Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Translator: Penny
Chapter 21
"Ugh..." Wolfgang groaned.
In his dream, he had been battling a colossal humanoid monster.
The creature, larger than anything he had ever seen, remained completely unfazed by Wolfgang's strongest attacks.
It almost seemed to be deliberately provoking his strikes.
How long had this struggle lasted?
Heh heh heh, I like this. Now I'll get serious.
Wolfgang's mind reeled.
Until now, he had been fighting the monster with every ounce of his strength.
His stamina had long been depleted, and for the past while, he had been clinging to consciousness through sheer willpower.
Die, Wolfgang.
The monster raised a fist the size of a boulder and hurled it at him like an arrow.
"H-hiii..."
"Eeeek!"
Thump.
Wolfgang groaned and kicked off the blanket, sitting up abruptly.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
He blinked, cold sweat beading at his jawline.
It had been a dream.
Wolfgang slowly turned his gaze around the room, a place he had never seen before.
"Awake?"
Wolfgang flinched as if he had been caught hiding from a monster, whipping his head around.
Agron sat upright in a chair beside the bed, watching him.
"Ah... Your Excellency, Count."
"Hmm, I'm glad you seem to be alright."
"Huh? Ah..."
At Agron's words, Wolfgang began to piece together his actual memories, realizing it hadn't been a dream after all.
He distinctly remembered fighting Agron at the banquet.
A fierce—or, upon reflection, perhaps not so fierce—exchange of blows had occurred. As Wolfgang, exhausted from exerting all his strength, faced his opponent, the man said:
"I acknowledge you as a warrior. Shall we get serious now?"
With that, a solid iron fist came hurtling toward him, and Wolfgang's memory abruptly cut off.
"D-did I... pass out?"
"Your jawbone was shattered."
"Huh...?"
Wolfgang panicked and immediately checked his jawbone.
The bone felt exactly as it always had.
"Fortunately, we have an excellent Daoist and Vampir—well, a blood transfusion expert—who repaired it seamlessly."
"Ah, thank you..."
"I never imagined one punch would do that. And I wasn't even using my full strength. You understand, right?"
"Huh...?"
Wolfgang stared blankly, his face a picture of dumbfoundedness.
He had given his all, pushing himself to the point of exhaustion, pouring every ounce of strength and stamina into the fight.
Yet his opponent claimed to have only gotten serious at the very end, and even that final punch hadn't been his full power.
How was he supposed to process this reality?
"Anyway, I'm glad you've recovered so well."
"Excuse me, how long was I unconscious?"
"The banquet ended the day before yesterday. By the calendar, you've been out for three days."
Wolfgang stroked his rough, stubble-covered face, trying to make sense of this nightmarish outcome.
For the first time in his life, Wolfgang had lost a physical fight.
And not just lost—he had been utterly defeated.
I don't even feel resentful.
Wolfgang felt a mix of relief and disappointment, tinged with curiosity.
Just how strong is this man?
"Your Excellency, Count," Wolfgang said.
"Hmm? What is it?" Agron replied.
"If this were a real battle, and Your Excellency were fighting at full strength... how would you have defeated an opponent like me?"
"Hmm..." Agron stroked his chin, considering the question.
Lacking the tact to sugarcoat his words or the skill to lie, he answered bluntly.
"It would depend on the circumstances. But in a real battle, I would have crushed your skull with my bare hands."
"What? Is that even possible?"
"...Shall I demonstrate?"
In an instant, a raw, savage aura erupted from Agron's entire being, surging forth like a wild beast.
Wolfgang, meeting Agron's piercing, icy blue gaze, trembled violently and fell off the bed.
Ah, I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die...!
He had never encountered such murderous intent and terrifying ferocity before.
Just then, Agron reined in his surging aura, approached Wolfgang, and helped him up.
"Have you experienced enough?"
Wolfgang nodded vigorously.
He had just experienced something akin to death itself.
If Agron had truly intended to kill him, Wolfgang wouldn't have been able to lift a finger.
He dropped to one knee.
He would never encounter someone as powerful as this again.
Wolfgang, his resolve firm, opened his mouth with a solemn expression.
"Your Excellency! I, Wolfgang von Ulfert, pledge to fight at the vanguard under your banner, risking my life for your cause!"
"Hmm."
Despite the sudden declaration, Agron remained composed and replied without hesitation.
"I, Agron von Veilain, will cherish you as I cherish my own life, and as your master, I promise to always treat you with the respect you deserve."
"Thank you, Your Excellency!"
"And this is a different ritual."
"Huh?"
Agron knelt on one knee beside Wolfgang, gently cupped his head, and pressed his forehead against Wolfgang's.
"As a great warrior of the Snow Spirit Labyrinth and the inheritor of the Silent Storm's blade, I recognize you as a fellow warrior."
"...?"
"Hmm, that's settled."
Agron rose from his seat with a satisfied smile.
"What did you just do?"
"It means I acknowledge you as a warrior."
Wolfgang felt an unexpected surge of emotion, his eyes welling up with tears.
It was said that a knight's greatest joy came from finding a Master who recognized his worth.
Agron detached one of the sharp teeth from his necklace and handed it to Wolfgang.
"If you encounter any warriors from the North—the Barbaroi, as they're called here—show them this tooth and speak my name."
"I, I understand."
Wolfgang replied with a dazed expression, resolving to cherish the tooth as a precious keepsake.
A peculiar rumor had recently spread throughout the Kingdom of Astraria.
"Duke, have you heard the news?"
Nobles attending a banquet gathered in small groups, discussing the latest rumor that had been circulating.
"What news are you referring to? The rumor about Viscount Gollain's affair?"
"Pshaw, that's hardly news. I'm talking about Baron Wolfgang's recent defeat."
"What? Baron Wolfgang? Isn't he the current wrestling champion of the Kingdom?"
"And that's not all. He's also the reigning champion of no-rules combat."
Among the central nobility, there was no one who didn't know Wolfgang's name.
Though combat sports lacked the prestige and honor associated with knightly pursuits, they remained a popular form of entertainment among the aristocracy.
"Wolfgang can win even in a two-on-one fight... Who could have defeated him? Could it be the champion of the Kazandor Empire?"
"That's precisely why everyone's in such a frenzy. The opponent was none other than a Count of our Kingdom!"
"Preposterous! Are you lying?"
Those hearing this for the first time refused to believe it, assuming it was a joke.
After all, such a thing was simply impossible.
"Hush now, it's true. Viscount Alfonso was present at the scene. Let him tell you himself."
"Viscount Alfonso, is this true?"
"Yes, it is."
He recounted every detail of the banquet he had attended, leaving nothing out.
As the story grew more dramatic, nobles gathered one by one until Alfonso found himself standing on a makeshift podium, addressing the crowd.
"...In that instant, Count Agron's fist swung out, sending Baron Wolfgang flying several meters before he crashed into the wall and collapsed."
"Ooooooh—"
"Unbelievable! Absolutely insane!"
"This is utterly preposterous!"
The nobles, forgetting their dignity in their excitement, couldn't contain their admiration. A thrilling sensation, like hearing an ancient myth or heroic tale, swept through them.
"So, what happened next?"
"The crowd was stunned into silence by the sheer magnitude of the event. Who could have imagined Baron Wolfgang being knocked flat like that?"
At that moment, men who appeared to be Count Agron's retainers rushed to Baron Wolfgang's side. One was an elderly mage dressed in foreign robes, and the other was... ahem, a woman whose beauty surpassed that of anyone else present."
Alfonso blushed slightly as he reached this part of his account.
In truth, every man at the scene had been too captivated by the woman to even glance at Wolfgang.
The milky-white skin visible beneath the crimson dress, the fist-sized face framed by silk-like golden hair, and the blood-red eyes and lips had mercilessly shaken the hearts of countless men.
"Anyway, Baron Wolfgang's jaw was shattered. His lower face was completely covered in blood."
"Whoa—that's incredible!"
"So, Your Excellency, the Count, became the new champion?"
"What are you saying?! Would a noble of the Kingdom's esteemed lineage participate in such a vulgar competition? This must have been a proper duel between nobles."
"I'd like to see his face sometime. Huh, someone who can defeat Wolfgang?"
The crowd couldn't contain their excitement, buzzing with lively discussions.
Similar incidents continued to occur at every noble banquet, and before he knew it, Agron had become an overnight sensation among the central aristocracy.
Agron tried to pay Luna, but she adamantly refused.
Having already received advance payments from numerous nobles for banquet contracts, she had earned more than enough to cover her losses and still turn a profit.
Instead of money, she asked Agron to entrust her with all his future banquets.
"Are you sure that's enough?"
"Absolutely! If Your Excellency, Count, grants me this, it would be the greatest reward I could ask for."
"Hmm, very well. I'll entrust all future banquets to you."
"Thank you! On behalf of the Deiron Merchant Guild, I promise to always give my best!"
Agron didn't understand her motives, but since that's what she wanted, he agreed.
"Hmm."
With Luna's payment settled and Wolfgang healed and sent back, Agron felt a sense of closure.
Agron recalled the events of the banquet.
He wasn't physically or mentally exhausted, but spending the entire day in uncomfortable formal attire, forced to mingle with non-warriors, had left him restless and weary.
He reviewed the list of attending nobles compiled by the Majordomo and Secretary, adding personal notes beside each name—his own impressions from direct conversations and interactions.
"Well, it seems you've become a proper noble now."
"Master has always been noble at heart," Elena retorted sharply, glaring at Baek Woon.
"Hmm, still, shouldn't we use honorifics for elders?" Agron suggested.
Elena's brow furrowed slightly. "I have no desire to show respect to anyone but my Master. Besides, I'm far older than this little brat."
It was true.
Baek Woon was somewhere between sixty and seventy years old, while Elena had lived five or six times longer.
"I see. I'll continue calling you 'little one' from now on."
"As you wish, My Master."
Hearing this exchange, Baek Woon grunted and approached Agron, whispering, "Hey, Agron... you should mediate this."
"Huh? I already did."
"I'm still an old man, and I look older too..."
"Elder, are you counting wrinkles as age?"
"No, not exactly, but..."
"She's five times older than you. We can't just ignore that, can we?"
Baek Woon sighed in exasperation at Agron's words.
Even though he was old, being spoken to so casually by someone who looked so young felt absurd.
"Can't we just ignore age for once?"
"A fivefold difference... Is that really acceptable?"
"Of course! Life throws you curveballs sometimes."
"Hmm, I understand, Baek Woon. I'll order Elena to do as you say."
"W-what the hell?!"
"What's wrong? You said we could ignore the fivefold age difference."
"Not between you and me! I meant between me and that woman!"
"Hey, kid! If you speak down to me again instead of addressing the Master properly, I won't forgive you!"
"G-gwaaaah!"
Baek Woon gripped his staff and stormed out of the room.
"Why is that kid acting like that?"
"I don't know either. He has a bit of a temper. Just try to understand him."
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny