NOVPUBSometimes, when Raul encountered idiots like this, it left him feeling frustrated.
People born with talents they could put to good use, but who end up losing their lives due to poor choices.
'What can you do? They can only blame themselves for being born without common sense.'
Raul leaned on his staff and slowly rose from his seat.
“I’ve heard your resolve. I can’t guarantee that things will be as pleasant the next time we meet.”
“Is that so? Personally, I think the atmosphere will be quite pleasant,” Ghislain said with a bright smile.
Raul tilted his head, puzzled.
Why did those words sound so sincere?
This fool had just thrown away a golden opportunity, but he seemed unfazed. What could he possibly hope to achieve the next time they met?
By then, his head would surely be rolling on the ground.
Raul clicked his tongue inwardly, extending his hand for a handshake.
“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you. Perhaps we’ll meet again.”
“Yes, I look forward to it,” Ghislain replied, standing up and taking Raul’s hand.
Their eyes met.
Ghislain’s gaze burned with murderous intent and a clear desire for destruction.
Seeing that look, Raul realized something.
‘This guy... he’s serious.’
He was truly intent on joining forces with the Crown Prince's faction and going up against the Duke’s household.
But at the same time, Raul couldn’t help but feel perplexed. Even if Ghislain had joined forces with the Crown Prince’s faction, the hostility seemed excessive for someone who had just arrived from the countryside.
‘Could he... does he know something about us?’
Raul was startled by the sudden suspicion creeping up inside him, shaking his head quickly.
Impossible. Even the influential nobles within the Crown Prince’s faction had no idea about the extent of their power or where it reached.
That’s why they had been eager to support the Brivante estate.
As the two continued their handshake in silence, the masked man stepped in.
“The handshake’s going on for too long. If your business is done, it’s time to leave.”
“Yes, his gaze intrigued me. I couldn’t help but linger.”
Raul let go of Ghislain’s hand and started walking out but paused after a few steps.
Half-turning, he glared at Ghislain.
“Baron Fenris, if you look at me with those eyes again, I’ll gouge them out.”
Without a hint of intimidation, Ghislain responded with the same fierce gaze.
“Make sure you don’t injure your remaining leg on your way back.”
Despite the blatant disrespect, Raul didn’t become angry. Instead, he chuckled as if he found it amusing.
“The Marquis of Branford will be pleased. I look forward to seeing what you’ll accomplish.”
With those final words, Raul and the masked man left the room.
As soon as they departed, the nobles, who had been sneaking glances at the private room, swarmed over.
The Marquis of Branford had chosen to remain at his seat, instead sending Toleo to gather intel on what had transpired.
“Hmm...”
Though they had all gathered around, no one spoke up first.
After all, it was quite embarrassing to openly pry into another’s business.
A brief, awkward silence ensued before Maurice, who was known for his impatience, pressed Ghislain for an answer.
“Well? What did that limping fool say to you?”
Ghislain hesitated for a moment instead of responding immediately.
The nobles, becoming more curious, urged him on.
“Hurry up! What did you talk about?”
Ghislain sighed, looking around at the eager faces. Resigned, he finally spoke.
“He offered to take my father and me in as vassals of the Duke of Delphine.”
The gathered nobles stiffened, expressions hardening in shock.
To openly make a recruitment offer at a Crown Prince faction gathering—this was a blatant show of disregard for the nobles aligned with the Crown Prince.
Maurice’s eyes flared as he roared in frustration.
“The north and the south are too far apart! You’ll just end up being milked for taxes!”
“They promised to give us new estates in the south. Both for me and my father.”
“What!”
To offer new estates? The nobles were so stunned that they couldn’t even find words to respond.
Even Maurice, overwhelmed, cast his gaze downward.
The Crown Prince’s faction couldn’t make such offers so easily.
No matter how much they racked their brains, such generous terms for a novice noble seemed impossible.
Just diverting their support to the Brivante estate had already been a stretch for them.
‘They’re even offering land to his father? Does this kid really hold that much value?’
Losing a noble they’d just recruited would be a major humiliation.
But even if the Duke’s household had such resources, it was unlikely they would give away land just to embarrass the opposition.
Maurice muttered under his breath, his voice low.
“So, did you accept? Are you now a vassal of the Duke’s household?”
It was an offer that no young noble could easily refuse.
Moreover, the Peridum estate was a barren land constantly under threat from barbarians.
Turning down the chance to escape such hardships would be sheer foolishness.
But Ghislain casually answered.
“I refused.”
“You... What? Refused? Are you mad?”
“Yes, I turned it down.”
“...Why?”
“I’m already receiving support from the Crown Prince’s faction. There’s no reason to switch sides now.”
Maurice’s brow furrowed.
“That sounds suspicious. The Duke’s household is a powerful backer, and they offered you a deal that’s too good for a novice noble like you. And yet you’re staying with us?”
“What exactly are you implying?”
“That you’ve already sided with the Duke and are lying to us.”
Ghislain let out a bitter laugh. Anyone who didn’t know his history with the Duke might think that.
“It’s understandable to think that. But if I had truly allied with the Duke’s household, why would I even mention their offer?”
The nobles around them nodded in agreement at this logic.
“He’s right, Marquis. If he had any ill intent, he wouldn’t have brought it up.”
“He must be too young to be swayed by immediate gains.”
“To reject such favorable terms—this is a young man of loyalty and principle!”
The nobles exaggerated their praise, though the current trend was clear: more and more nobles were leaning toward supporting the Duke’s household.
In this situation, Ghislain’s decision to remain with the Crown Prince’s faction was a clear statement that they were still a force to be reckoned with.
Ignoring the shower of overblown compliments, Ghislain continued.
“Judging from the warning Raul gave before leaving, it seems he won’t leave my father’s estate alone. I’ll be counting on your support.”
“Hmmm...”
The nobles exchanged glances, now caught in a tricky situation.
To blatantly threaten someone like that—such uncouth behavior was far from what they expected of nobility. But Baron Josef was known for such conduct.
‘Helping someone Raul has his sights set on could cause us trouble...’
Some of the nobles grew uneasy.
While it would be safer not to get involved with Ghislain, politics required a give-and-take. He had preserved the faction’s dignity, so they had no grounds to turn their backs on him now.
Several nobles, mostly from the factions of Count Aylesbury and Count Norton, stepped forward.
“Don’t worry. If the Duke’s household tries anything, I’ll help as best I can.”
“Feel free to reach out if you face any difficulties.”
“The Duke’s household won’t easily meddle with the north.”
Many nobles lined up to promise their support.
“Thank you very much.”
Ghislain expressed his gratitude with an appropriate level of courtesy.
Whether they would keep their promises was another matter, but obtaining their support was significant in itself.
Those promises would serve as justification for him to call on their help when needed.
Maurice, still watching from the side, stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Ghislain.
One of the nearby nobles cautiously spoke to Maurice.
“That young man certainly has a sense of loyalty, doesn’t he? To reject the Duke’s offer like that.”
“Indeed. It’s rare to find someone like that among today’s youth.”
“Thanks to him, our faction has saved face. We should lend him a hand, at least to some extent...”
But despite these remarks, Maurice’s expression remained unimpressed.
“Enough. I don’t like the idea of a brat like him stirring things up. The Marquis of Branford and Count Norton will back him, so let them handle it.”
With that, Maurice turned abruptly and left the room.
His faction members, unsure what else to do, followed after him.
Despite Maurice’s departure, the nobles continued to shower Ghislain with praise.
Ghislain smiled in satisfaction.
‘An unexpected gain. Attending this banquet was the right choice.’
Thanks to Raul’s unexpected appearance, he had managed to secure support and goodwill from the other nobles.
Honestly, he had found these gatherings a nuisance, but now he was glad he had come.
‘But it’s still a shame.’
Opportunities to meet Raul in person were rare.
That made the encounter all the more disappointing.
If not for the interruption, he could have killed Raul right then and there.
Ghislain consoled himself by recalling the man standing next to Raul.
‘Who would’ve thought he’d be there.’
While others might have assumed the man was just a bodyguard, Ghislain knew exactly who he was.
‘It wasn’t the right time. Forget it.’
Ghislain let out a deep breath.
Meeting Raul had been a success, but encountering the masked man had been an even greater fortune.
The man would be a major obstacle in his plan to crush the Duke’s household, and now Ghislain had a chance to observe his skills firsthand.
‘So, that’s what you’re capable of.’
A glimmer of bloodlust briefly flashed in Ghislain’s eyes.
Raul and the masked man rode in a carriage, slowly leaving the Marquis’s estate.
Once they had traveled a fair distance, the masked man broke the silence inside the quiet carriage.
“Well? What’s your impression after meeting him?”
“As expected, no matter how thoroughly you gather information, nothing compares to seeing someone in person. He’s different from what I read. Did Harold make a mistake?”
“We’ll need to investigate further. So, your evaluation?”
“Considering his past achievements and his age, he’s not bad. I’d say he’s a mid-level variable.”
“That’s unusually generous of you.”
“Well, he’s young, full of spirit, and doesn’t seem to know fear... But that might also be his downfall. You could see how openly he displayed his hostility.”
The masked man paused, seemingly in thought, before making a sudden statement.
“Raise his danger level by one tier.”
“What’s the reason?”
“It’s not certain, but... it felt like he was trying to kill you earlier.”
Raul looked at him incredulously.
Kill him? In front of all those people? What was this young baron thinking—how would he deal with the aftermath?
“Are you serious?”
“I’m not sure. But I definitely sensed faint traces of killing intent. Have you done anything to make him hold a grudge?”
“This is my first time meeting him. Where would that come from?”
“Strange. I only felt it for a moment, but there was definitely a hint of bloodlust. And it seemed like he was gauging my skills.”
“Gauging you?”
“Yes, it felt like he was considering whether he could take me out and get to you.”
“...”
Could he have been trying to pull that off in such a short span of time?
That guy... the rumors didn’t do justice to how crazy he truly was.
