Chapter 28 - Volume 2 (2/2)

“They may be too stupid to realise; it’s typical trash from New Port City! Look, that emblem has stars but there’s no symbol representing his subject! Like the trash he is, he probably overheard that the College uses golden stars for its emblems, but not the full details!”

People finally realised Isaac only had stars on his emblem once Oboe pointed out that fact. Because of their soaring reputation, most people were quick to a.s.sume someone was from the College once they saw the golden stars. The only people who cared about the symbol of the emblem were those involved with the College.

Many started to believe Isaac truly was impersonating the College, but Isaac seemed relaxed throughout all this. He took out a cigarette and Soland was quick to light it for him.

“Look, look! He’s smoking a choyu leaf because he’s getting nervous! How could a man from the College smoke choyu leaves intended for treating lung disease! It wouldn’t make sense at all!”

The more Oboe made his point, the shakier Robren felt about this situation. He had heard that the new Administrator of New Port City was a graduate of the College, but Robren didn’t know his appearance.

There was no way to find out about it now, and sending someone to check would take too long. Even when he had just arrived, this place had already gathered a large amount of attention, but the moment the College’s name was shouted into the air, a giant crowd had gathered to watch.

Robren struggled to find a solution. If he truly is the Administrator, then this would turn into an incident where a rank 3 knight arrested a rank 1 knight who is an Administrator of a city without any charges.

“What are you standing around for?! Take him away now! Does it really take that long to figure out when he’s sitting there with the trash from New Port City? This is why I hate incompetent people like you. I bet my entire fortune that he isn’t from the College!’

“Fine! I’ll take that bet!”

“Huh?”

Isaac instantly replied to Oboe as if he’d been waiting for this moment. Isaac just wanted to see the man squirm later, but instead, he had given Isaac an unexpected opportunity.

“He just said he’d bet his entire fortune that I’m not from the College. You all heard it right?”

Soland was quick to catch on and started to support Isaac.

“We heard it loud and clear. Impersonating someone from the College is a serious crime, but insulting and denying a man from the College is just as severe. The fact that he confirmed to everyone that you aren’t from the College is a clear indication that he is denying the College as a whole. Losing his entire fortune to save his life would be too light of a punishment.”

“You heard it too right?”

Robren shakily nodded to Isaac’s question. It was impossible to not hear it when Oboe said it so loud.

“W, wait! I didn’t mean it that way! I was…”

“You said you’d bet your entire fortune. Am I wrong?”

“W, well…”

“According to the Empire’s court laws, betting a man’s entire fortune means that man is confident to enough to put his entire life’s achievements on the line. Alternatively, it can be a vow or an oath.”

As Soland started to explain the specifics of the law, Oboe’s face began to pale while onlookers simply nodded in agreement to Soland’s words.

“N-no. I mean… Yes! I meant that I’d bet my fortune if you can prove that you are from the College at this moment! I, I mean, sir. Of course, you are from the College, Sir Isaac. But you know how things go. I’m a simple man who can only believe what he sees, eheheh.”

The change in Oboe’s behaviour was instant. While most people frowned at how quickly Oboe turned from an abusive to a pathetic man, Foxt and Soland were rather impressed at this change.

“Whew. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a spineless man like him. Not many people could act like that in front of so many people.”

PR Note: Foxt who is speaking in the above line of dialogue actually whistles in awe, but it is difficult to put this in word form. For a direct auditory experience, check out this link.

“Yes, it has been a while for me too, to see a man who would sell his family for profit.”

Oboe’s face turned red with embarra.s.sment by their insults, but saving his fortune was more important that this brief feeling of shame.

Isaac seemed to agree with Oboe and nodded along.

“You have a point. Everyone was going to figure it out in time so this bet wouldn’t go through if it isn’t at this moment. Yes, you are right. So how long are you two going to ignore me?”

Isaac turned and everyone’s eyes turned with him.

“M, me?”

The woman who complained so confidently to Foxt shrugged with a hint of fear as everyone’s stares were upon her.

“Tsk, we should have run away sooner…”

“You’re right. We got mixed in to this unnecessarily.”

Philip and Eliza smiled bitterly and sighed. Thanks to Isaac’s advice, Eliza successfully captured Philip’s devotion and they proceeded to become lovers, later becoming husband and wife. They had come to Port City for their honeymoon, but Eliza’s younger sister had been following them around like a sore thumb. They visited this restaurant for its renown in New Port City but couldn’t help but be stunned when they saw Isaac.

They had heard that Isaac was transferred to New Port City as Administrator, but didn’t actually think they would see each other. They were relieved to see Isaac kicked out of this place for unknown reasons, but they knew Isaac too well and wanted to leave this place before he came back to cause a scene. Regrettably, Eliza’s sister was too slow to notice this, and because of her stubbornness, they stayed.

And lo and behold, Isaac came back with mobsters behind him. They did their best to hide as Isaac caused a commotion, but Eliza’s sister ended up making the situation worse, making sure Isaac would see them. They were making a sigh of relief when Isaac didn’t act like he knew them, but the situation had changed so suddenly.

“I’m sorry to ask but may I ask for your identifications?”

Robren politely asked and Eliza reluctantly stood up and introduced herself.

“I am Eliza de Rogenic. This is my husband Philip de Rogenic. I swear upon my family’s name that Isaac Rondart’s status as Administrator is true.”

Unlike the people from College, who were required to show their emblems in public, Campus graduates were free to hide or show it. Eliza and Philip wanted to have a quiet trip so they had been hiding it, but their emblem was always with them in person.

When Eliza and Philip flashed their hands over their left chest, the silver stars representing their status as Campus graduates appeared.

Oooh!

Onlookers moaned in astonishment at this sudden twist, while Oboe collapsed onto the floor with his face turning white like paper.

“It’s been a while. And congratulations on your successful endeavour.”

The two couldn’t help from trying to avoid eye contact with Isaac’s br.i.m.m.i.n.g smile. Eliza’s weakness was that she was given advice from him to seduce Philip, while Philip’s weakness was that he bought the engagement ring for Eliza through credit only to not pay him back at all.

“Well, for your wedding gift I will forget your names in my memories. It was so nice of you two to help me like this.”

“T, this is a lie! It’s a conspiracy! You two must have plotted against me!”

Eliza’s face turned fierce at Oboe’s last act of resistance.

“May I take that as a personal insult to my family from you?”

“Ack.”

Oboe dropped his head in face of Eliza’s cold stare.

“Sister, is he really from the College? Last I heard, he was still in the Campus.”

Eliza’s sister didn’t like the constricted quality of life Campus presented, so she was schooled in a private establishment close to her mansion. She had heard many times about Isaac whenever her sister came back home during the holidays. She never thought she’d meet him and asked as she looked in surprise.

“If you only look at the result, he is a graduate of the College.”

Isaac shrugged as Philip and Eliza’s complicated looks focused on him.

“Then we shall head out.”

“Once again, congratulations on your marriage. If you have time left over, why not visit New Port City too? Once you have a thorough tour around the worst slums the Empire has to offer, you may start to think more about the poor in your own province too.”

Eliza and Philip smiled bitterly to Isaacs words as they left, dragging her sister along who was persistently asking to see how this will end.

“Please! Sir Isaac, I am sorry. Have mercy!”

Oboe grabbed onto Isaac’s pants as he cried. Isaac was happy to nod at Oboe’s action.

“Alright. I’ll do as you ask.”

“Really? Thank you! Thank you!”

Isaac patted Oboe on his shoulder as he continuously thanked Isaac, slamming his head onto the ground. But this was just a ruse to take Oboe’s hands off his pants. Once his legs were free, he spoke.

“Oi, Smarta.s.s.”

“Yes, Administrator.”

“You run a loan shark business too right?”

“If you mean debt collection, yes.”

“Same s.h.i.+t, different smell. Show this man how disgusting New Port City trash can be. Since he’s asking for mercy, leave enough for him to survive.”

Soland was quick to understand Isaac and smiled at Oboe.

“I’m sorry to say this will be my first time leaving money behind for this kind of job. I’m more used to taking everything they have. But I’ll try my best.”

“W, what’s the meaning of this? Sir Isaac! Sir Isaac!”

“Who do you think you’re approaching?!”

As Oboe crawled over to Isaac, Foxt kicked him away. It was a constant loop of Oboe who cried out for Isaac and Foxt making him roll on the floor.

Isaac allowed Oboe’s cries to go straight through his ears and sat back down in his table.

“So why hasn’t my meal arrived yet? Do you know just how long ago I’ve made my orders? I’m the owner of this place now! Do you all want to get fired?”

“W, we’ll be with you shortly!”

Finally, the waiters, who were simply watching from afar, came back to reality when Isaac shouted and quickly went back to their work. Many onlookers couldn’t believe Isaac was going to have a meal after all the trouble he had just made.

“Ahem, excuse me.”

“What is it?”

With the situation nearing its end, Robren approached Isaac.

‘Mr Oboe is younger brother of Egrino Merchant Guild’s master. The Egrino Guild is one of major Merchant Guilds within Port City.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m not stupid enough to actually think I can take everything just my words. His fortune is worth nothing to me.”

“I, if you say so…”

Robren was at first trying to explain to Isaac just as a precaution, but Isaac didn’t seem to care so he didn’t think this will turn into a problem. He spoke his next reason.

“This is a problem regarding our line of work. Foxt is a wanted criminal in Port City and I have the duty to arrest him.”

“Go ahead.”

“What?”

“You said he’s wanted right? Criminals should be arrested.”

“Wasn’t he your follower?”

“Huh? Do you really think a rank 1 knight and an Administrator of the Empire would have a criminal as his follower? Does that make sense to you?”

“It doesn’t…”

Robren stopped himself from saying ‘but it sounds plausible for you’.

“Since you’re taking someone to jail, why don’t you take the fatty making a commotion in this business away too.”

“Yes sir.”

With a wave of Robren’s hand, the policemen approached Foxt and Oboe to arrest them.

“H, huh? Let go! Why are you arresting me? Oi, Administrator! Oi!”

“Tsk tsk. You can tell he’s a criminal just by the way he speaks.”

“Why are you only arresting me!? What about Soland? He’s wanted too!”

Foxt decided to take Soland with him, unable to bear the fact he was going to be the only one on the losing end. With the fire now spreading to him, Soland urgently looked at Isaac and Robren approached them.

“I will be arresting him too.”

“Hm? Why?”

Isaac tilted his head, as if he couldn’t fathom why he was being asked.

“Soland is also a wanted criminal in Port City.”

“But he’s not Soland. Do you really think a rank 1 knight and an administrator of the Empire would have a criminal as his follower? He’s just a lookalike.”

“…”

“His name’s Smarta.s.s. Oi, what’s your name?”

“… My name is Smarta.s.s.”

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