Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Translator: Penny
Chapter 50
The Banquet's Second Protagonist
When Agron and his group raided Kobuul and rescued Duke Belmond, Agron had searched the Branch Manager's room for traces of the Boss.
But he found nothing.
The only remaining clue was the stub of a cigar someone had smoked.
Using his keen senses, Agron absorbed the cigar's aroma like a sponge, meticulously analyzing its layered scents.
He wanted to be able to recognize the same fragrance instantly if he ever encountered it again.
Sniff.
The moment Duran lit his cigar and exhaled a plume of smoke, the scent molecules drifted through the air, stimulating Agron's olfactory receptors.
Agron immediately recognized that the cigar Duran was smoking was the same type he had smelled at Kobuul's hideout.
"According to Kobuul members I killed 'personally,' the Boss is a young, blond-haired noble of high rank."
"...What?"
Duran's forehead instantly became damp with cold sweat.
Agron's eyes followed the strands of Duran's golden hair, which clung to his forehead.
"Your hair color is beautiful, just like Lawrence's golden locks."
"..."
"Brothers who are alike yet different. Lawrence is a scoundrel, but he still knows where to draw the line."
Duran's face turned as pale as someone on the verge of fainting. He looked like a corpse drained of all its blood.
Agron brushed past Duran, tossing one last remark over his shoulder.
"Take care, Your Highness Duran."
Duran swallowed hard, his throat dry.
That was a threat.
A warning to keep his head down if he didn't want his true identity exposed.
He staggered to the nearest table and collapsed into a chair.
Kobuul... knows my organization...
Duran glared at Agron, who was laughing and chatting with Duke Belmond in the center of the banquet hall.
Every time Agron whispered something to Belmond, Duran felt his heart clench.
Fuck, fuck...! No one's ever found out before...!
Duran chewed viciously on his cigar.
What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?
Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Hngh!"
"Ah, you startled me! What's wrong, Brother?"
"You little...! You scared me, Artea!"
He snapped at Artea, the Second Princess, but she paid him no mind, well-accustomed to his temper.
Instead, she wondered why her greedy brother was sitting on the sidelines like a loser instead of being in the center of the banquet hall.
"Aren't you going to talk to the Duke? He poured a fortune into hosting this banquet!"
"I know that! So shut up!"
"Ungrateful brat. Should I ask Count Kopellus to put in a good word for you?"
"Hah... Fuck, Kopellus isn't the problem."
She shrugged and glanced across the banquet hall to the liveliest corner.
"Oh my, His Grace, Duke Praman's grandson is quite handsome, isn't he? Hmm, but I prefer the big guy next to him. Who's that handsome brother?"
"What...? Handsome big guy? Bullshit..."
"Is that Count Agron, the one Lawrence has been clinging to like fish scales lately? He's even more handsome than I imagined!"
Duran scoffed at Artea's words.
"Are you blind...? Wait. Is he really that good-looking?"
"What? Can't you see? He's a hundred times better than you, brother."
"Then I have a favor to ask."
"What is it? Ah─"
"If you seduce him as usual, I'll give you a gold coin."
"Heh heh heh, this is what they mean by a win-win situation."
Artea's observation was accurate.
Even at this banquet, quite a few young ladies were gazing at Agron with romantic interest.
His sturdy chest, imposing physique, and height that towered over others naturally evoked a desire to be protected.
Moreover, with his high-bridged nose, piercing blue eyes, and sharp jawline, Agron possessed a face that inevitably drew attention.
There was only one reason why the ladies couldn't act on their feelings: the presence of Belmond.
Approaching the Empire's Duke recklessly was out of the question. Moreover, Belmond was currently surrounded by the Kingdom's central nobles, including Count Kopellus, who seemed to be forming a protective barrier against any lesser nobles attempting to approach.
Count Kopellus, positioned between them, glanced at Duran and clicked his tongue inwardly.
That foolish Prince is finished... He should be showering Duke Belmond with flattery right now, but instead, he's just sitting there...
Kopellus didn't particularly care for Prince Duran. Their relationship was purely transactional, based on mutual benefit. However, Duran had poured a considerable sum into Kopellus to secure this meeting with the Duke. To avoid being accused of failing to deliver on his investment, Kopellus was determined to connect Duran and the Duke as much as possible.
To achieve this, the two needed to be together, but Duran remained seated, for reasons unknown.
I've done my part. If things don't go as planned, it's not my fault, Prince.
Kopellus shook his head.
"Oh, hello there."
A melodious voice cut through the crowd of nobles, reaching the center of the gathering.
The nobles turned, wondering which tactless woman had dared to interrupt. But when they saw who it was, they had no choice but to step back.
"I am Artea Bellua von Crowngard, Second Princess of the Kingdom of Astraria," the beautiful woman announced, her presence radiating an ethereal grace as she bowed elegantly to Agron and Belmond.
"I am Belmond Ullman de Klaisen, Duke of the Kazandor Empire."
"Agron von Veilain, Master of the Veilain Fief."
Artea smiled brightly at their greetings and approached them.
"It is an honor to meet such valiant nobles."
Belmond, gazing at her innocent smile, patted Agron's back with a pleased expression.
"Pahahaha! The valiant noble she speaks of is my brother, not me! Isn't that right, Brother?"
"Hmm, a warrior must indeed be valiant."
"Has the Princess heard of my brother's heroic exploits?"
"Oh, I would love to hear them! Count Agron, please tell me yourself."
Artea tilted her head up at Agron, her voice as sweet as a nightingale's song.
Seeing her profile, Belmond unconsciously felt his heart quicken and took a couple of steps back.
Heh heh heh, he's fallen for it.
Artea smiled inwardly, a triumphant expression on her face.
She had never failed to seduce a knight or nobleman using this method.
Of course, she hadn't formed deep relationships with every man she'd enticed.
This was simply her way of "securing her support base."
It would be ideal to seduce even the Duke, but the risks are too great... At the very least, I must seduce Count Agron.
Lawrence, who had been in a far worse position than her, had begun associating with this Count and had taken a significant step closer to the throne.
Of course, it wasn't as if they were competing for second or third place, but for Artea, it was still deeply unsettling.
Brother Lawrence, let me benefit from this Count too. Heh heh heh.
Standing close enough to Agron that their hands nearly brushed, Artea deliberately exposed the curve of her neck to better convey her fragrance.
This was a potion of seduction she had purchased from a renowned sorcerer in the Jafarbad Kingdom.
While not as potent as an aphrodisiac, it was a magical potion guaranteed to ensnare any nearby member of the opposite sex.
"What do you say, Count Agron? I'd love to hear your heroic tales in my chambers," Artea whispered, her voice barely audible, as she flashed a languid smile.
By nightfall, this Count would be her slave for the night.
"Hmm, I'm afraid I must decline."
"Heh heh heh, good... Wait, what?!"
Artea's eyes widened as if she'd misheard him, and she repeated her question.
"A warrior keeps his word. I promised to protect Duke Belmond until he returns to the Kazandor Empire. Therefore, I cannot abandon him to leave this place."
"N-no..."
Thinking the scent hadn't reached him properly, she even fanned her hand toward Agron.
Agron frowned, glaring at her gesture with clear displeasure.
"...That doesn't seem very effective. This is how you fan yourself."
Agron swung his hand forcefully in front of her face.
Whoosh!
Artea's hair was thrown into disarray as the wind swept through, scattering the meticulously arranged food behind her into chaos.
Crash!
"W-where did this sudden gust of wind come from? Majordomo! Clean up this mess immediately! My deepest apologies to our esteemed guests."
Count Kopellus, utterly bewildered, berated the hapless Majordomo while ordering him to close the balcony windows against the draft.
Agron turned to Artea, whose hair was now a tangled mess and whose expression was dazed. "How's that? Feeling cooler?"
"..."
"Want me to do it again?"
"N-no, thank you..."
Clutching her dress, she staggered away.
"Oh dear, she must have been terribly hot. She looks quite weak."
Lawrence, who had been watching the scene from afar, approached Agron.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well... didn't my sister look particularly beautiful just now?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about. Isn't Elena the most beautiful?"
"Like... did your heart race or did you feel excited?"
"A warrior's heart only races when facing a strong enemy."
Crazy bastard, Lawrence thought, shaking his head as he watched his sister's retreating figure.
Artea's seductive techniques were remarkably effective, often ensnaring even young and skilled knights.
"By the way, your sister is wearing some strange perfume. It's tickling my nose."
No one realized that Agron was immune to magical effects, rendering Artea's charms useless against him.
The following day, the nobles gathered at Count Kopellus's hunting grounds.
In truth, the real banquet they had been anticipating wasn't the party last night, but today's hunt.
"Distinguished guests," Kopellus announced, "I've released plenty of game. To the one who bags the largest prey today, I will award a substantial prize in the name of Kopellus!"
The nobles and servants erupted in cheers at Kopellus's words.
"Your Grace, Duke Belmond, have you ever hunted before?"
"I've done it a few times with my grandfather on our family fief. My skills aren't exceptional, but I know how to shoot a bow."
"Ha ha ha! It seems we'll be witnessing Your Grace's archery prowess today!" Kopellus flattered the Duke with a hearty laugh.
"Brother! I believe you'll bag the biggest game today!"
"Hmm, it's a bit disappointing not to be hunting for our lives in the Snowfield."
"Snowfield? You hunted there too? What did you catch?"
"Tigers, bears, elk, wolves—the usual."
"Oh─ Count Agron, your archery skills must be truly exceptional."
Count Kopellus, who had been listening nearby, stroked his beard and asked, "You were a knight before becoming a Count, weren't you? I admire men of your caliber."
Agron tilted his head at the question and replied, "Archery? I caught them with my bare hands."
"...Tigers? How?"
"Just tuck them under your arm and rip their mouths open."
"..."
Kopellus and Belmond exchanged glances, their lips pressed into thin lines. They couldn't tell if Agron was joking or serious.
"Agron's words are true, Your Grace, Duke Belmond," Lawrence interjected.
Belmond assumed the prince was merely teasing, having grown close to Agron.
"Your Highness Lawrence, your jest goes too far. I know my brother is strong, but he's no tiger, is he?"
"Indeed, but I've seen Agron tear a Troll Warrior apart with his bare hands."
"..."
"He ripped it in half, lengthwise."
An assassin eavesdropping from behind flinched and stared at Agron.
📝 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