Prologue (Vol 2.5) - Viscount Baltimore

The second school semester was over.

The Altfode Kingdom is where I, Rudel van Bradford, third son of a Baronial house, is the country I live in.

I am an ordinary boy with a simpler appearance than anyone would think.

That's because not only do I have black eyes and black hair, I also have a frightening face.

Worst of all, I'm a reincarnate, I died in a tragic way and ended up waking up in this fantasy world with swords, magic... and the weirdest thing of all, armed units.

Strange, not-so-giant robots that move by way of magical power.

At this moment I was in the port.

I was surrounded by many people, who were coming and going because of the trouble a week ago.

I was on a cruise ship and some idiots from a country called the commonwealth attacked us.

I even fought and kicked some weird guy's ass who called himself the Bloody Knight.

It was a terrifying experience which I don't want to repeat.

That's because I was so scared, even my own armored unit ended up severely damaged and they only fixed it today.

By fixed I don't mean a repair shop or a master craftsman touching it, but a cheat object.

"They don't come..."

"Maybe they disliked the idea of travelling with you Master?"

The one who answered me in a disrespectful manner was my cheating object. An Artificial Intelligence from an ancient humanity called Ixion.

It has a spherical body the size of a softball. Its color is grey and it has a single red eye.

He was my servant, my companion and, above all, my faithful slave.

I would reply to this ill-mannered slave.

"What the hell does that mean, huh?!"

"What you heard. Maybe those two gave up on coming because they already know that you look at them obscenely despite being their only friends."

Ixion was camouflaged with some kind of light-distorting ability. It looked like I was talking to the air, but in reality this bastard was standing right next to me.

Weeks ago I behaved like an idiot as I yelled at them, got angry and most of all wished evil on them, my only friends in this world.

Deep down I knew I did wrong, but my arrogant attitude gave the three of us a hard time.

That's why I was at the port waiting for them.

Because I promised them that I wanted to redeem myself for making them unhappy for a whole semester.

But I was starting to get scared.

They weren't coming, to make matters worse, what Ixion said won't get out of my head, it's really scary the idea that I've been stood up.

I was starting to sweat and shiver until I heard a pleasant voice.

"Rudel-san~! Over here~!"

I turned to see who was calling me, my heart calmed as I knew who they were.

Two girls in uniform like me came running.

One of them, the one on the left, waved her hand while showing a charming smile.

Her hair was light blonde in a bob cut style that reached her neck, her eyes were blue and her status was that a commoner, her name was Irisdina, but we called her Airi as a symbol of our friendship.

While the right one had a serious and elegant expression like her aura surrounding her.

A girl with golden blonde hair, a braid in the shape of a bow ran around her head from behind her ears. A small ponytail hid how long her strange hair was.

Her eyes were as red as a rabbit's, the only daughter of a duke's house, she is Alicelotte von Bismarck- Alisa, she was my benefactress.

Months ago I helped her because of a problem with a bastard that ended well for me, when I expected something else in fact.

The two of them approached until they were close to me, with a worried face I asked them.

"Why were you late, did something happen to you?"

Alisa looked a little tired, so after catching her breath she said. "Yes. My older brother sent for me and Airi came with me."

They became close friends from the moment they arrived in my family's territory months ago. Then their friendship grew stronger when our fight ended.

"Your brother? Is it serious?"

Alisa seemed reluctant to tell me, but it was Airi who pointed out.

"Rudel-san, Alisa's brother wishes to see you personally."

"Me?"

What does Alisa's brother wish to see me for?

◇

Duke Bismarck's mansion in the royal capital.

A huge place that made Buckingham Palace look like a country house.

We arrived by carriage at the Duke's mansion as he wished to see me urgently.

I hope it's nothing bad?

After climbing the hellish stairs that seemed to have no end, we arrived at the room that was the study of the head of the household.

Alisa knocked on the door.

"Onii-sama, we've arrived."

"Come in."

A voice came from inside.

After entering, no matter how many times I see this place. It's fucking huge and scary.

I don't mean that in a bad way, but in that everything in here shows that it's from a super-rich family.

Expensive antique ornaments.

Marble statues.

Books and vases decorated with diamonds.

It was very loud just to walk in here.

In the center of this room was a desk.

A long carpet stretched from the door to this desk.

There, a very attractive man was signing some documents.

He was a young man possibly the same age or a little older than my older brother Lyle.

He wore in this hot weather shining silver armor with the Kingdom's coat of arms on the side.

Like Alisa, his hair was identical, only his ponytail was long and his unpinned hair reached to his shoulders.

His eyes were the most frightening feature when I saw these people, they were red.

He was the sole heir to the Bismarck Duchy, Alisa's older brother, Vayne von Bismarck.

Vayne finished signing some documents and looked at us.

He stood up, even in a coat armor, you could see in the uncovered spaces that he was well muscled.

"Glad you could make it."

"And it's good to see you again Baron Bradford- no, you're Viscount Bradford now."

When I found Ixion, I took treasure to the capital to pay taxes and all that pesky paperwork stuff about islands of my own.

The Kingdom gave me the title of baron, and after what happened against the commonwealth, Prime Minister Mayer-san pulled his influence to make me a viscount.

I should thank him, but I don't want to rise in rank.

I said to Vayne.

"It's nice to see you anyway. But may I know what you need me for?"

"Drop the formality please. Even if I am the heir to a ducal house, at the moment I am just another knight."

I find it more odd that the heir to a duke's house would go around serving as a knight.

"C-Clearly. But the question is the same."

Vayne sat down, and then told us...

"You see, I sent for you since there is a problem with one of our vassal houses at the moment."

"I understand that you' re not part of our faction, let alone a vassal of Alisa, but as your benefactress, you have at least a duty to be an advisor in matters involving her."

I looked at Alisa as I didn't understand anything her brother was saying.

She understood when she saw me instantly so she decided to explain.

"What my brother is trying to say without sounding so formal, is that he is asking you for a favor."

I was surprised to hear that he was asking me for a favor and not an order.

"Is that how you high nobles ask for a favor?"

"There really is no such thing as favors for us. For we have vassals and knights on our side for a reason."

That answer was what I expected from a girl raised in a cradle of gold and a platinum spoon.

"Besides, it is thanks to you that I am speaking to you so casually. You should practice more with the book of manners I gave you."

(I won't tell her that I lost that book...)

"I- I certainly will." I said a little scared so she wouldn't ask about the book.

Vayne spoke to me again now that I knew the situation.

"It's just as she says. For us, the word 'favor' is a rarity. But it is for that very reason that I want you to help us."

"Bismarck Household asks for your help."

For a ducal house to say that to me, it must surely be something serious.

"I understand, but may I know what the problem is?"

"Indeed."

"You see, as you may recall, we had serious trouble the day Alisa's followers left her during the ballroom. After that came the problem of the cruise."

"Both, we and the palace had to deal with traitors and conspirators."

"My father is still working hard right now to punish them, but the problem is one of those houses."

The expression on Vayne's face was serious as he said...

"Viscount Baltimore's household is very suspicious."

"Viscount Baltimore?" I asked curiously as I didn't understand what he was referring to.

But this time it was Alisa who answered me.

"Baltimore Household is a vassal house that has been in our service for no more than a few years."

"They are a territory with a lot of potential to develop. The problem is that they are growing by leaps and bounds."

"What do you mean?"

Vayne was now explaining.

"It was a family of frontier barons. Nothing unusual if you ask us."

"But... a few years later they became a Viscount Household."

"This wasn't unusual either... the odd thing came when we found out after we sought information from our allied houses to find out who was in bad deals, and discovered that their rank at court is at the level of a marquis."

Now I understood everything.

"A viscount house with a court rank on the level of a Marquis's house represents that they have earned that title in an unknown way, does it not?"

"It is as you say. But not so unknown."

"I don't think you know this, but there are times where a nobleman with a lot of money or influence within the ministers, can buy a higher rank or court rank."

"It has happened many times and finding out whether it is true or not before His Majesty's official appointment makes it an almost impossible task."

That's obvious, I doubt very much that these guys would give themselves away or want to talk about others.

"That's not all that happened."

Vayne seems to have more to say.

He pulled a letter off the desk and showed it to us.

"This is a letter requesting an engagement between the Duke's daughter and the heir to the Baltimore family."

I was surprised to see that, Alisa too.

Before she could say anything, her brother beat us to it.

"Don't jump to conclusions yet. We haven't requested anything ourselves, let alone agreed to anything."

"They sent her to us because of what happened with your followers and Arkwright Household. They must think we are weakened or desperate at the moment."

If it were as they think, then it would be more upsetting than it is at the moment. A family of viscounts with the court rank of a marquis and the backing of a ducal family.

No matter how you look at it, these guys want to do something bad to Bismarck Household.

Therefore, to harm Alisa, my friend. I will not allow it.

"Not only that, father told me this..."

◇◇◇

In a special room in the royal palace, there was a meeting of the members of the Bismarck faction.

All those who were neither conspirators nor traitors were present.

At the center of this round table was the head of the faction, the duke, Siegwald von Bismarck. A man with long golden blond hair and red eyes was looking at a man at the other end of the table.

He was well dressed and his long hair reached to his shoulder.

It was Viscount Baltimore.

The viscount was smiling in a confident manner.

Siegwald on the other hand looked at him with an evil expression.

"Viscount, can you repeat what you said?"

Viscount Baltimore without changing his expression said.

"No problem."

"As I said. I think the duke's household needs the private services of the Baltimore family."

The members of the higher status or higher ranking faction of the court looked at him as if they did not believe that this man was blatantly saying that Bismarck Household was weakening.

"It is because of the development of my territory and the imports we have made that we have gained so much power to be merely a viscount's house."

"For that reason I would like to offer you my help. There is no better method of securing the future of both houses than with a political marriage."

Siegwald saw the viscount smiling confidently, but the duke's smile was not far behind.

"I appreciate your interest in us. And it is just as you say."

The duke said the words that no one could believe were possible to come out of his mouth.

"Bismarck Household is losing power."

But Siegwald's smile didn't diminish because of what he said, it increased much more because of his confidence.

"When my father was the boss, I was just an apprentice. I was in the care of the previous head of Kingsfort Household."

"For that reason don't worry."

"No matter what troubles there are, we will always rise up. Besides, these problems mysteriously arose having my daughter as a central pillar."

"So your proposal can bring you trouble no doubt, hahaha."

Siegwald laughed to minimise the fact that he said he would never allow that.

But the trouble didn't end there. They stayed talking for a long time and the viscount returned to his home in the capital.

◇

What Alisa's brother was telling us was intense.

I wouldn't be surprised if an internal conflict occurs.

"That's how our situation is. That's why viscount, I would like you to help us with this problem. Not that you should do anything, just be our escort."

"After all, you are known as the fearsome noble pirate hunter."

I didn't like that nickname, I was ashamed of it. Like shouting out the name of an attack before doing it.

Even if it was after the attack, I wouldn't shout it.

But what he said seemed strange to me.

"Excuse me, what does that nickname and my presence have to do with anything?"

"We think they are related to pirates. Since, after that incident, pirates have been trying to approach our country. At least the smart ones."

Sky Pirates.

A completely normal group of pirates doing pirate stuff.

"Excuse me, but what incident are you talking about?"

His mouth said a name that brought back bad memories.

"It's about the incident with the former Earl Rossini."

Me, Alisa and Airi felt an uneasy feeling when we heard that name.

But Airi was the one who looked the most scared.

Last semester, that Earl's daughter was bullying Airi to the point where she was threatened and ordered to take me to a specific place to be killed.

Airi was suffering in silence.

When I found out that she was the one who took me there, I behaved like a cretin for being angry and not knowing her reason for doing so.

I shouted at her and said ugly things. Alisa came later and I said the same thing to her.

I was really horrible and after several months we made up. That's what this trip was for.

Because I wanted to make amends for my mistakes.

But now there's a problem that involves pirates...

"And I was planning to take advantage of this holiday to enjoy myself."

Alisa seemed to understand what I was referring to, so she reassured me.

"Don't worry about that. The holidays are just starting."

"It's true!"

Airi said excitedly.

"We'll go with you so you won't feel lonely!"

"It's like she says. Onii-sama, there's no problem with it?"

Vayne's face was deep in thought for some reason. But his expression changed to a smile.

"... Sure. No problem."

"You'll just be our escort, you don't need to do anything. Let Bismarck Household take care of this."

Even though he said that. His red eyes seemed to indicate otherwise.

"We will leave today. Please get your things ready as soon as possible to meet at the port. There are still preparations to be made as soon as possible."

"In that case, I must hurry home to report it. I told my parents I would go today, but this came up."

"While you do that, me and Airi will prepare our things."

"Then, see you later."

"See you later. (x2)"

We said goodbye to Alisa's brother and left the room.

◇◇◇

Vayne inside the room looked in the direction of the three young men who came out.

"...You've definitely changed Alisa."

"The Alisa I remember would never have said such words of wanting to be with someone of lower status."

"I wonder which two of them would have been the one who changed you so much?"

◇◇◇

In a private room in the palace.

Two men were talking.

One of them was Viscount Baltimore who had a cigarette in one hand and a glass of liquor in the other.

The other man in front of him was listening to him as he sipped his tea.

"As I was saying. Looks like old Bismarck won't do anything."

"Hoh, why do you say that?"

Asked the mysterious man to the viscount who took a large sip of his drink.

Then he placed the cigarette in his mouth and exhaled with pleasure.

"Because I'm still here. If I wasn't, I'd be dead by now, hahaha."

"Duke Bismarck is a capable and very perceptive man. You should not underestimate him."

The viscount scoffed at his companion's words.

"Even if you tell me that, anyway, Bismarck Household has been losing a lot of power."

"They can't afford to lose any more vassals. If you know how many members there were originally, it would make you laugh to see that there aren't even half of them."

"Hahaha, that past incident certainly made them lose a lot of influence. Even among the officials there are some who want to be part of your faction."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. That's why I really want that engagement to happen. If I make my son get engaged to the only daughter of the dukes of this country. It will be the moment when we will gain importance and climb to the top."

"I am fine with what you say, but let me remind you of this. Being too greedy will always end badly."

The viscount finished his smoke and his drink as well. He stood up and before leaving the room he took his leave.

"Sure, I know a duke is trouble, but there are many in the palace who don't like him because of what happened with the Kingsfort and Rossini houses."

"For that reason, you need not worry that I will fail you. Since you are my true benefactor, Marquis Balzac."

The seated man had a long beard, bulging eyes and a hooked nose.

The marquis said. "I hope so. Don't go to your territory, stay in the capital until he leaves you alone."

As the viscount closed the door, Marquis Balzac looked at his cup of tea uneasily.

"For the sake of my future, I must get rid of my enemies; Mayer and Siegwald are certainly my worst nightmare."