of the baron’s guards stood watch with fiery eyes. The baron and his wife, alarmed by my previous actions, had taken special measures.
“Still, it’s a relief she wasn’t locked in a tower, isn’t it?”
“What’s the difference?”
Zaenbold shook his head and continued.
“Are you really going to war?”
“I said it in front of everyone. I can’t take it back.”
“Are you going to fight a war by yourself? Baron Debussy’s army, camped at the Twin Towers, numbers no less than two hundred. That includes elite troops and knights. No matter how good you are, you can’t do it alone.”
“That’s obvious. Who said I was going alone?”
Zaenbold’s eyes widened.
“Then who? Who’s going to help you, with your reputation as a mad dog?”
I subtly gestured with my eyes behind Zaenbold. A well-built young man with dark black eyes and hair, and a prominent aquiline nose that asserted its presence despite his fleshy face, was approaching.
“Lord Segerik.”
Recognizing him, Zaenbold quickly bowed his head.
“Zaenbold. Will you introduce me to your friend?”
“Ah, yes. This is my friend from back home, Allen. Allen, this is Lord Segerik, the eldest son and heir of Baron Rasino.”
I offered a slight bow.
“I’ve heard a great deal about you, Lord Segerik.”
“Oh, you know of me?”
How could I not know the heir who coveted his own father’s mistress? It was something he hadn't done yet—something he could no longer do—but my first impression of him couldn't be good.
Even if the cause was Aenya’s beauty, which no man could resist desiring.
I put on a smile and uttered the words he most wanted to hear.
“How could a knight of the baron not recognize his rightful heir?”
Segerik’s face instantly brightened. Zaenbold, who had stepped back at my flattery, grimaced and excused himself from the spot.
“Just as I thought! From the moment I saw you, I knew we’d get along! We shouldn’t just stand here. Let’s go over there and talk. I’ll introduce you to some acquaintances who could be of help to you, Sir Knight.”
Segerik pointed to a corner of the banquet hall where a group of well-dressed young men had gathered. As the heir, it seemed he had his own faction. However, unlike their leader, they eyed me with caution.
It’s only natural. Our positions are polar opposites.
The baron’s right-hand man, his left-hand man, and three knights had all met their end in a short period. It was a situation where the value of a knight was bound to skyrocket.
Furthermore, having displayed overwhelming skill, I was the most valuable commodity among the knights. So valuable that the baron’s eager heir had to personally make the effort to approach me.
But to Segerik’s followers, I was merely the arrival of a powerful competitor.
If I were an ordinary knight, they would have been pleased, like Segerik, that their faction’s strength was growing. But I was an invasive species that could usurp their power and sit above them.
It was only natural for them to be wary.
And their fears would soon become reality.
“They say you can know the followers by their lord. Seeing you, Lord Segerik, I’m sure your acquaintances are fine people as well.”
“Haha, this man! It’s like your words are coated in honey!”
Segerik clapped my back with his thick hand, about to lead me to his group.
“Brother-in-law. Won’t you give us the first chance?”
The second son, Ailgar, who resembled the baron even more than Segerik, had approached us at some point.
The woman who spoke had reddish-brown hair and blue eyes, a sophisticated beauty. Her sharp eyes suggested she had quite a temper.
“I am Ailgar. This is my wife, Josephine.”
“I’m Josephine. I was so surprised earlier. Who would have imagined such monstrous strength was hidden behind a face more beautiful than Sir Begins?”
While Ailgar’s expression was perfectly calm, Josephine greeted me with a bright smile, holding the hem of her skirt.
The way she smiled with her eyes while her husband stood right beside her gave off a decadent vibe. Her words were also rather frivolous for a noblewoman.
Perhaps it was a prejudice born from a poor first impression. After all, her husband Ailgar, like his brother, had coveted Aenya.
I knew how much a jealous Josephine had tormented Aenya. It was on a level that made the old Sophia seem tame. Besides, wasn't she Joang Conrad’s daughter?
But seeing her in person, she felt a little different from what I had imagined.
She looked delicious.
Josephine wore a dress with a plunging neckline, and as she leaned forward slightly, it offered an even better view.
When our eyes met, instead of composing herself, she leaned forward even more, as if to give me a better look. She was deliberately seducing me.
The funny thing was that Ailgar, seeing his wife’s behavior, didn’t stop her. He merely frowned.
The two of them seemed to have a relationship I couldn't possibly fathom.
“What are you talking about! Sir Allen already has a prior engagement with me.”
Segerik shouted. For a moment, all eyes in the hall turned toward us. One would think she’d feel pressured by the situation, but Josephine simply fanned her face to deflect the attention and continued.
“Your acquaintances, brother-in-law, are nothing but a bunch of greedy fools who know nothing but flattery, are they not? In contrast, our side consists of talented individuals with a wide range of abilities.”
Josephine pointed to the opposite side of where Segerik’s group was. I now saw that the two brothers’ factions were split in half, separated by the long carpet in the center.
Ailgar’s group looked younger, their eyes sharp but their attire plain. They seemed to be children without inheritance rights, like Ailgar, or of humble status.
Josephine continued.
“And is that all? We run our own trading company, so we can provide financial assistance to our members. We also have many people in practical positions working in the castle, so we can offer conveniences.”
Segerik’s face turned grim.
“Do you not know that insulting my acquaintances is the same as insulting me!”
“My wife’s words are not wrong, are they?”
“You…!”
Segerik and Ailgar clashed sharply. They showed no hesitation, even in a public place where everyone was watching. Though the baron was still hale and hearty, his two sons were fiercely competing beneath the surface.
Caught in the middle, I was feeling the heat.
“You decide, Sir Knight. Which side will you join?”
“Is there a need to think about it? Our side is obviously better.”
In terms of ability alone, Ailgar was superior. His faction seemed more capable as well.
The problem was the high risk of becoming Joang Conrad’s pawn. Ailgar himself seemed to be completely under his wife’s thumb.
In comparison, Segerik might be lacking in ability, but he possessed an incomparable legitimacy. He would be easier to use.
However, it felt a bit of a waste to decide just like that. With the competition heating up, couldn't I get something more?
“Before I decide, I would first like to hear what you both think of the war, if I may.”
Both Segerik and Ailgar fell silent. They knew that a wrong word could commit them to supporting the war.
Then Ailgar, who had mostly left the conversation to Josephine, spoke up first.
“Your courage is admirable, but realistically, it is impossible. The enemy has a large force, and their morale is high from continued victories. In contrast, you are alone and have few troops to mobilize. The baron will never help you, so it would be like hitting a rock with an egg.”
Ailgar made the important decisions himself. This meant his relationship with Josephine wasn't one-sided.
What a strange relationship, indeed.
“Tsk, tsk, Ailgar. This is why you’ll never beat me. If all you do is retreat, you’ll be retreating until the day you die. A man should know how to seize an opportunity when it comes.”
Segerik placed a hand on my shoulder.
“To be honest, listening to your speech sent a shiver down my spine. Even if we were to negotiate a truce, to be pushed into it like this is, as you said, far too humiliating!”
“Then…”
“I was originally going to say this in front of my vassals, but we intend to support you and set everything back to how it should be.”
It was a lie. If it were true, Segerik’s followers wouldn't have been so wary of me earlier. It was clearly a story concocted on the spot to prove he was better than Ailgar.
Knowing this, I didn't expose the lie. In the end, things were going exactly as I wanted.
“I knew you would understand, Lord Segerik. We cannot so easily lose a place that will one day be your domain.”
Segerik’s face brightened instantly.
“I believed in you as well, Sir Knight. Come, let’s go over there. My acquaintances have been waiting too long.”
Just as I was about to follow him, Josephine spoke.
“If you change your mind, you are welcome to come find us anytime. We will wait with our doors open.”
Josephine left room for interpretation with her ambiguously phrased words. I let my gaze fall once more to her chest, and she responded by leaning forward slightly to accentuate it.
Leaving the couple with their strange relationship behind, I didn't immediately join Segerik’s group.
“Lord Segerik. There is a proper order to things. Before I meet your acquaintances, may I ask you to introduce me to your family?”
With the baron absent, the head of the Rasino family was now the eldest son, Segerik. This meant I could legally bypass the multiple layers of obstacles.
“I thought you were going to ask for something difficult. Follow me.”
Whether he knew my intentions or not, Segerik strode forward, leading me toward Baroness Adeleade and Eusebia.
As we drew closer, the noblewomen who noticed my presence widened their eyes. Unsure of what to do because of Segerik leading the way, they looked to Baroness Adeleade.
She only frowned slightly but did not stop us, likely out of consideration for her eldest son’s pride.
“Oh, my!”
The noblewomen covered their mouths with their fans, making a fuss. Soon, Eusebia also noticed my approach.
“S-Sir Knight?”
Eusebia’s eyes trembled slightly. The way she glanced around showed she was quite flustered. It was obvious she had no experience with men.
I held out the handkerchief she had given me.
“Thanks to this, I was able to achieve victory.”
“N-No. The victory was all your own doing, Sir Knight.”
“That can’t be true. If you hadn’t cheered for me, my lady, I would not have been able to face you again. Do you know why?”
“Why…?”
As the conversation dragged on, Segerik and Baroness Adeleade showed signs of intervening.
Before they could, I spoke.
“Have you ever seen pure white snow?”
At my sudden words, Eusebia, Segerik, and even the baroness froze and watched my lips.
I gently took Eusebia’s hand as she reached out to take the handkerchief and smiled.
“
Every year when winter comes,
my heart flutters like a child’s.
Last night,
as the winter chill carried on the river wind
seeped deep into my bones,
I knew
that snow would fall today.
But the snow did not come.
No, the snow did come.
Rudely, it entered my heart without a knock,
hiding the key away.
The name of the first snow to fall upon my heart today,
is Eusebia.
“
Even though I was superior in overall qualifications, women always preferred Roland over me. It wasn't just because I was a mad dog. In that moment, I unleashed the one and only thing I had ever learned from Roland.
At the direct love poem, Eusebia’s eyes widened. A feverish blush began to bloom on her skin, which had been like a pure white snowflake.