Episode 106: The Countship (2)
The news that the Haxen Viscount family had been elevated to a Countship spread like wildfire across the entire western region.
The western nobility was in an uproar.
To them, the Haxen family seemed far too lacking to be worthy of such a promotion.
“Just a while ago, they were a no-name family hidden away somewhere, and now they’re a Countship? Ridiculous!”
“I heard the Haxen family’s entire wealth is just a tiny wheat field. How can such a small family be elevated to a Countship?”
“They don’t even have a single knight or guard! How can a family like that be a Countship?”
In truth, the Haxen family wasn’t as insignificant as they thought.
Olivia Copperhead had taken half the family’s land when she became independent, but the real key was Damian Haxen.
A hero of the kingdom who had reached the middle class, had connections with the church, and had thwarted a rebellion.
Considering Damian Haxen’s achievements, it wasn’t strange at all for the Haxen family to receive a Countship.
But jealousy has a way of narrowing people’s minds.
“The family is just riding on the coattails of their talented son.”
“Without Damian Haxen, they’d be nothing.”
The western nobility began to disparage the Haxen family and Damian Haxen separately.
There was another reason for the particularly intense reaction from the western nobility.
“Could the Haxen family be aiming to become the new great noble family?”
A great noble wasn’t a title that was officially bestowed. It was more of an honorary label given to the most powerful family in the region.
But nobles were a breed that clung to such honors.
With fame came certain advantages, after all.
The position of the great noble in the west had traditionally been held by the Copperhead family.
However, the Copperhead family had recently faced a scandal involving black magic at a jousting tournament.
Moreover, their eldest daughter, Olivia Copperhead, had taken half the land and become independent.
Now, the Copperhead family was a great noble in name only.
As a result, all the families with any influence in the west were vying for the position of the next great noble.
In such a climate, the sudden elevation of the Haxen family to a Countship was not well-received.
Then, one day, invitations arrived for the nobles.
The contents of the invitations left them incredulous.
“What? A celebration for receiving the Countship?”
“That Haxen Viscount must be out of his mind!”
The nobles’ reactions were like pouring oil on a fire.
“Everyone, look! The Haxen family is openly showing their ambition!”
“Why else would they invite us? They’re scouting for families to become their vassals!”
“The Haxen family is definitely aiming to become a great noble!”
To the western nobility, the Haxen family’s actions seemed like a declaration of their intent to become a great noble.
“A country bumpkin overreaching themselves.”
“A man who managed a tiny wheat field throwing a celebration? Absurd!”
“They must think it’s just a village festival. How laughable.”
The western nobility began to mock the Haxen family’s actions.
“I wonder if they even have a proper venue for the celebration.”
“They’ll probably gather people in that old mansion of theirs.”
“I wonder if they’ll even prepare decent food? We might end up with slop.”
“And the music… I bet it’ll be pathetic. They’ll probably hire some street circus to perform.”
“I’m more curious about what they’ll wear. What do people from the sticks know about fashion?”
The western nobility was convinced it would be a pitiful celebration.
“I’m planning to attend. I’m curious to see just how pathetic it will be.”
“I agree. I can’t miss such an entertaining spectacle.”
The western nobility united in their decision.
As a result, the number of attendees for the celebration only increased.
“So this is Spring Castle!”
While the western nobility was ablaze with gossip, Damian and his family arrived at the castle built on the Gargari Plains.
“Oh my, the castle is truly beautiful.”
“Mother, look over there. Who could have carved that?”
The family marveled at Spring Castle as they explored it.
Recently constructed, Spring Castle was designed with both functionality and aesthetics in mind.
The white, gleaming walls were as beautiful as finely crafted porcelain.
In contrast, the black roofs covered the spires.
Intricately carved statues stood ready to welcome visitors at the main gate.
“Damian! Did His Majesty really say he would grant us this castle?”
The Haxen Count, Damian’s father, asked with an excited expression.
Owning a castle was every noble’s dream.
But it wasn’t something just anyone could have. The cost was high, the maintenance expensive, and one had to prove they were worthy of it.
In such circumstances, acquiring such a magnificent castle was a cause for joy.
“The royal decree clearly stated so.”
“His Majesty is truly generous!”
The family, after touring the castle, headed to the banquet hall.
The hall, designed for grand parties, was vast and splendid. It seemed capable of accommodating hundreds with ease.
“Oh, it would be wonderful to hold the celebration here!”
Damian’s mother exclaimed joyfully as she looked around the hall.
The Haxen Count watched his wife with a satisfied smile.
“By the way, my dear, what about the chef and the orchestra?”
“Yes, Father. You needn’t worry. I’ve secured the best.”
Olivia responded promptly to the Count’s inquiry.
“They’re the ones often hired by the Copperhead family. They’ve never received a bad review.”
As the eldest daughter of the Copperhead family, Olivia had participated in many family events, giving her extensive connections in such matters.
“Everything is going smoothly. The celebration will go off without a hitch.”
The Haxen Viscount sighed in relief. But Damian interjected as if to correct him.
“Father, there’s still one crucial task left.”
“Hmm? And what might that be?”
“We need to prepare the formal attire for the celebration.”
At Damian’s words, the Haxen Count laughed heartily.
“Haha, you’re underestimating your father. I have a formal suit, so there’s no need to worry.”
“That old, worn-out suit?”
Damian knew all too well that the formal attire his family had was nothing to boast about.
He had realized this when Abel had brought out an old suit for a jousting tournament celebration.
Startled, he had asked about it, only to learn it was his father’s old formal suit.
Due to Damian’s past reckless behavior, the family had fallen on hard times, leaving them without proper formal attire.
“Worn-out, you say! This was the height of fashion in my youth!”
“Not only is it worn-out, but it’s also out of style. Wearing that would make us a laughingstock.”
People are often judged by their appearance.
Especially among nobles, this was even more pronounced.
Damian had no intention of letting his family wear such outdated formal attire.
“Ugh.”
But his father still seemed unconvinced.
Damian sighed softly. His father had always been indifferent to clothing.
In such cases, a different approach was needed.
“Mother and sister, don’t you need new dresses too?”
Damian turned to his mother and sister. They both spoke up, somewhat embarrassed.
“Dear, I actually want to get a new formal dress.”
“Father, I do too.”
With both of them expressing their desire, the Haxen Count had no choice but to reconsider.
“Damian, I’ll do as you say, but… even if we order now, it will take months to make.”
His father spoke with a worried expression.
Then Olivia chimed in.
“Father, don’t worry. I’ll find a tailor with some availability.”
But Damian shook his head.
“We can’t entrust such important attire to just anyone.”
“But brother-in-law, then where will we get the clothes made?”
“I noticed that the place called Moonlit Wave had decent skills.”
At Damian’s words, the family was taken aback.
“Damian, you must not know what Moonlit Wave is.”
“It’s the most renowned tailor in the west.”
“It takes years to get an order there.”
Each family member chimed in. Yet Damian remained confident.
“There’s no need to worry. I’ve already made arrangements.”
“Arrangements?”
Everyone looked at Damian, puzzled.
Only Abel seemed to understand what Damian meant.
“Brother, you don’t mean…!”
Damian nodded.
“Money talks.”
In the city of Landwalk, Peter Lloyd, the owner of the tailor shop ‘Moonlit Wave,’ was enjoying a fine cup of tea.
“Hmm~ hmm~.”
A leisurely tea time after a hearty lunch.
It was Peter Lloyd’s favorite time of the day.
He could tolerate many things, but not interruptions to this precious break.
Holding his tea, Peter Lloyd approached the window. Through the glass, he saw a sky heavy with dark clouds.
“It looks like it might rain tomorrow. Should I get my umbrella ready?”
As he observed the clouds, Peter Lloyd was suddenly reminded of a past memory.
It wasn’t a pleasant one. In fact, it was a memory that still stirred anger within him.
“It was just like this… on a day like this…”
Though months had passed, the memory remained vivid.
That day, Peter Lloyd was enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of tea when a stranger suddenly burst through the door.
“You’re supposed to be good at making clothes, right?”
The man was handsome, but his attitude left much to be desired.
Moonlight Wave was the most renowned tailor shop in the western region. It was so popular that nobles were clamoring to place orders, with reservations booked solid for the next three years.
“Good at making clothes?” Peter thought incredulously. It was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard.
“What can I do for you?” he asked, suppressing his irritation. After all, a customer was still a customer.
“I’m looking to get a tailcoat made for a banquet.”
“We’re fully booked. You’ll need to make a reservation.”
“How long would that take?”
“With our current backlog, you could expect your order in about three years.”
Peter looked at the young man with a smug expression. So much for underestimating Moonlight Wave.
“That’s too long. I need something right away.”
The young man’s insistence broke Peter’s train of thought, and he frowned.
“You seem to have plenty of clothes already made.”
“Those are all spoken for,” Peter replied firmly. He had received similar offers before and had always refused. Every piece from Moonlight Wave was custom-made, destined for a specific owner. He couldn’t just hand them over to someone else. That was his principle.
The young man reached out, and a cascade of gold coins poured from a black void in the air.
“I’ll pay triple.”
Peter’s mouth fell open as he stared at the pile of coins, swallowing involuntarily.
“No, I can’t! Our clients are waiting for their orders!”
He barely managed to hold onto his resolve. But then more coins spilled out, forming a gleaming heap that dazzled his eyes.
“Five times.”
“Which outfit would you like to choose?” Peter finally relented, succumbing to the young man’s financial persuasion.
“That scoundrel made me break a principle I’d held for decades,” he later fumed. Though he had made a fortune, the thought of the effort required to replace the garments the young man had taken made his blood boil.
“I must have been out of my mind. Never again will I let anyone compromise my beliefs.”
As Peter gazed at the gathering storm clouds, he made a firm vow.
“Is anyone here?”
The doorbell chimed as the shop door opened. Peter turned to greet the new customers with a bright smile.
“Welcome! At Moonlight Wave, we offer elegance and beauty like the moonlight itself. I’m Peter Lloyd, the owner…”
But as he saw who had entered, his eyes widened in shock. He pointed a trembling finger at the visitor.
“You, you…!”
“It’s been a while,” said Damian Haxen, the young man from that day, with a sly grin.
“Why on earth are you here again?”
“Why else would I come to a tailor shop? I’m here to order clothes.”
Damian stepped aside, revealing four more people who entered behind him.
“Oh, so this is Moonlight Wave.”
“Look at those clothes! They’re stunning.”
The group, who seemed to be Damian’s family, began to browse the shop. Watching them, Peter felt a creeping sense of foreboding.
“We’re planning a celebration soon and need to order some outfits.”
Of course, his premonition was spot on.
“Our shop requires reservations,” Peter insisted. “We can’t serve you without one!”
“Come on, you said the same thing last time, but I saw plenty of ready-made clothes.”
“Those are all reserved for specific clients…”
“I can pay handsomely.”
Once again, Damian conjured a void, and gold coins poured out.
“Five times.”
Peter’s mind raced. With six people, selling at five times the price would mean a huge profit.
”…I can’t do that.”
But Peter had vowed never to compromise his principles again. This time, he would refuse…
“Seven times.”
More coins cascaded down, and Peter let out a helpless laugh.
“I’ll do my utmost to serve you! Please, come this way.”
As he guided the family through the shop, Peter consoled himself with the thought that giving in to the same person didn’t count as breaking his vow.