Chapter 508

Whoa!

“What did I just hear? What did Lady Mary say?”

“She seemed to say Gervas became a count? Is that even real?”

“I don’t know! Isn’t he a baron? How did he suddenly become a count? Even if he really did something worthy, he should’ve been promoted only to viscount.”

“Exactly! If his title was truly raised, he should be a viscount now—but then again, Lady Mary’s demeanor just now was strangely odd. Could this actually be true?”

Lady Mary didn’t speak softly.

In fact, she deliberately spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

After all, this not only explained the reason for her earlier strange behavior.

It also showcased the glory of the Gail family.

Pat, a mere viscount, was already a prominent figure in this region.

So if the Gail family had a count as their lord—especially their own husband’s biological son—wouldn’t they be soaring straight to the heavens?

“Count? Gervas became a count? Mother, are you serious?” Lanier didn’t hesitate like the other nobles.

From his mother’s uncharacteristic behavior just now, he already largely believed it.

He simply found it hard to accept.

“Of course. Why would your mother lie to you? Look at the golden badge on Gervas’s chest, and his count’s sword.”

“Also, the large army outside the gate is your second brother Gervas’s troops!”

I have to say, Lady Mary's attitude has changed completely.

She now speaks with a tone of quiet pride in Gwys.

She keeps calling him "your second brother."

If things hadn't been so strained before, she'd probably call Gwys even more affectionately than she calls Lanier.

Whoa!

“Look quick! Gervas’s chest really does have a golden badge! His robe was so lavish, the glow hid the badge—we didn’t notice before!”

“That’s right! I remember now—that’s definitely the count’s sword, only permitted for counts, granted by the king during enfeoffment. I saw one on Baron Canon’s waist during the Harvest Festival in Saint Peter City!”

“So Gervas really became a count?”

“It’s probably true. No one who isn’t a fool would dare impersonate a count—otherwise, even noble status won’t save your life!”

“Good heavens, does that mean the Gail family has truly… risen?!”

“Yes! Andrew hit the jackpot! His little Gervas has made it big! Look at Baron Pat—he’s been smiling awkwardly beside us the whole time, nowhere near his earlier arrogance!”

“True! He’s even bent his waist a little!”

Murmurs and exclamations spread through the crowd.

After all, for minor nobles, even close contact with a count was an honor.

Especially since this count was someone they knew personally.

Lanier instantly stopped crying.

His gaze toward Gervas became clear.

A count!

Even if he was young and foolish, he knew what that meant.

Just like Miles earlier—he had a viscount for a father, so he dared to speak nonsense at my banquet, and still wasn’t punished.

Thud!

Lanier’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, as if wanting to say something.

“G…Gervas… Brother, I… I was wrong!”

Damn! Gervas, you bastard!

Your speed rivals my father Zhang Erhe’s when he begged for mercy the moment he saw a sword drawn!

“Good! Good! Admitting fault and changing is redeemable. From now on, obey, train hard—I’m waiting for you to become a Golden Knight, understood?”

“Also, if you fail to become a Golden Knight… heh heh…”

Gervas didn’t finish, but that cold smile turned Lanier pale, his body trembling.

“G…Gervas, Brother, I’ll… I’ll train hard!”

Gervas smiled, then ignored Lanier entirely, walking straight toward the banquet hall’s podium.

Since all the nobles were present, it was the perfect moment to say something.

Even though he usually kept a low profile, now was the time to build up his adoptive father’s prestige.

With a second son now a count, spreading this news would benefit the old Gail family immensely.

“My lords!”

Upon reaching the podium, Gervas raised his hand with a smile.

The murmuring nobles fell silent instantly, all staring up at Gervas without blinking.

“Lords, many of you already know my identity—I am Gervas Gail, the second son of my father Andrew.”

“Previously, I participated in the Second Son Challenge in Saint Peter City and, by fortune, earned the title of baron.”

“Later, I went to my domain and, through relentless effort, rose from baron to viscount.”

“And just a few days ago, I achieved a minor merit in the north—the king himself granted me the title of count!”

“So now, I am indeed a count lord!”

“Of course, I’m not saying this to boast—I merely wish to express gratitude for the kindness shown to the Gail family in the past.”

“I, Gervas, am a man who remembers old favors. Should any of you ever come to the Stormlands of the South, please visit my castle.”

“I, Gervas, will welcome you warmly!” His brief words fully confirmed his identity.

Naturally, the nobles’ shock and disbelief deepened.

“A few days ago in the north? That’s when the Beastmen invaded! Reports said it was extremely dire—Gervas actually took part?”

“Yes! Fighting Beastmen carries an extremely high chance of death. And he calls it a ‘minor merit’? What kind of ‘minor merit’ earns a king’s count enfeoffment?”

“I’d guess at least several hundred or even a thousand Beastman heads?”

“Several hundred or a thousand? No, you’re vastly underestimating the merit required for a count! If it were only heads, you’d need at least seven or eight thousand Beastman heads to have a chance.”

“Seven or eight thousand Beastman heads? That… that’s too hard!”

“Otherwise? A count is a great noble! Normally, a viscount family needs decades, even centuries, of accumulated merit and foundation to reach such status!”

“So seven or eight thousand Beastman heads isn’t even excessive.”

Minor nobles now looked at Gervas with reverence.

Others needed generations to earn even a viscount’s enfeoffment—and still might never succeed.

Yet Gervas claimed he earned a count’s title with a “minor merit”—if anyone else said that, they’d be mocked.

But the problem was, Gervas seemed to have achieved all this in just one year.

So his words carried a certain authority.

“Enough, my lords! My arrival has disrupted the banquet. Let us resume the feast!”

Soon, music filled the hall once more.