The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 33

The situation was swiftly resolved.

As Dylan had said, those who had swarmed towards Raul like a pack of wolves now seemed like docile sheep, not daring to brandish their weapons.

It wasn’t just because of Dylan himself but almost no one could overcome the momentum of the Golden Bear Knights.

It was curious why among the knights, including the vice-captain, many of the top-ranked knights were present.

‘There are at least twenty-five knights here who are at least intermediate sword experts….’

Their combined force could easily smash a barony to pieces in an instant.

Baron Zender, the main instigator of the affair, had wanted to create a reversal of fortunes but found it impossible.

Randal Haphael, the fourth son of the Count’s family, had recoiled to a corner of the hall with a grimace on his face upon seeing Dylan.

And the knights from the Brennan Republic, whom he had thought would be his secret weapon, avoided the baron’s gaze as if they had nothing to do with him.

There simply was no reason for them to interfere at this point.

Once the hall quieted down, Dylan, with his arms crossed, looked around at the people. He then smirked as if he had found an amusing toy and shouted.

“Who do we have here! Isn’t that Randal? Shouldn’t you come and greet me if you are here?”

Reluctantly, Haphael stepped out from the corner and spoke as if being dragged out.

“Ah, hello. Elder brother Dylan.”

Dylan strode over, banging Haphael’s shoulders in a welcoming manner and asked.

“Oh, it’s been years but you haven’t changed a bit. Which model were you again?”

For a moment, Haphael bit his lip and looked sharply at Dylan, but as their eyes met, he bowed his head and said in a small voice.

“Yes, the fourth model.”

“Aha! The fourth model, I see. So, are you still hanging out with models three and six, bullying the kids around?”

“No. That’s old news…!”

“Hmm? Are you getting annoyed now?”

“Of, of course not.”

Dylan patted the dust off Haphael’s collar while saying,

“Our Randal Model 4 seems to have been quite tame today. Keep it up, and there won’t be a need for a meeting with me again. Since this is now a family affair, we’d appreciate if outsiders could leave, what do you say? Maybe wait a bit and loosen up before you go?”

Shivering, Haphael vigorously shook his head.

“I, I have urgent matters to attend to, so I must go. Please continue!”

“Alright, off you go. Oh, and tell Randal Model 1 that I’ll be staying for about a fortnight, so if he wants to have a go, he should come find me.”

After giving Haphael a final pat on the shoulder and letting him go, Haphael’s face turned pale as he clutched his bruised shoulder and fled the hall.

“Now that we’re dealing with a family matter, I would ask the onlookers to please exit. Ah, and those of you who drew weapons, you can’t leave; let’s have a separate discussion later.”

Following Dylan’s words, the knights from the Brennan Republic, spies from the empire, and various other onlookers quietly left the hall.

With the room cleared, Dylan spoke with a smile.

“So, esteemed elders, where are the documents that require a seal?”

Baron Zender and the other kin shook on their feet, their faces pale.

* * *

That evening.

Raul was in the main office, having tea with his older brother Dylan.

“Seriously, brother. How did you end up here with sister-in-law and Libby? And all these knights? The vice-captain and even the elite knights… Has a war broken out or something?”

“Kid! After you called for backup and all, what’s with the question?”

“Well, even considering that, don’t you think it’s a bit much?”

Moreover, Raul had reached out late last night. Selecting personnel and gathering equipment, the time was far too tight to reach the capital. Dylan gazed thoughtfully at Raul before letting out a soft chuckle.

“Knowing everything and still asking such pointless questions. Would father have handed you the hat and the seal without any preparation? And it would certainly be easier for me to step in to tidy things up, wouldn’t it?”

If Dylan, the heir, had not personally intervened, things might not have been resolved this smoothly.

‘But if all those people used the portal, how much did it cost?’ Considering the distance and the more than 20 people involved, it must have cost close to 3,000 gold. Given that the average salary of a citizen in Connect was around 20 gold, this was an astronomical sum.

‘Well, it’s not like it’s my money.’ Raul, tossing aside his needless worry about money, changed the subject.

“So, what are you planning to do? There are almost 30 of them….”

“They obviously have to pay for their crimes!” Dylan’s expression suggested that a few lives lost here and there didn’t matter much.

“But, they’re still our father’s siblings.”

“That’s why we’ve turned a blind eye for so long! Because of those old fools, our finances have been stretched so thin…. This time, even father can’t turn a blind eye, so we should settle things once and for all.”

It seemed likely that this scheme had originated not from their father, but from Dylan’s mind.

‘The hidden fox of the Count Ashton’s household.’

The character information found in the Connection Cafe certainly listed Dylan, the eldest son of the Count Ashton’s household, as a ‘fox-like’ figure known for his political acumen and calculations. Although his swordsmanship was inferior to that of his brother Lawrence, he had been recognized early on as the heir due to his unique inclusiveness and leadership.

‘And to think they call him a brain character with that monstrous physique? Isn’t that totally cheating?’ At a glance, anyone could tell the older brother was more brawny than brainy. Who would think of him as the intellectual type upon seeing those burly muscles? Dylan, noticing Raul’s curious gaze, reached out and tousled Raul’s hair while saying,

“Don’t worry too much. I don’t intend to spill any blood. I’ll just cut off the old folks’ money. And you, you’ve really outdone yourself today. I’m truly proud to be your brother!”

“What did I even do? I just charged in because I didn’t like them, that’s all.”

“After raiding their ledgers to create an audit report and thoroughly shaking their mental state with the proof of blood relation, and you say you did nothing? You adorable thing!”

As Dylan leaned in as if to give him a kiss, Raul recoiled in horror. However, escaping the grip of his brother, who was stronger than their father, was impossible. Reluctantly receiving a cheek rub, Raul sighed and said, “Do that with Libby now. I’m an adult!”

Then Dylan, looking shockingly forlorn, said, “I wish I could, but your sister-in-law keeps stopping me from even touching Libby. Why, though? I’m her dad. What’s the reason!”

Understanding his sister-in-law’s feelings as he looked down at the hand shaking his shoulder, Raul thought, ‘With those ferocious hands, you’ll probably fold a pot lid in half. It seems you won’t be touching your niece for a while, big brother.’

Internally offering his condolences, Raul then pulled out a document from his pocket.

“But what about this, brother?”

It was the notarized document recording the proof of blood relation that had occurred between Raul and Baron Zender. According to the document, the 27 mansions that had forcibly demanded Raul’s seal had all become his property.

Dylan briefly inspected the document and asked, “It’s yours, so shouldn’t you deal with it as you wish? Is there anything for me to help with?”

Raul, caught off guard by such an apparently obvious response, was slightly taken aback.

‘I mean, combined, wouldn’t that be worth at least a hundred thousand gold, and it’s all mine?’

Entangled in the affairs of the family, I had assumed matters would naturally be handled by the main house, but it seemed Dylan had a different view.

Noticing Raul’s feelings, Dylan chuckled and said, “Little brother, isn’t that the reward you won fair and square in the competition? It’s rightfully yours, why are you being so cautious about it? Haven’t I always told you? A man must be forthright! Especially since you were born the son of Count Ashton, you should be even more so, and you’ve every right to be.”

He then carefully folded the document and placed it back into Raul’s chest.

Feeling a warm surge in his heart, Raul touched his chest and told his brother, “Understood, brother. I will try to be a more confident man. And, while we’re on the subject, may I ask a favor?”

“A favor?”

Raul, once again taking out the document, passed it to his brother as naturally as possible. “Could you take care of this for me? Oh, and leave the Baron Zender’s mansion to me, if you will.”

The value of a document changes depending on who holds it. For Raul at that moment, the document was nothing short of a hot potato. To liquidate it, he would have to evict the residing family members and sell the mansion, a task that involved too many complications for him to handle.

“Alright. I’ll make sure you don’t lose out and sort it properly. And for your reward, I’ll teach you something good at the training grounds tomorrow morning.”

“A reward?”

“Yes. I’ll pass on the secret to achieving muscles as wonderful and perfect as your brother’s!” Dylan then struck a pose, flexing his muscles with such intensity that it led to a tearing sound. His shirt ripped apart, and buttons burst off, one falling into Raul’s teacup with a plunk.

As Raul took a discreet glance at his teacup, Dylan struck various poses and said, “What do you think? Don’t you want to learn? Don’t you feel like rushing to the training ground right now?” Raul, unable to say no in the face of his brother’s anticipation and sparkling eyes, reluctantly nodded.

“Yes. I will. Actually, father and Lawrence seemed quite envious too. But, I’ll teach it especially to our youngest. Hahaha.”

Seeing his beloved elder brother’s joy, Raul grimaced. While he did want to build his strength, he had no intention of forsaking his humanity. ‘I’ll learn in moderation. But I do wonder if there really is some secret technique. It’s certainly piqued my curiosity.’

For the next fortnight, Raul got to experience what hell on earth was like and vowed never to train with Dylan again. And finally, the day to leave for the academy arrived.

“Please be safe, young master. I wish you the best on your entrance exam,” Bernard, temporarily acting as the mansion’s butler, said, bowing before Raul as he approached the carriage.

“Well, I’ll just wing it. No need to outshine the kids. I’ll be off.”

As Raul spoke nonchalantly and boarded the carriage, his elder brother Dylan, already seated inside, grinned and asked, “Really just going to wing it?”

“Yes, why put in the effort?”

“Alright? Since I’ll be going back after the opening ceremony, don’t mind me and do as you will.” He then closed his mouth.

‘What? I thought he would say “Show some spirit! Show the dignity of the count’s household!”’

Regardless of his brother’s comments, Raul intended to just get by on the exams, casually attend the academy, and graduate without much effort. After all, the academy was merely an excuse to get out of his hometown, not his true aim. ‘It’ll be tiring enough mingling with the others. Let’s just get this over with. Casually.’

With the idea of moderation repeating in his head, Raul was whisked away towards the academy.

(To be continued)

TL’s Corner:

Haphael calls Dylan hyung, a respectful way to call someone older in Korea even if they are not related to each other. So I translated it to elder brother.

Raul also calls Dylan hyung, however, since they are siblings, and it was already mentioned that Dylan is older than Raul, I just translated it as brother.