Chapter 27: the shameful past of the second Leon
Some time had passed, and Leon had turned 12 years old. During this period, he mainly hunted pirates near his territory, reducing their numbers to zero. Thanks to Leon's growing reputation, the Bartfort Barony gained significant popularity. Many sought to establish close ties with him, especially barons and viscounts who brought their daughters along in hopes of uniting their families through marriage.
However, to their dismay, most of the daughters were spoiled, a fact that was plainly visible on their faces. As a result, Leon refused them all, usually saying something like:
"I'm not ready yet. Let's discuss this in the future."
Among the nobles visiting the Bartforts were even representatives of the Redgrave family. Unfortunately, it wasn't Angelica, Vince, or Gilbert, but rather a trusted agent of their house who came to deliver congratulations on Leon's accomplishments.
Despite Leon's lack of direct involvement, the interest in the Bartfort house continued to grow. Their economic position notably improved as well. With no pirates in the vicinity, merchants increasingly passed through the territory, boosting revenues from tariffs. Although Barcus appreciated the influx of money, he still yearned for a peaceful life with his family.
Speaking of the Zola family, they had largely ceased visiting or demanding money from Barcus for over a year. The reason? Due to the attention that high-ranking nobles were now paying to the Bartfort house, Zola could no longer act freely. She chose to stay away. However, Leon had no intention of letting her off the hook. He actively searched for a way to rid himself of her permanently.
Until that day came, Leon simply enjoyed his peaceful life. Most of his problems were resolved, and the remaining ones were handled efficiently by Luxion and Claire. Incidentally, Claire had been given a new body, similar to Luxion's, along with her own personal ship.
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One day, out of boredom, the first decided to interrogate the second about his life once again.
"Hey, don't you think this is a little unfair?"
"What exactly?" the second asked curiously.