Chapter 37

In the inner study on the second floor of the Obock Manor, the Earl of Obock and a man were facing each other.

The man standing opposite the Earl of Obock was a tall, slender swordsman. He had a slight stoop, and his unkempt dark blue hair and prominent stubble gave him a lackluster appearance.

The two guard knights flanking the Earl of Obock glared at the man rudely. The man shot a sidelong glance back at them before turning his eyes to the Earl of Obock. The Earl of Obock stroked his sagging double chin and burst out laughing.

"Hector, well done. To have so easily captured the surviving member of the former Baron Juse family, who was secretly investigating me, is quite an achievement. He was said to be quite skilled, but in front of you, he was as helpless as a baby."

The long-haired man called Hector scratched his foot in boredom, yawned slowly, and then responded to the Earl of Obock.

"...I don't need such trivial praise, my lord. If that's all, I'll return to my room."

The two guard knights twitched their brows.

"Hector! You, insolent to Lord Obock...!"

The Earl of Obock held out his hand in front of the guard knight's face and smiled, showing his teeth.

"It's fine, it's fine."

"...My lord Obock. With all due respect, I must advise you. If you suddenly place such an insolent man as a close aide and allow him to act as he pleases, it will affect the morale of the others."

The Earl of Obock usually favored family members and those who flattered him, giving them preferential treatment. However, Hector was someone the Earl of Obock had suddenly picked up, with no prior connection. He had been a subordinate for less than a year and maintained a distant attitude toward the Earl of Obock. For the long-time sycophants who had been sucking up to the Earl of Obock, this new, favored subordinate was a source of jealousy and frustration.

"It's fine, as I say..."

When the Earl of Obock glared at the guard knight, he fell silent.

"Forgive me, my lord."

"Huh... Hector. Your attitude hasn't changed in a year. Are you not afraid of me?"

"...I am grateful to you, my lord. I've caused too much trouble. Without your backing, I would have been assassinated long ago."

"Even with such skill, are you afraid of assassination? You, who would rarely be outmatched in a fight, even without weapons?"

"Of course, if I were poisoned, I'd be done for. I'm human, after all. My lord, if I can die in battle, that's fine. If I could just fight one more time, just one more time, against someone who can bring out my full strength, that's all I need."

Hector, who had lived with the constant threat of death since childhood, had developed a brain that could only feel excitement or emotion in extreme combat situations due to the excessive stress.

Moreover, Hector had a natural talent for swordsmanship. He honed his skills in combat and sought excitement by pushing himself to the brink of death, accumulating experience until he became far stronger than any other swordsman. However, this led him to become a person who could no longer feel any sentiment about living. Hector had been seeking a swordsman strong enough to push him to his limits for many years.

"If I could feel even a bit of that excitement, that thrill, in this numb, defective head of mine, that would be enough."

Hector tapped his head lightly with his fingertips and sighed weakly.

"I thought being by your side, my lord, would provide such opportunities... but it seems I was mistaken..."

The Earl of Obock listened silently to Hector's words. However, the frustration of the two guard knights was steadily growing.

"If you want to die so much, I'll kill you here!"

One of the guard knights suddenly drew his sword and lunged at Hector's back. Hector's figure vanished, and the sword tip embedded itself in the desk. The Earl of Obock glared at the sword tip, looking displeased.

"Wh...! I... I apologize, my lord Obock!"

The guard knight, pale-faced, looked around frantically. He had expected Hector to retaliate with a sword, but Hector was already walking toward the exit of the study.

Just as he reached the exit, Hector suddenly stopped and moved to the side. The door burst open, and one of the Earl of Obock's private soldiers, Reikov, rushed in.

"Forgive me, my lord! It's terrible! An intruder has entered the manor!"

"Entering without knocking, and in such a hurry, Reikov. Besides, you should report after capturing the intruder."

The Earl of Obock tapped his desk with his little finger.

"B... B... But, my lord...!"

Reikov was flustered, desperately searching for the right words, but could only stammer.

"You're like a child, Reikov. Perhaps we should reduce the number of personnel."

Hector said this with a bored tone, avoided Reikov, and headed for the exit, bowing to the Earl of Obock.

"Lord Markido, Captain Markido, has been killed! He's been killed!"

"Oh, that young man."

Hector stopped, chuckling. The Earl of Obock's eyes changed, and he glared at Reikov.

"H... How many intruders? Markido wouldn't have wandered alone! Who are they?"

The Earl of Obock understood Markido's cautious nature well. He wouldn't have taken unnecessary risks. Therefore, it was reasonable to assume that most of Markido's subordinates had been killed.

Moreover, the Earl of Obock believed that no force capable of attacking his manor existed. The local nobles feared him, and he had strong connections with some of the key figures in the capital. A minor noble wouldn't dare challenge him, and major nobles, considering the costs and benefits, wouldn't attack him without reason. Even if the royal family had heard of his misdeeds, an attack without any prior intelligence was impossible. The Earl of Obock was in a position that promised safety in every aspect.

So, which faction could be attacking the Obock Manor?

"T... The enemy is just two! Just two! They killed thirty soldiers, including Captain Markido, in no time!"

A shock ran through the Earl of Obock. He froze, mouth agape, and then began to tremble.

"B... B... B... Nonsense! Nonsense! It's impossible! Impossible! Quickly gather the soldiers in the manor and capture them!"

The two guard knights, unable to believe Reikov's words, stood there in a daze.

"Quickly! Reikov! Go back and tell the others!"

"Ah! I... I don't want to! I don't want to go back! I don't want to!"

"Reikov, stop talking nonsense! Hey, Hector, why are you laughing!"

Hector stood near the exit, listening to the conversation between the Earl of Obock and Reikov. He touched his mouth, seemingly realizing for the first time that he was laughing.