I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#18. Debt Collection (4)

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“….”

Vargo Viscount was speechless like a mute who had eaten honey.

To deny the document’s contents would be challenging the Emperor’s authority, and to suspect forgery would mean doubting the Magic Tower’s guarantee.

Meanwhile, Yudi Administrator scolded Featherback.

“Young Master! What kind of diplomatic discourtesy is this!”

“What’s wrong with someone who lent money asking for it back?”

Featherback threw back the exact words Yudi Administrator had said before.

Yudi Administrator shouted while watching Vargo Viscount’s expression.

“Please come to your senses! Young Master may be Young Master within Mörsolt, but outside you’re just an immature brat! Why on earth are you doing this!”

“Wait, wait a moment. Hold on, Yudi Administrator.”

Vargo Viscount waved his hand dismissively.

Naturally, his mood appeared extremely displeased.

Yudi Administrator frantically shook his head.

“No, no, Viscount! I did not agree to this unreasonable extortion! I tried to stop him, but Prince Featherback acted on his own…!”

“No, no. Our Young Lord has done something truly admirable and clever.”

Vargo Viscount wore a smile on his lips.

Then he leaned back against the chair’s backrest.

Creak—

His massive body drew a groan from the chair’s backrest.

“….”

Vargo Viscount remained silent for quite a while.

During the heavy silence, he took out a thick cigar and cut it with a dagger.

Hiss—

He struck a match to light it and soon exhaled thick tobacco smoke.

“Difficult. This is very difficult.”

“….”

“Prince Featherback is the first opponent to give me such a headache. In the past 10 years, that is.”

There’s a sound that comes when talk grows long.

It’s the sound of racking one’s brains to somehow escape the current situation.

Vargo Viscount blew out tobacco smoke and raised his hand.

Maids entered between the knights and laid out various items on the table.

Wine and cheese, dried fruits.

Vargo Viscount raised his thick hand and picked up a bottle of wine.

Contrary to his words about difficult circumstances, quite expensive-looking red wine swirled in the glass bottle.

Vargo Viscount picked up the curved and twisted corkscrew.

Screeeeech…

The spiral-shaped awl pierced through the cork stopper and twisted deep inside.

Pop!

Soon it was pulled out with a cheerful sound.

Now that what was blocked had been opened, what was inside should flow out smoothly.

Glug glug glug glug glug glug—

Vargo Viscount filled the glass with wine.

And then he began to speak as if he had oiled his tongue.

“Yes. Yes, our Prince Featherback. That could happen. It certainly could.”

“….”

“It happens sometimes, doesn’t it? When cleaning your room, you discover old trinkets you thought you had lost long ago.”

“….”

“Let me say this again, I completely understand. Since you are a good child, Young Lord, you would diligently clean your room. And in doing so, you might discover some extremely old-fashioned document from ancient times. You must have been very happy, as if you had found treasure. Of course. That could happen.”

“….”

“But you see. Finding that old item, showing it off, and being praised for it is all well and good, but believing it has some actual value and bringing it to a merchant is an entirely different matter.”

Vargo Viscount touched the bridge of his nose with a deeply troubled expression.

“When that happens, the merchant has no choice but to break the child’s innocent heart. ‘Child, this is a very old item that is no longer used. So now it has absolutely, utterly, no value whatsoever!’ Like that.”

Meanwhile, Yudi Administrator tactfully gestured toward the rear.

Thud— Thud— Thud— Thud— Thud—

Knights of the Levarb Family lined up behind Vargo Viscount.

“….”

“….”

They all looked at Featherback with cold eyes.

Their hands rested lightly on their sword handles.

The atmosphere in the hall became precarious, as if standing on a blade’s edge.

Vargo Viscount continued speaking.

“Prince Featherback. In the past, Mörsolt’s blood was an extremely deep red color. So much so that other families dared not even show their own colors.”

“….”

“But that’s just an old story, isn’t it? Not now. Those currently carrying on Mörsolt’s lineage are from distant branch families. All the genuine original bloodlines are sleeping beneath the snow mountain. That blood which was once so red has now become so diluted it’s close to plain water, making it difficult to even distinguish its color properly.”

“….”

“The target of our Levarb Family’s first Family Head’s pledge of submission was Mörsolt’s direct lineage. Not the branch families. So there are many difficulties in doing anything now based on those old promises. Times have changed, and people have changed too, haven’t they?”

Though he spoke in circles, his point was clear.

Although he beat around the bush, his point was clear.

This meant he could not acknowledge the document Featherback had brought.

Vargo Viscount sighed as if troubled.

“Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not disparaging the current Family Head of the Mörsolt Family for being from a branch line. Rather, I hope you’ll think of it as showing that much respect and courtesy to the direct line of Mörsolt. That’s also why we wish to manage Meursault Mountain where they are buried. It’s to manage it with utmost care, filled with respect and courtesy.”

Then, Featherback, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“Is bulldozing the entire cemetery and paving roads considered courtesy?”

“Since it’s the burial ground of Heroes, wouldn’t it be good for many people to come and go to pay their respects?”

“By that logic, the Levarb Family should bury their ancestors in the middle of the marketplace.”

“…Hehehe. Your jokes go too far.”

Vargo Viscount chuckled lowly.

He lifted his wine glass and moistened his lips.

Qi Refinement and alcohol.

White and red energies mixed murkily in the glass.

“Whatever the case, fulfilling a promise from 100 years ago now is unreasonable. The covenant we made was with the direct line of Mörsolt, not the branch line. If you object to this point, you’re welcome to request a trial at the Imperial Palace. Let’s each assemble legal teams and meet in court. Of course, I don’t know if the Mörsolt Family’s financial situation has enough leeway to handle a lengthy legal battle…”

It was absurd sophistry, but Vargo Viscount was being unreasonable, trusting in his wealth and backing.

It was also the best way to avoid fulfilling the promise without denying the covenant.

To this, Featherback nodded.

“I understand. Then I’ll take it that we can’t receive the money.”

“Yes, if you truly intend to go the legal route… Eh?”

Vargo Viscount’s eyes widened as Featherback changed direction so easily.

Then Yudi Administrator quickly interjected.

“Oh my, Young Master really. Why are you speaking as if you’re doing them a favor about something so obvious? It was strange from the beginning to be unreasonable based on one old document from ancient times. Now then, shall we discuss the rights to Meursault Mountain again?”

“Take the Ancestral Mountain too.”

“…?”

At Featherback’s continued generosity(?), even Yudi Administrator was flustered this time.

Vargo Viscount tilted his head.

Not pursuing the old debt and giving up the Ancestral Mountain too?

What kind of self-destructive generosity was this?

But at Featherback’s next words, he had to be shocked once again.

“If you win the war, that is.”

War.

At those words, the atmosphere in the conference room became like a tomb.

“…”

“…”

Not just Viscount Vargo, but even Yudi Administrator and the knights beside him would be left speechless by such a statement.

However, Featherback’s attitude remained calm as ever.

“Why bother with tiresome chatter when you have a good sword? When opinions differ, war is the best means of dialogue. I have clearly declared it. I’ll be going now.”

The chair slides back as Featherback stands up.

Viscount Vargo spoke urgently.

“W-wait a moment! Are you serious? No, to begin with, does Prince Featherback even have the qualifications to declare war…?”

“I do. I came here as the Family Head’s proxy.”

Featherback took out the seal symbolizing the head of Mörsolt from his chest and showed it.

Then Yudi Administrator shouted as if having a fit.

“Young Master, why are you really acting like this! Have you gone mad? Do you think the seal was given to you for childish pranks? If the Family Head knew you were behaving so foolishly, he would beat the ground and cough up blood! If you were my son instead of the Young Master, I would have already beaten your head several times! War isn’t some children’s territory game! Oh, this is so frustrating!”

“That’s right, Prince. You seem too excited because things aren’t going as planned, but you’re young so that’s understandable. So please sit down for now. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything, so let’s sit and discuss the lease of Meursault Mountain again. I’m even prepared to raise the rental fee.”

Viscount Vargo continues speaking while trying to appease Featherback.

“And Prince, you seem to not know this well yet, but the Mörsolt family’s military strength isn’t at a level worth boasting about. At most five hundred or so? Meanwhile, the Levarb family has twice, no, more than three times that many soldiers. And that’s not all? With one word from me, other families in the Northern Region will also rise up.”

Mörsolt, the Iron Blood Sword family of the Far North.

Under them, five families were positioned.

Viscount Vargo was now threatening to incite them.

But even so, Featherback’s expression doesn’t change.

“The painting isn’t bad.”

“?”

At Featherback’s rather out-of-the-blue remark, Viscount Vargo, Yudi Administrator, and the knights of the Levarb family express bewilderment.

Featherback continued speaking while looking at the paintings received as bribes.

“However, there’s still a sense that they were too stingy with the red paint.”

“Prince. What are you talking about from earlier… this isn’t the time to discuss paintings…”

Viscount Vargo waves his hand dismissively as if annoyed.

But Featherback’s words weren’t finished.

“Did they say red dye is hard to obtain in the Northern Region?”

At the same time, a sword was drawn from his waist.

It happened so quickly that no one could respond.

…Slash!

Featherback’s sword cut through the air.

At the same time, a crimson fountain of blood burst forth, thoroughly soaking the paintings.

Splaaaash!

Yudi Administrator was running diligently across the floor.

Thud— thud— roll roll roll roll…

With only his neck remaining.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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