Chapter 106

Here’s the English translation in a comedic anime style:

“Right from the start, I’ve been throwing one punch after another at them, making the nobles’ faces sink heavily.

‘Hmm, you nobles really hate this kind of situation, huh?’

Well, how couldn’t they? They’ve been rejecting and committing evil deeds by putting themselves on the same level as commoners. This is exactly what they’d hate.

If a commoner is acting like a noble, of course they wouldn’t be happy about it.

‘I think I can make them react even more emotionally if I use this a bit more…’

While pondering how to scratch their minds even more, Hemnan approached, trying hard to hide his scowling face.

“Hem, hem! Didn’t you know that you have to cross Waglew Mountain to get to this villa of the Modrich Count’s House? That’s why I had no choice.”

Ah-ha!

The answer was right there.

“If we considered that, we should have left earlier. It would have been better to leave some leeway instead of arriving exactly on time.”

“That’s right. But, didn’t I say earlier? There were problems with the carriage…”

“Your excuse is too much. A simple apology would have sufficed, so why do you need to say it so disgustingly?”

“…Cough!”

Hemnan distorted his face again.

But, I don’t plan to stop here.

No, rather, I don’t need to stop.

“You said there were problems with the carriage, right? Strange. I remember when I used to come here, if I only used one route, I would arrive on time as long as the carriage didn’t flip over. And I was always the last one to arrive.”

Carriage problem?

That’s nonsense.

I once commented on how Memorial messed up the courtesy education of the Duke’s House.

“No, that’s not…!”

“Is there anything else you want to add? After breaking your promise to so many people?”

I was the one who told him to apologize properly for breaking his promise to so many people.

“Even if we’re not close, that’s the limit of proper etiquette. The essentials…”

“Are you saying you won’t keep them? Oh, how could a noble lower his dignity like this.”

It was Hemnan Modrich who made Carsein bow his head by mentioning a noble’s dignity.

And.

While watching all this.

“Was there something wrong with what I just said, Flora?”

Flora Bargrand.

This little brat.

“There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“Is that so? I asked Flora because I thought I might have made a mistake due to my inexperience, but it seems I was correct. Isn’t that right, Hemnan Modrich?”

Smiling, I asked this, and Hemnan trembled.

Soon, he lowered his head.

“…I’m sorry.”

It was such a short and concise apology.

He probably didn’t want to say more than that.

While he would admit mistakes to other nobles, he didn’t want to bow his head to me. So he cut it short like that.

Nobles tried to smooth things over.

“Since you’ve apologized like this, there shouldn’t be any problems now, right?”

“We weren’t discussing anything too important just now anyway.”

“Even if Hemnan Young Master couldn’t attend due to unavoidable circumstances, it wouldn’t have broken the tea party.”

It’s usual for nobles to apologize to each other.

But for a noble to bow his head to a commoner is unacceptable.

To the nobles, this was more than just an issue of pride.

So, the nobles subtly tried to end the scene where Hemnan was apologizing to me.

‘Maybe I should end it here too.’

I know this from experience.

They thought I was just another student, but they wanted to push me aside because they wanted to be above everyone.

If I go deeper, I’ll be the one getting pushed around. If the situation was reversed, I would mercilessly push them back.

So, even though it’s a shame, I need to step away now.

“But you will definitely feel something, right, Flora?”

When I glanced at Flora’s condition, I hit the nail on the head.

It was clearly a delayed response.

“…”

Flora tightly gripped her skirt with both hands and remained silent.

Only now does she seem to recall the old days?

Then, remember this well.

The remnants of your past evil.

The remnants of your malice.

Still, they’re leaving terrible scars on Carsein’s body.

***

The stage for playing with one person as a laughingstock was slowly revealing its grandeur.

Other nobles had put up their shields, salvaging their dignity.

Hemnan’s story about being late, which violated the nobility’s etiquette, disappeared like it was washed away, and the topic shifted to the Eastern Nobles’ Meeting and territory matters.

“The Modrich Count’s House had the highest achievement level back then, didn’t they?”

“They also received high praise from the residents. The living standards improved quite a bit.”

“Isn’t this all because Young Master Hemnan led the territory correctly?”

When his story came up, Hemnan, with a satisfied smile, straightened his shoulders and replied.

“Haha. This is just the result of proper learning. It’s not because I’m great, but because of my father’s excellent teachings.”

“Oh my.”

“Of course, being a model noble is a different matter altogether. Hahaha!”

Now he’s openly telling us to listen.

He emphasized the word ‘model noble’.

As if mocking us, he squinted his eyes at us.

Seeing him laugh with self-satisfaction, the outcome was predictable.

And if the topic shifts to the territory, my mention will surely follow.

“But, I wonder if Prince Carsein is doing okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Aha. Now that you mention it, everyone must not know! Oh, oh. I can’t believe you all didn’t know about this big event.”

Hemnan shook his head with regret, holding his forehead.

“Prince Carsein became the Lord of Rusmaier recently.”

“Oh my.”

“Lord?”

Artificial sighs rippled through the nobles.

They already knew the content. There was no need to act natural; it was a known fact.

Except for one.

“Carsein… became the Lord of Rusmaier?”

“Yes, Miss Flora. It seems they didn’t talk about it within the Bargrand Duke’s House either?”

Flora didn’t know this fact.

I’m not sure why, but only Arina and Claire knew about it.

Hyenas scenting blood started becoming more active.

“You’ve only been Lord for a short while. We had conflicts over tolls. But now, managing the territory again. Isn’t this worrying?”

“He lacks the qualifications to be a lord. Wasn’t hiding this the reason?”

“It seems like he wanted to hide it for some reason.”

“It might be because he’s ashamed of ruining the Shatren territory.”

The nobles nodded in agreement, chiming in.

And finally, someone threw in a jab.

“Why didn’t you tell us about something this important?”

It was Hemnan.

– Ding!

[1. Why do I have to explain this to this kid? Even if I did, nothing would change. I don’t want to waste time on useless stuff.]

[2. You, are you trying to use the territory story again to criticize me?]

[3. How dare you, a mere count, meddle in the affairs of the duke?]

[4. Well, it’s not that important.]

[5. You should know better! You’re the one who ruined Rusmaier!]

This seems to be the real choice for this episode.

There weren’t many bold choices, but since it involves the territory, this seems to be the problem I need to face.

Options 2 and 3 are perfect for going nowhere.

Option 5 is a choice that seems to invite the nobles to pick apart Hemnan’s qualifications, just like Hemnan did.

Option 1 seems likely to reduce affinity because it questions why I need to explain this to Flora.

Option 4 seems like the best choice since it’s relatively neutral.

But,

‘I don’t need to back down against this kid.’

I have the cards to play.

[5. You should know better! You’re the one who ruined Rusmaier!]

“Shouldn’t you know better?”

“What did you say?”

“Hemnan Young Master, are you implying I did something wrong?”

“Wrong? Last year, Hemnan Young Master performed excellently at the Eastern Nobles’ Meeting.”

“Isn’t your attitude towards advice a bit excessive?”

The nobles tried to bite into my neck.

Hemnan smiled wickedly, anticipating a satisfactory situation.

But,

You’re biting at the wrong neck. My neck is the bait.

“Even if the royal family certified knights couldn’t manage the issues caused by the count’s knights, do you think you have the right to say anything to me?”

“…”

“Pardon? What are you talking about?”

“Knights…?”

“Oh, let me explain for those who don’t know. Three knights from the count’s house committed crimes in my territory. They disguised themselves as bandits and plundered.”

The nobles’ mouths dropped open in disbelief.

“That day, when I became the lord and went there, a girl was suffering from illness, and they wouldn’t even give her a path. They said she was dying and didn’t have money for tolls, suggesting she use the money for fairy tales.”

“No, that’s not…!”

That’s right. If I don’t mention the compensation, it’s perfect for misunderstanding.

But, you were planning to lie anyway, right?

“Exactly. That’s not all. The only flat land to cross Waglew Mountain is in Rusmaier, yet they never paid tolls.”

The tea party fell into silence instantly.

“To say I lack the qualifications as a lord, Hemnan also seems to lack the qualifications to be a lord. Would a lord with normal thinking really behave like this?”

This question completely erased the mockery from the nobles’ faces who were trying to belittle Carsein.

They tried to pressure Carsein by bringing up the Eastern Nobles’ Meeting and territory issues, comparing him to Hemnan, who had the highest achievements.

But, the problem was that Hemnan had committed acts that were hard to defend.

The count’s knights committed crimes in someone else’s territory.

And, it turned out these three knights were plundering.

If a lord can’t even manage his own knights, how can he claim to have the qualifications?

Due to this huge contradiction, Hemnan lost his ground to criticize Carsein.

“Everyone, it seems there was an unexpected guest among us. Right?”

Pitea realized they couldn’t defend the situation and changed public opinion.

The nobles agreed with Pitea’s opinion.

“That’s true.”

“We didn’t know it was someone different.”

“We’re greatly disappointed, Hemnan Young Master.”

“Wait, that’s a misunderstanding! Those knights have already been dealt with, and I’ve been helping Rusmaier all along…”

*Snap*

A fan-wielding young lady interrupted Hemnan mid-sentence.

“Even if you did well last year, given what happened, you probably won’t do well this time. Nobles always need to reflect.”

“That’s right. Nobles who strive for improvement always need time for reflection.”

“Time for reflection and preparing for the meeting period would be good.”

Although they spoke grandly, it was basically a polite way of telling him to leave.

Hemnan glared at me fiercely, eyes bulging, and left the room with a flushed face.

He seemed very angry, slamming the door loudly.

-Ding!

▶I successfully drove Hemnan away with appropriate rhetoric.◀

▶I triggered results beyond the choice options!◀

▶I earned a reward!