"The Talented Dragon Hides Its Claws" ~ The Eldest Son of the Baron Family, Called Useless, is Actually One of the World's Strongest ~ - Episode 33

One early morning, Ryu and Sebas were in the mansion’s garden.

“Are you really going alone?”

“Ah. I’m in the mood to do things alone for a change.”

“I see. I don’t think there will be any problems with you, Ryuu-sama, but just in case, please be cautious of monsters and bandits.”

“Yeah. While I’m away, I’ll leave the mansion in your hands.”

“Leave it to me.”

“Well then, shall we get going soon? I’m counting on you again this time, Axel.”

“Baruru”

Ryu mounted his beloved horse and set off.

The other day, a sealed letter arrived from the Empress. Its content was a request to curry favor with the Marquis in advance of the anticipated war. On the same day it arrived, Ryu drafted a letter requesting a meeting with Marquis Grace and sent it to the Marquis’s residence by express courier. As a result, an appointment was tentatively secured, but the meeting itself was scheduled for several weeks later. It is currently the wheat harvest season, so the Marquis is likely very busy.

And the meeting date in question is tomorrow.

By the way, the Empress’s letter has already been burned in the fireplace, so there’s no worry about information leaking.

“Baruru”

“Hmm? Got it. We have plenty of time, so let’s take it easy.”

According to Axel, the grass growing in that meadow looks delicious, so he wants to sneak a taste. Since the two have a familiar contract, they can generally understand each other’s thoughts without using words or gestures.

Axel strayed slightly off the path and munched on the wild plants growing in the field. His laid-back demeanor was probably inherited from his master. By the way, as previously explained, Axel is not just an ordinary warhorse but a mythical creature known as a “thousand-mile horse.” He is overwhelmingly superior in both size and stamina compared to regular warhorses, but there is one major difference. Axel is omnivorous. He can eat anything humans consume and convert it into nutrients.

“Hey, Axel”

“?”

“Is grass really that tasty?”

“Baruru”

“Huh~”

If I had to choose, meat is superior, but plants seem to possess a different kind of deliciousness. It’s almost the same as the human palate.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try too.”

A few minutes later.

“This isn’t bad at all,” munch munch

“Bururu” munch munch

The vassals were watching the scene from a distance.

“That’s Lord Ryu, right?”

“Why are you eating grass?”

“I don’t understand…”

“But if you’re doing well, then it’s fine, right?”

“That’s true.”

Generally, the head of the family is addressed by their title. Therefore, in Ryu’s case, it is normal to call him Baron Arden. However, that’s just a quirk. Having succeeded as the head of the family at the age of fourteen, he is not an object of fear and respect for the villagers, but rather a young baron who should still be supported.

After enjoying the weeds deliciously, the two continued down the highway once again.

As soon as I left the main road, I entered the grassland. Even though it’s called a grassland, it’s just that the ground isn’t well-maintained, and there is a path that looks like it could be used by people and carriages, so I didn’t get lost at all.

However…

“Shhh!!!”

Whether or not monsters appear is another story.

“A D-rank Venom Python, huh? I can’t just overlook this.”

Ryu creates a lightning ball in his palm.

“Go, Thunderwolf”

When commanded, the lightning transformed into a wolf and ran across the ground.

And then, a clash.

Crack crack crack!!!!!!!

“Sha, Shaa…”

The enemy was charred and collapsed to the ground.

Purple smoke is rising from the snake’s body.

“If we inhale the poison in the smoke, it will be troublesome. Let’s leave here quickly.”

Ryu confirmed that there were no people around and immediately evacuated the area.

While running through the grasslands, I spotted a few E-rank monsters, but since this is technically the adventurers’ hunting ground, I decided to let them be and not take their jobs. However, if a high-risk monster with low material value appears, like the one earlier, there are parts that I, as the lord, cannot overlook.

“Baruru”

“Yeah. Dealing with monsters is a hassle, so maybe I’ll do ‘that’ for the first time in a while.”

At the signal of those words, in the blink of an eye, a thunderous horse armor formed around Axel’s entire body, and he began to gallop across the grassland at an unbelievable speed.

When a master-servant contract is formed, a part of the master’s magical circuit connects with that of the servant. As explained earlier, generally, it only allows for a kind of vague communication. Even so, that’s already quite impressive, but Ryu and Axel are not a duo that would get stuck at such a point. This magic is a divine art that becomes possible only when both parties possess overwhelming magical control techniques and, above all, deep trust.

“Let’s quickly get through the checkpoint and eat some delicious bread.”

“Bururu”

Needless to say, ingratiating oneself with Baron Grace at a first meeting and persuading him to mobilize the army is an extremely difficult task. However, for Ryu, it might just be a matter of course.

“Oh, Axel. I just stepped in dog poop.”