Arthas April 07, 2024 No comments
Don't forget to rate and review the novel on Novelupdates
"An annulment of the engagement..."
Belzer Winfred, the patriarch of the House Winfred, muttered as he recalled his recent conversation with Kyle.
— I want to annul my engagement to Isabel.
Isabel Yustia - the woman Kyle had desperately clung to for years. Yet he now wished to break off the engagement.
"Hmph."
That bastard, with no right or qualifications, had dared to seek an engagement with the esteemed Young Lady. The image of him cowering in fear, unable to even make eye contact, was still vivid in Belzer's mind.
Yes, that was who Kyle Winfred was - a pitiful wretch, trash, not even worth a farthing, yet with an inflated sense of self-worth, acting out of turn.
That was the Kyle Winfred the Duke knew.
And yet, at some point, he had completely transformed.
—Do you want your family line to be wiped out?
Belzer could still see Kyle's fierce, piercing gaze directed at him. Even in a situation where his head could have been taken off at any moment, the boy had not lost his composure.
"Remarkable."
A myriad of emotions flickered across his face before settling.
The butler, who had been observing the duke, carefully spoke up.
"What are your thoughts on this, my lord?"
"On what?"
"On young master Kyle."
The butler had already briefed the duke on the recent commotion - how Isabel was now the one clinging to Kyle, a complete reversal of the situation.
But the duke felt little interest.
The romantic affairs of a bastard were of no concern to him. Moreover, the duke was obligated to assist Kyle in annulling the engagement, per their previous agreement.
"............."
The Duke was well aware of the deliberately orchestrated smear campaign against Kyle, the subtle yet persistent ostracization within the household.
Kyle's lost rage and hatred consuming him - the duke knew all of this.
Yet he had turned a blind eye.
After all, a worthless wretch incapable of overcoming such trials on his own had no right to bear the Winfred name.
The duke clicked his tongue in a low voice, "Tch, what to do... For now, we shall observe."
That was the duke's decision - to observe for the time being.
While it may seem like an empty, content-less conclusion, it was anything but.
Belzer Winfred was a ruthless pragmatist, concerned only with the well-being of himself and his house. For him to choose to observe Kyle meant the boy had piqued the duke's interest to that degree.
Understanding the underlying meaning, the butler bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Shortly after, the duke issued a meaningful instruction in an even tone.
"Tomorrow, have Kyle join me for breakfast."
* * * * *
A day had passed since the Duke's return to the estate, and nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
Isabel had remained quiet and unresponsive since that day, and the duke had diligently fulfilled all the conditions he had promised in exchange for obtaining the Sacred Blood.
The engagement annulment with Isabel was now a fait accompli. With the blank check backed by the Winfred guarantee, the necessary funds for future activities were now secured.
Everything was proceeding smoothly, except for one thing.
【Scenario Progress: 5%】
"What's with this constantly rising percentage?"
It had increased again - from the previous 3% to 5%, a 2% increase; the progress had jumped by 3% on the day I first mentioned breaking off my engagement with Isabel. And after indiscriminately hurling facts at the suddenly visiting Isabel, the progress had increased by another 2%.
The common denominator was Isabel; the more strained my relationship with her became, the more the progress rate proportionally increased.
This was the conclusion I had agonized over all day to arrive at.
"...Still, 5% is a decent place to be."
The annulment of my engagement with Isabel was now confirmed, and the day of my departure from the ducal estate was not far off.
Of course, I couldn't say I had cleared all the hurdles yet; the path ahead was still long and arduous.
The ultimate goal was to find the Sacred Artifact and open the dimensional gateway. And naturally, the process would not be an easy one.
"The lack of information, and above all..."
Weakness.
At this point, the feebleness of this body I inhabit was pathetic, bordering on pitiful.
Not that there was no solution at all, of course.
As the main villain in the game, Kyle was supposed to have exceptional potential.
However, I needed means to protect myself right now, not in the distant future.
It didn't take long to find a countermeasure.
"...Diana."
Diana.
There was no surname following her name, for she was a commoner, not a noblewoman.
A female knight of commoner birth.
At first glance, her title may seem insignificant, but the reality was quite the opposite.
After all, Diana was one of the key characters in this world — among the individuals the world had marked as important, there were none whose abilities were meager; they all possessed at least one exceptional talent, which was bound to bloom when the time was right.
And Diana's talent lied in her skills as a Knight - exactly the kind of talent I needed right now to protect myself.
"The Knighting ceremony is soon, isn't it?"
To recruit Diana, I would need to attend the Knighting ceremony.
Attending itself would not be difficult.
But the problem is...
"...Isabel."
The ceremony will be held at the cathedral, mere steps away from the Yustia estate.
"Haah."
It is unsettling, but what choice do I have? If I want to recruit Diana, I'll have to take that risk.
Knock! Knock!
That's when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Creak!
The butler entered through the slightly ajar door.
"What's the matter?"
"The Duke has invited you to join him for breakfast soon."
"...Breakfast?"
Surely he's not asking me to have a meal together, is he?
"Why?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure myself..."
"So you're telling me he suddenly called me to sit face to face and have a meal together? Did I understand that correctly?"
The butler quickly nodded.
Clearly, the Duke has lost his mind.
"I prefer taking my meals alone in my room."
"However, it was a direct order from the Duke."
I barely contained the furrowing of my brow, "Who else will be attending the breakfast?"
"Just the Duke and yourself, my lord."
"What? The others?"
"The young master and young miss are still residing at the imperial palace, and the duchess has gone there herself a few days ago to attend to them."
I silently heaved a deep sigh.
Dining alone with the Duke - the mere thought made my stomach churn.
But I didn't have a valid excuse to refuse.
I couldn't very well tell the Duke to his face that the mere sight of him made me want to vomit.
‘...Perhaps this is for the best?’
I would need the Duke's permission to attend the Knighting ceremony.
In other words, I would have to seek an audience with the Duke again, one way or another.
Why not use this as an opportunity to do a bit of buttering up and casually bring up the topic of the ceremony during the meal?
Having convinced myself, I slowly nodded, "Show me the way."
"As you wish, my lord."
I followed the butler out of the room.
* * * * *
When I arrived at the dining hall, the breakfast preparations were already complete.
Without any further delay, the meal began in earnest.
"........."
"........"
It was awkward.
Not just awkward, but painfully so. I couldn't tell if I was chewing on food or a mouthful of sand. I couldn't believe having a meal with this unwanted person could be such a torment.
A resolute vow not to attend another breakfast like this again echoed in my mind.
The heavy tension permeated the space.
In the midst of hurriedly shoveling food into my mouth, eager to finish the meal and return to my room, the silent Duke finally opened his weighty lips, "You seem to have been trained in proper dining etiquette. Impressive."
Table manners, the order of using utensils, how to hold a fork and knife - the Duke genuinely marveled at my impeccable dining etiquette.
I discreetly observed his expression; there was not a hint of suspicion, only pure admiration. It was evident how little interest he normally had in Kyle.
'That's a relief, at least.'
I am not Kyle Winfred. My habits, speech patterns, and preferences - nothing matched Kyle's.
If the Duke had even the slightest interest in Kyle, he would have noticed that I was not him, but merely inhabiting his body.
Yet remarkably, I had not encountered a single person in this world who doubted my identity. It was quite a shock.
"Hah..."
An uncontrolled, chilling sigh escaped me.
I briefly set down the utensils in my hand and turned to look at the Duke, "I wish to attend the Knighting ceremony."
The Duke's busy hands stilled; after a moment, he asked me in a flat tone, "And what is your purpose in attending the ceremony?"
"What other reason could there be than to find a Knight to guard my own person?" I retorted curtly.
However, the Duke still looked puzzled.
"Don't you think the family's knights would be sufficient?"
A bitter laugh suddenly bubbled up inside me; there was an obvious flaw in his question.
"Why would I trust knights who serve the house with my life?"
“............”
"I need a knight to protect me, not one dedicated to the house.”
“What”
"How am I to trust the family's knights when even the lowly servants whisper behind my back?"
At my sharp remark, the Duke's lips pressed into a thin line; his expression grew increasingly dark.
With a raised eyebrow, I continued, "I will be attending the Knighting ceremony."
Arthas April 07, 2024 No comments
Don't forget to rate and review the novel on Novelupdates
"An annulment of the engagement..."
Belzer Winfred, the patriarch of the House Winfred, muttered as he recalled his recent conversation with Kyle.
— I want to annul my engagement to Isabel.
Isabel Yustia - the woman Kyle had desperately clung to for years. Yet he now wished to break off the engagement.
"Hmph."
That bastard, with no right or qualifications, had dared to seek an engagement with the esteemed Young Lady. The image of him cowering in fear, unable to even make eye contact, was still vivid in Belzer's mind.
Yes, that was who Kyle Winfred was - a pitiful wretch, trash, not even worth a farthing, yet with an inflated sense of self-worth, acting out of turn.
That was the Kyle Winfred the Duke knew.
And yet, at some point, he had completely transformed.
—Do you want your family line to be wiped out?
Belzer could still see Kyle's fierce, piercing gaze directed at him. Even in a situation where his head could have been taken off at any moment, the boy had not lost his composure.
"Remarkable."
A myriad of emotions flickered across his face before settling.
The butler, who had been observing the duke, carefully spoke up.
"What are your thoughts on this, my lord?"
"On what?"
"On young master Kyle."
The butler had already briefed the duke on the recent commotion - how Isabel was now the one clinging to Kyle, a complete reversal of the situation.
But the duke felt little interest.
The romantic affairs of a bastard were of no concern to him. Moreover, the duke was obligated to assist Kyle in annulling the engagement, per their previous agreement.
"............."
The Duke was well aware of the deliberately orchestrated smear campaign against Kyle, the subtle yet persistent ostracization within the household.
Kyle's lost rage and hatred consuming him - the duke knew all of this.
Yet he had turned a blind eye.
After all, a worthless wretch incapable of overcoming such trials on his own had no right to bear the Winfred name.
The duke clicked his tongue in a low voice, "Tch, what to do... For now, we shall observe."
That was the duke's decision - to observe for the time being.
While it may seem like an empty, content-less conclusion, it was anything but.
Belzer Winfred was a ruthless pragmatist, concerned only with the well-being of himself and his house. For him to choose to observe Kyle meant the boy had piqued the duke's interest to that degree.
Understanding the underlying meaning, the butler bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Shortly after, the duke issued a meaningful instruction in an even tone.
"Tomorrow, have Kyle join me for breakfast."
* * * * *
A day had passed since the Duke's return to the estate, and nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
Isabel had remained quiet and unresponsive since that day, and the duke had diligently fulfilled all the conditions he had promised in exchange for obtaining the Sacred Blood.
The engagement annulment with Isabel was now a fait accompli. With the blank check backed by the Winfred guarantee, the necessary funds for future activities were now secured.
Everything was proceeding smoothly, except for one thing.
【Scenario Progress: 5%】
"What's with this constantly rising percentage?"
It had increased again - from the previous 3% to 5%, a 2% increase; the progress had jumped by 3% on the day I first mentioned breaking off my engagement with Isabel. And after indiscriminately hurling facts at the suddenly visiting Isabel, the progress had increased by another 2%.
The common denominator was Isabel; the more strained my relationship with her became, the more the progress rate proportionally increased.
This was the conclusion I had agonized over all day to arrive at.
"...Still, 5% is a decent place to be."
The annulment of my engagement with Isabel was now confirmed, and the day of my departure from the ducal estate was not far off.
Of course, I couldn't say I had cleared all the hurdles yet; the path ahead was still long and arduous.
The ultimate goal was to find the Sacred Artifact and open the dimensional gateway. And naturally, the process would not be an easy one.
"The lack of information, and above all..."
Weakness.
At this point, the feebleness of this body I inhabit was pathetic, bordering on pitiful.
Not that there was no solution at all, of course.
As the main villain in the game, Kyle was supposed to have exceptional potential.
However, I needed means to protect myself right now, not in the distant future.
It didn't take long to find a countermeasure.
"...Diana."
Diana.
There was no surname following her name, for she was a commoner, not a noblewoman.
A female knight of commoner birth.
At first glance, her title may seem insignificant, but the reality was quite the opposite.
After all, Diana was one of the key characters in this world — among the individuals the world had marked as important, there were none whose abilities were meager; they all possessed at least one exceptional talent, which was bound to bloom when the time was right.
And Diana's talent lied in her skills as a Knight - exactly the kind of talent I needed right now to protect myself.
"The Knighting ceremony is soon, isn't it?"
To recruit Diana, I would need to attend the Knighting ceremony.
Attending itself would not be difficult.
But the problem is...
"...Isabel."
The ceremony will be held at the cathedral, mere steps away from the Yustia estate.
"Haah."
It is unsettling, but what choice do I have? If I want to recruit Diana, I'll have to take that risk.
Knock! Knock!
That's when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Creak!
The butler entered through the slightly ajar door.
"What's the matter?"
"The Duke has invited you to join him for breakfast soon."
"...Breakfast?"
Surely he's not asking me to have a meal together, is he?
"Why?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure myself..."
"So you're telling me he suddenly called me to sit face to face and have a meal together? Did I understand that correctly?"
The butler quickly nodded.
Clearly, the Duke has lost his mind.
"I prefer taking my meals alone in my room."
"However, it was a direct order from the Duke."
I barely contained the furrowing of my brow, "Who else will be attending the breakfast?"
"Just the Duke and yourself, my lord."
"What? The others?"
"The young master and young miss are still residing at the imperial palace, and the duchess has gone there herself a few days ago to attend to them."
I silently heaved a deep sigh.
Dining alone with the Duke - the mere thought made my stomach churn.
But I didn't have a valid excuse to refuse.
I couldn't very well tell the Duke to his face that the mere sight of him made me want to vomit.
‘...Perhaps this is for the best?’
I would need the Duke's permission to attend the Knighting ceremony.
In other words, I would have to seek an audience with the Duke again, one way or another.
Why not use this as an opportunity to do a bit of buttering up and casually bring up the topic of the ceremony during the meal?
Having convinced myself, I slowly nodded, "Show me the way."
"As you wish, my lord."
I followed the butler out of the room.
* * * * *
When I arrived at the dining hall, the breakfast preparations were already complete.
Without any further delay, the meal began in earnest.
"........."
"........"
It was awkward.
Not just awkward, but painfully so. I couldn't tell if I was chewing on food or a mouthful of sand. I couldn't believe having a meal with this unwanted person could be such a torment.
A resolute vow not to attend another breakfast like this again echoed in my mind.
The heavy tension permeated the space.
In the midst of hurriedly shoveling food into my mouth, eager to finish the meal and return to my room, the silent Duke finally opened his weighty lips, "You seem to have been trained in proper dining etiquette. Impressive."
Table manners, the order of using utensils, how to hold a fork and knife - the Duke genuinely marveled at my impeccable dining etiquette.
I discreetly observed his expression; there was not a hint of suspicion, only pure admiration. It was evident how little interest he normally had in Kyle.
'That's a relief, at least.'
I am not Kyle Winfred. My habits, speech patterns, and preferences - nothing matched Kyle's.
If the Duke had even the slightest interest in Kyle, he would have noticed that I was not him, but merely inhabiting his body.
Yet remarkably, I had not encountered a single person in this world who doubted my identity. It was quite a shock.
"Hah..."
An uncontrolled, chilling sigh escaped me.
I briefly set down the utensils in my hand and turned to look at the Duke, "I wish to attend the Knighting ceremony."
The Duke's busy hands stilled; after a moment, he asked me in a flat tone, "And what is your purpose in attending the ceremony?"
"What other reason could there be than to find a Knight to guard my own person?" I retorted curtly.
However, the Duke still looked puzzled.
"Don't you think the family's knights would be sufficient?"
A bitter laugh suddenly bubbled up inside me; there was an obvious flaw in his question.
"Why would I trust knights who serve the house with my life?"
“............”
"I need a knight to protect me, not one dedicated to the house.”
“What”
"How am I to trust the family's knights when even the lowly servants whisper behind my back?"
At my sharp remark, the Duke's lips pressed into a thin line; his expression grew increasingly dark.
With a raised eyebrow, I continued, "I will be attending the Knighting ceremony."
