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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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His eyes snapped open. Clear light seeped in through the window cracks. He had spent three days and nights entangled with Sophia and Anya, forgetting day and night, yet strangely, his body felt light. It wasn’t just a feeling.
His stamina stat had increased by one. The saying that sex was exercise wasn’t entirely a joke, it seemed. Even for him, a man of considerable vigor, satisfying two women simultaneously hadn’t been easy.
“Ugh…”
He seemed to have gotten a chill from the slightly dislodged blanket as he got up. Anya, shivering slightly, snuggled into Sophia, who lay beside her.
Reflexively, Sophia’s arm wrapped around Anya. The two, who had once had a relationship akin to Cinderella and her stepmother, now seemed as close as a real parent and child. All thanks to his efforts.
Of course, once they woke up, they would likely avoid each other’s gaze as if nothing had happened.
In truth, it was just their bodies that had grown accustomed to each other during those three days of frenzy. Still, wasn’t this significant progress?
He patted their distinctly charming buttocks and left the room. He happened upon a servant returning from her vacation, sweeping the hallway.
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“Oh, Master Allen.”
The servant looked flustered. She seemed unsure how to react, seeing him emerge from Sophia’s room so early in the morning.
What would she do if she knew Anya was in there as well? He kept a straight face and said,
“Bring them something easy to eat when they wake up.”
“Yes? Oh, yes. I understand.”
There was no need to hide their relationship. On the contrary, by revealing that he had taken Sophia, he made a statement to the servants. There was no one left in the mansion to oppose him.
They might have already suspected it, but there was a difference between knowing and seeing with one’s own eyes.
He left the bowing servant behind and headed to the dining hall for a quick breakfast. He then mounted his horse, intending to go to Quaran. It was his first outing in nearly two weeks.
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“I knew it! Just like I said, three days is all it takes! Everyone was fooled. Change my ass! Once a scoundrel, always a scoundrel. If that bastard actually changes, I’ll change my last name!”
As soon as he entered the guild’s main gate, he heard a voice that was clearly complaining about him. Fiore was striking a wooden dummy with a blunted sword, a disgruntled expression on her face.
“Changing your last name? Are you planning to get married or something?”
“Nothing’s impossible! That bastard will never change!”
“Then you should change it to Tolbatz.”
“What? What are you…!”
Finally, Fiore turned to face him. Her eyes widened gradually. Her gaze, fixated on his face, shifted to the scars on his face.
“Your face…?”
“What? Does it suit me?”
Anya had diligently treated his wounds, but with the level of medical technology in this era, restoring them completely was impossible. Once the scabs fell off, a scar would remain, running from under his eye across his cheekbone.
However, his stamina stat might be a factor. A stamina stat above a certain level had a regenerative effect similar to a troll’s.
“You’re joking! You look even worse than before! Don’t look at people like that anymore. You’re practically asking for a fight.”
His eyes had always had a slightly upturned slant, giving him a condescending look. Now, with the addition of the scar across his cheekbone, he had the air of an arrogant delinquent. He had already confirmed this with a bronze mirror.
“So, what’s your answer?”
“Answer? What answer?”
“Aren’t you changing your last name? To Tolbatz?”
Fiore tilted her head, then, as if finally recalling her own words, her face flushed crimson.
“W-What nonsense are you talking about?! When did I ever say that!”
“Are you denying it? Or did you change your mind about becoming a lying knight?”
“You’re talking nonsense!”
Fiore swung her sword without warning. Although it was a blunted sword, in Fiore’s capable hands, it was a weapon that could easily cut flesh and break bone.
Time seemed to slow down. A familiar sensation. But there was one difference.
Fiore’s attack was slower than he remembered. Was it because he hadn’t seen her in a while? He realized it wasn’t a mistake after easily parrying a surprise attack that he wouldn’t have been able to block before.
“You…?”
Fiore’s eyes widened. She seemed more surprised than he was. He adjusted his grip on his sword and pointed it at her.
“It seems you’re the one who’s been slacking off.”
“You wanna go?!”
Fiore grabbed a blunted sword identical to her own from a nearby rack and tossed it to him.
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“You’re angry, but not enough to lose your composure? There has been some mental growth. My mistake.”
“Are you mocking me?!”
Fiore immediately swung her sword. Just as before, her movements were slow. Since he was prepared this time, it was even easier to block.
“You’re realizing it now? You still have much to learn. Keep practicing.”
“You bastard!”
Fiore attacked relentlessly. Her clean, precise swordsmanship targeted his vital points.
He matched her pace, focusing on his breathing. Blocking her attacks wasn’t difficult, even though his body still felt sluggish.
Why? Why was it different from before? Roland’s last move suddenly flashed through his mind. Reflexively comparing Roland to Fiore, he found the answer.
‘My vision… has expanded?’
It was an expansion in a conceptual sense. His actual field of vision remained the same, but he could see more within it.
His eyes, which had previously focused solely on the sword, now captured even the slightest movements of his opponent’s body.
For example, he could now perceive the movement of her arm muscles before the sword moved, and naturally visualize where and how the sword would move next.
It wasn’t that Fiore had become slower; his vision had improved. It seemed he had received an upgrade after being humbled by Roland.
With this realization, he also understood why he could easily block Fiore’s attacks.
‘Fiore’s swordsmanship… is too straightforward.’
Head, neck, wrist, chest, again head, wrist, neck…
Fiore’s sword targeted only vital points or specific areas that could incapacitate her opponent. The rest were aimed at the gaps in his armor. That’s why it was easy to predict and avoid.
“You seem to lack real combat experience.”
“W-What! No I don’t!”
Her delayed response indicated he had hit a nerve. Fiore’s attacks became faster, but her movements grew wider.
He parried Fiore’s sword with an upward swing, just as he had done against Roland. Not stopping there, he immediately shifted his stance and launched a counterattack. His sword, tracing a half-circle, aimed for Fiore’s exposed upper body, which had been left open due to her wide swing.
“…!”
Startled, Fiore stepped back and pulled her sword back. Just before his sword reached her shoulder, her hastily retrieved sword blocked his attack with a shower of sparks.
She stumbled backward from the force of the impact. Quickly regaining her balance, she pointed her sword at him.
“How…?”
The playful expression had vanished from her face, replaced by a deadly serious one. He leisurely resumed his stance.
“Is this the first time you’ve been forced to retreat four steps?”
Fiore’s face crumpled like a piece of paper.
“Damn it! Fucking talent…!”
“It’s not just talent. It’s also a difference in experience.”
“Experience? You have more experience than me? How is that possible?”
He shrugged and glanced behind Fiore.
“What do you think, Sir Andrei?”
Andrei had appeared just a moment ago. As before, his movements were uncanny.
“Allen, what happened?”
Andrei seemed surprised as well. The fact that he asked him instead of instructing Fiore was proof of that. He sheathed his sword and shrugged.
“Well, a lot of things happened.”
“I’d like to hear about it.”
“I also have a lot to discuss with you. This works out perfectly.”
It had been over two weeks since he proposed buying the fishing rights. It was time for a decision.
“W-Wait a minute! What about an explanation? Explain what just happened!”
Fiore tried to follow, but Andrei closed the door before she could enter the office.
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“So, you’re saying you fought a knight-level opponent?”
“A proper knight. I can’t be certain, but I believe he was on par with Fiore, or perhaps even stronger.”
He couldn’t reveal the full details, so he had vaguely explained that he fought an unknown wandering knight.
“You were lucky.”
Andrei responded immediately after hearing his explanation.
“I agree.”
Roland, despite bearing all sorts of penalties, had almost succeeded in killing him. If Roland had risked further injury and pressed his attack in that final moment, he would have been the one to die.
He had known it was dangerous, but the difference between knowing and experiencing it firsthand was vast. He didn’t think he could do something like that again.
He glanced at his newly acquired bonus stats, then turned his attention back to Andrei.
“Even with life-or-death combat experience, it’s rare to see someone improve as much as you have.”
“I suppose I have my talent to thank. I am quite talented, after all.”
Andrei’s eyes curved into a smile.
“You’ve not only improved your skills, but you’ve also become more brazen. Or is it composure? Fiore deserved that lesson.”
There was something knowing in Andrei’s gaze. It was as if he knew what had transpired. After all, this was the man who knew the details of the war his father had participated in. He was clearly gathering information independently.
Of course, there was no way he could know what had happened in the ancient ruins, only the general situation.
He changed the subject.
“By the way, what happened with the fishing rights?”
Andrei didn’t answer right away, taking a sip of tea instead. The brief silence filled him with a sense of foreboding, which was soon confirmed.
“We’ve decided that selling the fishing rights is impossible. Many vassals expressed concerns that it could lead to future disputes and that the value of the rights might increase.”
“That’s unfortunate news.”
The tea tasted even more bitter. He had been counting on not only making a fortune but also gaining a connection to the lord of Quaran. This development meant a complete overhaul of his plans was inevitable.
‘Perhaps the lord’s ability was activated.’
Perhaps his evil intentions had been sensed by the power that brought chaos to the world, leading to the rejection of his proposal.
“Therefore, the lord has decided on a lease.”
Andrei wasn’t finished. He looked up and saw a playful smile on Andrei’s face.
“A lease?”
“If the lord hadn’t been receptive to your proposal, a lease wouldn’t have been possible. You should thank him if you get the chance. Anyway, the term is ten years, and the price is 200 gold coins and one-tenth of the profits.”
It seemed like a considerable concession on the lord’s part, but in the near future, they would be grateful for the decision to lease instead of sell. From his perspective, it meant losing 20% of his potential profits.
‘Of course, it’s better than nothing…’
In the end, both sides had compromised and agreed to share the profits. It was a truly ambiguous outcome. How should he interpret this?
In the game, when facing the Blood Princess, unforeseen circumstances constantly arose, such as unexpected reinforcements arriving or their path being blocked by natural disasters. That’s what made her the most challenging witch to defeat.
Considering that, this outcome was too minor to be considered the manifestation of her ability. But to dismiss it entirely felt wrong, as it had allowed him to avoid significant losses and secure considerable gains.
His hesitation stemmed from the possibility of becoming a pawn of the Blood Princess if he was caught up in her ability.
He needed to avoid direct contact with her until he could determine the exact scope of her power. Having reached a decision, he said,
“Hmm, I was expecting the price to be lower than 200 gold coins.”
“Herring have begun to appear in the coastal waters, so it can’t be helped. Although the council has concluded that it’s a temporary phenomenon, we can’t ignore the possibility, can we?”
It meant there was no room for negotiation. Despite his friendly demeanor, Andrei was a vassal of Quaran.
Anticipating this, he continued, as if prepared.
“Then I need something in return.”
“Hmm, the council won’t be pleased.”
“What about the lord?”
Despite being aware of his notoriety, the lord had mediated his proposal, which suggested a certain level of goodwill towards him, though he couldn’t fathom the reason.
“What do you mean?”
Andrei’s eyes narrowed. It was the look of someone who suspected him of trying to exploit the lord for personal gain.
He spoke before the misunderstanding could deepen.
“I would like to send my sister to the lord.”
If he couldn’t do it himself, he could send someone else. In the game, the witches’ abilities didn’t affect each other.
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Meanwhile, as Allen was deep in conversation with Andrei, someone entered the Tolbatz mansion.
It was Janbolt, the son of the ailing scribe. He, once Allen’s closest friend, handed his coat to the servant at the entrance and asked,
“Where’s Allen?”
He, also a scribe working at Baron Rasino’s estate, seemed to have rushed over, his breath ragged.
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Another bastard came up I guess 🤔
Thanks teot!
it’s a pleasure uncle!