Chapter 318
My Villains Episode 318
56. with change(11)
It was around the time the sun rose in the sky that the Marquis of Eavon called the people together. I too was called and took Hayla to the living room..
“Oh, Lord Phoenics. Welcome.”
“dismissal.”
The drawing room, as spacious as a basketball court, was crowded with about a dozen retainers, not including the servants and maids waiting in the corner..
They were knights of the golden age, including Count Orth and the old knight Sir Gidbal, as well as the mayor of Fiol, battle wizard Raph, and Sir Xavier..
As he bowed to the Marquis of Eabon and Madame Panabel in turn, the Marquis opened his mouth with a relaxed smile..
“I heard about it from my grandson. I had a great adventure last night.?”
“Ah, haha……
“I had guessed that the distribution of the light was unusual, but to tame a demonic beast. It's something I couldn't have imagined.”
The Marquis, half-relaxed on the throne covered in red silk, playfully stuck out his tongue. Judging by his looks, it didn't seem like he was going to fight about catching the bicorn and the direwolf..
“The wolf pack all ran away, right? I must have woken up from the hardships. As the owner of this land, I express my gratitude..”
“No, no. In the first place, I went out to get some air, so it wasn't much of a hardship..”
“I can only say that from the Lord's point of view, but is it possible for me, who received help, to pass over the land without any help? When we arrive at Lian Well, I will give you a special gift. First of all, before that,”
The Marquis of Eavon gestured to the young servant standing in the corner of the drawing room. The servant brought a box the size of a shoe box and opened it in front of me..
“This is,”
“It's my little sincerity.”
It looks like it's worth more than three to four hundred pieces full of shiny silver coins. A 'small shroud'? There are quite a few gold coins mixed in as well.?
“Since this will be a hassle, I will pass it on to your subordinates..”
“uh-”
As I scratched my eyebrows with a troubled expression at the suggestion politely made by the young servant, the Marquis spoke in a somewhat stern tone..
“I will tell you in advance that I will decline the specifications. It is not a wealth so great that words of humility can be exchanged..”
……but. The Marquis of Eavon is a nobleman who is no different from the king of a small country. This is probably a small amount of money..
Well, for me, I am grateful..
Since I was running low on cash, I thought about getting rid of a few items, but there was no need to do that..
I obediently accepted the ‘small courtesy’, and the Marquis sent out the servant carrying the chest with a satisfied expression. Then he pointed to the velvet couch next to him..
“Please sit down and wait for a moment. Miss Heila. I'm planning to interview the vassal before I leave Fiol..”
It was obvious who the vassal he was talking about was, so I sat on the couch, trying hard to hide my excitement..
As if waiting, the door to the living room opened, and a boy came in. As expected, it was Baron Lujan..
“hmm.”
I was once again surprised when I saw him. It's because he has a handsome face that brightens up the room..
I had a rough guess last night when he was camouflaging himself with dirt, but when he gets four or five more years old, he will become a handsome man of all ages..
It was not my subjective judgment. The proof was that the maids, who had been blushing while glancing in my direction just now, widened their eyes at Lu Yan's appearance..
“Lujan Alderson of Earthgich, who guards Deli Road and Cheddar Castle as a vassal of the Ariagar family, welcomes his lord..”
“……okay. It's been a while.”
“yes. It's been a while, sir..”
Is it because of the posture with the shoulders straight and the back straight, or is it because of the stubborn look in the eyes? Despite his handsome face and small stature, the young lord had a very dignified aura..
Even while receiving the attention of Marquis Eavon, one of the three most powerful men in the kingdom, Sir Gidbal, an old swordsman of an era, Raph, a wizard with a bizarre behavior, and sturdy knights, he does not show any signs of being discouraged. all.
After all, it’s not an ordinary elementary school student..
Aside from admiration, I felt pity when I saw Lu Yan. This is because I got information about him from Hayla before entering the living room..
It turned out that the boy's lord's father was none other than the Earl of Alder..
This is the Count of Alder, a vassal of the Marquis of Eavon who participated in the Thousand Days' War and was captured by Ulkar and executed by order of the king..
Immediately after the earl's death, the Earthgich family was deprived of the earldom by the Marquis of Eavon. The same was true for most territories, including the city of ‘Trumwell’ in northern Antram..
The title and territory held by the Marquis's grandson, the Count of Orth, belonged to the Count of Alder..
In any case, Lujan, the only child of the Count of Alder, became a lord at the age of only nine. All he was given was Deli Road, a small fiefdom, and Cheddar Castle, an old fortress..
Even his mother, unfortunately, went crazy when she heard that her husband, Count Alder, had been beheaded..
In the end, Lu Yan had to rule the barren territory alone, without any family he could trust, from a young age when he was barely able to maintain his own health..
“You've grown a lot.”
What broke my thoughts was the voice of the Marquis Eavon..
“It is thanks to Your Excellency for your consideration..”
“Is that so? I haven't paid much attention to Delhi Road in recent years..”
“yes. I appreciate it.”
The Marquis' mouth twitched slightly at Lu Yan's bold answer..
The old high lord, smoothing his neatly trimmed beard and casually covering his mouth, stared at the young vassal and then opened his mouth..
“I can't believe that you led an army and left the territory without even having a coming-of-age ceremony. What on earth are you thinking??”
“I'm just chasing the wolves that harmed my people..”
“Because of revenge?”
“yes. Also, isn't it the duty of a vassal to strive to ensure peace in his lord's territory??”
“It is the duty of a vassal. haha!”
The Marquis tapped the armrest and smiled cheerfully..
“I didn't know you were such a loyal vassal..”
“But aren’t you still young? If something goes wrong while going out, it would be like abandoning one's great responsibility as a lord..”
“Age doesn't matter, sir..”
“Huh, it doesn't matter?”
To the Marquis, who smiled wryly as if he were laughing, the boy lord responded with a calm expression..
“I learned that a lord is like the head of a family, and that protecting those in his arms is his first duty and reason for existence..”
“…… so?" “Shamefully, I lost Youngmin to wolves and the like, so I must take revenge to prove my worth. How can you judge age for such an important matter?.”
It was a spirit that was not childlike. It didn't feel like bragging because it was said by Lu Yan, who personally led the soldiers and laid an ambush in the forest..
The knights and maids of the Golden Age, who had let out small exclamations of exclamation, belatedly adjusted their expressions to the cold gaze of the Marquis of Eabon..
“……Yes, you are great. But it is true that I am very worried that you are tormenting the people for your own satisfaction..”
“what do you mean by that?”
“You brought with you a hundred well-armed soldiers? It's impossible to produce that many troops from Deli Road, so they must be mercenaries. You can clearly see the hardships your people will go through in order to cover the costs..”
Lu Yan smiled and shook his head at those decisive words..
“I'm sorry, sir, but they are volunteer militiamen, not mercenaries..”
“militiaman? Do you mean your people??”
“yes.”
A deep furrow appeared between the great lord's eyebrows..
“Nonsense. I heard that they all wore iron armor and half of them carried heavy crossbows with winches, but that doesn't mean they were mercenaries.?”
“As you know, my territory is adjacent to Oak Deli, and Oak Deli is a land in chaos due to Count Jovian's incompetence. Thanks to this, my territory has been frequently visited by bandits, deserters, and greenskins over the past few years.” As the old marquis remained silent, the young baron spoke in a cheerful tone..
“Tired of being helplessly plundered, he brought his people to retaliate, naturally accumulating weapons and wealth..”
“……I guess that doesn't mean they gave it to the militia, not the regular soldiers.?”
“I didn't give it to you. Because it's completely their property..”
“What?”
Lu Yan smiled..
“My principle is to distribute the loot equally. If there is no compensation, the locals will not come forward..”
“Such foolishness!”
The Marquis, with his face scrunched up, shouted..
“Armor can do that. But crossbows, how dare you allow such a dangerous object to the peasants? You are so stupid! Even if a severe agitator appears, what will you do if they turn to you?!”
The young vassal shrugged his shoulders in front of the enraged great lord..
“Then I'm the only one. Can you help me??”
“A guy named Youngju says such irresponsible things.?”
“If the people turn their backs just because of a seditionist, what kind of lord would that be?.”
The Marquis seemed speechless for a moment and kept his mouth shut. Lu Yan added with a glaring look on her face..
“Please forgive me, Your Excellency. It's a very rough world, so I had to resort to this clumsy method..”
“However, thanks to the spread of word that this land is worth living in, the number of people in the territory is doubling every year. We should at least take comfort from that..”
Towards the end of the words, which at first glance seemed arrogant. I was sure.
This little boy will leave his mark on history one way or another when he grows up..
I glanced around and it seemed like other people in the living room had similar thoughts..
The knights of the Golden Age, like simple warriors, forgot to pay attention to their lords and kept the brilliant light of the boy lord engraved in their eyes..
The Count of Orth and the Marchioness Panabel were not much different. An expression of admiration was evident at the sight of Lu Yan saying what she had to say in front of her angry grandfather and old husband..
The old knight, Sir Gidbal, had sunken eyes as if he was reminiscing about something, and the wizard Raph, wearing bandages under a black hood, was showing a wariness that was close to death..
The mayor of Piol and other civil servants were busy keeping an eye on the marquis, and Hayla, sitting next to me, was completely absorbed in the snack prepared by the marchioness, namely a pie with walnuts and raisins. Every time I mutter my mouth silently, my eyes droop a little. It's a subtle change that you see when you're in a good mood..
……okay. I have to eat. Because I was doing this and that, I even skipped breakfast..
At that time, the old great lord asked a question quietly..
“……How old did you say this year??”
“Years have passed and I am thirteen..”
“thirteen. “Thirteen.” The Marquis muttered as if sighing and glanced back at his grandson..
Count Ous, who turned sixteen this year, looked at Rujan with his mouth half-open, and shrugged his shoulders in shock when he felt his grandfather's gaze..
The Marquis of Eavon closed his eyes tightly..
As he remained silent, the entire spacious drawing room became quiet..
Although the atmosphere was not very light, Lu Yan leisurely looked around the room. He seemed to enjoy the various looks directed at him, including favor, admiration, and caution..
And finally, the gaze of the triumphant boy lord landed on me. I grinned and raised my thumb without realizing it..
Just as his beautiful face was distorted strangely, the Marquis of Eavon opened his eyes..
“No matter what you say, I can't allow revenge..”
It was a firm, yet inexplicably tired voice..
“The object of your revenge is here, in the possession of Lord Phoenics and his friend. And they are all my honored guests. I cannot allow his possessions to be taken away..”
“……All right. Well, I will try to appease the spirits of the dead people with other wolves..”
Although there was a subtle anger in his voice, Lu Yan's reaction was surprisingly calm. It seemed like he had already anticipated the Marquis’ answer..
“And your heavily armed militia.”
Did you sense something ominous? When the soldiers were mentioned, the boy lord's expression hardened..
“I had no idea that Deli Road would have such a force..”
“……No way, Your Excellency.”
“It is said that the number of households has increased thanks to a capable lord, so he will be able to shoulder his duties as a vassal a little more..”
Lujan seemed to have sensed Marquis Eavon's intentions and hurriedly opened his mouth..
“Oak Deli is still a den of thieves. The reason they don't dare to go beyond Fiol or Lianwell is because Delilord is tightly guarding the entrance to the Raven Forest..”
“Yes, I see your hard work..”
“then,”
“However, even in such a situation, the reason you came all the way here with your soldiers is because you have enough money to spare..”
“How can you say that?!”
When Lu Yan distorted his face and raised his voice, the old knight who was standing behind the marquis gently scolded him..
“stop. Take care of yourself, Baron Lujan..”
Sir Gidbal, the leader of the Golden Age Knights and a confidant of the Marquis of Eavon, exuded an exciting spirit that was contrary to his quiet voice..
“oh.”
The bloody feeling of my skin going numb makes me wonder without even realizing it. Lu Yan, who was showing off a spirit befitting his age, was unable to withstand the momentum and retreated helplessly..
Seeing the boy lord gritting his teeth, the marquis smiled faintly bitterly but continued speaking..
“Numerous men are gathering at Dandeli Hill to deal with the war in the Western Highlands. Most of them are sending soldiers. “You should do the same.” “Did you say that a lord is like the head of a family, and that protecting his members is his most important duty and reason for existence??”
When the Marquis quoted what he had said with a smile on his face, Lu Yan's pretty face distorted..
“This is to prevent the war in the west from spreading here, so I believe you will gladly participate. “All we have to do is send the militia that are out now, so the number of troops will be relatively less.” The Marquis of Eavon was clearly giving off something base that was rarely seen..
That something, I felt, was a malice to screw that little boy in any way possible. childish and ugly.
Out of anger toward the old great lord and self-blame for showing off his power carelessly, the young lord bit his lip until it bled. My two fists, full of scratches, were shaking..
“Why are you doing that? Ah, it looks like you're worried about the way back to Deli Road..
I will give you cavalry as escort.,”
“……no. It's okay, sir..”
The boy lord took a deep breath, looked at the marquis intently, and continued speaking..
“Contrary to appearances, my soldiers are gentle guys..”
What are you talking about? I thought they were bandits when I first saw them..
“I have no courage or motivation, so I can't use any strength when I'm with them..”
Lu Yan roughly spit out the words he had carefully chewed..
“I'm the only one who can control them. I have to be there to use my strength properly..”
The Marquis burst into laughter..
“Are you sure you want to go to war yourself?‘?”
“ yes.”
“Nonsense. If you go to war, our entire army will become a laughing stock. You will hear that they sent a 13-year-old child because there was no one..”
“If there is a person who says something like that, I will tear his mouth to pieces..”
In the bloody eyes of the boy lord, Marquis
tapped the armrest with a smile..
“Hmm.”
The marquis, who was pondering so much, suddenly turned to me and asked a question..
“What are your thoughts??”
“••••••yes?”
“Is it okay for Baron Lujan to go to war? I'd like to hear your opinion.”
« O ”
Why are you fucking with me again?.
“Well, I'm an outsider so it's a bit hard to say anything..”
“There's no need to feel burdened. I just want to hear the opinions of a brave knight..”
It's so burdensome.
Feeling a little dumbfounded, I looked around the living room. There are seven knights of the Golden Age, including Sir Gidbal. But why bother asking me??
Even though I gave him this notice so openly, the Marquis nodded to me. It’s a gesture telling you to speak comfortably..
Meanwhile, looking at Lu Yan, his hazel eyes are burning brightly..
Seeing those eyes made me feel cheerful, so I opened my mouth comfortably..
“I once heard a saying that an army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by sheep..”
“An army of sheep led by a lion. That's a funny analogy..”
The Marquis nodded and narrowed his eyebrows when I kept my mouth shut..
“……Do you agree with Baron Lujan’s participation in the war?.”
“That is to say, yes.”
“In Gyeong’s eyes, that child looks like a lion.
me?”
I nodded calmly to that question..
“yes. It's much better than any knight or commander, right? He seems like he will be big in the future, so I think it would be a good idea to gain experience this time..”
Rujan and Eavon both frowned at my honest praise..
The boy Youngju said, ‘What is that guy? 'Why are you doing that?' He looked confused, and the old great lord looked as if he had been betrayed..
Indeed. Did you think I would curry favor with you for giving me a few pennies? That's a funny grandpa.
“……Umm, yeah. I understand your opinion well..”
The Marquis quickly adjusted his expression and eventually allowed the boy lord to participate in the war. Regardless of my high praise for Lu Yan, some people seemed to think that this decision was not that bad..
“Then I'll just leave..”
The young lord continued speaking with the attitude that he had finished his business..
“Since we are quite tired from chasing the wolves, we will stay at the place where the soldiers have set up camp for a few days and then go to Dandeli Hill in time for the departure date..”
“……i get it. do that.”
At the end of a simple example, Lujan was about to coolly turn around, but Raph, the battle wizard who was standing silently on one side, stopped him with a harsh, metallic voice..
“for a moment. By any chance, it may leak somewhere else.,”
“Shut up you petty wizard..”
The boy lord glared at Raph with cold eyes..
“I've only lived for 13 years, but I've never once run away from fate.
does not exist. It will continue to be like that..”
The wizard with a bizarre behavior spread an insidious spirit, but Lu Yan only hummed and snorted..
“twerp’.”
Leaving only that muttering, he walked out of the living room with great strides..
Comments