Episode 51: The Scheme (1)
“Did you just say… a marriage proposal?”
Jackson Carter, caught off guard, immediately asked again.
But Jacques Noire didn’t bother to answer. Instead, he simply started walking.
As usual, Jacques Noire offered no explanations. Jackson sighed and followed his mentor.
They arrived at the tent used by the Earl of Copperhead. It was the largest among the tents, befitting the status of an earl, and was guarded by elite knights.
“Let’s go in.”
Jacques Noire headed towards the tent. Surprisingly, the knights did not stop him, indicating that he was a familiar presence here.
Inside, Jacques Noire took a seat meant for guests.
“Master, when did you start dealing with the Earl?” Jackson couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer.
“Two days ago,” Jacques replied curtly. Jackson was taken aback.
Two days ago was the day of the banquet, even before the jousting tournament had begun.
‘He really didn’t trust me…’
Jackson had no idea what Jacques Noire’s true intentions were. But he knew one thing: he had to win the tournament for whatever plan his mentor had in mind.
Jacques Noire must have thought Jackson had no chance of winning and sought another way to achieve his goals by contacting the Earl.
“Master, what are you thinking? Why must I be engaged to Lady Olivia? Could you at least explain a little…?”
Jackson was about to demand answers when the Earl of Copperhead entered the tent, accompanied by Olivia Copperhead.
“Sir Jacques, I apologize for the delay. I was wrapping up the tournament matters.”
“No need to worry. We just arrived ourselves.”
Surprisingly, Jacques Noire spoke informally even in front of the Earl, who didn’t seem to mind at all.
“Father, what is going on here?” Olivia asked, her face wary.
“Olivia, I haven’t told you yet. This is Sir Jacques Noire. And over there… you might recognize him. That’s Jackson Carter, Sir Jacques’ apprentice.”
The Earl smiled warmly as he added, “We’re here to discuss the marriage proposal between you two.”
“This is ridiculous!”
Lady Olivia shouted in protest.
“I’ve barely spoken a word to him! And now a marriage proposal?”
Like Jackson, Olivia seemed to have been left in the dark.
“How could you make such a decision without even consulting me?”
The Earl responded calmly to Olivia’s outburst.
“Olivia, don’t be mistaken. You are the eldest daughter of our family. Your marriage is not for you to decide. It is for me, as the head of the family, to judge and decide.”
“And what exactly are you judging, Father?”
“Naturally, the benefits this marriage could bring to our family.”
Olivia glared at the Earl.
“What about Sir Damien Haxen? You were considering him, weren’t you?”
“I was. But Sir Jacques offered much better terms.”
The Earl glanced at Jacques Noire, his expression softening compared to when he spoke to his daughter.
“Sir Jacques has promised to support our family as a Middle Class if this marriage goes through. Do you understand, Olivia? A Middle Class.”
The Earl’s eyes gleamed.
“Among the great nobles of the West, only the Goldpixie Dukedom and the Lionbloom Marquisate possess a Middle Class. Through this marriage, our family could gain a powerful asset.”
A Middle Class.
A strategic weapon capable of changing the course of war.
As the Earl said, acquiring a Middle Class would be incomparable to Damien Haxen.
“Sir Damien is a skilled knight, but at best, he’s a Low Class. There’s no guarantee he’ll ever reach the level of a Middle Class.”
The barrier to becoming a Middle Class was incredibly high.
Most Low Class knights never surpassed it, even those considered prodigies.
“That’s not all. Sir Jacques has also promised to provide our knights with weapon techniques and mana training methods used by Master Classes.”
Jackson Carter was shocked by this.
Jacques Noire had spent years collecting and researching knowledge to reach the level of a Master. The techniques and methods used by Master Classes were his most prized possessions, never shared even with his apprentice.
“Now do you understand why I accepted this proposal?”
Olivia bit her lip. The terms were indeed extraordinary.
“Now, sit down. We haven’t finished our discussion with Sir Jacques Noire.”
Olivia sat down reluctantly.
“Do you intend to accept the proposal?”
Once the father-daughter conversation ended, Jacques Noire asked.
The Earl shook his head.
“There’s a slight issue.”
Jacques Noire’s eyebrow twitched at the Earl’s words.
“And what might that be?”
“Your conditions are satisfactory. But it’s embarrassing to take in a son-in-law who hasn’t even made a name for himself in the tournament.”
In other words, Jackson Carter’s reputation was too insignificant to be worthy of becoming the family’s son-in-law.
“There’s no need to worry about that. My apprentice will win the tournament tomorrow.”
“Just excelling in one match isn’t enough.”
“What if he not only wins but also defeats Damien Haxen?”
The Earl’s expression turned curious.
“If he defeats Sir Damien, he would indeed gain a reputation worthy of our family. But is it possible?”
The Earl had seen Damien Haxen’s skills in the tournament, and they were nothing short of exceptional.
It was hard to imagine anyone among the Low Class defeating him.
“It is possible. If he fails, I will provide the swordsmanship and mana training methods without any conditions.”
“There’s no need to go that far… but with such terms, I accept.”
“In return, there’s something I need you to do.”
The Earl looked troubled.
“We’re not yet in any formal agreement. I can’t grant unreasonable requests.”
“It’s nothing major. If Damien Haxen dies, I ask that the Earl’s family does not intervene.”
The Earl pondered for a moment.
“I can grant that request.”
“One more thing, I need to see his body first.”
“That’s not difficult. But why do you need to see Damien Haxen’s body?”
Jacques Noire smiled faintly at the Earl’s question.
“There’s something he has that I need.”
“Master, why are you doing this?”
As soon as they stepped outside, Jackson Carter demanded answers from Jacques Noire.
“A marriage proposal? Without even asking my opinion… Ugh!”
Jacques Noire kicked Jackson in the stomach.
Jackson doubled over, gasping for air.
“Shut up for a moment. I’m in a very bad mood.”
Jacques Noire looked down at Jackson with a twisted expression.
“If you had the skill to win, I wouldn’t have had to make such a proposal to the Earl. I wouldn’t have to waste my resources and knowledge.”
The suffocating aura left Jackson paralyzed.
Only then did Jackson realize why Jacques Noire had demanded he win the tournament.
The original plan must have been to propose the marriage as the tournament winner.
“If you understand, just shut up and follow my orders.”
Jacques Noire withdrew his menacing aura, and Jackson could finally breathe again.
“Master… I have Sophia…”
Jackson managed to say between breaths.
“That woman is of no use now. Discard her.”
Jacques Noire’s words were cold and final. Jackson looked up at him in shock.
“The only reason I allowed your relationship with Sophia Russell was to gain support from the Russell Viscountcy.”
Jacques Noire continued in a hard tone.
“Thanks to the Russell family, I acquired the swordsmanship books I needed. And you received the elixirs necessary to reach the Low Class.”
The Russell family had gone into debt to support the two of them, allowing them to achieve their goals.
“But the Russell family can offer no more. So now, I’m seeking a new family.”
“A new family… the Copperhead Earl’s family? To gain support like with the Russell family?”
“It’s not about gaining support. It’s about using the marriage to take control of the family.”
“Why… why go to such lengths?”
“For my ambition.”
Jacques Noire’s ambition was to become a Master Class.
To achieve that, he needed elixirs to enhance his senses and the knowledge left by Masters.
And such things were incredibly expensive, beyond imagination.
“I need as much money as possible. The Copperhead Earl’s family will be the stepping stone for my ambition.”
Only then did Jackson realize why Jacques Noire had taken him as an apprentice.
He was to be used as bait to lure wealthy families.
Jacques Noire truly saw him as nothing more than a tool.
”…I cannot follow this order.”
Was it because of his defiance? Jackson Carter gritted his teeth as he spoke.
“I have Sophia. I can’t abandon her!”
“You still care for a woman who would wag her tail just because her ex-fiancé is doing well?”
It was the first time.
The first time Jacques Noir’s words left him speechless.
“Sophia Russell has no intention of staying loyal to you. Are you really going to defy my orders for such a cheap woman?”
“That, that’s…”
Jackson Carter’s eyes wavered. Jacques Noir drove the point home.
“If you refuse my offer, you’ll never be able to defeat Damian Haxen.”
Suddenly, he snapped back to reality.
“Was what you said inside true? Is there really a way to beat Damian Haxen?”
Jacques Noir nodded in response to his question.
“Have I ever lied to you?”
“But how… How is it possible? Are you going to reveal some secret to defeating Damian Haxen?”
Jacques Noir pulled something out of his inner pocket.
It was an old brass bracelet, unremarkable in every way.
Yet, for some reason, the moment Jackson Carter laid eyes on it, a sense of foreboding washed over him.
“This bracelet can disrupt an enemy’s magic. If used well, it might even trigger a magic surge.”
A magic surge.
A phenomenon where one’s internal magic spirals out of control, causing havoc.
When a magic surge occurs, not only is there a significant loss of magic, but the body also suffers severe damage.
As a result, knights who experienced a magic surge often lost most of their power.
“Does this old bracelet really have such incredible power?”
“But it’s not a power you can use recklessly. It requires some of your magic and life force.”
Jackson Carter frowned at those words.
The price was steep. Though, if it meant defeating Damian Haxen, it might be worth it.
Then, a thought struck him.
Paying a price to invoke an effect. This was like…
“Master, this bracelet, it couldn’t be dark ma—”
“Don’t speak nonsense.”
Jacques Noir’s voice was chilling. Jackson Carter clamped his mouth shut.
“Make your choice. Will you accept my offer or refuse it?”
After deep contemplation, Jackson Carter spoke.
”…I will follow your guidance, Master.”
“Wise decision.”
Jacques Noir tossed the bracelet to Jackson Carter, who caught it and tucked it away.
“Tomorrow, wear that bracelet and fight Damian Haxen. If a magic surge occurs in him…”
Jacques Noir added with a steely tone.
“Feign an accident and crush his skull.”
That night.
Olivia Copperhead made a decision.
”…I can’t just sit by and do nothing.”
She had always been at the mercy of her father’s commands.
The Earl of Copperhead handled everything without regard for Olivia’s wishes.
This jousting tournament wasn’t something she wanted.
She retrieved a dagger from her drawer.
The tent was securely fastened to the ground, so the only way out was through the entrance.
Using the dagger, Olivia sliced through the tent and slipped out through the opening.
She hurriedly ran, avoiding the gaze of the guards stationed at the tent.
Her destination was Damian Haxen’s tent.
Thanks to her conversation with Abel, she knew exactly which tent to find.
Olivia Copperhead pushed aside the tent flap and entered.
“If you win, Father will be so surprised… My lady?”
Damian Haxen and Abel Haxen, who had been chatting, stood up in shock at the sight of Olivia.
Catching her breath from the run, Olivia spoke to the two men.
“Sir Damian, someone is after your life.”