The Viscount Wants to Go to the Mill - Chapter 27

The self-proclaimed Revaston, unaware of what was happening, was dressing up. His clothes were fancy but not overly ostentatious, his tie slightly loosened for a wild look, and he chose a deliberately modest bouquet.

The key was to create a feeling of uncertainty. Viscount Aiden was a woman worth this much effort.

‘The conditions are too good.’

A woman who might have already met Revaston was out. A woman who might know someone who had met him was also out. But she had to be wealthy enough to be worth seducing. It would be better if she had no family. Whether they opposed or supported, it would be a nuisance.

‘I need to make a big score this time to retire properly.’

Receiving gifts and borrowing money was nothing compared to draining a wealthy family. It would be nice to stay here comfortably for a while if possible. At least until someone who knew the real Revaston showed up.

‘Or I could use retirement as an excuse to move somewhere where guests wouldn’t visit.’

Even then, the woman’s money would follow.

Once he got married, who wouldn’t believe him? If they divorced, he could still make a fortune.

If he failed to seduce her? Then he would just quit.

He knew the whole city was buzzing with anticipation of good news. Such an atmosphere would inevitably affect the parties involved. She wasn’t an easy woman, but how could she refuse Revaston’s courtship? No human could.

Thinking such thoughts, he stepped outside, where Wilberg was waiting, holding the reins himself.

“Good morning, Revaston! I heard you were going out, so I waited.”

“No need for that. I’m sorry to trouble a knight like you with such a task.”

Revaston said with a smooth smile. Wilberg answered loudly.

“No trouble at all! I do it because I want to see you as much as possible!”

“Thank you.”

Revaston thought he was a naive fool. Wilberg spoke.

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Have you heard the rumors? About the holy sword?”

Revaston blinked. Although Breck had spread the rumors about the holy sword within a day or two, Revaston, who had no servant to bring him gossip and no one to directly mention it to him, was completely unaware.

Wilberg, as if personally insulted, spoke heatedly.

“The rumor that the holy sword is in this city.”

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly. Since you’re here, of course, the holy sword should be here too, but what are they talking about? Anyway, I thought you should know even if it’s just a silly rumor.”

“That’s ridiculous. Thank you.”

Revaston replied nonchalantly, taking the reins from Wilberg, but he was concerned. If Revaston was here, of course, the holy sword should be here too, but what was the rumor that made Wilberg come to tell him?

Moreover, Wilberg glanced wistfully at Revaston’s waist. Since he was going to build rapport and meet a lady, it was natural he wasn’t carrying a sword. But it wasn’t just this time; Wilberg had been guiding and attending him for weeks without seeing the holy sword. He thought it wasn’t something one would show off casually, but he really wanted to see it.

Noticing his gaze, Revaston asked.

“What’s the rumor? What are they saying?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. Apparently, there’s a mountain in a neighboring village, and the holy sword is said to be stuck halfway up the mountain.”

“I see. Has anyone been there?”

“It’s not a hard mountain to climb, so there must be. They say there’s something there, like a magic barrier. Some people have heard thunder on clear days.”

“I see.”

Revaston replied indifferently, pretending to be uninterested. Wilberg’s eyes sparkled, thinking he might get to see a small adventure of the hero.

“If you want to go, I’ll guide you. Once it’s confirmed, the nonsense will stop.”

“Well, I have an appointment today.”

He waved the bouquet. Wilberg nodded. Of course. A lady he fancied was more important than exploring some small, unknown barrier.

Wilberg gladly held Revaston’s reins. He felt no shame in acting as a pawn, given that it was Revaston.

Revaston, arriving at Viscount Aiden’s, tried not to grimace. There were guests in the drawing room.

“Haha, it’s an honor to meet you. If Viscount Aiden hadn’t informed us, we wouldn’t have known the hero was in our region.”

Baron Ploy, nearly seventy, laughed heartily, gripping Revaston’s hands tightly. Revaston thanked him for the warm welcome, but inwardly he was displeased. Not only Baron Ploy and his wife but also Mayor Arett and his wife were there. It was as if his request to meet alone had been blatantly ignored.

Looking at Lily, she smiled awkwardly and said,

“Baron Ploy and his wife would have been so disappointed if they never got to meet you while you were here. I had some news to share, so I mentioned it, and they came running.”

Mayor Arett and his wife naturally followed the Baron and Baroness. Seeing the number of guests, Sir Wilberg also sat down awkwardly. Revaston forced a smile.

‘Damn it.’

Seducing Lily was a failure. It felt like a jar filled with gold had just flown away before his eyes.

He realized it was time to disappear. He had made enough, and with the rumors about the holy sword and Lily’s refusal, perhaps she was starting to suspect something.

Baron Ploy, excited, urged him to tell tales of his adventures. He cursed inwardly, thinking they were trying to squeeze every bit of entertainment out of him in this dull place.

For a while, they engaged in small talk, but then a scream was heard from outside.

“Dragon!!”

At first, no one reacted. It was such an absurd statement that no one paid it any mind.

However, the sound, whether a cheer or a scream, grew louder. Eventually, Wilberg stood up.

“I’ll go see what’s happening.”

Before he could leave the drawing room, the door burst open. A butler rushed in, shouting loudly.

“It’s a dragon!”

“What?”

“What on earth are you talking about…”

“Go outside and see for yourself!”

The well-lit drawing room suddenly darkened as if covered by storm clouds. Outside, there were no more screams. It was eerily quiet, as if time had stopped.

Everyone in the drawing room rushed outside in a panic. It was real. A black dragon was leisurely casting a shadow over the entire city.

At that moment, Breck was sitting in a corner of the garden, tending to his gardening tools. He had sensed its approach long ago, so he wasn’t surprised or disturbed by the dragon’s shadow.

‘A dragon I haven’t seen before. Not a young one, just finished its dormant period?’

Who could it be here for? The holy sword? Revaston?

Either way, the fake would be in trouble. He chuckled. What a fool. Did he really think only humans would be curious about the dragon slayer?

Though he hadn’t expected a dragon to actually show up. Dragons, among the long-lived races, had particularly long lifespans and a different sense of time, and they rarely showed interest in short-lived creatures. They could sleep for hundreds of years and then laze around for another hundred years after waking up, rarely moving to satisfy their curiosity.

This was divine retribution. Since a dragon had intervened, perhaps it should be called natural retribution. A dragon thousands of years old was like a mountain or a river. Either way, it was karma.

“Sir Revi!”

Evangeline ran over, startled. With everyone else screaming or running around in excitement, no one noticed an outsider entering the mansion.

“What’s happening?!”

“I don’t know.”

Breck shrugged.

“‘Revaston’ will handle it.”

That’s what everyone thought. Lily, Mayor Arett and his wife, Baron Ploy and his wife, and the employees who had run to the garden all thought the same. Only the self-proclaimed Revaston, sweating and frozen in place, didn’t know what to do.

‘Damn, damn, what is this? Why is a dragon here?’

He desperately hoped it was just passing by on other business, but life never goes as one hopes. The dragon’s long neck bent down, peering straight into Viscount Aiden’s mansion. Its golden eyes narrowed as it scanned each person.

People looked up at its massive form in awe. No one dared to speak. Though the dragon was merely present, its presence was overwhelming. It wasn’t just fear; it was the saturation of their cognitive abilities.

Only Lily, sensing the atmosphere, was slightly surprised. Of course, she felt awe, but she wasn’t as overwhelmed as the others. She didn’t realize it was because she was accustomed to Breck’s aura.

The oppressive feeling and the dragon’s massive form suddenly vanished.

Whoosh.