274th Chapter
Viktor and Hamus were waiting for Ray in a high-class tavern. Both of them were now recognized knights, and they were expected to explore higher realms of martial arts, making them standout talents of the Osiris Countdom.
While waiting for Ray, Viktor and Hamus reminisced about their first meeting with him.
“What kind of guy is he anyway?”
“At that time, he was already a fully accomplished Expert or above.”
“Really ridiculous…”
In their memories, Ray stood out as an extraordinary talent who defied common sense.
Thus, when they learned from a fellow knight that Ray was the mysterious owner of the Empire’s Guardian Medal, it wasn’t much of a surprise.
“Ah… but I’m still getting excited.”
Viktor tried to suppress his involuntary smile.
The fact that such an outstanding person had taken the initiative to contact them filled them with pride—not that they could easily envy or admire someone like him.
Hamus felt the same way and had to pinch his own lips to stop smiling too broadly.
Finally, after waiting, Ray arrived at the tavern.
Upon hearing his footsteps, Viktor and Hamus stood up, unsure how to greet him.
Before they could sort out their thoughts, Ray opened the door and walked in.
“It’s been a while, both of you.”
“Uh, uh… It’s been a while.”
“Oh, it’s been a while.”
Viktor and Hamus unconsciously replied casually before glancing at Ray for any reaction.
However, Ray didn’t seem to mind and simply sat down at his spot.
Relieved, Viktor and Hamus also sat back down. Then, a man unfamiliar to them entered the room behind Ray.
Viktor and Hamus blinked, expecting Ray to introduce his companion.
But Ray didn’t even glance at the man and instead opened a bottle of alcohol.
“How have you been?”
“Uh, I’ve been fine.”
“That’s good. You two have both received your knighthood now, right?”
“Yeah, Viktor got his knighthood, so now we’re both knights.”
“That’s great. Congratulations, Viktor.”
“Haha, thank you.”
“But… sorry to ask right after seeing you, I have a favor.”
Ray poured some liquor into a glass as he continued.
“First, anything discussed here stays inside this room. Is that okay?”
“What? Oh, sure. Got it. Don’t worry. On the honor of a knight, I’ll do that.”
“Thanks. And if you think I need reining in, please feel free to call me out together.”
“?
Rein you in?
Viktor and Hamus were confused by Ray’s words, and as the atmosphere grew awkward, they glanced at Ray’s companion.
“Who is this gentleman…?”
“He comes from Duke Matthias’ household.”
“…”
Viktor and Hamus’ expressions darkened.
Although they weren’t aware of all the details, they knew that a few years ago, Ray would fly into a rage whenever Duke Matthias’ family was mentioned.
Having experienced trying to calm Ray down during one of his rages, the two immediately tensed up.
Meanwhile, Ray gestured with his finger toward the man sent by the Matthias family.
“If you have something to say, say it here.”
“Here…?”
The man hesitated briefly due to Viktor and Hamus’ presence but eventually began speaking.
“Don’t be alarmed, Lord Ray.”
“…”
“Lord Ray, you are of the Matthias bloodline…!!”
“…”
“The beautiful black hair you possess, akin to the night sky, testifies to this fact!”
“…”
For a moment, silence enveloped the room.
Initially listening seriously, Hamus rested his chin on his hand and spoke.
“Ray, this guy seems like a con artist.”
“Wh-What nonsense is this?!”
“When someone gets famous, these kinds of scammers always show up, right? Claiming distant kinship or blood relations just to swindle people. The method is so obvious—it never changes.”
One of the most common tactics among well-known scammers was pretending to share bloodlines.
To Hamus, the man in front of them fit the stereotype of a scammer perfectly.
Viktor also agreed with Hamus, shaking his head.
“Bold move. Faking someone from the Matthias family? If the Matthias household finds out, your head will roll.”
“I assure you, I am no lowly scammer!!”
The room quickly became noisy with three voices arguing over whether the man was a scammer or not.
Amidst the chaos, Ray rubbed his face with both hands and muttered under his breath.
“Ah, what a mess.”
*
The man’s name was Arpa.
A member of the gentry class, he was one of Duke Matthias’ trusted subordinates responsible for handling “sensitive tasks.”
The Matthias family boasted a long history as a prestigious house, but recently, their situation had become difficult.
Their choice of allegiance during the imperial succession had been disastrous.
Fortunately, despite choosing the wrong side, they hadn’t suffered catastrophic consequences, but they still endured significant losses.
Currently, the Matthias family was laying low, diligently assisting the Empire to preserve their lineage.
Recently, information about Ray surfaced from a member of the Matthias family residing in the Imperial Capital.
Naturally, Duke Matthias ordered an investigation into the enigmatic recipient of the Empire’s Guardian Medal.
Through their inquiry, the Matthias family managed to identify Ray without much difficulty.
And during the investigation, they discovered the possibility that Ray might share blood ties with the Matthias family.
In this world, blood relations were among the most important things.
The Matthias family couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity to forge a strong connection with Ray.
Already, the Royal Family, the Prizzran Dukedom, and the Alstein Marquisate were eyeing Ray with interest, making it hard to insert themselves into the mix.
However, if they could claim Ray as part of the Matthias family, they stood to gain immense benefits.
Normalizing their relationship with Ray was essential.
If successful, it would be a windfall for the Matthias family.
Therefore, Duke Matthias dispatched Arpa to meet with Ray.
Arpa’s mission was to charm Ray enough to arrange a meeting between him and Duke Matthias.
“By the grace of God, our fates have intertwined.”
“…”
“Duke Matthias wishes to meet Lord Ray.”
“…”
“Blood is thicker than water, isn’t it? Restoring a severed relationship may take time, but roots never change.”
“…”
Ray looked at Arpa with a blank expression.
Arpa, having received Ray’s permission, rambled through prepared speeches, none of which resonated with Ray.
‘Haa…’
Ray sighed.
Ray usually refrained from judging this world through the lens of his previous life in 21st-century South Korea.
Since the worlds were different, universal common sense, sensitivity, and ethical awareness naturally varied.
Thus, Ray didn’t automatically label nobles who disregarded refugees freezing to death as evil.
The same applied to matters involving the Matthias family.
Of course, Ray disliked the Matthias family.
Just hearing the name Matthias made his irritation and anger spike.
About twenty years ago…
A gentry member of the Matthias family had been fooling around with another man’s woman and ended up getting his head smashed by an axe wielded by a commoner.
The Matthias family was furious, claiming their prestige had been tarnished.
That was considered ‘natural.’
Any noble family in the Empire would likely have reacted similarly in the same situation.
Later, the Matthias family quietly settled the matter for what amounted to ‘pittance,’ allowing Bella to protect Ray.
Objectively, the Matthias family hadn’t acted particularly cruelly in that incident.
The problem arose because the Matthias family’s harassment of Bella led her to remain cloistered, and the resulting events culminated in the birth of ‘Lea.’
Recalling his adorable younger sister, Ray cursed under his breath.
“Ah, damn.”
Even if the Matthias family wasn’t exceptionally wicked by the standards of this world…
Ray occasionally toyed with the idea of just going along with his emotions and tearing the Matthias family apart.
However, there was nothing to gain from doing so.
Would Bella be happy if Ray tormented the Matthias family? Likely not.
Moreover, the Matthias family was a massive, ancient house.
If Ray were destined to live a long life, tormenting the Matthias family wouldn’t pose a significant issue.
Unfortunately, Ray wouldn’t live long.
If Ray caused chaos within the Matthias family and then suddenly died, it would only create more enemies for those close to him.
To avoid such misfortunes, Ray would need to completely destroy the Matthias family root and branch while he was still alive—but destroying them merely for venting frustration seemed absurd.
“…”
At this point, Ray simply…
didn’t want to bother with the Matthias family anymore.
It didn’t matter whose blood ran through his veins; it held no significance for Ray.
Who cared whose blood was mixed in his reincarnated body?
All Ray wanted was for those he considered family and those who regarded him as family to continue living well.
After taking a deep breath to calm himself, Ray faced Arpa.
“Listen.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“I know that some gentry from your family hooked up with my biological mother.”
Viktor and Hamus turned to look at Ray, puzzled by what he meant.
Regardless, Ray continued with a sour expression.
“I’m not your family. My real father’s name is Evan.”
“No…”
“And there aren’t any good memories between us either. Your ducal family once threatened to kill me and harassed my adoptive mother.”
Ray’s words shocked Arpa.
“What nonsense! Who told you such lies, Lord Ray?! This is slander…!!”
“Slander?”
The restraint holding Ray’s patience snapped, and his eyes flashed dangerously.
Bang!!!
Ray slammed the wine bottle he was holding onto Arpa’s head.
The bottle shattered, emitting a clear sound that rang through the room.
Not stopping there, Ray flipped the table and shouted.
“You bastard, I saw it with my own eyes—so where are you selling snake oil now?!!”
“Yaaaaaaa!!!”
As Ray grabbed the broken bottle and lunged at Arpa’s head, Viktor and Hamus panicked and rushed forward to restrain Ray’s arms and legs.
For a while, the sounds of breaking objects and the shouts of the three men echoed throughout the tavern.
Family Matters (2)
