Chapter 1470

<Chapter 1470> 1470. Dark Moon

I stepped out of the house with Yuria.

A carriage we’d arranged in advance was waiting at the entrance.

It was a splendid carriage fit for nobility. The horses were calm, and the coachman carried himself with dignity.

“Is your destination the Freewoods Viscount’s residence? I shall ensure a safe journey.”

“I kindly request your assistance.”

I politely responded, my gaze fixated on the real, living horses with childlike wonder. Living horses—compared to mechanical ones—didn’t seem to have any advantages. They aged and died, required constant feeding, could fall ill, couldn’t run as long or exert as much strength as mechanical horses.

Yet, the single fact that they weren’t machines captivated the hearts of the nobles. Unless unavoidable, the nobles preferred carriages pulled by living horses. That was the charm of Neo-London and its noble culture.

I helped Yuria onto the carriage so she could board easily.

“Thank you, but I’m merely a servant.”

“No one’s watching. And to me, you’re a lady too.”

As soon as we boarded, the carriage began moving. It moved smoothly, without the usual creaking sounds.

Neo-London’s advanced technology wasn’t in the horses—it was in the carriages themselves.

I gazed out the window. This city was fascinating. Futuristic yet old-fashioned. While pushing technological advancements, it clung stubbornly to ancient traditions. It spoke of freedom for its citizens while maintaining rigid class distinctions. Neo-London was a nation-city riddled with contradictions.

“Meeting a noble from Neo-London is new to me… I’m quite nervous.”

“Don’t worry too much. Our master will handle things well.”

As she recalled the etiquette for meeting nobles, the carriage arrived at the Freewoods Viscount’s estate. Gazing out the window, I let out an impressed sigh. A grand noble mansion unfolded before my eyes, the kind you’d only see in history books or fantasies.

‘Incredibly massive. The security isn’t ordinary either. There are barriers… and upon closer inspection, everything’s state-of-the-art.’

The nobles of Neo-London dislike machines, but that doesn’t mean they reject them entirely. They use them when necessary. What they truly despise—even loathe—is artificial intelligence.

Yuria opened the carriage door and stepped out first. I followed slowly, descending with deliberate grace. Manners and composure are the virtues of a gentleman. Haste is unacceptable.

“Mr. Eugene Meyer, welcome to the Freewoods Viscount’s estate. I am Herman, the head butler.”

The butler standing before the carriage greeted us with impeccable posture, attire, and voice—flawless in every way. And as I sensed his power, I quietly gasped. The energy radiating from the head butler was stronger than mine.

“…I didn’t expect the head butler of the Freewoods family to personally greet me.”

“Mr. Meyer is a guest invited by the mistress. One of my duties is to personally escort her guests.”

“Your hospitality is delightful. I have one attendant with me. She’ll be serving me directly during the evening banquet. Would that be acceptable?”

“Of course. Please, come inside. The mistress awaits.”

“We can’t keep the viscountess waiting. Yuria.”

“Yes, master. I’ve prepared the case.”

Following Head Butler Herman through the garden, I slowly turned my head to observe our surroundings. Verdant greenery stretched everywhere. The flower beds were filled with vibrant blooms in full splendor, each type of flower distinct. Maintaining such diversity must be challenging.

I spotted a gardener. Dressed in a maid uniform, she carefully pruned tree branches with a massive pair of scissors over a meter long.

‘…Rank 3? No, maybe Rank 4…? If she were cutting off human heads instead of branches, it wouldn’t feel out of place at all.’

I also noticed several other butlers and maids.

‘Each one of them is extraordinary. Even a decent military unit wouldn’t stand a chance against this household.’

The interior of the mansion was equally impressive.

Magnificent…


The brightness was almost blinding. More astonishing was the fact that items worth at least tens of millions of credits were casually decorating the hallway as if it were nothing.

I knew the Freude Viscount family was wealthy, but I didn’t expect *this* level.

“They must’ve decorated like this on purpose to crush the spirit of visiting guests.”

My own spirit was slightly crushed.

We arrived at the reception room.

Herman carefully knocked on the ornate door.

“Madam, Mr. Meyer has arrived.”

“Enter.”

I quickly scanned the reception room.

As expected, it was lavish—though that didn’t surprise me. What did surprise me was Lady Freude.

She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her golden hair shimmered, her skin was as white and flawless as jade, and her bejeweled white dress? Its value was beyond estimation. Though she hid her mouth behind a wine-colored fur fan, just her nose and emerald green eyes were enough to reveal what an extraordinary beauty she was.

“I thought I heard she wasn’t young… but her appearance looks like she’s in her early to mid-20s.”

Her ears were pointed.

Elf.

More precisely, a human with innate elven factors. And not just any elven factors—congenital ones.

Herman stood behind her, while I approached and greeted her according to proper etiquette.

“I’m Eugene Meyer. I work as a mercenary and run a small food shop.”

“Ah, Yuyu Chicken. The chicken there is quite delicious. Wasn’t it called Korean Chicken?”

“Yes. It’s a recreation of a dish from the ancient nation of Great Korea.”

“My name is Garmelia Freude. My husband is the head of this house. Please sit opposite me.”

I slowly took my seat across from her.

“This is unexpected.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve met countless mercenaries so far. But among them, only two or three have shown such impeccable manners. They were all former butlers, but you’re not one of them, are you?”

“No. I’m a foreigner. I’ve taken great interest in the culture of Neo-London and learned various things. I’m relieved I haven’t offended you.”

“You’re even more polite than my cousin’s grandson. Whoever taught you… they did an excellent job.”

She asked me various questions.

Why a 5th-class mage would choose to be a mercenary, why I settled in Neo-London, what I did before coming here, etc. Some were annoying, but I answered without showing it.

“I heard about the incident that happened a few hours ago. You killed the mother-daughter duo at Gomez Clinic, eliminated the security guards, and framed the London Guards using my name, correct?”

I immediately bowed my head.

“If I’ve caused offense, I apologize. At the time, I prioritized saving your dress above all else.”

“It was somewhat unpleasant, but since the dress is unharmed, it’s merely a trivial matter I can overlook. Now, explain everything from the beginning. There’s something interesting about you.”

Her emerald eyes sparkled, and her pointed ears perked up.

There was no hatred or fear for a mass murderer—just pure curiosity.

‘Just as Yuria said.’

While riding in the carriage, Yuria mentioned that most nobles, including Lady Freude, don’t care how many commoners die. They only take interest when they suffer losses themselves.

I summarized everything from the start. How I went to Gomez Clinic with the Blue Distortion, how Lana Gomez asked me to exterminate the Frong Gang, and how Frong had allied with Droid. That made her frown, and she irritably tapped the table with her closed fan.

“So that’s why Droid’s fighters appeared in Neo-London. Traitors to humanity…!”

“The bastard was dealt with using my secret technique.”

“Go on. Why did you cause such chaos at Gomez Clinic?”

“They tried to sell me to Caballia Industries. Have you heard of their research facilities?”

“Hmm… Yes, I have. They conduct grotesque experiments. I always thought the Gomez pair were decent people… Guess the saying is true: we may know the depths of water ten fathoms deep, but we cannot fathom the hearts of people within a single fathom.”

She shook her head disapprovingly.

After my story ended, she glanced at Yuria.

“You want to see the dress, don’t you?”

I signaled Yuria, and she approached, placing it on the table.

Lady Freude watched Yuria’s movements and let out a sigh of admiration.

“An exceptional maid. She moves with grace and dignity. As they say, you can tell a lot about a master by observing their servants. Your refinement is evident.”

“Thank you, madam.”

“How did you hire such a maid?”

“I met her by chance in Neo-London. I needed help when I arrived here empty-handed, and she needed references.”

“What’s her maid ranking?”

The viscountess asked Yuria directly. Without hesitation, Yuria replied confidently.

“I possess the qualifications…”


I do not possess such qualifications yet, but I plan to obtain them after gaining experience.”

“Is that so? Why don’t you gain experience under our house?”

“I apologize, madam, but I only serve one master.”

“Your loyalty is commendable. Eugene Meyer, forgive me. You see, I sometimes lose control when I encounter talented individuals.”

She didn’t seem sorry at all. I suppressed my urge to slap her cheek and responded.

“No, it’s fine.”

The box opened, revealing a dress.

Even without magic, the dress was splendid, but once the enchantment activated, it became even more dazzling. It looked like the night sky filled with stars had been woven into fabric.

‘Honestly, does this dress really need magical enhancement?’

How could I possibly understand the mind of nobility?

The viscountess frowned as she examined the dress.

“The light is fainter than expected. Herman, can you find a tailor to fix it?”

“…I’ll try my best, but there’s no guarantee it will be ready before the party.”

“I don’t like it, but I might have to wear it as it is.”

While staring at the magical dress, I spoke up.

“I can repair it right here. Strengthening the glow shouldn’t be difficult.”

“…You? I’m not ignorant about magic. This dress looks simple, but its enchantments are quite intricate. Do you see those constellations? Notice how each star has different brightness levels?”

“Yes, exactly. If mishandled, the balance could collapse entirely. But I’m confident. I won’t throw a tantrum like a child. Since this dress belongs to you, madam, the decision is yours.”

*Snap!*

She fanned herself thoughtfully.

“…Very well, let me see what you can do. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Understood. Could you hand me the dress?”

After receiving the dress, I activated Astral Sight and used Flash Perception to analyze its magical structure. Though complex, it was more like a security lock designed to prevent tampering. Carefully examining each part revealed it wasn’t overly complicated.

My mana flowed, infused with my will, swiftly taking control of the dress’s enchantments.

I increased the starlight’s intensity.

“Is this level of brightness satisfactory?”

“…Hmm. So you understood and mastered the magic instantly? Impressive. Make it brighter please. Yes, that’s perfect. I’ll ensure your compensation for this work.”

“No, it’s unnecessary. Consider it a gesture of goodwill towards you, madam.”

“While I don’t usually accept favors… I’ll remember this. Herman, is dinner ready?”

“Yes, shall we proceed to the banquet hall?”

The evening feast began. The dishes spread across the table over 10 meters long were truly exquisite. Definitely a noble’s meal.

But eating comfortably was impossible due to the many etiquettes I had to follow.

‘Eating while worrying about etiquette makes me feel bloated. I want some cola.’

After finishing the meal and exchanging pleasantries, I returned home.

“Herman, what do you think?”

Sipping her tea, the viscountess asked the head butler Herman.

“He’s no ordinary mercenary. There’s a certain dignity about him.”

“A 5th-grade magician wouldn’t be ordinary.”

Initially, she intended to summon Eugene Meyer, scold him, and accuse him of wrongdoing since Mila Gomez was an excellent designer. Then, she planned to persuade and recruit him, considering how convenient having a 5th-grade magician under her command would be.

However, the actual Eugene Meyer was different. He carried himself with grace. Her gaze also fell on the silver-haired maid standing beside him.

“Is the maid from a knight training school? What’s your impression?”

“There were no flaws in her demeanor. Honestly, it was unsettling.”

“Unsettling enough for someone of Quarter grade? Was she that strong?”

“It may sound strange, but she wasn’t particularly powerful. At best, she’s around 3rd grade. Yes, she’s still at that level now. But… I lack confidence in defeating her completely. I don’t know why. It’s just a gut feeling…”

“You highly evaluating a maid is unprecedented. She intrigues me even more… Can we bring her into the Freude family?”

“Her loyalty is genuine. Even if forced, she wouldn’t comply.”

“…Indeed, that’s how it seems. And Eugene Meyer?”

“He’s a remarkable magician and shows great business acumen too. If he continues like this, he’ll become a pillar of the mercenary world.”

“Does that mean he lacks what it takes to be a tycoon in business?”

“It’s too early to judge now.”

“Hmm. Both of them are desirable, but for now, let’s quietly observe. We’ll naturally meet again when they become major players.”

[Ending the game.]