Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Same Bed, Different Dreams (1)
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Only after hearing my father’s words did the memory come back to me.
Sophia Russell.
The eldest daughter of the Russell Viscount family and Demian’s former fiancée.
She was a woman so beautiful that there wasn’t a soul in the west who didn’t know her name.
‘She was too good for someone like me.’
She was no woman that a good-for-nothing like Demian Haksen could dare lay a hand on.
Even so, the reason Demian Haksen had been able to get engaged to Sophia Russell was due to a promise made between their grandfathers.
The previous Viscount Haksen and Viscount Russell had agreed to marry off their children to each other once they were born.
But both children turned out to be boys. As such, their promise was pushed back a generation to their grandchildren.
Thanks to that, Demian Haksen had been able to pluck the flower everyone coveted without any real hardship.
‘Unlike me, Sophia Russell hated it with a passion.’
Sophia Russell did not welcome the engagement.
Demian Haksen had no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and his behavior was utterly deplorable for a wastrel like him.
That was why, even after the engagement, the two never grew close.
‘Then the previous Viscount Russell passed away... and they unilaterally declared the broken engagement.’
After the previous Viscount Russell’s death, the Russell Viscount family notified them of the breakup out of the blue.
Upon hearing the news, Demian flew into a rage and stormed over to the Russell Viscount family.
And that was when he saw it.
Sophia Russell acting all friendly next to some strange man.
“Sophia, who’s that guy getting mad at us?”
“The fiancé I told you about before.”
“Oh, that wastrel?”
Enraged, Demian charged at the man.
And he got beaten within an inch of his life.
“A brainless puppet not even worth the name dares come at me?”
“I was going to send you off quietly for Sophia’s sake, but that’s not happening.”
“I’ll make sure you never show your face in front of me or Sophia again.”
Despite his young age, the man was a low-class expert.
There was no way Demian Haksen, who got thrashed even by commoners, could win against him.
“Demian! What happened?!”
“Lu, Luise! Hurry and get the potions! Hurry!”
My father protested to the Russell Viscount family about the assault on Demian, but all he got back was mockery.
“It’s all because you failed to raise him right.”
“Even bugs know to pick their opponents. What confidence did Demian have to charge in like that?”
“To think we almost married our Sophia off to a family like this—it makes my blood boil.”
Viscount Haksen was so furious that he nearly went to confront the Russell Viscount family himself.
But the family held him back. It was because of Sophia’s new lover.
The Haksen Viscount family had no means to handle a low-class powerhouse.
“If it’s a mounted combat tournament, not only Sophia Russell but her new lover will show up too. What if you see them and can’t hold back your anger?”
My father said with a serious face.
It wasn’t about worrying that Demian might get into trouble again.
With Demian’s skills, he could cut down a mere knight in one stroke.
That was the problem.
Killing someone at an event hosted by Count Copperhead?
The Copperhead Count family wouldn’t stand for it.
“Father, I have no lingering attachments to Sophia anymore.”
In truth, Demian not only had no attachments—he could barely even remember Sophia Russell’s face.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Please believe me.”
That much was true.
“You’re really sure you won’t cause any trouble?”
“Yes.”
But from here on, it was a lie.
‘Dare to lay hands on my body?’
Even Demian himself knew he wasn’t a great catch as a fiancé. He’d feel the same if the roles were reversed.
But that was that, and this was this.
‘And dare to insult our family?’
Above all, what he couldn’t tolerate was the fact that the Russell Viscount family had mocked his father and house.
He could tolerate insults aimed at himself!
But insults to the family? Absolutely not!
For these reasons, Demian planned to bury those two this time around.
“Even if I see those two, the situation Father is worried about will never happen.”
But no matter what he felt inside, he had to lie right now.
He needed his father’s permission first to head to the Copperhead Count family.
“Dear, if Demian says so, trust him a little.”
“That’s right. Has Demian disappointed you lately, Father?”
Mother and my older sister, who had been watching from behind, chimed in.
With both of them weighing in, Viscount Haksen had no choice but to throw up his hands.
“Fine. I permit your participation.”
Demian’s face lit up at his father’s approval.
Demian slung an arm around Abel’s neck and said,
“Did you hear that, Abel? We can go together. Lucky, huh?”
“What’s lucky about it! I’d be fine even if you didn’t come, big brother!”
“You rascal, saying what you don’t mean.”
Viscount Haksen looked at his two sons with eyes full of concern.
Unable to stand it any longer, his wife poked her husband’s side and said,
“You too—don’t you trust Demian at all?”
“It’s not about that.”
“Then what is it?”
At his wife’s question, Viscount Haksen said with a grave expression.
“Demian... hasn’t he gotten quite famous lately?”
“That’s true. Whenever I go to those gatherings, all the noble ladies ask about Demian.”
Lady Haksen often gathered with her noble friends to chat.
Thanks to that, she knew just how much of a hot topic Demian was.
“But he’s become famous too quickly, and he’s never shown his face at a single social event until now, right?”
“That’s true.”
“So this would be his debut, wouldn’t it?”
“W-Well, sort of?”
“You think the other nobles will just sit quietly?”
“Ah.”
Lady Haksen finally realized what her husband was worried about.
* * *
Viscount Haksen immediately sent a letter to the Copperhead Count family.
The letter sincerely congratulated Lady Olivia on her birthday and expressed a desire to participate in the upcoming mounted combat tournament.
A few days later, they received a reply welcoming his participation.
Demian Haksen was entering the mounted combat tournament hosted by the Copperhead Count family!
The news spread like wildfire across the entire west.
It didn’t matter who leaked it. All eyes in the west were already on Demian Haksen.
Lately, western nobles couldn’t gather without the conversation blooming into talk of Demian Haksen.
“Did you all hear? Sir Demian Haksen is participating in the Copperhead Count family’s mounted combat tournament!”
Whenever two or more noble ladies got together, they always talked about Demian Haksen.
“Isn’t Sir Demian Haksen the knight who made the Ryanbloom Marquis family’s crown prince submit without even drawing his sword?”
“The marquis family’s crown prince is a genius among geniuses. And he beat him?”
“That’s why it’s even more impressive. Isn’t it just so cool?”
There was no topic that stirred noble ladies’ interest quite like a young, capable knight.
“And according to the info I dug up, he’s quite handsome too.”
“Oh my, oh my.”
On top of that, he was a hunk, so the noble ladies chattered excitedly about Demian Haksen.
“Why didn’t someone so outstanding stay with the Gold Pixie Duke family?”
“Maybe it’s because he couldn’t find a lady worthy of his loyalty. That’s why he’s wandering the world.”
“Oh my, oh my.”
It was absurd fantasy, but that hardly mattered.
The ladies let their imaginations run wild.
In their delusions, Demian Haksen had become a supremely skilled yet lonely and solitary wolf.
“Then the reason he’s entering this tournament must be...”
“No doubt about it. He’s courting Lady Olivia.”
At the mention of Lady Olivia, the noble ladies’ faces fell.
Olivia Copperhead was a beauty known as the flower of the west.
And with the powerful backing of the Copperhead Count family to boot.
She was the dream of every knight.
“There’s no guarantee those two will become lovers. That means we still have a chance, right?”
At those words, the ladies’ eyes lit up.
“That’s right. You never know with matters of the heart.”
“Lady Olivia may be beautiful, but she might not be Sir Demian’s type.”
The ladies began fervently discussing ways to catch Demian Haksen’s eye.
* * *
Of course, not all reactions to Demian Haksen were positive.
“Demian Haksen is participating in the mounted combat tournament!”
“That wastrel is coming?”
Not a few western nobles who had looked into Demian Haksen had learned of his past as well.
“Didn’t he just get beat up and kicked out of a tavern not long ago?”
“They say his fiancée’s family dumped him unilaterally because he was beyond saving.”
“How could a guy like that beat the Ryanbloom Marquis family’s crown prince?”
Those who knew Demian Haksen’s past couldn’t help but doubt.
Whether Demian Haksen was really as impressive as rumored.
“This is our chance to uncover what he’s really made of!”
“If he’s a fraud, we won’t let him get away with it!”
And so, nobles from across the west began flocking to the mounted combat tournament.
All because of one man: Demian Haksen.
***
The small city of Rivercross.
In a high-class tavern there.
“Jackson, say ahh.”
A young woman picked up a piece of fruit with her fork and held it out.
The sharp-featured man puckered his lips and took the fruit.
“Mmm, sweet and refreshing. Sophia, it tastes even better because you’re feeding it to me.”
“Oh, you think I’d be happy hearing such an obvious line?”
The woman, Sophia Russell, giggled as she sat on the man’s lap.
“What next? Grapes? Apple? Just say the word.”
“More importantly, Sophia, did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“They’re holding a mounted combat tournament at the Copperhead Count family.”
At the man—Jackson Cutter’s—words, Sophia Russell racked her brain. She vaguely recalled city ladies gossiping about it.
“Oh, yeah, I think I heard. They’re holding it to celebrate the eldest daughter’s birthday, right?”
“I heard it’s also to find her suitor.”
“Ah, that explains why all the nobles are crowding the smithies and dress shops.”
Olivia Copperhead.
The count family’s eldest daughter was famous not just for her stunning looks, called the flower of the west.
But also for her incredible background with the Copperhead Count family.
She was everything a man could desire.
“But why bring that up? Why talk about another woman in front of me?”
Sophia Russell said with a pout.
Jackson Cutter waved his hands in explanation.
“No, it’s not that. I heard Demian Haksen is entering that tournament.”
At those words, Sophia Russell frowned for a moment.
Demian Haksen? She only knew one Demian Haksen.
“No way... that wastrel is entering the mounted combat tournament?”
Sophia Russell reacted with disbelief.
In fact, until recently, Sophia Russell had completely forgotten about Demian Haksen.
To be precise, she’d tried hard to forget. He was that insignificant.
“For that fraud to enter a mounted combat tournament? Ridiculous.”
Then one day, rumors about Demian Haksen started circulating.
He’d slain a black mage, smashed a massive organization in Landwalk City, made the Ryanbloom Marquis family’s crown prince submit.
Sophia Russell didn’t believe a single one.
Because they were outlandish?
That too, but the main reason was she knew exactly what kind of man Demian Haksen was.
The Demian Haksen in her memory was a worthless nobody with zero redeeming qualities.
Sophia Russell was convinced he’d spread the fake rumors himself.
“You think so too, right? Same here. When I heard, I couldn’t believe it.”
Jackson Cutter let out a hollow laugh.
That was when it happened.
“Ugh, uugh...”
A groan came from the floor. Jackson Cutter looked down.
Surprisingly, more than five grown men lay sprawled on the ground.
From the calluses on their palms and the swords at their waists, they were no ordinary folk.
Definitely knights.
“You... you bastard...”
One of the knights lifted his head and glared at Jackson Cutter.
“W-What is this! Why did you attack us?!”
“Why? You threw a pickup line at Sophia first.”
Jackson Cutter wrapped an arm around Sophia Russell’s waist. She didn’t resist his touch.
“Pickup line? Pickup line?!”
Gritting his teeth, the knight yelled.
“What pickup line did I throw! I bumped into her on the street, apologized, glanced at her face—that’s it! How’s that a pickup line?!”
“Sophia, hear that? He bumps into you on purpose and makes excuses.”
“Hmph, it’s even more pathetic seeing an incompetent guy like him lie.”
The knight was so flabbergasted by their exchange that he was at a loss for words.
“You dare insult me like this? Do you know who I am? From the Dolphin Viscount family...”
“Ah, no need. Why bother remembering weaklings like you.”
“Hey, weakling? You spouting off from that loose mouth... guk!”
Jackson Cutter stepped on the knight’s hand with a disgusted look. The knight groaned.
“You’re a low-class, right? The rest are quasi-knights? Five of you ganged up on one guy—me—and got wrecked. Have the shame to shut up. Why keep yapping?”
Jackson Cutter pressed his foot harder on the knight’s hand. The groans grew louder.
“Just one question. Do you know who I am?”
“How the hell would I know who you are!”
“Don’t be like that—look closely. You’ll figure it out.”
Jackson Cutter grabbed the knight by the hair and yanked his head up.
Forced to, the knight stared at Jackson Cutter’s face.
“Let go right now! I’d love to rip you limb from limb!”
But the knight just spat curses, unable to recognize him.
Jackson Cutter sighed and released the hair.
“Sophia, does this make sense? No one recognizes me.”
“Jackson... no, it’s just this guy being a dumb idiot.”
Sophia said with a pitying look.
Truth be told, Jackson Cutter wasn’t entirely unknown. He had a title of his own.
Ogre Slayer.
A moniker given for hunting an ogre—the king of the forest—solo.
Hunting a dangerous monster like an ogre alone was a remarkable feat.
But the title “Ogre Slayer” wasn’t all that famous.
Monster hunting just didn’t capture people’s interest.
“Look at Demian Haksen. Everyone knows him, unlike me. They yap about that punk without knowing what he’s really like.”
Like Sophia Russell, Jackson Cutter didn’t believe the rumors about Demian Haksen one bit.
He’d met Demian Haksen in person, after all.
No, more than that—he’d even fought him.
“Can’t let this slide. I need to talk to my master.”
“Huh? Talk about what?”
“I’m entering the mounted combat tournament. I’ll go there and show everyone exactly how amazing this knight is. And...”
A steely resolve gleamed in Jackson Cutter’s eyes.
“How worthless Demian Haksen really is.”