Chapter 66 – Camilton (1)

Austin’s butler.

Marshall was said to be the figure who had taught Austin everything about being an assassin when they were young.

He was also the leader who oversaw the pursuit team of Duke Roderick’s house.

To the question of how he could trust such a Marshall, Austin replied as if it were natural.

He has never lied to me even once.

It was a natural statement if one thought about it.

Marshall was a retainer who had been with House Roderick for decades.

And a person who was responsible for resolving the darkest parts of the family.

Such a person, even if he did not know the ‘Eyes’ of House Roderick, was bound to know through intuition.

Because lies would have never worked even once on the master he served.

Even if he himself had not lied, wouldn’t he have been able to see what happened to those around him who deceived the duke?

That was why.

Henry could not agree with Austin’s words.

‘Trusting can come later.’

The beginning starts with doubt.

It was not too late to trust after maintaining the relationship and building trust later.

‘I cannot say that to Austin, though. It is practically a sore spot for Austin. He will throw a fit if I touch it.’

Austin had practically turned his family into enemies.

And he had also become mentally warped a lot in the process.

Marshall was his only light, and also the existence that helped him maintain a relationship with the family, if only barely.

If he realized that even Marshall was not on his side, Austin was bound to receive an irreversible wound.

‘Before that, unless I take sufficient measures in advance so he wouldn’t run wild. In fact, that would be the most difficult task.’

Having to block a 5-star assassin running wild in rage.

For ordinary people, it would be an extremely tricky condition, but fortunately, Henry was not ordinary.

‘If worse comes to worst, I will have to use a cheat key. A cheat key, it is a very good expression.’

There were all kinds of items in the sponsorship shop, and Henry had already found several appropriate items.

It was then.

Vrrrr!

The sound of the air vibrating filled the interior.

‘Are we moving?’

Since there were no windows, he could not know.

But soon after.

Knock, knock!

At the sound of the knock, Henry rose from his seat.

“We have arrived, customer. You can step outside.”

***

The Redwood Viscounty was not a very bustling place.

One of the typical countryside territories.

In the first place, it was difficult to look for more with the title of a viscount, and the character of Viscount Redwood was also one that was more interested in stability than development.

A simple but stable village.

A lord without greed.

Under the two conditions, the residents of the Redwood Viscounty always walked around with relaxed smiles.

And Viscount Camilton’s cabin was located here.

Nominally, it was a strange structure where a single small cabin and a handful of land were registered as the ‘Camilton Viscounty’.

Since it meant there was another viscounty inside a viscounty.

The reason for this situation unfolding was simple.

Since he was a viscount in name, he could not pay taxes to another lord. However, it was also awkward to treat him as a noble without a territory.

Ultimately, to save face.

The king granted Viscount Camilton land where minimal living was possible as a ‘territory’, and also attached it next to the Redwood Viscounty so that he could perform normal trading activities.

‘Actually, there was one more reason.’

Originally, if it was a noble who had been given a territory, they could inherit the title to their children at any time.

Even if they were not a knight.

However, the Camilton Viscounty family would end at the current generation, and it was the king’s intention that immediately after, the territory would naturally be absorbed into the Redwood Viscounty.

‘It was like that until a while ago.’

Originally, Henry Camilton was destined to be expelled from the academy.

But now?

His graduation from the academy was practically guaranteed, and naturally, he became able to hold the knight ceremony immediately after.

Even a ruined noble could inherit the title to their child who had completed the knight ceremony.

And it was not even just that.

Was not Henry Camilton a trainee at a level that would attract interest from all kinds of noble families to royal knights, rather than some halfway decent knight?

‘The situation will probably change before long. It has to.’

Henry thought so as he set foot in the Redwood Viscounty.

But not long after.

Henry realized that he had thought wrong.

“Henry! You have finally come!”

The situation had already changed long ago.

Considering the fact that it was a countryside territory, the crowd that came out to meet Henry now was at a tremendous level.

Even at the very front stood a middle-aged man with a face familiar to Henry.

Viscount Redwood.

He was the lord of this territory.

“Viscount Redwood?”

“Haha, yes! It has been a long time!”

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Of course! These friends feel the same way!”

How many lords would express their territory’s residents as friends?

Thinking so for a moment, Henry scanned the faces of the gathered residents.

They were all looking at Henry with faces full of pride.

“Where did the news of my arrival come from……”

“I had asked at the gate! Is it not a natural thing! Bwahaha!”

“Did you tell them to inform you when I arrived?”

“Of course. I apologize if it was unpleasant. I was just wishing to meet the pride of our neighborhood as soon as possible……”

“How could that be? I was just a bit taken aback.”

If it were anyone else, it might be different, but Viscount Redwood was someone who was completely fine to do so.

Not only was he a decent person humanely, but he was also someone who had spared no assistance for Henry and his father.

Even when people from other regions pointed fingers and called them ruined nobles, Viscount Redwood had treated Viscount Camilton as an equal noble.

‘Though my father was uncomfortable with it.’

Whenever Viscount Camilton waved his hand and asked what kind of noble he was, Redwood had even gotten angry in earnest, telling him not to speak like that.

“Henry! We were waiting for you!”

“Shouldn’t we attach ‘Lord’ behind his name now? He is a knight, after all!”

“To think our Henry is a knight!”

“I knew you would do well!”

The territory residents shouted in excitement.

Because to them, Henry was a child who held a unique meaning.

Although he was legally the child of a noble family, Henry was actually a person who mingled and played with all the children of the Redwood Viscounty.

Was that all?

From a young age, he had even shown an appearance of never giving in to any situation and always overcoming it.

Because of that personality, the territory residents who had received help were surely enough to fill a wagon.

“I am grateful, but I am not that great of a person to deserve……”

“Why are you not great! You are plenty great!”

Viscount Redwood spoke in his characteristic booming voice.

To others, it would have been at the level of shouting, but for him, this was his normal voice.

“Is that not so, my friends!”

“That is correct, Lord!”

“Henry is a great fellow! I knew it from long ago!”

“Has not Henry finally adapted to that damn academy!”

A response close to cheering arose, and once again, eyes full of goodwill directed at Henry.

Henry ended up smiling awkwardly in the end.

Because the Redwood Viscounty was originally this kind of place, and the residents gathered now were also originally this kind of people.

“Thank you. Ah, Viscount. By any chance, my father……”

“Viscount Camilton is at home. Even though I told him he should see his son…… sigh.”

To think he would not even show his face when the territory people flocked out like this.

‘Well, my father was originally that kind of person.’

Henry chuckled to himself.

It was because he felt as though he could hear what Henry’s father would have said to Viscount Redwood.

“If the brat came, wouldn’t he stop by the house first? He will see me if he waits a bit, why bother going all the way out there.”

The blunt way of speaking naturally came to mind.

But both Henry and Viscount Redwood, who was grumbling right now, knew.

The fact that he wanted to run out right now, but was barely holding himself back.

By now, Viscount Camilton was surely jumping around in joy all by himself.

Only by doing so could he barely calm his emotions and show the figure of a firm father when meeting Henry.

And in order to help such a father.

“Ah, if it is roasted turkey, I cannot easily pass it by. Plus pumpkin pie! It seems I will have to postpone meeting my father for a little later.”

Henry decided to give him a bit more time.

***

The Camilton Viscounty.

Nominally a viscounty, it was actually a space no different from a commoner’s house free of taxes.

The cabin built by piling logs neatly was simple but clean.

This appearance was the preference of Viscount Camilton, Lucas Camilton. In his own way, he cited the reason as maintaining a minimum level of dignity, but in truth, he simply liked the scent emanating from the wood.

In the field, which was about the size of a hand-span to exaggerate, sprouts of crops were gradually rising.

It was all the achievement gathered after Lucas Camilton personally plowed the field, sprinkled water, and sowed seeds.

Because although a minimum subsidy came from the royal family as he was a noble, that alone was insufficient for living.

“Hmm. Ahem. Now it is about time.”

Inside the cabin, Lucas Camilton cleared his throat.

Trickle.

He filled a cute cup with fragrant tea and placed it on the handmade wooden table.

With this, the preparation to receive his son was finished.

Just moments ago, he had been in a state of excitement, but looking at his current appearance, he was the very picture of the always calm Lucas Camilton.

“They say Henry is coming right now!”

He would have still run wild for a while longer had it not been for the request to let him know when Henry departed.

Step, step.

Footsteps were gradually drawing closer. That was his son’s stride. Since Lucas was also a user of mana in name, he had the ability to distinguish at least that much.

He hid the twitching corners of his mouth. He calmed the writhing emotions once again. Concentrating on the scent of the tea, he practically stared only at the door that was still tightly closed.

Creak!

When the door opened.

Viscount Camilton ultimately lost his composure.

“Henry! My son!”

“Father.”

“Yes, you proud rascal! Just what on earth did you do!”

“If you were that curious, you could have come out at least once……”

“You were coming home anyway. I did not want to go all the way there and take away the attention. I will keep seeing you, but that is not the case for the other fellows.”

“You are still the same.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

“The scent is nice. Did you just brew it?”

“I just prepared one more cup of what I always drink.”

“For something like that, the dust on the plate is a bit poorly wiped……”

“…….”

“I am joking.”

Henry chuckled.

It was a kind of smile that he rarely had any reason to make at the academy.

Because he had always strived to show a serious appearance.

But here, there was no need to hide his inner feelings.

“Wouldn’t it be better to sit down?”

“I was planning to.”

“Viscount Redwood is too much, really. He did not need to come out all the way there…… it seems the rumors have already spread completely.”

“Naturally.”

“You did not tell them, right, Father?”

“Is it not so that in this world, people do not necessarily have to be told to know?”

“How many people came?”

Henry finally brought up the main topic.

Lucas Camilton was a person who became a doting parent when it came to his child, but he was still someone who could sufficiently distinguish between what should be done and what should not be done.

Yet, the fact that even the ordinary residents grasped the situation meant that there was a reason for it.

Grin.

Lucas Camilton smiled triumphantly.

“The bastards who have stopped by so far must number around fifty. They were all knights from prominent families. I still cannot believe that you made those stiff fellows bend.”

“I thought you said you always believed in me?”

“I believed. It is just that the fact that it is now does not feel real. Although I was certain that it would turn out like this someday……”

“It is not a dream.”

“That is right. It must not be a dream. If I wake up like this, I will be too embarrassed to even show my face.”

“Are you that happy?”

“Of course.”

Lucas’s face, saying so, was filled with awkward embarrassment.

Both for Henry and for Lucas himself.

Lucas had to hide his expectations and always show only the image of a serious father.

But now there was no need for that.

“You did really well, Henry. I am so proud of the fact that you are my son. Of course.”

Speaking while smiling sheepishly, Lucas returned to a serious face.

“Even if you had not become a knight, I would have always felt the same way.”

BJ Swordmaster