HTLCCBFT Chapter 65

Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 65

“Again?” Oliver calmly picked up the silk handkerchief, elegantly wiping a drop of sauce from the corner of his mouth in the standard aristocratic manner. “Understood.”

Fosse, who had been quietly standing by, tilted his head slightly toward the reporting knight Kane, signaling him to leave immediately and not disturb the young master’s meal any further.

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Seeing that the lord—no, the divine messenger—and the butler remained so composed, Kane couldn’t help but feel ashamed of his own earlier nervousness.

“Just like before, have the slaves take shelter,” Oliver instructed before Kane withdrew. “As for the commoners… never mind, proceed as last time.”

Defending the territory was both the responsibility and the privilege that distinguished commoners from slaves.

As the saying goes, the able should do more work. Being the highest noble who enjoyed everything in Laina City, Oliver believed he had shouldered his own obligations.

As someone who had also benefited from class disparities, no matter how weak the commoners’ combat abilities were—or even if they were suspected of being hindrances—that couldn’t justify their exemption from responsibility.

If they couldn’t fight now, they could at least observe from the sidelines.

Even if they couldn’t learn techniques, they could still cultivate courage.

This time, Oliver hadn’t actually intended for the commoners to engage in real combat against the enemy.

Facing swords with frying pans… it’s not like they were Hong Tailang. [mfn]Hong Tailang (红太狼) — a character from the Chinese animated series Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, known for beating her husband, Big Big Wolf, with a frying pan.[/mfn]

However, unwilling to let them develop the bad mindset that “being weak justifies staying out of harm’s way and being protected is taken for granted,” Oliver kept this thought to himself.

Kane accepted the order and withdrew.

“If I said I wanted you to stay in the castle…” Oliver looked at the stern-faced butler and couldn’t help but chuckle. “I suspect you’d commit your first act of disobedience against me, wouldn’t you, Fosse?”

The butler’s tightly pressed lips relaxed slightly, forming a reserved yet submissive curve.

He bowed to his young master. “You are always the wisest and most discerning, my respected Highness.”

Of course, the fiercely approaching bandit gang had no way of knowing what was happening inside the castle.

Brandishing various weapons—though many had lost theirs during their panicked, awkward escape and now made do with hastily sharpened branches—they advanced toward Laina in what they imagined was an imposing formation, though it was actually quite ragged.

But the moment they passed through the virtually nonexistent western gate, they immediately spotted structures that hadn’t been there during their previous visit: stone railings as tall as a person, enclosing plots of land.

Through the gaps in the railings adorned with strange carvings, they could clearly see familiar-looking people living on these barren plots among ugly, makeshift houses.

Though calling them barren didn’t seem quite right: why was there not a single weed or piece of rubble?

Just as they stood confused, people from both sides began recognizing each other: “It’s you!”

“What are you doing here?!”

The reactions differed sharply.

When the bandits recognized the familiar residents of these barren lands as the newcomers who had recently joined them, they were overjoyed.

“What unbelievably foolish kindness!”

Bush grinned smugly, no longer in a hurry to advance.

After his initial shock, he immediately ordered his men to smash the troublesome stone fence to rescue their captured comrades. “What is this? Huh? Handing us people on a silver platter?”

Showing mercy to enemies who had just tried to rob them… he’d never seen a noble stupid enough to do that!

He had assumed all his captured men were dead, yet so many had survived!

Rudger was equally pleased, laughing mockingly: “Either that pathetic noble lord is so short-handed he’d recruit even bandits, or he’s too cowardly and weak to kill his enemies!”

The two smug brothers completely forgot how their own brother had died at their opponent’s hands.

They grew increasingly convinced that returning for revenge was the right decision—once they freed the hundred-plus men inside, their combat power would instantly surge, and conquering this dilapidated Laina City would become trivial.

After storming the castle, they’d plunder that fool duke’s treasures, behead that noble, handsome blond head and burn it to avenge their brother…

The duke’s assets would fully compensate for their previous losses!

“What’s going on?”

Rudger’s impatient question snapped Bush out of his triumphant vision.

He realized they had been waiting quite a while.

He and his brother walked over to check, only to see their men clumsily hacking at the stone fence without making a single crack.

“Hammers! Use hammers!” Bush snapped.

“Th-that’s the thing,” their flustered subordinate stammered. “These bars are really solid. Really hard.”

Perhaps because their weapons were mainly swords, blades, and a few spears—with only one or two picks or heavy tools barely suitable for breaking stone—the group had been pounding fruitlessly for ages. Aside from their arms growing numb and sore from the recoil, the bars remained completely unmoved.

Not only were they unbroken, but even the delicate carvings on them showed no damage.

“Goddammit! Did you forget to eat?!” Bush roared in disbelief at the pitiful progress, then glared at the cowering captives who dared not approach the fence. “You idiots! Get over here and help! Don’t tell me you actually want to stay and lick that noble’s boots as slaves?!”

Convinced his men were slacking at the worst possible moment, he impatiently kicked the dawdlers aside, snatched the most suitable pickaxe, and personally swung it hard at the fence.

“CLANG!!!”

The metal head struck the stone with tremendous force, producing a deafening crash and spraying sparks!

Bush had put nearly all his strength into the blow.

And that force was faithfully returned the next instant.

Rudger stared in shock as his brother let out a pained scream, clutching his reddened palm with his other hand while crouching and howling in agony. The pickaxe, of course, fell from his grip.

Bush felt as if his right hand had been shattered by the impact. It took him a long moment to recover enough to stare incredulously at the fence, which didn’t even have a new scratch. “Goddammit, what the hell is this thing made of?!”

He had never seen such sturdy stone material—it was probably harder than iron!

Using so much high-quality stone material, obtained from who knows where, to build fences just to imprison newly captured prisoners… This lord was absolutely insane!

“That is the sacred divine messenger, using the divine power granted by the great Cat God to set up prison bars to test sinners.”

Just as the bandits were all shocked and uncertain about what to do next, the prisoners who had been silent all along spoke up.

As former members of the bandit gang and now captives belonging to Laina City, those dull faces seemed to show an indescribable mix of fear and… fervor.

“What are you talking about?”

Some of the bandits asked dryly.

Even though they were looking at their former companions, it sent an unprecedented chill down their spines.

“Don’t waste your time any further.”

If they had still been harboring the slightest hope of escape before…

After witnessing how the blond lord effortlessly struck down the bars with a single pickaxe, while even the strongest bandits worked up a sweat without making a single crack, they’d completely accepted their fates.

That true divine messenger possesses the immense power granted by the omnipotent God.

They shook their heads and refused to answer any more questions.
The bandits exchanged uneasy glances.

It had only been a few days, yet seeing their former comrades in such a state was deeply unsettling.

But even if they wanted to retreat, Bush and Rudger, who had already drawn their weapons, would not allow it.

No matter how strange it looked, it was just a motionless, harmless stone fence.

Although Bush had personally experienced the hardness of the stone bars, he still believed it didn’t prove anything.

If they truly possessed divine power, how could they have ended up exiled to Laina?

And why wouldn’t they use such stone material to protect their most important castle, instead of using it to imprison a bunch of captives?

Suppressing their unease, Bush and Rudger quickly regained their composure.

“If they’re determined to remain slaves to the noble lord, then let them be! Let’s go!”

Bush shouted loudly, urging the bandits to pick up their weapons and press forward. At the same time, he deliberately motivated those who were hesitant with the promise of loot: “What’s there to fear? That day, only a few knights could mount their horses and wield swords—the rest were just useless commoners at our mercy! If we miss this opportunity and let this great noble summon more guards, we’ll never get another chance! This is a duke we’re talking about—imagine how many treasure chests he has and how much gold is hidden inside!”

Whether willing or not, the bandits who had come this far had no other choice.

But as Bush described the wealth within their grasp, greed and cruelty flickered in their uneasy eyes.

That’s right.

Even if that striking blond boy, with his terrifyingly large sword, was a strange existence who had killed their leader… he was still just one person.

Moreover, he had an angelically delicate face, skin as fair and smooth as freshly fallen snow, and limbs so slender they looked as if they could snap with a single twist.

He himself was like a legendary treasure, one that belonged only to the most extravagant nobles—filled with an allure that made people want to possess and ravage him.

For the murderous bandits who constantly walked the line between life and death, the fear born of instinct could never overcome the overwhelming power of greed and malice.

Just as their minds wandered, imagining how they would surround that strangely strong, beautiful boy and make him cry out in despair…

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

The person in front suddenly stopped, causing those distracted behind to stumble into each other, nearly injuring themselves with their own weapons.

While complaints rose one after another, they hadn’t yet realized that the person in front had fallen into a dazed state.

Not far ahead stood a figure.

Unlike last time when he wore a cloak that concealed his appearance, he was now dressed in neat riding attire that accentuated his long, well-proportioned limbs.

The bright sunlight cast a small shadow beneath him, yet it couldn’t overshadow the soft but distinct silver glow radiating from his body.

He was glowing.

His usually wavy, brilliantly golden hair was simply tied back this time, revealing more of his flawless, moon-pale face.

His delicate eyebrows were golden, his long eyelashes were golden, his nose was exquisitely shaped and straight, and his lips were as red and soft as rose petals—his beauty was breathtaking.

Equally striking was the deep blue broadsword that formed a stark contrast with his slender frame.

“Finally here?”

He tilted his head slightly, his sapphire-like eyes holding a faint trace of confusion.

It was an utterly adorable gesture that could melt anyone’s heart.

Before the bandits could even marvel at his beauty, his next move sent chills down their spines.

That snow-white arm, which looked less than half as thick as theirs, merely lifted slightly—clearly without any effort—and pulled the terrifyingly large sword’s tip from the shallow gravel crevice where it had been embedded.

The golden-haired lord’s expression was as cold and detached as if covered by a thin layer of frost, like a divine messenger calmly raising the sword of punishment against stubborn evildoers:

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

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