Chapter 145: Wandering Poet

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Wandering Poet

"A crime?"

Mibu was stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected Vili to turn the tables and press him on this issue.

"I am a man of letters! If Baron Vili insists on being so rude to me, then I shall have no choice but to leave White Bear Town. Afterward, I will write of your coarseness and White Bear Town’s destitution in my book for all the other nobles to see your ugly demeanor!"

Mibu spoke with self-righteous indignation, his tone holding an undisguised threat. "And don’t even think about threatening my personal safety. I have extensive connections in Golden Flower City. Viscount Kirk himself is a good friend of mine."

He knew very well that these nobles cared most about something as intangible as their reputation.

Seeing this, Vili laughed out loud. He hadn’t expected this Mibu’s logic to be so thorough. ’Afraid that I might silence him in a fit of rage, he even brought up his acquaintance with Viscount Kirk.’

If it were any other noble, such a threat might have actually made them hesitate. But for Vili, it was all just a transparent lie.

"Alright, I really don’t have the patience to waste any more time with you."

Vili had originally thought this swindler might possess some special talent; after all, not everyone had the guts to deceive a Baron. But now, it seemed Mibu’s Ability was nothing special.

"Guards! Drag this man to the prison and let him reflect on his mistakes!"

Vili called out to the guards beyond the side hall.

Immediately, two burly Personal Guards strode in and moved to seize Mibu.

"I..."

Seeing Vili’s demeanor, Mibu was completely dumbfounded.

He had assumed that since Baron Vili came from a peasant family and was short-sighted, he would have unhesitatingly accepted a man of letters to bolster his new noble status. Even if the deception were eventually exposed, such nobles would never admit their own poor judgment.

’This whole routine has always worked on newly-minted nobles from lowborn backgrounds. Why did it fail with this one?’

But Mibu didn’t dare to think about it any longer. Seeing Baron Vili’s decisive look, he feared he was in for a world of hurt. He might not even make it out alive.

Without another moment of hesitation, he dropped to his knees with a THUD and began to wail, "Baron Vili, please forgive my lies! I was forced into it!"

Vili sneered, not buying the act.

Seeing this, the Personal Guards each grabbed one of Mibu’s arms and began to drag him out.

"Forgive me, Baron Vili! I’m just a wandering poet! I only deceived you out of sheer desperation! I really couldn’t survive otherwise..."

Mibu was still making a last-ditch struggle.

"Hm? A wandering poet?"

When he heard this, Vili suddenly raised a hand. "Wait. Let him go for now."

The two Personal Guards obeyed and released Mibu.

"You’re a wandering poet?"

Vili was genuinely intrigued by this identity.

Wandering poets were different from vagrants. Because they possessed a certain level of education, they could generally get by during their travels.

Some of the more famous wandering poets were even hosted by nobles.

A fellow like Mibu, who scammed people for food and drink, was certainly not a famous wandering poet. The reason Vili was interested was because of a wandering poet’s experiences.

Generally speaking, wandering poets traveled their entire lives, passing through many places. They were familiar with the current state of affairs and customs of many regions, knew many stories and legends, and were essentially walking encyclopedias.

Vili came from a peasant family and a minor noble’s territory, so he knew little about the outside world, which was a point of regret for him. As a soul from the modern era, he deeply understood the importance of seeing the world with his own eyes.

"Yes, I am a wandering poet."

Seeing Vili’s interest, Mibu knew this was his only chance to win him over.

"What places have you been to?"

Vili asked. If Mibu dared to fabricate his experiences, Vili would send him straight to prison to eat gruel.

Hearing this, Mibu hastily replied, "I was born in a small town in Wiyok Province, in the far east of the Lanton Duchy. When I was fifteen, I resolved to become a great wandering poet. To that end, I set out from Wiyok Province and traveled west all the way to Wabil Province."

"After that, I met a cross-national merchant caravan and traveled with them, which allowed me to visit the Soron Duchy and half of the Wata Duchy. It wasn’t until a little over two years ago, while traveling in the Wata Duchy, that I became aware of the deteriorating relationship between our two duchies. I grew alarmed, sensing that war might break out, so I returned to the Lanton Duchy ahead of time."

"Then, I continued my travels through Dawei Province, which I had not yet visited. After two years, I had basically been to every corner of Dawei Province, with White Bear Town as my final stop. By then, I was getting old, and my desire to wander had faded significantly. Seeing White Bear Town’s pleasant scenery, I decided I wanted to settle down here."

"To make a better life for myself, I decided to use some old tricks to deceive you, the young Lord. But I never expected that someone as wise as you would see right through me. Please forgive an old man like me. I truly realize my mistake. I offer you my sincerest apologies and hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Although he looked to be only about forty, Mibu described himself as a pitiful old man in his twilight years.

He spoke with tears streaming down his face, hoping to receive Vili’s forgiveness.

"Hmm..."

After listening to Mibu’s long-winded explanation, Vili was very tempted.

This time, he was certain Mibu was telling the truth.

A wandering poet who had traveled through three duchies must have a thorough understanding of the world’s customs and local conditions.

If Mibu had introduced himself this way from the start, Vili would certainly have shown him proper respect. Others might look down on wandering poets, but Vili valued them highly. A person like this could prove incredibly useful at a critical moment.

Instead, Mibu had tried to be clever and ended up putting himself in this awkward situation.

"Lord Baron, please let me go! I swear I will never set foot in White Bear Town again."

Mibu pleaded.

Seeing this, Vili smiled faintly and shook his head. "No, you should just stay here obediently."

When Mibu heard this, his heart sank into despair. The iron-hearted Baron Vili was probably going to let him starve to death in prison.

The thought that his life of wandering would end like this brought fresh tears to poor Mibu’s eyes.

"Are you willing to take up a post in White Bear Town?"

Vili asked in return.

"Take... take up a post!?"

Mibu froze.

’This sudden swing from utter despair to immense joy is happening way too fast!’