novelraw Chapter 122 : Chapter 122
Chapter 122 : Chapter 122
Chapter 122
At the sudden voice, the Count, looking at Ian, crumpled his face.
‘What kind of guy is he?’
Normally, he would have shouted.
For him, who knew all the high-ranking nobles of the Kingdom, seeing a face for the first time meant they were a lower-ranking noble.
‘But why…….’
Why is that guy staring confidently at the Marquess?
‘Why is that old man acting like that again?’
The noticeably flustered Marquess was just opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish.
A human whose only asset was a greased tongue shutting his mouth.
‘Anxious, I’m anxious.’
From the moment he met eyes with the impudent guy, anxiety began to creep up.
‘Who on earth is he?’
The Count’s brain worked busily to find a figure with enough power to shut the mouth of that snake-like Marquess.
A hidden Prince?
The son of the Southern Margrave?
Both were too unrealistic.
It is true that the Southern Margrave is favorable to Moner, but the Margrave is in a similar situation to Moner.
There are many things to protect, and he cannot expect help from the Kingdom.
‘In this situation, he wouldn’t dip his feet into Moner, which might be a rowboat or a battleship.’
No matter how much he thought, there was no suitable figure within the Kingdom.
Unless it was a high-ranking official of the Empire.
‘…The Empire?’
Instantly, the Count’s gaze turned to the Marquess.
Since it was an open secret that there was some kind of deal between the Royal family and the Empire, the Marquess would be able to recognize an Imperial official.
‘The Empire? Is it really the Empire?’
Come to think of it, he had heard reports that the Empire’s food supplies had flowed into Moner.
If the Empire came to support Moner…….
“Khm!”
The Count, organizing his thoughts, straightened his back and glared at Haitry and the Empire’s lackey.
“How dare anyone doubt a messenger who received the Royal family’s command?!”
The Count, who shouted loudly, glared confidently at the Empire’s lackey.
‘Arrogant bastard. Did you think you could do whatever you wanted with the Empire on your back? Just by the fact that you came from the Empire, the nobles and the Marquess will have no choice but to support me!’
He might face diplomatic pressure later, but the King’s order was firm.
Use any means necessary to pressure and isolate Moner.
‘Speak with that fine mouth of yours! That you are the Empire’s lackey! Hurry!’
However, what came out of the mouth of the man he thought was a lackey was an answer he hadn’t even imagined.
“Ian de Moner.”
The unknown anxiety the Count felt gradually took shape.
“The scout guarding the forest of demonic beasts and the master of Moner who rules the forest of demonic beasts.”
* * *
Among the astonished nobles, Ian smiled with satisfaction.
‘They never would have imagined it.’
In a situation where they didn’t know when the enemy would come, they wouldn’t have even thought Moner would move.
Because to the Royal family, Moner was no different from a watchdog guarding the house.
A loyal dog that steadfastly guards the house regardless of what the owner thinks behind its back.
‘If I hadn’t been there, it really would have been like that.’
Believing that the Royal family would have no choice but to acknowledge them if Orcs appeared, Sven would have prepared for war.
Since they never wished for acknowledgment, Moner would have remained silent once again.
Believing that if they proved it with results, proper respect and honor would follow someday.
Actually, if Moner collapsed and monsters poured out, everyone would look for Moner.
Even the humans who destroyed Moner with their own hands.
I inhaled slightly and opened my mouth again.
“This should be enough for my introduction. Now then, tell me. What must be done for Moner to receive the help of the Royal Army.”
The Count’s eyes trembled palely.
* * *
“A-Are you the Young Lord of Moner?”
To the words the Count barely spat out after swallowing a silent scream, Ian answered coldly.
“I am the Duke. The Duke whose succession the King personally permitted.”
It was true that the King personally permitted it, and it was also true that the current peerage was Duke.
Just with the condition of ‘temporary’ attached.
The Count, unaware of that fact, looked at the Marquess as if asking for help, but the Marquess said nothing.
“I-I see.”
The banquet hall was already no different from a scene of chaos.
Since Moner, whom they had been waiting for so eagerly, revealed himself directly.
‘Fine. In the end, nothing has changed.’
Seeing the flustered nobles, the Count regained his senses.
‘At best, he’s Moner’s scoundrel. Trash that crawled out here without knowing his place.’
This is clearly Moner’s mistake.
Just because a scoundrel appeared, the justification the Royal family has built up until now won’t be shaken.
“Right, Duke!”
Just as the Count was about to say something, the Marquess, who had kept his silence, intervened.
“For the young master of Moner to come here directly! Glad to meet you again, Duke.”
His voice was so loud that it made the banquet hall ring, burying the surrounding noise and even the Count’s voice.
“Since you came personally, it shouldn’t be difficult to correct the groundless rumors. This place isn’t suitable for conversation, so how about we talk with everyone in a suitable place tomorrow?”
At the Marquess’s somewhat urgent-seeming question, the Count shouted as if having a seizure.
“What do you mean by that, Marquess!”
To give Moner’s Young Lord time and leeway.
How could he know what the guy might plot?
“Is a mere location important for Moner to prove their innocence?! We must resolve everyone’s doubts right here at this spot!”
Up until this point, the Count was convinced he could pressure Moner through this opportunity.
All that guy can do is talk.
Moner is preparing for war.
Tens of thousands of Orcs are targeting Moner.
Moner needs the Royal family’s support.
That’s all the guy can say.
Overturning claims that are merely words is nothing.
He just has to demand evidence.
“That’s right. The location isn’t important to prove Moner’s innocence.”
The moment he heard that nonchalant voice, the Count tried to ignore the anxiety that grew in size.
“Hahaha! That’s right! As expected, the blood of Moner is indeed different!”
The moment the Count, laughing to soothe his anxiety, looked at the Marquess, he felt something was wrong.
‘Why does that old man have those eyes…….’
Because the Marquess’s gaze, looking at him as if he were a pathetic human, was a gaze he had never seen before.
Why, why, does the Marquess think of him as pathetic? I’m the one with the advantage in this situation!
“By the way, what must be done to prove that innocence?”
The Count’s gaze turned to Ian.
“If Moner permits an investigation…….”
“Of course, I permit it. I never refused from the start.”
“Wh-what do you mean?!”
“Moner has never refused the Kingdom’s investigation.”
Only then did the Count realize.
That thinking they would naturally refuse, he had never actually requested an investigation from Moner.
Since his mission was not investigation but to shake the nobles and draw out unity, he thought there was no need to take the risk.
Just as the flustered Count looked at the murmuring nobles, Ian continued nonchalantly.
“Since investigation isn’t difficult, we can go even tomorrow. Before that, can you tell me one more time?”
“Wh-what……?”
“That if traces of the enemy are discovered, the Royal Army and the Knight Order will help Moner?”
“Th-that is…….”
* * *
The Marquess’s face, watching the two, grew darker and darker.
‘Just what did he prepare……?’
He was sure from the moment he saw Ian.
That he had a plan to reverse the rumors.
‘Already, several nobles are wavering.’
At Ian’s confident attitude even before the Count, the Royal family’s messenger, several nobles were nodding their heads.
Because a family preparing for rebellion wouldn’t be that confident.
‘It would be good if this was all…….’
He is a guy who prepared a demigod just to punish Obsol.
If he appeared confidently, he would have had the conviction to change the minds of not just a few nobles, but everyone.
While the Marquess’s head was spinning dizzily, the conversation between the two continued.
“As I said, traces alone are problematic for moving the Royal Army and the Knight Order.”
“Then?”
“Unless we spot an Orc or see its corpse.”
“So, you mean we can get the Royal family’s help if we just confirm a corpse?”
“Th-that’s right. The Royal Army can’t move for an enemy whose existence isn’t even certain, can they?”
At the absurd claim, Ian smirked.
“Then I’ll show you corpses. Since Orc corpses are overflowing.”
The Marquess’s eyebrow twitched.
‘Right, to overturn the rumor, evidence would be needed. Did he have that evidence?’
But the Count is not an easy person.
“I don’t know much about Orcs! Even if there is an Orc corpse, how would I know if it’s an Orc caught months ago or one caught recently?!”
Ian burst into a hollow laugh.
“You need a corpse to move the army, but if I show you a corpse, you say you can’t believe it?”
It was a claim close to forced logic, but the Count did not bend.
“Y-yes! Aren’t there soldiers of other nobles as well?! Unless they have seen it directly…….”
Grin.
At the ominous smile, the Count swallowed his words.
“To receive the Kingdom’s help, we need a corpse, not traces, and on top of that, we need a corpse hunted directly by soldiers of other noble families… It seems the Royal family had no intention of helping Moner from the start.”
Other nobles were also frowning at the Count’s nonsensical demand.
To demand hunting and showing the enemy’s corpse even before the enemy arrived.
Because it was a demand incomprehensible even by common sense.
“Th-this is an unavoidable situation, isn’t it!”
At the Count’s shout that sounded like a scream, the Marquess was certain.
That Ian had clearly anticipated even this situation.
‘This isn’t all.’
Instantly, the Marquess’s eyes scanned every corner of the banquet hall.
‘Natasha, Natasha isn’t here.’
Her existence was practically the reason the nobles were drawn to Obsol.
To her, Moner was the enemy who killed her father and brother.
‘No. Obsol was helping Moner from the start!’
The fact that Ian was here was practically proof of that.
It meant Natasha had intentionally hidden Ian.
‘Wait, then…….’
If Obsol was helping Moner.
It meant they planned this situation from the beginning.
Collecting Orc corpses, and hunting Orcs under the pretext of training.
‘Is that guy the only thing Obsol hid……?’
As if answering that question, Ian opened his mouth.
“Please, I hope your words don’t change this time.”
Along with the sound of him stomping his foot, a ‘thud’ resonated, and dozens of soldiers entered the banquet hall carrying huge sacks.
“My Lord! My Lord!”
“Where is our Lord?”
“Oh! There, over there! My Lord!”
With the commotion spreading in an instant, the soldiers who found their masters shouted.
“As per my Lord’s command, we were protecting Moner!”
“These are the ones I hunted myself!”
Before the flustered nobles could even react, the soldiers proudly overturned the sacks.
“Aaaaaah!”
“Wh-what is that!”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
“It-It’s a monster!”
Along with screams that seemed to tear the banquet hall apart, hundreds of Orc heads rolled on the floor.
Both the Count and the Marquess watched the bizarre spectacle unfolding before their eyes with their mouths open.
“This is the one I caught! It was so tough that it didn’t die even when I shot arrows into its eyes and ears!”
“Th-this one is the one I caught! Hearing it was a gift for my Lord, I cut it as prettily as possible! Hehe…….”
Looking at the banquet hall where hundreds of Orc heads were rolling on the floor and the soldiers proudly boasting about it, it felt surreal.
Ian, who was watching that scene with satisfaction, approached right in front of the Count’s face and asked quietly.
“How is it. Is this enough?”