Episode 105 – Crazy Bastards
by Afuhfuihgs
*
The party in the banquet hall was still in full swing when I re-entered, but I was getting ready to leave.
Since my purpose for coming here, meeting the Emperor, was already over, there was no need for me to stay here any longer, and I didn’t want to anyway.
Perhaps because of the fact that I had a conversation with the Emperor, the attention being paid to me was even greater than before.
I tried to move my steps out of the banquet hall.
“Baron Salvie!”
“…Ah, goddamn it.”
I heard someone calling me from behind.
It was a familiar voice.
I sighed and hurried my steps, pretending not to hear, but the owner of that voice quickly caught up behind me and grabbed my arm.
“Baron-nim!”
“…Edward.”
Edward was sparkling his eyes, looking at me and smiling brightly.
It was hard for me to suppress the irritation rising at his innocent expression, not knowing what I was going through.
“I saw you talking with His Majesty the Emperor, so I don’t know how long I waited until it was over.”
“Why me specifically…”
“Well, it’s to thank you! I’ve been trying to see you all this time, but you’re always so busy, Baron-nim, that you’re never at your mansion, so I kept missing the opportunity. Only today I was finally able to express my gratitude! And my sister’s medical expenses too…”
“No, it’s okay, so can you let go of this.”
I pointed to my arm that Edward was holding.
Edward exclaimed, “Ah!” and hurriedly let go of my arm and bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. Baron-nim. I was too hasty and committed a discourtesy.”
“It’s nothing, is your sister doing better?”
“Yes, thanks to you, I’ve been able to worry less. Her eyes, which were already gone, have not recovered, and she is still only sleeping, but they say that only good days are left in the future. Thank you again so much.”
Edward repeatedly bowed his head and waist, expressing his gratitude to me.
Even though he was a priest, he was the son of a Count, and moreover, the son of Count Boldiras, whom no one was trying to get close to, bowing to a Baron, and the surrounding nobles were whispering.
I said, suppressing the throbbing in my temples.
“That’s a relief. Ah, I’m busy, so I’m going to leave the party now. If you don’t mind, excuse me. I’ll take care of Tess’s medical expenses, so don’t worry too much about it.”
“Ah… I can’t do that! I will definitely visit you soon…”
“Didn’t I say it’s okay.”
Edward, embarrassed by my cold attitude, carefully said, watching my mood.
“…Baron-nim… Are you perhaps feeling unwell somewhere?”
“No, I’m not used to these kinds of parties, so I think I’m just a little tired. It’s okay, so go now.”
“Ah… Is that so… Th-then…”
Edward said, drooping his eyes like a puppy in the rain.
It seemed that in Edward’s head, the credibility of Baron Salvie, who had helped him in various incidents, had pierced the ceiling and soared into the sky.
I sighed, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke in a slightly softer tone.
Anyway, it would be good to have someone to tell me that the Baron had returned home, so if I thought of it as a final farewell, I couldn’t stand it.
“Don’t worry too much about me. Aren’t the priests, including you, the main characters of today’s event?”
“Th-that’s right.”
“You looked quite dignified standing on the platform. Your parents must be proud.”
“Yes, my mother… Ah,”
“Edward…?”
Edward stopped talking abruptly after seeing something and hardened his expression.
Edward’s gaze was directed at someone who appeared behind me.
I followed Edward’s gaze to see who had appeared behind me.
“It’s been a while, Baron.”
“…It’s been a while. Count-nim.”
Oh my god, it was Robin.
That crazy bastard,
Not only did he, suspected of being a heretic, directly participate in the welcoming event for the Inquisitors, but as soon as Villard’s death was announced, he, who had been alienated by everyone, was openly approaching me, as if he had laid an iron plate on his face.
Since he couldn’t just sit still and be stupid just because people around him started to ostracize him, he probably wanted to show off to those around him that he was having a pleasant conversation with me, who was receiving attention thanks to having just finished talking with the Emperor.
Perhaps he also had the expectation that the Boldiras family would not turn a blind eye to him since they had some connection with Baron Salvie.
“Yes, how is Mena doing?”
“Yes, she is.”
“I heard you helped treat my daughter this time.”
“It’s nothing. Then.”
But I didn’t have to follow his thoughts.
I answered briefly to this idiot who was talking to me like a moron, not knowing that I was agonizing over whether to kill him or not, and then tried to leave right away.
But Robin raised his arm and stopped me.
“Where are you going in such a hurry? I have something I want to talk to the Baron about.”
“…Ha,”
“Although I know that you were hurt by a terrible incident after visiting my mansion, you took Mena without paying for her in return. We are in a relationship where we help each other, so I hope you will listen to me.”
“…I’m busy, so…”
Robin began to spout nonsense with a nonchalant face.
Help each other?
What the hell are you talking about.
I, who already had a limit to my animosity towards Robin, tried to pass by his arm without saying a word.
I don’t know what this crazy bastard ate wrong and why he’s suddenly acting like this, but if I looked at that shameless face any longer, I felt like I would really kill him on the spot.
“Hey, Baron. Why are you doing this? It’s disrespectful.”
“…Disrespectful?”
“Listen, do you remember not paying for Mena, using the excuse that you were hurt? I was also concerned that you were hurt, so I let it go, but isn’t that your unilateral claim? Coincidentally, I am saddened by the news that Duke Villard, who was supporting our family, had an unfortunate accident, but thanks to that, we have problems with the funds needed for our family! So, Baron. If you could help a little,”
“…”
Robin was talking with a smile.
The content was really,
It was really nothing more than begging.
Does Baron Salvie think that he will help his family, which everyone is turning away from now, because he is a foreigner?
Or is he just deluding himself that he has some kind of inner intimacy with Baron Salvie?
Does he not know what has happened to his family now, or is he acting more shamelessly because he knows?
Robin was demanding money from me with a sly smile on his face.
He was trying to mix threats and intimidation like a joke, and trying to say the humiliating words of asking for help as dignifiedly as possible.
It seemed as if he was trying not to let Baron Salvie, a foreigner, know that his family was ruined.
I snorted at the absurd sight.
How can he be so upright even in this state, and how can that upright appearance be so shabby?
And, is Mela so happy being with this idiot?
Did she really make that expression towards this moron?
Mela, who had already approached, stood next to Robin and said.
“I know very well how much Baron-nim has helped us. But our family is in a really bad situation right now… If Baron-nim could help us just a little more…”
“Mother! How much more are you going to bother Baron-nim…!”
Edward was appalled by Robin and Mela’s words and was protesting.
Edward is saying that because he doesn’t know the relationship between his family and Villard, but in fact, the Boldiras family was as good as ruined.
That’s why the Emperor suggested that I stop taking revenge and just watch Robin fall like this.
I was going to discuss the Emperor’s proposal with Lara, Lily, and others without making a decision on my own.
This is because the conclusions I have come to have rarely returned to me with good results.
A person like me, who is indecisive, impulsive, easily excited, and just as easily calmed down, would not be careful in making decisions now that I am overwhelmed by passionate emotions, and I could not trust my own choices.
However, now I have made up my mind.
“Crazy bastards.”
“…Yes?”
“Baron, what did you just say…”
“Baron-nim…?”
Robin, Mela, and even Edward.
The three were under the illusion that they had misheard.
That’s because they couldn’t even imagine that the Baron, who had suffered all kinds of damages and had never gotten angry, and who was carrying out a project to rescue the poor with huge private expenses without expecting anything in return, would utter swear words at a social gathering held in the imperial banquet hall.
But that was not an illusion or an imagination.
“It’s really disgusting. Count Robin Boldiras.”
“You… what did you just say!”
“I forgave you even though your daughter tried to poison my maid, and I forgave you even though your dead son became an undead and bit me.”
“Baron!”
When Robin shouted, everyone’s eyes turned to us.
Robin’s face was red and he was panting, and Mela was also startled and covered her wide-open mouth with her hand.
In the Boldiras family’s situation, where they were suspected of being related to heresy or the Demon King after the Jennifer incident, Daniel’s undead transformation would have been the secret they wanted to hide the most.
Robin couldn’t hide his embarrassment when it was revealed in such a crowded place.
I smiled and said to Edward.
“Do the Inquisitors know that there was a son who was resurrected as an undead even before Jennifer?”
“…Th-that’s,”
“Didn’t you say it? You can’t hide that as an Inquisitor appointed by the Pope.”
“Baron, do you know what you’re saying…!”
“I know. Of course.”
Mela hardened her expression and approached me and said.
“Ba-Baron-nim, we were rude. Please, calm your anger…”
“I also helped the youngest daughter, whom Jennifer left to die because she was Duke Villard’s mistress, and I took in the maid who was raped by our great Count. I even helped treat Edward’s sister, who was dying from an unknown disease, and what? Helping each other? Disrespectful?”
“Baron-nim… I’m really sorry that my husband was rude. I also forgot the grace that Baron-nim showed me and I’m really ashamed,”
“Stop!”
Robin shouted, cutting off Mela’s words, and threw the wine glass he was holding at me.
I lightly knocked away the flying glass.
The noble ladies who were close by among the nobles who were surrounding us and watching the situation screamed in surprise at the broken wine glass that fell at their feet.
Robin, who had all the secrets he had been hiding exposed in an instant, glared at me as if he would kill me, his face red as if it would explode.
I sneered at Robin’s face.
“Throwing a glass at someone. Is that what a hero should do? Haha, it’s really sad to see the fall of a hero. The last thing you cut with that shining Holy Sword was probably your son, who became a walking corpse, right?”
“You son of a bitch! Shut your blasphemous mouth!”
“Baron-nim… Your words are too much. That incident is…”
“Well, Mela-nim. No matter how I think about it, I’m the one who was hurt the most that day.”
“…Th-that’s,”
“Why, because I’m a clumsy foreigner, you thought I wouldn’t notice that your family had fallen? Do you know what? If you had politely asked me to help you, I might have helped you again. Just like I’ve been doing so far. But Count, I can’t stand the attitude of trying to suppress me even in this situation. It’s really ridiculous and disgusting.”
The Inquisitors who were on the platform in the distance approached, making the clanging sound of their chainmail.
A man with a scarred, rugged face among them grabbed Edward’s shoulder and said.
“Is what he’s saying now true?”
“Yes…? Th-that’s,”
“Priest Edward. Is it true that an undead came out of your family?”
Robin was startled and looked at Edward and shouted.
“It’s a lie! Everything that bastard said is nonsense!”
“Tell the truth in the name of the Goddess and the Pope.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“Ha…”
The priest who questioned Edward sighed and ran his hand over his face with his armored glove.
Edward was stuttering, trembling.
The priest spoke briefly to Edward and then grabbed Robin’s arm.
“I’ll report about you later, so be aware of it. Count-nim. Please cooperate with the investigation for a while.”
“Let go! Goddamn it. I said let go!”
Robin screamed, struggling.
The more he did, the colder the gazes of the nobles looking at him became.
Of course, the gazes towards me, who had caused this commotion, were not good either, but it could be said that it was better compared to Robin, who had shameful acts such as heresy, infant abandonment, adultery, and rape of a maid exposed all at once.
It was then.
“What the hell is going on!”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the entrance of the banquet hall at the clear voice echoing in the banquet hall.
Princess Ellie was standing there.
“Who the hell is causing such a commotion at the imperial banquet!”
Ellie was approaching with large strides.
As much as there were rumors that I had some kind of relationship with Ellie, her sudden appearance was also something that would attract everyone’s attention.
I walked towards Ellie with large strides, brought my mouth to her ear, and whispered.
“Sorry, I couldn’t stand it.”
“…Ha, let’s talk about it later. First, you go back to the mansion.”
“Thank you,”
I stepped away from Ellie, bowed my head, and turned around and walked out.
In the meantime, I glanced at the Emperor, who was still sitting on the terrace, and our eyes met.
The Emperor was looking at me with a pitiful expression and shaking his head.
I thought as I walked out.
Pressuring Robin will cause a lot of damage if a conflict occurs?
Then you just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.
I just have to kill Robin.
Taking away his honor?
I didn’t know it when I started my revenge, but he had done so many things that I didn’t have to reveal my identity, and it was enough to publicly humiliate him.
Whether he applies for a duel because he can’t stand my insults, or secretly attacks me, he can do whatever he wants.
I just have to kill him when he comes to me.
Rather, I was grateful to Robin.
He set the timing to end it.
I remember the Emperor’s words about my happiness.
If I think about it coldly, his words were right.
Like the advice of someone sitting in the position of Emperor, his words were all correct.
Now that Villard is dead, Robin’s downfall is as good as confirmed, and 20 years have already passed, so Mela will never come back to me, and I have also obtained a human body.
If I only make up my mind, it may be possible to leave all this behind and go find my happiness.
If I put my emotions aside, that might be the right choice and the choice for me.
Ha, go eat shit.
But it didn’t matter.
It was revenge that I had been dragging on until now to enjoy Robin’s suffering, but if I can’t end him with my own hands, it’s meaningless.
Besides, look at that attitude.
Robin was not the kind of guy who would be miserable on his own, even if he fell.
I don’t want to be happy.
So, let’s die together. Robin.
.
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