The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 29

“The ledger clearly states that 200 apprentices are being offered free training. Where are all these apprentices now?”

“They all gave up and went back to their hometowns because the training was too difficult. They even ran away with their gear.”

“All 200 of them? And are you saying all 200 apprentices came from the provinces? That’s strange. It was supposed to be free training to enhance the reputation in the capital, yet the students were all selected from the provinces.”

“They ran away! And where I choose them from is my business, what does it matter to you?”

“Well, there’s a list with names and addresses, so we’ll see once we investigate.”

Raul methodically questioned the suspicious points, while Baron Zender desperately made excuses.

“It says here that as a birthday gift for the heads of noble families, you presented swords worth 100 gold each, but upon investigation, it appears they received mass-produced items worth 10 gold. What happened there?”

“It’s written that 100 C-Grade mercenaries were long-term hired as mansion security guards. Where are they now? Surely the 20 F-Grade mercenaries currently holding spears as security guards can’t be all of them?”

“Frequent parties were held at the mansion’s main hall. The baron’s wedding anniversary party, his son’s academy entrance celebration, his sister-in-law’s birthday party, his wild boar hunting celebration party. What do these have to do with our Count’s household to justify using the mansion’s operational funds?”

Baron Zender’s words grew fewer.

He was probably astounded at how Raul managed to uncover all this.

Last night, Raul had been extremely busy.

Having determined that some of the documents left in the count’s office were fake, Raul, accompanied by Pierce, sneaked into the baron’s real mansion.

Perhaps the baron thought he had hidden them well, but it was hard to escape Raul’s analysis and Pierce’s observation skills.

Raul quietly took the ledger from a hidden safe in the baron’s office, and Bernard analyzed the ledger and documents, condensing them into a booklet.

Producing dozens of copies of the booklet in a short amount of time was Raul’s work, utilizing the ‘Document Copy’ skill that was dormant in the skill tome.

And now.

The nobles, who had thoughtlessly attended at Baron Zender’s instigation, were speechless as they examined the materials.

The extent of the funds embezzled by Baron Zender was no joke.

Those who had sided with the baron sensed something was off and looked around anxiously, while those from other factions watched the situation with interest.

“So, it is inferred that more than 50,000 gold out of the 100,000 gold allotted for this year’s mansion operational costs has been embezzled. We intend to dismiss Baron Zender from his steward position. Does anyone have any objections?”

The room fell silent.

That’s when it happened.

Clap, Clap, Clap!!

“Amazing, truly amazing! This deserves applause!”

Baron Zender, who had been quiet for a while, straightened his neck and shouted while clapping.

“How long did you prepare for this? A year? Two years? Brother, you really are a piece of work.”

Raul stared intently, curious about what Zender was attempting next.

Picking up a booklet he had thrown to the ground, Zender asked,

“Didn’t you all find it strange when you saw this? I’ve never seen such a thoroughly organized ‘provisional’ audit report in my life! Even a formal investigation usually results in a report a few pages long at most, and here we have a 30-page booklet!”

His words stirred murmurs among the people present. Indeed, most of them had never encountered a report exceeding ten pages.

None of them had domains, nor did they have subordinates who were so competent.

“My nephew standing over there arrived yesterday and made this report in just one day. Do you really believe that? This is clearly a fake report prepared over a long period of time! It’s a scheme concocted by the main house to dismiss me from the steward position and checkmate us in the capital!!”

The followers of Baron Zender, who had been rolling their eyes at his words, rose up like a wildfire and exclaimed,

“Exactly! This is utterly nonsensical. It’s definitely a political plot!”

“It’s clear they’re trying to devise ways to cut the budget from the main family!”

“Once Baron Zender is dismissed, they might even start cutting the grants to the blood relatives under various pretexts!”

As various voices burst out, causing confusion in the assembly, Baron Zender raised his hand to calm the crowd.

“Now that things have come to this, we have no intention of just sitting back and taking it. Jackson!”

At his call, a knight standing behind him rushed forward and handed him a document.

“This document outlines our demands. If you stamp your seal on it and step down quietly, we will forgive today’s insolence.”

Baron Zender said with an arrogant tone, waving the document at Raul.

“Sir Jake, take a look.”

At Raul’s command, Jake strode forward, snatched the document, and read it.

“Let’s see. Our demands. First, the ownership of the capital mansion is to be transferred to the blood relatives, including Baron Zender, in joint name. First, from now on, the total administrator of the capital mansion and other managers shall be decided by the blood relatives residing in the capital. First, the swordsmanship that is exclusively passed down within the main family shall also be shared without restriction with the blood relatives of the branch family… What is this nonsense!?”

Jake, reading through the document, furrowed his brow and cursed.

“These insane people have lost their minds!! The ones who’ve been partying away in the capital with the money we’ve earned risking our lives fighting monsters dare to talk about ownership~ and swordsmanship!? Go eat shit!!”

“Have you seen such insolence!? A mere knight without any title dares to speak recklessly! Is this really the will of the main family!!”

Baron Zender pointed and shouted, to which Jake pushed his belly out and countered loudly,

“A title my ass! Bite me! Since when does a house dog, just because it’s guarded the house for long, claim ownership over the house? This is the most absurd bullshit I’ve ever heard, you worse than dogs!”

Clash! Clang!

Baron Zender, his face turning red, drew his sword and aimed it at Jake, and simultaneously, sounds of weapons being drawn echoed from various quarters.

“Sir Jake. Come back in.”

“Yes, my lord!”

Jake crumpled the document he was holding and threw it on the ground, then walked back to his place, showing no concern for the sword in front of him.

Indeed, Baron Zender didn’t dare to swing his sword.

Standing beside Raul were three knights from the Golden Bear Knights.

Among the knights who were considered elite within the county, only 100 could enter the Golden Bear Knights.

Dressed in black knight uniforms and capped with a red cape embroidered with a roaring golden bear, their appearance alone exuded an intimidating aura.

Baron Zender, who had drawn his sword but couldn’t bring himself to swing it, stammered,

“Raul! This man has insulted us. If you don’t decapitate him and apologize, I will consider you and the count to share his mindset. If you’re not intending on seeing real bloodshed, apologize this instant!”

Raul looked pensively at Baron Zender and then smiled wryly.

“I’m not sure why you’re getting mad when he hasn’t really said anything wrong. Look, Baron. It’s time to put away this foolish act.”

Raul nonchalantly placed the booklet he was holding on the ground and gently caressed his sheath.

“I never really expected that such paper constraints would solve anything from the start. Still, I thought you would be a bit ashamed, but it seems the Baron is far more incredible than I imagined.”

With a smooth, graceful motion, Raul slowly withdrew his sword from its scabbard and drove the blade into the ground, pointing downwards with a clang.

“So, what is it you really want? Surely, you didn’t think I’d just blithely stamp my seal on such nonsense.”

Baron Zender felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine at the unexpected defiance.

‘This can’t be right. The third son was supposed to be weak-willed and indecisive, incapable of even wielding a sword properly, and yet look at him!’

To Zender, this was the aura of a predator, and not just any predator, but one that could only be found in the wild!

Such a presence was rare to encounter within the capital.

The fools standing behind him were already overwhelmed by the aura, unable to utter a single word.

‘To think the saying, “Like father, like son,” would prove so true! The eldest and the second are monsters, and now even the youngest…’

But retreat was not an option now. After all, the boy was only 15; it was only a matter of breaking his spirit.

“Pah! All the bravado in the world won’t help you. If you don’t stamp that document today, you won’t leave this place!” Baron Zender finished with a fierce shout and gestured with his hand, instantly changing the mood in the room.

Tap, tap, tap.

Swish!

At Zender’s signal, the armed escorts and private soldiers of the nobles present unsheathed their weapons, and soldiers outside sealed off the entrances.

“Oh, really? Is this how it’s going to be, Baron? Do you realize you’re declaring war on a count’s household with your actions?”

Raul asked in a calm manner, not batting an eyelid.

Instead, it was the affiliates who were thrown into a state of panic.

“Baron Zender! I wasn’t told it would come to this! Weren’t we just going to lodge a protest?”

“Are you actually planning to cross swords with the main house? This is madness!”

“I want no part in this! Let me leave!!”

However, the soldiers blocking the way stood firm.

The nobles, who had come unknowingly and with few guards, found themselves trapped with no way out.

“How foolish to the very end. You are all in the same boat now. Didn’t you all sign the document? Do you really think the count will just let you walk away from this?”

At the baron’s words, they could do nothing but gather in a corner of the hall and dumbly observe the unfolding situation.

“Is this the end, then? So, Baron. What’s the plan now? I have no intention of stamping that document, not even in the slightest.”

Raul asked, still utterly unfazed, which infuriated Baron Zender.

“Raul! Do you not grasp the situation? At my command, 30 knights and hundreds of soldiers present here will rush at you! Do you really think the Golden Bear Knights can withstand all of them?”

Though he didn’t mention it, a secret weapon was also at the ready, against which even a member of the Golden Bear Knights would stand little chance.

However, the baron was unaware that Raul already knew about their existence.

‘As expected, the other factions are just watching silently. Well, then we have nothing to fear.’

Raul smirked, coolly assessing the situation, and asked mockingly,

“And what about it?”

(To be continued)