While processing paperwork in his office that day, Daskar looked skeptically at the butler who had just entered the room to deliver a report.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. Lord Keep and Muet-sama have both arrived."
"...That damn noble. He's caused more trouble, has he? How many times does this make?"
"Also, Rei-sama is with them..."
"Huh? Rei? Why on earth is Rei here? ...Tch. Did that fool drag Rei into his mess? He truly is a master of being a nuisance. I’ll ask just in case—is Keep injured?"
"Not at all. He appears to be the picture of health."
"I can't decide if I should be happy or disappointed to hear that. Honestly, it would have been better if he’d lost a limb or two; maybe then he would have finally quieted down."
Daskar spat the words out with clear irritation.
It hadn't been very long since Keep arrived in Gilm. Yet, in that short span of time, he had incited disturbance after disturbance. Every single time, the guards, the knights, and eventually Daskar himself were forced to clean up the mess.
If he were just a common noble with no backing, Daskar wouldn't have to be so delicate. However, he was a noble sent specifically by the King's Faction to keep Daskar in check. Any misstep would surely be used against him as political leverage.
And, most lethally of all, Rei was now involved.
While Rei was friendly toward Daskar—largely because Daskar was exceptionally unconventional for a noble and gave Rei preferential treatment—his fundamental personality was nothing short of fierce.
During the Spring War, Rei had wielded his overwhelming power against the Noble's Faction without the slightest hesitation. What would happen if such a man collided with a quintessential corrupt noble like Keep?
In that sense, it was a stroke of luck that Keep hadn't suffered so much as a single scratch yet.
"Good grief. Even if they wanted to provoke me, why send such a fool? If it were Duke Quento’s group, they would have sent someone at least somewhat competent. This suggests he’s likely just a reckless brat from some fringe element of the King's Faction."
Though it was simply called the King's Faction, it was the largest political group in the Kingdom of Mireana. Consequently, it was divided into several internal power structures. Daskar suspected Keep had been sent due to some internal conflict of interest, but dwelling on it was mere escapism; it didn't change the reality of the situation.
"To think he’d set his sights on Baron Cisne. Well, fine. Since they’ve come this far, I can’t exactly refuse to see them. Especially since the man treats me as if I'm his social inferior."
In reality, a Margrave held a higher rank than a Count. Furthermore, Keep was merely the Next Head of Count Eriel's House, whereas Daskar was the Current Head of Margrave Larkus's House.
By all logic, Keep should have been unable to take such an assertive stance, yet he ignored protocol entirely and acted as if he were Daskar’s superior.
(In other words, the King's Faction... or rather, whoever sent that idiot, wants to bait me into lashing out. What a pain in the neck.)
Sighing inwardly, Daskar knew he couldn't sit here forever. He stood up and followed his secretary toward the reception room.
Upon entering and seeing the figures gathered there, he let out a small, silent breath of relief. It was the worst possible pairing: Rei and Keep. Even though the butler had claimed there were no injuries, Daskar couldn't feel at ease until he confirmed it with his own eyes. It showed just how well Daskar understood the kind of man Rei was.
Scanning the room, he saw Keep accompanied by a fat man and three knights. On Muet’s side stood Rei and a single maid. Perhaps as a gesture of caution by the butler, the sofas had been arranged quite far apart.
The moment Keep saw Daskar enter, he stood up with an arrogant smirk.
"Ah, Margrave Larkus. You finally decided to grace us with your presence. I don't appreciate being kept waiting, but I'll let it pass for now. I have something you need to hear."
"Wait a moment, Lord Keep. Please, calm yourself. ...Bring some black tea."
Daskar moved past Keep—who had tried to force his demands the second they locked eyes—and ordered the butler to serve drinks. He waited for the butler to leave before addressing the room again.
"Now then, normally I would prefer to discuss matters over tea, but it seems there isn't much patience for that. Let me hear the details."
"Very well. To put it simply, this poor baron and I have agreed to a duel over that maid. I want you, Margrave Larkus, to handle the legal formalities."
"...What?"
At Keep’s words, Daskar turned his gaze toward Muet. The Muet he knew was a timid soul, but now he stood with a resolute bearing. The maid stood beside him, looking somewhat anxious, and...
(Rei, huh.)
Finally, Daskar’s gaze settled on Rei, who stood behind Muet like a silent sentinel. Considering Rei's personality, it wasn't hard to guess why Keep’s knights were shooting him such hostile looks.
"Legal formalities. I want everything in order so this poor baron can't make any pathetic excuses once he loses."
"...I see."
Daskar nodded, but his internal monologue was screaming: Is this man insane?
The fact that Rei was standing behind Muet was a clear declaration of where his loyalties lay. If one intended to face Rei as an enemy, a B-Rank Adventurer of the same tier wouldn't be enough. One would need an A-Rank... someone on the level of Elk, the man with the alias of 'Axe of the Thunder God.'
Daskar couldn't fathom why someone like that would ever side with a typical corrupt noble like Keep.
(Does he have some secret plan to win? No, surely no one living in Gilm could be ignorant of Rei's presence.)
Looking at Keep’s smug confidence, Daskar was genuinely puzzled.
However, identifying Rei as the famous adventurer with the alias Crimson was actually quite difficult at first glance without the presence of his Death Scythe or Seto. When Keep had encountered Rei, Seto wasn't nearby. And even when they had come to the Lord's Mansion, Rei had told Seto to wait back at Muet’s estate. Consequently, Keep and his men had no idea who they were actually dealing with. Furthermore, Rei certainly didn't need his great scythe to handle a few knights, so the weapon hadn't made an appearance.
"What's taking so long? Legal formalities! L-e-g-a-l f-o-r-m-a-l-i-t-i-e-s!"
Keep urged him on, emphasizing every syllable. Daskar suppressed a surge of irritation and the urge to roar at the man, instead turning to the Baron.
"And does Muet agree to this duel?"
"Yes. To be honest, I have no confidence in my own martial prowess, but this man has offered to fight as my proxy."
"...I see. And Lord Keep, you agree to the duel as well?"
"Haven't I been saying so? Now, hurry up with the paperwork."
"Then we must settle the demands for each side."
As Daskar spoke through gritted teeth, Keep jumped in immediately.
"If I win, I take that maid. If I lose, I will hand over half of Count Eriel's House's fortune. Agreed?"
"Yes," Muet replied.
"...Excuse me?"
Muet had nodded without issue, but it was Daskar who let out a dumbfounded sound. Thinking he might have misheard, he grasped at a shred of hope and asked again.
"I thought I heard you say that if you lose, you will hand over half the fortune of Count Eriel’s House. Did I mishear you, Lord Keep?"
"No, you heard correctly. If I’m to drag a lowly poor baron into a duel, I need to provide a sufficient lure, don't I? Besides, I'm going to win anyway, so I'll never have to pay it. It's not an issue."
Before Muet could respond to Keep’s blatant disrespect, the maid standing behind him, Ashie, reached her breaking point.
"Lord Keep, have you no shame? Regardless of the difference in rank, you are being incredibly rude. You may carry the blood of an Earl, but you are not the head of your house yet. I must ask you to refrain from mocking my master, the Baron."
"...Oh? A mere maid, speaking so boldly to the Next Head of Count Eriel's House? It’s precisely that spirit that will make you so satisfying to discipline once you're mine. You should be grateful for my generosity."
Keep leered at Ashie with eyes that were the very definition of vulgar. Seeing her scowl in disgust seemed to satisfy him, and he turned back to Daskar.
"Now, Margrave Larkus. How much longer must I wait? Draft the documents already."
"Lord Keep, you are indeed registered as the heir, and you have a certain degree of freedom over the family assets. However, wagering half the family fortune in a duel without consulting the current head... is that not highly unwise?"
"Hah! What are you talking about? As I said, there is no way I could lose to such a pathetic poor noble. Rest assured, the stake is merely a guarantee to keep that man from running away."
Keep was absolutely certain of his victory, but Fultos, standing beside him, spoke up hesitantly.
"Lord Keep... surely half the fortune requires Master's approval... Moreover, the prize is just one maid. She truly isn't worth wagering half the estate..."
"What's this, Fultos? Are you suggesting I might lose to this man?"
"No, of course not, my lord. But..."
"Then shut up! If I say I'm doing it, I'm doing it! Margrave Larkus! The paperwork!"
"...One final confirmation. You are truly wagering half of Count Eriel's House's fortune. Is that correct?"
Keep nodded instantly.
Daskar confirmed the response and began to set his pen to paper. Ordinarily, Daskar might have felt a shred of pity and informed Keep of Rei's true identity. However, that was a courtesy, not an obligation, and he couldn't be blamed for remaining silent. After all, Keep was certain of his victory even with Rei standing right in front of him.
Furthermore, on a personal level, Daskar had no intention of stopping this.
Once the duel was formalized, a loss would mean the utter destruction of Count Eriel’s House's reputation. And with a legally binding document promising half the family fortune, there would be no room for excuses when the inevitable happened.
"Now, place your blood seals. Once that is done, the legal procedures for this duel will be complete."
Daskar recorded the stakes on the document. Muet and Keep each took the provided knife, made a small cut on their thumbs, and pressed their blood seals onto the parchment.
The moment the two seals were placed, the document emitted a faint green magical glow.
(With the blood seals in place and the formalities met, there is no backing out now. If anyone tries to flee, it will be treated as a loss by default, and their stakes will be surrendered unconditionally.)
Maintaining a solemn facade as he looked at the group, Daskar was inwardly cheering. He had finally found a legal way to expel Keep—this constant source of headaches—from Gilm.
If Keep were to win, it would be a different story, but with Rei involved, that was practically impossible.
In other words, once the duel concluded, Keep would have no choice but to return to his own territory to arrange the transfer of half the Eriel estate. If the stakes had been simple gold coins or jewels, he might have stayed in Gilm and handled it by letter to his father. But half a house’s fortune required the heir's physical presence back at home.
(Well, I'm sure they'll just send another nuisance once he's gone, but still...)
Feeling the rush of excitement from a few moments ago begin to fade, he kept his expression neutral and spoke.
"The conditions are set. You will both likely need time to prepare your proxies. Regarding the date and time... let's say, five days from now at 1:00 PM at the Knight Order Training Ground. Is that acceptable?"
Keep nodded, a smirk of absolute victory on his face. Muet also nodded, his expression grave and serious.
Seeing their agreement, Daskar made it official.
"Then, five days from today, at 1:00 PM, the duel shall take place at the Knight Order Training Ground within this mansion. Only one proxy per side is permitted. The match will be decided when one side surrenders, becomes incapacitated... or loses their life. The victor shall claim the agreed-upon stakes from the loser. Any objections?"
Confirming there were none...
"Then the conditions for the duel are finalized. See to it that you act in a manner you will not regret."
He declared.