Ch.99Epilogue – Bartlant Chester (2)

The afternoon that adorned Bartlant’s auspicious first blind date was bright and sunny.

Chester’s mansion was still ridiculously empty compared to other nobles’ residences. It was an inappropriate exterior for welcoming a special woman.

Still, Bartlant didn’t mind. If someone despised the Chester family traditions, that would be the end of their relationship. There was no reason to hold onto someone who disliked him.

“…that’s what Bartlant is probably thinking.”

“My brother would certainly think that way.”

Inside that empty mansion, Arnel was agreeing with Zikharun’s speculation. Right beside them, Charle was elegantly sipping her tea.

It was a gathering of an unusual combination.

“You seem to know my brother well, Zikharun.”

Arnel innocently shared his impression. Zikharun flinched involuntarily. It was surreal to see Bartlant’s younger brother—who had been his future godfather—with sparkling eyes.

“Well, I suppose so.”

“How did you come to know my brother?”

“Ah… well, you see…”

Zikharun found it difficult to string together lies. Perhaps it was due to Arnel’s sparkling interest. Or maybe he was anxious about what the currently well-behaved Charle might say.

On the other hand, Arnel looked different to him.

‘This kid is a complete monster.’

Though he was just a boy about Charle’s height, his refined aura was overwhelming. If he had survived into the future, the Eldchain game would have been on super easy mode.

“If it’s difficult to explain, that’s fine. Just knowing you’re my brother’s acquaintance is enough.”

“I appreciate your consideration.”

“Young Master Arnel, why don’t you ask how Lord Zikharun met me instead? Directly.”

“How he met you? What happened that—”

Charle’s meaningful voice faltered. The man with too many guilty secrets abruptly stood up.

“This is madness. I need to get out of here.”

“Where do you think you’re going? Things are just starting to get interesting.”

Whack!

Charle grabbed his hood like a leash. Then she forcibly turned Zikharun’s neck to face the window.

In his forcibly controlled field of vision, a carriage that had just arrived at the mansion was displaying its full presence.

It was the carriage carrying the woman scheduled to spend time with Bartlant today. Seeing the spectacle before him, Zikharun, who had been desperately trying to leave, changed his attitude and sat down quietly.

“Sigh. I’d like to see the whole process, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”

Charle lamented with a tone of disappointment. Meanwhile, Zikharun appeared nonchalant.

“If you want to eavesdrop on their conversation, there is a way.”

“Oh, is it possible?”

“Only for the conversation, mind you.”

“W-wait a minute! What about my brother’s position? Eavesdropping on private conversations isn’t proper!”

Arnel was essentially the only one maintaining a normal person’s position. It was inevitable that he would oppose the out-of-bounds attitudes of Charle and Zikharun.

However, Arnel’s opponents were far from easy to deal with. They immediately began coaxing him with subtle tones, resembling a pair of con artists.

“Aren’t you curious? This is ‘the’ Bartlant’s first woman. As his brother, it’s only natural to be interested.”

“Taking interest out of concern is also familial love, isn’t it?”

“Besides, I have a special connection with Bartlant. This level of interest should be within acceptable bounds. You just happened to get involved by chance.”

“If anything, indifference is the opposite of love. Interest and love are two sides of the same coin, aren’t they?”

They were wicked elders cleverly substituting words like “eavesdropping” or “wiretapping” with “interest.” The greedy pair of eyes intensely pressured Arnel.

Arnel felt dizzy from their illogical arguments. It was clearly nonsense, but he felt like he was receiving an absurd mental attack.

As a result, the first to declare surrender was Arnel, who had developed a mental fever.

“Ugh… fine… I’ll accept it.”

“You won’t regret it.”

“Good. Now that it’s decided, let’s get started right away.”

A red aura rippled like a mirage from Zikharun’s ruby-like eyes. The densely gathered red energy soon took the shape of a butterfly, fluttering in mid-air.

The butterfly wandered around the mansion and arrived near the reception room.

The butterfly attached itself to the reception room door as if taking a rest, killing its presence.

Shortly after, the sound from inside the reception room clearly flowed into their room.

“It’s just starting.”

“I’m excited.”

“Ugh… I’m sorry, brother.”

The reactions were varied.

They were excellent partners in crime.

◇

Inside the mansion’s reception room where an awkward atmosphere lingered. There, the combination of a bear-like giant man and a tall woman created a strange ambiance.

Bartlant offered her a seat and greeted her first.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Bartlant Chester, serving in the knights with Lord Liver.”

“I’m Livia, Lord Liver’s sister. It’s an honor to meet you.”

The two exchanged awkward greetings.

Bartlant couldn’t help but blame himself for stealing glances despite knowing it was rude.

‘She looks too much like Lord Liver.’

Pink hair flowing down like weeping cherry branches and magenta eyes. Even her tall stature and calm gaze were similar.

If not for one difference—the prominent volume of her chest—there would have been sufficient reason to believe this was Liver’s prank.

‘I might feel awkward every time I see Lord Liver if I’m not careful.’

How could he look Liver in the eye if he committed any impropriety? He felt even more cautious because she was the sister of the aide who always stood by his side.

As Bartlant was digging himself into a hole at the starting line,

Liver’s sister—Livia—asked with a concerned tone.

“Young… Marquis. You don’t look well. Perhaps you don’t like my first impression?”

“No, not at all! I’m just nervous…”

“Nervous… I see. That’s a relief.”

Livia smiled gently, bringing her hand near her lips—the perfect image of a refined lady. Bartlant felt ashamed for unconsciously comparing her to Liver.

“Are you alright, Miss Livia? You must have received this invitation quite suddenly.”

“Of course. If anything, I wonder if it’s appropriate for a non-noble like me to be here.”

“I don’t care about status. Just as Lord Liver serves as my excellent aide, surpassing many noble-born candidates.”

“I-is that so…? Ahaha…”

Livia cooled her tomato-red face with both hands.

Did she even realize?

That Bartlant’s internal favorability toward her had just increased…

‘She’s a good person who genuinely rejoices in her family’s positive reputation as if it were her own.’

As Bartlant nodded to himself and Livia shyly sat there, the brief silence between them was broken by Livia.

“Young… Marquis. If it’s not impertinent, may I ask you a few questions?”

“By all means, please do.”

“What kind of person is my brother who works in the knights?”

“Ah. Naturally you’d be curious about that.”

Bartlant carefully chose his words. While Liver was an impeccable knight, he needed to refrain from saying anything that might worry his family.

While Livia tensed up, Bartlant came up with an appropriate assessment and began to speak.

“Lord Liver is a diligent knight. He’s widely respected even in the knights, where prejudice against commoner-born still lingers.”

“Heeh…”

“Of course, he has the skills to match his reputation. He wouldn’t lose even compared to my sister Enella.”

“Ohoho…”

Of course, Enella was just a 16-year-old child, but being compared to a direct Chester descendant was high praise indeed.

After all, even three or four knights attacking simultaneously wouldn’t be able to handle Enella alone.

“Moreover, he handles paperwork perfectly regardless of size, making him a person who has honed the triangle of wisdom, virtue, and physical prowess.”

“The Marquis is quite…”

“You have a truly admirable brother. I’m always indebted to him.”

“That’s wrong!”

Bang!

At the final remark that was hard to ignore, Livia impulsively struck the table and stood up. The modest refreshments on the plate trembled from the impact.

Belatedly realizing her rudeness, Livia fidgeted anxiously with her pupils trembling. But she couldn’t leave Bartlant in his dazed state either.

Livia hurriedly rambled as if making excuses.

“W-well… my brother always said that the Commander is an incomparably better person than himself. He said you’re the only warm person in the imperial palace he could trust and rely on.”

“Lord Liver said that…?”

“Yes!”

Excluding the magical genetic trait of Chester’s “Battle Aura,” nobles and commoners are born with the same potential.

However, good education and suitable environments gradually make nobles superior to commoners.

For a commoner to catch up, they need not only talent but also bone-grinding effort just to barely reach close.

It was natural for Liver to have infinite pride in his achievements. Had he known that pride would be shattered so easily, he would have abandoned it long ago.

“I still can’t forget that day.”

Noble-born knights deliberately ignore the fact that they have different starting points from commoners. Since they actually realize this, they come to despise commoner-born knights.

Because if they don’t despise them…

If nobles aren’t superior to commoners…

They become aware that they have nothing to show for themselves when their authority is stripped bare.

Bartlant Chester. I thought you would be the same.

Until that day, when you watched from afar as the commoner-born knight Liver was being assaulted.

[So, Lord Liver was it? Are you alright?]

[If you had been even slightly concerned, why didn’t you help?]

It was an abrupt tone from a mere knight with no background.

Daringly, he vented his anger at Bartlant, the young marquis of one of the four ducal families and the emperor’s guard captain.

Using discipline as an excuse, no one would find fault if he imposed a severe punishment.

But you instead blushed and calmly pointed out:

[The culture of the knights is closed off, and it won’t change with just one or two threats. Even if I had intervened, I might have protected your body, but would I have protected your honor?]

[That’s…]

Liver hesitated to answer. A knight who barely escapes danger through someone’s protection—it would likely have remained a lifelong shame that would make him grind his teeth.

[I know people like you well. Those whose diligent efforts are both their life trajectory and pride… an admirable human model.]

[Commander…?]

He couldn’t believe his ears.

Bartlant Chester, essentially the empire’s second-in-command, was praising him as an admirable human model.

Meanwhile, those lesser than Bartlant disparaged him as a worm-like existence…

Bartlant went even further, saying smoothly:

[I also know very well that people like you need to be helped… in a different way. Very… well… hehehe…]

[What…? Uh…?]

[Lord Liver, from today on, stay after your shift ends. We’ll have a private time together, just the two of us.]

[What… does that…!?]

For the first time, he saw Bartlant giggling. It was a wicked sound that one would normally not even dare to imagine.

And so, from the next day, the gates of hell opened wide.

[Huff… ugh… haa… ungh…]

[How do you find it, Lord Liver?]

[It’s too big… this… I can’t anymore…!]

[We’re still far from done. I’m putting it all in at once!]

[Huaaaah!]

A hot atmosphere that seemed to reach the stars in the evening. Groans scattered in the middle of the imperial palace’s training ground, which had darkened.

Liver was wielding a bizarre weapon under Bartlant’s guidance.

The name of that round, flat shield-like object was the Conqueror’s Sword. It required superhuman strength just to swing it.

[Feel! The! Stimulus! Oh, maintain your core pressure!!!]

[Haa, hoo, huaaa…! This is really too much, I’m at my limit!]

[One last time!]

Whoooosh!

[Huff… huff… now it’s over…]

[Just one more time, the real last one!]

[What?!]

[Do it!]

Whoosh…

[Ugh… uuugh… augh…]

[One final, final swing to finish up!]

[Grr… aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!]

Whoooooosh!!!

[Oh my. Your form is all wrong… put strength in your lower body! Your core pressure is gone too. You’ll hurt your back that way! One more time!]

[Hiyaaaaaaaaaah!!!]

…

……

Yes. How could one forget?

Even beasts who have lost their reason carry trauma for life. How much worse must it be for the aide who stays by his side?

Ahem!

Livia shook off the memories she wished to erase and confessed.

“He… ha… yes. He says he can’t forget the kindness you showed during those difficult days. Commander… I mean, Young Marquis, you’re like a savior to some people.”

“Somehow you seem more troubled than he does…?”

“It must be your imagination. Surely.”

“I hope it’s just my misunderstanding.”

Bartlant sensed a strange feeling of déjà vu. It had been quite a while since his instinctive intuition had been wrong, which was odd.

Was it his imagination that Livia’s gaze had transformed into something close to love-hate?

Bartlant observed Livia, who looked so much like Liver, and shook off his stray thoughts.

Surely not, he thought.

Bartlant’s first blind date was like a sailing ship creaking in favorable winds. Whether it would safely reach its destination was something only the two of them and the three eavesdropping criminals would know.