Chapter 641 – The Scent of Flowers
After Risha’s instigation, Ari became even more aggressively attached, and I spent my days resolutely pushing her away, focusing on training. Of course, I couldn’t push her too hard. It would break my heart if she started crying.
Whether intentional or not, when Ari looked like she was about to cry and asked for a hug, I couldn’t bring myself to be cold. This experience kept repeating, and I started to feel like she was taking advantage of it. Damn it.
It’s all Risha’s fault.
So, I gave her a well-deserved spanking. More than she had initially asked for, I spent the whole day in the basement, from dawn onwards, touching her without penetration, watching her reach messy climaxes, soothing my troubled mind.
Well, since then, I haven’t really gone out, so nothing special happened. I just enjoyed a leisurely life, waiting for news about the deathworm sale.
Of course, even though it’s leisurely, a day off is still a day to prepare for the next battle. I reviewed my duel with Baron Salverin to improve my swordsmanship, and spent my mornings and afternoons with endless muscle training and mana cultivation.
After finishing my training, showering, and sitting on the sofa to rest, Winia, who had gone to the Magic Tower in the morning, returned.
“Hey, Darkie? A letter came?”
“Huh?”
A letter?
Taking it, I saw a very familiar envelope. The same design as the ones I received when the Heilen barony sent a challenge.
Are these bastards…?
“Did those guys send something weird again?”
“It kinda feels like it.”
“Darkie, open it quickly.”
Winia, having taken off her coat and hat, came and sat next to me, and I immediately tore open the letter to check the inside. Thankfully, it didn’t contain anthrax.
“Hmm?”
As I slowly read, anticipating what kind of bullshit these bastards would spew at me, I was quite shocked.
“Darkie, what does it say? More crap? If they’re giving you crap, just kill them again. It’s annoying. Don’t show mercy just because they’re nobles.”
“Uh, no? It doesn’t seem like it.”
“Then?”
“Read it.”
I immediately handed the letter to Winia. She stared intently at the letter for a moment, reading it, then looked at my face.
“…They want to apologize?”
“Looks like it.”
It wasn’t a mistake. The letter really did say that.
It stated that the Heilen barony and the Lormalja marquisate wanted to apologize for the rudeness they had shown me.
I was quite taken aback because I never expected these bastards to apologize. After all that crap, now they’re apologizing?
Is it because Lord Isvant directly protested? They didn’t listen to the young lady’s words at all, but they listen to the lord’s words so well. Well, Isvant’s young lady isn’t the lord yet.
Anyway, the letter contained the date and time, and a detailed account of how wrong they were. It explained that everything was due to the baron’s misunderstanding, and that he had made a wrong decision based on the words of his family. They apologized in great detail.
“Darkie, will you accept their apology if they apologize?”
Winia asked.
Well, of course I will.
“If they give me enough compensation, there’s nothing I can’t forgive.”
“Hehe. You always say that. It seems like you’ll forgive anything if they give you money.”
“That’s the rule of living in this world.”
Originally, even if you committed a crime punishable by death, you could live if you paid adequate compensation. It’s just that the compensation for a crime punishable by death is so high that it doesn’t happen often.
Anyway, I was greatly insulted.
So, I can expect a hefty compensation. Since a barony is apologizing, they’re bound to bring a nice gift set.
“Katt? They’re going to apologize?”
“Yeah. Cloudy.”
Cloudy came down with a sleepy face. It was about time for her to wake up anyway. I sat her right next to me and handed her the letter.
Cloudy smiled as she read it.
“Hehehe, an apology. Are they bringing their heads, perhaps?”
“That’s scary, Cloudy! How can you say such a thing…!”
Mr. George’s head…!
I don’t need that!
If they’re going to give me something, they should give me money, not a performance. Or give me money on top of the performance.
“Hmph, but is it right to apologize? Are they planning to call you out and kill you? That’s highly likely. If they call you out to apologize, you usually go. It’s easy to kill you.”
Cloudy added a strange remark, expressing a valid doubt.
“I thought about that too, but the location is a restaurant in Isvant, so I don’t think they’ll do that.”
And if they sent me a letter, they would have sent one to Isvant as well, so the lord or the young lady’s representative will be present on the day.
“More than anything, those bastards? Actually, that might be okay too.”
“Hehehe, as expected of Katt. So confident.”
Cloudy wrapped her arms around my neck.
Since Baron Salverin was already defeated by me, I don’t think there are any skilled people on their side who can stand against me. Above all, doing such a thing inside Isvant is no different from declaring war on the lord.
“But it’s in a few days. Prepare when you go, Darkie. Well, it seems right to apologize, but you never know.”
“Hehehe, of course. Winia. I’m always prepared.”
“That’s true.”
Only thorough preparation guarantees my survival. Gathering equipment and focusing on training are in a similar context. They are all preparations for tomorrow.
“But I’m worried about you, Darkie. Ah, what about Risha’s artifact?”
“Yeah. It’ll be finished soon. I’ll definitely bring it.”
“Okay. Do that.”
She’s been attacking me every time she sees me, so she hasn’t had much time to make it yet. Anyway, they’re coming to apologize in three days, so let’s wait leisurely.
* * *
The day arrived.
I fully armed myself like a general going to war and set off on a journey to receive the Heilen barony’s apology. The meeting place was a luxurious restaurant in Isvant that was known to be good.
I’ve taken my wives to eat here and there a lot, but I’ve never been here. If it’s good, I’ll have to go next time.
Anyway, it wasn’t difficult to find the way. It’s impossible to get lost in Isvant. A large building began to appear from over there, and I went inside.
“Excuse me, what is your name?”
As soon as I entered, an employee dressed neatly stopped me. It was obviously a reservation-only place. They needed to confirm my name.
“Kim Katt.”
“Please wait a moment.”
“Alright.”
He checked the board he was holding and guided me inside.
“Yes. Go inside and go up to the third floor. Have a pleasant time.”
“Hehehe, thank you.”
I waved my hand appropriately and went up to the third floor.
It’s quite a well-made building. It feels better than the restaurant I went to with the market when I went to catch demons last time.
Creak.
Opening the door on the third floor, I saw two familiar blue-haired men and women standing up from their seats in the center.
The man was Mr. George, and the woman was the Heilen first princess.
“…”
“…”
It doesn’t look like there are any guards.
Are they waiting outside the building or somewhere else?
Still, I didn’t expect them to come in person. Lord Isvant’s influence must be strong. Actually, I won the duel they initiated. According to noble etiquette, this is the right thing to do.
“Hehehe! Aren’t you the future sprouts who will lead the Heilen barony!!! It looks like you’ve received proper treatment!!! Your complexions are very bright!!! As expected of next-generation talents!!! Your recovery is really good!!!”
“Ugh…”
I spread my arms wide with a happy heart and approached the siblings. They seem to have received proper treatment since their faces are fine. I beat them up so much, but they’re back to normal.
“It’s all because you’re young, because you’re young!! You heal quickly when you’re young!”
The siblings were slowly avoiding my gaze, muttering, and then said heavily.
“…We came to apologize for what happened last time.”
“…”
But while the first princess expressed her apology, Mr. George was just muttering and silent.
Is this bastard daring to ignore me after I greeted him first?
Should I kill him?
“Is Mr. George eating candy or something? Why are you eating so hard that you’re not saying anything? Huh?”
“Ah, ah. I… I came to apologize…”
Once I questioned him, he spoke in a very docile manner, unlike his arrogant attitude from last time. As expected, people only learn manners when they get beaten a few times.
“Hehehe, of course you should. Where are the third prince and the first princess? You want to apologize to me?”
Thud.
I immediately pulled out a chair and sat down.
There were only utensils set on the round table covered with a pure white tablecloth, and no food had been served yet. Of course, I don’t intend to eat anything since I don’t know what tricks they might have up their sleeves.
“Sit down. It’s a bit awkward if only I’m sitting.”
“…I understand.”
“…”
The Heilen siblings also sat down in their original seats.
“Anyway, what are Mr. George’s and the first princess’s names?”
“Methyl… is my name.”
“Okay, Ms. Metal. I have a lot of regrets. I’m filled with tremendous anger. What do you have to do to apologize to someone like that?”
“…”
Still, it seemed like they were willing to talk. I decided to point out exactly what they had done wrong before receiving their apology.
“Not only did Mr. George attack me first, but he also insulted Lady Isvant, and Ms. Metal attacked me too. And in the end, you sent Baron Salverin to duel me. But well, he wasn’t a very strong opponent. I tore off his head in an instant. Hehehe, you should have seen it. Bastards who rely only on equipment, like magic swords, can’t do that.”
“Keugh…!”
As I spoke, clenching and unclenching my hands as if I were unfolding the Bloodjade Palm, Ms. Metal gritted her teeth and lowered her head. Was she upset?
Baron Salverin was said to be the Heilen barony’s butler and deputy commander of the guard. He probably got along with the siblings and taught them swordsmanship. The first princess used a sword to some extent. And she used a magic sword too.
I killed such a guy.
Of course, she’d be pissed.
Just like I was pissed.
“You tried to kill me at least four times. First, Mr. George drew his sword, and then the guards rushed at me. And then Ms. Metal rushed at me to duel. And Baron Salverin was the last one. I let it slide a bit because of Lady Isvant’s face and because you’re nobles.”
With the intention of threatening them, I grabbed the iron candlestick in the center of the table with one hand and crumpled it, kneading it into a ball shape.
Crack.
Crush.
Knead, knead.
It’s nothing to crush iron.
“…!”
“…!”
The Heilen siblings’ eyes widened as they saw it.
“Anyway, the reason I’m not tearing off your heads right now, like that Salverin bastard… is because you called me here to apologize. Now, Mr. George, your hand.”
“H-Hand… you mean… my hand.”
“Put your hand out.”
Mr. George hesitated and put out his hand, and I placed the steel ball I had made on top of his hand.
“If you don’t want to become a ball like that, quickly show me your sincerity. I can let it go once, but not twice. If you cross the line, you must die.”
“Hu, heok…!”
“Th, that is…!”
The threat seemed to work quite well, and the siblings were flustered and tried to say something.
“Th, that is… what happened then was entirely the fault of our Heilen barony… I apologize for not being able to contain my anger and lying to my father to make the duel happen… and for all the insults…”
Ms. Metal, almost in a panic, rambled on.
“I, also… I deeply regret looking down on you as a barbarian… and unknowingly sexually harassing your wife… and interfering in the duel…”
Mr. George also said, half-crying, in a shrunken posture. It was a formal apology, but in the first place, words are not important. The compensation you give me afterwards is the most important thing.
“Hehehe, what? You were like, ‘He’s a barbarian’ at first?”
“That is…”
“That’s right…”
In the end, that’s what it was.
The prejudice against barbarians caused this mess.
“But even if you think that way about me, what about Lady Isvant?”
“As a noble, I couldn’t be insulted and bend…”
“So you ignored her?”
“…That’s right.”
Just strong pride.
“Okay, I roughly understand what you siblings mean. Then you have to compensate me. I, damn it. I’ve been so mentally shocked that I can’t sleep well at night. I wake up in the middle of the night, crying and screaming. Like this.”
To express the pain I had experienced, I immediately stared into their eyes and screamed sharply.
“KIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Hu, heok!!”
“I, I’m sorry! Please forgive me…!”
“KIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”
