Chapter 415 - The Nobles Ask and Enkrid Answers

Chapter 415 - The Nobles Ask and Enkrid Answers

How many nobles are there in the capital?

Not all of them are in good standing.

This was a fact that could be realized with just a little thought.

"How about this? If you come to my territory, I can give you a manor and personally bestow upon you the title of guardian of the land..."

It all started with Baron Somerset.

Enkrid tried to politely dismiss him as much as he could.

"I'm not interested."

This was a situation he had never encountered before. Had he ever received such attention from the nobles in his life?

Enkrid pushed the offer away by stating his intentions clearly.

"Well, um…"

Baron Somerset was at a loss for words. His tone was so firm that he didn't even realize that this was still kindness.

Deep down, however, he felt resentful.

He knew Enkrid was an impressive individual, but how could one live solely by the sword in this world?

Everyone needed some sort of background.

Wasn't it only natural that to make a name for oneself in the capital, this would be the case?

It was only natural for Baron Somerset, given what he knew.

"Well then, I'll take my leave."

Enkrid bowed lightly and turned to leave. His young attendant saw his master's hand shaking.

Even so, the national hero who turned away like that appeared dignified.

"Impressive."

Whether noble or not, he just said his piece and walked away. How many little ones wouldn't look up to him for that?

Admiration wasn't only limited to children.

Among the palace maids, a group had started a discussion about whether Enkrid or Saxon had the better face.

Meanwhile, Audin, Rem, Dunbakel, and Teresa's names were also mentioned in passing.

Enkrid had already made a name for himself among the noblewomen. But now, it wasn't just that. Among the nobles in the capital, there was no one who didn't know Enkrid and the Madmen Unit. Some of them had even brought their daughters to meet him. Enkrid met with them all, thinking of Krais.

"My daughter."

She was rather pretty. Seeing her shyly bow her head made her appear innocent as well.

Enkrid, looking at the lady's exposed arm, thought she wouldn't even be able to wield a rapier properly with that arm and politely declined.

"I'm busy."

"What's so busy?"

"I have to train."

There were various polite exchanges, but at its core, that was the conversation.

Some had even brought their daughters, saying they should become their heirs.

"I have no children."

He looked to be about seventy and was a thin old man. He mentioned how he had never spent his wealth recklessly and that supporting the king's side in this war was the greatest gamble of his life.

After handling that, Jaxon approached and said,

"He has six children, but none of them were to his liking, so he kicked them out."

A true miser, this nobleman ate black bread instead of white at home.

He was the one who had come offering everything he had, even bringing the deed with him. All that was needed was to stamp it with a seal, and the deal would be done.

Enkrid had no seal. He was a commoner, after all.

Several other nobles came after that.

At least they weren't the lower-tier ones, but the ones with a bit more stature.

Among them were a few special ones.

"I'll say this upfront, I'm not from Aspen, and this is just a commission. So, there's no need to cut me or hurt me. My job is only to deliver their words and hear their response."

The man looked as if he were sweating bullets under the shaded tree.

He seemed to be a judge working in the capital.

A lesser noble, but he made extra income through various commissions.

He was acting like he had been coerced into delivering the message.

Enkrid nodded.

"They promised the Duke of Aspen's protection."

Was the civil war in Naurilia just their problem? No. It was something that concerned all neighboring countries.

It made sense that Aspen was the first to say something like this.

And what about Enkrid?

Was he someone loyal to his country? Or was he someone with his own desires?

"They said it might even be possible to arrange a marriage with the princess."

Enkrid started to worry about the judge's dehydration.

The sweat was flowing freely.

"Reject it."

"Oh, yes. Understood."

He didn't even seem to consider trying to persuade him a second time.

At this point, he was growing weary of all the offers of gold and women.

It was around this time that he started to get annoyed.

"How about we cut off a few arms? They won't come back then."

Rem offered his advice. Enkrid found the suggestion tempting, considering how bothered he was.

"Better just ignore them."

Ragna also stepped in. It was a bit softer, but the issue was that the nobles didn't come alone— they brought attendants or maids.

Did nobles suffer? No, it was their attendants who did.

It was hard to ignore when he saw the little ones trembling and seeking him out.

"Heh, if you calm your mind with prayer, that's the way to handle it. You can help them get cloesr to the lord too, Commander."

At first, prayer meant literal prayer, but the kind of "prayer" the second part referred to could involve fists and feet.

Enkrid thought it wasn't any different from Rem's way.

Dunbakel and Teresa didn't care about these things.

Jaxon secretly thought it might be easier to just kill them, but he didn't voice it.

He knew when to exercise caution.

Esther simply watched with half-lidded eyes.

"You should be careful. You've been marked by the devil."

When he said that, Enkrid's response truly unsettled Esther.

"He's strong, right?"

He was asking about the devil's power.

"Would it be hard to defeat?"

He seemed to be looking forward to a fight with the devil.

"Madman."

Esther muttered under her breath, then turned into a panther again.

It wasn't something she intended to say out loud, but if she didn't voice it, it would build up inside.

In the world of spellcasting, she couldn't afford to keep such frustration inside.

Enkrid didn't reproach him for saying something strange out of nowhere.

Anyway, Enkrid decided to handle it without listening to anyone's advice and would simply dismiss them.

Even so, it was a bother. He briefly entertained the idea of sending them all to Boder Guard.

"Long time no see, national hero and demon slayer, of Boder Guard…"

"That's enough for now."

They were old acquaintances. Enkrid thought that if he forgot this lady's name, her beautiful face would turn into a furious ghoul.

"Lady Baisar."

"…You haven't forgotten my name, have you?"

"Of course not."

Enkrid was good with words. He managed to get by without saying her name out loud.

The capital's most beautiful woman, Kin Baisar, couldn't press him on it any longer.

She hadn't come alone, and the man before her had spoken without leaving any openings.

It wasn't something she could demand he say her name on the spot.

It would be neither polite nor dignified for a noble to act that way.

"I think you may have forgotten it, though."

However, there was doubt.

It was a reasonable doubt. Enkrid had forgotten her name while repeating the day.

But why had she come all the way to the training hall?

Behind her, five attendants and an old man were approaching.

"Recently, many annoying people have come to visit, haven't they?"

It was Marquis Baisar.

Kin bowed her head and stepped aside.

"There is no need to make room for me. I don't intend to waste anyone's time."

Marquis Baisar was originally an efficient person. He disliked wasting time.

That was the difference between him and the others who had come. Instead of sending servants and maids, he sent members of his family and entered the training hall. In the presence of Rem and others, the marquis spoke.

"I think you're getting quite old, Kin. Planning to marry?"

Enkrid was no fool. His sharpness had been acknowledged by Krais. Kin, without showing any signs of embarrassment, lowered her head, and the marquis seemed to believe that his suggestion was unassailable.

"My title of marquis will be passed to Marcus."

If you consider this statement, you could understand the meaning behind what was being said.

Kin Baisar was a symbol.

A symbol connecting him and the Baisar family.

What was the advantage of that?

Once the public commendation ceremony started, the Baisar family would receive the title of duke.

There was no one else who had contributed as much to the battlefield as Marcus Baisar, and he had the influence to make the Baisar family duke-level.

If they were to become the head of the Centerpole family, the title of duke would be assured.

You will have the backing of the kingdom's only ducal family.

Do what you wish.

There would be no force or coercion.

This was the hidden meaning behind the marquis' proposal.

Marquis Baisar was no fool either. He had no intention of using force or oppression toward Enkrid.

He simply wanted to deepen their connection, and if that were the case, he would give him the kingdom's most beautiful woman and everything else needed.

That was his proposal.

It would have been fine to put forward another woman, but he chose Kin.

It was a gesture of respect for Kin Baisar.

Even if it were Krais, it would have been an audacious proposal that made one wonder, "Could this be?"

Enkrid stared at the marquis for a moment before turning his gaze to Kin Baisar.

If a noble's daughter, a woman like Kin, were to be spoken of, she would typically be arranged for a political marriage. It was a society that encouraged that.

So, was that an enjoyable thing? Was it fun?

Enkrid did not know Kin Baisar well. However, he saw her as a person, not just a woman. He didn't know her deeply, but they had exchanged brief conversations and glances before.

The Kin Baisar he saw back then didn't appear to desire a life as the mistress of a mansion.

Although this might be a rude comment, Enkrid went ahead with it.

When had he ever been someone to mind his manners or hold back words?

"What is your dream?"

He asked her.

Kin Baisar stared at him with a blank expression.

She was a symbol. Merely the target of a political marriage. That was all. She didn't need to have any affection for him, and she was perfectly fine with it.

But what was this talk about a dream? It was an inappropriate question for the situation.

"Don't you have a dream? Something you want to do?"

Kin Baisar was taken aback. She thought to herself that this person was truly unpredictable.

The marquis remained silent. He was not someone who usually expressed his emotions.

Was it okay to answer?

"It seems like you do."

She had been born into a noble family but hadn't spent her life confined to the house. She had things she wanted to do. But these weren't things she would say in front of the head of the family.

In their family, the marquis' word was law. If he said to marry for a political alliance, that was what would happen.

"I wish to work with the hero of the kingdom."

Kin gave a textbook answer. No one spoke. Even the marquis simply watched.

"What do you want to do?"

Enkrid asked again, his tone firm, and Kin began to sweat. It felt like standing at the edge of a cliff.

"Say it."

The marquis stared at Enkrid and spoke. Kin hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened her mouth.

"I've always been interested in handling jewels, so I've been dabbling in it."

"That's quite the hobby, but I hear you've found a sizable business for it?"

The marquis commented. He already knew.

Kin Baisar had an excellent eye for jewels. She was also a trendsetter in the capital's fashion and style.

It was thanks to her innate talent and the cultivation she received from the Baisar family.

She certainly had a sense that could be called genius.

"Is that what you really want to do?"

The marquis asked. Kin didn't know how to respond. When she remained silent, Enkrid spoke up instead.

"Why ask again? Are you getting stubborn with age?. Do not bother me anymore."

Most of the attendants were stunned.

Wasn't that crossing the line?

But they had no intention of challenging him.

Enkrid might be fierce, but looking at those standing behind him, it was obvious they would never dare to confront him.

Rem grinned, licking the edge of his axe blade.

"Disgusting."

Ragna scolded him.

"Don't mind it."

The two soon began bickering.

"Am I stubborn because I'm old?"

The marquis blinked in surprise, not a trace of humor in his expression. The tension could have been felt, but compared to Count Molsan, who was possessed by a demon, this was almost cute.

"I don't need to prove myself, just a sword is enough for me."

Enkrid replied.

That ended the conversation. Unlike other nobles, there was no reason to engage with him any further. Enkrid genuinely felt that way.

Whether it was Marquis Baisar or Somerset, it was all the same to him.

"Then."

Just bothersome people who interrupted his training.

As he bowed in respect and turned away, the marquis stared at Enkrid for a moment before turning his head.

He looked sulky, as if upset.

"Are you sure it's fine to treat a marquis like that? Maybe we could just cut him off?"

Rem made a gesture around his neck with his hand and gave his advice, but Enkrid ignored it.

"Wasting time."

He was serious.

He had learned and discovered so much, and his body was now itching to put it all into practice.

It wasn't surprising because, from the moment Enkrid first picked up a sword, he had no talent at all.

Yet, he had awakened his Will in an instant, applied it, and even imitated Ragna's sword.

As he felt the changes in his body, now every time he swung his sword, it was ten times more enjoyable than before.

Of course, to Fel and others who didn't know, he probably seemed like a madman obsessed with training.

Fel, seeing Kin Baisar's appearance, couldn't help but think that Enkrid must really be a person with two eggs and a stick made of stone.

"Is he a eunuch?"

He asked the beast warrior, Dunbakel.

"I think so too. He never falls for me either."

Fel thought as he looked at the smelly Dunbakel.

'I wouldn't fall for you either.'

The beast-woman next to them sure hated to wash.

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