Chapter 59
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: The Devil's Contract (4)
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'What perfect timing, showing up all neat and tidy like this. Oh man, he's just too cute, really.'
Lloyd's smile grew pleased.
Right on cue, Sir Kuruno burst into the audience chamber.
It was Sir Kuruno who had halted the viscount's signing of the contract.
Thanks to Sir Kuruno's actions, Lloyd remembered something he had momentarily forgotten.
'That guy's been a thorn in my side from the start.'
Had it been from their first meeting?
Back when construction was in full swing at the Marez Reclaimed Land.
He recalled how the knight had shown up with the viscount and acted so insolently.
And what had happened next?
It was that same guy who had relayed the viscount's threat—using toxic wastewater as an excuse—to the baron.
His attitude toward the lord of a neighboring territory had been utterly deplorable.
Lloyd hadn't forgotten a single one of those things.
He always kept them tucked tightly away in his heart.
'Of course. Why would I forget a grudge?'
Favor should be repaid with the big ones, in moderation.
But grudges? Not a speck of dust gets overlooked—handle them thoroughly and maturely.
That was Lloyd's life motto.
And now, at just the right moment, the irritating Sir Kuruno had come to him of his own accord. He had even given Lloyd the perfect chance to meticulously revisit those old, simmering displeasures.
There was no reason not to welcome him.
"Hey there."
Lloyd flashed a friendly smile at Sir Kuruno.
He even waved.
"What's the occasion? Come to witness the contract signing?"
"As if."
Sir Kuruno spat the words like they tasted bitter.
His gaze toward Lloyd sharpened with stern intensity.
"I heard everything from outside the door. Lloyd Frontera, you dare insult my liege with such behavior."
"You were eavesdropping?"
"I heard it."
"That's eavesdropping."
"......"
"Anyway, you think everything I've done here is an insult to your liege? You really believe that?"
"Naturally."
Harsh wrinkles creased the bridge of Sir Kuruno's nose.
"You held our territory's greatest source of revenue and precious specialty product, Lacona fabric, hostage to blackmail my liege. You shoved an unjust contract under his nose just to satisfy your own greed. If that's not an insult, then what is?"
"If it's not an insult, hmm, should we call it blackmail? Like what you lot did last time?"
Lloyd's eyes flicked briefly toward the viscount.
The viscount flinched.
A sneer curled at Lloyd's lips.
"This is an insult? I had no idea. I was just doing exactly what you did to our baron last time. Was that not allowed?"
"What kind of......"
"You held our territory's lifeline—our precious water source from the river—hostage and treated our baron just like this. Demanding half of the Marez Reclaimed Land. You called it a negotiation."
"......"
"It was truly impressive. 'Wow, so this is how negotiations work! This is the wisdom of living among people! Yeah, warm and heartfelt deals between neighbors are exactly like this!' That's what I thought."
"......"
"So now I'm doing the exact same thing."
"......"
"Why? Can't I?"
Lloyd tilted his head.
Sir Kuruno, who had been speechless the whole time, ground his teeth.
'What the hell is he......'
How does he rattle on so smoothly without a hitch?
Sir Kuruno found himself at a loss for words.
Of course, he knew the truth deep down.
The viscount's actions toward the barony had been blatant blackmail. It had definitely gone too far.
'But the viscount is my liege. The one I swore lifelong loyalty to. So I don't judge the morality of his actions. I simply serve as his faithful sword and support him!'
It was the same now.
Lloyd Frontera.
That bastard was blackmailing the viscount right now.
He was forcing one-sided losses onto his liege.
In that process, whatever the barony had done when they were blackmailed meant nothing to him.
The gains and rights his liege would enjoy.
That alone was his justice.
'So I have to stop it. I must block this unjust contract at all costs.'
Sir Kuruno had heard every word from outside the audience chamber door.
How Lloyd had tricked the viscount with his scheme.
What cunning contract he had shoved under his nose at the end.
How vicious that water supply fee truly was.
He had heard and understood it all.
And he realized.
'I have to stop it no matter what.'
That contract was a sharp, massive straw the Frontera Barony was jabbing into the viscounty.
One that, once inserted, would be nearly impossible to pull out.
In other words, the viscounty would become economically subservient to the barony from now on.
A huge chunk of the profits from their specialty Lacona fabric would be siphoned off continuously.
'And that's not the end of it.'
The clean water supplied by the barony.
Without it, they couldn't produce Lacona.
Meaning, if the barony unilaterally raised water fees later, they wouldn't even be able to resist—they'd have to comply.
Their own specialty product, Lacona, would become a hostage in return.
That was why.
The moment he realized the viscount was about to sign, he had kicked open the audience chamber door.
Even if it meant being reprimanded by his liege later.
Even if it meant a harsher punishment.
He had to stop that signature, no matter the cost.
That was why, at this very moment, Sir Kuruno sank deeper into anguish.
'I can't beat him with words.'
He wasn't a silver-tongued debater to begin with.
He was just a simple warrior.
But he wanted to win this argument.
He wanted to force Lloyd Frontera to back down, somehow.
Believing that alone was the path for his liege, he racked his brain for a way to oppose Lloyd.
And then, it hit him.
'A way that suits me.'
He was a warrior.
One who fought with the sword, not words.
That fact hadn't changed, even now.
"Lloyd Frontera."
Sir Kuruno raised his head.
He stared straight at Lloyd.
"I, Lugno Kuruno, son of Na Bago Kuruno, hereby formally challenge Lloyd Frontera, heir of the Frontera family, to a duel."
He declared it proudly.
In that instant, the audience chamber fell utterly silent.
The viscount, who had been fretting over how to rein in his knight.
Haviel, watching the situation from beside Lloyd.
Lloyd, facing Sir Kuruno.
All of them clamped their mouths shut.
The viscount with a shocked expression.
Haviel with intrigued eyes.
Lloyd with a slight twitch of one eyebrow.
Everyone turned to stare at Sir Kuruno.
'Perfect.'
Sir Kuruno smiled faintly.
A duel challenge.
This was the strongest card he could play right now.
One he considered the most reliable.
'Of course. He's a noble, after all.'
He wouldn't refuse the duel.
Sir Kuruno was certain.
Dodging a duel that came knocking.
It was one of the greatest shames for a nobleman.
An act that proclaimed to the world that he was a coward and a cheat.
Sir Kuruno believed Lloyd would be no different.
'He has his noble pride. He'll accept. He has no choice. Plus, the rumors say you beat Sir Neumann in a duel before?'
That rumor suddenly came to mind.
How shocked he had been at first.
'Sure, Sir Neumann was below my level, but he wasn't a pushover. Beating him must have filled you with confidence. So there's even less chance you'll refuse this duel.'
No, even if he lacked confidence, he'd accept.
He'd just put forward that silver-haired young knight standing beside him as his proxy.
That was Sir Kuruno's prediction.
And his plan.
If he won this duel, he would demand that Lloyd's vile contract proposal be nullified.
'So hurry up and accept my duel chal—'
"Sure. No thanks."
Lloyd's reply rang out brightly.
It tapped lightly against Sir Kuruno's eardrums.
Caught off guard, Sir Kuruno let out a dumb sound.
"Huh?"
"Didn't hear me? I said no."
"What......"
Sir Kuruno's eyes went wide.
Lloyd smirked at him.
"Let me ask one thing. Why should I accept your duel challenge?"
"Well, obviously......"
"To uphold noble honor? Are you an idiot?"
"......"
"Why would I duel at this point?"
"B-but if you refuse the duel, you'll be seen as......"
"A coward and a cheat? Yeah, got it. I'll be the coward and the cheat."
"What?"
"Didn't hear? Coward and cheat it is."
"......"
"Oh man, scary stuff. What's with this place? I come to do some mutually beneficial business, and this guy kicks down the door demanding we hack at each other with swords."
"Hoo, listen here! Lloyd Frontera!"
"Yeah, what?"
"Accept the duel right now!"
"I said no."
"But!"
"But what?"
"......"
"You that desperate to fight me? Why are you clinging to me like this? Got an obsession or something?"
"Well, naturally......"
"Stop leaning on others like that and live your own life, okay? Even Buddha said it: Be a light unto yourself. So figure it out on your own."
"He never said that even once......"
"Listen to some wisdom for once. That's why they say study when you're young. The knowledge and common sense you pick up in your teens lasts a lifetime—ever heard that?"
"......"
"Always resorting to swords, huh? No real smarts. Tsk."
"Look, I......"
"So, mind leaving now? I'm trying to explain this since you don't seem to get it, but I'm in the middle of business with your boss. And because of you, your boss is in a tough spot. Why? If we can't wrap up this contract, that fancy Lacona dye workshop of yours will have to shut down for life."
"......"
"The longer you keep butting in like this, the worse it gets for your boss. You might not know, but some guy named Bobby McFerrin said it: 'Don't worry, be happy.' Know what that means?"
"No clu—"
"It means don't let money worries make you unhappy."
"......"
"The more you do this, the more your boss ends up like that. Still not getting it?"
Sir Kuruno's mouth shut completely.
Lloyd's smirk deepened.
Having subdued Sir Kuruno like that, he turned back to the viscount.
He tilted his head slightly to one side and asked.
"You didn't just find some sliver of hope or whatever in your subordinate's little stunt, did you?"
"......"
"If you thought I'd accept a duel, abandon that hope. Pointless hopes are best discarded early—it's good for your mental health. So, shall we get back to our business discussion?"
He sat back down.
He reached out his hand.
Tap, tap.
He tapped the contract on the table with his index finger.
The spot he tapped.
That was the final signature line.
The place where the viscount had paused signing due to Sir Kuruno's intrusion.
"Go on, then."
As if forcing a signature on a victory treaty.
Lloyd smiled with subtle insinuation.
The viscount picked up the pen with a dejected expression.
His pen hand trembled as it headed toward the signature line.
Perhaps that's why.
Having suddenly been treated like air, Sir Kuruno decided to cross the line.
Resolved to pull an even bigger stunt to stop his liege's signature.
'How dare he!'
Insulting his liege like this.
He wouldn't let it slide completely.
'Even if it costs me my position!'
Grit!
He ground his teeth.
Glared at Lloyd.
The young master from the neighboring territory, infamous as a wastrel.
Now turning his back, sitting defenseless while forcing an unjust contract on his liege.
'Now's the time!'
He won't be able to react.
A feral glint filled Sir Kuruno's eyes.
Grab!
His right hand moved.
It gripped the hilt of the longsword at his waist.
In an instant, he subtly lowered his stance.
His center of gravity sank low.
At the same time, he twisted his waist.
Abs and obliques.
Chest, shoulders, forearms.
Every muscle in his upper body twisted rightward in a flash.
Naturally, the longsword slid free from its sheath at his left hip.
Shing!
It wasn't a simple arm draw.
It was a draw powered by a solid lower body, using the entire upper frame.
Hence its tremendous speed, like a beam of light.
Swish!
The moment the sword was drawn, it was already thrusting forward.
The blade flashed a chilling line.
The end of that flash aimed straight at Lloyd's back.
'Just enough not to kill!'
He'd slash him.
Make him unable to open his eyes for days.
Confine him to bed for months.
Cause a bloody incident to buy time.
And somehow stop that signature at all costs.
With that resolve, Sir Kuruno's sword cleaved the air more lethally than ever.
And just before it sliced into Lloyd's back.
His blade snapped in two.
Snap! Ping! Thunk!
"......!"
Sir Kuruno's eyes bulged.
In that split-second gap.
He couldn't even respond properly.
Suddenly, a gale-like sword flash gleamed from the side.
It severed his blade in one stroke.
The broken blade tip spun through the air.
Grazed his cheek.
Embedded itself in the wall behind him.
At the same time, the sound of a sword being sheathed rang out.
Along with a single, icy warning.
"The next one will be your neck."
Click.
Haviel calmly sheathed his sword, as if nothing had happened.
Only then did Sir Kuruno barely grasp what had occurred.
His sword, severed in an instant.
The wound etched on his cheek.
The blade fragment stuck in the wall.
An instinctive chill gripped Sir Kuruno.
His pants grew wet and sodden.