Chapter 171

Truthfully, my style was to just storm into Porlang, lop off Viscount Porlang’s head, and call it a day.

If that seemed like a problem, I’d cook up some excuse to start a territorial war or something.

But a territorial war would bring out those cute B-rank pure dealers from Porlang, who’d try to block me and end up getting hurt. That’d be a problem.

Not to mention, beheading was off-limits thanks to that pesky RP Dungeon penalty.

So, there was only one other option.

Handle it in a way that fit this dungeon world’s lore.

Conveniently, I had plenty of materials on hand.

Thanks to Rikas’s stellar performance, those guys were about to get nabbed for high treason soon anyway.

“A humiliation time attack? That’s a first.”

But that only made me more rushed.

Hey, guys! Before your heads roll, give my hidden quest some points!

And while you’re at it, suffer some massive humiliation, get beat just short of death, and have your fortunes stripped away! Yeah?

There was one more reason why Viscount Porlang, aboard the express train to execution, needed to die late.

This quest had been around even before entering the mansion’s guest dungeon.

Right after clearing the mansion’s guest dungeon, the Family Honor had skyrocketed to 15,000 thanks to the Guardian Knight Commander’s exploits in the highest-difficulty gate.

But it started chipping away bit by bit soon after, and lately, it was in a daily nosedive.

It felt like the most volatile ups and downs since So Yeri Hunter’s stock chart.

“Looks like they’re busy scheming behind the scenes in Porlang.”

I grumbled to myself in the now-empty office.

About three days left to clear. Somehow, I had to revive my coin(?) score amid this daily drop due to someone’s meddling.

“Hmm.”

How could I effectively boost the honor score within three days?

The Family Honor quest ultimately rose and fell based on the rumors about the Edelweiss family.

And according to Helen’s investigation…

I flipped through the papers.

If Rikas saw these documents, he’d lose his mind wanting to know the contents, but unfortunately, he was at the knight academy right now.

Something about bonding with the Edelweiss knights since swordsmen always understand each other, or whatever.

I would’ve let him visit if he’d just said he missed the knight academy. What a complicated life for a guy whose head was about to roll.

“Hmm.”

The rumor Porlang was spreading was that “Count Edelweiss is coldly ignoring his main family without a drop of blood or tear.”

In a nobility society centered on blood ties, that would definitely draw side-eyes to the Edelweiss family.

The problem?

Does that even work if it’s a proper main family?

If the main family tried this hard to screw me over, who’d want to treat them well?

I held up the mana stone I’d obtained with So Yeri Hunter.

Porlang had no money, but surprisingly, they had a mana stone mine.

So why were they broke despite the mine?

Simple.

The mine was practically abandoned, and the quality was crap accordingly.

The patterns and quality screamed Porlang product to anyone with eyes, yet it came from our territory?

And true to the system window’s description, the mana stone fragment bore scorch marks that looked like it’d been charred blackish-red.

‘This is proof it was lodged in a monster’s body. Any mage in this world would know.’

So Yeri Hunter said even a passing magic apprentice would spot it clearly.

“Helen.”

I tugged the bell cord to summon the steward.

“Yes, Family Head.”

Helen entered promptly and replied. I handed her the mana stone.

“Use this for an official announcement.”

Edelweiss rarely made official announcements.

Because, lazy!

But when it’s time to feed someone dirt, you suck it up!

“What kind of announcement…?”

Helen looked shocked at the mana stone.

She’d clearly recognized it instantly from the traces and patterns.

“Something like ‘There are people trying to abnormally strengthen monsters in our territory’?”

That should do it.

I tilted my head.

No need to name Porlang specifically.

“And reveal the mana stone’s shape too.”

Helen got the implication.

Her eyes widened briefly before she bowed her head.

“Understood.”

Soon enough, my Family Honor started soaring again.

Of course it did.

People zeroed in on the mana stone’s shape accompanying Edelweiss’s announcement.

Before gates exploded and magic knowledge spread to the masses, maybe not—but now even sword nobility knew about mana stones.

Except for Viscount Porlang’s family, who were turning into total outsiders after the succession rite and swordsmanship tournament.

Naturally, rumors flew fast in noble society.

“Isn’t that a Porlang mana stone?”

“Looks like it to me. But Porlang doesn’t sell mana stones…?”

“Doesn’t Viscount Porlang manage them personally?”

“The quality’s too poor to even buy, let alone sources…”

All eyes turned to Porlang, naturally.

Of course, I didn’t forget to spread the word in Hunter Chat while fueling the rumors, sharing my S-rank awakening quest conditions too.

The emperor and pope’s support fire came through like this.

First, Pope Shin Xian of the temple reportedly said:

“Regardless of status, strengthening monsters—creatures not human—is an outrage that will anger Lord Shin Xian.”

Even secondhand, I could feel Joo Hunter Yian’s sincerity.

Th… that’s genuine rage!

I mean, healers are busy enough without villains shoving mana stones into monsters to buff them.

Then the emperor went even further.

“In these chaotic times with gates everywhere, who dares pull this stunt?”

The furious emperor raged to hunt down the culprit.

Of course, His utterly enraged Imperial Majesty was chilling ever so peacefully in Hunter Chat.

As public opinion boiled over, Porlang was the obvious target.

“That mana stone can only come from Porlang!”

More nobles said it, and eventually, word reached the imperial ears.

Stories spread among the people.

“So that’s why Count Edelweiss has been neglecting the main family.”

“Can’t really call it neglect in this case, can you?”

“No wonder he split off. With family like that…”

“Think about what Porlang’s done to Edelweiss so far.”

Public sentiment turned against Porlang bit by bit,

“To think someone as outstanding as Count Edelweiss came from scum like that.”

With the honor score hitting daily highs and system windows popping non-stop, I soon heard updates on Viscount Porlang’s situation.

I summed it up in one word.

“Total mess.”

Of course, I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

The Porlang Viscount family was walking on thin ice.

And naturally, the viscount couple were the ones creating that ice.

While they fretted uselessly over why their lives were so hard and miserable, Kikal de Porlang was going insane.

Rumors about Porlang worsening had reached even him.

Humiliating Edelweiss? Fine. But after failing repeatedly, try something else!

At this rate, rumors be damned—the mansion would crumble first!

The family’s gate management was already in shambles.

Territory folk had started forming vigilante groups to protect themselves.

They’d abandoned hope in the lord saving them.

And gates of all ranks were bursting everywhere, monsters swarming in.

Villages were getting wrecked by the dozen daily.

Yet Viscount Porlang only tightened security around the mansion.

A murderous vibe was brewing among the folk.

Die to monsters or smash the viscount’s mansion on the way out—either way, you’re dead, right?

If you’re gonna die, at least settle a score!

And the first to sense that vibe was, naturally, Kikal, who patrolled nightly.

Not that he wanted to patrol every night.

The viscount ordered it.

“Father, forget high society for now and fix the territory first! We’re about to get raided!”

Kikal spoke rare sound advice for his 30-something years of life, but Viscount Porlang just chomped it up.

“Do your own job right! What’s the point of night patrols without feats? Feats!”

“There are no monster groups worth feats!”

“You run tail-tucked at the sight of monsters—what feats?!”

“There are too many monsters!”

The utterly fruitless father-son spat ended with zero gains.

“This won’t do.”

Kikal thought as he left his father’s room.

He held a map marking tonight’s dungeon to clear.

But.

—Crunch!

He crumpled the map. No more monster hunting.

Patrols were pointless anyway—knights were trash, monsters too strong.

Never dreaming he was the trash, the epitome of self-esteem Kikal narrowed his eyes.

This way lies death!

I’ll find my own way out!

“Heard no monsters show up in the East Empire.”

He muttered.

A rumor whispered among knights and minor nobles.

East Empire-planted misinformation, but Kikal had no clue.

“Might end up monster chow at this rate.”

Kikal swallowed dryly.

Without magic enhancers like before to power up, he couldn’t handle this schedule.

Plus, side effects hadn’t worn off.

Drugs wouldn’t work in this state.

Time to bolt.

“Yeah… And I’m a Porlang, right?”

Current West Empire power player Count Edelweiss’s main family—Porlang blood, no less?

Heard even East Empire was on edge over Count Edelweiss’s moves.

If the Guardian Knight Commander’s main family kin approached, wouldn’t they think he had intel?

Blood can’t lie—as if echoing Rikas, Kikal sought someone to send a letter to the East Empire.

“Hmm.”

Better a bumbling fool who looks clueless about everything.

His sharp eyes locked on one person.

“You there. Come here.”

“Y-yes?”

The target: newbie knight Ron, still reeling from unwittingly looting an Edelweiss carriage recently.

“Deliver this secretly to the East Empire. Ditch the armor and family crests, obviously. This concerns the family’s fate.”

His own neck, but whatever, minor detail.

“This is upfront pay. Deliver to the address on the envelope and return, get triple.”

The address: a salon where Kinna often appeared in East Empire social circles.

Kikal’s ace spot from scraping every non-connection.

“Go quick! Hurry!”

Kikal smacked dawdling Ron’s back and prepped for the gate.

Clear this gate, return, and East Empire reply would await.

Then bolt to East Empire!

Grinning under wraps, Kikal dashed out.

“…”

Ron, left behind, gazed wistfully at his retreating figure.

Viscount wanted to loot Edelweiss carriage… now sending letters to enemy nation…?

He blinked, then slyly pocketed the money and letter.

And turned.

Where to?

The knight academy.