Chapter 173

Chapter 173: The Viscounty Evaluation

After the imperial officials arrived, both Malion and the retainers of the Daphne house had no choice but to become even busier.

“Would it be alright if we checked the knights' registry? We need to verify if the actual number of knights matches the records.”

“Ah, yes! Of course!”

From the warehouse to each and every book in the study.

The imperial officials inspected every last detail of the household.

But each time…

“Here, is this the document you were looking for?”

“Oh, you've prepared well.”

“Hahaha, not at all. This much is only to be expected.”

As if he were using some sort of magic, Malion smoothly brought out exactly what the officials wanted and took care of everything.

As a result, the officials generally wore expressions of satisfaction rather than displeasure.

“Young Master, could you… do something like that?”

“Me? Are you out of your mind?”

Hardin and the knights, watching from the sidelines, could only try their best to hide their astonishment.

And that wasn’t all.

“Here is a steak grilled with a special spice made from a mullet unique to our coast. Please, try it.”

“Ooh, excellent. What a heavenly aroma…”

Every time these bastards had a meal, everything from start to finish was meticulously taken care of…

Even their bedding, laundry, and something as small as a cup of tea—every single thing came with sincere hospitality.

From Hardin’s perspective, watching this scene unfold…

‘I could never do that. No way.’

He found himself shaking his head without even realizing.

‘In my past life, our house used to be the one in power.’

Even these so-called imperial officials couldn’t meet Varlach’s eyes properly back then.

Not only did he not want to do it, he probably couldn’t do it even if he tried.

Back when he was Varlach, if there was ever a need to entertain someone like that… it was always the eldest brother’s responsibility.

“Haha, please try this wine as well. I’ve prepared one that pairs especially well.”

Hardin, seated at the end of the table, quietly watched Malion chatting away with a sly smile.

For a brief moment, he wondered if it was just his imagination.

— Please, try this wine with your meal as well.

That image somehow overlapped with his memory of his elder brother from the past.

While Hardin was smiling to himself in satisfaction for no real reason…

“Excuse me, Lord Hardin?”

“Ah, yes!”

One of the officials turned to him and spoke.

“I heard you performed remarkably in the recent war.”

“Ah, well… I suppose.”

“I was told that you didn’t display much martial strength before. Would you mind sharing how you became so strong in such a short time? Ah, this is just a personal curiosity, of course. I’ve also been practicing the sword myself…”

The imperial official beamed at Hardin with a bright smile.

Even though he claimed it was a “personal” question, anyone could tell…

‘He’s trying to gauge me, that bastard.’

A bead of sweat formed on Hardin’s forehead.

‘How am I supposed to answer that?’

Just as Hardin was about to open his mouth to respond—

‘Huh?’

From across the table, he spotted Malion glaring at him with murderous intensity, jerking his head as if giving a signal.

‘What is it? What does he want me to do?’

While Hardin tilted his head in confusion, Malion’s earlier words suddenly came to mind.

— Just say this, brother: “Ah, is that so? Sounds like a good idea. My younger brother will explain it.”

Hardin let out a puff through his nose and spoke.

“My younger brother will explain it.”

“Pardon? But I believe this much could be answered by Lord Hardin himself…”

The official trailed off, wearing a puzzled expression.

“Haha, my brother isn’t really the talkative type. I’ll explain everything.”

“...Ah, I see.”

As the official turned his gaze away with a slightly displeased face, Malion quickly began to explain.

“My brother started growing stronger two years ago. The reason he hadn’t been able to improve before was due to an injury to his mana circuit, which miraculously healed…”

Could he have even prepared a false backstory?

Malion fluently recited a made-up past of Hardin that never actually happened.

‘Huh? I did that?’

Hardin narrowed his eyes at a life story even he didn’t know.

“Ooooh! I see.”

“What a miraculous tale. Lord Hardin overcame such hardships and led the family to its current strength!”

The imperial officials seemed thoroughly fooled by the story, their eyes gleaming as they became engrossed in Malion’s narrative.

Watching this unfold, Hardin couldn’t help but feel both impressed at how prepared Malion was and simultaneously…

‘Terrifying… He lies like that without even blinking.’

Seeing this destructive(?) side of his younger brother, Hardin couldn’t help but view him in a new light.

Several more days passed.

In the Daphne estate’s main conference room, the key figures of the Daphne house and the imperial officials gathered once again.

“Excellent. You've fulfilled most of the conditions required to be granted the rank of Count. No, in fact, I would say you’ve more than exceeded them.”

“Ooh, thank you! Truly, thank you so much!”

At the official’s words, Malion repeatedly bowed his head with a joyful expression.

“Haha, there’s no need to thank us. This was all due to the tireless efforts of the people of Daphne.”

As the official said this, faint smiles appeared on the faces of those from the Daphne house.

“Soon, the Imperial Palace will request a formal audience. Since the final authority to confer the rank of Count rests with His Majesty, all that’s left now is to await the result.”

“Yes! Understood!”

With that, the imperial officials departed.

“Please have a safe trip back! I prepared this small package for you to enjoy on the road!”

“Hahaha, you didn’t have to go this far.”

Malion bid the administrators farewell with the utmost hospitality until the very last moment, completing his duties by handing them farewell gifts as well.

Once everything had come to an end…

Malion returned to his room.

“Pheeeeeew… I’m completely burned out.”

He dropped into a chair, utterly drained of strength.

As he slouched there, dazed and slumped in the chair—

Knock knock knock!

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Hardin’s voice came from beyond the door.

“…Come in.”

Clack.

The door opened, and Hardin entered the room.

“Here. Eat this.”

“…What is that?”

On the tray in Hardin’s hand sat a glass of milk and some kind of… unfamiliar black object.

“It’s called chocolate. Came over from the Carib Archipelago. Try it.”

“…Are you sure it’s safe to eat? I won’t end up with food poisoning again, will I?”

“Oh, come on. What do you take me for?”

As Malion eyed it suspiciously, Hardin lightly smacked the top of his head with the palm of his hand.

“Grrrgh.”

Chomp chomp.

Malion reluctantly bit into the mysterious food called chocolate.

Then…

“Ooh?”

His pupils widened, and soon a blissful expression bloomed on his face.

“It’s… delicious! Brother!”

And not just delicious.

With just one bite of food, strength returned to his body that had been sagging like dried fish.

“Well, as long as it tastes good.”

Malion began alternating between gulps of milk and bites of chocolate.

After devouring it all—

“Puhhhaaaah. I finally feel alive again.”

With his energy restored, Malion’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.

Just then, as Hardin watched with a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth—

“So, what are you going to ask me?”

“Hm? Ask?”

“Yes. You came here to ask me for something, didn’t you? Seeing as you brought such an incredible treat… it must be quite the troublesome favor.”

Just what kind of person does this guy think I am?

Hardin let out a huff and gave Malion another soft smack on the top of his head.

“Tch, you little punk. Even when I try to do something nice…”

“Huh?”

Malion rubbed his head in confusion, not understanding what was going on.

Without saying another word, Hardin turned his back and walked toward the door.

Then, right as he reached it—

Thunk.

He stopped in his tracks and, in a low voice, spoke a single line.

“You did well.”

“…Sorry? What was that?”

“You worked hard, preparing all of this.”

And with that, Hardin disappeared.

“…Was that really my brother?” Malion muttered.

Malion’s face was filled with bewilderment.

---

After the imperial officials returned, the Daphne Viscounty returned to its daily routine.

“The cargo volume at the port has increased by about ten percent. It appears to be due to orders from Baron Leyden and the allied families…”

“Let’s try reducing the port usage fees a little. See if we can attract more families that way.”

“Repairs on the outer wall are also scheduled to begin soon. The budget needed for this is…”

“Use it generously. I want it reinforced thoroughly and solidly.”

While the retainers managed the operations of the trading port, they also steadily began resolving long-standing issues—such as expanding the roads and reinforcing the walls—by using the funds they had secured.

“Run faster! Come on!”

“Waaah! We’re gonna win!”

The knights trained fiercely, divided between Manton and Beryl at the center of each team, driving each other through competition.

There was one unusual aspect, though.

“Huff, huff… C-could we slow down a bit…”

“Rookie! Get your head in the game!”

At some point, a halfling named Jerry had ended up among them.

As for how this guy ended up there…

— Admiral, can we take that thief with us?

— That rat? Why bother?

— Well, I just… thought it might be fun to work him a bit. He might come in handy somehow.

Back in the Carib Archipelago—

Hardin had asked Admiral Redrose to hand Jerry over, and threw him into the knights’ unit.

And…

“Hrrrgh! Hrrrgh!”

Hardin, the one who had set all this in motion,

continued daily to cultivate his mana and train his body.

In his spare time, he also researched how to further develop the Wave Swordsmanship.

Then, as one month passed, then two, time flew by.

“This week, we’ll begin road construction between Mudside and the main estate. We’ve already commissioned the carpenters to have enough carriages ready in time for completion…”

While a family meeting proceeded as usual in the main conference room—

Tap tap! Tap tap!

“Hm?”

At the sound from the side, Malion turned his gaze.

There, he saw a messenger bird tapping on the window with its beak.

What stood out was that this bird was unlike a typical messenger pigeon—it was covered in red feathers.

“J-just a moment…”

Malion stood up from his seat, opened the window, and untied the letter fastened to the bird’s leg.

And then—

“It… it’s here. Father.”

“What is?”

“The Imperial Palace… has invited us.”

In that moment—

“The Imperial Palace… sent an invitation?”

“That means…”

The retainers’ mouths began to fall open.

“We did it! We did it, my Lord!”

In no time, Engelmann, the quartermaster, shot up from his seat and shouted out.

“Wooooaaaah! We did it!”

“Everyone—everyone, you’ve all worked so hard!”

Spurred on by him, the other retainers quickly rose with bright expressions and let out cheers.

“Now now, everyone, calm down. This doesn’t mean the countship is officially confirmed yet—it’s only an invitation from the Imperial Palace…”

Viscount Cobalt tried to wave them down, struggling to keep the corners of his mouth from curling upward.

“Malion! Malion!”

Even Hardin raised his fist into the air and shouted with joy.

“You’ve worked hard, Third Young Master!”

“It’s all thanks to you that we pulled this off!”

None of the retainers cared in the slightest about Cobalt’s words and all chimed in support.

As the mood in the room reached its peak—

“Hey, hey! Don’t just let this pass by—he deserves to be tossed up in celebration!”

Hardin stepped behind Malion and lifted him high into the air.

“Gather around, everyone!”

“Yes, sir!”

The retainers, all caught up in the excitement, quickly swarmed in.

Hoisted into the air, Malion flailed and shouted in protest.

“F-Father! Someone stop them!”

…he cried out, but in that very moment—

“Alright! On the count of three, we throw him!”

“W-Wait? Father?!”

Beside him, Malion suddenly saw Viscount Cobalt holding on to him as well.

“One, two, three!”

“Waaaahhhhhh!”

And so, in the Daphne estate, Malion’s joyful scream(?) echoed through the air.