Chapter 128: Chapter 124: How an Honest Man Is Fooled
Due to Robson’s personal prestige, the matter of appointing commoners as Non-commissioned Officers was implemented in the end, even though many had their reservations.
This wasn’t an exceptionally difficult task; some of the great nobles with massive armies had taken similar measures before.
None of that was important.
What Robson found strangest was that, although Valentino never showed it openly, he always had the feeling she was observing him, whether deliberately or not.
After all, Robson was a Golden Tier warrior and a third-tier Mage Apprentice. It was quite simple for him to sense her gaze.
This realization made Robson break out in a cold sweat.
Robson still hadn’t figured out why Valentino was here.
’If she was really here to see how I train soldiers, she should be at the training grounds. If she’s inspecting the fortress’s operations to find fault, she should be focused on the warehouse ledgers.’
’But now, Valentino does nothing all day but stare at me.’
Robson had a pretty good idea that things were bad. ’She’s here for me.’
He hadn’t slept at all last night, trying to figure out what he had exposed. ’Or rather, what is there to expose in the first place?’
’My system panel is powerful, but honestly, a normal person would never figure it out. Even if they saw something odd, they could look at my logistics ledgers and list of military achievements and just come up with their own explanations.’
’The only suspicious thing is that I somehow reached the Golden Tier, but Valentino obviously knew about that already.’
’Besides, someone at her level shouldn’t be so easily surprised.’
’Just look at her—with her natural talent and her clan’s nurturing, she’s already Silver Sixth Tier before turning twenty. Reaching the Golden Tier is just a matter of a little insight for her.’
"Baron Robson, what a coincidence."
Valentino and her guards appeared around a corner.
"It is, isn’t it? And where might the Earl be headed?" Robson said with a smile.
"Just strolling around. Why don’t you show me around the area?" Valentino asked.
"It would be my honor," Robson said.
Robson had no idea what Valentino was up to, but since she had taken the initiative, he couldn’t very well refuse.
....
Valentino wasn’t surprised by Robson’s reaction. After all, if Marquis Oscillate hadn’t brought it up, the thought would have never crossed her mind.
As for Robson, he didn’t even know if Valentino was married, single, or had a fiancé.
After all, Valentino had come with the intention of checking him out beforehand. So far, she was quite satisfied.
Southern nobles generally knew how to enjoy life, and after a few generations, their bloodlines were quite good.
When Robson’s parents were young, they were renowned as a talented scholar and a beautiful lady, so it went without saying that Robson himself was handsome.
Of course, in marriage alliances between nobles, appearance was actually the least important thing.
What mattered most was Robson’s performance in all areas. Militarily, he had undoubtedly held his own. Politically, he displayed a rare maturity.
Valentino had even taken the initiative to ask around Qimo Fortress a few times herself, and the praise for him was universally excellent.
The people at Qimo Fortress had no idea why the Earl had suddenly appeared, but Sir Robson had certainly shared the spoils with them. Since their interests were aligned, they were not at all stingy with their praise.
To Valentino, that spoke volumes. It also helped that Robson hadn’t let his wartime achievements go to his head; he had kept a low profile and simply did what needed to be done.
These subtle details already revealed Robson’s political skill.
Anyone destined for greatness shows signs of it.
As the Sect Leader of the Fengman Clan, Valentino had to be extremely cautious when choosing a partner to help lead the clan.
Things like romantic declarations of love were secondary.
Most importantly, setting all else aside, Robson himself was a humorous and witty person. Of course, Valentino had no way of knowing that his soul hailed from an age of information overload. He had a mental library of internet jokes and tricks for making a girl laugh.
At least for now, Valentino could see no flaws in him. He was intelligent and witty, and she had heard no stories of any promiscuous escapades from his hometown.
This alone was enough to put him ahead of ninety percent of the men in aristocratic circles. To find someone like that to spend the rest of her life with would be considered a stroke of luck among her peers.
Of course, even if she was satisfied, she would never say so aloud. The Frank Kingdom was still a traditional society where matters as important as marriage alliances were typically arranged by the elders.
Robson, completely oblivious to Valentino’s thoughts, chatted and laughed with her as they walked. Even their guards, trailing behind, found themselves unconsciously exchanging combat tips.
They continued like this all the way to the Mage Tower.
"The Mage Tower? I heard you’re also a Mage?" Valentino asked, her curiosity piqued.
Being skilled in both magic and martial arts was indeed rare. Even at Algeria King’s College, Robson’s achievements would have been enough to earn him the title of genius.
"I know a little," Robson chuckled.
He held out his hand, using Magic to conjure a fiery-red Blue Hometown Flower—this world’s equivalent of a rose.
He wasn’t bold enough to do this because he’d guessed Valentino’s intentions of a marriage alliance. In fact, that thought hadn’t even crossed his mind; he knew next to nothing about her.
