Chapter 224: Becoming A Noble?

“Rare records of the competition! Only four gold coins for the scroll!”

The people rushed toward the seller like a swarm of ants, buying all the recording scrolls he possessed.

The competition… It was the hottest piece of entertainment at the time.

Not all people could pay to watch it in the arena, but paying for the scrolls was doable for many people.

And what came after that?

It was gambling!

A competition in which only one person can be the final winner? That looked like a good opportunity for gambling businesses.

The people analyzed all the competitors and tried to find the best bet.

“I bet on my life that the masked man is the strongest! Even that brutal silver knight avoided him!”

“What do you know? Most people there were hiding their true capabilities for the next stages. Maybe the silver knight just didn’t want to show too much.”

“The clown is hiding his true powers as well. Everything was just a game for him! I’m pretty sure he could have made someone’s head explode but he chose not to. Do you think he’s against killing people?”

“Stop focusing on the men! There were two impressive women there. The one with the spirit and the other with the spear! You all focused so much on men that you forgot about the other gender!”

“Oh, right! Still, I feel like the clown has the highest potential.”

After analyzing the records, most people used tens of coins and mana crystals for their favourite champions.

The highest in bets was the clown. His performance that didn’t rely on killing was impressive, and his latest trick made him the fans’ favourite.

Right after him was Fafnir, the blood-soaked silver knight who had the highest kill count among all the competitors. For most gore lovers, that knight was their favourite.

There was a female spear user in the competition. Her performance was good compared to the other women, but she wasn’t noticed due to her gender.

The competition gave a chance for a man to become the husband of Lady Emilia, so it was only natural that men were the main focus.

And following that woman was Adrian. Despite barely doing anything, the people acknowledged him as the most mysterious competitor and didn’t underestimate his power.

Some people were betting on other competitors, but they were very few compared to the others.

Ignoring the gamblers, there was another group of people who watched the records for another purpose.

“I must recruit them!”

“I must have a connection with them!”

That group was known as the nobles.

“This competition is filled with hidden gems. Maybe we can’t do anything if the duchess decides to take one or two competitors, but we can be their ’friends’ and even take the leftovers!”

“You shall give up. A mere baron like you has no chance to recruit one of the top competitors or have a connection with them.”

“What do you know about me? I may be a baron, but I have many beautiful daughters and handsome sons.”

“Marriage? That’s a cheap attempt I’d say. I can offer lands, slaves, and artifacts!”

The nobles mocked each other and bragged about their wealth and power. At first glance, that looked like an act of arrogance, but the truth was that it was a strategy to reduce competition.

If they could make even one noble give up in recruiting a hidden gem, that would be their win.

After all, there was a banquet that would allow them to give their offers.

That might be their only chance.

¢¢¢

’Finally…’

In an empty room, Fafnir fell into the soft bed, turning into his plushie form, a form that he was used to maintaining whenever he was alone after Elizabeth’s death.

It made him feel… comfortable, for some reason.

The room he was in now was a room given to him as one of the competitors who were qualified for the next stage. There was a table filled with food, a bathroom, and a bed.

“Oh, is that a chocolate three-story cake?” Greed appeared on the table and coiled around the large cake: “I wish I had a body. It’s been so long since I tasted anything sweet.”

Without saying anything, Fafnir dove into a shadow and appeared on the table. He immediately cut a piece of the cake and shoved it into his mouth, enjoying it in front of Greed.

“That’s really petty of you.”

’Yes, I’m a petty creature.’ Fafnir admitted casually and took another piece into his mouth: ’Now watch me helplessly like the insect you are.’

“Sure, I will.” Greed nodded and watched Fafnir without a hint of annoyance. He looked rather happy as the tip of his tail vibrated in the air.

That made the cake taste worse in Fafnir’s mouth for some reason.

’I wish my master could taste it with me…’

“By the way, what will you do if you win?” Greed asked curiously. However, Fafnir ignored him completely and didn’t respond.

“If you ask me, I think you can take advantage of the nobles.” Greed rubbed his neck with the tip of his tail thoughtfully: “If they decided to choose you as a husband candidate, you can take advantage of their resources and refuse the offer later. There is usually a phase of engagement before the official marriage to determine if you’d suit them. The potential isn’t everything.”

“And even if you weren’t chosen, the other noble families could be used as well and you might get other offers from the duchess. Marriage offers, serving under them, becoming their knight, and so on. You have a lot of opportunities to consider. Becoming a noble yourself isn’t out of consideration.”

’Becoming a noble?’

Fafnir stopped eating the cake, realizing that he never considered those possibilities.

Dante wanted him to gather as many resources as he could.

And it was up to Fafnir how to do that. Fafnir was free to do whatever he wanted.

…Wasn’t becoming a rich noble a valid method?

’Would he like to see me as a noble?’

Fafnir started imagining Dante’s reaction upon returning from the Abyss, completely exhausted and tired, only to find an army of knights, servants, and slaves kneeling before him.

Fafnir would lead them as their leader and hold the biggest banquet to celebrate Dante’s glorious return. And Dante would…

’He… would be proud of me…’

Fafnir hesitated at that decision. Should he just leave with Ruby or accept the Duchess’s offer if he got one?

Accepting it would give him the fame, the power, the resources, the wealth. But that would increase the chance of exposing him.

What if they asked to see his class and stats?

What if they noticed that he didn’t have a Core of Existence and that he was merely a shadow?

What if they discovered his connection with Dante, the dark entity, and Sin of Greed?

What about his complex relationship with the dragons?

What about Ruby herself and her mysterious ability?

There were so many secrets that had to be kept, and Fafnir was here dealing with a Rank 4 existence. If there was any person who could find out about all his secrets, that person would be Duchess Morgana.

Unlike Dante, Fafnir didn’t have the mask attached to him. He’d have to summon it for a brief moment to activate its effect, which may or may not take the passive effect away from Dante.

Should he take the risk and test it?

Sighing in frustration, Fafnir shook his head and lay on the table.

’I’m not sure…’

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