Chapter 236: The Bastard Who Slathered Mustard on His Luck (1)
Chapter 236: The Bastard Who Slathered Mustard on His Luck (1)
The monster stampede, the greatest crisis in the territory's history, had finally come to an end.
The Schneider territory had miraculously overcome this unprecedented disaster. Everyone had fought as one, standing firm against the swarming monsters until victory was theirs.
And when the situation had turned truly desperate, Patrick had arrived with the territory’s main force, saving them from the brink and slaying the Hydra itself.
But what came after was even more significant.
An entity far more powerful than a mere Hydra had attacked the territory.
An Apostle of Kalaron.
Galloping Death.
The Seven Sages had revealed its identity, describing it as an absolute being that even the ancient superpower, the Roman Empire, had failed to subjugate.
Yet, despite such a transcendental being attacking the territory, the land remained safe.
Why?
The answer lay in a single man’s name.
Patrick Schneider.
The Double Dragon.
The youngest winner of the Arcana.
The youngest 7-Star swordsman.
The peerless warrior who had waged a solo war against the Caesar Kingdom and emerged victorious.
A man of such character that he earned the respect of the Elves, and possessed wisdom acknowledged even by the Seven Sages, the renowned intellects of the continent.
Had there ever been a single person in the history of the continent showered with so many accolades? Even the title of "genius" seemed meager when placed before Patrick Schneider.
And he was the Young Lord of the Schneider family.
He had stood his ground against the transcendental entity known as Galloping Death to protect his home. He had stepped forward with dignity to shield his people.
[Galloping Death. You shall not set foot upon my precious territory unless you step over my cold, dead body.]
At those words, Galloping Death was deeply moved, holding the great swordsman’s courage in high regard and saying…
[I accept your challenge, Double Dragon.]
And so, the two engaged in a duel.
It was truly a scene out of myth.
Though their duel took place far from the territory, the aftershocks of their battle were so fierce that they were felt not only in the Schneider lands but also in the neighboring eastern territories. Terrifying roars and impacts that felt as if heaven and earth were collapsing echoed incessantly.
The duel ended only after a whirlwind was seen soaring high into the sky.
As for the result…
"Galloping Death brought the Young Lord back himself and said, 'I cannot kill this great and courageous swordsman. This duel is my defeat.'"
"Woooow…"
"That’s so cool."
The children’s eyes glazed over with wonder. The adult explaining the story continued.
"And then Galloping Death said, 'As the price of my defeat, I shall recognize the pioneer city you have built and the lands beneath it.'"
"Really?"
"Yes. That is why we can live so peacefully here in the pioneer city of Ava. Do you understand?"
"Yeeees!"
"Yeeees!"
The woman watching the cute children answer in unison was a teacher. She was in charge of basic education for the children in the pioneer city of Ava.
Ding. Ding.
The sound of a bell rang out. The teacher gathered her illustrated materials and spoke to the children.
"Alright, that’s all for today. See you all tomorrow."
"Yes, Teacher!"
"Goodbye!"
This was the pioneer city of Ava, the most peaceful city within the Great Forest.
A year had already passed since the duel between Patrick and the White Tiger. Peace reigned here.
* * *
Over the past year, the Schneider territory had undergone a total transformation.
The territory’s growth rate had always been phenomenally fast. When Patrick was a child, it was little more than a rural village, but by the time he returned, it had become a proper city with a population of over 50,000.
However, the changes over the last year had been so massive they eclipsed the progress of the previous decade.
The pioneer city of Ava, carved out of the Great Forest, had fully established itself. With a stable transportation network secured through the Moana River waterways, countless people had settled there.
Jobs were overflowing. People could farm the vast agricultural lands along the Moana River or make a living processing byproducts harvested from the monsters of the Great Forest.
The development speed of the industrial city of Ava was truly terrifying. Within a year of its founding, its population exceeded 80,000. Combined with the population of the main Schneider city, nearly 200,000 people had migrated to the region.
The sudden population spike was partly due to last year’s Great Famine.
The East originally had little arable land and had to import food from outside. But when the Great Famine struck, food prices skyrocketed. To make matters worse, it was a time of war. With major conflicts erupting across the continent involving the Benator Empire and the Saint Louis Holy Church State, food prices reached insane levels.
As prices soared, other eastern territories fell into a severe crisis. Not only were the commoners starving, but even the lords' vassals had to ration their food—a testament to how dire the situation was.
In the midst of this, the vast farmlands along the Moana River became a beacon of hope.
Utilizing Orc labor and the assistance of the Elves, the farmlands produced a staggering amount of barley and wheat. The yield was enough to feed not only the entire East but the whole Atronia Kingdom, with enough surplus left over for export.
Naturally, the Schneider territory acted like a vacuum, sucking in the population of the East. Abundant food in the middle of a famine—it was a condition that made population growth inevitable.
And everyone who newly joined the Schneider territory couldn't help but be shocked. In the slow-developing and remote East, only the Schneider territory had advanced as if it belonged to a completely different world.
The high castle walls and neatly arranged new buildings were one thing. The large fountain decorated with beautiful sculptures in the wide central plaza was another. But…
"Karotus, what brings you here?"
"I’ve come to deliver some fruit."
"Ah. Just leave it over there."
What was that?
Unless their eyes were playing tricks on them, that blonde youth with pointed ears looked exactly like an Elf. And it wasn't just Elves.
"An… Orc?"
In the distance, a green, muscular giant was walking by with a massive Troll carcass slung over his shoulder. He was unmistakably an Orc. Human children ran past him, giggling and playing, and no one seemed to think it was dangerous.
While Orcs were defined as an otherworldly race, they were technically servants of Kalaron. Consequently, most people feared them, treating them as half-monsters. Yet, in this territory, people lived their lives alongside Orcs as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And…
"Excuse me, sir. May I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"What is that tower being built in the center over there?"
"That? Ah, you must be from out of town."
The man nodded understandingly and replied.
"That is the Tower of the Sages."
"The Sages… as in the Seven Sages of Truth?"
"Yes. They are building their tower here."
"Haha… but aren't those great men residing in foreign lands?"
"Not anymore. Three of the Seven Sages have decided to reside in our territory. They said there’s much to research within the Great Forest or something like that."
The man chuckled and went on his way.
The new immigrants left behind realized then that this place was truly on a different level.
Population, city scale, infrastructure, economic power… The Schneider territory had emerged as the heart of the East in every aspect.
If Baron Schneider—now a Viscount—were to draw in other eastern nobles and form a faction, ousting Count Parmas from his position as Margrave would be child's play. Of course, no one expected the Schneider lord to actually do such a thing.
However, no matter how indifferent he was to political factions, the King could not simply ignore him given the current growth and value of the Schneider territory.
And so, today.
"In consideration of his past merits, I hereby promote Viscount Jeycol Schneider to the rank of Count."
The royal envoy, sent by the King’s command, read the appointment decree in a solemn voice. With this, Viscount Schneider became Count Schneider.
"Congratulations, Count."
"Hahaha. I suppose it was bound to happen."
"Indeed. Who could ignore your contributions when you are supplying food to the entire Atronia Kingdom?"
It was true. Setting everything else aside, if the food supply from the Moana River were cut off, the King himself would have to rush to the Schneider territory and beg them to reconsider. That was how much House Schneider had grown.
"If only the Young Lord were here on such a wonderful day…"
At that moment, someone’s comment chilled the atmosphere.
Count Schneider, who had been smiling awkwardly while receiving congratulations, also stiffened, his eyes eventually turning red. A pale hand holding a handkerchief reached out to his eyes.
"Don't worry, dear."
His beloved wife comforted him, wiping away his tears.
"He’s our son, isn't he? He’ll be back soon."
Ava’s words were the hope shared by everyone in the room.
* * *
In the room with the best sunlight in the Schneider manor, a man lay on a wide bed.
This man, who lay perfectly still without moving a finger, his breath shallow and long, was Patrick Schneider.
Despite being bedridden for so long, his appearance was immaculate. His hair and beard weren't overgrown or messy; he was clean and well-groomed. This was because someone was devotedly nursing him by his side.
That someone was currently holding Patrick’s hand tightly, her head resting on the bed with her eyes closed.
'She must be exhausted.'
A man who entered the room saw the scene and gave a bitter smile.
"Senior."
"Ah… Matthew?"
The one who opened her eyes and sat up was Isabella. She looked at Matthew and asked, "How was the graduation ceremony?"
"It was just… whatever."
Matthew had recently traveled to White Town for his Academy graduation and had just returned. He hadn't really wanted to go, but he had no choice. He had been chosen to give the speech as the valedictorian.
"Normally, this guy should have been the one doing it," Matthew said, glancing at Patrick.
Isabella smiled. "I wonder. Would the professors have actually let him?"
"……."
True. That was a valid question.
Valedictorian Patrick Schneider. Just hearing those words was enough to make anyone anxious about what kind of disaster might occur.
But still…
"I wouldn't care if he caused a scene, I just wish he’d wake up already…"
"……."
At Matthew’s words, Isabella only offered a bitter smile.
"Oh, and this is yours, Senior."
Matthew handed Isabella a graduation certificate. Not only Matthew, but Isabella had also graduated this time. Normally, she should have graduated much earlier, but she had been delaying it for certain reasons. However, the Academy saw no reason not to graduate her after her outstanding performance in the Arcana.
"Honestly, you should have been the valedictorian, not me."
"It’s fine. I’m not going back to the capital anyway."
Isabella refused flatly. Recently, the Royal Family had ordered her return. Seeing no sign of Patrick’s recovery, they intended to break the engagement. Promoting the Schneider lord to Count was, in fact, a form of compensation for that. They were offering the carrot of a promotion before wielding the whip of a broken engagement.
But Isabella had refused the order to return. For a princess to refuse a direct command from the King was a serious matter. But she didn't care.
"I’m staying here."
A faint smile played on her lips as she stroked Patrick’s hair.
Who would ever call this person the Vampire Princess?
Pale skin and black hair. A beauty so striking it stole one's gaze. But because her expression was always unchanging, the Academy juniors called her the Rose Carved from Ice, or the Vampire Princess.
Yet, the woman before Matthew’s eyes was simply a devoted lady waiting for her loved one to wake up.
Matthew gave a wry smile and asked, "Where are the other two?"
"Where they always are."
"The Great Forest, then."
April and Elione. While Isabella stayed by Patrick’s side, they were doing their best elsewhere.
First, April. She had taken off her maid uniform. Instead, she donned armor and joined the Double Dragon Knights. The moment she joined, Sanson tried to yield the position of Captain to her, but she refused. Instead, she took the position of Vice-Captain. And then…
[This tragedy happened because we were weak. I will ensure it never happens again. From today on, hate me and curse me.]
With those words, she began to drive the knights. It was even more intense than when Patrick used to train them. Patrick had pushed them to the level of "you won't die, but you'll wish you did," but April was much simpler.
Get strong, or die.
She drove them as if she truly didn't care if they died. Thanks to her, the daily lives of the Double Dragon Knights turned into a living hell, but they grew undeniably stronger. The strange thing was that not a single person gave up or left during the process. They had all felt the same helplessness during the stampede.
And then there was Elione. She, too, had been driven to despair by her own powerlessness that day. She called upon those among the Elf warriors who had received the Aura Blessing from Patrick and formed a Royal Guard. Since her brother Kilios was the King, she was now royalty, and forming a guard was technically appropriate. However…
[We live only for Lord Patrick, and we die only for Lord Patrick. Is that understood? If he tells you to die and you do not, I will kill you myself.]
The object of loyalty for the guard she recruited was not herself, but Patrick.
Well, there was a justification. Patrick currently carried the seed of the World Tree within his body. In this state, Patrick’s life was a treasure the Elves wouldn't trade for the entire world. Thus, forming a guard to protect him was only natural.
There were many applicants, but Elione aimed for a small elite force and selected thirty. She put them through fierce, practical combat training to temper them.
In the end, both had the same goal. They had despaired at their own weakness when they couldn't follow Patrick as he fought the White Tiger one-on-one. They were now training like madmen to ensure they would never experience that again.
In fact, whenever they had time, the two would head into the Great Forest to engage in sparring matches that were indistinguishable from real combat. April, who had inherited Patrick’s swordsmanship, and Elione, who possessed top-tier skills even among Elven Knights—the only place they could clash at full power was the Great Forest.
Some even claimed that the reason no monsters were seen near the pioneer city of Ava wasn't because of Galloping Death’s promise, but because these two periodically destroyed everything in the vicinity during their violent duels.
Regardless, everyone was spending the time without Patrick Schneider in their own way.
Matthew looked down at Patrick lying on the bed and muttered, "The bastard who slathered mustard on his luck…"
Even while sleeping with his eyes closed, the guy had a talent for pissing people off.
Anyway, I really wish you’d just wake up already…