Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Earldom (2)
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The news that the Viscount Haksen family had been elevated to a countship spread throughout the entire west in an instant.
Upon hearing the news, the nobles of the west began to boil over.
From the nobles' perspective, the Viscount Haksen family had far too many shortcomings to be promoted to a countship.
"Until just a little while ago, they were a nothing of a family holed up somewhere—who do they think they are becoming counts?"
"They say the Haksen family's entire fortune is a tiny wheat field. How could a family that small be elevated to a countship!"
"I hear they don't even have a single knight, let alone guards! How could a family like that become counts!"
In truth, the Haksen family wasn't as small as they imagined.
Olivia Copperhead had taken half the family's land when she became independent, and above all, there was Demian Haksen.
The Mid-Class realm, connections with the Church, the hero who thwarted a rebellion.
When one considered Demian Haksen's achievements, there was nothing strange about the Viscount Haksen family receiving a countship.
But human jealousy had a way of narrowing one's thinking.
"It's just that one son did well, and now the whole family gets to live large."
"Without Demian Haksen, they'd be nothing."
The western nobles began to badmouth the Viscount Haksen family and Demian Haksen as if they were separate entities.
There was another reason why the western nobles' reactions were particularly intense.
"What if this means the Viscount Haksen family is about to become the new great noble house?"
Great noble wasn't an officially appointed title.
It was more like an honor bestowed upon the most powerful family in the region.
But nobles were the type to obsess over such things.
There were definite benefits that came with the prestige.
Originally, the Copperhead Count family had held the position of great noble in the west.
But the Copperhead Counts had recently hosted a jousting tournament that got them entangled with black magic, landing them in major trouble.
Not only that, but their eldest daughter, Olivia Copperhead, had inherited half the land and become independent.
Now, the Copperhead Counts were little more than great nobles in name only.
As such, all the families with any real power in the west lately had been vying to become the next great noble house.
For such a family to suddenly hand a countship to the Viscount Haksens—it was no wonder they weren't taking it well.
Then one day, invitations arrived for the nobles.
The nobles who read the contents couldn't hide their bewilderment.
"What? A celebration banquet to commemorate receiving the countship?"
"This Viscount Haksen must have lost his mind completely!"
The nobles' reactions were like pouring oil on a fire.
"Everyone! Look! The Viscount Haksens are openly revealing their ambitions!"
"Why else would they invite us? To scout families to become their vassals!"
"Viscount Haksen is clearly gunning for great noble status too!"
In the eyes of the western nobles, the Haksen family's actions looked like a declaration of intent to become the great noble house.
"These country bumpkins are overreaching."
"A man who managed a palm-sized wheat field holding a celebration banquet? What nonsense!"
"They must think it's some local village festival. The sheer audacity."
The western nobles began to mock the Viscount Haksen family's moves.
"I wonder if they even secured a proper venue for the banquet."
"Obviously, they'll just gather people at that rundown mansion of theirs."
"I hope they at least prepare decent food? What if we go and they serve us gruel or something?"
"And the music—how pathetic will that be? They wouldn't drag in some street circus troupe to perform, would they?"
"What I'm really curious about is what kind of ridiculous outfits they'll show up in. What would countryside folk know about fashion?"
The western nobles were convinced the celebration would be a complete disaster.
"I'm planning to attend. I'm dying to see just how pathetic it'll be."
"I feel the same. Can't miss out on entertainment this amusing."
The western nobles banded together.
As a result, the number of attendees for the celebration banquet only grew.
* * *
"So this is Spring Castle!"
While the western nobles were still fuming.
Demian and his family had arrived at the castle built on the Gargari Plains.
"Oh my, the castle is truly beautiful."
"Mother, look over there. Who on earth carved that?"
The family marveled nonstop as they toured Spring Castle.
Built relatively recently, Spring Castle took both functionality and aesthetics into account.
Its gleaming white walls were as beautiful as finely crafted porcelain.
Black roofs covered the spires in stark contrast.
At the main gate, an intricately carved statue stood ready to greet visitors.
"Demian! His Highness really said he's granting us this castle?"
Father—now Count Haksen—asked with an excited face.
Owning a castle was the dream of every noble.
But not just anyone could have one. They were exorbitantly expensive, costly to maintain, and one had to prove they deserved such a position.
To suddenly acquire such a magnificent castle for free—it was impossible not to be thrilled.
"It was clearly stated in the edict."
"His Highness truly has a generous spirit!"
The family toured the castle and headed to the banquet hall.
The grand hall, prepared for large parties, was incredibly spacious and ornate. It could easily accommodate hundreds.
"Oh my, holding the celebration banquet here would be so splendid!"
Mother beamed as she looked around the hall.
Count Haksen gazed at his wife with a pleased expression.
"By the way, my dear, what about the chefs and the orchestra?"
"Yes, Father. No need to worry. I've hired the very best."
Olivia answered Count Haksen's question right away.
"They're the ones the Copperhead Count family often called in. They've never received a single complaint."
As the Copperhead Count family's eldest daughter, Olivia had participated in many family events. Thanks to that, she had extensive connections in such matters.
"Everything's proceeding smoothly. The banquet should go off without a hitch."
Count Haksen looked greatly relieved. But Demian spoke as if that were nonsense.
"Father, we still have the most important task left."
"Hm? And what might that be?"
"We need to prepare tailcoats for the celebration banquet."
Count Haksen burst into loud laughter at Demian's words.
"Haha, you're underestimating your father. I already have a tailcoat, so no need to worry."
"That ragged old thing?"
Demian knew. All the tailcoats the family currently owned were worthless.
He had realized it on the day of the jousting tournament commemorative banquet, when Abel pulled out that worn tailcoat.
Stunned, he had asked what happened, and the answer was that they had borrowed Father's old tailcoat from his youth.
Because of Demian's past wastrel behavior that had drained the family finances, they didn't even have proper tailcoats.
"Ragged? This may not look like much, but it's from when your father was young and it was all the rage!"
"It's not just ragged—it's completely out of fashion too. If we show up in something like that, everyone will laugh at us."
People inevitably judged by appearances.
Especially among nobles, it was even more pronounced.
Demian had no intention of letting his family wear such outdated tailcoats.
"Hmm."
But Father still looked unconvinced.
Demian let out a small sigh. Come to think of it, Father had always been indifferent to his attire.
In cases like this, a different approach was needed.
"Don't Mother and Sister need new outfits too?"
Demian turned to the two women. Mother and Sister shyly chimed in.
"Dear, honestly, I'd like a new tailcoat too."
"Father, me too."
With the two of them weighing in, Count Haksen had no choice but to change his mind.
"Very well, Demian, we'll do as you say... But even if we commission them now, it'll take months."
Father said with a worried face.
Then Olivia spoke up.
"Father, don't worry about that. I'll track down a seamstress with some availability."
This time, Demian shook his head.
"We can't entrust outfits for an important occasion like the celebration banquet to just any random seamstress."
"But Uncle, then where will we even get them made?"
"There was a place called Moonlight Wave that seemed pretty good last time I checked."
The family all reacted with shock at Demian's words.
"Demian, you must not know what Moonlight Wave is."
"It's the most famous tailor shop in the west."
"You have to wait years for them to make your clothes."
The family each chimed in. Yet Demian wore a confident expression.
"No need for everyone to worry. I've already prepared a solution."
"A solution?"
They all looked at Demian with puzzled faces.
Only Abel grasped what he meant.
"Brother, you don't mean...!"
Demian nodded and said.
"There's no such thing as no deal when there's money involved."
* * *
Peter Lloyd, the owner of the Moonlight Wave tailor shop in Landwalk City, was enjoying a relaxing tea time with high-quality black tea.
"Mmm~ Ahh~."
A tea break after a hearty lunch.
It was Peter Lloyd's favorite time of day.
He could endure anything else, but nothing interrupted this rest.
Peter Lloyd approached the window with his tea in hand. Beyond the glass, he saw a sky thick with dark clouds.
"Looks like rain tomorrow. Should I get the umbrellas out in advance?"
As he observed the clouds, Peter Lloyd suddenly recalled a past memory.
It wasn't a pleasant one. Far from it—it was so infuriating it still made his blood boil.
"That day was just like this... exactly this weather...."
It had been months already, but it was still vivid.
That day, too, Peter Lloyd had been enjoying his tea time.
Then, out of nowhere, a strange man kicked the door open and barged in.
-You the guy who makes pretty good clothes?
Handsome face, but rotten attitude.
'Moonlight Wave' was the most famous tailor shop in the west.
Famous enough that nobles flocked to commission orders, with reservations backed up three years solid.
And this guy says, "makes pretty good clothes"? The most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.
-What can I do for you?
A customer was still a customer. Peter Lloyd suppressed his anger and responded.
-I need a tailcoat for a banquet.
-We're backed up right now, so you'll need to make a reservation.
-How long does a reservation take?
-With the backlog, at least three years before you can pick it up.
Peter Lloyd looked at the young man smugly.
To show that the 'Moonlight Wave' you'd dismissed so casually was actually this incredible....
-Takes too long. The banquet's right around the corner—I need it now.
The young man's words snapped him out of it. Peter Lloyd unwittingly frowned.
-Looks like you have a bunch of ready-made clothes here.
-No can do. All these clothes already have owners assigned.
Peter Lloyd stated firmly.
He'd gotten similar offers before but always turned them down.
Clothes made at Moonlight Wave were all custom-made.
They were born with owners already destined. He couldn't hand them over to someone else.
That was Peter Lloyd's creed....
The young man reached out his hand. A black hole appeared in midair, and gold coins poured out in a cascade.
-I'll pay three times the price.
Peter Lloyd gaped at the gold coins. He swallowed hard.
-N-No! We have customers waiting on reservations!
Peter Lloyd barely clung to his reason.
More gold coins tumbled from the hole. The pile dazzled his eyes.
-Five times.
-Which outfit shall I prepare for you?
In the end, Peter Lloyd couldn't resist the young man's wealth.
"That bastard made me break a conviction I'd upheld for decades...."
Even now, the thought filled him with rage.
He'd made a fortune, sure, but the effort to remake the clothes the young man took still made him shudder.
"I must have been crazy back then. No one will ever break my creed again."
It was then, as Peter Lloyd gazed at the dark clouds and vowed firmly.
"Excuse me."
Ding-a-ling. The tailor shop door opened. Peter Lloyd turned with a bright smile.
"Welcome. Elegantly and beautifully, like moonlight. Peter Lloyd, owner of Moonlight Wave...."
The moment he saw the customers, Peter Lloyd's eyes widened.
Peter Lloyd pointed a trembling finger at the customer.
"Y-You...!"
"Long time no see."
The young man from that day, Demian Haksen, grinned.
"Wh-What are you doing here...!"
"Why does anyone come to a tailor shop? To get clothes made."
Demian stepped aside, and four more people entered.
"Oh, so this is Moonlight Wave."
"My goodness, look at that outfit. It's gorgeous."
The group, who appeared to be Demian Haksen's family, scattered and began browsing the clothes.
Watching them, Peter Lloyd felt a bad premonition creeping up.
"We're planning a celebration banquet soon, so we need outfits made."
And sure enough, his premonition hit the mark.
"Uh, Moonlight Wave requires reservations to use our services!"
"Come on, same old story. Last time I saw you had plenty of ready-made ones."
"Those all have their owners already...."
"We'll pay plenty of money."
Demian Haksen created another hole in midair. Gold coins cascaded out.
"Five times."
Peter Lloyd's mind raced.
Six people total—selling at five times the price would be a massive profit.
"...No, we can't."
But Peter Lloyd had vowed never to abandon his creed again.
This time, he would firmly refuse....
"Seven times."
Even more gold coins poured out. Peter Lloyd let out a hollow laugh as if it were absurd.
"We'll serve you to the best of our ability! This way, please."
Since it was the same person bending his creed, he decided to call it invalid this time, as Peter Lloyd guided the family.