episode_0013

The day Baron Fletcher returned to his family after a short trip.

Baron Fletcher sensed a new change.

The cause of that change is his only son. It was from Chris Fletcher.

My son was clearly just attending a friend’s birthday party. There was no way there would be any change. But things got a lot weirder.

My son stares into space with a blank expression all day.

And then sometimes he even laughs with a stupid expression.

I’m worried that I might actually be crazy.

Baron Fletcher was worried that his son might be sick. However, there is no disease that shows these symptoms.

Because his son had never shown himself to be like this, Baron Fletcher’s worries did not stop.

“Hmm… , I guess… ”

If it’s not illness, I think I may have hurt my head somewhere. There is no visible trauma… .

And then in the end-.

Baron Fletcher could not bear it. I decided to ask myself the reason for the change. So Baron Fletcher turned to his son.

In front of my son’s room.

Because he was a son who really hated not knocking, Baron Fletcher did not forget to knock on the door.

smart-.

I knocked on the door several times. But there was no answer back. Baron Fletcher had no choice but to open the door.

Then what you see is-.

Desk in the room. The son sitting in front of the desk. The son was still staring into space with a blank expression.

Not as usual, but as usual.

Baron Fletcher approached his son and asked:

“Chris, did something happen in Ruberyeong?”

Because her son’s condition was not normal, her tone was a bit worried. Despite that tone of voice, Chris showed no particular reaction.

I just answered casually, as if I was talking to myself.

“… huh. Renia was very happy to receive my gift. and… hmm? uh! When did you come into the room!”

Only then did Chris realize the existence of Baron Fletcher.

Chris was startled, kicked off his chair, and stood up. When Chris looked like he was about to get angry, Baron Fletcher attacked him.

“Chris… , don’t even think about complaining. I knocked dozens of times. What on earth are you thinking about that makes you so distracted?”

I was really curious.

Why has my son changed like this? I think it’s related to Renia… .

For now, I could only guess that it was Baron Fletcher.

But Chris confirmed this guess.

Chris seems to have made a firm decision. Chris’s mouth moved, albeit with difficulty. And the story that came out of Chris’ mouth was-.

“I have come to like Renia.”

These were Chris’ honest feelings.

This fact came as a very surprising story to Baron Fletcher. I didn’t know that he would be so honest with me.

Soon after, Chris asked Baron Fletcher for advice.

“Father, what should I do?”

Chris Fletcher.

Baron Fletcher’s son was currently experiencing his first love and not knowing what to do.

***

The day I returned home. No, even before I came back.

I really thought about it a lot.

But – I couldn’t come up with an answer on my own. In the end, I had no choice but to ask my father for counseling.

At least my father knows more than me.

“Father, what should I do?”

“Well, what do you mean?”

The father looked very embarrassed. I fully understand. Because I’ve never seen myself like this before.

It was inevitable that my father would be embarrassed.

In fact, it was my first time confiding my concerns to my father like this.

For now, I ignored my father’s reaction and asked what I was really curious about.

“What should I do to get married to the count’s daughter?”

I came to like Renia.

So what should I do? I was lost in that thought for a while. The answer was simpler than I thought. Honestly, if you like something, it’s a natural behavior.

I wanted to be lovers with Renia. sincerely. If so… I wanted to be together until the future.

but-.

This is a story that can only happen in a commoner’s lover. Of course, Renia and I are also nobles. There was no romance between nobles.

Usually, it goes from engagement to marriage.

When I remembered that, I wanted to be engaged to Renia rather than being a lover.

however-.

This time, I realized my position again. Didn’t Lecter do the same? My father was a commoner and a baron.

Of course, I had no intention of blaming my father.

However, I was not on the same level as Renia, the count’s daughter.

Even if they were not commoners, a baron’s child could not become engaged to a count’s child. Because the levels are so different.

Moreover, it is not just a count family, but a count family with a very deep history.

To be honest, marriage was almost impossible. In love between nobles, interests take precedence.

I don’t know much about the ecology of nobles yet, but that’s what I knew. So, marriage to Renia… .

To me, the possibility is very small.

Still, I didn’t want to give up. Still, I wanted to be with Renia. I wanted to get married and be with Renia for the rest of my life.

At my serious concerns, my father closed his eyes for a moment and got lost in thought. Soon he opened his eyes and gave me the answer.

“Didn’t I tell you before?”

From before…

“You said?”

It was clear that my father understood what I was trying to say. It is said that it will be difficult for a baron and a count to become established.

Still, my father talked to me as if there was a way.

It’s probably not a lie.

I looked back on the past for a moment. Was there something your father said before?

Come to think of it… I remembered what my father often told me.

‘I might be called an earl by then.’

My father clearly said so.

To be precise, he wanted to help his father grow the Fletcher family well.

I remember giving an ambiguous answer to this every time. But this was the correct answer.

“Ah! All I had to do was become the same count!”

Really simple answer.

If that doesn’t work because you’re a baron from a commoner background, you can become a count from a commoner background. If they were the same count, it would be enough to get married.

I was purely happy that there was a way.

however-.

The problem surfaced again. Is this really a fundamental problem? I wonder.

“But what happens to the Count?”

How can I become a count?

I know that my father bought the title with money. So does that mean that the title of count also has to be purchased with money?

“The Fletcher family is a family of merchants.”

“That’s right… .”

“Not a family of knights or a family of bachelors.”

A father who says the obvious.

“If you are a knight, you should build merit, and if you are a bachelor, you should expand your learning. So, I will raise my rank.”

“I guess so?”

“Then how do merchant families raise their titles?”

“Uh… , make a lot of money.”

“That’s right!”

But you get a higher rank if you make a lot of money. I didn’t understand it a bit.

“How can you make a lot of money and still get promoted?”

Isn’t there anything that can help the empire? We were the only ones who were good.

“Why are you worrying so hard? The more money you have, the more you have to offer to the empire, and your title naturally rises.”

“So to speak, bribery… Is it that kind of company? ?”

Simply put, bribery. My father seemed to say that.

“And in times like these, bribes can be very helpful.”

“Time like these?”

“Okay… .”

My father suddenly looked bitter.

“Why are you making that expression all of a sudden?”

“The empire is becoming more and more confused… . At your time, I guess… ”

Even without continuing, I realized what my father was trying to say.

Holy Eimor Empire. The only country to unify the continent. It was a religious nation that achieved peace for over a hundred years.

but-.

The peace that had lasted for a hundred years was becoming increasingly unsettled. Rebels are showing signs all over the continent. And corrupt nobles.

Is that all?

From what I heard, I was hearing that many people who believed in God were also corrupt.

The situation in the country is becoming increasingly chaotic.

My father couldn’t hide his bitterness at that situation.

“Perhaps the winds of war may once again blow on the continent.”

As my father said this, an idea occurred to me.

A crisis is an opportunity.

Then, shouldn’t we train our bodies for that kind of world?

Of course, I had no intention of giving up being a merchant. It would be better if you just learn the sword with a merchant.

The achievements made in war will be enough to raise one’s rank.

.

.

.

The Fletcher family’s dance hall. There I met Rachel. Unlike her usual attire, Rachel wears a sword at her waist.

Rachel looked at me and made a mysterious expression.

I immediately knew what he wanted to say to me from his expression.

“As expected… , don’t you think it’ll work?”

“Hmm… , you have no talent at all.”

“It seems that way to Rachel… ?”

Rachel was said to have been a mercenary in the past. I asked Rachel to learn how to use a sword.

but-.

I wasn’t as talented as I felt. I wonder if the axis of the body is aligned. It was a body that did not follow my will at all.

Rachel said as if comforting her.

“Of course, talent is not the worst… , ordinary. If you work hard, you can become a normal person.”

“… ”

I learned and realized the sword.

Even if the winds of war blow across the continent, there is no way I can make a difference with my sword on the battlefield.

So I changed my thoughts again.

“As expected, I should only train for good health and focus on my main job.”

After all, my calling is a merchant.

I made a new determination to focus only on studying to make money.