Chapter 134: The Invitation

Upon hearing the term "Conferred Noble," the group fell silent, and the atmosphere grew noticeably heavy.

If one were to ask which group of people the nobility detested most, Conferred Nobles would undoubtedly be at the top of the list. Even cultists who kidnapped infants or demons who reveled in slaughter were not as loathsome to the aristocracy as these individuals.

What angered the traditional nobility most was the title of "noble" itself. If the Temple had simply created a new rank of "knight," they wouldn't have reacted so strongly, but the fact that these people were labeled nobles was a source of great indignation. The reason was simple: the Temple bestowed these titles upon heroes who had made outstanding contributions. While some were from noble backgrounds, the majority were crude, rough-edged individuals. After all, one could hardly expect someone who had spent their life wrestling with demon lords in piles of corpses to possess refined etiquette. Some were even former mercenaries or thieves; one could hardly expect such commoners to have any foundation in civilization or manners.

If that were the extent of it, the nobles might not have been so troubled. The real problem was that the status of a Conferred Noble was exceptionally high. Within the temple hierarchy, it was equivalent to a "Sword-Bearing Divine Servant"—a rank equal to that of a bishop. One would be hard-pressed to find a noble who didn't treat a cardinal with the utmost respect. Consequently, despite being nobles themselves, true aristocrats were forced to maintain a high degree of decorum when dealing with these Conferred Nobles.

This was exactly what made the "true nobility" grind their teeth in frustration. A standard noble title was generally only valid within one's own country; once abroad, it was nothing special. For instance, Count Pawwood might be a regional lord, but if he were to visit the Holy Kingdom of Seth, he would have to bow respectfully to a mere viscount.

However, the status of a Conferred Noble was recognized across the entire continent. While that might be a slight exaggeration, their noble privileges remained unchanged in any territory governed by the Temple, even in the eyes of the cold, aloof Elves.

It was simply too unfair! Nobility was supposed to be the embodiment of elegance and wisdom, not a badge for some rustic brute to flaunt. Could they imagine a coarse, greedy man among their refined and impeccably groomed circles, bragging to his vulgar wife, "Look, now I'm a noble lord too, ha-ha-ha-ha!"?

This was one of the reasons the nobility despised them; in their eyes, these people were simply unworthy of the title. They could be heroes, demons, or even paladins, but they could not be nobles!

If they could, the nobles might have joined forces to pressure the Temple into yielding, perhaps even sparking a holy war. Unfortunately, they lacked the courage, so they had to swallow their pride and endure it. Fortunately, the Temple did not seek to upend the established political order of the continent, so Conferred Nobles were extremely rare—rarer than giant pandas.

If that was a matter of "face," the other reason the nobility hated them was far more practical.

As previously mentioned, the Temple created the rank to protect justice and ensure that heroes would not "shed blood only to shed tears" in vain. These nobles possessed "Holy Immunity," meaning that no matter what they did in another country, local law enforcement had no authority to arrest them; they could only submit the case to the Holy Tribunal for review.

And that was where the problem lay. Politics were inherently dirty, and the nobles were no exception. From tax evasion to human trafficking, such activities were practically a hereditary talent of the aristocracy. But this put them at a severe disadvantage against a Conferred Noble. The latter could simply use the pretext of cracking down on human trafficking to storm their estates, teach them a harsh lesson, or even kill a few people, and the nobles would have no recourse. Normal legal channels were useless because the Conferred Noble's immunity shielded them from any punishment.

But what if they complained to the Holy Tribunal?

If asked why they were attacked, how could they answer? There were plenty of divine spells to detect lies; if they spoke the truth, they would be judged guilty for their crimes, and if they lied, they would be guilty of deceiving the Holy Tribunal. They would end up losing both their pride and their position, gaining absolutely nothing.

For this reason, most powerful nobles were unwilling to provoke a Conferred Noble. Of course, they weren't entirely without options; they had tried to win over or bribe these individuals, hoping to use their unique status to accomplish things they couldn't do themselves. Fortunately, heroes worthy of such honors usually had strong convictions and would not be corrupted. While a few scoundrels occasionally appeared, the Temple’s Holy Tribunal was certainly not idle.

That was why, upon learning that the man was a Conferred Noble, the group that had been clamoring to teach the arrogant bastard a lesson suddenly fell mute. They looked at each other in dismay, completely at a loss.

After a moment, Sir Old Pawwood broke the silence.

"So, do you have any good ideas, Dally?"

"Yes, Father."

Hearing her father's question, the young woman nodded.

"If you permit, I would like to probe him. The Eagle Highlands have never produced a Conferred Noble before; this person must be from elsewhere. We must find out why he is here. If he is just passing through, then we can simply act as if nothing happened..."

Dally paused. Although she didn't finish her sentence, no one present was a fool; they all clearly understood what she left unsaid.

If he was not just passing through, but intended to stay, then the good days for the Pawwood family were over.

Of course, if handled correctly, even a bad situation could be turned into an opportunity.

"This..."

Faced with his daughter's proposal, Sir Old Pawwood was worried. The stranger seemed to have no respect for anyone, and Dally was the apple of his eye; it would be troublesome if anything were to happen to her. However, the stranger's intentions were indeed a cause for concern. Finally, he nodded.

"Very well, Dally. You shall represent the Pawwood family and find out what he is after."

Jean was completely unaware of the Pawwood family's distress. Or rather, even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared. At that moment, he was in Black's mansion, sharing afternoon tea with Lady Ligia.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Jean."

Facing Jean, Ligia’s smile was somewhat helpless and stiff. While she was indeed grateful for his help in driving away those scoundrels, she was also, to some extent, worried. She had previously hoped that Cotton would return to handle these matters, but upon learning that her husband had died in battle, her mind was a blank, and she felt lost.

"It is nothing, Mrs. Black. To deal with such vile wretches, one must be even tougher than they are."

Setting down his teacup, Jean offered Ligia a gentle smile.

"If I may be so bold, Mrs. Black, what are your plans for the future?"

"I..."

Hearing the question, Ligia froze, then lowered her gaze, unsure of what to say. She was merely a merchant's daughter whose parents had passed away long ago; it was only because of a connection between her parents and old Mr. Black that she had been able to marry Cotton. She had been determined to be a good wife and live a peaceful life. But life was unpredictable. Now that Cotton was dead, what was she to do? Although the Temple had provided some financial compensation through Mr. Jean, what could a weak woman do with money alone?

"I... I don't know..."

At that moment, Ligia felt her future was a dissipating mist, and she had completely lost her direction. Without Cotton, she felt like a ship without a rudder, drifting with the current, unable to maintain her course. She thought of their newlywed days and how she had believed the hardships were over. She never expected fate to toy with her like this—after a brief sweetness, only endless pain remained. What had she done to deserve such punishment?

At the thought, Ligia felt a pang of sorrow, but she quickly suppressed the melancholy and offered Jean a bitter smile.

"And you, Mr. Jean? What brings you to Pasus?"

Hearing her inquiry, Jean pondered for a moment. A soft smile returned to his face as he spoke.

"In fact, I plan to stay in Pasus for a while."

"Oh?"

Ligia was taken aback. She had anticipated many answers, but this one was unexpected.

"It is like this."

Noticing the curiosity in her eyes, Jean quickly explained.

"Actually, like Mr. Cotton, I was also a fallen noble."

"Oh...? You too...?"

Hearing this, Ligia’s expression became much more animated. She hadn't expected this young man to have such a connection to her husband.

"Yes. Like Mr. Cotton, I sought wealth and glory, which led me to answer the Temple's call and join the adventuring party. That is how I met Mr. Cotton."

Facing Ligia’s curious gaze, Jean began his performance. His background was not difficult to investigate, so he saw no need to hide it. Sometimes, the truth was the best lie.

"Because we shared a similar history and goals, Mr. Cotton and I quickly became close, becoming comrades who shared life and death. It is a pity that Mr. Cotton could not make it to the end..."

Jean paused slightly, striking a perfect balance between sorrow and regret before continuing.

"...I heard of the magnificent scenery of the Eagle Highlands from Mr. Cotton and had always wanted to see it with my own eyes. Coming to Pasus this time, besides fulfilling Mr. Cotton’s final wishes, I also intend to stay for a while and enjoy the beauty of the Highlands."

Hearing this, Ligia’s eyes brightened. She hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Jean, speaking tentatively.

"Then... Mr. Jean, what do you think of the Black Manor? If you don't mind, why not stay here?"

Faced with her invitation, Jean smiled slightly. He reached up to adjust his glasses, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"I would be honored, Mrs. Black."