A few grunts followed Nozomu’s words, and one Noble asked, “You realize that by saying that you are insulting all of us? Comparing us to a commoner!”
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“I didn’t compare anyone to anything. I just pointed out the fact that every single one of you earned your title from your family, not from something you did. Your ancestor, the one that originated your Nobility, was the one that did something so outstanding that he started a Noble family. I have read that some were in wars with the Empire, others were Adventurers, and one or two were Merchants that became so rich that they were invited to be the advisors of a Prince or a King that ruled at that time. I never read about one that killed two hordes of Goblins and two Drakes, and that will probably make me and Dame Taisetsuna enter the History books as well. Not an easy fact, I may add, but it sure fills me with well-deserved pride.”
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The same Noble answered, his face full of rage, “You dare compare yourself to our ancestors?”
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“Again, I didn’t compare anyone to anything. Your ancestors did amazing feats in their time. I did two amazing feats in my time. They went to History after their deaths. I will probably be there as well after I am long gone. You know that I have two Dragons that are my friends, right? They only remember the Princess’ grandfather because of his fights with the Empire. All the other Nobles they met over their long lives, they don’t even remember their names. Regardless of how well-educated you are, how rich you are, and how many servants you have, you will be buried like all the commoners out there, and no one will remember you in a few generations, not even the Dragons. It is good that you live your life the best you can, and as comfortably as you can, because everyone dies, and what they have to show after their deaths are remarkable feats that go down in History, and children to continue their bloodline.”
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The infuriated Noble approached further and said, fuming, “You are probably not aware, but such great insults deserve a challenge!”
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“What insults? I didn’t do any, I only said the truth. Maybe not the truth you wanted to hear, but the truth nevertheless. And if by challenge you mean a Battleship game, I am always up for one. If instead you were speaking of a duel, I will use my right to choose the one that will be fighting for me, because I don’t intend on risking an injury and skip classes in the Academy. Miss Koyaga, if he wants to duel me, do you mind?”
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Koyaga stared at the now nervous Noble as she cracked her fists. “I would love it, Baronet Nozomu. I do hope he was talking about a duel because it has been a while since I sent a Noble to the Healers. Wait, not that long, actually. I did send one yesterday when I came here, but I don’t even remember who he was. I only remember that he tried to mock me in this same room. Where it is…”
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She looked around and pointed at a crack in a wall nearby. “There! He hit his head when I punched him. The servants did a good job of cleaning the blood! Not even one drop on the wall or the floor!”
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Nozomu grinned while looking at the gulping Noble. “And none of them accused you of attacking a Noble? That is strange. I thought they would all rally around you if you hurt one of them! Even with a good reason!”
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“Well, that is one advantage of being a well-known Adventurer. If I hit a Noble, I am excused by many because Adventurers have a reputation for acting violently. There is also the small issue that if an Adventurer hits a Noble, even with all the problems he could get, usually the Princess grants a pardon because she likes Adventurers a lot. She has to side with Nobles on many subjects because she relies on them to help her rule, but she relies on Adventurers to keep the country safe. It is a bit tricky, and it will probably make her scold us later on, but if he wants a duel, I am more than happy to grant him one. Tomorrow morning, perhaps? Considering the way you talked, you seemed rather offended, so can I take that as a signal that it will be a duel to the death?”
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“No... Not a duel per se… I was talking about a Battleship game, of course! With a wage on the side!”
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Nozomu shrugged and retorted, “I also prefer a game, and a wage sounds like fun.”
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That made the Noble make a broad smile while looking rather relieved to have escaped certain death if he had to fight Koyaga in the morning.
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Nozomu excused himself because he saw the Princess signalling him to approach, and Koyaga grinned at the group of Nobles and said, before rushing to follow him, “You will be seeing me quite often from now on, so I would advise everyone to keep the intrigues and gossip you are so fond of to yourselves. I am not as patient as the Princess, or as kind as Nozomu. The moment I notice one of you gossiping about me or trying to trick me to make me look bad, I will visit you in the middle of the night, and I will make sure that you never wake up again. Did I make myself clear? Good.”
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When she was already near the Princess and Nozomu, one of the older Nobles spoke with disdain. “Who that woman thinks she is? Only because she is a friend of the Princess, she thinks she can threaten us?”
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The other Nobles looked at him, and no one seemed to know what to say to such an oblivious person.
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Then, the Count that was speaking in the beginning with Nozomu warned him, after glancing towards Koyaga, to make sure she couldn’t hear. “You would be wise to heed her warning. The Princess has already informed us she will be a Captain of the Royal Guards, and you should not underestimate her reputation as a fearsome Adventurer. She is more than able to go to your house in the middle of the night, kill you and your entire family, and make it seem like it was all an accident. I know that because my family used her services some years ago to deal with a certain family in a certain country. Until now, everyone has assumed that family died in a strange accident, but a group of Adventurers accepted the Quest, and she was one of them.
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“That… is not possible… Are you talking about…”
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The Noble nodded to his shocked colleague. “Yes, it was. And don’t you forget, she is also a friend of the Princess, and we are all very aware of how much she treasures her friends. Princess Mere is very capable of making up some Royal pardon to excuse her and accuse one of us of what she did.”
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“Then… perhaps making the Princess realize that woman is not a good influence, or that she is not welcome here…”
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“That is a terrible idea. We are here to advise the Princess, and most of us have been here since her father was the ruler. She appreciates our points of view, but make no mistake, she will change us for other Nobles if she thinks we are trying to undermine her authority or insult her friends.”
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The Count looked around as if to emphasize his words, and completed, “If you wish to go against that woman, know that you are going to do that on your own accord, and anyone that joins you is a fool that deserves whatever the Princess might decide as a punishment if she finds out. I wash my hands of that because I value my life and my family way too much to risk it all because of some futile jealousy. To the Princess, we are a necessity, never a friend. I am very aware of that fact, as should you.”
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The Nobles went silent, and even the one that was still frowning at Koyaga sighed, feeling defeated. Hearing those words was a tremendous blow to his ego, even more so after what Nozomu said.
If the Princess wanted those two near her, there was little he could do. For his continuation as a member of the court and to keep his influence with the Princess and the other Nobles, he had to be more subtle. Never confront Nozomu or Koyaga, but try to make sure the Princess heard his words more than theirs.
When the servants announced that dinner would be served, they all left, with the Princess walking in the middle of Koyaga and a smiling Nozomu, while the rest of the court was behind them, and many didn’t look very pleased with the closeness those two newcomers were getting with the Princess.
…
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After dinner, they all went to the entertainment room to have tea and a Battleship tournament, with Nozomu facing the still angry Noble in a three-match side event.
Despite all his efforts, Nozomu lost by two to one, and the Noble looked very pleased with himself, but he didn’t dare mock Nozomu for the Princess was seated on a chair next to them, watching the last game with vivid enthusiasm because she had put a good number of coins on Nozomu’s victory.
With the amount the other Nobles put on side bets, Nozomu slowly shook his head at the sight of the pile of coins over the table that he lost, and he congratulated his opponent for the win, making him grin even wider as if he wanted to show his superiority without needing to say a thing.
As the tea and cookies ended, they all retired to their rooms, and as they were walking along the corridor that led to the main wing where the Princess slept, she was holding Nozomu’s arm, and many of the Nobles noticed the accomplice looks they were sharing between one another, and they didn’t fail to notice that the Princess and Nozomu went to the royal room and that Koyaga went to another, right in front.
As soon as the Princess locked the door, she grabbed a candle holder from a table and pressed a hidden lever behind a painting, opening the passage.
She guided Nozomu in silence along the narrow, dark passage. They went down a few stairs, walked in front for a few meters, and climbed up another set of stairs. A lever was on the wall, and after pulling it, the Princess pushed the painting as if it was a door.
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On the other side, a smiling Bovine-kind woman waited, and as Nozomu entered, she left the room, and said, while kissing his cheek, “Thank you for this, Nozomu. You are a sweet.”
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The Princess threw him a kiss and closed the painting again.
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Nozomu sighed and went to the closet to change for bed, and he mumbled, “I am having a weird desire to join them... Darn it… I am becoming a weird pervert…”
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He shook his head to make those thoughts go away, and after changing to a long nightgown, he went to bed, and looked at the lit candle on the bedside as he mumbled again, “This would be easier if I had someone here waiting for me… Maybe Taisetsuna… I still don’t see her like that, perhaps because I forced myself to see her like family because she looked at me like one when I arrived in this World. But she said she wanted to conquer me. Maybe if I don’t die soon, I can have some sort of future. Hinotsume scared me with that destiny thing, but still…”
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He blew the candle, pulled the blanket to his neck, and sighed as he closed his eyes. The prospect of facing Raluth in his lifetime worried him more than he let on, and it was causing him sleep problems over the past few days. He was always waiting for the strong tremor that would signal that Raluth was awake and hungry.
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