Ray can’t act. This was unavoidable. Because people who are good at acting were one of two things.
One is someone who has the talent to immerse themselves in a role. Another one is iron skin. Ray was neither.
No matter what he said, his tone became stiff, and Bruno came up with a solution.
-Don’t try to act, recite your lines.
-What does it mean?
– Do it as if you were reading a book. Without pitch, without accent. that would be better
– It may seem strange.
At Ray’s retort, Bruno burst into laughter.
– But that way is more natural. Sir Ray’s acting skills are so pitiful.
-… … .
A dissatisfied gaze turned to Bruno, but Ray couldn’t help it because he couldn’t find another way.
Surprisingly, Bruno’s solution worked. It was possible for Lay, who had always been blunt.
As soon as Ray entered the castle, he spoke to the people.
“From now on, I will go.”
“… … .”
No one answered. Ray continued without waiting for an answer.
“I need to enshrine my father’s ashes and prepare to receive guests. Let everyone move.”
“I can’t admit it!”
Then, someone called out. It was a young knight who seemed to be full of blood. Ray stared blankly at the young knight.
“What do you mean you can’t admit it?”
“Both of welcoming His Excellency’s enemy as a guest, and that of you being the head of the household! Does this make sense!?”
Everyone gulped. It was something that some articles wanted to say, but couldn’t bear to say.
“If you are truly His Excellency’s successor, you must not forgive those dwarves! That is the right duty and the duty of a child! If you can’t do your duty, I can’t accept you as the head of the household!”
Silence fell over the confident cry. He was truly an example of a knight and an example of loyal subjects.
Everyone turned their attention to Ray. How will Ray refute that extremely natural and principled sound?
Ray said without a moment’s hesitation.
“What are you going to do if I don’t admit it?”
“what?”
“You mean you’re leaving the family because you can’t follow my orders? Or is it that he is challenging you to a duel? Be sure.”
“… … .”
The young knight became dumb after eating honey. I didn’t even think about that. I just wanted to say that common sense makes no sense.
But what Ray did was not an explanation.
-So what.
An outrageous outrageous act. Usually, at this point, public opinion arises to replace the successor and set up another candidate.
‘But it’s not there.’
If a person without the right of successor raises a sword and confronts it, it is just treason. So, in this situation, there are only two ways Ray suggested.
Either leave, or challenge a duel. If you choose the former, you will have to wander around as an unemployed person, and if you choose the latter, you will be cut to death by Ray.
“I asked which side.”
“… I will leave.”
The knight bowed his head. In fact, it was the only option left to him. After the knight trudged away, Ray gave the order again.
“Get your father’s ashes and prepare to receive guests.”
No one objected.
* * *
Apart from the shock, the work that followed was over quickly. The count’s body was placed in a stone chamber prepared before he was alive, and the funeral was concluded with an informal ceremony that could only be done during a war.
The Archduke visited the castle with only twenty personal guards. In the midst of tension like a thin ice board, the people involved talked calmly.
“Do you have any alcohol?”
“I will look for it.”
At the Grand Duke’s words, Ray searched the office and picked out a luxurious-looking bottle of wine and brought it back.
Calmly, the glasses were passed to the Grand Duke, Luke’s party, and the children of the four families, followed by a toast.
“For the peace of elves and humans.”
“And for the development of both sides that will follow.”
After the toast, everyone emptied their glasses. In the midst of the Grand Duke and Luke’s party, the only ones who were restless were the children of other families.
‘what? How did this happen?’
‘His Excellency is dead, and Sir Ray is the new Earl?’
‘Then what about the deal? What magic tools should we receive?’
The children looked at the Grand Duke and Ray in confusion. Since the Count is dead, Ray must take over the deal.
But so far Ray hasn’t said a word or called them. Of course, I had no idea what he was thinking.
While the children of the family rolled their eyes, the grand duke opened his mouth to Ray.
“As I said earlier, there is no resentment between us now.”
“yes.”
“Don’t take the Count’s death to heart. It was a fair duel.”
“yes.”
“… Do you have an agent?”
“I will do it for you.”
When Ray couldn’t continue, Luke walked out with a wry smile. I don’t need to blindfold myself anymore, but I didn’t think it would be this much.
“If the grudge has been resolved, we only need to adjust trade matters.”
At those words, the eyes of the aristocratic children flashed open. Trade with the elves. Wasn’t it an attractive proposal as much as a magic tool?
The Count, who had promised magic tools in the first place, died. Then, Ray will have to present a carrot to replace it.
While everyone was throbbing and waiting for the next words, the Grand Duke of the Elves poured cold water on them.
“No, there are things to be done before that.”
“What needs to be done?”
“I said I would settle my grudge against the Herning family. But I never said that I would settle my grudges with other families.”
The grand duke’s cold gaze scanned the noble children.
“You guys must have had a share in the fact that our compatriots went through such a terrible thing.”
“… … !?”
Suddenly, the faces of the children who received attention turned blue. Why are sparks flying here and now?
“Oh, what a misunderstanding!”
“What our ancestors did has nothing to do with us!”
“An excuse that is not even funny on the subject of leading the army.”
Attempts to explain it somehow went awry. In fact, this ambiguous responsibility issue is divided according to the intention of the parties.
In other words, if the Grand Duke has no intention of forgiving, no matter how valid the reason is, it is useless.
“Lee, Sir Ray. No, Your Excellency!”
The children looked at Ray. In order for the elves to advance, they must pass through the castle of the Herning family.
If Ray doesn’t clear the way, the army won’t be able to move. Considering the relationship with other families, of course… … .
“Will you open the way?”
“yes.”
“dismissal!?”
Everyone was taken aback by the nonchalant answer. Either that or not, Ray didn’t even seem to care.
The Grand Duke looked at the nobles for a moment and said.
“Are you okay? Didn’t any of them claim their allegiance to the family or vassal?”
“doesn’t exist.”
It was Luke who answered instead of Ray.
“The Herning family’s relationship with them is that of close neighbors. No one has paid their allegiance, and no family has been taken as a vassal.”
“Then it doesn’t matter if we destroy it.”
extinction. It sounded like a nightmare. If someone else had said something like that, I would have laughed it off.
Even for the imperial family, extinction is not something that can be easily accomplished. But the elven grand duke had that qualification.
It was because he was the holder of an army that could easily destroy even the count family.
‘If that’s true, we’re done.’
Cold sweat drenched the clothes of the sons of the nobles. The allied forces of the four families are useless in front of that elven army.
It was as if I could see the family members being destroyed one by one and being swept away.
“Please wait a moment.”
At that time, Leon stepped forward.
“Listening to what you’re saying now, it sounds like you’ll forgive me if you swear allegiance to Count Herning’s family.”
“Yes.”
The Grand Duke nodded at Leon’s words.
“The grudge between Count Herning and the elves has been settled. A vassal learns to share his master’s lessons and mistakes. The same goes for resentment.”
“then.”
Taking a deep breath, Leon came forward and knelt down towards Ray. It was the courtesy of a vassal to his lord.
“Lion Winslow, on behalf of the family, swears allegiance to the Lord of the House of Herning. Please accept it.”
“I will accept it.”
After Ray’s calm words, Leone stood up and headed to Ray’s side. Luke opened his mouth to the three dumbfounded people.
“What are the three of you going to do?”
The noble sons of the three families stared blankly at Luke. It felt like everyone had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.
Now I have a little idea of how things are going.
‘Since your Excellency is gone, the current owner of the Herning family is Sir Ray. But Sir Ray is more like a knight than the head of a family.’
‘Even if I inherit the county, if my master Lord Luke orders it, I’ll follow it. In effect, this is an oath of allegiance to Lord Luke.’
Everything was a paving stone laid by Luke. When was it? I thought he was just a kid who was lucky enough to obtain an excellent article.
Luke shrugged lightly and said.
“Seeing that there is no reply, it seems that others are trying to keep their loyalty to the imperial family.”
“Excellent.”
The Grand Duke’s mouth twisted. It was an obvious laugh.
“Then go away with allegiance. It will forever remain as a good story.”
“… … !”
“Soon I will have to go back. An army costs money just to keep it in place.”
In a word, he said that he would attack your family immediately. Among the children of the three families, Damian tightly closed his eyes.
From noble mtl dot com
‘If that’s the only way anyway.’
Just as the Archduke was about to stand up, Damian stepped forward and got down on one knee.
“Damian Aarhus swears allegiance to Lord Herning as the deputy head of the family!”
“What… … !”
“Please accept me under your command!”
Ignoring the two shocked people, Damian shouted. Ray looked at Damian with a blunt gaze.
“Do you have the authority to change those who are loyal to you?”
“I will use my name to convince you.”
“Then good.”
With Ray’s permission, Damian strode forward and stood near Luke’s group. Now there are only two people left.
“Are you two still going to keep your loyalty to the imperial family?”
Luke asked again. Their answer was fixed. On that day, the Herning family brought four families under their command.
* * *
The midnight hour when everyone has left. Luke and the Grand Duke, who remained in the drawing room, tipped their glasses at each other.
“Is that enough? I don’t think it would be strange to rebel at any time.”
“If there is no rice cake, it will explode someday.”
“Sounds like there is.”
“Trade alone is enough.”
said Luke, sipping wine from his glass.
“I don’t know about the Grand Duke, but this is the first time formal trade between elves and humans has taken place.”
“yes.”
“That means the gains from this trade will soon be enormous.”
It is a kind of premium. An item made by a race that still possesses magical skills. Not stolen, but brand new.
Perhaps the benefits of brokering trade through the Herning family are immeasurable.
It’s a guess, but wouldn’t the total wealth of each family at least double?
‘Even the elven army that could destroy the family in case of emergency, and even the property that would be cut in half or more if the relationship broke up. I can’t rebel unless I’m crazy.’
I’m shivering with humiliation now, but after tasting the gold coins that come in later, it’s humiliation and nabal, and it’ll get better.
Rather, he would beg for more goods assigned to his family.
“And in this trade, the elves can also cover their resources?”
“Yes, I’ll probably be able to quickly get three times the resources the Grand Duke wants.”
“Really? A little hard to believe.”
The Archduke looked at Luke slightly suspiciously, but Luke only returned a smile.
“Believe me, that’s trade.”
Arathion was almost perfect in every respect, but knew nothing about trade. The same goes for the benefits that result from it.
It is only natural that it has been isolated for a long time. Perhaps, given the amount of resources returned by trade, the Archduke would not be able to stop trading either.
It is the completion of a good interdependent relationship for each other. The Archduke, not knowing all about Luke’s intentions, sighed.
“Trade is the first field I am introduced to. I would like to hear more advice from you if possible.”
“sorry. I am busy with many things.”
“It must be very important to see that he left even after explaining all the benefits.”
Luke nodded. The extinction of the five families was prevented, but important tasks still remained.
“I’m thinking of going north.”
To prevent the barbarian king from appearing.