* * *
Marquis Crayer intentionally sent out the convoy late.
Blinded by complaints about the arrival of an imperial family member, who carrieds rumors of being a scoundrel, he committed arrogance to test him.
“You must be testing me.”
It was a thought that came to Raymond’s mind when he saw the guard who showed up only after arriving near the Fortress.
The commander of the Army in front of him is chosen by Marquis Crayer. He looked at Raymond with a tense face.
How would Raymond reacted if he were the previous Raymond, a scoundrel, before he possessed him? Will he get angry at them? Perhaps his sword will be pulled out as it was when the maid was killed.
The other person is the commander of the local military escort, so it would be too much to take the plunge, but he would have actively appealed that he was angry while pretending.
‘But it’s different now.’
The scoundrel is dead. He is no more here.
“Commander, you don’t even have the decency to get off your horse with the Imperial family in front of you. Is this a challenge to the Pilias Empire? Or an insult to me?”
He said in a voice of restrained anger. Not the one that go berserk with an ugly excess of anger, but properly while putting forward his imperial authority.
“You are being rude in the presence of His Highness the Fifth Prince! Get off from your horse and show us an example of respect towards the Imperial family!”
The commander of the Escort Army shouted his throat out.
On his way here, Raymond showed a different appearance from the rumors. The march has greatly speeded up to save more soldiers dying on the border.
He reduced his rest time and abandoned the carriage to ride a horse.
“Your actions were a challenge to the great Emperor and the imperial family!”
A sword was pulled out with a sharp metallic sound. This was the right thing to do as a commander of the Imperial Army dedicated to protect the imperial family.
“Oh, no…It’s….”
The commander of the Local army was greatly embarrassed by the appearance of the Escorting Commander, who was more aggressive than the Fifth Prince.
Unlike the embarrassed convoy, the Prince’s response was natural.
Unlike this border town, the Fifth Prince’s scoundrel story was widely known only in the capital.
In addition, the commander of the Escorting Army was moved by his humane appearance while traveling with Raymond.
‘You touched the wrong person. You son of a bitch.’
“That’s ridiculous. The North I remember wouldn’t have been like this…….”
Gesteine said, with a piercing spirit. He mumbled it but the soldiers heard it clearly.
“One arm?”
“You’re…!”
“Lord Gesteine?”
Several of the Local Armys’s knights recognized Gesteine’s face. He was a famous knight on the northern border rather than the capital.
“How could you have already forgotten the high-ranking knight who was closest to the Swordmaster until his left arm was cut off?”
Raymond smirked. things will work out easier than he thought.
“Huh, Lord, how could you…”
“How come you’re not hippo yet! Are you truly insulting the imperial family?”
The commander of the Escorting Army raised his voice again at the knights who were agitated at the sight of Gesteine.
Only then did the Local commander and knights come to their senses and step down from their horses to honor the imperial family.
Imperial dignity was important in the Pilias Empire.
Raymond wasn’t just being forced, he was acting in order to not to lose his dignity, and everyone here was aware of it.
“That’s enough courtesy. Even now, the empire’s forces are collapsing at the border, so hurry up and guide me to residence.”
The Local army tried to test the pride of the imperial family, but Raymond didn’t use it to press them. Instead, he showed a generous attitude.
Raymond knew that excessive head start and force was rather repulsive.
Furthermore, the loyal local forces of the empire and the forces following tye Prince are not blind, like imperial and central armies.
It was highly likely that it would backfire if they believed in the name of the Imperial family and acted against them.
“Yes, Your Highness the Fifth. I’ll take you to your residence!”
The Local commander replied in a powerful voice and sent a signal to his subordinates to send a messenger to the Marquis’ Castle.
It was to convey to the lord, Marquis Crayer, that the Fifth Prince was unexpectedly wiser and dignified.
The messenger headed out first. He ran as fast as he could to the Marquis’ Castle, followed by Raymond, escorted by local troops.
As they were crossing the gates of the central city, the messenger had already arrived at Marquis Castle and was delivering the words of the guard commander.
“Is what you said true?”
“Yes, my lord!”
“Hmmm.”
After receiving a report from the messenger, Marquis Crayer’s face showed curiosity before complaining about the plan’s collapse.
In the first place, he only dared to test the Fifth Prince, but had no great hostility.
If he wasn’t like the scumbag in the rumour, he was happy.
“Where is the Fifth Prince now?”
“His Highness just crossed the gates of the city.”
“All right, I’ll go out by myself.”
His decision was quite late, however, preparations for the protocol had already been completed because he really did not intend to screw the Five Prince from the beginning.
“I didn’t expect to follow the protocol…….”
Marquis Crayer put on a cape over his uniform and uttered his thoughts.
Although he prepared himself for the protocol, if the Fifth Prince was still a scoundrel, he would treat him coldly even if he was an imperial family member.
It was a problematic attitude in front of an Imperial family member but Marquis Crayer did not feel good about the Fifth Prince, who broke the Emperor’s heart.
The fact that Marquis Crayer is now leading the protocol unit was evidence that he admitted himself to the Fifth prince to some extent and began to trust rumors from the capital that the brat had changed.
* * *
Bordering with the Kingdom of Fresyria, and the lands of the North containing the Black Mountains. As expected, there was no big welcome.
Despite the royal flag fluttering, only a few people came out and paid a little respect, there was no response as grandiose as in the capital.
“The city is active, but the atmosphere as a whole is dark.”
Desia, who was looking around, approached and whispered to Raymond.
Gesteine was as silent as ever, and the Red Tower and the Blue Tower were exhausted and could not take notice of her words.
Only Alex smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
“Lady Desia.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
“You’d better hold on tight. Compared to what’s coming, this unkindness is nothing.”
At Raymond’s comments, Desia nodded.
‘I’m sorry if I scared you too much, but what can I do? If we go a little further and reach the border, we’ll see hell, shouldn’t we be prepared?’
“Gesteine.”
“Yes, you highness.”
“Thanks to you, things are going to work out much easily.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
They talk to each other more but the conversation was not long.
After the conversation was cut off, he rode for another 10 minutes and reached right in front of Marquis.
“Is Marquis Crayer…….?”
Knights on horseback gathered in front of the gate. The person holding the flag was clearly the Marquis Crayer.
Raymond calmly straightened his mind and drove the horse. As the distance from the flag narrowed to less than 3 meters, the one who appeared to be Marquis Crayer first got off the horse. Then the other knights got off the horse as well.
“Good to see you, Fifth Prince. My name is Sand Crayer, Marquis of Crayer overseeing the Land of Crayer”
“Nice to meet you, Marquis Crayer.”
He tried to avoid the impression of being overly arrogant by giving a favorable look and greeting.
Marquis Crayer grinned and nodded. Something that cannot be expressed in words came and went between the two men.
“You arrived ahead of schedule.”
“I heard that the situation in border is urgent. As a member of the Pilias Empire, I didn’t think there was any time to lose, so I urged the Imperial Commander.”
“Is that right?”
Marquis Crayer knew that Raymond wasn’t just spouting empty words. It would have been impossible for the Imperial Army to arrive at this time if he would be whining during the long ride.
Raymond concerned about the border, was enough to warm to the people of the North, it was not much different for Marquis Crayer.
‘Is it true that he has changed? No…… it’s too early to judge prematurely.’
It was a matter of careful judgment.
His plans were revised as his affinity for the Fifth Prince rose slightly.
He dared to be a bit rude to test Raymond, but he changed his plan to avoid being rude.
“It’s windy. Let’s get into the residence.”
“I accept the Marquis’ favor.”
Marquis Crayer guided Raymond and his party to the residence.
The soldiers of the Imperial Army, except for the Shadow Squad and the officers, were guided to a temporary barracks inside the central city.
As he entered the Marquis’ Castle, the prepared protocol unit honored Raymond. After receiving their protocol, Raymond headed to dinner with Marquis Crayer.
As a powerful family in the north, the table was filled with luxurious dishes that did not match the barren north.
“Delicious.”
“I’m glad you are pleased with taste.”
When Raymond, who tasted the dish, uttered a short appreciation, Marquis Crayer nodded with a satisfied look.
As the dinner went on, empty plates piled up in front of Raymond.
“You must have been very hungry.”
“The Fifth Prince has left all his unnecessary entourage, such as maids and cooks, to speed up his march.”
Instead of Raymond, who was intent on eating, it was Lisefield Dior, the Blue tower Master, who answered the Marquis Crayer’s question.
“Oh……. Are you sure?”
He could feel Marquis Crayer’s eyes towards him.
Raymond paused eating for a while and nodded instead of answering.
“Minimum attendants…….”
The Marquis muttered helplessly like a possessed man. It was never a decision a jerk could make.
Even aristocrats, not the imperial family, are often accompanied by attendants for convenience such as maids and cooks towards the battlefield.
There is no way he would have endured such treatment if he were a scumbag.
Marquis Crayer revised his assessment of the Fifth Prince a little further.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“I’m glad you are satisfied.”
At the end of the dinner, Raymond moved to the Meeting room with Marquis Crayer.
A small number of people accompanied him. On Marquis Crayer’s side, an old knight and a wizard were standing, and only Gesteine, the Shadow Squad commander, and the Blue Tower Master were with him.
“Well, Marquis……. Shall we get down to business?”
“What do you mean?”
When asked, Marquis Crayer put down his teacup and raised his head. Staring straight at him.
“Why did you test me?”
Heavy air presses down on your shoulders. The atmosphere in the bright room was cold.
Raymond look at Marquis Crayer without saying a word. It seems the temperature have dropped in the whole room.
It was not until the Marquis Crayer faced a cold wind of rage that he realized how bold he had acted against the Imperial family.
‘I was imprudent.’
How dare a nobleman, subject of the Emperor, test the imperial family of the Pilias Empire, this was a treacherous act.
The act towards the Fifth Prince would have been fine if Raymond was truly a scoundrel, but everything was broken by his wise display.
The Escort Imperial Army was on his side, and the Red Tower and the Blue Tower were behind him.
‘I didn’t expect the rumor that the Red Tower and the Blue Tower stood behind him would be true…….’
Was the rumor true that the bastard had changed? But it’s too early to decide, he was a lord on the border, so he didn’t know what was going on in the capital. He had to act as carefully as he could because he didn’t know what’s going on there.
“Fifth Prince…….”
“Well, I don’t have to hear the answer now.”
Raymond smirked and leaned against the back of the sofa.
Nothing can be gained by overpressing the Marquis of the North. He didn’t mean to hear the answer from the beginning.
It was just a warning to refrain him from doing anything rushed from now on.
“We’ll talk about this next time.”
There is no need to insult him in front of his minions. Marquis Crayer accepted Raymond’s consideration.
“Thank you for understanding my situation, Your Highness the Fifth.”
These characters do not bow even if they are pressured by force.
Raymond had no intention of competing with him in terms of pride, but he didn’t want to lose him either.
The Marquis of Crayer was the shield in the North that has protected the Pilias Empire from the Black Mountains and the threat of the Fresyrian Kingdom since ancient times.
‘And the current Marquis Crayer is about to die.’
* * *
