TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 64
-Peek.
Olivia, lying prone on the bed, hugged Gomtangi in her arms and glanced out the window.
Ricardo, who went to catch the Thief.
The Tall Man standing boldly in front of the main gate despite being a Thief.
-Leave.
-…
-I said leave!
The atmosphere between the two was unusual.
It seemed like a serious conversation, but from Olivia’s position on the second floor, all she could hear were shouts.
Ricardo, clenching his fists and shouting at the Thief, let out a deep sigh in frustration, while the Thief stood still, silently watching Ricardo.
‘This looks fun….’
It seemed like an interesting story. Feeling left out because they didn’t include her, Olivia hugged the squirming Gomtangi tightly and muttered.
‘Let me join too…’
Ricardo gestured for the Thief to leave. The Thief stood quietly, unmoving.
The two repeatedly pushed and resisted each other.
Unable to do anything but secretly spy on the amusing situation, Olivia grew impatient.
‘Ugh… I can’t see…’
Olivia peeked her face out of the window.
‘Looks familiar.’
Brown Hair.
Insistent on wearing a Black Uniform.
A sword with a golden hilt.
It was an appearance she had often seen while active in High Society.
Someone who seemed to always be by the Emperor’s side…
Who is that…
Olivia sank into deep thought.
‘I don’t know…’
Ricardo and The Man were talking.
The unfamiliar The Man stared at Ricardo with a Stern Expression, while Ricardo let out an Empty Laugh, brushing his hair back.
-Are you telling me to do that?
-…
-Is that something a person who became a Father should do?
-It’s not for you to judge.
-…Ha.
Ricardo, Shaking His Head, let out a Deep Sigh.
It was a familiar expression.
When she said she liked Mikhail at the Academy, he had made that face at her, as if words wouldn’t get through.
Please don’t do this.
-Why… Why don’t you listen to me….
-Why are you stopping me? Can’t I like someone too!
-It’s because I’m worried you’ll get hurt, Young Lady.
-Shut up. Shut up…. You’re just like everyone else. You won’t even cheer for me…
-Young Lady… Please. Just this once, can’t you listen to me?
-I said shut up!
Running his hand through his hair while letting out a Deep Sigh was something Ricardo often did when he was angry.
He couldn’t say something cruel.
Frustrated and angry.
Ricardo, unable to do anything else, expressed his frustration through that habit.
Olivia, who had often angered Ricardo at the Academy, knew more about Ricardo’s habits than anyone else.
It seemed the conversation wasn’t going well.
Ricardo glared at The Man.
The Man returned the glare with a menacing expression at Ricardo.
A tension like a shimmering heat haze began to flow from the two.
Watching them, Olivia clenched her fists.
‘Ah.. This isn’t good.’
Ricardo’s arm will hurt.
Olivia was still worried about Ricardo.
A moment passed.
-Sreung…
The two drew their swords.
Olivia, watching through the window, shouted.
“Gomtangi, bite… bite!”
-Goom…
Gomtangi burrowed deeper into Olivia’s arms.
“Eeeek…”
Gomtangi, who valued her life too much.
***
A massive mountain loomed before my eyes.
Histania Rowen.
The strongest The Man in the Empire stood before me.
[Histania Rowen Lv. 100]
[Job: Imperial Knight Commander]
[Favorability: -61]
[Favorite conversation topics: Histania’s Honor/Talented Swordsman/Praise about Children/Children’s Safety]
[Disliked conversation topics: Incompetent Father/Talentless Swordsman/Evaluation of Himself/Arrogant Person/One-sided Disregard]
Even just standing there, Histania Rowen exuded an overwhelming presence. I couldn’t fathom winning.
Rowen awkwardly looked at me and spoke.
“It’s been a while.”
A deep, resonant voice reached my ears.
The voice of a swordsman who had crossed countless life-or-death situations.
Cold Sweat dripped from my hands out of tension.
Even without exchanging a single word, I was overwhelmed by his aura.
‘Why did he come here.’
I addressed Rowen with a serious expression.
“We don’t accept peddlers.”
It was a kind of survival instinct.
A distilled essence of the Butler’s experience, who had chased away countless peddlers and beggars mistaking the estate for an empty house.
Since efficiently responding to crises was a Butler’s virtue, I looked directly at Rowen, who seemed like he had been kicked out of the house, and said.
“We won’t be buying Electric Heated Blankets, germanium bracelets, or taking loans. Please leave.”
I desperately pretended not to recognize The Man before me.
Because acknowledging him would likely disrupt my happy, unemployed life. Even if a being capable of destroying the world stood before me, anything that disturbed my idle life was less valuable than Gomtangi.
That was the survival instinct of a Possessor.
Rowen looked taken aback.
It was a rare sight to see an Imperial Knight Commander flustered by mere words, but I suppressed the laughter bubbling inside and firmly repeated.
“Leave.”
“Do you not know who I am?”
“This winter will be cold, so just go.”
“…”
At my resolute words, Rowen clutched his throbbing forehead.
Internally, I cheered.
‘Please go.’
‘Please go.’
‘Go back home and just wash your feet.’
The world is such a dangerous place. Why would he come to such a shabby place? Hoping he’d just leave, I told Rowen, but Rowen let out a deep sigh and said to me.
“It’s my first time being treated like a peddler.”
Rowen seemed to find such treatment amusing.
In the original work, Rowen disliked introducing himself. His face was his business card, and his sword was the Symbol of the Empire.
He was a lofty Knight who deemed those who didn’t know him unworthy of conversation.
When Rowen first met Yuria in the novel.
-Who is this person?
-I am Histania…
-You really look like a peddler.
-…
In the novel, Rowen had been dismissed by Yuria as a peddler and left without looking back. Later, Mikhail introduced him as his Master, which resolved the misunderstanding, but it showed that Rowen was sensitive about his reputation being disregarded.
His name.
The influence of Histania.
Histania Rowen’s reputation in the Empire was so great that such confidence came naturally.
‘If you don’t know me, go educate yourself.’ That’s the kind of vibe he gave off.
That’s why I was using the knowledge from the original work as much as possible, hoping Rowen would just go back.
Rowen let out a deep sigh.
“I am Histania Rowen.”
It seemed my strategy wasn’t working.
“The Commander of the Empire’s Knights. Known as the Sword of the Empire.”
“…”
“I’ve come to speak to you about something.”
Rowen spoke as he looked at me.
His firm expression made it seem as if there was an answer he absolutely needed to hear, leaving no room for escape.
Reluctantly, I bowed my head respectfully.
“I am Ricardo, the Butler of Lady Desmond Olivia.”
Slowly bowing my waist, I spoke while looking directly at Rowen’s face.
“It’s an honor to meet the Sword of the Empire. Could you forgive my earlier rudeness?”
I showed Rowen clumsy courtesy.
Implying that it was mostly his fault for not notifying us beforehand, I said.
“Had you informed us in advance, I wouldn’t have shown such disgraceful behavior. I apologize.”
“…That’s enough.”
Rowen waved his hand, forgiving my mistake.
To guide Rowen into the estate, I politely said, ‘Though it’s a humble place, please come in.’ Rowen lightly waved his hand, declining as he said, ‘I’ll just say what I need to and leave.’
It was a relief.
Because the estate was a mess since it hadn’t been cleaned. Moreover, if the Young Lady saw Rowen, she would definitely call him a ‘Blockhead who only thinks with his sword,’ so I silently thanked Rowen for his wise decision to protect the Young Lady’s neck.
-Plod.
Rowen looked me over.
From my shoes.
To the sword hanging at my waist.
And my Red Hair.
After thoroughly scanning me, he said.
“Do you know Histania Hanna?”
“Yes, she’s a friend I recently made.”
“A friend…”
“Yes.”
Rowen gave a small nod and began to speak about the main topic.
“I heard about you from Malik. He said you’re a brave and talented swordsman.”
“You flatter me.”
What a generous Patron.
Even though the praise came from an unwelcome person, it didn’t feel bad.
After all, it was a compliment from the Sword of the Empire.
When Malik visited the estate last time, he made one request of me.
-Hey, Ricardo.
-Yes.
-Can I ask you for a favor..?
He had asked me to help reconcile Father and Hanna.
Since they could reconcile thanks to my help, Malik cautiously thought that, with my assistance, Hanna might also open her heart to Father and asked me for this favor.
-I refuse.
I had firmly rejected Malik’s request.
Personally, I believe it’s not right for an outsider to interfere in someone else’s family matters.
Knowing the future where Hanna dies due to indifference made me even more unwilling to get involved.
I didn’t want to say something cruel like asking Hanna to open her heart to the Father who had tormented her all her life.
Frankly, even if I told Hanna to work things out with Father, I didn’t think she would actually follow through.
Most importantly, it wasn’t Hanna’s will.
That’s why I had refused Malik’s request.
I didn’t want to meddle in someone else’s family affairs.
I believe the thing one should avoid most in this world is interfering in someone else’s family affairs.
With eyes that had grown cold, I waited for Rowen to speak.
“I came here to ask for a favor.”
“Since you were the one who gave Hanna a sword, I thought you’d be able to do it.”
A bad feeling crept over me.
“Make Hanna put down the sword. No, make her give up wielding a sword altogether.”
I clenched my fist.
“Is that something a Father should say?”
“You’re overstepping.”
“I’m an orphan, so I don’t know my place.”
Blue Aura began to explosively flow from Rowen’s body.
The intense Aura was sharp enough to sting my skin.
In contrast, I began to emit a faint Aura. I couldn’t win, but I aimed to move tactically, gathering Aura at my fingertips so I could at least bite back.
Even a bear feels pain when stung by a bee.
Rowen drew his sword.
I also drew mine.
As our Auras gathered at the tips of our swords.
A loud voice rang out from the second floor.
“Guards! You lazy Tax Thieves! There’s a Thief here!!!”
The Young Lady was holding Gomtangi up high, hiding her face behind her.
“D-Don’t fight!”
The Young Lady tightly shut her eyes, trembling.
She seemed genuinely worried about me.
“Pfft..! Yes, understood.”
I let out a small laugh and sheathed my sword. Then, turning to Rowen, who looked baffled, I said.
“Please leave. It seems the Commander of the Knights has no chance of getting closer to Hanna.”
From behind me, I heard Rowen mutter “Arrogant Bastard,” but I lightly ignored him and headed back into the estate.