Chapter 87: Chapter 35. Armistice Agreement

Well, to hell with it.In the end, Razor greatly regretted that he offered this guy friendship. It definitely turned out to be too hasty a decision.

But who knew that his unobtrusive desire to understand what happened would lead to not the best consequences for him? The Second Prince had never been so wrong before.

And all because… since recently, a real bath sheet has stuck to the Razor.

He and Silver had only known each other for a week, but he had already managed to get him pretty much.

The nephew of the Marquis accompanied the guy always and wherever possible, and did not give a moment of peace even for rest. They stayed together at breakfast, throughout all the training sessions, and even when he tried to study quietly in the library. Silver explained his behavior by saying that friends should support each other.

As the prince thought, such a nice and nice guy definitely should have at least one flaw. But he did not expect that it would open up so quickly, and turn out to be so global.

Razor didn't know where to put himself anymore.

Either this guy had never had friends before, or he basically always remained like this, but Razor managed to regret this «friendship» a hundred times already. He had never met such a clingy person before.

And most importantly, Silver didn't even understand what the problem was when he tried to explain it to him!

If he was also bothering Rachel Cassius during their marriage, then to some extent everything fell into place. Considering how much she hated it when someone violated her personal space, it's amazing that Silver lasted so long in the original story. The current Cassius would have nailed him right away and without ceremony.

What can I say, it's only been a couple of days, but the prince was already dreaming of killing him. To some extent, this conclusion became one of the possible reasons for the murder, which had not previously arisen in Razor's mind.

But the guy held on. Eventually, the Marquis' nephew came for a month. There are only a couple of weeks left to endure…

At least, it sounded optimistic only at the beginning.

The second Prince rightly remained in his sober mind until a certain point. Until one day… Silver just showed up at four in the morning!

This became the extreme boiling point of it.

— Get up!

A loud voice sounded right in my ear.

Razor, half asleep, somehow opened his eyes while in bed, and found that he had become so arrogant that he had already broken into his room without permission.

— What are you doing here…? — the guy was terribly tired, and couldn't even take his head off the pillow.

— Let's go for a run!

— W-what…?!

— From now on, we will run daily in the morning! — the Marquis's nephew announced with a smile, — Such training will help to significantly improve your endurance!

Razor barely restrained himself from shoving something heavy into him.

This time Silver has clearly crossed all the boundaries! Really, in his opinion, four hours of sleep a day is still a lot for him…? This guy was definitely going to finish him off completely.

— Get up! — Silver continued in a cheerful tone, rattling a saucepan over him, — Who gets up early, God serves him!

Razor's eye twitched in annoyance.

«I'd like to give you a good kick…!»

Meanwhile, he knew perfectly well that Silver would not leave him alone just like that. Before, the prince had tried to get rid of him more than once, and all to no avail. The only way out in such a situation is to just accept it…

«If there are demons in this world, then you are definitely one of them.»

In the end, Silver forced Razor to get up at four in the morning, when he still hadn't recovered from yesterday's workout. His whole body ached, but despite that, the prince found the strength to gather himself.

— You'll see, it will do you good! The Marquis' nephew remained as optimistic as ever, «Before I leave, I will do everything in my power to help you advance!»

«Advance»…? Where to? To the grave?

«I'm looking forward to it…» the second prince said with a bitter smile.

«A month… there's only a month left to put up with this bastard!»

Despite the fact that Razor agreed to go for a run with him, Silver still didn't go anywhere and continued to stand over his soul. Apparently so that he wouldn't slip away inadvertently.

Razor sighed, and as he put on his socks, he suddenly remembered one important thing.

In addition to the training itself, the Marquis of Windsor also gave him a huge amount of literature with theoretical material on combat techniques. The guy had to read them all, and then answer the questions of the control test to check the degree of the material learned.

Razor wanted to turn him in last night, but forgot because Silver was bothering him with something again.

Well, since he remembered about it now, it's worth doing while he still had the opportunity to do it…

— You can go down first, — the prince suggested, — I need to bring something else to the master's office.

— It's not a problem. I can go with you! — Silver immediately reacted.

Razor let out a long breath. This is still not enough… Is it really impossible for him to spend a couple of minutes in peace and quiet?

— No, thanks… — the guy answered dryly, — I'll manage on my own.

«Are you sure?»

A little more, and the prince felt that he would have a nervous tic.

— yes!

Silver was somewhat discouraged, but this time Razor really seemed angry… But why all of a sudden? Didn't sleep well last night?

— Well, okay… — the guy gave up, — Then I'll wait for you in the hall.

When the Marquis's annoying nephew finally disappeared, Razor felt the long-awaited freedom. He sighed heavily while getting dressed, and pulled out his control test from behind the nightstand. It seems that I answered all the questions correctly…

The guy was walking down the corridor, expecting that no one was in the Marquis's office at such an early hour. But no. Quietly opening the door, he found that someone was already sitting at the desk.

Rodrigue Windsor stared glassy-eyed at the piece of paper he was holding in his hands. Probably reread the lines on it several times already, and still could not come to his senses.

— Sir…? Razor knocked awkwardly.

The Marquis reacted belatedly. After a couple of seconds, he finally looked up from the letter, and found that someone was in his office.

— It's you… — the man sighed, — What do you want?

— Test on the theory of combat. You asked me to turn him in as soon as possible.

— Ah… yes… come in.

Considering how sluggishly the Marquis answered, this was already the first unusual sign. Razor still went into the office, and put his work on the table.

Involuntarily, he became interested in the letter on which the knight was so focused.

— Is something wrong with you?

Rodrigue looked at him wearily.

— Look for yourself.

Surprisingly, he handed him an envelope, and the prince read it. There was only one line on the white sheet:

«You have a week left.»

Razor blinked in disbelief.

And what does that mean? I checked everything again, but other than that, the envelope really turned out to be completely empty. There was no addressee or stamp on it. Very unusual indeed.

— Is that…?

— He, — the Marquis finished, thereby confirming his first guess.

The aristocrat who threatened the marquis sent him such a strange letter in which he informed him about some remaining deadline.

However, from the expression on the knight's face, it became clear that he had guessed everything.

«He gave me a week to get your girlfriend back to the estate.»

The man sighed heavily as he leaned back in his chair.

Razor was taken aback.

«You mean…?»

— If my daughter and this girl don't come back soon, it will be very bad for all of us.

Rodrigue Windsor was very tense, while the second prince could hardly digest his words.

Despite the fact that some time has passed since the conclusion of their union, the Marquis has not admitted to him who exactly is behind all this. And the guy didn't have any more guesses about the identity of the mysterious aristocrat. Everything remained very hazy.

But the problem remained a problem.

— And what are you going to do? Razor asked cautiously. Searᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

— If I knew…! — exclaimed the knight, — The last time Maxie answered my letter was a week ago. Now, I don't even know where to look for them.

The second Prince scratched his head thoughtfully. At the moment, they really couldn't get in touch with them in any way. He couldn't even find out if Leriana was doing well. And now this…

While the Marquess of Windsor clutched his head, realizing with horror that his whole family would soon come to an end, Razor tried to reason logically. Come to think of it, they still had time. And it should not be wasted.

— Tell me, do you have any influential ally?

— what? he was surprised.

— If you can enlist someone's support, this person will not be able to intimidate you so easily.

The Marquis clearly didn't like the word «intimidate» very much. After all, he still held the position of «business partners»… but the truth is the truth, and she had to look into the eyes.

The man thought about his words.

All the houses with which he teamed up for a future coup were either approximately of the same level, or lower in status. After all, few people could compete with the first knight of the empire. Based on this, he really could not name a single name.

The Marquis shook his head.

This made Razor tense up even more.

Of course, the first thought that popped into his head was about his father. Who could be more profitable as an ally if not the ruler of the most developed empire on the continent? But at the same time, despite the great temptation, the guy had to abandon this idea.

Oddly enough, he wasn't eager to return home right now. And this will certainly happen when his father finds out about his whereabouts. In order to understand what is happening and bring the enemy to light, Razor decided to act from the shadows. It is much more convenient to develop a plan as a commoner than a second prince, who could easily be followed.

Besides, right now, they didn't have any proof. The words of one Marquis will clearly not be enough to force the main person of the kingdom to act.

Therefore, while Razor was carefully sorting through the possible options in his head, then… unexpectedly came across an interesting thought.

What if…?

«Sir, have you ever thought of reconciling with Duke Cassius?»

— What? — the knight was immediately indignant, — What nonsense are you talking about?

Some time ago, Razor himself could easily have agreed that he blurted nonsense. After all, it was difficult to imagine anything more illogical and impossible than the reconciliation of these two families.

But no matter how much the prince thought, only the name of Duke Cassius came to his mind. Perhaps this was the only person who could compete with the power of even the largest rulers of both countries.

Up to this point, Razor had yet to meet someone who wasn't in awe of this kind.

And if a miracle happens, and these two stop their quarrels, then maybe… They will be able to persuade the Duke to side with the Marquis.

With him, the guy doubted that they would be afraid of anything else at all.

But the knight himself, apparently, did not think so. The idea of a peaceful conversation with the «red-eyed bastard», he rejected with lightning speed.

— Think logically, — Razor cautiously approached the difficult topic, — If the head of the Cassius clan supports you, won't it be easier to cope with this problem?

— no! And once again, no! «the Marquis wouldn't hear of it.

— Why are you so categorical?

«What do you think, boy?» — He quipped, — This bastard ruined my country and forced me to humiliate myself in front of the whole world! And after that you tell me to put up with him?!

Razor hesitated.

— Listen… In the current situation, you need to be able to make concessions…

— «Concessions»? Ha…! I will never accept it.

Of course, the second Prince did not hope that it would be easy to persuade the Marquis to such an idea. He may have to work very, very hard.…

I had to think fast.

«But he didn't do it on his own, did he?» The prince suggested.

Rodrigue stared at him in disbelief.

«Duke Cassius is as much a servant of the monarchy as you are. It was my father who ordered him to capture Oberon, and to make similar sacrifices in the future… So, in fact, this decision was not his fault.

The man chuckled.

— Too much for me «order»! Just a pathetic cover for a coward trying to hide his sins…

Razor dared to interrupt him.

— What about you? Have they not fulfilled the will of the ruler before?

He was somewhat taken aback by such an unexpected comparison.

— I…!

«Before you left office, you also had a lot of blood on your hands,» Razor continued calmly, «And sometimes it was innocent people who became only a hindrance to the king. And after that you talk about justice?»

— …

The Marquis froze at his words.

Damn it! And why exactly at such a moment, it became so difficult to argue with this brat…?!

— T-this is completely different! — Rodrigue tried to rehabilitate himself, — Don't mix white with black. Maybe it wasn't his idea to take over our country, but… this bastard did a lot more! Do you think it's okay to grab half of my lands for yourself?!

— Well… — he hesitated, — you're so a rich man. And right now you are not in distress…

But even this did not convince the man at all.

— I don't want to listen to this bastard's excuses!

Razor sighed.

— I'm not suggesting that you become friends! Just a temporary truce for the sake of a common goal… Then, you can continue to fight as much as you want.

— no!

No matter how many attempts the second prince made, but the Marquis did not give in. To some extent, he could be well understood. It is impossible to get rid of ten years of hatred so quickly, and even more so after that to cooperate. But right now, the Marquis' pride clearly won't save their skins. Therefore, I had to act cunningly.

— Ha… okay, — the guy suddenly said, — As I thought, you're just afraid of him.

— What?!

The Marquess of Windsor almost choked with indignation. Despite the fact that he was about to end this conversation, the guy's words stopped him.

«Throughout all these years, you have never met the Duke in person,» Razor continued, «so how can you call yourself his enemy when you don't even pull on this status?»

Playing on the Marquis's ego, Razor was walking on very thin ice, and he was well aware of it. But in the current situation, even if he didn't like these remarks, there was nowhere to retreat.

— What kind of nonsense?! — the head of the Windsor clan flared up, — I just know when to tactically retreat! It's an instinct.…

— So, with the «instinct of self-preservation», you cover up your own cowardice? Razor repeated his previous words almost identically.

— You…! The Marquis angrily pointed a finger at him, — Boy, how dare you…!

«I'm only telling the truth,» the prince replied calmly, «you are the first knight of Oberon, but you can't even find the courage to face the enemy face to face. Is that worthy of a knight?»

He faltered.

As much as I would like to admit it, but his student was right. Throughout this time, the Marquis always sent his men to battle with Cassius, but never went out against him on his own. All because deep down he was well aware that in this world Cassius was the only one he had never had confidence in defeating.

And in the end… the knight was so afraid for his own life that he did not notice how he turned into an ordinary coward. Even a rat didn't hide as long as he did.

But it was the realization of all this that made the Marquis even more angry.

«I…» he couldn't find the words.

«Are you still afraid to meet Duke Cassius?» Razor summed up.

The Marquis was indignant.

«Afraid?» Never in my life! Meet this freak for me for once or twice!

Seeing how the man lit up, Razor sneered imperceptibly. It looks like he made the right move.

Still, despite the menacing shell of a tall man with scars, deep down, Rodrigue Windsor remained a big child. Who could easily change his mind if pressed on his weakness.

And such for a knight was a sense of self-importance. After all, he considered himself the best of the best.

«Then do you agree to go to Azeroth to meet the Duke?»

— Easy as pie! — I spat at the man, — I'll just look this fool right in the eyes!

Razor let out a sigh of relief. It seems that the most difficult part was over. It remains only to figure out how they can quickly get to the neighboring empire…

And while the second prince began to develop a plan, Silver suddenly broke into the door.

The Marquis and Razor both stared at him in surprise.

«You've been gone too long,» the guy explained, «and I decided to check out what you're doing.»

The second Prince slapped his forehead. He'd forgotten about the damn run…

— Sil… Are you… — the knight spoke uncertainly, — Have you been standing there for a long time…?

«You're going somewhere, aren't you?» — the Marquis's nephew guessed, — And where? I want to be with you too!

Razor gritted his teeth and shook his head at the knight. But it looks like it was too late.

That's all they needed…!