The Count’s Youngest Son Is A Player - Chapter 67
Episode 67
“Oh my gosh, knight! “Your helmet strap fell off!!”
“Driver, do you need any equipment repairs?”
“Have you by any chance had a meal?”
Some people were moving around diligently throughout the screening room.
These were the mercenaries who came with Raoul and the employees who worked at the mansion.
The people they spoke to were mainly knights who were alone or people who only had one squire.
Among those who attended the investiture ceremony, most of the free knights came from places other than the capital.
Some arrived in a hurry due to lack of time, and even if they arrived in advance, there were many who attended without being able to properly maintain it.
The word free knight may sound very romantic, but in reality, it is the same as an unemployed wanderer without a proper income.
In order to maintain the life of a knight, there were a lot of expenses that had to be spent, from the cost of feeding and maintaining horses to the maintenance of armor and weapons.
It was not easy to cover these costs as a free driver, and perhaps that was why the condition of the drivers who attended did not look very good.
It was to these people that Raoul’s employees offered a helping hand.
“Come here and we’ll check your equipment for free!”
“If you need a meal, come and eat for a while and then leave.”
“You’ve got a lot of dirt on your armor! “If you come here, I will clean it up for you.”
However, as they were free knights who wandered through the ups and downs of the world, it was natural to have doubts.
“There is no favor without reason in this world! “What kind of top is this tout from?”
“A tout! I am Prince Raoul of the Earl of Ashton. All of the services provided to drivers are prepared by our master for drivers who have come a long way. “You will never receive any money, so just pretend you are being deceived and stop by for a moment!”
“Count Ashton? If you are Prince Raoul, perhaps…?”
“you’re right. “This is Prince Raoul, the protector of Turium and the master of the First Knights.”
“Hmm… If that’s the case. “I will accept the favor just because of Raoul’s sincerity.”
Conversations like this were happening all over the test site.
And in the spacious open space outside the examination hall, there were rows of temporary barracks and tents bearing the emblems of the Earl of Ashton and the emblems of the First Knights.
There, specially invited blacksmiths helped repair and maintain simple weapons in a simple workshop, and there was also a cafeteria where chefs prepared and served food.
Employees from the mansion were dusting off armor and polishing gear to make it shine, and in the temporary stables, they even provided horses with plenty of hay and care for the horses.
Of course, there were basic services provided by the association for participants, but they were by no means comparable to the level of the Earl of Ashton, and of course, money had to be paid to use the services provided at the top.
“oh my god. “Is this really all free?”
One of the knights muttered with an almost mesmerized expression.
Since he only arrived in Turium early in the morning today, he had to attend the investiture ceremony without being able to rest properly.
Of course, his armor was covered in dust, his horse was exhausted, and he couldn’t even eat because he had been running all the way to Guandu.
However, I thought I was being deceived and followed the guide, and in a short while, the armor lost its luster. Isn’t it true that they even changed the blade of my sidearm, which I hadn’t had for a while, for free?
In addition, he could not help but be surprised because the meal served was the finest food from a noble family that he had not tasted in recent times.
But that wasn’t the end.
“I wish the driver good luck!”
Employees waiting in front of the exit cheered and gave us a few items.
“We prepared towels to wipe off your sweat, black tea to drink in between meals, and snacks to eat when you’re hungry.”
“Oh, how grateful I am…”
Upon first glance, I looked at the items and saw that the towel had the Ashton family emblem embroidered in gold thread, and the water bottle and lunch box had the First Knights emblem engraved on it.
The quality itself was excellent, so it seemed like it would be okay to use for a long time.
“And lastly, this…”
“Is that…?”
The envelope, which looked luxurious at first glance, had the emblem of the First Knights emblazoned on it.
“This is an invitation from Prince Raoul to you. We plan to recruit new members for the First Guild and First Knights next week, and this is the invitation. If you do not have a place to stay, we will provide lodging and meals at the mansion, so please feel free to attend.”
The driver took the invitation with slightly trembling hands and kept it in his arms.
In the meantime, if there was a public recruitment for the Knights Templar, there were cases where I visited after making inquiries, but I never once received an invitation.
Plus, lodging and meals are provided? I never imagined that I would be treated like this in a world where people get paid to take entrance exams.
‘It’s the First Knights. I heard that they are famous for a new knighthood. Should I apply?’
Before I knew it, I was losing my mind.
He thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to visit once the investiture ceremony was over, so he moved to the examination room.
* * *
The basic examination started early in the morning and ended a little after noon.
Of the nearly 1,500 participants, only about 300 passed the screening.
There were complaints that the judging criteria were more stringent than in previous years, perhaps due to the large number of participants, but they had to blame their own skills.
Naturally, Raoul and the members of the First Knights all passed the screening.
Ahead of the second screening, a leadership sparring session, various conversations were taking place in the observers’ seats.
Apart from the knights participating in the investiture ceremony, many nobles related to the five major samurai families residing in the capital also observed the investiture ceremony.
“The level has definitely dropped a lot compared to previous years.”
“Isn’t it obvious? Almost no knights from our prestigious family participated. “Isn’t it obvious that these people have no fundamental skills?”
In the audience hall where the Randal family nobles were gathered, evaluations of the participants were in full swing.
“By the way, Roy, you also passed the screening safely. As expected, you are amazing at such a young age!”
“Hahaha, isn’t this a natural result? If Prince 10 is ordained today, another star will be born in our Randal family. Become a certified engineer at 23 years old! “Aren’t you excited just thinking about it?”
“That’s right. Wouldn’t the next newspaper article be full of stories about Roy and the Randalls? “It looks like there has already been a lot of coverage from the media today, so I think we can steal the spotlight this time.”
For a while, good words were exchanged about Roy, the 10th prince of the Randall family, who participated in the investiture ceremony. And the conversation that naturally followed was…
“But I think the judging standards for this competition are really messed up. How can you let these novices pass?”
“That’s what I said. Although they may have gained some popularity these days, isn’t this a new knighthood? “How do you get the power to pass through?”
“It looks like the Ashton guys have decided. “What kind of bastards are wearing such fancy armor to participate… Tsk tsk.”
“Isn’t this like a final struggle? I guess they’re trying to squeeze in all the money they don’t have and put on a play. “He paid a lot of money to help his son, and now he seems to be giving money to the association as well.”
“Hehe, you dirty bastards!”
“But that prank ends today. “Today is when the bottom of this guy will be revealed.”
“what do you mean?”
“Haha wait and see. The main family has already taken care of it. “Raul, a young boy, probably won’t be able to return safely today.”
“Huh, that’s really unfortunate. “If a person fails to protect the fountain, something bad is bound to happen.”
“Now, let’s stop talking about him and just look around. Do you know anything? “I wonder if I can get a useful hunting dog.”
While the Randall family was talking excitedly, there were also people observing in a very heavy and rigid atmosphere.
“so. “The leader of that group of clowns is my youngest nephew, right?”
“That’s right.”
Although it was a fairly generously sized audience chair, it seemed too small for the man.
The huge middle-aged man leaning on the chair with his arms crossed was none other than Raoul’s uncle, Viscount Jayden.
Despite being over 50, his steadily trained body looked very strong, and his half-bald head and long stab wound that stretched across his left eye and up to his cheek gave him a fierce look.
Boom!
“You mean you lost the capital’s mansion and all its wealth because you couldn’t even deal with a blood clot like that?!”
“There is no shame in saying this.”
When Viscount Jayden got angry and hit the armrest, the people around him trembled and apologized.
There seemed to be a lot of familiar characters, but they were relatives of the Ashton family who had been in conflict with Raoul.
Baron Xander and the family members of the ringleaders had their property confiscated and were imprisoned at their home, while those who barely escaped the purge were only released after paying for the mansion they had staked on various interests and bets.
Of course, if it weren’t for Viscount Jayden’s help here, they would all have gone bankrupt.
‘Such useless things!’
But it was frustrating because he needed these useless people to achieve his goal.
“Titus. You said you were there too, so what on earth did you do until things got to that point? Have you forgotten that you are in charge when I am away!”
“sorry. Things were moving so fast that I couldn’t get involved. And if I had stepped forward then, things would probably have been a lot more complicated.”
The young man who clearly answered Viscount Jayden’s words was his eldest son, Titus.
Even at the young age of 27, he had reached the intermediate level of Expert and was highly trusted by the Viscount. Unlike his father, he had a slim body and a handsome face.
“Whew. “I will move on because it has already happened, but if I make a mistake again, I will definitely be held accountable.”
“of course. That wasn’t a mistake, it was like an accident. “It will never happen again.”
Perhaps because of his youthful energy, Titus looked confident.
“So what on earth are those guys in that ridiculous armor planning in the capital? “What on earth happened while you were away for a moment?”
“It seems that ‘he’ is planning to enter the kingdom’s politics. I am pouring a lot of money into supporting my youngest son. “Foolish citizens are playing with that prank.”
The ‘him’ that Titus meant was Count Melvin, the head of the Ashton family.
Viscount Jaden hated Melvin even hearing his name because he thought of him as an enemy.
“Huh, that’s not even funny. “A hillbilly should just stay in the countryside like a hillbilly.”
Viscount Jaden clicked his tongue, crossed his arms again, and thought for a moment.
The younger brother he knew would not have been particularly interested in politics. Besides, he wasn’t so vicious that he used his child as a shield to plot…
‘Has his personality changed over time? Or maybe he was just acting while I was there.’
It didn’t matter what the correct answer was. In any case, the preparations to correct the wrong were already being completed, and no matter what he did, he would never be able to escape.
‘A good game has just appeared. That guy would be a good source of entertainment.’
Viscount Jayden looked at Raoul greedily with blazing eyes, like a wild beast looking at its prey.
But he didn’t realize it yet. Who is the real hunter and who is the prey?
(Continued in the next part)