To Meet a Count Part 2

The butler walked swiftly up a winding staircase to a balcony that overlooked the foyer of the palace. Joshua could get a good look around now and was amazed by the display of wealth that was before him, considering the filth and squalor of the lower city.

It was becoming clearer to Joshua by the day that there was a massive divide in the classes of this kingdom, not unlike the early days of Earth. It was almost sickening to him as he looked around at the nobles laughing and enjoying themselves.

A table placed at the top of the stairs had been filled with diverse types of bread and fruits. Looking around Joshua could tell that none of the nobles standing around him knew what it was like to miss a meal and not know where your next meal would come from.

It was unlike Joshua to get angry over such things, but the recent trauma with his mother and knowing she was trapped with a noble against her will wore heavily on his soul. He always planned to rise to the top of this new world, but now it was personal.

"Young man?" The butler asked, noticing that Joshua had stopped following him and was just staring at the nobles with a clenched fist. "This is not the time." He whispered into Joshua's ear.

Joshua snapped out of his fixation and proceeded to follow the butler into a small room on the far end of the balcony. The room had floor to ceiling drawers and a body sized mirror standing in the center of it. As they entered the butler shut the door behind him.

"Sir, you mustn't let your emotions get the better of you." He said. "I understand you are from the lower city and these fat nobles have made life there completely unbearable. Still, you must mind yourself. This is the palace of the count, if you were to show any aggression here, they would label you a rat and have you executed immediately."

"I understand." Joshua replied. "I don't know what happened to me back there, I just lost myself in thought."

"It can happen when we have a serious trauma in our lives." The butler replied. "It is not uncommon among adventurers such as yourself, and you did just kill the undefeatable demon that has plagued us for so long. It is only natural that you would be easily upset."

"It's not that at all." Joshua said. "My mother, she has been taken against her will by a noble in the lower city. He beats her and God knows what else to her. I need to save her, but I have no idea how to go against a noble."

"Only nobles are allowed to challenge other nobles." The butler said. "And only those of equal rank may issue challenges. Of course, if a higher ranked noble wished to challenge a lower rank they would be allowed to, but that would be pointless."

"Explain." Joshua said. "Remember I come from the lower city, I am new to this noble stuff. Oh, how did you know that by the way? Did the guild inform you?"

"No." The butler replied. "I simply knew by your malnourished body. Only a peasant from the lower city would be so starved. It was quite easy to deduce. Considering you were strong enough to slay the unkillable wolf you are obviously without an ailment causing your malnourishment; therefore, the only logical explanation is that you are a peasant."

"Wow, you got all that from my appearance, that is impressive." Joshua said.

"One does not serve the lord count for forty years and not learn a few tricks." The butler said with a small laugh. "As for your other question pertaining to the challenging of nobles. To settle disputes nobles will sometimes challenge one another to a duel to the death. Of course, the challenged decides if they will participate themselves or use a champion.

However, the challenger must fight themselves. If the challenger wins by defeating the champion, they are entitled to anything the challenged possesses. If they defeat the challenged directly, they claim all of their belongings.

Of course, it is extremely rare for a challenged to ever fight for themselves. Even with the reward being so high."

"Explain." Joshua said.

"Oh, if the champion wins, they receive an item from the deceased noble, but all other possessions go back to the noble's house. If the challenged kills the challenger without a champion, then the challenged claims all that the challenger possesses."

"What an odd way to settle disputes." Joshua said.

"Truly barbaric, I agree." The butler replied. "However, it has been the best method of dispute settlement for the past two hundred years, so how am I to argue with results. Now on to business, all visitors of the count must wear a robe of the kingdom. Failure to do so will result in immediate termination of one's life."

The butler walked over to a drawer and opened it. He lifted a black and gold robe out of it and handed it to Joshua. "Wear this over your clothes and give it back to me when your meeting is over. Other rules to remember, always keep your head bowed, unless otherwise given permission to raise it. Always end every sentence when addressing the lord with my lord. Most importantly do not wait too long when answering the lord's questions.

Extended silence will be treated as a non-answer and will be dealt with harshly."

"Let me guess execution?" Joshua asked.

"Precisely." The butler said.

"Wonderful place." Joshua said with a sigh under his breath. "You are killed if you don't show up and most likely killed if you do. I hate dealing with nobility."

"It won't be all bad." The butler said to try to console Joshua. "This is after all an award's ceremony. Now put on your robe and let us head to the throne room."

Joshua did as instructed and the two of them left the room.