"That Knight is so handsome."
"Not only is he handsome, he's also very gentle. He just gave me a pastry."
"That Beastman he has with him is so ugly, all lumpy muscle. He looks like a simpleton. I don't know why the Knight would take him as a subordinate. He seems completely useless."
Two maids in long, uniformed dresses chattered amongst themselves. Whenever their eyes fell on the young man's face in the gazebo, they couldn't help but blush.
Levi lay comfortably in the gazebo, the stone table before him laden with fruits and pastries.
He watched the clouds drift by, enjoying the cool breeze, and opened his mouth slightly.
An attentive young maidservant standing by would immediately pick up a pastry and bring it to his lips.
In his past life, he had been tricked by a dog—or rather, a friend—into studying civil engineering, and had been worked like a beast of burden ever since. After transmigrating, he'd spent another three years in toil. Levi had never imagined that a workhorse like him would one day enjoy such a lavish, high-class lifestyle.
'While he enjoyed it, he still felt a little out of place. In my previous life, this kind of behavior would have been called pretentious.'
In the garden not far away, Zat, that big oaf, was bent over, counting ants scurrying out from between the bricks, occasionally scratching his rear with a massive hand.
After counting for a while, he ran up to Levi and said proudly, "Boss, I counted one hundred and three ants in total."
"Not bad. That's progress."
Levi nodded in satisfaction and tossed him a pastry.
Zat caught it with a look of pure joy and swallowed it whole in one gulp.
After smacking his lips, he rubbed his head and said sheepishly, "Boss, I swallowed that a little too fast. I didn't even taste it. Can I have another one?"
Seeing Zat's simple-minded appearance, the young maidservant couldn't help but let out a "PFFT" and cover her mouth to stifle a giggle.
If it were any other noble's subordinate, she would never dare to do such a thing. But this Knight was very easy to get along with and would even chat with her about strange and interesting things, so she had unconsciously let her guard down.
"Get lost."
Levi's face darkened.
'Look at him, making a fool of himself in front of everyone.'
Coerced by the threat of force, Zat had no choice but to go back to squatting and counting ants.
Looking at his one and only subordinate, Levi felt his future was bleak.
Don't be fooled by the fact that this guy was a Heroic Unit. Whether it was on his Attribute Panel or in reality counting on his fingers, Zat had successfully proven with his actions that he was a true-blue illiterate, inside and out.
As soon as the number exceeded his fingers, he had to resort to using his toes.
Making Zat count ants was Levi's own instruction.
Levi was keen on developing this top general of his.
He didn't expect Zat to become literate and eloquent like him.
But at the very least, he needed to learn how to count, add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Otherwise, he wouldn't even know how many enemies were attacking.
A man who only knew that for every one he killed, there was one less on the other side, was just a brute!
Just then, a fragrant scent wafted over, and the respectful voice of the young maidservant sounded from the side:
"Duke."
Levi rose from his lounge chair, bent slightly at the waist, and gave a nobleman's bow.
"Lady Fulina."
"Sir Levi, my apologies for disturbing your rest."
Fulina was wearing the same exquisite black bustier gown from their first meeting. A ruby the size of a cat's eye was nestled deep in her cleavage; her bearing was magnanimous and full of Charm.
"Liya has told me everything. That is why I came in such haste to thank you."
After speaking, she extended her small hand to Levi. Sir Levi, knowing his cues, raised his hand to support hers and helped her to a seat.
"My lady, it was my duty," Levi added, "Miss Liya presided over my knighting ceremony."
"It's just that the Iseley Clan are the masters of the Southern Territory, and my abilities only allowed me to rescue Miss Liya alone."
At this, Levi heaved a theatrical sigh.
"Sir Levi, you need not worry about retaliation from the Iseley Clan. Even a Duke with true power cannot bypass the Northern Martel Family to deal with you alone," Fulina said forcefully.
"The Martel Family always repays its debts. They will face the wrath of the Northern People!"
"Of that, I have no doubt," Levi said with a compliment.
"At the same time, the Martel Family does not mistreat anyone who helps us."
Hearing this, Levi knew the main event was coming and his spirits rose.
Fulina clapped her hands lightly, and an Attendant carrying a wooden chest came into the garden from the passageway.
"Besides the One Thousand Gold Coins that Liya promised you, as thanks for helping a member of the Martel Family escape the pursuit of a despicable title usurper, I am willing to support your pioneering efforts with Five Hundred Gold Coins."
The Attendant placed the chest on the table, revealing the Gold Coins mounded inside. Levi picked one up. This heavy, tempting, glittering gold, engraved with the head of King Debei, was more beloved than the King and more tempting than any Demon.
A full fifteen hundred coins. It was a sum Levi had never possessed, placed right before him. He wouldn't even dare to dream this big.
Fulina smiled. She had seen many people in her life, and in Levi's eyes, she saw greed—a bone-deep greed.
Such people usually die quickly, but if by some fluke they survive, they often stir up great waves.
The last time she'd seen such a look was today. Hmm... this morning, in fact, when she'd looked in the mirror.
"No!" Levi tossed the Gold Coin back into the chest with great reluctance.
"Oh?" Fulina's elegant eyebrows arched slightly.
She had always been confident in her ability to judge people. Could she have been mistaken this time? Was this Sir Levi a noble Knight who regarded money as dirt?
Levi tapped on the table, his tone heavy. "Miss Liya is the Highland Tulip, the rightful heir of Kolon, possessor of half the Martel Family's Bloodline, and your niece. Do you understand?"
Before Fulina could even react, she heard the most righteous, earth-shattering cry she had ever heard in her life:
"How can a mere Five Hundred Gold Coins possibly reflect the importance of a member of the Martel Family?"
"It should be at least One Thousand Gold Coins!!!"
"Fine. One Thousand Gold Coins. For the Martel Family, this is nothing."
Fulina took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure.
She hadn't misjudged him, but she had underestimated the thickness of this Knight's skin.
Fulina agreed quickly, and Levi immediately pressed his advantage.
He couldn't help but stand up, planting his hands on the table to exert pressure—a common negotiation tactic.
But in the next moment, an unfathomably deep, white chasm entered his line of sight, forcing him to pretend that nothing had happened and slowly sit back down.
"I hear the largest Gladiatorial Arena in Bailiu City has a batch of Beastman slaves?"
This was a piece of information Levi had specifically pried from the young maidservant earlier.
The Beastmen were one of the races living in the deepest parts of the Wilderness. The harsh environment there had tempered them, making every Beastman a natural Warrior, endowed with both courage and combat experience.
Zat himself had originally fled from the Wilderness, eventually drifting to the Southern Territory, where he was picked up by a Gladiatorial Arena.