Chapter 141
Chapter 141 Waiting (4)
Sometimes, I felt frustrated when I saw such foolish individuals.
They were born with potential talents yet lost their lives foolishly due to taking the wrong path.
‘Well, what can you do? You should blame your lack of perception for being born that way.’
Raoul leaned on his cane and slowly rose from his seat.
“I heard your determination. I can’t guarantee that our next meeting will have such a pleasant atmosphere.”
“Is that so? I truly think the atmosphere will be wonderful.”
Seeing Ghislaine smile brightly, Raoul cocked his head.
Why did that sound so heartfelt?
What does a guy who tosses opportunities away for himself want to do when we meet again?
By then, his head would be off anyway.
Raoul clicked his tongue inwardly and extended his hand for a handshake.
“Well, it was nice meeting you. We might see each other again if the opportunity arises.”
“Yes. I will be waiting to meet you again!”
Ghislaine also stood up and took Raoul’s hand.
Their eyes met.
Ghislaine’s gaze was ignited with intent to kill and destruction.
Seeing that, Raoul realized, ‘This guy means it.’
He truly intended to ally with the Crown Prince Faction to oppose the Duke Faction.
But at the same time, confusion surged within him. No matter how much he was aligned with the Crown Prince Faction, this fresh face from the countryside harbored too much resentment.
‘Could it be… he knows about us?’
Raoul shook his head, startled by the question that bubbled up in his chest.
That couldn’t be true. Even influential nobles from the Crown Prince Faction had no idea where their influence extended.
That was exactly why they had tried to support the Brivant Territory, wasn’t it?
As the two stood there, hand in hand without a word, the Masked Man interjected.
“The handshake is getting too long. If you’re done here, it’s time to go back.”
“Right, those eyes are strange, making it hard to look away.”
Raoul released the handshake and started to head outside but paused for a moment.
He partially turned his body and glared at Ghislaine, saying, “Baron Penris, if you look at me with eyes like that next time, I’ll pluck them out.”
Ghislaine didn’t flinch at all, and in the same fierce gaze, replied, “Be careful on your way back, so you don’t hurt your remaining legs.”
Raoul surprisingly didn’t feel angry at such rude words. He simply smirked as if it was amusing.
“With a Marquis Branford backing you, I can see why you’d be so spirited. I look forward to your future endeavors.”
With that final remark, Raoul and the Masked Man left the room.
As soon as the two departed, the nobles who had been sneakily eavesdropping rushed in.
Rather than stay on their posts, Marquis Branford had sent Toleo to find out what they discussed.
“Hmm…”
Everyone gathered, but no one was willing to speak first.
It was embarrassing to pry into someone else’s conversation openly.
An awkward silence lingered, and finally, the most impatient among them, Maurice, pressed Ghislaine, asking, “So, what did that limp fellow say?”
Ghislaine hesitated before answering.
At that, the eager nobles grew more anxious, urging, “Just tell us! What did you talk about?”
Ghislaine, looking around as if there was no other choice, sighed and spoke.
“He proposed that my father and I be accepted as vassals of the Duke Delphine Faction.”
The nobles gasped in surprise, their expressions stiffening.
To so openly extend an invitation at a gathering of the Crown Prince Faction was audacious.
It meant the Duke Delphine Faction was completely disregarding the nobles from the Crown Prince Faction.
Maurice bellowed in outrage, eyes wide. “The North and South are too distant to communicate properly! You’ll just be milked for taxes!”
“He said they would provide us with a good territory in the South. For both my father and me.”
“Whoa!”
Offering a new territory? The nobles were so astonished by such an outrageous proposal that they couldn’t even speak.
Maurice’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
The Crown Prince Faction wouldn’t easily make such an offer.
No matter how you thought about it, placing such generous conditions on a rookie was absurd.
Shifting aid to the Brivant Territory was already stretching their limits.
‘Is this kid really worth offering a territory to my father?’
Openly snatching away the newly joined nobles would be a huge embarrassment.
But no matter how much the Duke Faction had surplus, they wouldn’t just hand over territory to embarrass an enemy faction.
Maurice, expressing an uneasy silence, asked in a low voice, “So did you accept their proposal? Are you becoming a vassal of the Duke Faction?”
It was a proposition that any young noble would find difficult to refuse.
Moreover, Perdium had barren land and constantly had to battle barbarians.
Rejecting a golden opportunity to escape from that hardship was not just foolish.
But Ghislaine spat nonchalantly, “I rejected it.”
“Ah, you indeed accepted the proposal! So, you… huh? What did you just say? Rejected?”
“Yes, I rejected it.”
“… Why?”
“I’m already receiving patronage from the Crown Prince Faction, so there’s no reason for me to go over there.”
Maurice narrowed his brows suspiciously. “Honestly, that’s dubious. The Duke will be a powerful backing. The terms are generous enough to be a waste for someone like you. But you still reject the proposal and intend to stay with the Crown Prince Faction?”
“Dubious, you say…?”
“Are you lying to us while you plan to align with the Duke Faction?”
Ghislaine smiled wryly. Anyone unacquainted with his troublesome history with the Duke Faction could easily think that way.
“You might think so. But if I truly aligned with the Duke Faction, I wouldn’t mention that I received their invitation.”
His words made the nobles nod thoughtfully.
“Indeed, my lord. If he had malice, he wouldn’t be bothered with suspicion.”
“It seems you are still young, not yet caught up in the immediate benefits.”
“To reject such an offer, it’s refreshing to see such loyalty and spirit in a young man!”
The nobles exaggeratedly admired him.
Given the recent rise in nobles supporting the Duke Faction, Ghislaine’s choice to remain with the Crown Prince Faction served as proof that the Crown Prince Faction was no inferior force.
Amid the overflowing compliments, Ghislaine continued, “Considering the warning I received on my way back, it seems they won’t leave my father’s territory alone. I hope for your cooperation moving forward.”
“Um…!”
The nobles fell into an uneasy silence again.
To make such an overt threat was rather undignified. It was behavior unbecoming of a noble. But Joseph, as expected, was the type to do just that.
‘Helping someone who has drawn his ire might lead to complications…’
Some nobles felt uneasy and carefully assessed the atmosphere.
It would be wise not to entangle themselves with Ghislaine, but politically, one must give something to receive something in return.
After all, this young noble had preserved the Crown Prince Faction’s face, leaving no reason to shy away.
Several nobles stepped forward, primarily those from Count Ailzbur and Count Norton’s factions.
“Do not worry. If the Duke Faction tries anything fishy, I’ll do my utmost to assist you.”
“If you face any difficulties, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
“The Duke Faction wouldn’t dare make a reckless move in the North.”
Nobles rushed to pledge their support to Ghislaine.
“Thank you very much.”
Ghislaine politely expressed his gratitude to the nobles.
Though when the time came, they might not uphold their earlier words, the mere fact that he secured promises held significant value.
This promise would serve as justification for Ghislaine to utilize later.
That was why Maurice merely glared at Ghislaine without saying anything more.
A noble beside him glanced at his face cautiously and remarked, “But still, that young man has remarkable loyalty, doesn’t he? To refuse the Duke Faction’s offer, no less.”
“Indeed. You rarely see such individuals among the youth these days.”
“Thanks to him preserving the Crown Prince Faction’s face, we must sufficiently support him…”
But despite such words, Maurice’s face remained unyieldingly displeased.
“Enough. I’m not comfortable with a rookie manipulating the atmosphere. Since Marquis Branford and Count Norton have taken his side, let them handle it.”
With that, Maurice sharply turned and left.
Those in his faction, who had been watching him, begrudgingly followed.
Even after Maurice left, the nobles continued to praise Ghislaine.
Ghislaine wore a satisfied smile.
‘Unexpected gains. I’m glad I attended this banquet.’
Thanks to the sudden appearance of Raoul, he drew support and goodwill from the other nobles.
Honestly, gatherings branded as banquets were nothing but a bother, but now he felt grateful for having attended.
‘But it’s a shame.’
Opportunities to meet Raoul in person were rare.
Thus, this meeting felt all the more regrettable.
If only there hadn’t been any interruptions, he could have killed Raoul.
Ghislaine recalled the man standing next to Raoul and quelled his disappointment.
‘Who would have thought he would be next to him?’
Everyone else likely thought of him merely as Raoul’s guard, but Ghislaine knew who he was.
‘It wasn’t the right time yet. I’ll forget it.’
Ghislaine took a deep breath.
Meeting Raoul was a significant gain, but encountering the Masked Man was an even greater harvest.
To have the opportunity to face someone who would become a tremendous obstacle in breaking the Duke Faction and assess their skills directly.
‘So, you are that capable.’
A fleeting glint of malice passed through Ghislaine’s eyes.
*
Raoul and the Masked Man departed the Marquis’s estate riding in a wagon slowly.
As they distanced themselves, the Masked Man broke the silence in the quiet wagon.
“So, what do you think? How was the firsthand impression?”
“Honestly, no matter how thoroughly one investigates and gathers information, nothing beats seeing someone in person. It feels quite different from what I had heard. Did Harold make a mistake?”
“That’s something we need to look into more. So what’s your evaluation?”
“Considering his previous achievements and age, it’s not bad. I think he could be considered a mid-level variable.”
“Uncharacteristically generous evaluation from you.”
“Well, he seems youthful, energetic, and reckless… but that could be a downside, given how overtly he shows hostility.”
The Masked Man pondered something for a moment before bluntly saying, “Raise the risk assessment by one level.”
“Why?”
“Not certain, but… it feels like he was trying to kill you earlier.”
Raoul stared in disbelief at those words.
Trying to kill him? In a gathering filled with people like that? A rookie Baron thinking about the aftermath?
“Is that really the case?”
“Not sure, but I definitely sensed a faint malice. Do you have a grudge against him?”
“I’m meeting him for the first time today, so what grudge could there be?”
“Strange. It was short, but I could clearly feel it. And it seemed like he was trying to gauge my strength.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, he was pondering whether he could get past me to kill you.”
“…”
He had been attempting such a thing in that brief moment?
That guy truly was a lunatic, just as the rumors suggested.
