I Became a Childhood Friend With the Villainous Saintess

Chapter 59: The Barony of Esquente (1)

Northern Front, 3rd Commander. Neola Esquente.

A young man in his mid-20s with striking looks and a perpetual, charming smile.

Known more commonly as “Baron Esquente” than by his name or title, he liked to call himself a small-minded person.

He never explained why, but people speculated that it was due to his lack of ambition. Outwardly, he seemed entirely unburdened by any grand dreams or goals.

A man who believed in protecting what he already possessed rather than coveting more. Though not lacking in ability, he was easily content and quick to settle. His actions were casual, and his words carried little weight.

“Ah, you really went through a lot! Both of you! It’s worth entrusting things to people you can rely on. Thanks to you, the whole region around Requitas is in an uproar. The rumors are flying thick and fast!”

“Rumors?”

“They say the gods sent a demon to purify Requitas! People swear they saw a monster from hell ripping throats out with a ‘crunch, crunch,’ breaking bones as it fed. Did you really do that?”

“Haha! Let’s hold off for now. Surely there are tastier things to devour than a scruffy guy like me, don’t you think? In your honor, a meal is ready for you. I even hired a new chef this time, so I’m sure the Lady Saintess will be pleased!”

However, his true worth only became apparent when it came to protecting what he cherished. Because he valued what he had, he cared deeply for those under him.

Light in words and action, he was sharp and flexible, ready to adapt at any moment.

The Baron of Iron and Gold. The true face of Baron Esquente was a monster curled up in the paradise he’d built.

With a beaming face, the baron led us to his mansion. Though a commander on the front line, or more accurately, a nobleman, he was lighthearted and approachable in manner.

“Hey, Jackson! How’s business today?”

“What’d you think? As you can see, just a bunch of flies buzzing around.”

“That won’t do! Hand me an apple, would you?”

“Here ya go!”

The fruit seller tossed an apple, which the baron caught smoothly with both hands, flipping a coin from his pocket.

“Would you like an apple? I buy from him all the time; he’s got a real eye for picking fruit.”

“Sure, just cut me half.”

“Here you go! I’ll have the other half myself.”

Sirien bit into the apple. The crunch echoed, and her pretty eyes widened.

“This is delicious! It’s so sweet.”

“Isn’t it? Make sure to drop by before you leave. It’s too good to waste.”

“Razen, try it! It’s really good.”

“Fruit is best enjoyed as dessert.”

“Hurry!”

“Seems you’re not listening to me. But that must mean it’s that tasty. I’m glad!”

Eventually, I ended up accepting the apple Sirien offered. It was as sweet and flavorful as the baron had promised.

As the three of us finished our apples, we arrived at the baron’s mansion.

It had no sense of strict formality but retained a lively atmosphere. The expressions of his staff were far more relaxed than in most noble households.

When the baron passed by, rather than giving him a formal bow, the gardener simply nodded with a smile.

“Welcome back, my lord. The chef is waiting for you.”

“We’ll head there now!”

“Good to see you both again. Please take care of our lord.”

Even as we walked down the hall, the baron didn’t stop chatting.

Before we even sat down, we’d already heard his latest news.

“You’ll be shocked by the chef’s skill this time. I found him on a recent trip to the capital. His cooking was so memorable, I kept going back the whole time I was there!”

“You were in the capital?”

“Yes, I only returned a few days ago. I left the day after entrusting you with the task. The capital was as impressive as ever! Every time I go, the view seems to change, but of course, my territory is still the best.”

“You usually look like you’re about to die when you leave the estate. Did you actually enjoy yourself this time?”

“Oh, don’t get me started! It was exhausting, as usual. The capital’s packed with old men who raise hundreds of vipers in their stomachs. I thought I’d suffocate!”

The baron waved his hand dismissively but continued to shower endless praise on his territory, saying how the water outside tastes different or how it lacks the scent of life.

Even if exaggerated, he never told outright lies.

The meal he had meticulously prepared was so luxurious that even Sirien was left wide-eyed.

An array of delicacies from mountain and sea was spread across the table.

“Now, please have a seat. Anything’s easier to deal with over a good meal, wouldn’t you say?”

It had been a while since I’d seen it. Sirien, smiling happily while eating.

“Amazing! This fish has no odor at all. It must’ve been a long journey to get it here. How did you manage?”

“As expected, the Lady Saintess notices such things! That’s what makes our chef remarkable. He brings out the natural flavors of every dish while removing any flaws.”

“The roasted turkey is good, too. All I taste is butter and herbs, and the aroma is perfectly balanced. The texture is tender.”

“Haha! That’s our chef’s signature. I was so taken by his cooking that I pleaded to hire him exclusively! To think someone of his talent had been hidden away until now is absurd!”

The two of them were fervently assessing the food. As for me, I wasn’t exactly a gourmet, so I simply enjoyed it as a particularly delicious meal.

It was great simply to eat as much meat as I wanted.

The drink was also well-balanced, with a perfect mix of sweetness and tartness.

Honestly, it might have been even better than the juice I drank in modern times.

It seemed like it was made from a blend of cranberry and something else, though I couldn’t be sure. I’m hardly a refined palate.

After thoroughly enjoying a long and happy meal, the servants cleared away the remaining dishes, and we waited for dessert.

Now that we had a moment, it was time to discuss business. Sirien spoke up first.

“How’s the front line these days? Feels like we’ve been away from the gate for quite a while.”

“It’s calm. The newly appointed 2nd Commander has been working tirelessly, so things have been quiet. Thanks to him, it’s been nothing but peace on our end.”

“That’s a relief. The baron might not be able to return to the front for a while.”

“What? That sounds unsettling. What do you mean by that? Didn’t we just clean up the mess in the rear?”

“Here, take a look at this.”

Sirien handed over a document written by Russell himself.

It was something like a report, detailing the dealings with the Count Eloran and the activities of the Crescent Moon group.

The main focus was on the point at which they discovered the count was colluding with demons.

As soon as he read the first page, Baron Esquente’s expression darkened.

His ever-smiling face turned pale, and his hands holding the document began to tremble.

“This… Where did this information come from? Who’s the source? How reliable is it?”

“If you keep reading, you’ll see it’s quite convincing. The source is coming in person, so you’ll meet them soon enough. As for reliability… well, I don’t think they have any reason to lie to us.”

“If the Lady Saintess says so, then it must be almost certain…”

As the baron continued reading, the life seemed to drain from him.

He looked pitiful, unable to even touch the dessert prepared by the chef he’d praised so highly.

In the end, Baron Esquente tried to escape reality.

“P-proof! We need proof! No matter how trustworthy the Lady Saintess may be, for something this serious, we need solid evidence!”

“We’re already securing that proof. We parted ways north of Requitas, so it should arrive in three or four days at most. It’ll come under the name Russell, so inform the guards in advance.”

The baron was utterly defeated.

He stared blankly at the ceiling, as though his soul might drift away if Sirien waved her hand just right.

The statement “The Count Eloran is colluding with demons” wasn’t just a matter of an internal betrayal.

The Northern Front’s army was simple in structure.

Commanders like Baron Esquente managed the defense on a regular basis, and if things got too intense for them, the Count Eloran would step in. Structurally, the count was effectively the baron’s superior.

And this superior had taken a strong disliking to Baron Esquente.

In fact, it seemed he’d held a grudge for quite some time, but now he was actively colluding with the enemy to have him killed.

If Baron Esquente wanted to survive, he’d have to alert the central government to this fact and remove Count Eloran from power.

One of them was bound to die.

It had become, quite literally, a duel to the death.

“Evidence… What am I supposed to do if the evidence arrives?”

“What do you mean? You’ll have to figure that out.”

“How can you say something so heartless! Lady Saintess, aren’t we seated at the same table here? Are you really going to turn a blind eye to my crisis and hardship?”

“Who said I’d ignore it?”

Sirien replied casually.

“Just confront him head-on.”

“Aaagh! I’m trying to avoid that! Count Eloran is a grand noble—someone leagues above the likes of me!”

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