Ch.1616. Ah, the Cowardly Rogue?

“Uh, tell him I’m not here.”

“What!?”

“Just say I went out!”

“Are you truly mad, young master? If Baron Byron catches you in a lie… Oh my! It would be dreadful!”

I hadn’t prepared anything for this meeting, as I expected to see him only upon returning to the family.

What if he notices during our conversation that I’m not really his son?

I can’t guarantee that won’t happen.

‘He is a character from the original story, but…’

Baron Byron Alphonse.

A former awakened knight who earned his title and territory through great achievements in war.

In the original story, upon learning that his son Selden Alphonse was killed by Luna Brillhart, he becomes enraged and pursues her relentlessly.

And then.

Eventually, Baron Byron dies.

At the hands of Luna Brillhart.

His relationship with his son Selden Alphonse wasn’t described in detail.

However, I clearly remember the story of how Baron Byron gradually descended into madness after losing his son.

He tracked Luna Brillhart until his death.

Which means…

He wasn’t the type to abandon his child…

Can I really impersonate Selden Alphonse convincingly?

Until now, I’ve been dealing with people of equal or lower status, so no one questioned me much.

This feels dozens of times more dangerous than when I first met Elina, who didn’t even appear in the original story.

But why did he come here anyway?

I tilted my head questioningly at Padericks.

“Why did Father come here?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself.”

“Hah… A butler should figure these things out before coming to me.”

“I apologize. Perhaps Baron Byron heard about your recent activities?”

“What activities?”

“You dealt with the goblins and that assassin group for the villagers, didn’t you?”

I rubbed my forehead against the oncoming headache and raised my eyebrows.

“Wait, he came all this way because I dealt with some measly goblins and a pathetic group of assassins?”

“That’s not the important part.”

“Then what is?”

“The fact that the ‘good-for-nothing’ who was supposed to be drinking and womanizing every day in exile suddenly changed. That would seem strange, wouldn’t it?”

“Do you want to die? ‘Good-for-nothing’…?”

“I-I’m not saying that! I’m just telling you what Baron Byron might think.”

Hah…

If I try to run away, he’ll definitely wait until I return. This is maddening.

Should I just face him head-on?

“What about Mother?”

“Of course, only Baron Byron came.”

“So there’s a chance I might get hit if things go badly?”

“Well… if you upset him, perhaps. But you’ve changed a lot lately, young master.”

That’s because you’ve experienced the original good-for-nothing Selden Alphonse, so you’re biased…

I don’t know how I usually behaved around Baron Byron.

Was I a delinquent who defied my father?

Or a cowardly delinquent who feared him?

I rolled my eyes slightly and continued.

“What do I usually do when Father hits me?”

“Pardon? Besides crying and apologizing, what else are you asking about…?”

‘Ah, so I’m a cowardly delinquent?’

I rose from my seat in the study.

Perhaps because I had just eaten a hearty lunch, my steps felt unusually heavy.

Or maybe I just didn’t want to go.

“By the way, where’s Elina?”

“She left urgently with Butler Rigard before Baron Byron arrived.”

Hmm, has she already departed?

Fortunately, thanks to moving quickly on the Fail Fruit matter, we avoided the unfortunate situation of Elina meeting Baron Byron.

“Let’s go.”

Have I ever walked down the corridor from the study to the reception room with such gloom?

When we arrived at the reception room, one of the unfamiliar knights blocking the door lazily stepped aside.

I was about to snap at him but held back.

There was a mountain to climb first.

Creeeeak-!

As the door opened, a man sitting on the central sofa stared at me.

The aura emanating from him clearly identified him as Baron Byron.

“Young master, you’ve arrived?”

The first to greet me was Brighton, Baron Byron’s attendant butler.

I gave the butler a slight nod and bowed respectfully.

“Selden Alphonse, youngest of the Alphonse family, greets Father.”

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

Shoulders about 1.5 times broader than mine.

The light streaming through the window made his armor gleam.

Scars from battlefields were visible across his face, and his thick hands were covered in calluses.

‘His charisma is impressive.’

Silence fell.

During this time, Baron Byron simply held his teacup and stared at me without saying anything.

It was truly…

‘An uncomfortable feeling even when doing nothing.’

As I had felt while reading the novel, facing Baron Byron directly reminded me of my deceased father from my previous life.

My father who was always awkward with expressions and taciturn.

“I hear you caught some assassins?”

Breaking the silence with his first question, I slowly nodded.

“Yes. However, it would have been impossible alone. It was thanks to the knights who accompanied me.”

“Why did you eliminate the goblins near the village?”

“Well, it would be dangerous if monsters entered the village.”

“Strange.”

“May I ask what you find strange?”

“Giving credit to the knights, and you worrying about the people of your territory.”

Can’t I even make such pretentious statements?

Well, I suppose most good-for-nothings only think about themselves and don’t care about others.

Hiding my bewilderment, I continued.

“Having been exiled for my wrongdoings, shouldn’t I show a repentant attitude?”

“You’re showing a repentant attitude?”

“Yes, I’m approaching the age for my coming-of-age ceremony. I can’t live as a good-for-nothing forever.”

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy again.

Wondering if I had misspoken, I looked up to find Baron Byron with a face full of curiosity.

“Your mindset has changed? No, this must be some kind of show you’re putting on to return to the family as quickly as possible from this cramped exile.”

“You may think as you wish. However, I intend to serve my full remaining year and a half here before returning to the family.”

Since my possession of Selden Alphonse, many things have changed from the original story.

The murderous Luna Brillhart becoming a sex fiend is just one of those changes.

My small actions have returned as butterfly effects.

And on top of that…

Returning to the family quickly? That’s not what I want.

To keep things flowing according to the original story, I need to hold out at least until the protagonist arrives at this territory.

With fewer changes, it will be easier to predict this world as if looking down from the palm of my hand.

My answer seemed unexpected, as Baron Byron’s eyebrows twitched.

“The Knight Commander says you’ve been showing up at the training grounds often lately?”

“Well, with nothing else to do, I’ve been going there frequently for exercise.”

“I heard you defeated one of the knights in a duel?”

“I was lucky. He underestimated me because of my reputation as a good-for-nothing.”

“He underestimated you…”

Baron Byron tapped the table with his fingernails, seemingly deep in thought.

I couldn’t gauge what he was thinking at all.

“Brighton.”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Bring the knight who lost to Selden in the duel.”

“Yes, sir.”

What’s this?

He’s suddenly bringing in Jawil Wilson?

I moved my eyes rapidly, unable to understand his intention.

And equally confused, Jawil Wilson entered the reception room.

Baron Byron spoke in a heavy tone.

“Are you the knight who lost to Selden in a duel?”

“Y-yes, sir! Knight Jawil Wilson, sir!”

“According to Selden, he won because you were careless. I’d like to hear the perspective of the person involved.”

Jawil Wilson glanced at me with a “swoosh,” silently pleading for help.

When I showed no reaction, he seemed to give up and squeezed his eyes shut.

“That’s not true. Young Master Selden trained diligently and defeated me in a fair fight.”

“Are you saying there were no tricks involved?”

“Yes, Knight Jawil Wilson! I was cleanly defeated by the young master.”

Perhaps because we faced life and death together fighting the goblin horde?

At first, he was clearly someone I disliked, but somehow a warmth rises deep in my chest.

However, Baron Byron seemed to think differently.

“You’re discharged.”

“…Pardon?”

“If it was a fair fight with no tricks, aren’t you admitting you lost because you were careless?”

“N-no, sir. Young Master Selden is much—”

“He’s only been training here for five months… How is losing to someone who didn’t even know how to hold a sword before that anything but carelessness?”

Jawil Wilson seemed at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing before he hung his head.

“I apologize.”

“No excuses needed. Report your discharge to the Knight Commander.”

Jawil Wilson stood awkwardly before turning to leave.

Watching him, I began to feel strange.

Anger? No, it didn’t seem like that, but something indescribable kept pounding in my chest.

“Jazi Wilson!!”

For the first time since entering the reception room, I raised my voice.

My gaze still fixed on Baron Byron.

“…It’s Jawil Wilson.”

Jawil Wilson’s voice came softly from behind.

In the ice-cold atmosphere, I crossed my arms heavily.

“Report your discharge and then come find me. From now on, you’ll be my personal knight, not a knight of the Alphonse family.”

“…What!?”

BANG-!

As if emotions surged, Baron Byron’s eyes trembled before he slammed the table with his thick hand.

“Selden, what do you think you’re doing!?”

Honestly, I don’t know either.

He’s just one of many knights, yet I’m standing up to Baron Byron like this…

Is it defiance?

Or pride against being dismissed?

I slowly rose to my feet.

As I did, Baron Byron’s head gradually lifted.

Then, just as when I first greeted him, I bowed respectfully.

“Then I’ll prove it. That Jawil Wilson didn’t lose because he was careless.”