I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 49

The massive roar that had shaken the city fell silent as soon as the city gates opened.

Everyone fell quiet, their eyes fixed on the man walking in the center.

Lian Calabria slowly entered the gate on horseback.

He didn’t seem to notice the countless eyes on him.

‘He must be quite used to the attention…

Well, he’s probably been living in the spotlight since birth, so it’s only natural.’

Lian continued walking past the crowd that had come to greet him without stopping.

‘Is he heading to the barracks?’

Judging by his direction, it seemed so.

Otajur didn’t hesitate, jumping off the city wall and mounting his horse.

He felt this might be his only chance and wanted to meet and talk with him.

He wasn’t the only one who felt it was a shame to let Liran pass by.

The crowd remained quiet, but one by one, they began to follow the knights.

Liran didn’t try to drive the crowd away, but he didn’t seem to be waiting for them either.

The procession of knights quietly passed through the city and arrived at the barracks, surrounded by the citizens of Basel.

Liran spoke for the first time since entering the city.

“Take care of the tired horses and go to the barracks to rest. Recover quickly and be ready to depart again soon.”

The people murmured just from hearing his voice, but the content itself was quite plain.

Anyone who achieved such an impressive victory would surely show off a little.

Liran, however, spoke as if he were simply returning from a routine training exercise.

After his calm words, he walked straight to the scribe at the entrance of the barracks.

“Record the battle and send the report to the capital.”

Suddenly in the spotlight, the scribe of Basel’s hands trembled as he filled out the parchment according to the format.

Liran’s deputy reported the results of the battle on his behalf, but there was no need to listen.

“You are truly magnificent, Count Calabria.”

Otajur stepped forward, shouting loudly, and Liran slowly turned to face him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Otajur Eunice, the mayor of Basel.”

Despite the polite introduction, Liran simply nodded silently, yet it didn’t feel rude or like he was being ignored.

He was probably like this with everyone.

Otajur intentionally cleared his throat and spoke loudly enough for the surrounding people to hear.

“Now that you have succeeded in the subjugation, please tell us what to do with the tribute we collected for Hakmercia.”

As expected, Liran tilted his head, and Count Idelche’s expression hardened.

“There was no tribute collection this year, was there?”

“But the Count’s representative standing beside you demanded a tribute.”

When he answered with a feigned innocence, the crowd began to stir.

Liran turned to Count Idelche.

“Is that true?”

“That is…”

As Idelche’s words trailed off, Liran turned to Otajur as if he didn’t need to hear more.

He seemed to assume it was obvious, seeing that a man so cunning couldn’t answer immediately.

“We only collected for one night, so it’s only half the amount you requested.

However, since you’ve helped us escape the swamp of harsh tributes, we would like to offer it to the Imperial Knights as a sign of our gratitude.”

Although it was a small amount, it was a tribute that could feed a small village for about a year.

Otajur found Count Idelche a bit of an eyesore but had no intention of making an enemy of Lyran, so he quickly added.

“Considering the circumstances, there is no reason for us to accept it.”

However, Liran responded without emotion.

“The Imperial Knights receive sufficient support. If it was collected incorrectly, you can return it or keep it to be used for the benefit of the citizens.”

His quiet words.

His nonchalant attitude stirred a strange ripple from deep within someone’s heart.

“I am only a temporary mayor, so once things stabilize, someone else will be appointed to replace me.”

He regretted the words as soon as he said them, feeling they sounded pathetic.

It was something he would never normally say.

As he was fumbling awkwardly, Liran spoke.

“The barracks here are well-maintained, and even though the monster habitat is nearby, the citizens look bright. That couldn’t happen if the ruler were acting improperly.”

Liran’s purple eyes calmly swept over the surroundings before returning to Otajur.

“There is no one who can manage it better than you. I will see to it that you remain in your position.”

As soon as the words were spoken, a cheer erupted from the citizens who had been holding back.

As they began to voice their approval, the atmosphere around them became even more heightened.

Otajur’s face felt hot.

If Liran Calabria said he would keep a mayor of a frontier region, no one would dare to object to his decision.

But what felt even bigger than the fact that he was keeping his position as mayor was that the citizens—and he himself—had been acknowledged.

The ripple that had been spreading inside him now enveloped his entire body.

He felt pathetic already, so he didn’t want to let this moment slip away just to save face.

“Captain Calabria!”

Otajur’s voice, hoarse with excitement, boomed out.

“I will follow you my whole life!

Please protect the Empire forever!”

“Woooooah!”

His cry made the citizens’ cheers even louder.

They had probably wanted to do this all along but had held back out of consideration for the situation.

As the citizens reacted, the knights also bowed their heads toward Liran in a gesture of solidarity.

Faced with the thunderous response, Liran looked more awkward than pleased.

“I thank you for the sentiment.”

After saying this briefly, Liran awkwardly began to walk toward the command center of the barracks.

As he began to move, the citizens’ voices grew even louder.

It seemed they wanted to express their feelings more before he disappeared.

Everyone felt that just shouting was not enough.

Otajur, following his heart, knelt on one knee on the ground.

Someone who saw him did the same.

And then another.

The movement quickly spread, and people one by one lowered themselves to their knees on the ground.

In an instant, the people adopted the same posture and bowed their heads toward Liran’s back.

Otajur, who lived in the frontier, had never once assumed this posture in his life.

It was not a gesture one would make to a mere knight captain.

It was the pinnacle of courtesy that an Imperial citizen and vassal could show.

It was the gesture one offered to their sovereign, the Emperor.

Whether he was aware of the fire that had ignited behind him or not, Liran disappeared from sight.

The night in Felicity was more vibrant than ever.

Minaz murmured softly as he passed through the massive archway that glowed with the light of the alchemists.

“What a truly magnificent sight.”

Events that garner a lot of anticipation are often disappointing, but tonight was different.

Duchess Floyd’s ball, which had swept through Felicity for the past few days.

It scoffed at people’s expectations, surpassing them by far and unfolding with an air of dignified grandeur.

“I can’t believe something like this is actually possible.”

Claude also looked up in a daze, clicking his tongue in amazement.

The Shankarn Hotel he had seen just a short while ago was gone, replaced by a new ducal mansion that looked as if it had been there forever.

Every corner of the garden was meticulously filled with rare and exotic plants, and glowing fountains were placed throughout.

Golden fireworks exploded in the sky, and solitary floating flames created a spectacular scene.

So many people had gathered even in the square beyond the wide outer walls to watch it.

“This is Mirta champagne! To serve this to every single guest!”

Minaz’s eyes widened as he took a jewel-like champagne glass from a waiter.

One bottle’s price surely exceeded the monthly income of a typical Imperial citizen.

And to be giving it out to all the bustling guests in this vast area…

When it came to wealth, the two dukes of the Empire would be named among the wealthiest in the world, and it wouldn’t take long.

Yet, this was overwhelming, leaving them utterly dumbfounded.

“Even if one had the money, getting this much of this rare drink is more frightening.”

As Claude said, it wasn’t just about wealth; it was also a testament to the power of the Duchess, who had a firm grip on the Empire’s distribution network.

“Shooting money into the sky and burning it would probably be more frugal than this.”

“I agree.”

Minaz smiled, seeing Claude’s rare agreement.

“Alright, now let’s enjoy the ball.

First, shall we empty that entire tray?”

He pointed to a tray full of Mirta champagne, but Claude quickly stopped him.

“Tell me what’s on your mind before you get drunk.”

“What’s on my mind? I just want to drink.”

“You’ve been secretly contacting the Duchess all this time, haven’t you?”

Minaz pouted at Claude’s words.

“Yeah. So what?”

“You said I’d know what you talked about when we got to the ball.”

“Exactly. So wait until you find out.”

He tried to gloss over it and grabbed a champagne glass, but Claude snatched it away immediately.

“Just tell me already!”

“Why are you so impatient? I said you’ll find out, didn’t I?”

“I’m tired of being tricked by your schemes without knowing anything!”

“Oh, what schemes? You’re just following your own convictions, aren’t you?”

When Minaz said this with a straight face, Claude sighed, seemingly at a loss for words.

“Come on, relax. Just enjoy yourself and do what you think is right.”

“Every time, you…”

Claude tried to get a clear answer, but the situation did not cooperate.

A loud, unmistakable cry rang out from the entrance.

“His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, has arrived.”

As nobles of the Empire, they had to show proper etiquette for the Emperor’s arrival.

Claude knelt on one knee according to the rules and nervously watched the entrance.

The Emperor, dressed appropriately for the ball, and the Princess, in a dress as vibrant as a butterfly, were entering.

The two looked a little gaunt, but their expressions were not somber.

“Whatever happens this time, I will remain a bystander.”

Claude said through clenched teeth, watching the Emperor walk through the long garden.

“Fine. If you don’t feel like it, just watch as you please.”

Minaz smiled cheerfully.

It was as Claude was trying to gather his patience, reciting the Code of Chivalry while looking into the distance.

“Oh, that woman!”

Minaz murmured in a low voice and tugged on Claude’s sleeve.

He wanted to ignore him, but his cursed curiosity automatically made him turn his head.

Minaz’s finger pointed to a woman in the long procession accompanying the Emperor and Princess.

She had upturned eyes, a skinny face, and a gaudy dress that made her an attractive middle-aged lady.

No matter how hard he looked, he didn’t remember her, not even feeling a sense of familiarity.

“Who is she?”

“You know I’ve been diligently digging into Baroness Eleanor’s background, right?”

When Claude nodded, Minaz smiled.

“Looks like I’ll be scoring some points.”

Minaz’s eyes sparkled with mischievous glee.

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