CHAPTER 85: A CLICHÉ

When they arrived in the theatre, there was still half an hour before the start of the play. Due to his status, Lucen was given the best seat in the theatre and was informed what the play was about. The play was about the creation of the kingdom of Norvaegard.

’Oh, this should be interesting. The origin of Norvaegard was never told in the game.’

Lucen was now getting a little excited to watch the play. He was about to learn of a lore that was not part of the game. Even with his knowledge as the young Thornehart, he never did learn anything about the founding of the kingdom.

While he was waiting, Lucen took a look around the theatre and was honestly quite impressed by it. The style was that of Gothic Architecture with its pointed arches.

Above, chandeliers made of wrought mana-infused glass cast a soft, opalescent glow, scattering flecks of multicolored light across the vaulted ceiling. Intricate murals were painted there of Deities, Dragons, and different races, locked into a war that felt like it would never end.

"Such a waste of resources," Robert muttered, arms crossed and clearly unimpressed. "If they were going to waste materials like this, they should have just donated them to the Yellow Tower."

"Not everyone can be like you, no, what am I saying? No one will ever be like you. People just can’t live on experiments alone. Some people need culture and entertainment," Lucen replied.

"What are you saying, Lucen? Aren’t you and I the same? Looking for the truth, wanting to learn more."

"Don’t you dare insult our young master like that, Alchemist." Sir Thalos suddenly chimed in. "He isn’t like you. The young master has the blood of Thornehart flowing in his veins. He might indulge you in your experimentations, but his true calling is in battle!"

Robert scoffed. "It would seem that you don’t have any idea what your young master is like. He isn’t just some idiot who only knows how to swing his fist around. He’s one who would make us step into a future filled with wondrous things."

"Hmph, you’re the one who doesn’t understand a thing."

Sir Thalos and Robert started arguing, and Lucen did nothing to stop them as he simply looked around appreciating the structure of the theater.

’This is a nice change of pace.’

Lucen smiled at himself. It was then that he heard another set of voices arguing.

"What do you mean, you gave my seat to someone else?"

"I apologize, young lord, but no one owns a seat, and it is simply on a first-come, first-served basis."

"Huh? Do you know who I am?"

"Of course, the young lord is the heir of Count Vermont, but even then, we can not give you the seat that has already been given."

The middle-aged man had worked in the theater for years now and had met his fair share of nobles, which was why he was used to them. Still, it was quite hard to talk to nobles who don’t seem to understand the common language.

"Then make whoever it is in those seats on the balcony box move."

"I cannot do that, young lord."

The more the theatre staff denied him, the angrier the heir of Count Vermont became. Lucen sighed as he listened to the rising tension near the entrance of his balcony box. He didn’t even need to look to know what kind of entitled brat was throwing a fit.

The heir of Count Vermont, Reginald Vermont, was the textbook definition of a typical noble heir in the eyes of commoners.

He looked down on commoners and thought of himself as someone above them. He loved the theater, the arts, and music. He considered himself a tolerant noble compared to others.

He had frequented this theater because of the quality of the seats, which was why right now, he was feeling irritated.

Since other nobility were coming for the Third Prince’s birthday celebration, Reginald was surrounded by the sons and daughters of Barons and Viscounts who were smirking beside him.

"It seems that you, as a commoner, have forgotten your place since I have spoken to you nicely. I think I need to remind you of your place."

Reginald signalled his bodyguard. The bodyguard stood in front of the theater staff, his body towering over the other.

The middle-aged theater staff knew that he was about to get hit, but he did not look away and stood his ground. As Reginald’s bodyguard was about to strike, someone suddenly intervened.

"That’s enough," Lucen appeared between the bodyguard and the theater staff. Sir Thalos stood behind Lucen, and on the other side was Robert, who yawned.

"Who are you?" Reginald asked when he noticed the insignia on Lucen’s coat. "Oh, you’re a part of that merchant group Thornefang. Tsk, is this the person who took over my seat?" Reginald asked the staff, but the other party did not answer.

"Hmph, to think a lowly merchant thinks he can act like a noble because of coin?"

The second Reginald said those words, Sir Thalos’s killing intent leaked, making Reginald sweat, and his bodyguard tremble. The other noble children and their own bodyguards also felt some discomfort.

Lucen lifted his hand, gesturing for Sir Thalos to stop, and seeing that signal, Sir Thalos reluctantly stopped.

"What was that? I think I might have felt a little sick because of the thought of a merchant like you doing this."

Unaware that it was Sir Thalos’s killing intent, Reginald continued complaining to Lucen. On the other hand, the bodyguard understood that it was killing intent, but he wasn’t sure where it came from.

’Was I just hallucinating?’ The bodyguard thought to himself.

"So you’re telling me that I, who paid for those seats, should happily give them to you?"

"But of course, isn’t that a privilege? Who knows, maybe I will ask my father to sponsor your little merchant group."

’So these types of nobles did exist in the game? The ones I’ve seen, both in-game and in this reality, were indeed people who believe they were above the common class, but they weren’t as open about it as this guy.’ Lucen felt like the guy in front of him came from a different story.

"So what will you do if I won’t give you the seats?" Lucen asked.

Reginald sneered, puffing out his chest like a rooster unaware it stood in front of a wolf. "Tch, it seems that coin of yours has made you forget your place. Do you think a few bags of gold can put you on the same level as I? No matter how much coin you earn, in the end, you’re nothing more than a slightly better commoner, but a commoner nonetheless."

"How dare a merchant speak to a noble heir in such a way!" One of the noble heirs, with Reginald, spoke, which made the others speak against Lucen as well.

"Yes, we should have you punished for this."

"As expected of a commoner simply without class."

’I can’t believe I get to take part in that all being underestimated cliché... Well, I guess the chances of that happening to me were quite high to begin with. I guess it was more surprising that it’s just happening to me right now.’ Lucen mused to himself.

"This is getting us nowhere. Can’t I just close up their mouths and be done with it?" While Lucen was thinking, Robert suddenly spoke, annoyed by the entire conversation.

"What did you just say?! How dare a commoner speak to me that way!" Reginald’s face turned red in anger, and so did the other noble children with him.

"Commoner this, commoner that," Robert echoed in mockery. "Is that all your vocabulary can manage? A parrot with a crushed beak could come up with better insults. No, actually, talking to you is like arguing with an angry dog. Loud, annoying, and utterly pointless," Robert rebuked, making Sir Thalos grin and Lucen barely holding a laugh.

"Damn you! How dare you insult me like this!" Reginald pointed his finger at Robert, and he then looked at his bodyguard. "Teach them a lesson."

"Yes, teach them a lesson."

"You go and help."

The other noble children also sent their bodyguards to help.

The bodyguard, despite feeling uncomfortable with the entire situation, still nodded his head and proceeded to walk towards Lucen’s group. The other bodyguards did so as well.

"Don’t hurt them too much," Lucen spoke to Sir Thalos, who nodded his head.

"As you will, young master."

Sir Thalos simply punched forward. There was no other movement. Sir Thalos’s fist moved only inches, but when it connected, the sound echoed like a hammer striking an anvil. The bodyguard crumpled, unconscious, before he hit the floor.

Sir Thalos did not even bother to use any aura, but that was all he needed to do to knock out Reginald’s bodyguard.

Before the other bodyguards could react, Sir Thalos had already moved, and with light taps to the neck, the other bodyguards fell to the ground unconscious.

"...Wha... what did you just-"

"They’ll wake up in a few minutes," Sir Thalos said calmly as he returned to his spot beside Lucen.

Looking at the stammering and trembling Reginald, alongside his dumbfounded entourage, Lucen was quite amused.

’I bet he’s going to say something cliché, like this isn’t over, or I’ll make sure you regret this, or maybe he’ll say my Father will hear about this.’

Reginald’s jaw worked uselessly for a moment before he stomped forward.

"How dare you, commoners! How dare you humiliate me like this!" Reginald stomped his foot repeatedly, red with fury.

"This isn’t over. I’ll make sure you regret this. My Father will hear about this, and we’ll see if you can continue to laugh at me!" After saying all that, Reginald didn’t bother waking up his bodyguard and left the theater. The other noble children glared at Lucen, then followed Reginald out of the theater.

Lucen couldn’t help but smile. ’He actually said all three lines together!’