The Villain's Retirement-Chapter 31: Duchy (3)

Seeing his face and features, it didn’t take a lot of time for the Duke with the help of the knights to identify Ard.

For that alone, the plan was immediate.

Officially knight him and grant him the territory everyone was fighting like cats and dogs for. It wasn’t entirely reasonable. It was better for the image of the ducal house as well.

The Duke’s motives were clear.

But it worked out well. What mattered was the quiet, the freedom to live without unnecessary interference. With this decision, the path toward that simple life opened slightly wider.

If anything, Ard was curious about some other things.

’Sileus seems to know who this child was. Had he not said anything to him?’ he thought. Of course, he could have had, but from what it looked like, that wasn’t the case.

Sigh.

’So that dungeon gate with the weird energy was what he was just truly interested in in the beginning.’ Ard thought, ’I wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t need me.’

Ard’s gaze drifted to the two magic artifacts on him.

Both of these were apparently owned, and even crafted, by that mysterious mage. In the end, he had benefited from the encounter. Still, he was never one to cling to such things. If he was that kind of person, he would have taken other artifacts from the Demon King’s treasury. Now that he was thinking about it too, those treasures must have already fallen onto human hands.

Zayn, unable to contain himself any longer, burst out:

"So what did that white-haired man do to you? Where did he even take you?" Zayn asked, then hesitated, his words catching up to him. "I—I mean... I can’t believe a human—someone who isn’t even a Hero—could do that to you."

Ard blinked at him.

He hadn’t expected that.

Seeing his reaction, Ard then chuckled lightly.

"Hahaha, I can’t believe you’re tiptoeing right now."

He chuckled again.

He must have been terrified. Compared to before, his blonde hair was now combed properly, and his outfit clean and crisp. Then Ard remembered the things that had happened to him and the fact they were now here. It seemed so hilarious.

When he calmed down, Ard let out a quiet sigh.

"It seems there are still far too many hidden powers in this world."

He didn’t mention the mountain or the hero. Zayn had no business knowing anyway.

Zayn shook his head.

"Anyways, this is amazing, Ard," Zayn then said, as if he could not wait to tell him. "Did you hear them? They were cheering for you. You’re a baron now. I’ve read about this before, but—this means you’re a noble. You even get to have your own land."

"Even if it was that land?"

"Yes, even if it was that land. This is huge!"

Zayn had already stayed here in the Duchy for just a few days, since the trip from the Barony by carriage to the Duchy almost lasts half a month.

Ard turned his head slightly, watching him.

Was he ever like that?

He wasn’t.

Ard have always been silent and even expressionless even when he was a kid.

When he first entered the human realm, that remained only now that he had changed.

He has always been that one expressionless kid who just happened to be so strong for no reason. In the Demon Continent, he even hardly interacted with others especially to kids his age. The most he talked to were his servants.

Joining the battlefield at the tender age of six, it didn’t even faze him. Soon as he could walk, Ard realized he was different from other kids.

Yet he understood Zayn.

Zayn right now must be very excited. Only now could he see how humans live and talk to them. Even for him back then, seeing human civilizations fascinated him the most. Heroes and wizards wasn’t that amusing to him, but the ordinary folk, cows, chickens, the carps on the river....these ordinary things were what ticked his interest the most.

And before he realized, he kept sneaking to gain more sensations although he couldn’t understand why.

But things were clearer now with the Ring of Suppression.

"...You’re happy," Ard said.

He blinked, then grinned even wider. "Yeah... I am! We’re... talking to humans." He whispered the word humans like someone might overhear. "Living among them... and not being treated like a monster or an enemy... this is... a miracle."

Then, he pressed the ring to his lips like a complete fool, eyes sparkling with disbelief.

Deep down, Ard knew he had really benefited from Sileuss. Although right now, it felt like he could still hear his voice in his head.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

The Duke of Jian, Reynard, entered. Accompanying him was a familiar tall, large, and serious-looking soldier in his forties wearing iron plated armor. The knight was obviously the Knight-Captain Faller. Him and the Duke seem to share a familiarity that spoke of years past.

Naturally, Ard had already heard of their relationship from Zayn.

Apparently, Faller also once served as the guard to the Duke and the former baron Lewis when they were children. So he volunteered and led the knights when they heard the news that Salience’s baron might be getting manipulated by a demon.

"Lord, on behalf of the knights and my fallen comrades, I thank again for saving us." The knight said, and then added, "I...I also apologize for letting Lord Sileuss take you."

Ard smiled faintly. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Well, it’s not like we could have done anything. I was powerless myself."

Faller fell silent, unable to ignore how unexpectedly approachable Ard seemed.

’Was he always this quick to smile?’ Faller wondered, but swallowed as a pang of self-disappointment stirred within him. He had to admit that even now, despite everything, a flicker of animosity toward the young man remained.

Then—

The duke clasped his hands and smiled warmly.

He had enough hearing about the young man. From what he could tell, the person was already much better than he had expected. But still, he would like to get to know him better.

After all, the more he could know what kind of man he was, the better.

Duke Reynard smiled like a kind uncle.

"Tell me," Duke Reynard said, his voice gentle, like a kindly uncle checking on his wards, "how have you been settling in? Are your quarters comfortable? And... how is the food? Is it tasty?"

"I... it’s fine," Ard said quietly, his voice even but polite.

"I see." Reynard said, looking at his face as if he doesn’t believe what he just heard.

Ard’s impression of Duke Reynard was complex. When he had first saw him, it looked like he hadn’t slept for a long time. Now he looked much healthier.

Then usually, he seemed composed—almost intimidating—with sharp and calculating eyes. His posture was straight, movements precise, and there was an air about him that suggested power and authority; a man used to commanding not only soldiers but the very attention of those around him.

Yet beneath that commanding exterior, Ard had noticed at times that he seemed to have the gentle curiosity of a caretaker.

Ard had also saw the Duke treating Zayn like his own niece or something, patting his head the moment he saw him.

You could say one of the biggest reasons why Zayn had like the Duchy was probably because of this guy.

Just then, the Duke’s face turned serious again.

His gaze drifted to a large painting along the wall—the Jian family, captured in oil and gold. He stood smiling elegantly at the center, while his youngest brother wore a scowl, rebellious even in paint.