Chapter 267 – Declaration
It was a snowy day all day long.
Heavy snow pours as if putting an end to the end of the winter of the islands. It was to the point of doubting whether there had been a hole in the sky. Even though it hasn’t been long since the snow has started to fall, I already hear a crackling sound whenever I take a step.
“Shit…”
Wolfgang’s expression as he casually walked through the fluttering snow was cold.
Of course, it’s not because it’s cold. There is no reason for him to feel the cold again from the cold wave, as he has a body that is strong enough to frown a little even if he goes into a blazing fire naked.
His displeasure was due to other reasons.
“Look, butler. This is already the third visit. Even the great sage from the East, who was famous throughout the continent in the distant past, opened the door on the third visit. Do you think it will come out like this?”
“I’m sorry, sir. The owner is out of the office right now. He also said not to let anyone into the house. We will politely refrain from visiting guests.”
“Same thing again! It’s really, really rude. How dare you treat this body like this…!”
After spending the night at Agnes’ house, he returned home in a happy mood, and was greeted by a line of people in front of the gate.
Aristocrats are, by nature, beings who can become even more vulgar than the humblest slave in a situation where their own interests are at stake.
Putting face aside for a while, they flocked like bees to somehow line up for the next powerful candidate for the empire.
“Look. I am exhausted from today. Please make sure to tell your master. You may not know it well because you are still young and lack of knowledge compared to what you have. Facts.”
“…Yes, I will tell you. Then would you please leave?”
All of them were wearing expensive, high-quality clothes, and their tone of voice begging them to meet them was needlessly polite.
They are high-ranking nobles above the rank of count.
Even though they have already been kicked out several times, they come again without shame and spread the truth.
When they were driven out wholesale with those of lesser status, they probably assumed that the visit was denied because of others, not because of themselves.
In fact, from Wolfgang’s point of view, this guy and that guy were just a bunch of troublesome jackals, but it was because he didn’t recognize that fact.
Thanks to blue blood, when would those who regard their own blood as the most precious next to the emperor ever be treated like that?
For them, this is a time of turmoil, and they may think that the stories about the king makers and queen makers that appear in countless heroic stories are no different from their own stories.
And, usually, those who value themselves excessively tend to value others relatively less, so they often commit rudeness to others without thinking.
Like right now
It was a sight that couldn’t help but make Wolfgang hold on to the back of his neck.
“So, next person…?”
-Shaking…
The old butler’s skinny body and legs are trembling helplessly as he must have stood in the snow for a long time to send out uninvited guests who came on a cold winter day.
However, among the numerous people who gathered in front of Wolfgang’s house, no one cared about the welfare of the old man, who was only a junior. The butler of someone else’s house is just a talking tool.
It was a very eye-popping sight.
“I can’t see you any more.”
Wolfgang, who could not bear to watch it, stepped out in front of the crowd, revealing his hidden presence in all directions. How far did he go to make a nuisance?
“Oh, Lord Wolfgang!”
“You finally appeared!”
Wolfgang looked at the faces of those gathered in front of the house, maintaining an expressionless expression. Those who saw his face made all kinds of fuss and tried to say something, but they couldn’t hear anything.
He didn’t even want to hear it.
If it weren’t for the golden-armored royal guards standing silently on either side of the butler with their halberds raised, they would have already made all sorts of excuses to sit in the drawing room.
There was no reason for the gathered people to endure anything, whether it was the count or the marquis.
It’s true that you have to act carefully for Alicia’s sake, but what’s the reason to cater to these unreasonable people?
First of all, Wolfgang spoke in a warm voice to the old butler who suffered in his place.
“Old man Alfred. You did a great job. Go in and rest. I’ll sort things out.”
“…Thank you, Master. Then please.”
Soon after, a very low and cold voice, in contrast to the one before, resounded.
“You guys. Haven’t you heard that I refuse visits from outsiders?”
“Heh heh. Talking too much to the men who came to plan a big deal with you.”
“That’s right. You’re young, so you don’t know yet, but if you throw out the mighty heroes of the empire, you’ll use them.”
However, the uninvited guests were still trying to give Wolfgang some advice, showing pretentious smiles as if they still hadn’t grasped the situation.
It was absurd, to the point of laughing out loud.
As I’ve heard before, everyone’s words are really plausible.
However, if they weren’t champs trying to lick the crumbs of power, or opportunists who would switch to the odds whenever the opportunity presented itself, they were real nobles who could really become Wolfgang and Alicia’s trustworthy allies.
Is he really harassing the poor old butler in front of someone else’s house on a snowy day?
It is also in front of the house of a person who has repeatedly expressed his will to refuse visits from outsiders in the first place.
Wolfgang judged that at least not.
So it means that they are all just chaff that can be filtered out from the beginning, and that would be welcome if they turned out to be enemies.
Of course, apart from personalities, there could be really competent people, but Wolfgang didn’t dare to let such dark people serve Alicia.
Since ancient times, an incompetent ally is more terrifying than a competent enemy.
Organizing his thoughts, Wolfgang stretched out his index finger and drew it gently down.
—Kuddeudeuk… !
At the same time, the air suddenly became heavy and snowflakes began to rain down from the sky. It was as if a local heavy snowfall had occurred in the front yard of Wolfgang’s house.
“Huh!”
“This, my God. Such an outrageous thing! Aren’t you afraid of the future?”
The daylight of the aristocrats, who were holding their heads stiff, suddenly turned pale.
The only thing they can tease is their tongue. I was startled and tried to run away, but my steps did not stop, and even if I tried to point with my hand, it was difficult to even lift my arm.
No, even standing was difficult.
It feels as if the whole space is weighing them down.
“What…!”
One of the nobles even broke into a cold sweat. I heard that this happens when the general of the empire is angry. I never thought I would feel this kind of pressure from that disciple.
It was the minimum respect and courtesy for their status not to have them kneel in this spot. It caused some inconvenience, but it was also thanks to the fact that he did not openly show hostility.
“You guys are the ones who are outrageous. To come and bother someone else’s house after talking to them several times so that they can understand. At this point, even if you are treated as an intruder, you have nothing to say.”
A middle-aged man in a green hat shouted in anger.
“Uh, are you saying you don’t need our strength? I’m sure the princess still has a weak base of support…!”
His eyes were wide open, and his cheeks were all twitching. If she had been able to move, she would have been running amok.
Seeing this, Wolfgang snorted.
“The support base is weak? Who said that?”
“What…?”
Then he came close to the nobleman who had said it and stood looking down at him.
“Hey…!”
When a man with a huge head one head taller than a stout knight, whose frame was different from that of ordinary people, appeared in front of his eyes, the middle-aged man’s mouth sounded helpless. I felt the difference in class as a creature.
The gazes of others, who were unable to move at the scene that stimulated the natural fear of living things but also strangely awe, also naturally gathered in one place.
I don’t know how influential they are, but their voices are as loud as their high status, so even if they say it moderately, the story will spread widely.
Then those who are annoying will also leave on their own. It was something I had to sort out someday.
Wolfgang declared before the nobles.
“This is why I support Alicia. I give my all.”
Only one figure was clearly visible through the cracks in the blizzard.
It was the image of a person who could handle tens of thousands of troops with the strength of just one person.
“At least, I don’t need your help to protect my girl.”
