Chapter 11
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Scene 011 Trials (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A carriage was parked in front of the mansion.
Fortunately, I had just barely made it in time.
But there were people heading toward the carriage ahead of me.
One of them walked ahead with mechanical strides.
It was Count Millium.
And chasing desperately after him was another man.
Count! Stop right there!
The man dressed in elegant formal attire was Duke Fred Izarkhel.
He grabbed Millium to halt him.
Im not done talking yet!
My words are finished. Duke Fred.
Millium!
He was so emotional, it was hard to believe this was the same Duke Fred I knew.
Are you really going to do this? Ive overlooked your rudeness! What am I supposed to do if you act like this!
Duke
Tell me. Do you want a territory? Ill let you monopolize it for the next few years.
...
So lend me just one billion kaels.
Fred pleaded.
No, it was closer to a threat, leveraging his position.
Thats pocket change for a count like you, isnt it? Come on?
That was why the young Fred looked so pathetic and ugly.
Something stirred in my chest as I watched.
Writhing.
Assimilation by personality begins.
Your current assimilation level is 10.
What the hell had happened to make it rise like this?
Millium stared at Freds face.
With an expression as calm as a still lake.
Millium rarely showed emotions, but somehow I knew.
He was furious right now.
Soon, Milliums mouth opened.
Two hundred twenty-five billion kaels.
Huh?
Thats how much youve borrowed from me up to today. How do you plan to repay it?
Thats
Or are you planning to win it back at our familys casino?
Ahem. Millium I have no idea what youre talking about.
Among the Ruelverta familys businesses, the casino was their flagship, targeting the empires wealthy.
A playground where hundreds of billions changed hands daily.
Some became overnight millionaires there, turning their lives around, but just as many nobles fell into ruin in a single night.
Duke Fred was one of the latter.
Playing dumb? Do you think I dont know the nobles who use my casino? Even the twenty billion kaels I lent you at the start of the year was all blown at the casino last month.
Im not an idiot, Duke.
Fred bowed his head.
Did he feel ashamed?
Or was he reflecting on his life in remorse?
But it seemed Duke Fred wasnt the character I had imagined.
I had no choice. I desperately needed the money Count, if you were in my position, youd understand. You know how much responsibility weighs on a duke. You couldnt possibly comprehend. Do you know how many nobles are breathing down my neck right now? If I borrowed from them, I could pay off your debt in no time.
Thump.
My heart pounded again.
Assimilation by personality begins.
Your current assimilation level is 20.
I could only watch helplessly as the assimilation level rose.
Milliums expression changed for the first time as he listened to Freds pathetic excuses.
He smiled.
You only know one side and not the other, Duke.
Do you think theyd lend you money?
Count, what are you saying?
Viscount Halvis.
Millium continued.
Baron Obean, Count Snevigle, Viscount Blisho
A slew of noble names poured from his mouth.
Freds face darkened as he realized their common thread.
You dont mean
Theyve all borrowed at least one billion kaels from me.
This was why no one dared openly defy the infamous Ruelverta family.
And coincidentally, theyre all your close aides. Decide for yourself whether theyll listen to you or their master who holds their leashes.
Im a businessman. I only lend to those who can repay. Lending to beggars is for charity workers.
B-Beggar?! You bastard!
Unable to hold back, Duke Fred swung a fist at Millium.
But Millium was faster, tripping Freds leg.
Gah!
Fred crashed ugly onto the grass.
Millium brushed the grass off his pants.
That trip costs five million kaels in debt. Ill deduct it as settlement for knocking over a duke.
Click.
Millium pulled a watch from his pocket.
His expression twisted slightly.
However since youve wasted my precious time, thats another five million kaels added.
With those words, just before boarding the carriage, Millium looked down at Fred.
Like he was a roadside pebble.
No, in Milliums eyes, he was less than that.
Utterly worthless.
Fred was so insignificant he couldnt even ripple the lake that was Millium.
Pity welled up in me, and I reached out a hand to the fallen Duke Fred.
But that was a needless thought.
You you dont get cocky, punk. Whod give their daughter to a parasite-looking bastard like you? Not until dirts in my eyes!
Even Id pass on a girl like that, no matter how pretty.
Dinner time arrived again.
This time, I accurately guessed the quality and price of the fish served.
Thanks to my traits, Tycoon and Calculation.
His personality was utter trash, but Tristans eye for value was spot on.
Milliums hand paused as he elegantly sliced the fish.
Tristan.
Yes.
Listen well. Time is money.
I leaned in to his words.
And money is magic.
Millium dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
With money, you can make any power kneel. Noble, duke, even the emperor himself. Money is the greatest magic of all.
Now I understood.
The curse on the Ruelverta family.
Born without mana.
From the empires emperor to the lowliest slave, everyone had manaexcept the Ruelverta family.
Early on, the Ruelverta family poured fortunes into magic research.
They gathered every book on magic from across the world.
They founded a magic school and tasked top mages with research.
They even dabbled in forbidden magic from the underworld.
But no method could lift the Ruelverta curse.
Ironically, their thirst for magic turned to hatred.
And Millium was a man raised in that madness.
A man who stood atop mages with overwhelming wealth and power.
Millium dominated and lorded over them.
Thus, he made enemies of countless nobles.
Millium rose quietly from the table.
Dinner is over.
I checked the watch.
Just past 7:55 PM.
Earlier than usual, so I was surprised.
For Millium, meals started and ended precisely on schedule.
I soon learned why.
Millium clicked his tongue.
The trash has arrived.
With those words, all the candles went out.
The table was instantly shrouded in darkness.
In the dark, I heard an unfamiliar voice.
Was that your last word?
The voice sent chills down my spine, like a blade at my throat.
Only then did I grasp the situation.
We were surrounded by assassins.
Count, you must know why weve come without me saying.
Heh Coming so openly right after I return from the dukes estate is as good as begging me to notice.
Oh, damn.
I never imagined Fred would do this.
That the seemingly harmless Fred had sent assassins after the Ruelverta family was a shock.
Desperation makes people blind.
Our encircled foes were all elite assassins.
Their suffocating killing intent froze me in place.
Yet even in this hopeless situation, Millium remained calm.
Was there anything that could rattle this man?
Attacking so boldly means youre confident you can kill us.
...Yes.
The surrounding darkness roiled.
The darkness mocked us.
Killing weaklings who cant use magic doesnt sit well but its the job, so no choice.
The countless assassins prepared to tear into us.
But dont think of buying us off with money.
Buying us?
Yes. Our loyalty to the duke cant be bought with your filthy money
Hah Truly ridiculous.
Cutting off the assassin, he laughed.
His figure, laughing alone in the darkness, was spine-chilling.
Who said anything about buying you? Speak straight. I wont buy you because my money would get dirty from vermin like you.
...So thats your dying words.
The assassins shadows drew blades in the dark.
Their sharp edges turned toward Milliums neck.
Even as the end approached, Millium sat at the table.
And as if resolved, he said,
...Tear them apart.
Fine.
In that instant, the darkness gaped wide.
And lunged at Milliums exposed neck.
Crunch-!
Warm liquid splashed across my cheek.
I saw the white tablecloth before me staining with spots.
Candles reignited, revealing the horror in the darkness.
...What in the world!
The gruesome part was on the assassins side.
Not much time had passed.
Yet corpses were strewn everywheresome impaled into walls, others literally torn apart.
And the surprise didnt end there.
You bastards where did you come from?
Where the assassin pointed, maids stood beside me and Millium.
The odd part? They were all in black outfits, eyes covered with eyepatches.
One of the assassins recognized them.
Ive heard rumors that the Ruelverta family raises monsters in the underworld.
The man who seemed their leader, having lost over half his comrades, muttered like a groan.
So youre them? The Ruelverta dogs!
Millium Ruelverta didnt answer.
He simply sat and issued the same command as before.
Tear them apart.