The double life of a count’s bastard

Episode 18

“You’ve changed since the last time I was here. The Slaters are something else.”

Jansen’s abruptness made Colin look at him as if to ask what he meant.

“I have to admit, the Slaters are quite capable, even in this inhospitable northern region, and even though they’re located just below the Inkeran Mountains.”

“Aaah~ Is that what you were saying?”

Colin nodded, fully agreeing with Jansen’s opinion.

“I can’t say that the Slater Estate is the best city in the North.

However, it was one of the most inhospitable and dangerous places in the northern region, so its progress alone was nothing short of miraculous.

Moreover, the entire northern region was undergoing a massive development due to the strong presence of Slater Manor, and its influence in the north was comparable to that of the capital.

A land of abandoned humans.

Many estates had been neglected.

Just 800 years ago, the North was considered the worst land on the continent.

Many kingdoms and empires poured vast resources and manpower into developing the northern regions, only to see them devastated by the orcs who invaded from across the Inkeran Mountains without warning.

The Slaters had virtually saved the northern regions of the kingdom from destruction, and as such, they were respected and loved by the Northerners even more than the Emperor himself.

“As great as the Slaters are, it’s still not fair that they get all the credit.”

Jansen cocked his head at Colin’s implication.

“What do you mean, monopolize?”

“Well, to be fair, the Slaters didn’t always hold this place on their own, did they? Do you think they would have survived without the full support of the Emperor and the help of other nobles?”

“That’s true, but…….”

Colin shook his head, cutting Jansen off.

“I’m sure we could have survived with that kind of support, even if we weren’t House Slater.”

Jansen had to admit, given the support the Slaters had received in the early days, they certainly hadn’t been able to hold this place together on their own.

But.

‘Do you think it would have survived without the Slaters? I don’t know…….’

While Jansen was thinking that he didn’t think so, Colin frowned.

“But look at the Slaters. They’ve been monopolizing all the mines they’ve found in the Inkeran Mountains, and not just any mines, they’re greedy for all the resources the Inkeran Mountains have to offer.”

Jansen tried to stop him because he thought Colin was raising his voice too loudly, raising the level of accusation in the Slater estate, if nowhere else.

“Colin. Keep your voice down! And I didn’t say that…….”

But Colin’s voice grew louder and louder as if he didn’t want to stop venting his emotions once he started.

“They’re getting what they deserve for being greedy! Why else would this expedition fail, it’s the Slater family’s expedition in name only, and who doesn’t know that the expedition itself is a coalition of the northern nobles, and yet the Slaters still want to monopolize everything, so the other nobles are rebelling against them?”

“Colin, stop it, stop it and……!”

Jansen yanked Colin’s arm to stop him, but Rousseau was approaching with a stiff gait.

“You don’t think that asshole heard that?

Janssen frowned and stared at Rousseau, who was stomping toward them. The way he was walking was unnerving.

“So?”

Rousseau asked bluntly.

“What are you talking about…….”

Before Janssen could finish, Rousseau smirked in recognition.

“I hear the greedy Slater family tried to take everything for themselves and got stabbed in the back by the other nobles, so what’s next?”

Jansen’s eyes narrowed at Rousseau’s words.

“Damn it, you heard everything!

There was no excuse for this, now that he had properly humiliated House Slater in front of the Slater bloodline.

Janssen fidgeted, unsure of how to handle the situation.

“Well, it’s an expression, but isn’t it true that the Slaters have been excessively greedy over the years?”

Surprisingly, Colin didn’t hesitate to criticize the Slaters even in front of Rousseau.

Jansen stared at Colin with an open-mouthed question, while Rousseau stood there with a grin on his face as if he found it more than a little amusing.

“That’s kind of funny, huh?”

“Funny?”

“I found a treasure in my front yard, so who does it belong to, and you think it’s right for me to share it with someone else, just like Moziri?”

Colin raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm, but there was nothing wrong with the words themselves.

But.

“Are you trying to argue that the entire Inkeran Mountains belong to the Slater family?”

Russo snorted and chuckled at Colin’s retort.

“Of course not. How could the entire vast Inkeran Mountains belong to the Slaters, only!”

Rousseau smirked, stepping closer to Colin.

“It was he who discovered the Inkeran Mountains with his blood and sweat, and why should the wrong people be interested in them? You call it greed, don’t you? Isn’t that what you usually call it? Alas, it’s not greed, it’s theft or extortion, though fortunately, my family’s power is strong enough that it hasn’t been taken from us yet.”

Colin’s face hardened at Rousseau’s open sneer.

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

“And you, you wouldn’t be the kind of wretch who would trust the Marquis of Keita to speak ill of the Slater family on the Slater estate, would you?”

“A dick?!”

Colin narrowed his eyes and glared at Russo as if he would eat him.

Colin was the one who had rightfully received the title of hereditary nobility as a quasi-baron.

Rousseau, on the other hand, is merely a descendant of an undeclared earldom.

Even if Rousseau doesn’t have a title, he’s still treated like a nobleman.

‘What a stupid idea from the family!

Anger surged in Colin’s chest.

Although he was lesser in birth than Rousseau, Colin was a knight of the Marquis of Keita who had earned the title of quasi-baron through his efforts, so he had more pride and prestige than most knights.

“How dare you insult me and the Marquis of Keita!”

Colin had no reason to be intimidated by Rousseau, even though the other man claimed to be of Slater’s blood, he was not a legitimate heir, but rather a bastard who had been spawned by the family.

And then another.

“I’ll take the opportunity to take care of the Earl of Slater’s bastard, and it’s my father’s will.

Kevin’s secret instructions.

It was the Marquis of Keita’s will, and no one else’s, so Colin had no reason to back down.

‘The atmosphere suggests that you intend to use this opportunity to break Count Slater’s spirits.

There are more people in the Empire who don’t like Count Slater and his family than you might think.

Especially the high-ranking nobles and provincial lords who wield no small amount of power.

Marquis Keita had a good relationship with Count Slater.

‘In many ways, Count Slater is more highly regarded than you, Marquis, so it’s necessary to break his nose at least once! You can’t afford to mess with Karon or Aaron, so you’ve chosen this braggart!

Colin had been trusted by the Marquis of Keita, and he was confident that he would not be reprimanded for beating Russo to a pulp.

With this calculation in his head, Colin didn’t let his accusations against the Slaters die down when he spotted Rousseau in the middle of their conversation.

“You wretched bastards, I’ll give you a frightful taste of the world today!

Whereas.

“What? I tried to provoke him, and he provoked himself?

The corners of Rousseau’s mouth twitched upward at the way Colin looked like he was about to draw a knife without even having to ask.

Colin is skilled.

Rumor has it that he’s a knight in the Marquis of Keita’s entourage and is on the verge of reaching the sixth rank.

But Rousseau knew better.

“Rumors are rumors,” he says, “and he’s not even close to what Hans is today!

The comparison to the much younger Hans must have been overwhelming for Colin, but Russo knows his future better than anyone.

“A man’s got to listen to what he says, and when did I ever insult the Marquis of Keita, Rickalson, did I ever insult the Marquis of Keita?”

Rousseau looked at Rickalson, the knight standing behind him.

Rickalson glared at Colin, not at Rousseau, with his eyes full of power, and opened his mouth.

“Master Rousseau did not curse the Marquis of Keita, sir. He merely called Sir Colin a prick.”

Is that the interpretation?

Rousseau burst out laughing at Rickalson’s comment.

Mickelson and the rest of Earl Slater’s loyal knights were glaring at Colin with obvious hostility.

It was understandable.

As a knight sworn to the Earl of Slater, it would be strange if he didn’t feel outraged that his lord and house had been insulted.

So much so that he was waiting for Rousseau to point at Colin and say, “Get the hell out of here.

“You have no chivalry whatsoever for a knight who defends a wretch.”

Even as a knight, he was clearly in a position of authority, and his lord was not, so Colin stomped on Rickalson’s head.

“Sir Colin!”

Mickelson shouted, his right hand casually gripping the hilt of his sword as he took a step forward.

“Well, what do you expect from a fool who doesn’t even know what chivalry is, just because he sees what’s in his eyes, do you?”

Rousseau chuckled as he deftly blocked Rickalson’s path.

At any other time, Rickalson and the knights of Count Slater would have clicked their tongues and scowled at Rousseau’s condescending tone and demeanor, but not now.

‘How cool!

‘You’re the best at scratching at people’s insides like a bastard who has no sense of nobility!

“If I heard that, I’d have a tantrum and lose sleep.

Colin’s face flushed with the humiliation and insult he’d never experienced before in his life, just like the knights of Count Slater’s household.

“How dare you speak on the subject of a wretch!”

“I see your true colors are showing!”

The knights of Count Slater exchanged serious glances, knowing that while it was nice to see Rousseau coolly crush Colin, this was not a situation that would end with a few words of apology.

“Protect him if you must!

As they all braced themselves for the worst, Rousseau turned to Colin and made a shocking declaration.

“Rousseau Slater, I formally challenge Knight Colin to a duel!”

“Do, Master!”

“My, my!”

This is insane.

The knights of Count Slater turned yellow in the face, knowing full well that Rousseau hadn’t wielded a proper sword since he was ten years old.

A formal confrontation with a knight is a one-on-one contest in which no one dares to interfere.

A knight could easily end his opponent’s life if the situation warranted, making Rousseau’s request for a duel seem insane.

“You’re going to challenge me to a fight, you bastard?”

Colin looked at Rousseau with a quizzical expression and snorted in disbelief.

Inwardly, he wanted to dance because things were going so easily, but somehow, the word “challenge” came out of Rousseau’s mouth and he was stunned.

At the same time.

“I feel dirty!

This is also an insult.

How ridiculous is it to be challenged to a duel by a blue bastard who hasn’t even wielded a sword except as a child?

Colin would win the duel, but he knew it would be a dishonorable victory, and he would be teased for it.

“A duel between a douchebag and a douchebag! Don’t you think it’s going to be pretty? Why, because you’re going to swordfight with a douchebag and you don’t like it? Then go fuck yourself!”

Boo boo boo!

I don’t know what else, but one thing is for sure.

That asshole is the best at turning people inside out on the continent!

Colin’s grip on the hilt of his sword tightened, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke, word after word, letter after letter.

“Knight Colin! I accept the challenge of Russo Slater!”

A few punches didn’t seem to be enough to settle the matter, so he vowed to cut off at least one arm.