By Zephyria 
Side Story 1
The Montar Count family was one of the Empire’s traditional noble families.
They were a family of meritorious retainers who had supported the Emperor for generations, but they took the barren northern region as their territory and did not advance as central nobles. In short, they were just mediocre local nobles with no ambition for success.
Lorenz Montar, the second son of the Montar Count family, was a person who was very dissatisfied with this fact.
In Lorenz’s opinion, the Montar Count family had enough conditions to live in the Capital Irena as a pro-Emperor noble.
They were a family of meritorious retainers, no less! It would have been nice if his ancestors had been a little more power-hungry, but unfortunately, not only his ancestors but also Lorenz’s parents were not particularly interested in such things.
His older brother, the heir to the family, was the same.
‘Lorenz, what are you greedy for? We’re just country nobles.’
His older brother scolded him, saying that Lorenz was being too greedy.
‘That’s why we Montars live such a terrible life for a family of meritorious retainers!’
Of course, Lorenz did not back down and criticized his older brother. Calling him a coward was a bonus.
Montar had barren land where mana did not flow, no proper library, and not even a school where they could learn.
It was a place of blue fields and quiet forests, where everyone was innocent and full of affection, but…
The academics they could learn and the skills they could access were limited, so the world always seemed to flow far away. A narrow dirt road that was difficult for even one carriage to pass, and a small market that opened once every few months, was all there was to their peaceful life, which was boring and old-fashioned to the young man.
More than anything, he was only the second son in this mediocre local noble family. His children would remain as members of the family without a title, as these mediocre local nobles.
So Lorenz did not want to stay in this secluded rural territory for the rest of his life.
Of course, Lorenz was not stupid enough to believe that he could immediately succeed by breaking through the ranks of prominent nobles just by going to the Capital Irena. So he had been waiting for an opportunity, and as if the heavens were watching over him, an opportunity came to him.
It was a crisis for humanity, but an opportunity for Lorenz. It was the second Demon King subjugation.
While the forgotten Hero returned, the Demon King was resurrected, the subjugation party was formed, and the Demon King was subjugated, Montar remained silent.
That was why Lorenz was even more determined. This would not do.
Originally, people who knew they were a little smart had a desire to rise in status, and in Lorenz’s opinion, now was the perfect time to do so.
So, as soon as he heard the news that a large number of noble faction nobles had been purged, Lorenz immediately informed his family of his trip to the Capital Irena.
And he was met with fierce opposition.
Lorenz’s insides were boiling. Now that the Hero had defeated the Demon King and the world was at peace, and the noble faction nobles had lost their positions and the Emperor faction was gaining power, why didn’t they know how important it was to establish a position in the center?
Besides, there were people in the Capital Irena, such as hidden members of the Imperial family and heroes, who were writing a new history! They were Lorenz’s age, and Lorenz himself wanted to write a new history for the Empire with them.
It was said that the young Imperial Prince only had capable aides around him. There were even rumors that some of them were from commoner backgrounds.
The young Imperial Prince was clearly a believer in meritocracy! Lorenz, who knew he was reasonably smart, was filled with anticipation. If the Imperial Prince did not care about social status enough to have even commoners as aides, he would employ even those from rural noble backgrounds if they were capable.
This was the only opportunity for insignificant nobles like them in the provinces!
So when the invitation to the Imperial Palace banquet celebrating the victory arrived, Lorenz sent a reply saying that he would attend before his parents could stop him.
That was why he was now heading to the Capital Irena in a carriage.
However, as the Capital Irena was nicknamed the city of pleasure, the nobles of the Capital Irena had flamboyant peacock-like appearances, and even though it was not as much as when the noble faction was in power, it seemed that they were enjoying quite a bit of luxury, so he could not just go there as he was.
So Lorenz packed the best of the clothes he had, dressed up, and persuaded his younger sister to lend him the carriage that his parents had given her for her birthday, and finally managed to set off.
Montar, a noble family that was unremarkable except for the fact that its residence was old-fashioned and quite large, did not have many servants, so his only companion was Julian, his childhood friend and rival. Even the coachman was just a villager who had some experience driving a carriage in his youth, so the journey was pathetic.
In addition, the ride in the cheap carriage running on the country road was terrible, and his buttocks were numb as if they had been beaten, but Lorenz thought this level of pain was bearable.
Although the beginning was so insignificant, the future he envisioned for himself was infinitely grand. A young Montar who becomes an aide to the young Imperial Prince and writes a new history for the Empire! Lorenz’s dream swelled endlessly.
In addition, Lorenz secretly took the family’s treasure, an Artifact of unknown effect, without his parents’ knowledge. It was an expression of his determination not to return empty-handed, but Julian just scratched the back of his head, saying, ‘What’s the difference between that and just stealing?’
He would somehow produce results. Whether it was a friendship with a high-ranking noble, or a connection with a young lady to marry! Lorenz clenched the Artifact in his pocket and vowed.
Even that was just the mindset of a country noble youth full of dreams, but Lorenz did not realize it.
“Ugh, this carriage is so uncomfortable, I’m going crazy.”
While Lorenz was dreaming of a grand future, Julian in the seat next to him twisted his body and grumbled.
Julian was a childhood friend and rival who had been with him since they were snot-nosed kids.
He was the grandson of Hagen, the butler of the Montar family, and they had been so close since they were young, regardless of their status, that they were comfortable with each other, regardless of whether they were commoners or nobles.
With that one word, Lorenz, who had been full of dreams, was instantly summoned back to reality. Lorenz’s face turned sour in an instant.
Usually, aides would be careful not to upset the noble they served, but Julian seemed too comfortable.
“Julian, you can’t talk to me so casually even in the Capital Irena, okay?”
Lorenz said, unable to bear it any longer. Of course, Lorenz would probably get goosebumps if Julian suddenly treated him with respect, but that was probably just a minor thing he had to endure in the Capital Irena.
Julian frowned as if he was getting goosebumps in a different sense.
“Can I do that? Me treating you like a young master and using honorifics.”
“You have to, even if you can’t!”
Make it happen, even if it can’t be done. Lorenz was a person who had come this far with only that one goal in mind.
But unlike Lorenz’s firm attitude, Julian seemed to be feeling a sense of futility.
“Lorenz, in the first place, a real noble wouldn’t be heading to the Capital Irena in such a small carriage with only one aide.”
Lorenz’s face turned red at the painful whip that made him realize reality. He felt unpleasantly scratched by the words ‘real noble’. Was he not a real noble then?
“Hey, Julian!”
“Isn’t it the truth? Besides, the clothes you brought that you thought were reasonably good won’t really work in the Capital Irena, where trends don’t even last a month.”
Well… if your intention is to start a retro fashion trend, you might succeed.
Julian, who had stabbed Lorenz again, casually picked his ear.
Damn it, Lorenz only seethed inwardly. This guy must have received special orders from his parents, his older brother, or even Hagen, the butler.
To somehow stop Lorenz, who was trying to do something foolish, in their opinion.
Of course, Lorenz had no intention of being swayed by just those words, so he just snorted. Since he would be surrounded by enemies in the Capital Irena anyway, he would not have chosen to go to the Capital Irena if he was going to collapse at just this level.
“Anyway, be careful.”
“Yes, yes, young master.”
He seethed again at the strangely arrogant tone, but Lorenz took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He did not want to have a complicated mind just before arriving in the Capital Irena because of such a thing.
He was planning to go down after somehow accomplishing something.
Becoming an aide by catching the eye of that young Imperial Prince would be the best, after all. Lorenz took a tense breath as he thought of his eventful life in the Capital Irena.
The Capital Irena, the city of flamboyant pleasure, welcomed him. He swallowed hard as he looked at the magnificent Imperial Palace in the distance.
I will definitely succeed.
He clenched his fist again, renewing his determination.