Lord of Rot

After a brief exchange, Leech and Baron Spark had conveyed their friendly intentions to one another.

He wasn’t asking for a low price on iron ore, just that the Baron be willing to sell him more of it.

The development of his territory required a tremendous amount of iron.

Before the ball began, the hall served as a social venue for the nobles.

As Baron Spark and his group moved elsewhere to converse, a question formed in Leech’s mind. ’This is a ball for young people. What is a group of middle-aged and elderly lords doing here?’

They could give the ’Red Rose’ a birthday gift, but the best way would have been to send the gift without attending in person, just as Leech’s own uncle had done for his birthday.

The entire banquet had a strange atmosphere.

Leech walked over to a table in a corner, sat down, and poured himself a glass of wine.

The crimson liquid, like blood, sloshed in the silver goblet engraved with intricate patterns as he gave his wrist a slight shake.

He was a little disappointed not to see any Porcupine Wine, but he knew that if such a high-proof distilled spirit were served at the banquet, the vast majority of guests wouldn’t even make it to the start of the ball.

’Wine is another way to make money... the desert, money...’

SCREECH— The chair next to him was suddenly pulled out.

A dwarf pulled out the chair and, with great effort, hoisted his rear end up to climb onto it.

”Whew, this place isn’t very friendly to dwarfs,” he said, looking at Leech. ”Could you help me pour a glass of wine?”

Leech picked up the wine bottle and poured a glass, placing it in front of him.

”Thank you.” The dwarf took the glass. ”I like the way you look at me. I can see in your eyes that you don’t find me to be an ugly dwarf.”

”No,” Leech said, shaking his head. ”Your ugliness is an objective fact, and I don’t want to lie and tell you how handsome you are. However, appearances don’t define a person. I should say that at this banquet, aside from the beautiful ladies, no man wishes to be judged by his looks.”

Men want to be judged as glorious, powerful, wealthy, cruel, fearsome, or greedy—anything but handsome or ugly. To judge a successful man purely on his appearance would only infuriate him.

”Your directness wounds me,” the dwarf said, raising his glass to Leech, ”but it also makes me want to properly toast you. I like your sense of equality.”

Leech did not raise his glass. How could he not recognize the man’s signature short stature?

This was Lair Lu, the ’dwarf’ from the Tuna family, a successful merchant.

Despite being merely a Knight of the Tuna family, he owned eight merchant ships, a feat for which the dwarf deserved immense credit.

’Right, he only has three left now.’

The dwarf wasn’t embarrassed. He took a sip of wine himself. ”I quite like Porcupine Territory. It’s so orderly. Except for the lack of a brothel.”

Leech said, ”Compared to Sir Marvin Simon, you’re not a particularly strong competitor. If I were to open a brothel, I would prioritize working with him.”

”We both ’like’ Baron Spark,” the dwarf said. He then furtively glanced around, searching for the Baron. After confirming that he was on the other side of the room chatting with some lady, the dwarf breathed a sigh of relief.

Joking about a lord was enough to have him punished, and he wasn’t even a Knight.

”I actually came to find you for a specific reason,” the dwarf said, looking at Leech with a serious expression.

”Go on.”

’At least the dwarf’s attitude is decent,’ Leech thought, ’unlike that arrogant prince who thinks he’s God’s gift to the world, or that Ostrich Eagle Knight with the constipated look on his face.’

”I’ve recently acquired a Snake Woman,” he said. ”The kind with a forked tongue. I’d like to sell her to you for some spending money.”

”...” Leech watched him in silence.

After a long moment, Leech asked, ”How much?”

”Fifty Jinri,” the dwarf said. ”She’s a hot commodity. The Golden Stallion wanted to buy her, but I refused. The moment you see her, you’ll fall in love.”

”I’ll take her!” Leech said.

He said he’d take her, but he had no intention of paying.

He felt perfectly justified in stiffing a water monkey.

The dwarf, unaware that someone was planning to stiff him, said cheerfully, ”I’ll have someone deliver her to your guards.”

Leech nodded. If someone was giving her away for free, he would certainly take her.

The two exchanged no more words. The dwarf, too, seemed to have completely forgotten his reason for approaching Leech, sitting there quietly and occasionally pouring himself another glass of wine.

This continued until darkness fell outside and candles were lit inside the castle.

Music began to play.

The ball had officially begun, and the ’Red Rose’, the star of the evening, finally made her entrance.

Accompanying her was the ’Golden Stallion’, Pine Leopold. He wore a golden jacket over a shirt with multiple layers of ruffled lace, and his shoulders were adorned with feathers, making him look like an ostrich with dyed wings.

The ’Red Rose’s’ fashion sense was impeccable as always—or perhaps, a beautiful young lady is captivating no matter what she wears.

”It is a great honor to have His Highness, Eldest Prince Hugo Kaine, here at Roaring Castle today!” Pine announced with a smile. Leech suddenly realized that while this guy was an idiot who often thought with his lower body, he was far more likable than the Eldest Prince.

’At least he doesn’t look down his nose at people.’

”Today’s ball is also a celebration of the engagement between my dearest sister, Evangelina, and Prince Hugo! After the ball concludes, I invite you all to join us for the banquet.”

A stir went through the hall.

Many of the nobles in attendance were surprised, but the more established aristocrats simply smiled, having already known.

This also answered Leech’s question as to why a group of middle-aged and elderly people were attending a ball for young people that was essentially a ”matchmaking” event.

Leech now also understood why the Eldest Prince was here.

He wasn’t surprised that the Duke intended to form a marriage alliance with the King. The interests of noble families were bound together through such unions, with bloodlines as the ties.

It was just like how his own close relationship with Lady Jie Lin was due to Little Lierde.