WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Haruto

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◈ The Pushover Young Lord in a Romance Fantasy Won't Take It Anymore ◈

Chapter 47: One Thousand Shillings

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The study of the head of House Rosenthal.

Victor stared coldly at the newspaper spread across the table.

The recruitment notice that had recently thrown the entire Empire into an uproar.

A deep crease formed between Victor's brows.

"That insolent little bastard."

Astin von Cardenos.

It wasn't enough that that good-for-nothing had ruined his daughter's face. Now he was trying to play the hero who would save humanity.

They boasted that this expedition would fire the opening shot for a new frontier, not only for the Empire, but for all humanity.

What right did Cardenos have to do that?

For Rosenthal, Cardenos developing the Ashen Forest was a double-edged sword.

If the expedition failed, they would become the laughingstock of the world. There was also a good chance Astin would die.

Still, life was full of surprises.

What if they actually succeeded?

"Armed fighters are flocking to the west from every region. There are already roughly three thousand of them."

Anxiety seeped into the vassal's voice as they delivered the report.

The number of applicants had far surpassed the public's expectations.

"If the expedition force is organized at this rate..."

If it succeeded, Cardenos's prestige would obviously soar.

Rosenthal had not been sitting idle, either.

They had intensified their economic retaliation, preventing southern supplies from flowing into the west.

Yet Cardenos's momentum showed no signs of slowing.

Having swallowed up the Patrian Merchant Guild, they had already made every preparation.

As time passed, Rosenthal was the one taking a beating in the press.

Who was Rosenthal to obstruct a cause for all humanity?

If public opinion continued this way, Rosenthal could become known as a petty house.

"Ernan, Albert. Release the funds at once and buy off the scholars in the imperial capital."

The sons waiting nearby lowered their heads in unison.

The public always went wild for thrilling tales of heroes.

Then all they had to do was turn that heroic tale into the spark of a disaster.

That way, they could stop the expedition before it even set out.

"The Ashen Forest is an otherworldly wilderness that has slept untouched for centuries. What if they stir it up and the magical beasts run rampant? The moment they form a monster wave and cross the walls in force, not only the west but the entire Empire will become an inferno. Encourage the scholars along those lines."

On the surface, it would be framed as a rational, objective concern.

They would claim that Astin's arrogance was driving humanity to extinction.

The public longed for glory, but survival came first.

Stir up their fear for their survival, and public opinion would be swept up in anxiety.

"If a petition signed by the intellectual class is submitted, the central nobles will have no choice but to waver. The Imperial Family and the Imperial Senate won't be able to stand by, either."

To protect themselves, the nobles would have no choice but to raise their voices.

Postpone the expedition until its safety had been completely verified.

With that kind of pressure, even Cardenos would not be able to force the expedition through.

Victor leaned back deeply in his chair and let out a mocking laugh.

"Honor and glory, my ass. Should the Empire tremble in fear because of some desire for fame?"

In the end, it was not the tip of a sword that moved people, but the tip of a pen.

Rosenthal would stop Cardenos in a noble fashion.

* * *

The moment I entered the training grounds, the heat washed over me, the smell of sweat filled the air, and acrid campfire smoke stung my nose.

Hundreds of tents had been packed into separate sections to accommodate three thousand people.

The training grounds had been transformed into a wartime camp.

All sorts of armed people swarmed between the tents.

People from different backgrounds and walks of life had been thrown together.

I'd seen this sight enough to grow sick of it. More precisely, in my first life.

"Kuahahaha! Who can take my axe?! Step forward!"

"Shut up, you uncivilized bastard! What are you doing, kicking up all that dust?"

On one side, barbarians clad in animal hides cackled as they clashed their axes together.

In another tent, people who looked like nobles inspected their weapons and armor.

Mercenaries who had drifted in from all over sat beneath the tents' shade, surveying their surroundings.

I knew those looks well. They were assessing the strength of the others, calculating whether they had any chance of surviving the expedition.

Mercenaries valued their own lives more than money.

"Ah, Lord Hiren. It's been a long time. I didn't expect to see you here."

Near the makeshift water station, I spotted Julian.

He was warmly greeting a noble.

"Here, have some water! Do you need a towel, too?"

Celine was also there, carrying water and towels with the servants through the narrow paths between the tents.

"Ah, th-thank you, my lady...!"

Every man's face had turned bright red.

It was understandable. Celine looked especially stunning today.

The cosmetics I had given her probably helped, but she was beautiful to begin with.

The men's sticky gazes swept over Celine's retreating figure.

They knew she was a lady of Cardenos, so they couldn't lay a finger on her.

Even so, it was hard not to be irritated as her brother.

"Kuahahaha! Yes, you need at least that much nerve to set foot in the Ashen Forest!"

Hendrickson threw back his head and laughed beneath a tent's shade.

The person standing before him looked oddly familiar.

Black armor. A black iron greatsword as tall as a grown man strapped to his back.

'Black Knight Bagot.'

I knew he'd come.

Bagot was someone I had known in my first life.

In truth, we had been more than acquaintances. We had been comrades who shared quite a close bond.

Of course, that bond existed only for me. He did not remember any of it, so it would not earn me any points.

Even setting that aside, Bagot had already passed based on skill alone.

'He's the real deal.'

He was the fearless knight who had faced the Black Serpent, kin of an Outer God, alone.

When everyone else lost the will to fight before that calamity that swallowed mountains and rivers, only Bagot charged without fear.

He died in one second, but still.

His courage and fighting spirit could have been called the greatest in the Empire without exaggeration.

"Hey! How long are we supposed to wait?"

"Imperials sure are patient! I'm itching so badly I can't stand it!"

At the source of those booming voices stood two men built like boulders.

Both were over two meters tall, their entire bodies covered in tattoos.

Anyone would have taken them for barbarians at a glance.

'I knew they'd come, too.'

The one with the smooth shaved head was Buraltak. The one with long hair was Bellutak.

They were brothers, the chief and deputy chief of the Bone-Raking Hand Tribe.

The fact that I remembered their names meant they were warriors whose skill had been proven.

Though I remembered the first one's name partly because bural was slang for testicles...

Anyway, their skills were beyond question.

"It's hot enough to kill us. Shouldn't there be another tent here?"

"How much longer do we have to wait? If it's going to take this long, let us inside!"

"Use your head before you talk. How many people do you think there are? How could they let everyone in?"

I clicked my tongue softly and placed a hand on my sword hilt.

With this many people, keeping them under control would not be easy.

All three thousand were vigorous warriors, and the place was one step away from becoming a complete mess.

Especially that Tak-Tak duo. They were picking fights with innocent people, demanding to know who wanted to fight.

They must have been getting restless.

Srring!

I drew the sword at my waist and pulled up the Solar condensed within my Core in one breath.

Boom!

When I brought my sword down on the stone slabs, they split apart and fragments shot into the air.

The explosive roar echoed throughout the training grounds.

The noise filling the grounds stopped at once, and thousands of eyes turned toward me.

"Brother!"

Only Celine ran toward me with a delighted expression.

"Lucy! I've missed you, too!"

"Wow, you've gotten so pretty."

Lucia gently embraced Celine as she ran over.

I moved the two behind me, then rested the flat of my sword against my shoulder.

A deep silence fell. I did not need to raise my voice.

"I'm Astin, the one who will lead you in this expedition."

They may have seen the name Astin von Cardenos on the recruitment notice, but this was their first time seeing me in person.

To them, I probably looked like a young master who had only just shed his baby fuzz.

Sure enough, murmurs of doubt and disappointment spread.

The Ashen Forest Expedition was worse than the northern front. Every one of them was a veteran who had seen all manner of hardship.

From their perspective, being led by some noble young master was naturally irritating.

"'We're supposed to entrust our lives to some brat?' Anyone grumbling behind my back isn't a real man."

No matter how much I explained, they wouldn't listen.

There was only one thing needed to bring this disorderly crowd under control.

The logic of strength.

"If anyone has something to say, come say it to my face. I'll stand before you not as a young lord, but as an equal warrior."

"Ha! You've got a big mouth!"

The moment I finished speaking, the mountain-sized barbarians jumped to their feet. Buraltak and Bellutak.

Taming difficult bastards suited me just fine.

Several red-faced nobles also began striding forward.

The mercenaries, on the other hand, only sat there with indifferent expressions, resting their chins on their hands.

Thud!

The ground suddenly burst apart, sending up a cloud of dust.

A massive figure had leaped over in a single bound and landed right in front of me.

Black Knight Bagot straightened up, his heavy black armor clanking.

"Young Lord Astin. Seeing you in person, I find you completely unconvincing."

A low, rough voice emerged from within his helmet.

I'd said it myself, that I would meet him as an equal warrior, but I hadn't expected him to drop all formality immediately.

I liked this guy already.

"Your shoulders are too light to speak of honor and glory. How many people do you think will entrust their lives to a brat who has more years ahead of him than behind him?"

The entire training ground held its breath.

Lucia frowned and stepped forward, but I raised an arm to stop her.

"If you truly intend to conquer the Ashen Forest, hand command over to Sir Hendrickson. I would gladly entrust my life to him."

Bagot placed a hand on his black iron greatsword.

"Otherwise, I have no intention of joining this expedition. And it isn't just me. Most of those gathered here will feel the same way..."

"You sure do fucking talk a lot."

I lowered the sword from my shoulder and pointed it at his brow.

Red-gold flames rose from the blade in wavering heat.

Bagot's eyes widened in an instant. He clearly had not realized I was a knight of the same ring.

I jerked my chin toward the field.

"Stop flapping your gums. If you've got a complaint, get up there."

He was the kind of guy who only understood once you put him in his place.

But once you did, he obeyed without holding a grudge.

That was why I liked Bagot.

"That's how we do things, isn't it?"

"...At least you can be reasoned with."

* * *

A live-blade duel between Young Lord Astin and Black Knight Bagot.

After days of boredom, it was a spectacle unlike any other.

As the match approached, the excitement surrounding the training grounds reached its peak.

"Look at Sir Bagot's spirit. No wonder even Sir Hendrickson recognizes him."

"Young Lord Astin must be fearless because he's young. That's why he's leading the Ashen Forest Expedition."

"It's the boldness of youthful blood. Must be nice to be that age."

The overwhelming difference in size, along with the difference in experience, could not be ignored.

Naturally, a wild weed was tougher and hardier than a flower raised in a greenhouse.

To the spectators, the outcome was all but decided.

Unless a miracle happened, and even if one did, Bagot was expected to win overwhelmingly.

"One hundred thousand shillings on the Black Knight!"

The mercenaries gathered in one corner of the training grounds began placing bets.

Mercenaries always had gambling on their minds.

"Put me down for two hundred thousand on Sir Bagot. What about you?"

"Obviously fifty thousand on Brother Bagot!"

"Two hundred thousand shillings on Bagot's victory!"

"Hey, you bastards! If everyone bets on Bagot, there won't be a wager!"

"Then you bet on the young lord!"

"Are you crazy? You want me to throw good money away?"

The result seemed obvious, and the betting quickly reached a stalemate.

Just as the gambling table was about to fall apart.

"Ten million shillings."

A clear voice that did not fit the mood cut in.

The startled mercenaries all turned their heads.

"I'll bet on Young Lord Astin."

Thud.

Lucia set down a stack of Imperial cheques and smiled sweetly.

The mercenaries were entranced by Lucia's beauty, then flinched as they processed the words ten million on Astin.

"A gambling table? Then I should join in, too."

Hendrickson, who had approached at some point, loosened his coin pouch.

Julian beside him also placed a heavy bag of money on the table.

"I'll put one million shillings on the brat. The odds should be quite nice."

"I'll place five hundred thousand on Young Lord Astin as well."

In an instant, the stakes leaned toward Astin.

The enormous sums left the mercenaries frozen like statues.

"Damn. The pot's already gotten this big?"

"Hey! The pot here has passed ten million! Everyone, get over here!"

As word spread, the mercenaries who had only been watching, fallen nobles, nobles who had left their houses, and even clueless barbarians all threw money into the betting pool.

More than ninety percent of them chanted Bagot's name.

A few thought the three might know something and placed small bets on Astin, but they were a tiny minority.

"What should I do...?"

From a distance, Celine watched and shifted anxiously from foot to foot.

She wanted to bet on Astin, but her pockets were empty.

She had spent all the money she had saved on a birthday present not long ago. She had even taken an advance on her allowance.

Her assets were practically in the negative, but she felt too sorry as his younger sister to do nothing.

Celine emptied out her pockets.

She cautiously held out the few coins that came out.

"I'll bet one thousand shillings on my brother!"

It was Celine's entire fortune.

Footnotes:

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