Chapter 49 : Chapter 49

Chapter 49. It Seems This Won’t End Quietly (2)

The intervention of a black mage.

This fact spread quickly.

“Heo… a black mage.”

“Those tiresome things, they really never disappear, do they.”

“To target the Count’s daughter at this point in time, it seems…”

“Hmm, it must not be unrelated to the bandits on Pilseu Mountain.”

“Umm, so that’s why the previous punitive force was annihilated. A black mage…”

The nobles of the East, gathered for a meeting before the expedition, were in a great stir.

They had responded to this subjugation call without any tension at all.

In fact, almost all the nobles of the East had gathered due to Count Parmas' order.

With this much military power, there was no way they could fail to subjugate a mere group of bandits.

So, the subjugation was just an incidental matter; the real purpose was to achieve greater merit than others, catch the eye of Count Parmas, and make their family’s name famous.

These people, who would normally be fighting to be at the forefront, were now thinking of slipping to the back.

The name ‘black mage’ was that threatening a word.

Count Parmas was inwardly displeased as he looked at the intimidated nobles.

‘The duty of a noble is to fight and protect. If you are too scared to fulfill that duty, you might as well die.’

To Count Parmas, those who only enjoyed their rights without fulfilling their duties could not be called nobles, no matter how noble their blood.

They were no different from disgusting pigs.

But not everyone was scared and backing down.

There were also those who saw the crisis as an opportunity and actively stepped forward.

A robust man stepped forward and said.

“My Lord Count. Please allow our Haspir family to stand at the vanguard.”

“Hoh, you?”

“Yes. That’s right. Our family will be the very first to climb Pilseu Mountain.”

The Count smiled at the words of Baron Haspir.

Then, another person from the side came forward and said.

“No. Please entrust it to our Preis family. I will personally take the lead.”

“Ooh, Viscount Preis. Yes. I knew you would step forward.”

He was now a bit older, but he was once Viscount Preis, who had made a name for himself with his bravery in the East.

Count Parmas, who remembered his younger days, smiled with pleasure.

And one more family stepped forward.

“Our Baison family has a 4-star knight. If you entrust it to us, you will not regret it.”

“Hahahaha. Excellent. Excellent.”

When others were backing away, they volunteered for the vanguard and stepped forward.

Count Parmas gave them a benevolent smile and said.

“There will surely be a black mage behind the bandits of Pilseu Mountain. Do you still wish to take the lead?”

“Of course.”

“Naturally.”

“Just leave it to us.”

Seeing them answer without hesitation, Count Parmas smiled.

“Yes. That is how the nobles of our East should be. You are all truly paragons of the nobility.”

The nobles of the East, who ruled the most barren lands, originally held strength and bravery as virtues.

Count Parmas accepted the three families who had stepped forward to volunteer for the vanguard with a pleased heart.

Even if they failed to achieve any merit, they had already made an impression on the Count at this moment.

“Good. I will entrust the vanguard to you three families. Take the lead, climb Pilseu Mountain, and repel the bandits.”

“Yes, sir!”

Looking at the three nobles answering vigorously, it seemed to ease his worries. But on the other hand, there was a sense of disappointment.

‘Is he not stepping up?’

Count Parmas' gaze was fixed on Baron Schneider.

Having seen Patrick’s skills once, it was worth being greedy for the vanguard position, but Baron Schneider was staying back and keeping silent.

He didn't seem particularly scared, but he was holding back as if it wasn't his place to step forward.

‘Well, no matter how strong young Patrick is, it must be difficult without knightly power to back him up.’

According to reports, there wasn't a single knight among the troops Baron Schneider had brought.

No matter how much of a sword genius Patrick was, he was still only fifteen.

Standing at the vanguard, relying solely on his son’s talent without any experienced knights, could be a burden.

‘Still, if he himself had been here, he might have stepped forward with youthful vigor. It’s a pity.’

Just as Count Parmas felt disappointed, Patrick was not here at this moment.

Right now, Patrick was….

“This is tea brought directly from the capital. Please try it.”

“…I prefer alcohol over tea.”

“Pardon?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Patrick couldn't attend the meeting.

It was because Count Parmas' daughter, Marianne, had summoned him.

‘Why did she call me?’

He was curious, but he couldn't refuse the summons of the Count’s daughter.

When Patrick arrived, Marianne personally brewed tea, served cookies, and said.

“Thank you for saving me before.”

“It was nothing.”

“Of course not. If you hadn’t saved me, I might have died then.”

That was true.

In any case, there was nothing wrong with being thanked.

Tea hadn't been to his taste since his past life, but perhaps the tea of this reborn world might suit his palate?

“I will drink it well.”

Patrick took a sip of the tea in front of him. And then….

‘Yup, tea is not for me in this life either.’

It seems a person’s tastes don’t change even if they die and are reborn.

He still couldn’t understand why people spent expensive money to buy and drink this bitter water that couldn't even get you drunk.

“How is it?”

“It’s bitter.”

“Oh my. That’s a concise yet accurate expression. It’s a bit profound.”

“……”

He just said what was bitter was bitter, what was so profound about it…

Above all, Patrick was a man who had no connection whatsoever with profundity since his past life.

Even at the sermons of the Shaolin abbot….

[Does it hurt less if this bald monk gets hit while spouting nonsense?]

Even at the long speech of the Wudang sect leader….

[This quack bastard is asking for death. Come here. Brace yourself!]

Even at the explanation of the Emei sect leader….

[Has this old hag gone senile? What kind of snake oil are you selling!]

Perhaps this man was the reason the Twin Dragon Sect was on the Nine Sects' bad side…

In any case, there was no way a man like that would develop a sense of profundity just because he died and was reborn.

Patrick drank the tea in one go, stood up, and said.

“I enjoyed the tea. Now, I must be going as there is a military conference.”

“Wa… wait a moment.”

“Is there still something you need?”

At Patrick’s blunt response, Marianne said in a small voice.

“Do you… have a fiancée decided by your family?”

“I do not.”

His mother had a young lady in mind, but it was not an official engagement.

“I see. You mentioned you would be an adult next year, correct?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

“I see. Um… what do you think of older women?”

“…Pardon?”

“An older woman. Not much older, but what do you think of a woman who is five years older, and quite smart and competent.”

If one didn’t understand the context after hearing this much, they were a fool.

Patrick thought to himself.

‘This damned popularity of mine…’

It might be surprising, but in his past life, the Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon had spread quite a few rumors of romance throughout the Jianghu.

After he made a name for himself, matchmakers visited the threshold of the Twin Dragon Sect daily.

Putting his personality aside and judging purely on his abilities, the Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon was a sufficiently desirable groom.

How could he not be coveted, having single-handedly made a third-rate sect on the verge of collapse famous enough that no one in the entire Jianghu didn't know of it?

It was worth fantasizing once or twice about bringing him in as a live-in son-in-law and having him use those abilities for our sake.

Well, most of the people who thought that were people who had never experienced the Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon directly.

In any case, Patrick had played around quite a bit in the Jianghu before meeting his wife and getting married.

His senses hadn't dulled to the point where he couldn't recognize the heated gaze Marianne was giving him now. However….

‘Sorry. Girls who stuff cotton balls in their chests are not my type.’

That’s right. Patrick had seen through Marianne’s deception at a glance.

He didn't know how she did it, but with that bone structure, those curves were impossible.

It was anatomically impossible.

And the curves themselves were subtly unnatural.

That was undoubtedly created by stuffing a lot of something artificial.

‘Truly amazing. Even the people in the Jianghu who research disguise techniques wouldn’t be able to create such natural body curves.’

Patrick couldn’t take his eyes off the woman’s obsession with beauty. And….

‘Oh, dear… He’s staring so much.’

Marianne, seeing Patrick unable to take his eyes off her chest (padding) and even looking faintly impressed, squirmed with embarrassment.

When other men had sneaked glances at the banquet yesterday, it had only been unpleasant, but Patrick’s gaze wasn’t unpleasant at all.

In fact, she wanted him to look more.

‘As expected, expensive things are good. It looks completely natural, doesn’t it?’

Marianne thought Patrick was completely smitten with her. And to deliver the final blow, she brought her hand to Patrick’s arm, caressed it, and said.

“If you wish, we could…”

“I apologize, Lady Parmas.”

“……”

Patrick thought.

I have to cut it off here. If I don't want a clingy situation to arise, I have to nip it in the bud right here.

But the problem was….

‘These young ladies, raised like precious jewels, tend to hold a grudge when they’re rejected.’

[You’re so cruel. You played with my pure heart.]

When did I ever?

[If it was going to be like this, why did you save me?]

Because you looked like you were going to die.

[I will have my revenge. I will never forget this humiliation and shame.]

What did I even do?

It was difficult in many ways.

He had simply saved a woman who was kidnapped by bandits, saved a woman who was about to be killed by the Unorthodox Alliance, and appeared at the right time to save a woman who was about to be violated by a lustful demon.

But to be resented every time, wasn't that too much?

So later, he developed his own knack for rejecting women.

First, Patrick bowed politely and said in a business-like voice.

“I apologize. But if I stay with you any longer, I am afraid I will be misunderstood by Count Parmas.”

“Uh… yes? That is…”

“Knowing how much the Count cherishes you, I am concerned about continuing to meet with you any further. Please understand.”

“……”

“I have received your kind gratitude. Then I will take my leave now.”

Bowing politely, Patrick inwardly smiled triumphantly.

‘How about that? This is my secret weapon, the ‘your dad is scary so it won’t work’ tactic.’

[I love you. But your father, the high official of Kaifeng, will never approve of our relationship.]

[I love you. But the master will never allow me, a mere commoner, to become the son-in-law of the Geumcheon Merchant Guild.]

[I love you. But…]

Wow, what a piece of trash.

In any case, it worked quite well.

Later, he heard that the women of those families had thrown tantrums and cried at their fathers, but….

‘That’s none of my business.’

Patrick raised his head, maintained a business-like attitude, and said.

“Then I will be on my way now.”

And without giving her a chance to stop him, Patrick left Marianne’s room.

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