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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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I looked down at the sword at my throat, then up at Andrei. He was as calm and collected as the last time I saw him.
I knew he was a higher level. Still, I thought I had closed the gap considerably, having gained superhuman strength, and would be able to fight him as an equal. However, the difference in skill remained.
‘It’s his technique.’
Judging by the brief moment our swords clashed, I was definitely stronger.
However, Andrei, instantly recognizing the difference in strength, instead of resisting, redirected my force, subtly changing its trajectory.
This alone neutralized my attack, creating an opening for his counter. He had overcome strength with technique. Effortlessly.
‘He might have leveled up again.’
In this world, one could become stronger through training.
A sense of dread washed over me as I realized why such a skilled individual, someone a Count or even a Duke would welcome, had settled in this small city.
‘It’s like a black hole.’
It was the Lord’s ability that had prevented Andrei, who had been planning to leave when the previous Lord died without an heir, from doing so.
His business had suddenly flourished, his rivals had self-destructed, and he had become the most powerful vassal in Quaran. Conversely, the territory he had intended to move to was suddenly engulfed in war.
He had become a pawn in the Lord’s game without even realizing it.
‘I’m probably no exception.’
I might already be under the influence of the Lord’s ability, the very ability I had been so wary of.
Yet, I hadn’t distanced myself, because Anya allowed me to indirectly benefit from the Lord’s luck.
Even now, I would have lost the hard-won fishing rights long ago if it weren’t for Anya.
One question remained: if the Lord hadn’t granted me the fishing rights lease, I wouldn’t have come into conflict with Earl Dressten.
At the time, I had vaguely assumed her luck manifested in different ways, but the outcome suggested it hadn’t functioned at all.
‘No, the Lord’s luck is unfathomable.’
The Lord’s luck could only be understood in retrospect. What seemed like a disadvantage in the present would often turn into an advantage later.
However, I couldn’t be certain it would work in my favor. Therefore, I needed to confirm it, to discern the purpose of her unpredictable luck.
‘I need to meet with her.’
It was a dangerous gamble. But with Anya by my side, it shouldn’t escalate into a worst-case scenario.
However, I had something to discuss with Andrei first. While I was lost in thought, he had sheathed his sword and was now examining mine.
“Tsk, tsk. Your sword can’t handle your strength.”
The exquisite sword bestowed upon me by the Baron was excellent, but it couldn’t fully withstand my monstrous strength. Despite my careful maintenance, the blade was slightly bent, and the hilt was deformed to fit my grip.
“I’m thinking of switching to a blunt weapon.”
Honestly, throwing stones was more effective than using a sword. If carrying stones wasn’t so cumbersome, I would have seriously considered replacing my sword entirely.
Andrei shook his head.
“Such monstrous strength is excessive for simply killing people. It’s also taxing on your stamina. Train to refine your control and distribute your strength more efficiently. Your brute force can be an element of surprise, a trump card, depending on how you wield it.”
He added that the ultimate goal of swordsmanship was to efficiently eliminate the enemy. It was an undeniable truth.
“The problem is that my sword breaks when I need that monstrous strength.”
“Then carry multiple swords, or acquire a legendary blade.”
“A legendary blade, you say.”
I had a few in mind. However, they were unattainable in my current situation.
Andrei had a different idea.
“Come to think of it, I recall hearing that the Lord brought the Trollsblade from the royal treasury when she arrived.”
“The giant’s sword?”
The Trollsblade was a legendary sword said to have been used by a hero to slay a monster. It was a weapon capable of withstanding my strength.
“Well, just the hilt.”
The problem was that the blade had been dissolved by the monster’s poisonous blood, leaving only the hilt.
“A giant’s sword, huh?”
I knew how to restore the Trollsblade.
Of course, even in the game, it was a legendary item that required extensive preparation, and the Lord wasn’t likely to give it up easily. However, it was the perfect weapon for me, so I couldn’t help but covet it.
‘Another reason to meet with the Lord.’
It was as if fate, or perhaps the Lord’s ability, was pushing me towards a meeting with her.
Andrei clicked his tongue, looking at me disapprovingly.
“Tsk, tsk, don’t waste time on the impossible. Such artifacts can’t be obtained simply by wanting them. Focus on training to control your strength in any situation.”
Andrei raised his sword again. He was still an excellent instructor.
However, there was something I needed to do before resuming training.
“Before we train, I have a question. Do you have any connections with the families who tried to sacrifice Anya?”
“Of course, I’ve known them for a long time.”
“I’m asking if you have any obligations you can’t ignore, like a marriage alliance.”
It was common sense to eliminate smaller enemies before facing a larger foe. Quaran needed some housecleaning.
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After a lengthy conversation with Andrei, I returned to the castle. Considering the Lord’s ability, I should have stayed away from the castle, but the assassination attempts were a concern.
Jin had warned me that while she controlled most of the underworld figures, she couldn’t control those acting independently.
Therefore, I had no choice but to stay at the castle. Even here, Anya’s influence was evident.
I was easily granted permission to stay at the castle. I was even allowed to stay in the inner chambers, a restricted area for men.
And that wasn’t all.
“The Lord has invited you to dinner, so be prepared.”
“The Lord?”
“Yes. She’s very interested in you.”
To have the attention of a princess, after my own sister? It was fortunate that Fiore had returned home.
Of course, Fiore wouldn’t have left Anya and me alone without some precautions.
‘Keep this safe for me! And don’t use it for anything weird…!’
There’s no need to explain what Fiore was clutching as she said those words.
“Why? Because you’re her brother?”
“No. It’s apparently because of the fishing rights. What did she say? That you were the first to cause her a loss? That she wanted to meet you.”
It seemed the Lord had the same questions as me.
There was one other person who wanted to meet me. A man who freely roamed the inner chambers, despite it being a restricted area for men.
“Sir Allen.”
“Father Dominico.”
It was Dominico, a distant relative of Earl Dressten and the priest responsible for the manor’s only church.
“I’m deeply disappointed. You should have visited me as soon as you arrived in Quaran. To think I had to come to you? Isn’t this an act of disloyalty to Earl Dressten?”
The priest of the small church, who had once been so wary of me, now spoke condescendingly, as if he were my superior.
“That’s why I came to see you. More importantly, why did the Earl summon me?”
“That is… Ugh!”
Just as Dominico was about to answer, the section of wall supporting a candlestick crumbled, falling on his head.
“Are you alright?”
Fortunately, the stone fragment was small and hadn’t fallen from a great height, so the impact didn’t appear to be serious. Dominico, however, disagreed.
“Damn it! This cursed castle! It tripped me before, and now it’s trying to kill me?! Be careful, Sir Allen. This castle is definitely cursed.”
Judging by his pale complexion, he seemed to have been staying at the castle for quite some time.
He should consider himself lucky. If his death hadn’t become Earl Dressten’s justification for intervening, the Lord’s luck would undoubtedly have led to his demise.
‘Is that why she allowed him to stay in the inner chambers?’
And there was no way the Lord wasn’t aware of this. She wasn’t a saint who would turn the other cheek.
“You can simply pray to Her.”
Dominico, not a particularly religious man, hesitated, then changed the subject.
“There’s something more important I need to discuss.”
We moved to Dominico’s room, and the matter he brought up could be summarized in a single sentence.
“You want me to sell you the fishing rights?”
“The Earl has promised to compensate you generously.”
“I’ll hear you out.”
“I understand you acquired the rights for two hundred gold coins. I’ll offer you double that. It’s an investment that will double your returns in just a few months.”
I almost cursed him, momentarily forgetting he was the Earl’s envoy.
“The current projected annual income is more than ten times that.”
“Aren’t you a knight of Baron Rasino? You swore an oath not to act against your lord’s interests.”
He used the vassal-lord relationship between the Earl and the Baron to pressure me. And that wasn’t all.
“If the Baron finds out about the fishing rights, he’ll try to seize them. At a much lower price than the Earl has offered.”
He also threatened to inform the Baron if I didn’t sell him the rights at a low price.
He was a true scoundrel. In fact, this was par for the course for the nobility of this era.
“It seems earning the Baron’s favor is a more appealing option than two hundred gold coins.”
“You don’t understand! If you do this, the Baron and the Earl will go to war! I assure you, the greedy Baron won’t back down, and neither will the Earl!”
Dominico implied war. I hesitated. Didn’t Earl Dressten know about the proposed marriage alliance between the Baron and Earl Bruah?
If Earl Dressten tried to seize his assets, the Baron wouldn’t hesitate to switch allegiances, provided he had other options.
Earl Bruah had the power to protect the Baron from Earl Dressten.
After all, wasn’t he a relatively new noble, having only inherited his title two generations prior, starting as a Count Palatine, responsible for overseeing the local court and monitoring the feudal lords?
He still maintained close ties to the royal family and a strained relationship with Earl Dressten.
That’s why I had assumed the Baron was pursuing the marriage alliance with Earl Bruah’s approval.
‘So, that wasn’t the case…?’
It occurred to me that the marriage alliance with Earl Bruah might not have been solely for the sake of acquiring Baron Debussy’s territory.
Indeed, if the Baron acquired Baron Debussy’s territory as well, his power would be excessive for a mere vassal of the Earl. In any case, this changed things.
“It would be wise to reconsider to avoid such an unfortunate outcome.”
Dominico, mistaking my hesitation for fear, smiled. His smile widened as I feigned trembling with anger, unaware of my act.
“Even so, two hundred gold coins is far too little. I can’t accept without further compensation.”
“What kind of compensation?”
“Well, I’m in love with the Baron’s daughter. However, he hasn’t granted his permission for our marriage.”
Dominico hesitated at the unexpected mention of marriage.
“Hmm, the Earl can’t just interfere in his vassal’s family matters.”
“Wasn’t it the Earl who threatened war against the Baron? Compared to that, arranging a marriage seems trivial.”
Dominico, having made his earlier threat, couldn’t refuse outright. After a moment of consideration, he spoke, feigning generosity.
“Hmm, the Baron’s daughter is the third child, is she not? Then her inheritance wouldn’t be substantial… If I truly arrange the marriage, will you transfer the fishing rights?”
“I’ll give them to you for free if you can guarantee the marriage.”
Dominico’s eyes lit up at the word “free.” He eagerly shook my hand, oblivious to the trap.
“Very well. Let’s do it.”
Seeing him accept, I was certain that Earl Dressten was truly unaware of the marriage negotiations between the Baron and Earl Bruah.
‘He’ll find out soon enough.’
If the Earl learned his vassal was planning to switch allegiances, he would do everything in his power to obstruct the marriage alliance.
I wasn’t going to stop there. I intended to send Usebia a letter informing her that Earl Dressten had arranged our marriage.
To give her hope. And to deal her an even greater blow later.
If the Baron died as planned, the barony would become a quagmire, dragging down even the Earl. Conversely, Quaran would be free.
‘And I’ll have to eliminate those who tried to extend their own miserable lives by sacrificing Anya.’
Ultimately, I would gain three advantages from this proposal.
As Dominico hurriedly left to deliver the news, I couldn’t suppress my smile. However, there was one thing I had forgotten.
“Which daughter of the Baron’s again?”
I heard approaching footsteps. Anya, who had discreetly left the room earlier, was returning.
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Whoops caught 🤣
Thanks for the chappie Teot!