Chapter 32: Negotiations
In the living room.
A young man in a mask sat across from an elderly nobleman.
Even though the servants had already brought tea, the masked man had no intention of drinking it.
“How should I address you?”
“Barrett.” Yuri responded this way.
To him, names were just another part of deception; he could make one up on the spot.
“So, Mr. Barrett, what brings you to me? I’m just a war merit noble who’s barely returned from the border and hasn’t established enough influence. Isn’t it easier to find a local noble?”
The old nobleman asked lightly, shaking his head slightly.
“Not quite. I see great potential in you.”
“Potential? An interesting notion. Could you tell me who you are? Which dynasty do you belong to?”
“All you need to know is that there’s something behind me that no noble could resist.”
The elderly nobleman narrowed his eyes, unable to see through the masked figure before him.
However, he wasn’t that naive. He decided to engage in conversation with the masked man.
“Well then, what kind of deal do you have in mind? I’d like to hear first.”
“Heh, don’t worry; it’s a simple transaction.”
Yuri smiled mischievously and started discussing the particulars of the agreement.
After some discussion.
“Ah, I understand. You want to use my noble authority to help you with something. I’m curious—what might that be?”
“That’s for later. When the time comes, I’ll let you know.”
“What benefits can I expect?”
“Whatever benefits you desire,” Yuri retorted.
The old nobleman fell silent for a moment, suddenly having a wild idea pop into his head.
“You wouldn’t mind helping me eliminate a young noble named Hughes, would you? If you complete this, I can help you.”
“Oh?”
Yuri was somewhat surprised but didn’t show it. He knew Hughes’ name.
After all, as a gentleman, Hughes was reasonably well-known.
Even though Yuri was a fraudster, he often interacted with the nobles, so he was aware of Hughes’ reputation.
Was this old noble actually planning to k*ll him?
That was somewhat intriguing.
Yuri had never talked to Hughes and didn’t wish to.
If Hughes really was a true gentleman, then a fraud like Yuri would clash with him in every way.
He didn’t particularly like or dislike him.
Perhaps just a decent noble in appearance.
The old nobleman continued, “Are you hesitating? Let me tell you one thing. Among the war merit nobles, I have excellent relations. We can call each other brothers. If I ask, they will definitely help. So if you succeed in this task, you’ll gain support from all war merit nobles. Isn’t that a great deal?”
“It certainly is.”
Yuri became interested now.
He could easily spot whether the old nobleman was lying.
It seemed the old nobleman genuinely held support among the other war merit nobles;
Yuri’s investigation into this fellow confirmed his status within the military.
Every returning war merit noble was a companion who had fought tooth and nail, making their friendship much stronger than ordinary friendships.
This particular fellow was at the top of the hierarchy.
In a sense, he could be seen as representing all war merit nobles.
So the question was:
Should Yuri agree to the deal?
“About this…”
Just as Yuri was about to answer, he felt a small hand tugging on his coat, and the tug was repeated several times.
“…..?”
Yuri turned slightly to find Night Star, who had been unnoticed until then.
The old nobleman subconsciously dismissed her, even Yuri nearly forgot she had followed.
At this moment, she wore a ridiculous mask, shaking her head subtly.
Yuri remained silent for a while.
Did she want him to refuse?
Trying to interfere with his decisions, when she had promised not to intervene?
She was breaking the rules…
Well, fine.
He wasn’t going to agree in any case.
Yuri turned his attention back to the old nobleman.
“I decline. Offer something else.”
“Can’t do? This is the force that can defy any noble?”
“Just feel it goes against my plan.”
Hearing this, the old nobleman stood up, his eyes full of hostility.
“Seems we won’t work together. I had suspected this from the start. Maybe you’re a nasty fraud?”
“I heard that.”
“Let’s verify. What special abilities do you think you have coming here alone?”
The atmosphere became tense rapidly.
The seasoned war merit noble seemed intent on taking down Yuri right now.
“Guess I always hated dealing with rash people,” said Yuri.
His internal power surged, and the stars began to activate.
The old nobleman was immediately affected by this surge.
The scene before him shifted drastically, filled with distortion, disaster, and ineffable horror, exerting immense mental pressure.
Ordinary people would have panicked in such a scenario, potentially losing all capability.
But the old nobleman was no ordinary person—he too was a Star Holder!
He quickly noticed the anomaly and broke free from its influence.
“Sorcery!”
Breaking free from the strange anomaly, the old nobleman released a fierce aura, akin to a valiant warrior.
Realizing this intense pressure, Yuri remained calm, unperturbed.
Next second.
An even more terrifying presence emitted.
Night Star’s [Doll City] activated, exuding a horrifying star eclipse energy that almost suffocated the old nobleman. It felt like facing an insurmountable mountain!
This was the aura of a Supernova-level star eclipse.
The old nobleman had probably never encountered anything of this caliber before. The sheer shock paralyzed him.
In battle, he hadn’t faced such overwhelming scenarios!
Yuri calmly stood up and gave the old nobleman a casual glance.
“It seems we can’t work together right now. Think it over. I’ll be back to check on your decision.”
Then Yuri and Night Star turned to leave, instantly vanishing from sight.
Only once they had departed did the oppressive aura fade completely.
The old nobleman’s pupils dilated; his taut nerves relaxed, causing him to slump onto the floor, soaked in cold sweat.
“Is he telling the truth? Any noble would be powerless against that…”
No matter how he twisted it, the fear had etched itself permanently into his soul, leaving no room for defiance.
Outside.
Night Star and Yuri, now wearing proper faces again, walked back on the road.
“Night Star, why did you stop me earlier? Do you know Hughes?”
“Cough cough~ He’s a friend of a friend. You understand, right?”
“Is that so?”
Yuri looked down at Night Star, his gaze slowly turning mischievous.
“Trying to deceive a fraudster?”
Night Star attempted to hide her panic with a smile.
“Well… don’t worry about the details. I’ll explain everything once we get back,”
“Then, I’ll hold you to it.”
“Mmmhmm, I assure you, it’ll be satisfying!”
Yuri glanced at Night Star’s grin, gradually suppressing his rising annoyance.
Once a fraudster finds someone to trust, he doesn’t want to lose them.
End of translation.
