Chapter 71: Sold a Fight to the Strongest ①
Chapter 71: Sold a Fight to the Strongest ①
Translated by AmaLynne
「……What are you doing here, Albert?」
「Hey, hey, hey, Albert-sama, right? You got no manners at all」
「Which one of us has no manners?」
The man who smiled obnoxiously at Fran, with a look of disgust on his face, was the most powerful in the kingdom.
Fran probably wanted Albert to leave quickly.
She let him into the mansion, but it seems she will deal with him at the entrance.
(―――This guy is the most powerful wizard in the kingdom?)
He would be in his late twenties.
He is tall and well built, and seems to have other fighting skills besides magic.
His brown hair is kept short and his appearance, though not as good as Günther’s.
But the impudent glances that lick at Fran, the gleaming ornaments he wears on his arms and neck, including his ears.
The ungraceful laughter, all of which irritated Sam.
(A man like this is a court wizard? The most powerful in the kingdom?)
It seems absurd that such an unrefined man should claim to be the strongest in the kingdom, let alone Ur.
「So what can I do for you? If it’s my father…」
「I don’t have any use for that drunken loser.」
「You!」
Fran glares at Albert for calling her father a loser, but he doesn’t care.
Instead, he sniffed and deepened his disgusted smile.
「Hey, hey, hey, it’s true. He’s a loser who was not satisfied with being defeated by me in front of the king, and your pride was too high to continue as a court wizard, right?」
「Not because you insulted my father in front of the King’s public!」
「Well, I don’t care. I don’t care about scraps. More importantly, Francesca. It’s about time I got a good answer from you.」
「…What is it?」
(What are they talking about? I mean, why did Albert bother to come to this mansion?)
Sam recalls that Fran had told him that Albert was visiting the mansion for something.
Most of it, he was told, was to hurl insults at Delight and Fran.
The kingdom’s most powerful man has a lot of free time on his hands, he thinks.
「Of course not. Remember, I told you I’d make you my girl?」
「―――Who! To a man who would insult my father!」
「I’m telling you, I’m serious. I’m not talking about a mistress or a plaything, I’m talking about making you my wife.」
「Who the hell is going to be your wife?」
「How many women do you think want to be my wife? Some of them are even daughters of high nobility. But I chose Francesca. Isn’t that an honor?」
「…Do you really think I’m going to be your wife?」
Sam wondered if he should come between them.
Albert’s words and actions annoyed him.
He was impressed that Albert could speak from such a high position.
On the other hand, he was worried about Fran.
She obviously would have been angry if she was asked to be the wife of a man who insulted her father.
As proof, she was trembling with anger.
(I was worried about her, but I didn’t want to get in the middle of things and make things worse. I’m a third party.)
However, Sam is nearing the end of his rope.
It was really annoying to see Ur master and sister’s discipline being mocked.
But there was no way Sam could lose his temper while Fran was enduring it.
He took a deep breath and managed to contain his anger.
「Think about it, Francesca. If you become my wife, you can even take care of your loser father’s job. I can’t make you a court wizard again, but I can recommend you for an officer in the Royal Army. That would be great for a drunk, wouldn’t it?」
「Don’t insult my father! There is no way I would ever be in your care!」
「What are you and your son going to do now, then? You’re in debt because of your scumbag father, aren’t you? All of his students have given up on him and disappeared. Ulrike, who had been the only one to boast about his work, was gone. I hear that Count Walker and Duke Ignatz are helping him out in various ways, but now that Ulrike, the only link between them, is dead, who knows if they will continue to help him?」
「T-That’s…」
「What would you do if that happened? Would you sell your body?」
Fran turned red and slapped Albert on the cheek.
「Don’t insult me! My father will get back on his feet! I’ll even pay back my debts!」
「Ha.」
「Besides, I’d rather sell my body like a whore than be your wife!」
「―――Look who’s talking. I was nice to you for a minute, and you took advantage of me! Watch your tone, I’m the most powerful man in the country!」
Albert, incensed by Fran’s obvious rejection, swung his arms wide.
Sam, who could not tolerate this any longer, stepped in between Fran and Albert.
The next moment, Albert’s fist hit Sam directly on the cheek.