“Where did you learn manners like that!” As expected, the Count expressed his outrage at Zich’s attitude. Any resident under the Steelwall family would have shuddered in fright due to the Count’s anger, but Zich was the only person in this place who didn’t fear the Count.
“Well, first of all, it’s not the etiquette that I learned here.”
“Of course! There’s no way our house would teach such horrendous manners!”
“That’s true. Besides horrendous manners, there’s absolutely nothing else I learned in this place, whether good or bad.”
The Count’s eyelids trembled in rage. He remembered the last time he met Zich at Westillburd. Zich had sarcastically remarked then that the only things he learned at the Steelwall Estate were things like bad manners.
“Are you playing word games with me?”
“I have no intention of doing so. Even if you want to, Sir Count, I hope you understand if I refuse. I am too busy for that,” Zich said and shrugged. Seeing that the Count’s face was turning bright red, the butler, Trell, quickly tried to halt the situation from progressing further.
“Sir Count, please calm down first.” Trell stopped the Count right before he exploded and turned to Zich. “Please sir, stop provoking the Count. Even if you are a Karuwiman Holy Knight, we won’t permit such provocations, especially if you are relying on your personal connection to the Count to behave in this manner! You have already given up on your Steelwall name.”
Unlike the others who addressed Zich as young master, Trell clearly treated Zich like an outsider. The way Trell acted was the correct way. Others still called Zich young master because they were unsure of how to act around Zich and because the Count was silent about the matter; however, it was a problem that would be easily resolved by the Count expressing his will. From the way Trell acted, it seemed like Trell had also clearly given up on hoping for Zich to come back unlike the others.
However, nothing could be farther away from the truth. In fact, many people probably didn’t want to make Greig the next Steelwall heir as much as Trell. If the others had been impressed by Zich’s strength and mentality for breaking down Greig not long after he awakened his mana, Trell focused on Zich’s strategy-making skills above all. Thus, when he heard that Zich returned, he immediately grasped his fists tightly and thought, ‘Rather than an unstable heir, a person superior in strength and strategy is more fitting to be the heir even if he has a rough personality.’
Furthermore, Zich was the eldest. Although Zich had a critical weakness in that he had given up his succession, he was too spectacular for Trell to simply give up. Besides, Trell had been one of the very few who hadn’t discriminated Zich from the beginning. Yet, even as he thought this, Trell had to take the Count’s side. Zich had been rude, and he served the Count after all. Of course, there was also a part of him that had intervened in their conversation in worry that their conversation would pass the line of no return and their relationship would be impossible to mend.
“I’ll be careful.” Zich backed off. In the first place, harsh words had come out of his mouth instinctively, and he didn’t have any intention of provoking the Count in the beginning. Furthermore, Trell was one of the few whom Zich held no negative feelings for in the Steelwall family. Thus, Zich and the Count stopped arguing. However, the tense, cold atmosphere remained like before.
“What did you come here for? You went out confidently that you would never come back again.” The Count’s tone softened slightly—but this was only in comparison to his previous explosive aura and his voice was still plenty cold.
“I did. You also said that you would slice me in half if you ever caught sight of me again, Sir Count.”
The Count’s cheeks twitched, but he didn’t jump up to get a sword to slice Zich in half, and Trell sighed in relief.
“Of course, I didn’t return for no reason. I have a request to make.”
“A request?”
“I have something to do at the estate, so I hope you can give me permission to enter. Ah, I could also damage the estate a bit too, so I hope you would give me permission in that regard too.”
Slam! The Count slammed his fist down his chair and the chair’s wooden armchair broke off easily like clay. The vassals standing nearby also turned cold and Trell scowled. Although they had let go of Zich’s provocations considering the torment he had endured under them in the past and other factors, Zich had crossed the line just now. Especially the part about him damaging the Steelwall Estate that had been passed down for generations—that was going too far.
“It seems like there has been a slight misunderstanding. What I said just now wasn’t meant to insult you in any way.”
“Do you think I will accept such nonsense? If that wasn’t to insult me, what was it!” The Count roared fiercely like he would never give Zich any permission, but Zich had expected this.
“You are aware that I met Greig, right sir? His condition didn’t seem very good. He’s a drunken heir who constantly makes scenes. He even makes me worried about the Steelwalls’ future even though I left the family.”
“How dare you say such thing…!” It was unbelievable that the cause of Greig’s current condition was speaking in this way. The Count thought he should take this chance to take a sword and slice Zich into two like he had stated.
“I will fix him.”
“…What?”
“Like I just said, I will make him recover to his original state.”
The Count looked stunned. It was an offer he hadn’t expected at all, and he said, “You are saying that you would do something everyone in our family has failed to do despite all their efforts?”
“That’s just how amazing I am.” Zich raised his jaw and looked down at the Count arrogantly.
“How can I trust you?”
“I am a Karuwiman Holy Knight and have also revealed the truth behind the scheme involving the Rouge and Windpool families at Cronon Kingdom. These are the two things that I can present to you as my credentials for now, Sir Count.”
Trell felt bitter hearing this. He also heard what had happened at the kingdom’s capital, Westillburd. For that reason, his desire to make Zich as the next heir got stronger. Since Zich had given a good impression to the King and Prince, if Zich became the next Count, they would be able to receive a lot more support and help.
“Most of all, aren’t you out of solutions? If you want to just let Greig be, I guess it can’t be helped then.”
“…” Even though the Count found Zich irksome, he had to admit that Zich had skills. Most importantly, the Count couldn’t let Greig stay in his current condition. “…Would you really be able to cure him?”
“Sir, no one can be certain of a cure. However, there’s a very high possibility that I’ll be able to cure him.”
“What do you want?”
Zich straightened two of his fingers. “First, don’t ever interfere with the treatment I’m going to make him put him through. Please block the Countess especially from interfering, since she’ll be shocked. And the second one is what I already told you before. Please give me permission to enter the mansion and damage it.”
The first condition was bothersome but still understandable. However, no matter how much he thought about it, the Count could not understand the second condition. “What are you planning to do in this mansion that you’ll put that as your second condition?”
“There’s something I need to find here.”
“Are you saying that there’s treasure buried here?”
“I don’t know. It’s something that I also need to look for.”
“What if I refuse?”
Zich grinned. “I’ll use all the connections I have to put pressure on this estate to fulfill the second condition.”
“…How dare you blackmail me!” Count Steelwall had steadfastly protected the estate from all kinds of pressure, and Zich’s words were the highest form of provocation. It was the same for the others around them; the knights’ expressions looked especially grim in response tot he humiliation.
However, Zich didn’t step back. He erased the mockery he used to provoke the Count so far and replied seriously, “Sir, I’m saying this to inform you that what I’m doing is not merely a way for me to insult or mock the Steelwall family. This is an extremely important matter for me. So, why don’t we end this matter as a win-win for both of us? Greig will be treated for you, and I’ll also be able to fulfill my goal.”
The Count continued to glare at Zich with angry eyes. However, judging by how he didn’t order Zich to immediately be pulled out, he seemed to be contemplating his choices. “…Fine. Why don’t you give it a try? If you return Greig back to his past self, I’ll give you what you want.”
“Sir, you’ve made an excellent decision. Zich made a satisfied laugh. “Then, I’ll take my leave.” He got what he wanted; there was no longer any reason to stay with the Count for any longer.
However, before he left, the Count said, “…You really are uninterested in becoming the next heir to Steelwall.” Becoming heir Count Steelwall title was the first thought that had come up in his mind when the Count heard that Zich had returned. However, Zich didn’t say a single word related to becoming the next heir.
“Of course. Steelwall is much too small for me.”
“Ha! The Cronon Kingdom’s metal fortress is not big enough for you? Then, what place do you think is suitable for your skills? Do you think you have to be a king?”
The surrounding vassals flinched at the Count’s brash words. However, Zich carefully scanned the Count. It didn’t seem like a trap; the Count seemed to have just thrown a question because of how flabbergasted he was at Zich’s words.
Thus, Zich said without an ounce of hesitation, “I’ll think about it if I can be the next emperor of Clowon.”
“An emperor, your arrogance knows no limit. But, Clowon—is there even a country like that?” The Count thought that Zich was making a vain attempt at a bluff, since Zich mentioned a country that he never heard of. However, if there was anyone who knew about Clowon’s existence here, they would have clicked their tongue at Zich’s audacity.
* * *
“How can you cause so much trouble as soon as you get out?” Lyla’s disapproving gaze pierced Zich’s face. However, her gaze easily bounced off Zich’s rock-solid face as if it was covered in all kinds of rare metals.
“It wasn’t trouble. I was able to use a coincidental incidence to my advantage.”
“Yeah, how great of you.” Lyla snorted and heard his excuse in one ear and out the other and looked around their surroundings. “This was the place where you grew up.” Then, she began looking around several rooms. After Zich became in charge of Greig’s recovery, the Count invited all of Zich’s companions. This implied that the Count was treating Zich officially as his guest. Of course, the fact that Hans was one of his companions probably also played a big part.
“There’s no point looking around since this isn’t my room.”
“Ah, is that so? That’s disappointing.” Even then, Lyla didn’t stop looking around the room. “Then would I be able to see the room that you grew up in?”
“If you go around and ask any servant, they’ll probably guide you around the mansion as long as it’s not an important place. Since my room is not an important place, they’ll probably show you around.”
“I’ll ask about that later on.” Lyla sat on the opposite side of Zich. “I’m surprised that you said you’ll cure your brother.”
“Since Windur pointed at the Steelwall mansion, I thought that I needed to make a deal if I wasn’t planning to annihilate the whole Steelwall family. Moreover, when I was leaving the mansion, I thought that I would at least help out one time, considering how much people suffered under my mother’s viciousness.”
“Hmm, is that so?” Lyla thought this made sense, so she accepted his explanation. However, after listening to his next words, she readily nodded and thought, ‘Of course, as expected of Zich.’
“Since he’s sick to this extent, don’t you think it’s necessary for me to undergo a slightly rough treatment? Regardless of how much Greig screams.”