“The butler, Gordon, is meeting the young master. You are truly dedicated.”
“It’s an overstatement.”
Gordon, who had no way of knowing Luke’s feelings, greeted them admiringly. After greeting each other, he looked at the sunset sky from Gordon’s side and said.
“Since the young master has arrived, it would be right to inform His Excellency right away, but it is already late today. Since travel poisoning must have piled up, how about getting some rest and seeing you tomorrow?”
“I would be happy to do so. Thank you for your consideration.”
At Gordon’s suggestion, Luke readily agreed. In fact, saying that it was late was more of an excuse.
If it’s important, you can make time for it. Even so, the reason for delaying the day was for another reason.
‘I’m guessing he wants me to decorate it a bit.’
Before the count met his son, he prepared himself mentally. It was an offer that wouldn’t hurt Luke either.
No matter how good your face and attitude are, you lose half of your charm if your outfit is sloppy.
Considering the importance of the first meeting, it was a proposal I wanted to ask first.
“Servants will guide you to the bathroom. After that, I will take you to your room.”
“yes. Then see you later.”
Maintaining a polite demeanor until the end, Luke turned his back. Gordon’s eyes sparkled and he stroked his beard.
‘You are truly extraordinary. The one who grew up outside is rather more than the other children… Oops, it shouldn’t be like this.’
I shook my head to break the thoughts that were going on. It was disloyalty to think more deeply than that.
What he had to do now was not to compare himself with others, but to convey information to his master.
Gordon turned his head toward Roderick, who had returned from his mission.
“Sir Roderick also worked hard. You must have suffered a lot.”
“How can you be afraid of hardships when you are fulfilling your lord’s duty? It was just something I had to do.”
Gordon nodded his head in response. Even though he was a young knight, Roderick was deeply loyal and sincere.
If so, you can say that there is no lie in what you say.
“You must have seen the young master up close, but what kind of person was he?”
“You were a wonderful person! He must have inherited the blood of a dragon!”
“Is that so?”
At Roderick’s words, Gordon answered with a shudder. How could a knight who had behaved so politely become so excited?
Isn’t that the attitude of meeting a hero in an epic?
Roderick, who had started talking once, continued talking excitedly.
“The journey was an adventure. It all started when I arrived in that remote village.”
“Hmm, that’s what I’m curious about. Could you please explain?”
“yes. I entered the village without noticing anything. But by the mean town bastards…”
A bitter smile formed on Gordon’s lips. Although Roderick was a good knight, he had a great admiration for chivalry and epic poetry.
These knights used to inflate even small adventures and treat them as great things.
‘Looks like there was something worth talking about.’
Thinking so, Gordon listened lightly. And when the story is over.
Gordon’s eyes shook relentlessly in disbelief and confusion.
****
“Ugh, good.”
Luke’s face, submerged in the hot bath water, softened. How long had it been since you occupied and soaked in a large bath by yourself?
In fact, it was a luxury that he had never had since leaving his family before returning.
‘My teeth still grind when I think of all the hardships I went through.’
It is a world where living standards are extreme depending on the rich and the poor. When I came out of the family with courage, I thought that I should enjoy the adventure even if it was like this.
After a few days, I realized that it was all nonsense. It was an adventure and I was going crazy because I was uncomfortable living and sleeping.
‘The food is disgustingly tasteless, the bugs are entangled like crazy, and if you neglect the maintenance of your weapons, they’ll quickly go out of use.’
Even now, when I think of that time, my body trembles. I had no intention of ever living such a low life again.
As much as I went through all sorts of hardships before returning, I intended to rise as high as possible in this life and live my last years comfortably.
‘To do that, first of all, it’s a first impression.’
That’s what being human is all about. If I don’t have anything special, I think, ‘It’s okay if I apply normally’.
But what if he’s a genius? What if you think that if you pour in support, you will become a person who will go down in history?
Even out of curiosity, ‘Let’s see how far this guy goes!’
Luke was planning to appeal to such extraordinaryness and seek support from the count family as it was.
‘Well, I already sprinkled all the rice cakes.’
Thanks to the stupid guide, the activity was overflowing. The rest will be passed on to my father through Roderick.
Now, you just need to make a good first impression.
“Bocchan, I will wipe you clean.”
“I get it.”
At the maid’s words, Luke raised his body from soaking. It’s a bit embarrassing, but it’s normal for nobles in this world to have servants clean themselves.
Being resolute at times like this is also one of the dignity of nobility. If you say embarrassing, you will rather hear something like ‘commoners’ blood can’t be helped’.
“Then excuse me… oh dear.”
“What is going on?”
“Oh, nothing.”
The maids hesitated for a moment, but then carefully cleaned Luke’s body. After wiping off the water, Luke left the bath with a smile on his face.
After a while, the maids were whispering among themselves in the bath where Luke disappeared.
“My God, a person who hasn’t reached his full age yet is strong.”
From noble mtl dot com
“After all, is a noble aristocrat even in small pieces?”
It was Luke who was showing off the dignity of an aristocrat without even realizing it.
****
Gordon was on his way to the count’s office. Having heard everything worth listening to, he had to pass it on to his master.
But at the same time, there was still a feeling of dubiousness.
‘Is this really the truth?’
Roderick’s story could, without exaggeration, be called an adventure. That I almost died in a trap. It was saved by the young master through a fateful encounter.
Coincidentally, Gaiden came with a mercenary and punished the village dramatically. The battle with the troll and Luke’s arrow downing him.
There were too many incidents to find just one person.
‘If it wasn’t for Sir Roderick, I’d have thought it was an absurd story.’
I thought it was unusual from the beginning, but isn’t this a bit harsh? It is comparable to the childhood of the hero in the epic.
It was understandable that Roderick was so fascinated.
Gordon reached the office and carefully knocked on the door.
“Your Excellency, this is Gordon.”
“Come in.”
With permission, the door to the office was opened. A middle-aged man with purple eyes and dark brown hair.
He was Leonard Bernstein, the head of the Bernstein family at the time.
Earl Leonard put down the papers he was looking at and turned his gaze to Gordon.
“I heard you found my son. How did it go?”
“It seemed that you were tired from travel, so I guided you to your room. I would like to schedule an interview tomorrow afternoon.”
“Let me do it. I need to see you sometime.”
The Count let out a deep sigh. It was not a sigh of distress, but a sigh of relief, as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders.
It was only now that he was finally able to fulfill his father’s duties.
“How do you see it?”
“Are you saying, Bocchan?”
“That’s right. I heard that you grew up among commoners, but was it worth seeing?”
Even after asking, the Count did not expect much. How to make a person have a seat. If you grew up as a commoner, you were more likely to behave like a commoner.
‘I’ll have to teach him a lot to live as an aristocrat.’
The Count had concluded that beforehand. Contrary to the count’s expectations, however, Gordon made an ambiguous expression.
“Honestly, it’s hard for me to say anything.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I heard the story of Lord Roderick who brought the young master…”
Gordon had just repeated Roderick’s explanation. After the long conversation, the count opened his mouth in a daze.
“Is it really? Wasn’t it an illusion or a fabrication?”
“Lord Roderick said so. At least he’s not one to lie.”
“yes. He is a true knight who values chivalry as much as his life.”
The Count was well aware of Roderick. Despite his young age, he is a loyal knight that is rare these days.
Although he may inflate his feelings, he was never the kind of person who would exaggerate and create something that didn’t exist.
“Huh, so that means it’s all true.”
The count’s lips twitched. Although he is a child who has never seen his face, he is showing the side of a hero.
As a father, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy.
“No matter how much you grew up among commoners, you can’t hide dragon blood.”
“Hmm. After all, if it were my child, that would be it.”
At the words of gently scratching the itch, the Count coughed and hid his emotions. Just then, the sound of footsteps approached quickly from outside the office.
“honey!”
It was Countess Helena who opened the door until there was a bang. A noble lady who still retains her beauty even in her middle age.
However, the sharply raised eyes and the wrinkles between the eyebrows caused by frequent frowning spoiled her beauty.
“Madam, what are you doing?”
“I hear you! I heard that a guy with low blood has come!”
The count frowned at Helena’s words.
“Be careful what you say. Even though he was born outside, he is still my child.”
“Is that bragging? Did you leave me and roll around with another woman and make a bastard?”
“Keuheum, keuheum!”
Hearing Helena’s direct words, the count cleared his throat. For that part, it was purely his own responsibility.
Since he was not faithful to his family, he had to accept his wife’s resentment.
“I have nothing to say. Get him out immediately.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Why doesn’t it make sense to expel commoners to where commoners live? Surely you don’t intend to raise them as nobles, do you?”
“No, I think so.”
“Are you crazy? Are you thinking of staining your family with vulgar blood?”
The count frowned at Helena’s questioning figure with bloodshot eyes. Anyway, this went too far.
“You said you were my child.”
“I don’t admit it. That is your mistake itself…”
“Helena!”
Helena flinched at the enraged count’s cry. No matter how deep the woman’s resentment was, it wasn’t as much as the pressure of a knight who had spent decades on the battlefield.
The count met Helena’s gaze and said clearly.
“Certainly I neglected my family. It’s my mistake and it’s my fault. So you have good reason to rebuke me.”
“then···.”
“But at the same time I have the responsibilities of a father. That’s separate from the wrong done to you, and it’s nothing for you to intervene in. Keep that in mind.”
Helena bit her lip at the Count’s firm words. He is Count Leonard, obsessed with responsibility and duty.
The moment I realized that raising a bastard was my responsibility, it was obvious that anything I said would not work.
“great. Then I would like to meet him too.”
“you?”
“it can not? I am the Bernstein family’s mistress. If you offer to bring in a new family, you have the right to meet.”
“Mmm.”
The Count frowned, but couldn’t deny her words. Because it wasn’t wrong.
“Okay. But according to your words, that child is already a family. Do not go against your word and try to be your master.”
“Sure.”
She agreed with her mouth, but Helena’s heart was different. Although I couldn’t stop him from entering the family, I had no intention of treating him like a family member.
‘I’d rather make them think that living as a commoner would have been better.’
It would have been easy for a knight who had gone through all the battles on the battlefield to hold and shake a 15-year-old kid in his hand.