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Sometimes I get frustrated when I see stupid people like this.

I'm talking about people who were born with useful talent but lost their lives in vain because they took the wrong path.

'What can I do? I should just blame myself for being born without any sense.'

Raoul slowly got up from his seat, leaning on his cane.

"I heard you were prepared. I can't guarantee that the next time we meet, the atmosphere will be this good."

"Is that so? I think the atmosphere will be really good."

Raoul tilted his head as he watched Giselle speak with a bright smile.

Why do those words sound so heartfelt and sincere?

What is the guy going to do next time when he throws away the opportunity that came his way?

By then, my neck would have been cut off anyway.

Raoul clicked his tongue inwardly and extended his hand for a handshake.

"Yes, it was nice meeting you. I hope we can meet again when we get the chance."

"Yes. I look forward to seeing you again next time."

Giselle also stood up and took Raoul's hand.

And then their eyes met.

Jiselle's eyes were filled with a burning murderous intent and a desire for destruction.

Looking into those eyes, Raoul realized.

'This guy is serious.'

That he was truly trying to join hands with the royalist faction and fight against the duke's family.

But at the same time, doubts arose. No matter how much he joined hands with the pro-prince faction, the hostility was too excessive for someone who had just come to the capital from the countryside.

'Surely… …you know about us?'

Raoul shook his head in surprise at the question welling up in his chest.

That can't be. Even the powerful nobles of the royalist faction have no idea where and how they are extending their influence.

Isn't that why you wanted to support the Brevan estate?

As the two people were holding hands and not saying anything, a masked man intervened.

"The handshake is too long. If you're done with your business, then let's go."

"Yeah, I kept looking at it because the eyes were so strange."

Raoul let go of her hand and started walking outside, but then stopped for a moment.

And then he turned his body halfway and glared at Giselle and said.

"Baron Fenris, if you look at me like that again, I will tear out your eyes."

Jiselle answered with the same look in her eyes, without being intimidated at all.

"Be careful on your way back so that your remaining leg doesn't get hurt."

Raoul surprisingly didn't get angry at the rude remark. He just snickered as if he found it funny.

"The Marquis of Branford will be pleased with you. I look forward to seeing how you perform in the future."

With those words, Raoul and the masked man left the room.

As soon as the two people left, the nobles who had been peeking into the private room with furtive glances came rushing in.

Instead of remaining in his post, the Marquis of Branford sent Toleo to hear what was being discussed.

"hmm...."

Although everyone gathered around, no one spoke first.

Because it was embarrassing to ask questions about other people's stories openly.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, and then Maurice, who was the most impatient, asked Giselle, pressuring her.

"Yeah, what did that lame guy say?"

Jiselle hesitated and did not answer right away.

Then the nobles who were watching became even more anxious and urged him on.

"Tell me! What did you talk about?"

Jiselle looked around and sighed helplessly as she said.

"They offered to accept my father and I as vassals of the Duke of Delphine."

The nobles were startled and their expressions hardened.

How dare you come to the royalist party's banquet and make such an open offer to recruit me.

It meant that the Delphine Dukes were completely ignoring the nobles of the royalist faction.

Maurice glared and let out a loud roar.

"The North and the South are so far apart that they can't even interact properly! You'll just end up getting ripped off with taxes!"

"He said he would provide a good new estate in the south for both me and my father."

"Huh!"

They want to give us a new territory? The nobles were so shocked by the absurd conditions that they couldn't open their mouths properly.

Morris also looked down in embarrassment.

The pro-Prince faction cannot easily make such a proposal.

No matter how much I thought about it, it was impossible to offer such generous conditions to such a young punk.

They had done their best by simply turning their support to the Brevan estates.

'He'll even give his land to his father. Is he worth that much?'

It would be a great embarrassment to have a noble who had just joined us blatantly taken away.

However, no matter how much money the Duke has, he would never give up his territory just to embarrass the enemy faction.

Maurice asked in a low voice, drooling.

"So, you accepted the offer? You decided to become the Duke's vassal?"

It was an offer that any young nobleman would not easily be able to refuse.

In addition, Ferdium is a land with poor land and always has to fight against barbarians.

It would have been foolish to turn down this golden opportunity to escape from that ordeal.

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But Jiselle blurted it out in a nonchalant tone.

"I declined."

"So you accepted the offer! You… … . Huh? What? You rejected it?"

"Yes, I declined."

"… …Why?"

"I already have support from the royalist faction, so there's no reason to go there."

Morris frowned.

"Honestly, I doubt it. The Duke's family will be a powerful supporter. The conditions are also generous enough for a novice like you. And yet, you insist on rejecting the offer and staying with the Prince's faction?"

"What do you mean by suspicious…?"

"You're saying that you're lying to us by saying that you belong to the Duke's family?"

Jiselle smiled bitterly. Anyone who didn't know about the Duke and his ill-fated relationship would think so.

"You might think so. But if I had really joined hands with the Duke, I wouldn't have even told you that I had received an offer to recruit you."

The nobles present nodded their heads at his reasonable words.

"Yes, Marquis. If you had malicious intent, I wouldn't have suspected it."

"It seems that he is still young and not interested in immediate gain."

"To refuse that condition? It's been a long time since I've seen such a righteous and spirited young man!"

The nobles expressed their admiration in an exaggerated manner.

Even without that, there was a growing trend of nobles supporting the Duke's family.

In that situation, the fact that Jiselle remained in the prince's faction would have been proof that the prince's faction was also a force that was not inferior to the duke's family.

Jiselle continued, letting the excessive praise go unnoticed.

"Judging from the warning you gave me when I returned, it looks like you won't leave me and my father's territory alone. Please take good care of me in the future."

"Euuum… … !"

The nobles once again let out a sigh of relief.

To threaten so openly? It is completely unbecoming and unbecoming of a nobleman. But Viscount Joseph was the kind of man who would do something like that.

'If you try to help someone who's been targeted by that guy, you might end up getting caught… … .'

Some nobles were secretly anxious and observed the atmosphere.

Considering the risks, it would be better not to get involved with Giselle, but politics is a case of giving one for every one you receive.

In any case, there was no reason to avoid this young nobleman, as he had saved the face of the pro-prince faction.

Several nobles came forward and spoke, mainly from the Earls of Aylesbury and the Earls of Norton.

"Don't worry. If the Duke does anything wrong, I'll do my best to help."

"If you have any difficulties, please contact me at any time."

"Even the Duke will not be able to recklessly attack the North."

Many nobles vied with each other to pledge their support to Giselle.

"thank you."

Jiselle greeted the nobles with appropriate courtesy and expressed her gratitude.

When the time comes, you may not keep your word, but the fact that you have received a promise is important.

This promise will be an excuse for Jiselle to use later.

That's why Maurice didn't say anything and just stared at Giselle.

The nobleman next to him glanced at him and spoke.

"But isn't the young friend's loyalty remarkable? To refuse the Duke's offer."

"Yes. It's rare to find someone like that among young people these days."

"Thanks to that, the pro-Prince faction has saved face, so we should also give them some strength… … ."

But despite those words, Maurice still looked displeased.

"Okay. I don't like it when one kid dominates the atmosphere. Since the Marquis of Branford and the Earl of Norton have decided to support us, we'll figure it out."

With those words, Morris turned around and left.

The nobles of the same faction who had been keeping an eye on him also had no choice but to follow him.

Even after Maurice left, the nobles continued to praise Giselle.

Jiselle smiled with satisfaction.

'What an unexpected gain. I'm glad I attended the banquet today.'

Thanks to Raoul's sudden appearance, he gained support and favor from other nobles.

To be honest, I thought it was annoying to gather for a banquet, but now I think it was a good idea to attend.

'But what a pity.'

The opportunity to meet Raul in person was rare.

That's why this meeting felt even more regrettable.

I could have killed Raoul if only there had been no saboteur.

Giselle consoled her regret by recalling the man who had stood next to Raoul.

'I never thought that guy would be here.'

Everyone thought of him as just Raoul's bodyguard, but he knew who he was.

'It wasn't the time yet. Let's forget it.'

Jiselle exhaled deeply.

Meeting Raoul was a great achievement, but seeing the man in the mask was an even greater gain.

The opportunity will come to directly confront the being who will be a major obstacle in destroying the Duke's family and see with your own eyes his abilities.

'That's what you were like.'

A glimmer of life passed through Giselle's eyes.

* * *

Raoul and the masked man slowly left the Marquis's residence in a carriage.

As they gained some distance, the masked man in the quiet carriage opened his mouth.

"What do you think? What are your thoughts after seeing it for yourself?"

"As expected, no matter how meticulously I research and gather information, it's not as good as seeing it for yourself. It's very different from the information. Did Harold make a mistake?"

"I guess I'll have to look into that more. So what's your opinion?"

"Considering his past performance and age, he's not bad. I think he can be considered a mid-level variable."

"That's an unusually generous assessment for you."

"Well, maybe because he's still young, he's still energetic and fearless… … But that could be a shortcoming. Judging by the way he shows his hostility so obviously."

The masked man thought about something for a moment and then blurted it out.

"Take your risk assessment up a notch."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure, but… … I think that guy tried to kill you earlier."

At those words, Raoul looked dumbfounded.

You tried to kill yourself? In a place like that, with so many people gathered? How are you going to deal with the aftermath, Baron Aesong?

"Is that true?"

"I'm not sure. I just felt a faint hint of murderous intent here and there. Have you ever held a grudge against that guy?"

"I'm seeing you for the first time today. What do you hold a grudge against?"

"It's strange. It was only for a moment, but I definitely felt alive. And it seemed to be assessing my skills from time to time."

"You?"

"Yeah, I guess I was wondering if I could get through it and kill you."

"… … ."

Are you saying that you were trying something like that in that short period of time?

That guy really was crazy, just like the rumors said.