Certainly, as Ruel said, now was the time to move comfortably.
If Ruel did not show up, the enemyâs surveillance would naturally spread in all directions, and at the same time, Ruelâs movement could be free.
The problem was that there could be a big uproar in Cyronian and Leponia.
âNo, itâs not just a big deal. Itâs enough to make it to the brink of war.â
The representative of the delegation from Leponia has disappeared from Cyronian.
It was an even bigger problem because the representative of the delegation did not simply disappear.
Ruel was acting as a representative of the delegation in addition to being the last remaining member of one of the six families supporting Leponia.
âI should stop him. This isnât right.â
âYour role is as big as your debt, Ganien. To prevent warâŠâ
Ruel giggled and coughed.
Ganienâs lips trembled.
Every time Ruel mentioned debt, it reminded him of Turbulent Day now irreparably broken by himself.
ââŠYes, I owe him, so I have to bear it.â
But it was dark ahead.
Ruel continued after taking Cassionâs medicine.
âIâm going to split up the Royal Knights, so please take action in advance.â
âWhat about you?â
âI will return to your villa for now. I need to be considerate enough to the Knights, so they can be relieved of blame.â
âWhat about me?â
âWeâre close friends.â
Ruel smiled straightforwardly.
It was a very unlucky smile.
âGive it to me.â
He was a madman who created a strong Aura across Setiriaâs heirloom.
âEven if Iâm crazy, Iâm crazy. Curiosity is nothing.â
Ganien took out the data with a face full of dissatisfaction.
Pop.
While attempting to grab the data, Ruel lost strength in his hand and missed.
âTake a rest.â
Ganien loosened his expression, relieved, and spoke seriously.
âYes.â
Ruel needed sleep.
He tried to hold out forcefully, but now it seemed that his limit had been reached.
Knock. Knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
It seemed that he couldnât wait anymore and came already.
Ruel said, sending out Ganien. âAris will tell you the rest of the story.â
ââŠI see.â
Ganien rose from his seat.
When he opened the door, he saw a man who had a naive impression.
âMoney⊠It smells.â
How much did you have to tinker with money, to smell so strongly of it.
The man glanced at Ganien and Aris before entering the room.
Ganien asked Aris, lowering his voice, âWho is this?â
âHe was the one who helped us.â
âThat guy?â
âYes, he used something unrecognizable. I asked him directly what it was, but he demanded a gold coin for the answer, so I donât know.â
Ruel paid him well, but he doesnât want to waste valuable gold coins on a single question.
âOh, thatâs why he smelled like that.â (Ganien)
â⊠Is he strong?â Aris asked uncertainly.
He saw in the battle that he was very good at archery.
âItâs vague.â
It was difficult to assess.
âBut heâs not weak.â
âI see.â Aris glanced at the room where Ruel was.
Ruel had on his signature smile that he wore before picking something up.
âWhat did Ruel-nim see?â
They had exchanged glances with each other for a brief moment, but it was unpleasant.
The man had the look of judging oneâs value with a monetary perspective.
Aris could not help but feel the instinctive discomfort of being a slave.
***
âCough, cough.â
Ruel greeted the man with a frown at his trembling cough.
The corners of the manâs mouth were already up to his ears because he knew money when he saw it.
âYou must have thought it was luck, because it was an aristocrat who you helped. Is this why he received the nickname âcountry bumpkinâ? I donât know what it would be natural to help and get in a small village called Dotol, but those natural rules didnât work where he was .â
âKeep your head down.â
Cassion looked at the manâs stiff expression and moved his lips. ââŠ?â
The man bowed his head as he watched the atmosphere shift.
Contrary to expectations, the atmosphere was rather heavy.
âWhatâs your name?â
Ruel asked his name first for confirmation, but the man was not taking him seriously, looking at him as if he was the prey in the hunt.
But it was him who was being hunted unawares.
âMy name is Noah.â
âAs expected, it was Noah.â
Ruel smiled lightly.
Noah was a former hunter and exhibited his excellent tracking and mobility, as well as his high-level archery when battling previously.
He wasnât even that bad of a person.
Except for the money obsession part.
âI needed to let him know where I stand.â
Ruel knew Noahâs goal was money, but he pretended not to know and asked, âYes, what do you need?â
âIâve assisted the Lord, so I deserve something in return.â Noah smiled innocently.
âYouâre going to getâŠ.â
Inhaling Breath, Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and opened them.
He managed to overcome the momentary loss of dizziness.
âI understood with a broad mind that you helped me, but overlooking my subordinates, and coming to meet me without notice in advance. What more mercy should I show you?â
ââŠWhat do you mean, mercy? Since I helped you, isnât it natural to get payment? I helped drive those weirdos outâŠâ
Ruelâs expression turned cold for a moment.
âItâs natural? How dare you bring that up in front of me? Cassion.â
Ruel was acting different than usual.
No matter what, it was the masterâs order, so Cassion approached Noah, grabbed him by the shoulders, and forced him to his knees.
ââŠwhat? Isnât he a common butler?â
Noah tried to escape, but he was pushed to his knees defenselessly by a mere butler.
What on earth is that powerful aura?
His skin felt cold.
He just came to pick up the money, but something has gone very wrong.
âDo you know who I am?â
â⊠Arenât you a noble?â
He couldnât beat that butler. It was ridiculously strong.
âThis ânoble personâ is the head of the Leponia delegation and head of his household.â
First of all, he knew the long introduction was awe inspiring and all, but that didnât mean much to him.
âLooks like he has a lot of money, but heâs terribly reserved with it.â
âIt means he has the power to cut your head off right here, right now.â
Noah opened his eyes wide at Cassionâs calm voice.
âGood, good.â
Cassionâs moderate response kept the ugly atmosphere in check.
Noah grew up in the mountains making him a frog in a well. The world he had seen and experienced in the mountains so far was everything he knew.
Ruel was now going to shatter his expectations and reality.
ââŠ. Damn it, I was unlucky.â
Noha glanced away at the doors and windows.
âLetâs pretend to provoke them and then run.â
Cassion laughed at Noah measuring the distance from the entrances.
âWho are you to try and kill me?â
Pretending to be angry, Noah secretly moved his hand and slid it in his pocket.
âYou disgusting noble! You donât understand how precious a personâs life isâŠâ
However, before he could take out the sleeping incense from his pocket, he was overpowered by Cassion and rolled flat on the floor.
âFuck⊠! Even though I helped you, damn it!â
Noah screamed so loudly that his veins protruded from his neck.
Cassion threw a bag out at Ruelâs glance.
Pop.
There was a fragrant smell of money.
His eyes shone with an expression unrecognizable as the person who had cursed them out a while ago.
âOpen it.â
At Ruelâs words, Cassion released Noah.
Distracted from any idea of trying to escape, Noah opened the bag as if possessed.
A brilliant jewel greeted him with a shine.
âOh, itâs sparkling. This body likes shiny too.
âCrazy! Crazy!â
It was the first jewel he ever saw.
Even his legs were shaking.
âYou were good at shooting arrows.â
âWell, Iâm the best archer in this town, no, in Cyronian!â
Noahâs eyes glistened at Ruelâs words.
âIâm thinking of hiring a hunter.â
Cassion threw another bag at Ruelâs glance once more.
Plop.
When he quickly picked up the bag and checked the inside, there was a larger amount of jewels than before.
âI can catch anything!â
âEven if the target is not a person?â
âOf course, but you have to pay for my services.â
âGive it to him. Who am I?â
âYouâre the representative of the delegation from Leponia and the head of a household!â
Ruel laughed with satisfaction.
He then made Cassion throw another bag the size of an elbow-length sack.
ââŠgasp!â
It was definitely a gold coin that had a yellow color.
Now, Noah couldnât even breathe properly.
âHup! Thatâs what Ruel likes! This body likes it too!
Leo was grabbed by the tail because he was about to dive in the coins.
âHick!
âTh, this is reallyâŠâ
Gulp.
Noah now saw Ruel like a god.
The narrow world he had in his head seemed to collapse.
âDi, Did you say you needed a hunter?â
âYes.â
âHow dare this humble fellow decline your offer?â
He knelt down to his knees and bowed to Ruel.
âDo you think your salary is enough?â
âEn, enough!â
All right, then.
He hooked him.
Ruel felt like he was facing a child who hadnât learned of the world yet.
Cassion managed to hold back his leaking laughter and threw an equally hefty bag of gold coins.
âMake a vow of loyalty to me.â
Only money was embedded in Noahâs eyes.
âIf you swear by Mana, thatâs the advance payment.â
Ruel had a lot of money sitting in his pockets, but it was a very small sum for Noah to swear his life and loyalty.
âMy name is Ruel Setiria. Remember the name of your master.â
Still, Noah will. Afterall it is probably the largest amount heâs ever seen since he was born.
Noahâs fingertips trembled.
Even his face flushed with joy and excitement.
His head and mouth felt light, distracted by the glowing jewels and gold coins.
âI, Noah vow allegiance to Ruel Setiria.â
When Cassion nodded, Ruel raised the corners of his mouth.
âCassion, he is an attendant who will assist you, so make good use of him.â
When Ruel said he was going to bring in Noah, Cassion did not object.
Another person to work for him has walked in, who would oppose it?
âNoah.â
âYes.â
âWhat was the arrow you shot then?â
âThis is what my mother received from a warlock before, and it guarantees death.â
âItâs black magic⊠â
Ruel opened his mouth, thinking that he should let Tyson know.
âDo you have any luggage to pack?â
âNone.â
âCassion, give him a uniform.â
âI see.â
Cassion smiled at Noah.
Noah expressed a little anxiety as if the moneyâs effect was slowly fading.
âWhat exactly does a servant do, Lord Setiria?â
âYou are the exclusive attendant of Cassion, the butler. In other words, you have to do whatever Cassion tells you to do.â
âI look forward to working with you.â
The simple words sounded strangely ominous.
SomethingâŠsomething was wrong.
However, when Noah saw the gold coins in his possession, the corners of his mouth went up again.
There are lovely gold coins, so what could be wrong?
âCough, cough.â
Noha asked at Ruelâs harsh cough.
âAre you going to die soon?â
ââŠOh, right.â
There was a big drawback to employing Noah.
His words did not go through his brain.
Ruel gave orders in advance.
âI command you, Noah. Donât reveal any information related to me to the outside world. Also, I forbid you to judge my people by your standards.â
âWhy so⊠Ugh!â
Noha gripped his chest tightly.
He fell down.
Gold coins spilled out of the bags.
Knowing that more than familiar pain, Cassion knew what Noah would try to say next.
ââŠOh, I see.â
âCassion, go educate him.â
âIâd be happy to comply. Follow me.â
Noah took off his coat and wrapped the jewels and gold coins in it.
Eohhwadungdung.
Ruel wondered how long it would last for Noah to see those jewels and gold coins as precious treasures.
As soon as the door closed, Ruel lay on the bed as if he were collapsing, releasing all of the tension in his body.
Leo rushed over and lay face down next to Ruelâs face.
âDid you pick him up?
âYes.â
âIs it abandoned like this body?
âNo.â
âThen why did you pick it up?
âBecause itâs useful.â
âCassion was overjoyed.
How happy would he be to not have to do all the little things.
ââŠYes.â
Ruel still on the bed felt his eyes become heavier before they closed, his plans of meeting the knight corps to encourage them before their next departure were left unfulfilled.
âRuel, Ruel.
Ruel touched Leoâs tail instead of answering.
âThis body has purified! Purify!
Leo shook excitedly even while petting.
âThis body tried again, but it wonât come out.
It was not a voice of disappointment.
âBut this body is not upset. If you do it once, it will work again. This body is not a fool. This body is a great purifier.
He was brave.
âOnly Ruel knows about this.
Ruelâs hand, which was stroking his tail, fell weakly.
âThis body was happier that Ruel was no longer sick because of this body than this body being able to purify it.
Leo smiled, stroking Ruelâs head, who fell asleep quickly.