“My dear nephew, you're finally here!”
A bearded man in a luxurious robe laughed heartily, his large hand slapping Lynn's shoulder with a series of loud thuds.
Ouch, ouch, ouch.
“...Count Landon Gunier, I think you should watch your strength.”
【Name: Landon Gunier】
【Physique: 7.5; Mana: 3.7】
【Greatsword Master (Purple)】, 【Valiant Body (Purple)】, 【Firm Grip (Blue)】...
With a high-tier stats panel of a Tier 7 Great Warrior... a frail body like mine can't take this kind of beating, you know!
“Honestly, nephew, why so distant!” The man ran a hand through his hair in dissatisfaction and barked, “Back in the day, your old man and I slept in the same tents and ate from the same pots on the battlefield!”
“I saw how you handled things just now, and if you ask me—brilliantly done! Those little brats among the nobles nowadays, every single one of them is a goddamn son of a bitch!”
He cursed, completely unconcerned about who he was offending. “Damn it, why didn't his father just shoot him onto the wall back then!”
“Even that rascal of mine is the same... Ah, forget it, let's not talk about him!”
“If you get the chance, nephew, you have to give that boy a good beating for me!”
“Count Gunier, I...”
Having picked up on Lynn's subtle glance, the shrewd old man immediately slapped his chest. “Don't you worry, nephew. I've been planning to clean up the conduct of the families in my domain anyway. You just happened to give me the perfect excuse!”
He spoke casually, as if mentioning a trivial matter. “Once the competition is over, there won't be anyone named Lagut left in Count Gunier's domain.”
As expected of a veteran who had navigated the political waters for decades. Just look at how tactfully he put it~ Lynn nodded in relief.
In the game's storyline, Landon Gunier had been a loyalist to House Reinhardt from beginning to end. Even when House Reinhardt dwindled and the game's Lynn proved to be a hopeless piece of trash, this old man had only shed tears and urged Lynn to have more children while he was still young to pass on the bloodline. In other words, he was a backer Lynn could fully trust.
Sigh, is there anyone else who feels like Landon and Grand Duke Reinhardt are a tragic couple?
After settling the previous farce in just a few words, the man's eyes darted around slyly.
“Well, well. I was quite shocked when your father told me you were participating in the competition this time. What's the matter? Is the young lord of the North finally going to show off his mettle?” He glanced at Veronica in the distance, who was pretending not to care. “Or is it—”
He leaned in close to Lynn's ear. “Is it because that girl is participating? Is that why you...”
“Stop, stop, stop, Count Landon Gunier.”
“You brat, call me Uncle Landon.”
“...Uncle Landon.” Under the weight of Landon's overbearing presence, Lynn reluctantly gave in.
He really didn't know how to deal with this type of person. After all, Landon's go-to line was always—
“Back when you were just a tiny tot, I even held you!”
...Who could possibly handle that?
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Landon marveled. “A Saintess Candidate and the future Grand Duke participating in the same hunting competition is an unprecedented grand event in the last thirty years! Who knows how much attention this will attract? Even the royal family...”
He gave Lynn a subtle look. “You brat, you're confident, right?”
Translated: Brat, don't embarrass us on such an occasion!
Do you have what it takes? If you really can't do it, as the host of the competition, your Uncle Landon can only uphold the principles of fairness and justice...
Are you sure you don't need me to open a back door for you? He winked and nudged.
I will win. Lynn returned a firm, resolute gaze.
“Good lad! With those words, I can put my mind at ease!”
“Ah, seeing you high-spirited youngsters, even this old man's blood is starting to boil. Back in my day...”
Seeing Landon stroke his beard and start to ramble endlessly about the past, Lynn cast a pleading look into the distance.
Save me, Lilian.
Lilian, whose eyes were full of stars as she stared at the desserts on the buffet table, was completely oblivious. She opened her mouth wide and swallowed a freshly served matcha cake in one bite.
“Amazing!” “Is that already her tenth cake?!” The strange exclamations of bystander extras could still be heard faintly.
As if sensing her young master's gaze, she lifted her face from the cakes, cream smeared all over it. She looked toward Lynn.
Lynn: Save me~
Lilian: Young Master must be telling me to eat to my heart's content and not embarrass House Reinhardt!
She clenched her fists and nodded resolutely, then turned to the waiter. “Another one!”
“Ohhh! I'm getting fired up too!” The bystander extras' exclamations grew even louder.
Lynn: ...
In the end, it was Veronica, who couldn't bear to watch any longer, who stepped in to save him.
She walked up to the rambling Landon and gave a sweet smile. “Uncle Landon~”
Landon's heart melted at the greeting, his old face instantly crinkling into a joyful smile. “Ah, our little princess of the North is here~ Is there anything your Uncle Landon can help you with?”
“No need to trouble you, Uncle Landon. It's just that I still have some private matters to discuss with the Dem—Lynn. If you don't mind...”
“Ah! I see, I see! Young people should indeed spend more time interacting~” Landon patted Lynn's shoulder with exaggerated enthusiasm.
You brat, and you still claim you didn't come for little Pera?
His face turned solemn: Go ahead with confidence! Although your old man failed to woo the Saintess of his generation, you can definitely surpass him!
How does a single look from you carry so much meaning?!
Lynn was dragged away by Veronica, completely questioning his life choices.
“...I say, don't you know what Uncle Landon is like?”
Lynn twitched his lips awkwardly.
There was nothing he could do; he really didn't know.
Once they reached a blind spot out of Landon's sight, Veronica immediately let go of Lynn's hand with a look of disgust.
Disregarding all decorum, she wiped her hands on Lynn's clothes twice, then took two steps back, pulled out a bottle of perfume, and sprayed it all over herself.
Lynn: ...
Lynn, who had been about to say a few polite words of thanks, wisely shut his mouth.
This shorty... how did I actually find her considerate for a split second?!
“Let's get this straight first: I won't be going easy on you in this competition~” Veronica waved her folding fan, hiding her smug expression.
“Oh, my. I can't wait to see a certain muscle demon crying because he got eliminated due to a lack of points~”
Rather than snapping back, Lynn caught the key detail first. “...Points?”
Seeing that Lynn's confusion didn't seem feigned, Veronica's beautiful eyes widened. “Wait, you don't even know what points are?”
Rate on N.U.
