Seojin had a solid plan until he opened the antique study door.
'Be confident no matter what. Pretend like I have nothing to lose fail.'
NPC or not, the opponent was a nobleman. Seojin knew that losing his momentum would be the end of him.
However, he failed to keep his swear the moment he met the baron.
"It's an honor to meet you, Baron. I'm SeoJin, an adventurer from Berne."
Seojin bent forward politely.
It wasn't because the Baron was an elder or his presence scared Seojin.
<LV56: Manuel Bolton>
<Lord of Bolton barony>
'Level 56? Really?'
He had to hide his surprise from the baron. NPCs at starter towns such as Berne and Ilynea all had similar levels to players. Which means they didn't go beyond 20 at most.
However, the same rule didn't apply to the lord in front of Seojin.
"Greetings, adventurer. So, I hear you brought good news?"
"I'm just grateful for your hospitality. I'm sure it's good news, but…."
Seojin answered while racking his brain hard.
'At level 56 you got roughly 170 stat points. So if he put the points evenly at all four stats, he must have all stats slightly above 40.'
Higher level meant higher stats. That meant it would be harder for Seojin to use his skills effectively against the baron.
'At least his one or two stats must be lower than others. …so I might be able to use two skills at best, or just one..'
Persuasion, threat, lie.
At least one of the three was a landmine that would blow Seojin off.
'It's not going to be easy.'
Seojin gulped nervously facing the unexpected situation. However,
The baron class trait activated! Conditions for "Secret Conversation" activated!
Effect cannot be lifted!
Events occurring in the "study" cannot be revealed outside!
'Secret conversation?'
It was an unexpected but not difficult message to grasp. Looked like it was a skill only Barons and higher nobles could use.
The effect of it, was the message said, must be that Seojin can't tell others about what he discussed here.
"Lord."
"What you sensed is right."
"…It's a sensitive issue, so we need this kind of safety device. I'll take it as a sign that you're going to speak your mind."
"I see you're not surprised."
"Why should I? I'm talking with a noble recognized by His Majesty."
The baron's mouth curled up in satisfaction.
"You sound trustable. I hope your ability matches your confidence."
The baron showed a brief positive curiosity and closed his mouth. He wanted Seojin to talk first.
Seojin looked at the tea served in front of him and immediately brought up the main point.
"The Ironblood knights. I'm sure you probably know them."
"Of course."
"Pretty sure you have direct contact with them too. That explains why the 42nd Shield is treated as a VIP."
"Yes."
"This may be a bit rude, but—"
"As a noble, I cannot make issue with our conversation in the study."
Seojin understood and bowed.
"Thank you, my lord. I believe they also revived this estate. In particular, their head, adventurer Robert, would have been deeply involved."
"You don't need any rhetoric. Stop saying like you're guessing."
"I'll do as you say."
The baron was saying that he'll take all of it as a process of proving Seojin's capability.
Seojin soon unloaded all the information she had investigated.
The IronBlood Knights and Robert. From their influence on this estate to the reason why the baron had to give up some of it.
The baron sighed deeply as Seojin finished talking.
"You know a lot of things."
"I was just trying to save Berne. I couldn't just see the dying village and do nothing."
The baron's face was dark and gloomy. He seemed to organize his thoughts for a moment.
In the meantime, Seojin prepared another device.
Target information available.
Reading personal information.
It was the feature Seojin got during the recent quest.
As soon as he read it, a translucent tip screen popped up right next to the Baron's face.
Manuel Bolton (Level 56)
* Spineless. Good at social politics. Average loyalty. Enjoys hunting…
'It's going to be very useful.' Seojin thought.
It was the first time Seojin actually used it as he could only use it on someone before him. The effect was satisfactory.
Information flooded in a row, from his food taste to even how many times he goes to the bathroom a day.
At the time when he was frantically putting the information in his head, the baron opened his mouth.
"You see, adventurer."
"Yes, lord?"
"I hate the Ironbloods."
Seojin did not answer. It was time to shut up and listen.
"That's why I welcomed you into my study. I had a vague hope that maybe you could help me shake them off"
"…"
"I said I'd be open to you, so I will. He developed Ilynea and Altagon into what it is now, so I can't call them my estate anymore thanks to that.
Can't call them his estates? The meaning behind those words came clear to Seojin in the next line.
"Seventy percent. They take seventy percent of the taxes. That was the deal."
"Whoa."
Seojin could say nothing else this time.
The baron made a bitter smile. "I can't even take the whole thirty percent. The Ironbloods grab the most of them, saying they have to 'run the estate.'"
"I didn't know things were that bad."
If what he said was true, the baron had nothing but the title of lord.
It seemed like all he could do was to be holed up in the office and waste his life.
Then Baron Bolton changed his tone.
"I would do anything if I could get out of their grasp. Prove me you have it."
"What should I prove?" Seojin asked straightforwardly, bending his upper body slightly forward to appeal to his positive attitude.
"Prove you're better than Robert. It doesn't matter how."
The baron's eyes were desperate.
He said 'it doesn't matter how,' which meant clearing this stage of the quest meant practically clearing the whole thing.
'It's almost too easy.'
All the nervousness and worries he had at the beginning turned out to be for nought.
The window that I have now floating next to Baron Bolton will be the easiest way to prove it.
* * *
Mac Gray was nervous.
Everything bothered him. From the fluffiness of the luxurious chair that seems a league beyond his status, and high-end stuff and furniture only nobles could buy.
The biggest factor was that Seojin was late.
'He said he was confident, but…'
Seojin said he was kinda desperate too, that he had invested a thousand gold.
Mac could sense confidence in his words.
However, things never go as planned. That was just life.
'Who knew our village would be like this until a year ago?'
Mac repeatedly clenched and loosened his hand out of nervousness.
He then thought about Seojin. He came out of nowhere, persuaded the villagers, and eventually led them.
More and more townspeople followed him as time passed, and Mac too, gradually admired him more.
'He never ceases to amaze me.'
Seojin showed up at Mac's lowest time and raised him up, as he did to others.
He even invested a thousand gold. All of it was his personal money.
Seojin called it an investment, but it was more like pouring water on a duck's back.
'…At least he made us trust him with it.'
There was only a growing number of smiles and laughs around Seojin, and so did supplies and people around him.
At this rate, it would not have been a dream for Berne to regain its former self.
Only if Seojin could cut a deal with the baron.
"Goblins… it's impossible to fight those sick bastards."
Seojin said they need some help from the baron and Mac agreed, as Berne itself was practically helpless.
Its plate was already full of taking care of other urgent businesses.
'Please…'
Mac looked up the stairs with his hands clasped.
Seojin must be negotiating with the baron by n…
"…Adventurer! Oh."
Mac covered his mouth, realizing he was too in the lord's mansion. Fortunately, nobody bat an eye to him, apart from a passing attendant.
Mac stood up but paused right before scurrying to Seojin.
"I'll see you in Berne, then, Sir Crabe?"
"Craig. I'll see you in Berne."
Seojin was not alone. A man with a strong physique was seeing off him.
Seojin even called him 'Sir'.
'He did it!'
Mac restrained himself from running to Seojin.
Seojin soon took part ways and walked toward Mac with a grin on his lip.
"Here you are."
"…Adventurer."
"Let's go out for now. I'll talk about the details in the carriage.
Mac nodded and escorted Seojin.
As soon as he left the mansion and got into the carriage, Mac questioned him like letting out a long-held breath.
"Well, how did it go?"
Seojin and Mac looked at each other sitting in a slowly departing carriage.
Seojin grinned first and so did Mac.
"So you did it. I trusted you could make it."
"The knight you saw before will come. What was it, Sir Craig?"
"Him alone?"
"Him alone will be more than enough to kill every goblin around the town. He's from the Royal Knights of Valaran."
"Royal Knights?!"
Mac's eyes widened.
He now understood Seojin's confidence, but it left him with only more questions.
"Why would the lord let us burrow such a valuable asset?"
"It wasn't the lord, I made it possible."
"I get it, but…"
"The lord was being ripped off. Seventy percent of the tax, no, ninety percent practically."
Mac squinted. Seojin smiled and continued explaining.
"It's the Ironblood knights. The Lord had no choice but to be ripped off until I arrived. He almost lent us the entire knightage."
"The entire knightage… but that 90 percent surprised me more."
Mac tilted his head in confusion.
His reaction was understandable, as it surprised Seojin too.
'They say even thieves have honor in their ways and this bastard Robert doesn't have any.'
Of course, the baron was merely an NPC, so no wonder he couldn't come up with any solution once he was threatened.
In fact, they had been robbed several months before Seojin came.
At least Seojin was able to easily persuade the baron easily thanks to him.
'People in their lowest point usually are the easy prey for scamming.'
The baron had to listen to even things which sounds like bullcrap as he was so desperate.
Meanwhile, Seojin even proved himself.
First was the intelligence to get a grip on what was happening in Bolton Barony.
Second, he was better at using the "sea of information" than Robert.
'Character information feature saved the day.'
Seojin revealed the baron's innermost secret fantasies he was on the window.
In the end, the red-faced baron had no choice but to acknowledge Seojin's ability.
Through all that he could gain the support of sir Craig.
And that wasn't the only thing Seojin earned.
"Oh, Mac there will be some wagons carrying supplies from Ilynea.
"…He even gave us supplies?"
"Officially, it's the warm grace of the lord to give to his subjects, and informally, I asked them nicely." Most of them are for blacksmiths."
"Blacksmith? You mean ores?"
Seojin nodded.
"Very good quality, too. Ilynea and Altagon all have their own edge to attract players. Berne should have one, too."
"But the ore alone is hardly an advantage"
"That's why Redrix left for the capital."
Mac's head tilted, but Seojin just shrugged in confidence.
"Check out what Redrix brings back when he returns."