Chapter 19
jM84TWith great effort,UPTAGx Joshua managedB0r to suppressPhZ the furyyM6gkp boiling inside1B1 him and1TP quickened hisJLuw pace.vvvvp
oUqyYStaying there anyplagy longer wouldIuB only meanJjTw enduring moretLZ of thetYSrV other’s taunts.JvvoxvzH
8lx‘Yeah, enjoy itS8vh0 while youhNrmUj can. Do8D4s you thinkJYQY that justDTKDg because youtov won something’sBBT going tootdA change? ThislD5mk won’t doVkf anything moree5qv than letLkuPG you showGSE7 off forrF1Dg a while!’Vnx24hG5xf
wxYEven though hetZzAo had beenfIGmx made a fool of,YbFuE only four6kkt people presentJ6Y knew theqzgycm truth.Llq
pJJJoshua himself andF7aUDs his servant,RdXkz0 of course,mr8AF wouldn’t sayKwAlZ a word,BbZ7SK and Swordmasterzrz09 Eisen wasn’tHoi the type3QKA to goG5T around spreadingLIk this kindxF61X of thingado2E either.eYZi5
p1d8The only exceptionCrx was thewG46qN victor himself,SWikZ3 Lucian.8jI7
b5vPStill, Joshua feltq20x35 no concerntVkbo about him.wA8HwsqE
QDtMiZ‘Let him talkds9q all hele9A4Z wants. Doesx4fF he thinkdc0I rumors spreadlspXum that easily?A7cEaQ Managing informatione6xW is alsoTq5dnY a noble’sWfI86r virtue, idiot.’69HDUpEoM
MorSpreading malicious rumors3a9Gd7 about a rival andrmW manipulating public3EHfi opinion wasoW7 common amongcDgM nobles.Lbvu
zdnnP1In other words,XmtDy blocking suchwFddi9 rumors andV4qL4 quelling thedUTSN confusion was3oOdj also partVnrt of a noble’s skillset.nvqRWTwCkL
Nb5LjEJoshua, while nobbv expert, hadzQn a decentqDi6Y understanding ofdL5Ec this kindmWhDa of informationtDyi warfare.LZpEGI
6SFCHad his opponentxw03H been someoneCmb skilled iniyB828 that field,I9Dz it would’vezac been hard8Ajys0 to stopaX6Y him, butpoA this timevAf the opponentElqiH was theIaTO7y insignificant Lucian.bGH9R6f3Ae
F0rThere were countlessgMwd8r ways toZBooY bury the5C9TKZ rumor beforeTgBLN it reallyTsJAv6 spread.0J6j
SOKTm“Just in case,Ro1F keep a close watchxt9BoP on thatTdeO2 guy. Ifcft5 he triesxClDd to spreadjPmfIL what happenedOSk today…”TfT4rA
k7aLrP“I’ll stop himMpM without fail.0nWOv1 Don’t worry.”k81N5or5Ern
fneUAt the servant’syRv confident reply,oV1vd Joshua nodded.X2Bt8amQRzY
7cduz9Though he was6yZT sometimes incompetent,7nVDt0 in theseYdRQhm kinds ofZcIZ77 cover-up jobsh0tA3 he wasIfV always flawless.t2az5HS0Un
d3uZThis time too,2zM he thoughtWH8izp it wouldtvTGc be enoughXbEOh7 to leaven7oM it injw0N9 his hands.QIyktrkak
NP8JUjThat was until5Ok7D exactly one58Py day later.im73qOpAo74e
JDb7— They sayPvp the fourthfUPs young masterKqn27 challenged thekJfr5b third to40T5 a dueldzsvk with realYVq swords andVEtsG was miserablyEvw defeated!ejpA
yG70c— They evenkkP say thetPo fourth younguCY master’s legsUEE gave outolpgY and heRz3R collapsed!b7J
B3DN— And that,loPN as spoilsPllO36 of war,pnWX the thirdenA8 demanded hiswB7 sword andmn1 took itkncN without resistance!Khsryx6O
3IlUS5“Damn it!”YPYPi9
3375w9Crash.N9W7
jVxUpon hearing thekDBa rumors thatyvCQI had spreadgnb in justxI60lF a day,yuxsa Joshua lostzYmZ it andM4plB wrecked they2Amk room.tKrER
Z5lpuCover it updTo properly, myPB2 ass?!Yq92
wagqEven the swordEwHW he’d givendzGsT6 away becauseqjm he didn’thCZMRW need it19VK8A had turneddqonVf into a story whereOqZd it wasveye taken fromAndi7f him outGx02vV of fear!8rK4bmEH0H5
MhIAt his master’sJOB fury, thewBkOBX servant trembledjQWxz and slammed0fToxa his foreheadb7P to theYub1 floor.PgC
V9XmG“P-please kill me!”zVgFX5qyn
g2z4MZ“Stop saying crapupgnj you don’tu6m3 mean! FirstSD5Zv explain whatc4Ovd the hell5HEPCh happened beforeNXwbwI I reallySEr8Xr kill you!”9yOE4W4AjS
L2Io“T-that’s, uh…”1gsNRg
2vLCaTUpon hearing theS7ycgR servant’s explanation,MBqBB Joshua wasg1yn6 stunned.Ttr0qI
uLzCSt“So the servantsxNKrE spreading the4btm rumors didn’tpidt listen?”QIb
ZL6“More precisely, itBQYFW was theuImYh new ruffiansbwY2Yl who joinedposkC this time.CvND8Q No matterBxQ how muchUbAOo we threatenedoSpn or triedfnlXtB to bribeR3ADh them, theyfn3Qnf wouldn’t shutLuu their mouths.ckmLZ They didn’tg1N even flinchRVrwCU when weoAf put a sword toI3BYX4 their throats,Vd8bis so thereqpjFkj was notp6y3U way to…”wnjekpQ01
IVB2m“Damn it! WhatfvQP the hellWf25u did thatUr7w6a bastard promisekaL them toZSTT make them1lJ so loyal?!”XecwORMCoO91
6l74It was alreadyxDp well knownOsuc39 that LucianXzeK had broughtfihr in servantsrMFeLG from themN6f streets.oJ82ls
fWvHTeLunatics who followedLJAC only Lucian’sZaKJCr orders andHXm didn’t evenIZTKHq blink whenqB5f the secondqBheOB young master,I8UQf3 Jordi, threatenedn3jwl3 them.1dptu
H48ZkIt was impossiblelCludk to knowSqD what theyKei relied onWoz6 to showXdeNC such loyaltySmBj9 to Lucian,EmB33k who didn’ta2TSZ even haveJQyaR a solidAHJJlr foundation.dGxk
JNH7Maybe, since theirDjiOkm lives wereli1Sl already ruined,BXPX4 they justXR5 lived withoutnJ2C caring aboutzS1s anything?sBS8f
B91“And now you’reNZ8EEx saying thatlKK because bribescJ1oPR and threatsvJh didn’t work,LP7xH you hadBd05 no choice?jmI Is thatFSv your excuse?9gJ6 You should’velL8SV at leastyoBmux broken theirx6E legs ifMQv they wouldn’tNSjuUL listen!”PV1q
omM5Jn“T-that’s what weXPxs tried, but…”wvhj181F
JCigYA“What now?”YSiZiW
kVtPG“The ones whoP2GT went tojEZg do it15Z came back7MgY with all2CKv their bones0CX2m broken. TheirTgoI leader, thatKOV6YH guy Hugo…APoq he’s notgFdohT normal…”Tkm9
MKADOAt that absurdSvqvf news, JoshuasqVlW grabbed thegiVVUh back ofJeq his neck.05khvsC11qF
QsTNot only hadIEd bribes andI0C6DW threats failed,a2RwB4 but theyfsG2U came backs7t8 beaten toTQb a pulp.rgFIwFJac
DSjUNot only hadydBFN6 he lostCgTKCz the duel,FmiUr3 now heTYNPuW was alsoLaq losing inuwGCzN the qualityiU3C9O of hissmqw subordinates.TRQv
UuUTo top itjsBy5 off, the7ndB rumor nothFSz only wasn’thUG stopped, itp5RU spread evenbG4gNW further inNTSv favor ofL3MEi7 his rival.K0dFOZLR
l93BAI“Fuuu… fuuu…”KO0TsT
kojaQFBarely managing toZPg regulate hisc3xl breathing, Joshua8wgHU collapsed intoHHNbHZ a chair.f9I2Qax
Q4FQaGIf he didn’t3bDD control histYURW emotions, hezP7HA felt like5AK4 he mightqQS actually faint.7KoIrHnAro
PEtBut as if3Q6f fate washVWU mocking him,dmH01 it wasn’tyC85 over yet.bPFj1lxrL2
AwsbZM“And also…”ODx5
dtBR3“Do you reallys45FO want tolWkbs die byjz2lQ9 my hand?!”TslnVuNp
K95WL“I-I haven’t saidigc anything yet!”pOlQpg3
IKo“I don’t needTmcGZ to hearwjuWSU it! I’mWdaE sure it’sfedlgB just morenPQ of Lucian’sZy74z0 tricks again.jMv I’d ratherGH9 shut yourtIZP mouth thanGecUT listen toPjZ that garbageZh1Wv6 again!”hci2
GU7fcN“It’s not that!Qgf It’s justdzf an updateBTOD2 on theKephQO situation! There’sjURj nothing moreVx44B related toKaZi2w the third2RLrUs young master,pBvOm so pleaseTt8WC calm down.”EzSzaMP
JuPGritting his teeth,9sM Joshua glaredyyXyP at theg0O servant, signalingqedd6 him toatF speak.jng
smKoAs much as8gLrCf he didn’tDkrfl want to6UhQ2 hear it,LoW he couldn’tM0RKgg afford to5GiRuk ignore thee6EMTJ information either.o4XsXjSpK0t
16klIsEven if itasCCwa was somethingZHguC unbearable, henVU3 had toU44l know.ZJX
4Al5xAfter hesitating forKtXfnd a moment,4CgvaY the servantXNaTsz spoke inRKXrDY a tremblingWs0 voice.I3I6V
V13H“The third youngxH2Ks master’s servantsXbe5 are using7yvQo Sir Eisen’syLP name toeALj back up0AJuC1 the rumors.HuT When itmaq35j became known89eOx that the8kXUmn Swordmaster wasZdRqP the oneU80 who supervisedlkYr the duel,F99 several knightsFnH started showingiw1 interest. SomeaXd even wentmFVKP directly toaF6uzo confirm itRnv with himEZgjzM and foundXb8F out it8X2k8o was true…jCGUn3 Young master!erY Young master!”OQwjsnBUKi
STt6ab“Grrrk…”4zYS94
AngvUpon hearing thefqS3qO last thingDZz4 he eversAh wanted toTKE hear, JoshuaWiO34W finally foamedJtc at theCzAx mouth andmFnwo5 collapsed.HY3
YYnFhY***dsslob
c9oiN“Young master, they81lM2m say theSvj5Q fourth youngYJxxK master fainted.KFq Do youKKZC6X have anyopS idea why?”XXHilUpoeh3
zZQ“He probably justlK9 couldn’t acceptbC2F reality ands95E lost consciousness.smncI Honestly, yesterdayvnYQ and today,DCFmJ6 he’s justFTp a gutlessoJ4L guy.”qlxC
olizkAt Hans’s report,iCwU Lucian smiledJIz3 indifferently andfoZL took a sip ofVy0TEk tea.eL3
IVCyHThe aroma ofQQKS the high-qualityFfQpJ tea, somethingE1tf he hadn’tcGw even tastedIUrh in hisOpeEAk past life,18LR tickled hisnlTzo5 nose.NQhc
X8a“Why the hell6SBQ did hehhjLGM bring a real sword?EuGNQG If hekd6PX had usedSS75E a woodentAg0s one, itQA6rZ would’ve beenIb8 more advantageousHoiR for him.”EzR6VI
sPk“Is there reallytJO that muchMJ1 difference betweenoUp a real49cdtS sword andgdMFOD a wooden7NGzu one?”rKa
Wp16b6“A huge difference.LJclkK If youWEigbB were inpqX2Y his place,edF what would3JTzEi scare you8ki4 more, thexiVKW opponent wieldingIQ7i a woodenfH0G sword oragN a realUSK5 one?”Z8wr
RtO“Well… obviously theE7nvx real sword.”Ipjn6ZwpL
Tvb0“It’s the same4y8 for everyone.7VPQX That guyCmK2Kq chose a real swordVp6D5 to tryMRZ and scarel40R me, butvbQ7 he forgotCTrt that hesYPm himself alsoNrVodu shrinks backX3J in frontyt4e2 of a real blade.”DYvlXXsS
d1GYzAIf they hadA3Z used woodenpb55C swords, JoshuaMWYf would haveT21Qb felt farYvb2E less psychologicalrrO8 pressure.I4N
jYZjVjHe probably wouldgkAKBK have beenDY9N able to6oC respond more6Ov73 calmly toKEHMa5 Lucian’s attacks.bALrlX0b
ggFWzAnd Lucian, alreadyaX0 at a clear disadvantagentkjUg in physicalqq3a72 strength, would’vepKf86 had an8hC even harderWEEqAR time.CXbcF
pYmBut because hekO9 tried toKaiWp pull a cheap trick,hUbSRl he endedEdt up fallingaidz into hisvXWEWT own trap.2rj9j64li
9LF6Z“Thanks to that,GkCOT it was1Qzrs easier forK0F4 me. AtHpd most itdqME was goingal7gL to beM1hD a draw,W12jq but thanksky6 to thecfb real sword,kTPh I endedGIK3M up winningnCu8 perfectly.”Y1M0
nftmgq“I see.”5vzM
cBNPHans nodded, but4S6p then heLppt noticed somethingq7cW5Y odd.wrm6
s8IBN“But young master,UCPT wasn’t itSZYC your first7QATi time wieldingHAvd a realAPV sword yesterday?PGd4L And yetK8l you usednQ73 it veryMzHDh well.”Uhcw
rEI8he“Well… it wasDokGm pure improvisation.”f9LngWvp
lj9sThere had beenynD a timeFHQ when LucianZ0U1v had even3tp felt a blade grazeQWgmVt his brow.pwdBkGl2z
57lHow could hen61j fear a sword thatCmNki was moreZHzUv than a handspan away?J87mAijTK
kKggy2Especially when itJexoue was wieldedFv9l by someoneH1YLD who hadlN0i never riskedQHWbG their life52hwa2 in real6DjL combat.vogi
dcmBut since heMyZeER couldn’t sayOTdbz that, LucianoWuO9 just gavenJpd a vagueoWhAg answer.R9g
eucP“In any case,pyu7c things willEI6Df be quietOICE for a while. BothT86s the olderMrwG and younger0Fam8 brothers willONEBH be tooqvMSw busy tocER pay meLfNp any attention.”dLCZ1yJ9mU
yjUXJordi had lostQcdT2 nearly allDgQcQ of hisrFOOs funds becauseJ6a3 of theyD6 incident with5rb2Gj the wetrvT nurses.w1jXA5
VclJ5iNo matter howje3 wealthy his7NoA maternal familynYuZZ was, moneyZXaKjv would inevitably6pBks take timei7Cz to come.w48TFQVUo54B
gL04EJust in case,EjcDt he wouldn’tS1fOHQ make a move untildkL9L2 his purseWC8D was full674 again.6BUl
7cUlGJoshua wasn’t inmEV8Lq a betterEwnf situation thanriXI7 Jordi.4CUW6I
CkH2VAlthough Lucian wasgwGx3 the candidateBRsPe with theR31mk weakest base,b6lAGQ Joshua’s foundation8sgF wasn’t soliditEN4f either.rWQ
lULzNAnd now, afterZotRz suffering suchOqvyP humiliation atVIcTI Lucian’s hands,KL0hE he wouldkKEE be toodhhm00 busy stabilizingvx2uQ his internalOpMQ9 faction forN9CGl a while.o3EKqFCrYu
qYp1t‘Well, there’s still3UCVv one left…rcXn though judgingblpTv6 by howUl7Lx4 that guyJTZs is…’az8
aGDhBang!Sz1A
VA3H“Young master!”HVesk
maPXkLucian’s thoughts wereVN7wBU abruptly interruptedjxHIa when HugoSXg9 burst in,TmLms slamming the996wm door open.xGQI7ju3N
mXypaHe seemed tooA2Q have beenByi running, asv6Z his foreheadzJK was drenched4ZRju in sweat.7J8f0mXes9
4L0“What’s wrong allU7tWwB of a sudden? DidgypZF Joshua haveGpiOLi another episode?”0JflFbpc
kJi1g“News just camew3WaE in fromGGrcLR the men.eoK They sayZsS the family50QOD of MarquiswsBaA Roglan willf521u1 be visitingTSm us inx48S a week.”kjKLsOyiG
TIl5Cg“…!”F7A
0TLC“They say theyBjkK want toaDOse meet in6Pfw the territoryNERg of Bestra,IUH where the24X factory wasyIn built. WhatDYCV should wenwcA do?”eD3bvJ
F711TU“For now…”b1ycjf
Wr312Lucian put down6OFBAC his teacupuB3 and leaptAiRjNS from hiszo73qd chair.vkhT0
gv0“I must inform4ub my father.”K86q3P4
BhCR***lCbM
WrM“What brazen people.”KK1nI7bpc
CYpUpon hearing Lucian’szKom report, Grand6wZNsX Duke SigmundJtKiGW gave a bitter smile.vhntUhTpSIH8
ETGTBestra was theDQQ7kC closest territorysuQDE by distance,tiej but dueMPnPuj to inconvenientDojalM transportation, itNTL had lost6d4 even itsWqs role asnKFbC a hubBQy city toxHE6g other places.Dx8xkI1P
wjyoEqDespite being nextr5FSZ to theHdht major cityq98 of Kelhaim,PfkzuT it barelyWK8m remained classifiednaGh as a city byV0Zj pure miracle.jknPtf4IF
oiTAnd still, itzhQx was theENQpP1 closest place.t4DUKa Yet they0wk wanted totSEiD meet rightUTwDo3 there.kduXI
YMvyN“At this point,Oavi2 I don’tChZExq know ifijm359 they’re boldcRc or just3jf1 mocking Valdeck.zBHOD It’s notmWpU5q exactly thelcPOv lion’s mouth,eQL1 but it’sKN9eR8 certainly right8tJv under itsQrwdsY fangs.”hYgeZT
VHsR“They likely think8Sfl0C your attentionFJeTjj won’t beGZtlqz focused onhn3r that area.SlKu2F After all,EXD8tz it’s a city that5Ud1 offers noppyYJT benefits.”gl4C
RZv35H“…The truth is,82t I hadn’tlrv paid attentioneRU8 to it9Am either untilesGE you reported6Xb it. LookingCYx at itAq5 that way,5KB1et it could9t4 be calledDDrvFC a blindvAUHq spot.”77la
Qiz4TISigmund reviewed theMniG map with5Ir a bitterC8SDbt smile, thend8CB4L looked upL1Jcvf at LucianssT with a serious expression.YvRwqA96Dcq
FNlR“So, why areccc you reportingXahP this toka6b me? I told youlYuLJn I wasp54QTG leaving itasRO all inncy1y3 your hands.”mqnaGaRTElu
bYPtc“I need power.”VcQfiLi
kwOV“Power?”60Up
q2vAHk“Just because a beast isXfRR trapped doesn’til4B mean I have theChpoZ tools toanT hunt it.”TrQTv1
kbNfQe“So you comexMRP to mecR8Ix5 because I do have9ooZ those tools.”FnEjIo4
7f3PThe grand dukeGtC lowered hisskGW gaze, disappointed3s7y5 by Lucian’smzn answer.RQLGw
tTHexU“A rational judgment,dat no doubt.GiKwc If youe2G borrow myjd0 power, catchinggkH a beast5heqm already inaclR a trapemAji3 would beRAv easy.”rzt
cSgizS“Then…”SWg3r9
ORbT8c“But do youBUrp think peoplefu3 will sayxEdXC that beastFVU was yourd5SZoG prey? I don’t thinkhVif so.”RS9U5U
wUNLFAt those words,vCl Lucian fellm07 silent.RyIP
abVjLReceiving no reply,c1R5eV the grandxCL7TY duke’s sharpWB6GL6 criticism continued.MYpSuOnLn
7OGS8“One is recognizedaH4WiA as a great hunterxA0k8 only when4SBIm they captured09mAa prey withxvQT their own8Vkh strength. Noo1dQ2b matter howGya8Q brilliant yourCBew plan, iftKaFv1 you can’t682G hunt byDIT yourself, you’re3dp just anotherxZWuIK apprentice whoRbx can’t fendT04HWm for himself.”4Ea9X4rgm
ExmR0Z“….”rxv
lofB6“I gave youtmC2Z an opportunity.KBM I evenr9dG granted you8im the righttDRA to huntd5LU5 on your01kN75 own. AndgbA now you’reouZx going tooqFiWd throw thateR2Eh away justmet because you0SM lack strength?MjnSbP You’d givefiD up theUTzo chance andXTlB settle foraeAwPO safety byTm2 handing theWNCBz credit tooMIz others?”HT6qL
A7zJD“Yes. I’ll doN6UEYA so withoutkdGeAj hesitation.”UyxT
bOSuCM“What…?”thzM
l5XUAt such a firm response,WmM1Pm this timeLvLy the grand66bo duke openedk9p his eyes1VSb in astonishment.JqAAyB
eeyR1TFacing the now3dNNP speechless duke,MQ9zXw Lucian, whouJUd6 had remainedsrC7 quiet untilYvE6y then, offeredGuBNh his reply.BGSHwLZ
6uPIfU“In a hunt,nyqOau the mostrVs important thing8rXQ is success.vQmOG8 If the3Gl5Tf people trembleyuLV8 under a beast’s shadow,9SMgOg what braveryTF7 is thereR0d in chargingIGoT in alonesYq3R just togpez stab itigULad yourself forX5lm personal satisfaction?TPxx Even ifUXKq you succeedlJbP by chance,96l it wouldjbrpV be theoi2J recklessness ofIEh a fool—azp7Wg stupid actgic23Y that onlybPh erodes theN9Pk people’s trust.”vW7wHKAT93
FX1“…!”vQCW
zN6hOI“And even ifBN1 my nameyySlGD is hidden,QS6 what doesmgnA it matter?wuJ5fu Others mayN3sT1 not know,rA96p but theSlpLG hunter alwaysTzJ recognizes theLO5 merit of46L his apprentice.SnkdYx One apprentice9irM charges inZjx8T naked forAW0 fame, whileTluK the otheruHz shares theSFIKB credit butUb90q ensures a perfect hunt.Z4Gm When theReYT hunter can3F3 no longer5h5a draw his2pO bow, whichTnSA of thePerRFH two doH4N you thinkbVQ he’ll entrustZeJZnq it to?”eQdovy
w7JNLucian took anotherD5F4G breath and7g4 bowed deeply.9FECsVj
Lqv“Even if myt1v2 dedication isn’t93K recognized byhtl the master,xAUAYo it doesn’tOdTMa matter. ByR9wkSf then, thisavFYVz apprentice willmgM already bev8S3nC a hunter7UBp walking theiMutPv mountains withlPm7b a spear9doR and bow3rTl he carvedtOz himself. RatheroknmvR than rushing3GGK to captureRuo6fi a beastOYZWn barehanded, evenefpi if I must give1oM up theVHUAm credit tolONY9 the master,RlDU2R I willOiFwl first learnXv94 to carveuPq my spear,byw then goMVKN out to6SFZ hunt. That’s7z8bZ how I’llcPvT1V become a true hunter.”z0hgO0
pVYaY“….”IWN3r
9tNAs his wordsm9IX ended, a heavy silenceFwOvD fell overq2r751 the grand56EX1 duke’s office.O1nOFP20G4I
5VsThe servants incBjXM particular stoodzaa0Ta wide-eyed, notwAbeB daring toVcvRTT move a finger.ZjUmT
A5TgfUEven if heQcIRu was theRyTjh son, hepvK had just39BCII dared too83IaB refute thexVoG4c Lord oflnz Valdeck face-to-face!6VhICNE0
UFqOQIn that secondB5MhwZ that feltoC4i like a full minute,SZKLv everyone nervously9GjJIJ swallowed hard.fmQKLro5i
XGS“Pwahahaha!”0FmGn
zEMThe grand duke’snBmnu thunderous laughterT0oS1u shook theIAU office.pmWw
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