* * *
Viscountess Rosie is still a noble—if I step out of line, she could easily turn on me and act like I’m the one being disrespectful.
“Con artists lie for a living, after all. Even the most sharp-eyed noble can get fooled for a moment.”
I tossed in one more line, as if I held no grudge against the other nobles.
“There’s no need to be so careful. We’re friends, aren’t we? You think I’d get offended by something like that?”
She sliced a cookie with her knife and popped it in her mouth.
She says that, but if I’d really overstepped, she’d have dropped the smile in a heartbeat.
Fortunately, it seemed she’d realized I had no intention of challenging her, so I could finally relax.
“Still, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. There’s someone on the list I have to be mindful of too.”
“You’re telling me there’s someone who can trouble the honorable Viscount Rosi, one of the most wealthy and respected figures in the South? That’s hard to believe.”
When I openly flattered him, the viscount covered his mouth and let out a tinkling laugh.
“Did you check which nobles sent the official letters? Most of them are nobodies, but unfortunately, one of them is Count Covington.”
Count Covington… Covington.
The name sounds familiar, but I can’t quite place it.
If this were before the regression, I might’ve remembered right away, but now it’s hazy.
“Count Covington is a major figure among the aristocratic faction. There’s practically no region he doesn’t influence—not even the capital or Swindlin, the second-largest city in the country.”
Seeing I didn’t seem to understand, the viscount kindly explained.
It half sounded like he was telling me to give up the dream.
“Our family has also relied heavily on the count’s support for our mining operations, so we can’t risk offending him. Honestly, it’s to the point where we can’t even procure equipment unless we go through him…”
Though he used the word “support,” the expression on the viscount’s face when he said it didn’t look pleasant.
Sounded like the type who monopolizes all the profitable ventures with his power and throws his weight around.
Doesn’t seem like he has a good reputation.
Still, that just means he’s powerful enough that no one would dare challenge him carelessly.
‘So as long as Count Covington’s involved, no noble will be willing to help us.’
I had made the effort to go flatter a noble that even my friends knew, but it seemed like it wouldn’t get me anywhere.
If Count Covington was already this deeply involved, it was too late to worry about honor or dignity.
“You’d be better off trying to connect with the central nobles. They’re aligned with the royalist faction, so they won’t be swayed by Count Covington.”
Viscount Rosi said this as if doing me a favor.
Maybe he felt a bit guilty for inviting me over, letting me chatter away, and then ultimately not helping at all.
Still, people like him are amusing to flatter—there’s some payoff in it.
But… the real problem is:
‘How am I supposed to make contact with a central noble?!’
Those are actual prestigious noble houses!
The central nobles are mostly founding families of the kingdom.
They received titles from the moment the kingdom was established and have inherited privileges from the royal family for generations, boasting about their historic contributions.
In other words, they’re filthy rich and incredibly powerful.
Unlike the aristocratic faction that constantly tries to turn the king into a puppet to extract benefits, the central nobles already enjoy royal favor, so they’re not interested in shaking up the existing order.
That doesn’t mean they’re any better—if anything, considering the corruption they’ve been allowed to commit under royal protection, they’re probably just as bad.
Still, the wealth they’ve accumulated that way is no joke.
And because of that, they have no need for adventurers like me.
They already have several prestigious knight orders proudly bearing their family crests!
They don’t even use adventurers to begin with, so I’d never get summoned.
There’s no chance of forming any connections either.
Even if I tried to approach, they’d just get suspicious of some unfamiliar adventurer loitering nearby.
“It might be hard to get your foot in the door, but if you succeed, think of how much you’d gain in the long run. Raul, you’ve got a good personality—maybe it’ll work out? If it does, introduce me too.”
Easy for him to say!
It’d be way easier the other way around!
I mean, I rolled around in battlefields and came back through regression, so I can’t even remember the noble gossip clearly anymore!
I didn’t care about the nobles near the capital or in Swindlin to begin with, so I’m even worse off now.
How am I supposed to know who’s in the aristocratic faction or the royalist faction?
‘…Wait a minute.’
There is one noble I know very well.
I saw him up until the day before I regressed—might even say he’s the noble I know best in this world.
And that guy… is a central noble.
The priest from the hero’s party: Dieter Zeppelin.
The only son of the Zeppelin Marquisate family—second only to the royal family in wealth.
A man loved by all, who manifested holy power at the age of three and was already designated as the next High Priest.
Trait: Absolutely clueless about the ways of the world and unbelievably kind.
‘This could work.’
If I can just get close to Dieter, something will come out of it!
He’s the type who can’t just stand by and watch when someone’s suffering from injustice, so even if we’re not close now, he’ll definitely step up.
As long as I have solid proof.
Honestly, I’m pretty confident I can get close to him again even if we’re meeting for the first time.
Finally, I had a decent plan. I felt at ease for the first time.
But there was still one big problem.
‘How the hell is a commoner adventurer supposed to approach the beloved priest and only son of a Marquis family?’
Yep. The real issue is how I’m supposed to even start a conversation with a central noble.
“So, uh, does anyone here have a way to contact the Zeppelin Marquis family?”
“Ugh.”
Groans filled the room.
“Not a chance.”
“No way.”
…Yeah, I figured.
I asked just in case, but I wasn’t really expecting anything.
Still, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and asked—only to get complaints in return!
These jerks.
“If you don’t like my idea, then let’s hear what progress you all made.”
Silence.
Carmen and Vasco, who had been the loudest with their groaning, quietly turned their heads.
The others weren’t any better.
Even Naike, who had kept his mouth shut until now, lowered his head.
I didn’t mind the first two so much, but I felt a little guilty seeing Naike, who’d already returned empty-handed, looking even more dejected.
“I tried everything I could… but like you said, unless we deal with Count Covington, it’s impossible.”
Ah, seriously. Now I feel really bad.
Everyone else is sitting around shamelessly, but not Naike.
“Exactly. We either take out that damn count or make contact with a central noble. It’s a showdown between impossible and totally impossible.”
…Though I guess it’s not completely hopeless. Carmen let out a frustrated sigh, clearly upset because he was taking this seriously.
“What if I seduce Count Covington?”
* * *
