Westminster Bank

Chapter 286: Chapter 173: Baron... Identity Exposed?

In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to say the three words on his mind: ’That is insane.’

"That path is teeming with the auras of Dragon Descendants... Perhaps you could take a look at the path those two Silver Dragon Guides chose..."

Freya’s Dragon Guide offered the reminder, but after seeing his employer’s hostile glare, he fell silent.

This was the young lady of the Lancelot Family who had once broken off an engagement in front of the entire Old Descendant World. Her temper, it seemed, was just as difficult as the rumors claimed.

"Master Jack, the aura of the Dragon Species on the middle path is immense. It’s very likely a Fourth or Fifth Generation Species... Miss Isabella is powerful, but if there are too many Dragon Descendants..."

"That’s precisely why I chose it." Baron calmly cut off "Baron No. 2." "Has it ever occurred to you that they might be wrong, and I’m the one who’s right?"

Baron didn’t bother to lower his voice, saying this for everyone present to hear.

After a moment of silence, the crowd erupted into a furious, buzzing clamor.

"Insolent. Utterly insolent."

"He’s just a phony, a monkey in a crown. If those two with the Silver Masks hadn’t vouched for him, even I would be better than him."

"He doesn’t even know how to read auras, the most basic skill. No matter how powerful Miss Isabella is, I’m afraid this Dragon Guide is going to be the ruin of her."

"..."

The Dragon Knight Baron’s superhuman hearing picked up every last one of their remarks. In response, he asked, "Am I the Silver-rank, or are you?"

Baron No. 2 looked like he wanted to say something but held his tongue. Roy frowned, thinking, ’The crowd is already in an uproar. Surely Isabella must see by now what an amateur this Master Jack is.’

He subconsciously wanted to pull rank, using his authority from the Griffin Knight Order to reprimand Jack.

But Isabella simply grabbed the back of Baron’s collar and said coolly, "Are you certain this is the path, Master Jack?"

Baron hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Then, in the same fashion, Isabella began dragging him as she charged toward the heart of the mountain range.

The Trial Takers and Dragon Guides who remained behind watched this, exchanging glances. Some sneered, some mocked, and others simply jeered.

Roy sighed. Freya stepped forward and asked, "Since you have feelings for Isabella, why don’t you just expose her Dragon Guide for the half-baked fraud he is?"

Roy replied, "This is part of the Beowulf Family’s selection for the next Patriarch. If I interfere, it would be fine if Isabella ends up winning the position. But if someone else does..."

He didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear: helping Isabella was no guarantee of victory, but not helping was a surefire way to avoid defeat.

This was true even though he held Isabella in high regard and, after their duel on the training grounds last night, had come to believe that only a woman like her was worthy of his station.

But as the Young Master of the Hestia Family, his family’s interests had to come first.

He gazed into the depths of the mountain range. ’I wonder if Norton is ready,’ he thought.

...

"You’re saying that Master Jack took Miss Isabella down the middle path?"

Tune roared with laughter at the Trial Taker who had rushed over to report to him. "My dear sister... so clever her whole life, yet so foolish in this one moment. She’s just too headstrong, always trusting her own judgment and ignoring everyone else."

He turned to his own Dragon Guide. "Master, according to what you told me before, are you certain that path leads to the nesting grounds of a Thunder Wolf Dragon pack?"

Tune’s Dragon Guide answered decisively, "It is."

——————

[From the Secret Notes of the original Baron Constantin:]

January 8, 1977 / Wales / Weather: Overcast

Fought a life-or-death duel with Isabella. We both bled.

The reason: I said blood tastes sweet.

She said it tastes metallic.

Lucy came over, tasted both our blood, and said it was nothing special. Tasted like apples.