「 I’m sure. That’s the coat of arms of the Badel house. I will talk to them 」
Gilbert-san said and went to the carriage.
As we discussed earlier, we’ll try persuading them first.
When we checked to see what was going on, he was talking to the escort on the horse.
After a few exchanges, a person came off the carriage.
Is that Davey?
He’s wearing lavishly decorated clothing recognizable even from a distance.
Gilbert-san had an exchange with the guy and then they moved to a vacant lot, perhaps to move their carriage off the road.
I followed them from a distance and watched the conversation. Gilbert-san’s voice seem a little hoarse and troubled.
His face says that the negotiation would be difficult no matter what, and it seems that the other party doesn’t seem interested.
「 What’s the plan, Euphy? That seems unlikely to happen 」
「 Gilbert-san did say that it’s going to be hard 」
「 Well, we have to wait for now 」
We continued watching the negotiations and then I saw him hang his head.
From his expression, it seems that he’s defeated.
「 Seems like it didn’t go well 」
「 I’m sorry, Daiki-sama 」
「 Don’t apologize, this was expected 」
「 Indeed. First, let’s do as I planned 」
「 Are you sure? Can I leave this to you? 」
「 Yes, it will be fine. Let’s go as planned 」
Euphy walks in front and then Nia and I followed behind.
Once she gets close to being recognized, they should be able to figure out the situation.
The man confronting Gilbert-san, who I assume is Davey, was a plump man in his mid-thirties.
What’s with this dude? Is he being true to his name? (Debu)
Behind Davey were the four knights in metal armor, just as Gilbert mentioned.
Unlike Gilbert-san who wears leather armor, their outfits are instantly recognizable as knights.
Among them is a beautiful woman in her early twenties mixed in.
She’s the lone woman in the group.
The knights looked a little nervous as we approached.
The four of them have the same markings engraved on their armor.
That must be the Badel house’s crest.
The shape resembles a kite shield or something similar you find in stores.
There’s a similarly shaped symbol in the dungeon where the soldiers are, but it’s different in design. That must be the coat of arms of the lords around here.
While I was thinking about that, staring at them, Davey seem to have noticed Euphy walking in front of the group.
「 Ooh, isn’t that Euphilite? It’s been a while. You look cute as always. You’re such a good woman. Even your body 」
「 It’s been a while indeed 」
Davey’s eyes staring at Euphy have a lascivious glint.
It’s almost like he’s licking every corner of her body.
Euphy noticed that gaze and her face showed disgust.
Watching from the sidelines already felt sickening so she must be feeling far more disgusted, as she’s the one receiving it.
Thinking about it, I do look at Euphy that way sometimes.
Well, she fidgets bashfully when I do that, she doesn’t seem disgusted, right?
After greeting Euphy, Davey looked at me and Nia for a moment, but it was just a passing glance, his gaze went back to Euphy.
Oh, but he did look at Nia twice.
Well, she’s cute.
「 Euphilite, what’s going on? Why is Gilbert refusing? Can you convince him? Let’s get this conversation fixed 」
「 What could be the problem? I think Gilbert did just as I told him 」
「 Muu?! What do you mean? Did you not get the message right? Very well, I’ll explain it 」
Davey gave out a fatty reaction and continued to speak in his self-intoxicating way.
「 The king of Loureshou Kingdom is going to hand me a small fiefdom for the present I gave him. The restoration of the Badel house will start there. Then, I’ll suggest taking you as my wife, and we would share the land with our children in the future, and you can rebuild the Adicilton house from there. Isn’t that an attractive offer? You’ll gain a safe place, and you’ll regain your noble status and you’ll also receive my love! 」
Huh? No need for your love
As I was listening to the guy feeling disgusted, Gilbert-san approached me before I knew it, and he speaks with his head hanging.
「 Sorry. He didn’t listen to me 」
「 Seeing how he does things, I can figure out your hardships. At this point, I can tell that he doesn’t want to even listen. Besides, from Gilbert-san’s point, you’re talking to someone with a higher status. 」
Davey’s the type who doesn’t listen at all.
That guy would never listen to anyone with a lower status than him.
A knight from the count’s house doesn’t even seem to be important to this duke.
Since the country has collapsed, it seems that the other hand of that hierarchy had already collapsed, but it doesn’t seem that way from their view.
When Davey finished talking, Euphy lets out a sigh and speak up.
「 I’ve heard about it, but I’ve decided to try another way of trying to restore the Adicilton house, and so I told Gilbert to convey that I refuse Davey-sama’s proposal. 」
「 W-Why would you refuse!? Another method?! There’s no way…haaa, I see. I get it now. I understand. 」
It’s weird to see Davey start grinning, a change from his flamboyant reactions.
He’s blowing the discomfort to the max.
This feels sticky.
「 Euphilite. Are you holding yourself back because this man has defiled you? What a lovely woman. However, I do not mind that. I’m a magnanimous man. No matter how filthy you are, I will overwrite it with my love. Therefore, you can come to my side 」
「 I never thought of myself as dirty. Daiki-sama showers me with his love and I’m happy 」
As soon as he told her to come to his arms, Euphy answered back with a smile.
That’s a refreshed smile.
But, her cheeks are twitching.
Oh boy, she’s about to erupt from anger.
I’m scared of that smile, and even Davey must’ve sensed the unusual mood that he stepped back.
The guy looked at me, annoyed, then pointed with a beaming smile.
「 Hey, you. Hurry up and release Euphilite from slavery 」
「 Oh? Are you telling me that? 」
「 Who else am I talking to?! What’s that attitude? 」
「 No, if you’re being stupid, why would I respond nicely? Still, release? I don’t get what you mean. 」
「 You don’t understand what I’m saying? This is why commoners are… 」
「 Funny. Do you want me to understand? I mean, aren’t you a commoner too now?
「 W-W-W-What?! Bastard! Who do you think I am? 」
「 Who? Davey, right? 」
「 That’s right! I’m Davey Badel, the head of the Duke Badel house! 」
I was pissed off with the way he was talking to Euphy, and now he’s speaking so proudly in front of me? I’m so ticked off that I tried to poke fun at him, but Davey snapped.
I mean, you’re the current head?
Oh well.
I reflected on the fact that I went too far and so let’s behave.
「 Oh, Is that so? I’m sorry, that was ignorant of me. Uhm, so I’d like to ask, where is your territory, sir Duke? 」
「 Wha?! T-Territory… 」
「 Oh right, I’d like to know as well, which country are you a duke from? 」
「 Gugagaga! Eei! Who cares about that? I’m a noble! 」
「 How can you be a noble when you have no country or territory to control? 」
I’m looking at Davey’s greasy face and I just had to.
He’s glaring at me with his teeth grinding.
Looking at the knights waiting behind him, they have steely eyes, but they’re not about to attack.
I thought that they’d be more like Gilbert-san, who has a lot of enthusiasm, but their reactions were more…
I continued speaking, feeling uncomfortable with the reaction of the knights.
「 Just as Gilbert-san and Euphy said, Adicilton house has no plan on marrying, and neither do I, Euphy’s master, have any intention of releasing her. Sorry that you bothered coming all this way, but this isn’t the progress you expect. Can you go now? 」
「 Gigigigi! Bastard! Bastard! Gyugugugu! T-Then, fight me in a duel! 」
「 Huh? Duel? Why would I? 」
I speak exhausted when he suddenly jumped at me saying “Duel”