“It would be better not to do so, Young Master.”
Jeremy was taken aback by those words.
Such a response was not something a commoner could give to a noble.
For a commoner to respond in such a manner, there had to be a ‘very justifiable reason’ for it.
‘A very… justifiable reason.’
Jeremy couldn’t perceive any reason that would be deemed very justifiable.
For a commoner to respond like that, it had to be an extraordinary circumstance.
From Jeremy’s perspective, it was a sufficiently dangerous situation.
‘If that boss’s finger gets cut off…’
Then this delicious egg tart will disappear.
This is Princess Viola’s favorite place, isn’t it?’
Most of the people gathered here are commoners.
It can’t be helped.
Because this world has an overwhelming proportion of commoners than aristocrats.
Wherever you go, there are more commoners than aristocrats.
‘There’s no one to stop him.’
This is a place I like.
I’m willing to look for another time.
So I hope this place doesn’t go down.
said the noble boy.
“It’s very ugly to be in winter castle.”
“If it appeared that way, I apologize, but principles are principles.”
“You talk about principles and fall into a trap.”
The boy walked up confidently and slapped the boss across the face.
Smack!
It seemed like he couldn’t manipulate mana.
Nevertheless, despite that, it seemed like he had trained himself, as the boss’s cheek quickly swelled up.
“I’ll give you one last chance. Bring me the rest.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know if you’re aware, but this place is frequented by the staunch Lady Viola.”
“But?”
“She also waits in line and only buys two. If I were to sell more than three egg tarts to Master Confucius, it would be disrespectful to her.”
The boy chuckled as if he found it absurd.
“You have a big mouth, blabbering away.”
The reason the boss mentioned Lady Viola was clear to him.
He subtly hinted at having connections with the renowned Bellaato family’s lady, using it as a form of intimidation.
“How dare you threaten me, you trash?”
“It’s not a threat. It’s seeking understanding, Young Master.”
“Shut up. Tonight, you will be found dead and cold.”
Jeremie sensed a presence outside the door.
It seemed like the party with Lady Viola was still outside.
“Hmm. Then again…
I like this place, and I like Viola too.
“Should I try to score some points?”
When the day comes for a formal introduction, it could leave a good impression.
Being a helpful swordsman at a regular restaurant, that should be enough.
Jeremie stepped forward.
“That’s enough.”
***
The eldest son of the small-scale artist. Gelton, who turned sixteen this year, was genuinely angry.
In his domain, those who were not even worthy to meet his eyes kept staring at him and talking back, one after another.
“Who the hell are you?”
Judging from his attire, he didn’t seem to be from a noble family. He might be from a noble family, considering the worn-out sword he was carrying, but he would not be a member of a reputable household with a title.
“I’m an aspiring apprentice knight, Jeremy.”
“Jeremy?”
Jeremy didn’t lie about his real name. The name Jeremy wasn’t rare.
“You guys all look pathetic.”
Jeremy laughed brightly.
A radiant smile, not obscured by the dullness of his appearance, emerged like the sun.
“I wonder if it would hurt if I hit someone like you.”
“What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Jeremy didn’t unleash a storm of sword techniques.
He simply drew his sword.
Swish!
The clear sound of the blade, which didn’t match the worn surface of the sword, resonated and spread.
The tip of the sword touched Gelton’s neck.
It was a close call.
If it had gone a little deeper, blood would have been drawn.
“Outrageous!”
The knight who was performing Gelton behind him also drew his sword.
However, the sword could no longer be considered a sword.
The knight’s eyes widened.
“When did…?”
The sword broke in half and fell to the ground.
The knight examined the cut edge.
“The cut is clean.”
He hadn’t even seen the sword swing.
But his own sword was sliced off, and the cut edge of the severed sword was excessively clean.
Even if he had a century-old masterpiece created by a renowned master, it would have been a challenging level.
He swallowed his saliva.
“Damn it. I made a mistake.”
The appearance may be modest, but this person is definitely not an ordinary individual.
It was evident that the knight was at least of Grade 9 or higher.
Sometimes, there are skilled knights who wander around in such shabby appearances.
“So, how about it? It would be best not to cause any more trouble, right?”
“Tomorr-row is my birthday, so I will forgive you with good intentions.”
Gelton turned around with a swish.
He acted as if nothing had happened, but his legs were trembling.
“What is that guy?”
My appetite plummeted.
I’ve never seen a senior knight before.
Witnessing the skill of a senior knight up close was terrifying.
“Let’s get out of here quickly.”
Outside, there was a pretty girl and a boy with golden hair.
Gelton hastily adjusted his appearance and started walking with a delinquent demeanor.
The door must have been closed.
Now, there was nothing to be afraid of anymore.
“Move aside.”
It was as if his footsteps were claiming to be a wild, untamed man.
He thought that behaving rough and tough was what made a man attractive.
Sixteen-year-old Gelton believed that.
Viola wasn’t particularly angry.
“Oh well.
Wherever you go, there are always kids like that.
Little ones who think they’re tough.”
From Viola’s perspective in terms of mental age, that guy was still an immature child.
However…
The eyes of her companion, the warblade Tundra, gleamed with eagerness.
***
Jeremy believed that he had scored points.
“Hehe.”
Even though the door blocked their way, Viola must have already sensed it.
“I saved the owner of the regular restaurant, Lady Viola.”
He took pride in leaving a good impression.
He savored the last remaining egg tart slowly.
“I did my best with my swordsmanship.”
It was a quite satisfying performance.
Viola probably enjoyed it a lot too.
After showcasing this level of swordsmanship, she might have at least thought of becoming friends.
“Anyway, it turned out well.”
Thanks to the uncouth behavior of the nobleman, he thought he had gained significant points.
On the other hand, Viola bit her lip as she looked towards the Duke’s mansion.
“It’s indeed a dangerous world.”
She glanced through the crack of the opened door.
Jeremy’s neat swordsmanship.
It was a simple footwork without any special techniques.
“It’s too fast.”
Indeed, it seemed like not getting close would be the best course of action.
Viola asked cautiously, “Tundra, did you see Jeremy’s footwork?”
“Yes.”
“How was it?”
“It was fast.”
“Faster than you?”
Tundra pondered for a moment.
He thought of it as his owner’s test and evaluation.
He answered calmly, “In terms of speed, it seemed faster than me.”
“I see.”
“I’ll work harder.”
No, that wasn’t the meaning.
Suddenly, Tundra’s blazing enthusiasm felt a bit burdensome.
Ignoring Tundra, Viola continued walking towards the Duke’s mansion.
‘Even faster movement than Tundra.’
Indeed.
They were excessively dangerous individuals.
“It’s dangerous. I should keep my distance.”
***
When Gelton returned to his lodging, he whipped his escort knight angrily.
“What is your duty?”
“To escort you, sir.”
“But?”
“I apologize.”
“Do you think your father gives you money to do that?”
Gelton whipped him for a long time, and the escort knight endured silently.
After a while.
Gelton, exhausted, dropped the whip.
“Ah… Ah…!”
“I apologize, sir.”
It was not an excuse to say that the opponent was too strong.
Anyway, he couldn’t provide proper protection, and he considered it his own mistake.
That was how a knight thought like a knight.
That night.
Gelton left the lodging with the escort knight.
“We found that bastard’s house, right?”
“Yes.”
Gelton had always been educated to be a precious existence.
“You are an excellent child.”
“You are better than anyone else.”
“You can do it very well.”
That’s what he learned.
Gelton’s mother always told him that.
But it became poison to Gelton.
“I’m going to catch him.”
“This is Winterhold, sir.”
“We can kill him outside Winterhold. Take him with us.”
The escort knight realized that Gelton’s stubbornness could not be broken.
If he received an order, he had to follow it.
That was the right way as a knight.
“I understand.”
However, on the other hand, he wanted to ask.
“Don’t we need to punish the boy named Jeremy?”
Jeremy was the one who insulted Gelton in front of many commoners.
If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be right to seek revenge on Jeremy?
Why does the lord have to die?
“He was disrespectful for a commoner. But… he didn’t say anything wrong.”
Moreover, even Bella’thur’s loyal lady abides by the principles here.
Gelton couldn’t break those principles.
So there was no reason for the lord to die.
“Should I follow this order?”
But he had to follow it.
He believed it was right as a knight.
Step by step.
They walked through the streets at night.
The streets of Winterhold were peaceful and quiet at night.
There were people scattered here and there, intoxicated by alcohol.
“Sir, the fact that they are so drunk and scattered…”
“It means they are uncultured and lacking in manners.”
No, that’s not it.
It means that the public order here is excellent.
Therefore, it would be impossible to kill the lord outside Winterhold.
Because the security is strict.
He swallowed those words.
After all, he had to see it with his own eyes to satisfy his conscience.
On the outskirts of Winterhold.
Among the houses where commoners gathered to live, there was one house with a fairly large gate.
“Are you sure this is the house?”
“Yes.”
“Break it.”
They broke down the wooden door and entered.
“A commoner living in a house with a garden?”
There was a small garden.
“What on earth do these Winterhold commoners have in mind? Or do they have nothing?”
It was the first time he had seen a garden in a commoner’s house.
Although it was a small garden, it was excessively luxurious for a commoner.
“If someone sees this, they would think it’s a noble’s house. No wonder his neck was so swollen.”
Ahead of them.
There was a staircase with five steps.
A boy was sitting there.
He was a blond boy.
“You also have a swollen neck.”
“And who are you?”
“Me? A mercenary who dreams of being a dog.”
At the mention of being a mercenary, Jelton scoffed and snickered.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Why are you here?”
“You’re short-tempered for a mercenary.”
“You’re short too, you giant.”
Jelton’s face turned red with anger.
He never expected to be insulted by a mercenary.
And he was already on edge.
“I’ll kill you too.”
“Kill me? We’re in Winterhold, you know?”
“Don’t think I care about that!”
Jelton pointed his finger at Tundra.
“Knock him out. Take him outside Winterhold and kill him.”
This knight was even a 2nd-grade apprentice knight.
He was incomparable to a mere mercenary.
…
…or so he thought, but reality was different.
Crash!
Like breaking glass, the knight’s sword shattered into pieces.
“What’s this now?”
The knight’s vision turned dark.
It was a sword hastily bought from a weapon shop, but it wasn’t supposed to break this easily.
The sword completely shattered.
Fragments flew everywhere.
“You clearly said you would kill me first. This is self-defense.”
Tundra walked steadily.
He swung his sword.
“How dare you touch my master’s favorite shop?”
Bivolla was happiest when eating an egg tart.
This guy was trying to ruin that happiness.
With a swing of his sword, Tundra knocked out Jelton and the knight on the side.
In his heart, he wanted to kill them, but he couldn’t.
This was the territory of Winterhold.
Easy.’
After daily sparring with monsters like Beichen, dealing with guys like them was quite easy.
The door opened, and Azulegia’s owner bowed deeply.
“Thank you, I don’t know how to repay this favor.”
“Not with the ones sold in the shop.”
Giving the ones sold in the shop would go against the principles.
But if it was ones baked at home, it would be a different story.
“Ten egg tarts baked separately at home. That will satisfy the Lady as well.”
“I will bake a hundred if needed. Thank you so much.”
Tundra barely held back his rising tail.
He was incredibly pleased inside.
“With ten… Master will be pleased, right? I did well, didn’t I?”
Thinking about that made him excited.
Seeing Bivolla eating the egg tart happily, seeing her happy, that was Tundra’s happiness.
“Please make them especially delicious.”
“Of course!”
Two days later,
The only son of a three-egg artisan was executed.
His neck was hung in front of the southern gate of Winterhold.
And a surprising rumor began to spread within Winterhold.
Iron-blooded Lady. It was a rumor related to viola Belato.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
Next chapter will be released tomorrow. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!
