Book 2: Chapter 5
Book 2: Chapter 5
「Third, gather information about the two things I just mentioned, answer all my questions honestly, and bind it with contract magic.」
I thought this was the biggest challenge.
Contract magic was the magic cast on me when I was a slave in the mine.
As long as there is consent from both parties, a wide range of actions can be included in the contract magic. Mine slaves were bound from absorbing skill orbs, after all. Naturally, it could also inhibit the activation of skills.
Will a man in the position of a noble accept that? I am only a commoner. And a low-class at that.
I unconsciously started rubbing my left wrist. Even though the tattoo was long gone.
The tattoo gradually faded due to continued application of mugwort, and disappeared completely after about a year.
「Okay, I accept!」
「Is that really okay?」
「I don’t mind. Let’s make it so that if I violate the contract, I’ll lose my freedom of action and tell you how to unlock my secret safe.」
「T-That much is unnecessary…」
「I told you I feel like I have already died once, right? Furthermore, having contract magic is meaningless if you don’t include at least that much, Reiji-san. Your conditions are too lenient compared to my escort request.」
「…I see.」
「And one more important condition is missing.」
「What is it?」
The Earl sighed.「The salary.」he said, with a disappointed look.
「Oh, right.」
That is usually the most important thing, isn’t it… Let’s try to charge quite a high amount.
「Then, please pay two gold coins monthly, and make arrangements for food, clothing, and living quarters.」
Two gold coins are approximately 400,000yen(4000usd). 400,000 yen on top of food, clothing and a place to stay can be considered lavish treatment.
Fufu, are you surprised, Earl?
The Earl sighed again.
Eh? Is the Earl facepalming himself?
「It is only natural that we will provide food, clothing, and a room here. Your annual salary of 3 holy gold coins will be set to be paid monthly.」
「……Wha?」
Wait a minute. One holy gold coin is around… 25 gold coins, right?
3 pieces means my annual salary is… 15 million yen(150k usd)?!!!
「Let’s make it an annual employment contract and review whether or not it shall be renewed each year. Also, since you will be escorting my daughter, you have to learn the minimum knowledge and etiquette of noble society.」
「Y-Yes…」
「You can live in this mansion starting today. I shall contact the Holy King’s Knights Order.」
「Y-Yes…」
Everything was decided as I was still trying to recover from the shock.
So, this is how nobles make deals!
Due to this and that, I was hired as Lady Eva’s “escort”.
I was in shock when I met the young lady for the first time. How can someone so beautiful exist in this world. Like a sweet, lovely being born of the luxurious environment of nobles. Like a fresh, ripe, red strawberry grown in a protected environment which you can never find in a normal farm.
Without even noticing my shock, the young lady started demanding things just as you would expect from a daughter of a high-class family.
「Are you strong, Reiji?」
The first words out of my mouth after self-introduction was「So-so.」
「Then, show me by fighting my father’s knight!」
And the following words were -「I have to decline」,「I can’t do that」,「I refuse」,「I don’t want to」,「No」,「Absolutely not.」 I refused specifically in that order, and yet the young lady didn’t listen. Eventually, when the knights also became interested – some of the knights even suggested that I had a hand in the previous night attack – I decided to accept the challenge in the Earl’s courtyard.
The grounds were surrounded by high walls, thus you cannot look inside from the outside. However, if one were to climb up to the roof of a 3-storey building or higher – which is higher than the walls – they will be able to see inside.
I found a suspicious shadow on the roof of a distant building – I reported the location of the building later – and with the Earl’s permission, I lit a bonfire in the four corners of the courtyard and circulated the smoke using 【Wind Magic】 to create a huge smokescreen.
The courtyard had a lawn with grass cut beautifully at uniform length. Tables and chairs which dotted the courtyard were removed with only one set left, and instead, the knights filled the courtyard.
The servants also came out to see what was happening, resulting in a large group of people gathered outside.
「Everyone, please watch carefully.」
Why is the Earl having tea with his daughter on the only remaining table set?
「I am Maxim Dupont, the head of military of House Sillys!」
A man with thick eyebrows and perm hair introduced himself.
General citizens usually do not have a family name, but individuals acknowledged by a noble can have a family name… apparently. I say apparently because I heard it from Zerry-san, who is not very interested in such things, so her information is questionable.
Maxim-san was a muscular macho man in his early 30s, who seemed to be worried about his thinning hairline. He donned the standard knight equipment – metal armor and mantle – and carried a large sword.
On the other hand, I wore a dark suit and scarlet polar tie prepared by the Earl’s family. The brooch had a crescent moon and two swords carved onto it; the Earl’s family crest.
「I’m Reiji. Nice to meet you.」
「…Do you want to go ahead with that light clothing?」
「I can move around more easily.」
「If you say so.」
What I admired about Maxim-san was that he was fully prepared and had his guard up even when his opponent was a 13-year-old boy.
「Let’s get started.」The Earl signalled to start.
Maxim-san rushed at me with a roar.
Too slow. From stepping into the opponent’s range and to swinging his large sword, it was slightly slower than Dante-san, whose body was half-petrified. Thinking about it in that respect, Dante-san is really amazing.
「Wow, amazing.」
I dodged at the last minute. I wondered if I could finish this without making too much fuss, but when I glanced at the table, the Earl shot a glare at me which seemed to say, “Take it seriously!” The Cold-Blooded Lord is scary. Look at the young lady next to you. She’s anxiously gripping tight onto her handkerchief, isn’t she…
「Father, I am sorry. Let’s stop the match right away. Reiji might die if this goes on.」
「It’s fine, Eva. Look carefully. It will be over in 5 seconds. 5, 4…」
Meaning, “Finish it in 5 seconds”. I understand.
「3」
Maxim-san unleashed a powerful downswing. I dodged the large sword by sidestepping, and the sword stuck into the ground. Two types of screams rose. One from the maids, and the other from the gardener who maintained the lawn.
「2」
「Excuse me.」
I jumped onto Maxim-san’s chest.
Maxim-san immediately released his sword, and threw a punch with his gauntlet clad arm.
「1」
I blocked the punch with both hands.
…What power.
My body was blown away horizontally, as though a doll was tossed across the garden. The young lady screamed in shock, but I made a clean landing by pulling off a cartwheel spin.
「Ouch… my fingers are numb.」
「………」
Maxim-san stared blankly at me, but then he fell sideways and stopped moving.