Two Nobles

The Old Castle in Outpost County had lost its former tranquility. A group of Church Knights, wearing nothing but shorts and bare-chested, took turns wielding iron hammers, shovels, and other tools, their heads drenched in sweat as they moonlighted as laborers repairing the castle's facilities.

Old Laixi sat leisurely in the small garden, holding an exquisite wine flask and taking an occasional satisfied sip.

The honorable Count Sakre worked hard at kneading Old Laixi's yellowed sinews, as devoted as if he were caring for a relative with cancer and a fortune worth millions in inheritance. He kept asking whether the pressure was right, his face full of flattery.

The Old Butler had probably not enjoyed such treatment in many years. His shriveled mouth kept finding fault—one moment saying Sakre was pressing the wrong spot, the next complaining that he was not using enough force.

Seeing Old Laixi's blissful expression, Sakre looked as though the inheritance had already fallen into his hands, his eyes narrowed into smiling slits.

"Tut, tut! Worthy of Church Knights." Allen sat across from the two of them with one leg crossed over the other. Grinning, he called out to the knights, "Hurry up! It'll be dark soon. Get that iron gate installed, lay all the stone bricks at the Training Ground, and don't forget—I'm not feeding you."

Sakre rolled his eyes and said huffily, "Baron Allen, the knights under my command are not laborers. I only hope my great-uncle can live more comfortably in the Old Castle. Don't push your luck."

Allen hurriedly waved his hands in apology. "Sorry, sorry." Then he turned and roared at the knights, "Watch what the hell you're doing! If you damage any of those stone carvings, I'll skin you alive! You muscle-brained idiots!"

Sakre cast him a contemptuous glance and could not be bothered to argue with him.

"Oh, right. What exactly is going on between you two?" Allen asked with great interest. "Any dark, embarrassing history? Tell me and relieve my boredom. Old man, did you talk about his little dick when he was a kid, or strip him naked and toss him into a pond?"

Sakre ignored him outright, while Old Laixi merely smiled without speaking, as if he really had recalled some distant memories.

Allen wisely did not press further. He looked toward Yorkshire, who was walking in from outside the Old Castle, and gave him a slight nod in greeting.

Yorkshire clearly already knew Sakre's identity. He merely glanced at Sakre and the Old Butler enjoying his massage, looking puzzled.

"My lord, clerk Yorkshire greets you." After removing his hat and bowing to Allen, Yorkshire walked over to Sakre and offered him a very perfunctory greeting.

"Outpost County truly is the backwater of the Kingdom of Locke. Do you not know that you should greet me, a count, first?" Sakre glared at Yorkshire with an unfriendly expression.

Clang!

The Old Butler's cane struck Sakre squarely on the forehead without mercy.

"Can you stop putting on that idiotic noble act?" Old Laixi pointed at his grandnephew. "Be careful, or I'll crack your skull open next time. And stop learning from that idiot father of yours."

Allen burst into exaggerated laughter, while Yorkshire's confusion deepened.

Pointing at Sakre, who was rubbing his head with an awkward expression, Allen explained in a mocking tone, "Let me introduce him again. The son of a duke from the Kingdom of Rothel, the honorable Count Sakre—and also the dutiful grandnephew of my Old Butler."

Yorkshire looked astonished. He felt that when he returned that night, he ought to write another letter and send it by express delivery to the Royal City and the grand duke.

"By the way, Old York, what brings you here?" Allen looked enviously at Yorkshire's graying ponytail. He felt that his own face was too rugged; if he were thinner and wore that hairstyle, he would probably look cool too.

"The Knight Order of the Heretic Extermination Legion has arrived at York Town. They should reach Outpost County around noon tomorrow," Yorkshire said. He then glanced at Sakre, seemingly wanting to say more but hesitating.

"It's fine. Go on."

Yorkshire coughed awkwardly and continued, "Legion Commander Hulun and the mage group under his command have already arrived at the General Affairs Hall. Many county residents have reported that they are occupying private homes."

"How many?" Allen asked with a frown.

"Nearly a hundred. The Legion Commander's guards and attendants alone number nearly a hundred. They have forcibly occupied homes around the General Affairs Hall without any reason."

Allen shot an disdainful look at the somewhat embarrassed Sakre and shrugged. "Do I look like a lord with real authority? What's the point of telling me? I can't do anything about it."

"Exactly. A useless lord, a worthless noble, an idiot baron. Ha!" Sakre finally found an opportunity and savagely mocked him.

Allen lowered his head in feigned embarrassment, his face shy as he said, "You flatter me, Count Sakre. It's only because everyone thinks so highly of me. It's nothing worth taking seriously."

Sakre was dumbfounded. It was the first time he had met someone so shameless.

After staring blankly for a while, Sakre continued mocking him. "You became famously useless in your kingdom at the age of eight. Heh, your kingdom's people truly do think highly of you."

"It was nothing. I was young and ignorant," Allen said indifferently, waving a hand with a smug look on his face.

"Hmph. When I was eight, I could kill a ferocious tiger alone. After a life-or-death battle with wild beasts, I attained enlightenment in Golden Battle Qi," Sakre said proudly.

Allen immediately replied, "When I was eight, I angered the Kingdom's Chief Mage until he fainted. After my father gave me a vicious beating, I realized there was no damn point in learning magic and gave up that path forever."

"When I was ten, I had already become the undefeated champion of the border city's arena. Countless renowned gladiators feared becoming my opponents."

Allen rolled his eyes. "When I was ten, I had already teased every unmarried girl in the Royal City. Countless little girls awaiting marriage would cover their faces and flee at the sight of me."

"When I was sixteen, I was called the brightest rising star of the Duchy of Rothel and was granted the title of count."

"When I was sixteen, I was called the most useless noble in the Kingdom of Locke and demoted to baron."

After saying that, Allen looked delighted, his eyes brimming with provocation as he stared at Sakre.

Sakre's shoulders trembled slightly as he gritted his teeth. "After coming of age, I led armies in battle. Beyond the border cities, not a single foreign enemy dared invade the Duchy of Rothel. At eighteen, I became a Faith Guardian Knight of the Holy See. At twenty-two, I became vice commander of the Holy Knight Order. Now, I am the Chief of Staff of the Heretic Extermination Legion."

"Hehe, after coming of age, I was exiled alone to Outpost County. Outside the Old Castle, no blind fool has ever dared break in and bother me. Now, whenever I go out, I don't carry a single copper coin, yet I can eat all over Outpost County and no one dares charge me. I can kick every merchant I see, and no one dares go to the General Affairs Hall to complain."

The Old Butler gave an unseemly whistle and laughed. "I can testify to that. In all my years, this is the first time I've seen a noble so shameless."

Allen gave Old Laixi a look that said, You really get me.

Yorkshire watched Allen and Sakre with an amused, helpless expression. He did not understand what the two had to compare. One was heaven's favored son, while the other was the kingdom's famously useless noble. Yet they kept going back and forth about completely different things.

"Keep going. Keep bragging," Allen pressed his advantage. "When I was six, I snuck into a widow's bedroom at night. What about you? You must have been training Martial Skills in the freezing snow, right? When I was ten, I flirted with women in the street. What about you? Still training Martial Skills, right? When I was twelve, I sneaked into the royal palace and stole the king's scepter. What about you? Bare-chested, fighting and brawling with a bunch of big men, right? When I was thirteen, I stole my father's military warrant, mobilized troops, and smashed up the Royal City's biggest gambling house. What about you? Training Battle Qi for your warrior assessment, right? When I was sixteen, I confessed to Princess Hathaway and got rejected in public. Oh, right, she's your third sister. What about you? You must have been leading a bunch of dumb brutes against another bunch of dumb brutes, craning your necks and fighting, right? When I was eighteen, I beat up four princes and little princesses under five years old. What were you doing then? Hehe, I don't normally tell just anyone about these things."

"You... are utterly ridiculous." Sakre's face turned crimson.

"What a failure! And you call yourself a noble? What a failure." Allen sighed theatrically. "At your age, you still let the Holy See use you like a dog to fight and die for others."

"Bullshit!" Sakre roared, charging before Allen. "I fight to uphold justice, to save the people from suffering, for honor, and for the faith in my heart. I am nothing like you."

"Fine, fine, great hero." Allen spread his hands. "I admire you so much. You're so amazing. Go fool ghosts with that nonsense about saving people from suffering. You're just a lackey of the Holy See."

"Who are you calling a lackey? Do you dare accept my challenge?" Sakre's face darkened as he said in a low voice, "I joined the Papal Crusade Army to eradicate those evil foreign races. And I am the Chief of Staff, not some lackey to be ordered around."

Allen suddenly became like an obsessed fan meeting his idol. His face full of excitement, he said, "Really? You didn't say that earlier. So you truly did join for the faith in your heart, to save the people from suffering. I admire you so much! Sorry, sorry, I apologize to you, honorable Count Sakre."

Sakre felt as though his fist had struck cotton. It was unpleasant, but Allen's expression did not seem fake. He arrogantly said, "Hmph. Faith guides my path. I cannot be bothered to lower myself to the level of trash like you."

Once Sakre had finished, Allen's face returned to its sly, obnoxious look. He jerked his chin toward Yorkshire. "All right, Old York, take our great hero Sakre, who saves the people from suffering, and get going!"

"What do you mean?" Yorkshire and Sakre asked in unison.

Allen looked at Sakre in confusion. "Didn't you just ramble on and on about justice and faith? The Holy See has occupied my people's homes. Aren't you going to do anything about it? Then what were you bragging for? Hypocrite! Wait, don't tell me you're scared? Forget it, though. I've seen plenty of people like you, thinking that being a knight makes you so noble and great."

"You...!" After stammering for a long while, Sakre snorted, grabbed his helmet from the stone table, and said to Yorkshire, "Go. Take me there and let me see who has occupied the commoners' homes."

After saying that, Sakre shot Allen a challenging look, called out the names of several knights under his command, and strode out of the Old Castle menacingly.

Watching Sakre's retreating back, Allen softly spat out two words. "Idiot."

Old Butler Laixi shook his head helplessly.

"Has that kid always been such a blockhead?"

The Old Butler gave a bitter smile and said nothing.