Chapter 664
Chapter 664
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 664
Chapter Title: Reborn as the Plum Blossom Swordsman in a Count's Family
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Aiden the prince and the nobles had gathered behind my carriage. My loyal female knights stood guard around them. No one outside could see what we were doing.
There were eighteen nobles assembled before me. These were the ones who had borrowed money from me or had their weaknesses exposed to Duke Helbritt. With the duke dead, they thought they could savor the joys of freedom and live happy noble lives. Fat chance. As long as I held Helbritt's ledgers and lists, their master had simply changed from him to me.
"Ooh! So many nobles following a baron! This... this could actually work!"
Aiden beamed thoughtlessly at the gathered nobles. He didn't care about the heavy atmosphere in the slightest, reveling in his joy. He knew these nobles were now on his side.
"Your Highness."
"Yes, Baron? What is it?"
"Please stay quiet while I talk to them."
"Hmm. If it's a request from you, Baron, how can I refuse..."
Aiden shut his mouth. He fidgeted with his fingers and rolled his eyes, clearly bored. I gave Yuria a glance, and she handed him a bottle of liquor.
"Th-thank you."
He sipped it slowly, watching the situation unfold.
I scanned the nobles' faces and spoke up.
"Baron Var Marmarma."
The rat-faced man gulped and stepped forward.
"Baron Var Marmarma, you've got some guts. How did you think you could stick by the princess's side while running smuggling operations? You do know the prime minister of Rapelli is Princess Aileen, right...?"
"B-Baron Pruckerus! Somewhere private! Let's talk alone!"
Var Marmarma jumped in shock. He didn't want the other nobles knowing about his smuggling. One of them might report or blackmail him. I let out a hollow chuckle.
'If he cared about that, I wouldn't have gathered them all here in the first place. They're all the same scum.'
The ones who'd borrowed money from me were no different. They couldn't pay it back—not with Yuria's arrangements in place. Their leashes were financial corruption now, and they were already my slaves.
"I'm disappointed in you, Baron Var Marmarma, and all of you. You know what kind of woman Princess Aileen is, don't you? She might smile at you now, but once she's on the throne, her attitude will flip, and she'll come purging you all. And yet there you were, grinning foolishly behind her back."
"He's right! That woman's an angel on the outside but a devil underneath. If she becomes queen, it's obvious. Purges will start, and doom will fall on the kingdom!"
Aiden jumped in. He cursed Aileen with all his might. Once I'd heard it all, I said,
"Your Highness. Didn't I ask you to stay quiet?"
"Ahem. Her name got me riled up for a moment. Sorry."
The prince started drinking again.
I eyed Var Marmarma, who was watching me nervously, then called out the other nobles' names one by one, listing all their dirty secrets. It was a warning: you can't escape me. And the warning hit home.
'No bomb collars. Too risky.'
Too much pressure, and they might band together and betray me.
'Besides, master-level help could disarm bomb collars easily. If the nobles pool their power or beg Princess Aileen for aid, it's no problem at all.'
Yuria had told me Duke Helbritt hadn't ruled them with the whip alone. Offer the right carrot, and they wouldn't betray.
"Everyone, lift your heads. Yes, I'm disappointed, but I'm no monster come to devour you. Everyone makes mistakes, don't they?"
I signaled Yuria. Without a word from me, she knew what to do. Sometimes it felt like she could read my mind—it was uncanny.
Yuria opened the back door of the carriage.
Inside were piles of glittering gold coins and jewels, plus masterfully crafted dwarf weapons and armor. This was just a fraction of my wealth. I'd been secretly selling food and arms before the war started and even more during it, raking in profits hand over fist.
Aiden and the nobles gaped at the carriage interior. They were so stunned, a bug could have flown into their mouths unnoticed.
"I have no intention of using you for free. Follow my orders and behave well... and of course, you'll be compensated. Can't trust me? You'll believe soon enough. Yuria, distribute it."
"Yes, Master."
Yuria filled pouches with gold and jewels and handed them out to the nobles. Aiden got his share too. Better not to exclude him—he was unpredictable.
The mountain of riches halved.
The nobles smiled greedily at the heavy pouches in their hands—ugly, twisted grins of avarice. I sighed inwardly at the sight.
'Why not a single woman among them?'
They were all nobles in their forties on average. One beauty would have brightened my mood.
"Baron Pruckerus! I'll follow you!"
"What do you need us to do, Baron?"
"Hahaha. Princess Aileen's clever, but she's still a woman. The throne belongs to Prince Aiden by right."
"Your Highness, when you claim the throne, give me a position too."
The mood turned jovial. The prince, watching from the side, blinked in bewilderment, head swiveling back and forth.
"Everyone, if any of you earn merits at this national funeral... I promise compensation."
"Merits... you mean the war?"
"It's a truce. Nobles backing Princess Aileen will strike at us whenever they can. We need to defend ourselves. And attack them politically. Pull in neutral nobles to our side... and I'll reward you handsomely. Dwarf-made armor and weapons."
"Dwarf-made armor and weapons..."
The nobles swallowed hard. Just owning dwarf-forged gear was a boast-worthy achievement. They especially coveted the armor—you could relax even with stray arrows flying in battle.
The nobles exchanged glances, then nodded firmly.
"Leave it to us!"
"For now, support Prince Aiden and quash any rumors slandering him. It won't be easy, but do your best."
"Of course."
That's when it happened. A commotion broke out among the female knights encircling us. Someone had come.
"Out of my way. I'm here to see Baron Pruckerus!"
"No one gets through."
"Don't you recognize me? I'm Duke Senhaits. How dare a mere knight block my path?"
"We follow our lord's orders."
"Don't you know your lord is just a baron? This isn't loyalty. Step aside before I lose faith in Baron Pruckerus."
I clicked my tongue.
Duke Senhaits of the south, Gebörn Senhaits—a great noble with a poor reputation despite his power. He habitually looked down on lower-ranking nobles, and in his youth, he'd been a worse delinquent than even Prince Aiden.
Before things escalated, I raised my voice to the knights.
"Let him through."
"Yes, my lord."
The knights stepped aside, clearing a path.
Duke Senhaits strode in confidently, clad in flashy attire. A man in his fifties with white hair that looked off up close—a wig. Everyone who knew knew about his severe alopecia. He just never admitted it.
Duke Senhaits scowled deeply at me as I stood there leaning casually against the carriage, completely unfazed by his overbearing presence.
"I had already heard numerous rumors that you were incredibly rude, but I certainly did not expect you would dare to skip even a proper formal greeting in my magnificent presence, so tell me, are you blindly banking on that upstart baron's halo from the Pruckerus name to protect you from a duke's wrath?" he sneered in open displeasure.
"The rude one is you, Your Grace. His Highness is here. Can't you see?"
Duke Senhaits slowly looked around. Prince Aiden was right beside me—no need to search. He was blatantly ignoring the prince.
"My apologies, Your Highness. My vision is poor; I didn't notice you."
"Ahem, that can happen..."
Aiden glanced nervously between me and Senhaits.
"But Baron Pruckerus, when do you plan to greet me? And who are these people around you? Their eyes are insolent—like they're staring at an enemy nation's noble."
"S-sorry, Your Grace."
The nobles bowed their heads. No matter how much of an ass he was, Senhaits's power was real.
But Yuria and I didn't bow. Senhaits glared at me in displeasure.
"What brings Your Grace here?"
"...I heard a noble insulted Princess Aileen."
"It wasn't an insult. Just a brief chat with her."
"A chat? Ignoring her to your face and dragging off nobles—that's a chat?!"
"I can't fathom why you're so furious. Did Princess Aileen complain to you personally?"
"Don't insult the princess! I'm here to right a wrong!"
"There was no wrong."
I sighed dramatically, and his face twisted even more. I didn't know how Aileen had won him over, but Senhaits was now her fervent follower. Words wouldn't sway the old fool.
"Insulting Princess Aileen is the same as insulting me. You have two choices: kneel and apologize to her, or war with House Senhaits."
Duke Senhaits bellowed, eyes bulging. Utter nonsense—but his power made it seem normal.
"B-Baron Pruckerus, m-maybe bow here for now?"
Aiden trembled, grabbing my shoulder.
Thwack!
"Gahk!"
Aiden flew back from the punch and crumpled.
"Oh, sorry, Your Highness. When a man grabs my arm, my fist flies out on reflex... This is clearly your mistake, but I'll apologize anyway."
"Urk... I'm f-fine, Baron..."
I smiled at the stunned Senhaits.
"I understand your intent, Your Grace. We'll prepare for territorial war. I've noted your declaration. When's good? Right after the funeral, or a month from now? Name the time and place as you wish."
"...Are you mad, Baron?"
"Perfectly sane. Answer quickly, Your Grace. Surely you didn't mention war in jest. A duke wouldn't speak so lightly of it. Since it's come to this, let's wager lands, titles, fortunes—everything. Lives too. What do you say? Ah, kneel and beg now, and we can call it off."
Senhaits's face turned beet red. He pointed a shaking finger at me.
"You think I won't go to war...? Fine! War it is!"
"No!"
Princess Aileen appeared. She'd rushed over upon hearing of Senhaits.
"Your Highness!"
"No territorial wars! Absolutely not! Have you forgotten the kingdom's state?! I cannot allow it!"
Territorial wars could spark civil war. As princess, she had to stop it. And as the royal representative, if she forbade it, no war. Aiden lacked the authority.
"Princess, he declared war first. If he bows and apologizes—no, I admit that's too much. If he apologizes to me, we can forget it. I won't bring it up again."
"You bastard...!"
"Duke Senhaits! Please! I'm begging you! Just once! Bow your head! A territorial war now is insane!"
Aileen desperately restrained Senhaits. She knew my power—or rather, Yuria's.
Aileen bowed to Senhaits, and eventually, he bowed to me with an apology.
"...Sorry, Baron Pruckerus. I got carried away."
"I understand. Your Grace's temper is infamous."
"..."
He shot me a murderous glare as Aileen led him away.
Just you wait.
His expression said it all.