Bruno burst out laughing at the back of the mercenary knight who finished his words and quickly ran away.
“He’s a funny guy.”
“You’re quick-witted.”
I know because Luke also worked as a mercenary knight. As a nobleman, he is a mercenary knight with no support. If you don’t notice, your life will fly away in an instant.
“Well, in exchange for saving his life, he seems to have lost his employer’s trust.”
As soon as the mercenary knight returned alone, the young aristocrat chatted with a bewildered face. And after a while, a young aristocrat became the flagship.
It was so far away that ordinary people couldn’t hear it at all, but the three people who had already transcended human perception could hear everything they said.
“Are you saying that now!”
“I can’t help it. Isn’t it none other than Bernstein?”
“Shut up! Trusting and hiring this guy!”
The mercenary knight did not budge from the contemptuous employer’s insults. Where is Bernstein? Isn’t it the Marquis family that boasts the strongest power in the East?
Due to the nature of a mercenary knight wandering the continent, he could not be hated by the great family of a region. Who knows when we’ll run into each other again.
“Get out of here! I will never hire you again!”
“yes? Now, please wait a moment. The price… … .”
“You’re going to get paid for something you couldn’t even do this much?”
The mercenary knight’s face twisted mercilessly. That’s that and this isn’t this. But the young aristocrat snorted.
“What are you doing? I would have told you to turn it off!”
Son of a b*tch. Biting his lip, the mercenary knight turned his back on his employer. He is the young master of a family that is in the middle of this area.
A mercenary knight without a belly could disappear without even knowing mice or birds if he wanted to. The young noble snorted as he watched the mercenary knight leave.
“Hmph, don’t people whose origins are unclear have no spirits?”
“You should have left it to me from the start.”
“I thought it was a waste to use you for something like this.”
The young aristocrat glanced back and said. As a knight who had recently signed a lifetime contract, he was a seasoned man with both years of experience and skills.
“But now that this has happened, there is nothing I can do about it. You have to step in.”
“Just give orders.”
“As expected, true knights have a different mindset.”
The young nobleman cheered the knight up and smiled. It was a knight I liked, from his skills to his mindset, to the extent that he was worth the enormous salary.
“I don’t know if I have to fight, but will it be okay?”
“No problem. A couple of wandering knights aren’t enough food.”
“Okay, let me just trust you.”
The young aristocrat smiled confidently and jumped up from his seat.
* * *
“You guys are playing well.”
“I mean.”
Luke and Bruno looked at each other and smiled. I was curious to see what his expression would look like if he found out that the woman he was aiming for was the owner of this estate.
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave them here and go by ourselves?”
“Then I will follow you. Let’s see what you do.”
As soon as the words were finished, a young nobleman and a knight approached with majestic strides. The young aristocrat glanced at Ray and greeted Luke, who seemed to be in the center.
“Could you excuse me for a minute?”
“No.”
“yes?”
“No.”
“… … .”
The young nobleman blinked at Luke’s neat refusal. oh, that’s not it Usually ‘Yes.’ isn’t that the start?
Looking at the dazed noble, Luke shrugged.
“We are so busy that we have no time to receive guests or to be guests. Why don’t you excuse yourself somewhere else?”
Only then did the young nobleman, who grasped the situation, distort his face. Just looking at Amman, Luke was playing with himself.
“That’s rude. No matter how Bernstein you are, isn’t it too much?”
“Would it be more rude than this to accept an invitation without revealing oneself?”
“Hmm, that must have been my mistake.”
The man who readily admitted his mistake spoke confidently.
“Gerard Cataldi. The next heir to the Viscount Cataldi.”
“… … .”
“… … .”
At the words of the young aristocrat Gerard, Luke and the others fell silent. In response, Gerard made a more triumphant face.
“Seeing that you didn’t answer, you must have heard.”
“No, I haven’t heard.”
“What?”
“It’s a family I don’t know at all. Ray, do you know the family?”
“I am hearing it for the first time too.”
If you don’t even know Ray, a native of the West, the family is not very important. If it were a viscount, the title itself would be on the high side, but that was all.
There are a lot of families that started off well, but later collapsed and only had high titles. This is a phenomenon that occurs because, if it is not treason, the title will be maintained no matter how ruined it is.
“I see. I’m sorry to brag, but I’m not sure.”
“… … !”
Gerard’s face turned red. Rather than Luke’s ignoring it, it seemed shameful that Ray answered so frankly.
“Looks like you’re new to the West.”
“I’ve been here half a year ago, but.”
“… is it. Then maybe you don’t know.”
At the words half a year ago, Gerard’s anger seemed to cool down a bit.
“Then I will inform you myself. Do you know Count Herning and the four families below it?”
“Yes, you know.”
“Until now, those five families had monopolized power in the West. However, with the activation of trade with the elves, there have been quite a few changes.”
As countless people and money came and went through trade, the five families benefited tremendously. However, the five families were not the only ones who benefited from trade.
Of course, a road is needed for logistics to come and go. Among them, there are seven places that are the most important roads.
“It’s a street corner because I like words, it’s a place where countless merchants and customers meet. It has the potential to become a de facto individual trading town.”
Unfortunately for the four families under Count Herning, each street corner already had an owner. Although they are small aristocratic families, they are legitimate owners of the territory.
As trade was activated, the nobles who ruled the road were hit with money. In just a few months, he enjoyed a level of prosperity that was incomparable to before.
“I feel a bit lacking right now, but over time, these seven families have the potential to grow beyond four. It’s like a rising divinity.”
“indeed.”
Luke nodded. At this point, I thought I knew what I wanted to say.
“Looks like the Cataldi family is one of them.”
“Exactly so. It’s embarrassing, but I’m playing the role of representing the five families.”
Gerard puffed out his chest with a confident face. In other words, he is the head of a rising family that is popular these days. Since he is the successor, he should be confident.
“Okay, now that we know each other, let me invite you again. Will you accept my invitation? Of course, not just you, but everyone in your party.”
Even though he said that, the way he looked at Ray quietly seemed to have no intention of hiding it anymore. Ray frowned, and Bruno burst out laughing.
Luke was also dumbfounded, so he couldn’t say anything. I know you’re doing well these days, but what kind of guts are you against Bernstein?
“What if I refuse?”
From noble mtl dot com
“I have to teach you that Bernstein is no loser in the West.”
Gerard laughed, showing his teeth.
“What would you do if I treated you badly here? Would you lead an army and attack? Destroying these numerous trade routes and sweeping people away?”
“hmm.”
Only then did Luke know this strange confidence. When a war breaks out, of course, the many people who were on the road also suffer damage.
Of course, it was obvious that all the families who suffered damage would condemn Bernstein. No matter how Bernstein was, it was a serious problem that all sides turned into enemies.
“I will ask you again. What will you do?”
“Before I answer, let me say a word.”
“Try it.”
“Get a handle on the subject.”
Gerard blinked. What did I hear wrong now?
“Ji, what did you just say?”
“Get a handle on the subject. I know the world looks different because I suddenly have money and power, but at least I mess around after getting the power base right. After that, it could be hooked up in one shot.”
“Hey, hey… … !”
Gerard shuddered at Luke’s verbal abuse. I guess I never thought I would hear something like this.
With a red-stained face, Gerard pointed at Luke.
“You insult me like this! It’s a duel!”
“I am really different.”
“Shut up! You’re not going to run away just because you’re a descendant of the dragon slayer!”
“Don’t worry, I won’t run away.”
With a deep sigh, Luke stood up. At first, I thought I was having a fight with the gangsters, but now I feel like I’m dealing with a kid who’s been bullied.
“Okay, let’s duel. What are the conditions?”
“If you win, I’ll just leave. If you want, even get down on your knees and apologize. But if I win, hand over your vassals to me!”
One goal of this guy is to be consistent. This was to the point of admiration. Ray moved his hand to his waist with a grim look as if he couldn’t bear it any longer.
“Master, can I just step in?”
“no.”
“I want to handle it with my own hands.”
“I want to beat you myself, too.”
Those who carelessly take on other people’s property need a lesson. Luke warmed up and stood up from his seat.
* * *
A duel is not only an event in which the honor of the parties concerned is at stake, but it is also a good spectacle. As soon as the two engaged in a duel, people flocked from all sides.
“what? Why are people flocking here?”
“The eldest son of the Cataldi family and the second son of the Bernstein family are about to duel.”
“What!? What happened? No, that’s not important right now!”
“Let’s get a seat first! If you’re late, you won’t be able to see anything!”
Nobles and commoners alike filled the central square. The Cataldi family making a name for themselves in the West, and the Bernstein family famous throughout the continent.
Where else can you find a sight like this? Numerous eyes turned to Luke and Gerard.
“I will present my knight as an agent of the duel!”
As expected, Gerard did not step forward directly. The knight who had been behind Gerard came out and confronted Luke.
“Roberto Gavilan.”
“hmm.”
Luke glanced over the article with the name Roberto on it. A calm posture and calm eyes. Just looking at those two, it was a knight with both skills and experience.
However, apart from his skills, he was a dark-hearted guy when he meekly cooperated with Gerard’s nonsense.
“The rules of the duel are simple. It ends when someone faints, becomes incapacitated, or declares defeat.”
“It’s nice that it’s easy to understand.”
The two got into a pose. Roberto looked at Luke with a sharp smile.
“Even if you’re a Bernstein, you can’t do anything about the experience. I am happy to be able to teach the son of that famous dragonslayer family.”
“That’s a lot of confidence. It’s like we’ve already won.”
“Whoa, hahahahaha, you don’t really realize it until you experience it yourself.”
Roberto changed his stance little by little while engaging in a subtle war of nerves. It was subtle enough to go unnoticed, but it was enough to make people mistaken for the first attack.
“May it be a confrontation without shame in front of the goddess! Start!”
fault.
Just before the start signal ended, Roberto jumped out. A sharp blow made many changes and put pressure on Luke.
“Let us know the breadth of the world! This is my welcome sword… … !”
I’m sorry.
“Keheeng!?”
In an instant, Roberto’s body, hit by the fist, flew through the air. After turning three times in the air, Roberto’s body soon rolled on the ground with a loud noise.
Roberto, who had been knocked out in one blow, fell to the floor and wriggled intermittently.
“… … .”
“… … .”
The duel ended as soon as it began, and the entire plaza fell silent.