8. Promise Among Ruins

“Damn it, damn it all!”

Crash!

Old fences and flowerpots shattered with a rumble from merciless punches and kicks. Still not venting his anger enough, Benson huffed heavily while thoroughly drunk. Villagers who saw this passed by fearfully avoiding him. Their eyes held traces of ‘here he goes again.’

Noticing that, Benson threw whatever he could grab at the passersby.

“What are you looking at! Huh?”

“Eek!”

A passerby who suffered the misfortune of getting hit by the flying stone hurriedly walked away pulling his donkey, face pale.

He didn’t bother to argue about being hit or protest. Though the passerby was just a commoner, his opponent was not. An ominous atmosphere filled the entire street. Even those enjoying the leisurely night streets ran home in a line to avoid the violence.

Regardless, Benson shouted filled with resentment.

“Why did I have to end up like this!”

Just a few months ago, he had been a recognized talent in Tevant, the city of arts.

Though not a particularly famous or great family, his household was considered quite well-off in this region. Though their influence had diminished much compared to the past, they were once a family that interacted with nobles from major cities including Tevant and the capital long ago. They say even ruined rich families last three generations, and his family still lived comfortably on wealth their ancestors had earned.

Thanks to that, he entered Tevant’s art academy easily by paying donations.

He had three older brothers above him anyway. It would be hard to inherit the title, he hated the military because it was difficult, and he hated becoming a politician or priest because it required lots of studying. If he had to choose something, being an artist who could also enjoy working with n*de models seemed the easiest.

However, though he thought he drew quite well in his rural village, he was no better than a pebble compared to the outstanding talents flooding into the art city. Still, it didn’t matter. Though there were several hurdles, nothing was impossible with additional donations. That worked for his admission at the Academy, classes, and even assignments.

Though Benson’s life was a rather smooth sailing while spending extravagantly and eating through the family’s money. All that remained was making a name by placing in the exhibition held under Duke Tevant’s name.

The art world was largely about connections anyway. If he put more effort into drinking and entertaining than focusing on drawing pictures, it shouldn’t be difficult at all to keep a foothold at the bottom.

Since Duke Tevant rarely held competitions under his direct name, Benson prepared his best for the submission. He secretly hired an artist to draw works for money in his place and didn’t forget to show sincerity to several judges. He had realized bribes didn’t work on Duke Tevant himself since his admission at the Academy.

However, what returned was a label of committing fraud and severe disciplinary action.

“That damn Duke Tevant bastard, damn mistress b*tch!”

Just for stating the undoubted fact that a woman, possibly just the Duke’s mistress, sold her body to place.

Other times, he could have buried the fact he committed fraud, or gotten away with minor discipline that no one would know about.

However, the person who ordered the rooting out of fraudulent participants was none other than Duke Tevant. The art world under Tevant, closely attuned to the Duke’s mood, handled matters strictly this time, unlike before. All the tricks he knew stopped working.

The situation grew increasingly serious. Like a public execution, the reasons for canceling preliminary passes and names of several students including him were posted hugely in the art newspaper.

His Academy classmates found him shameful for being branded a fraud. Several professors who had taught students with their own pride felt the same way.

Even professors involved in the fraud weren’t much different. They easily threw away students who had bribed them, being cautious about losing their professor positions too if Duke Tevant marked them.

After things turned out that way, he considered transferring, but no other art school would accept him after such an unsavory incident. His reputation in the art world plummeted.

Finally Benson returned to his hometown almost like being chased out. He hoped for illustration or portrait commissions at least, but strangely even work completely dried up.

It seemed like unremarkable illustrators from other villages were stealing his work. Though he felt extremely provoked, he couldn’t create non-existent customers. The local noble society felt reluctant to entrust work to him. Eventually even mocking words followed.

In the end all he could do was kill time locked in his room. Even then he had to wander outside feeling conscious of the eyes in the house. Since mockery followed at large taverns or society parties, he deliberately chose smaller places, arriving at this rural mountain village.

However, Benson, who frequently caused trouble while drunk, was kicked out of the tavern this time too. Even while heading to another tavern thoroughly drunk, he didn’t stop cursing.

“Damn it!”

Bang! The bucket he kicked rolled and crashed into the wall of the tavern he had targeted. It was the largest tavern in this area.

The tavern usually packed to the yard with drunkards somehow gave off a slightly elegant atmosphere today. Signs of sincere decorating and dressing up showed from the outer walls.

“This dump calls itself a tavern.”

Bang!

Just then Benson kicked the door open randomly and entered. People’s attention momentarily focused on him. Benson trembled briefly.

“What, enjoying the show?”

The moment he huffed and shouted, a chillingly smooth and beautiful voice rang out.

“There is quite a show.”

“……”

“Watching a drunk causing trouble without discretion in this kind of place.”

When he turned his head, that person was there.

Benson’s eyes grew to their limit. His mouth also opened ready to drool.

Duke Elroy Tevant, the source of his misfortune. He couldn’t understand why the Duke who should be in Tevant was here in this rural mountain village.

“D-Duke……”

“You seem to know who I am?”

The Duke who pointed out Benson’s violence showed no signs of recognizing him.

Benson’s instinct, sensing someone stronger than himself, shrank miserably. However, in the next moment, the anger that had been building all along surged forth, amplified by alcohol.

‘This is all because of that bastard.’

Thinking about it, that was really true. If Duke Tevant hadn’t arbitrarily posted his name in the art newspaper, he would be making a name for himself as an excellent artist by now.

His alcohol-soaked head kept whispering: Right. I did nothing wrong. This is all because of that Duke. I’m not even in Tevant anymore. It doesn’t matter. Soon, blind courage burst forth.

“……Ah, isn’t it the high and mighty Duke Tevant!”

People drew in sharp breaths at Benson’s shout. Already too drunk to see straight, Benson felt satisfied by that. His courage grew like his liver swelling.

“How come you came all the way here without bringing your mistress?”

“……”

Instead of answering, Duke Tevant just stared at Benson. When those cool mint-green eyes pierced through him, Benson hiccupped unknowingly. Right after, angered by his own fear, he shouted louder.

“I wish I had been a woman too. Then I could have flattered you and won awards like that woman!”

The lord hosting the banquet for the Duke and local dignitaries grew increasingly pale at his escalating remarks.

“So-someone stop him!”

“Your words go too far, young master!”

“What are you doing, Benson!”

Though several nobles and even Benson’s father who was present tried to stop him, Benson sneered ignoring them.

“Well, that mistress was worth keeping in many ways. Just how good must she have felt in bed……”

“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”

The sharp words cut off Benson’s drunken rant in one stroke.

“Wasn’t it you who committed fraud? Not the lady you keep calling my mistress.”

A gentle smile spread across the Duke’s face like he finally remembered who Benson was. Though clearly quite a friendly expression, it gave an eerie feeling. Benson’s courage shrank again. Sweat began seeping from his nape.

“F-fraud what……”

“Having someone else take tests, submitting someone else’s work, solicitation, bribes.”

His calm, cold voice rang clearly in the tavern. Benson’s face turned red and blue hearing his actions listed.

“I heard you even paid money because you couldn’t pass the Academy’s most basic beginner test.”

“……”

“At that level you can’t even draw lines, can you? How did you end up studying art…… Ah.”

Soon the Duke turned to Benson’s father with quite a friendly face. He was already looking at his son with a pale face.

“You must have invested in him being your son.”

“……”

“It seems you chose the wrong investment, Baron Benson.”

“D-Duke.”

“Though this may be excessive meddling.”

“No, I’ll gladly accept any words from you, Duke.”

Benson’s father’s lips trembled. The moment those words fell, the Duke stabbed without any hesitation.

“I wouldn’t even bother sowing seeds in rotten soil that’s beyond help even with a fertilizer.”

“……”

“Throwing money on the ground would be more valuable than that. Poor people could at least pick it up.”

The father’s face burned bright red at that smooth mockery. Meanwhile he couldn’t do anything since his son had committed the greater rudeness first. Benson burst out, unable to hold back.

“How dare you insult……”

“Aren’t you the one insulting the lady who won the award fairly?”