Chapter 39 He's a Real Monster (3)

A few days later.

"Has Patrick still not returned?"

"My apologies, my lord."

Baron Schneider bowed his head with a somber expression. Nearly half a month had already passed since his son had taken soldiers to clear out the monsters around the fief and gone missing. At first, for a day or two, he thought they might have just gone a little deeper.

But as time went on, he had no choice but to consider the worst-case scenario. The great forest was an inherently dangerous land. It was a primordial land that rejected human presence, a land teeming with dangerous monsters.

No matter how strong Patrick was, who could guarantee that nothing would happen to him in that land?

"I... I must have been crazy."

"My lord."

"Patrick is only ten years old. How could I... pushing a ten-year-old child into a forest teeming with monsters... I was insane. An incompetent man has also gone mad."

"The young master will be safe. He is no ordinary person."

"With those words..."

Just as he was about to shout at Lawrence, Baron Schneider squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head again.

"I'm sorry. It's not your fault..."

Lawrence quietly bowed his head. The man he had chosen to serve as his lord, Jaycol Schneider, was not a capable man, not even in empty words. But on the other hand, he was also such a humble and good-natured person that it made one wonder, how could such a person be born into a ruling noble family?

'A good man. And a strong man.' The world knew Baron Schneider as just a good-natured pushover.

That wasn't wrong. But how many people could endure, and keep enduring, to maintain that life of a good-natured pushover for decades? Everyone wants to be good.

They are taught that way, and they grow up that way. But when such people taste the bitterness of reality a few times, they naturally compromise with it and fill themselves with selfishness. However, Baron Schneider was not like that.

Sometimes he was abandoned, sometimes he was hurt, sometimes he was betrayed, and sometimes he collapsed miserably. But not once did Baron Schneider give up on the goodwill he sought to pursue in his life. Lawrence, who had served such a Baron Schneider for a long time, wanted to tell the world every time he saw him.

No, he wanted to shout. Look, this is my lord. He is the owner of the strongest conviction in the world.

How can you call him weak? As far as Butler Lawrence knew, Baron Schneider was like a strong, giant tree that would never fall. That giant tree...

That giant tree named Baron Schneider, who had withstood wind, rain, and storms and endured through hard times...

"It's my fault. Everything... it's all my fault." ...was now trying to collapse for the first time.

Butler Lawrence found that incredibly heartbreaking.

'Oh, Lord.

Please let the young master return safely. You may take all the remaining life of this old man, but please, do not extinguish my lord's hope.' Butler Lawrence prayed earnestly to his god.

And at that moment...

"My lord!"

The door burst open and Chandler ran in.

"What is this rudeness, barging in without knocking, Chandler!"

Chandler, catching his ragged breath, said to the scolding Butler Lawrence.

"I'm sorry. It was an urgent matter, so..."

"I should have taught you not to forget your manners, no matter how urgent the matter."

"Yes, I know. But..."

"Still making excuses? The level of refinement of a noble house can be seen in the attitude of those who work for it. Are you saying it's alright for people to doubt the standards of the House of Schneider because of your frivolous attitude?"

"That... I'm sorry."

Seeing that it was no use, Chandler simply bowed his head and apologized. And Butler Lawrence sighed and said.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, kids these days... they make excuses as naturally as they breathe. Tsk, tsk."

"......"

"So? What is it?"

Only then did Lawrence ask for the reason, and Chandler replied.

"Young Master Patrick and the soldiers under his command have returned."

"What?"

"Is that true!"

At Chandler's words, both Baron Schneider and Butler Lawrence shot to their feet.

"Wh... where? Where are they?"

"They've just arrived in front of the fief's mansion..."

"I see!"

"You should have said that sooner, you idiot!"

Baron Schneider ran off without looking back, and Butler Lawrence raged furiously. Chandler felt terribly wronged.

"Munch munch. This is delicious."

"So this is human food. It's really tasty."

"How do you cook meat for it to taste like this?"

"This water is delicious. Where do you get it from?"

"That's something humans drink called alcohol."

"Oh, this is alcohol!"

Baron Schneider's mouth hung wide open. When he thought his son was dead, it felt like the world was collapsing. Then, when he heard that his son had returned, a joy as if he had gained the whole world washed over him.

He wanted to run to his son in a single stride, embrace him, and tell him thank you for coming back alive.

But...

'Seeing this scene now, what emotion is the correct one to feel?' In front of his mansion, a group of Orcs was sprawled out, eating food and drinking alcohol. Why had the Orc tribe, which had little contact with humans, come to his fief?

Why were they sprawled out in front of his mansion? And why were they eating and drinking his fief's food and alcohol? The question 'why?' continued endlessly.

And in such cases, there was usually only one cause.

"Patriiiick!"

"Oh. Father, you're here?"

From where the voice came, the son he had desperately missed answered nonchalantly. Hahaha... yes, how nonchalant indeed. To create this mess and still be so nonchalant.

This brat of a son of mine. Seated before Patrick were Baron Schneider, Lady Ava, and Butler Lawrence. To the three of them, Patrick first explained the main point.

"An alliance with the Orc tribe?"

"Yes. That's what happened."

"How on earth did that happen?"

"It's a bit of a long story..."

Patrick cut himself off, taking a sip of the tea in front of him. Then, after setting down the teacup, he smiled brightly and said.

"It just happened that way."

"What, you brat. You didn't say anything at all."

"Can't you just let it go?"

"Patriiiick!"

"Ah, fine, fine. I'll tell you. I'll do it, okay?"

Tsk, it didn't work. Well, I do have to explain. It's something they'd find out about eventually anyway.

In the end, Patrick explained everything that had happened.

"First of all..."

As Patrick's explanation continued, a look of astonishment gradually spread across the faces of the three listeners.

"You met the Orc tribe?"

"A... King Ogre?"

"Cap... capture? You captured that thing?"

"You formed an alliance with the Orc tribe?"

Having heard the entire explanation, the three of them stared at Patrick with their mouths agape. And after finishing his explanation, Patrick shrugged and said.

"Well, that's what happened."

"You... you rapscalliooon!"

"Ah, what is it now?"

Baron Schneider shot up from his seat in anger.

"You've gone mad. Do you have any idea what a King Ogre is to fight one?"

"I won. I told you, I completely crushed it."

"Com... complete... Gaaah..."

"Oh my, my lord."

"Honey!"

As Baron Schneider clutched the back of his neck and started to collapse, Baron Lawrence and Ava hurriedly caught him.

"Tsk, his worrying is similar to someone I know."

[You brat! Do you think the Ten Great Evils are some household dog's name?]

[Ah, I told you I won. I crushed them, Master.]

[Still, you brat! Get over here! Come here! That's an order!]

[I know you'll hit me if I go, so why should I?]

[You...]

It was a nostalgic feeling. In his master's anger at not being able to handle his troublemaking self, he could feel a worry and concern for him that surpassed that anger. That was why Patrick in his past life didn't dislike being scolded by his master.

He knew that his master cherished and loved him as much as he worried about him, so it actually made him happy. 'Tsk, such pointless sentiment...' Master was Master, and Father was Father.

No matter how similar the two were, that was a clear fact. Patrick stopped immersing himself in memories and spoke.

"Father. Setting aside what has already passed, I wish to discuss the important matters of the future."

"You..."

"Although it is an alliance I pushed for on my own, the alliance with the Red Rock Tribe will be of great help to our fief. Please consider it seriously."

"Mmmph..."

That darn son of his. To suddenly speak with a serious expression like a perfectly normal young master of a barony. Who gave birth to that annoying brat?

I'd like to see his parents' faces. 'Ah, that's me.' But he couldn't just dismiss the words of his vexing son here.

Looking closely now, he could see bandages wrapped tightly under his clothes. It seemed he was limping a little as he walked, too. He knew his son was strong, but the battle with the King Ogre couldn't have been easy.

He must have fought with his life on the line. At such a young age. And one of the achievements he gained by risking his life would be this alliance with the Orc tribe.

"Haaa... fine. It can't be helped."

Realizing it was no use spitting into the wind, Baron Schneider sighed and spoke.

"Alright. Let's think about it for now. First, I should meet with the one called the Chieftain of the Red Rock Tribe."

"Is that alright?"

"What is?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you might feel some repulsion or..."

"What? Speak up."

"No, it's nothing."

Patrick smirked.

In truth, his only worry on the way here had been how Baron Schneider would receive the Orc tribe. Orcs were a race with intelligence, not monsters, but they weren't initially classified as a race. Long, long ago, the Orc tribe was classified as a type of monster, a race that fiercely competed with humans for territory.

Among the non-human races, the Orcs were the only ones who were not inferior to humans in the strength of 'numbers', so the history of their conflict was fierce. As a result, to humans, Orcs were still objects of fear, or contempt. A barbaric, ignorant, and violent race.

That was the prejudice humans held against the Orc tribe. He knew Baron Schneider was a good-natured man, but that was goodwill directed towards fellow humans. It was unknown what kind of attitude he would show towards a non-human race, especially the subtly ostracized Orc tribe.

But...

'It was a needless worry.' With the thought that his father was his father, Patrick smiled and said.

"Please wait a moment. Sanson."

"Yes, young master."

"Bring Mr. Turanta here."

"Yes, I understand."

A short while later, the Orc Chieftain Turanta appeared. In fact, Patrick was not worried about this meeting. Baron Schneider was a good man who could face non-human races without prejudice, and Chieftain Turanta was quite wise for an Orc.

Therefore, there was no reason for their meeting to go awry. 'Or so I thought.'

"Hic... I'm the... hic... Turanta of the Red Rock Tribe... hic."

"Turanta?"

"Tuanta. Hic."

Watching their first meeting, Patrick stared at the innocent drawing-room ceiling and thought. 'Why is everyone around me like this?

Why?'

He wanted to cry.