Chapter 4: Viscount Rakan's Bloodline 3
The next day, Saymon, no, rather Luke, wasn't able to get rid of his frustration.
And as he walked in the garden for the purpose of cooling down his anger, he was about to move toward a crowd.
One was the retainer specifically assigned to Rakan, and the personal butler Hans and the other was a fat young man with a haughty impression and the other escorts.
Not having the nerve to do anything, they were moving in with a lot of disagreeing statements within them.
"I told you not to! Young Lord is still very sick!"
"Stop trying to avoid me. I won't believe it unless I witness it with my eyes... oh, there you are."
The young man who found Luke seemed very glad. Almost like a beast who just found its prey.
The young man who came in the direction pushed away from the retainer and approached Luke.
"My greetings. Young Lord?"
"What is it?"
At the bothered look that was on Luke's face, the young man with a slight unpleasant look began to introduce himself.
"Did you not think of me? Terin, the manager of Alon Firm."
"Firm? Should I really care for it?"
Luke stared over at Hans the butler with carelessness registered in his eyes. Asking him to take care of it.
But Terin was stubborn.
"Hmph, you need to care. Didn't young Lord take out 30,000 pesos for mine development last year? That payment is just a month away."
Terin pulled out a piece of paper for them to see.
It was a loan deed.
However, the blunt look on the face of Luke hadn't changed.
The price of 30,000 pesos may be a very huge amount, but it wasn't such a matter because of the family that he belonged to.
"I was told that the manor was placed in for the collateral. If you find it hard to pay off the debts, won't they be taking another collateral?"
"I don't know. Ask these retainers."
It sure was annoying, but the decision that Luke took was the right one.
The parents of Luke had passed away early when he was still a minor, and the retainers were in charge of everything in the estate, from big to small.
"For the young Lord to say things like this, how can you? Will he be able to pay it within 20 days?"
Terin asked the retainers and Hans.
"That, that is a little..."
Cold sweat ran down the bald head of Dickson, who managed the matters of the estate.
Terin raised his eyes and his voice even more.
"Then I'll take the collateral instead. It won't be much as it has been used, but for the time being, I'm willing to consider it."
"Tch, we'll if you want..."
"That can't happen!"
A middle-aged man who gave a strong impression because of the breastplate on his uniform had opposed.
He was the Chief Knight of Rakan, Roger.
"The estate has been in a hold by armed forces and Gigants for only 3 years, how can it be sold off? Will you bow your head in front of the neighboring estates?"
The current, more than five hundred years after the death of Saymon, the greatness of estates were still represented by knights and armed forces and the number of expert-level operators.
And when it came to the security of the estate, the Gigant forces were a necessity and not an option.
"Ah, okay. I won't be selling over the Gigants, so calm down."
At that time, another retainer looked for a solution and offered a suggestion.
"How about additional taxation?"
"Are you talking about things not knowing how people live? What do you plan on doing if the residents decide to move out?"
The viscount of Rakan was the most remote province in the empire.
Although the land is wide and large, it was mostly wasteland with a low population and small revenue created by the taxes.
"Then you should sell Gigant..."
"Well, No!"
Sitting on a bench that was nearby, Luke was looking at the retainers.
'Huh, maybe I should look inside the house.'
Luke was willing to take a look inside the house of Rakan who had killed him.
At that time, Terin tried to talk with the retainers who were trying to solve stuff.
"People, if this and that don't work for you, how about doing this?"
"What?"
"I would accept anything, either a Gigant or a mansion. But I don't want the family of great warriors to place their fingers in the matters of our financial firm."
Even if it was a little less, the name of the Rakan's knights still had a huge impact on the knights and those who wanted to become knights.
Most knights dream of becoming one after hearing the legend of the knight who defeated the evil warlocks and the warriors who defeated devils.
"So, why don't you give me that?"
"That?"
Everybody's eyes turned in the direction where Terin's finger was pointing at.
A giant tower castle that stood tall on top of the hill which wasn't much far from the estate.
That castle formerly was considered as the home of Saymon who was taken down by Rakan himself, called as the Devil King's Castle.
"Well, if it is the Devil..."
"There have been very few visitors lately."
"Well, rather than giving out a mansion or Gigants, it surely is a hundred times better, that castle."
Except for Hans and a few other retainers, everyone thought that it was better to hand over the Devil King's castle.
In addition, Terin added another remarkable statement,
"If you hand over the Devil King's castle and the nearby land to our firm, we will play an active role in developing it and in attracting tourists and sell goods related to it. And of course, in the process, we are willing to pay a fraction of that income, to boost the local economy..."
And at that moment.
"Huh, this guy?!!"
A loud shout from the most unexpected person invaded their ears.
It was from the young Lord, Luke, with his face red from anger, who just grabbed the collar of Terin like he was about to hit his face.
It was the soul of Saymon, the guy from the past who chose the path to darkness for the sole reason of taking revenge.