After serving Earl Stamfort with my carved fruits, I return to my seat to get some drinks. Clara pour Chai tea to my cup while whispering something to me,
"Henry, sister Eliza said she was sorry that she can't be useful in this important event"
Ah, that's right. Actually, she supposed to be the host of this event, but the sudden appearance of her fiancé change the plan. Since this Roland coming, my sister is trembling in fear which makes she can't do her role as the host and make me replace her position as the host.
"Tell my sister, that's alright. I can handle the situation and take over her job, she doesn't need to worry about that. He didn't notice that my sister actually here, right? Just stay calm and I will deal that guy"
"Yes, that's true…I'll tell sister Eliza about your message"
Clara chuckled before return to her position behind my seating and passed my message to my sister.
After getting humiliated by the food many times, Roland Easton no longer can keep his calm and patience. He rises from his seat and shouting at me,
"Henry boy! I see your lunch is finished and now I demand my fiancé to see me, call her to meet me here"
Hooo…..still want to make ruckus here, aren't you? Alright, since you ask for trouble, trouble is what you'll get. Maybe I can even find a chance to break his engagement with my sister by using this opportunity. So, I rise from my seat and confront him.
"Mr. Roland, without me calling my sister, there's should be any maid or servant here telling her that you are here. If you're an educated person, you should know what that meaning is"
"Henry boy, maybe you know one or two things about cooking, but it's not your place to talk about education in front of me. I'm one of those youngsters who can enroll in the Royal Academy. Country bumpkin like you will never get a chance to study at Royal Academy even though you can cook one or two dishes"
Heh! Now he tries to challenge my intellectuality? Hahaha….bring it on and be prepared to humiliate again. My modern knowledge will not lose against this bastard knowledge. But let's probe what he had learned in there first.
"Oh really? Can you tell me what you had learned in Royal Academy?"
"Many things that can make you drool even in your dream. Counting, literature, music, military strategy, history, and many other subjects"
So you have learned how to count huh? It must be like math in the modern era. Let's have some test about that then,
"You said you learn how to count, so if I ask you a question about counting, you surely can answer it, right?"
"Of course! What do you want to ask? Your big master here surely can answer it. What so hard answering a question from a country bumpkin like you anyways?"
A petty guy like Roland, of course, will not let the opportunity to show off go. I know it and throw that challenge to him, so I give him a question that I just made when he bragging about learns the counting.
"Alright, here's the question. A commander was appointed to lead an army consist of a hundred people. Soldiers in that army divide into ten groups. Each group has one person as a group leader. The general wants that army ready to send at war, so they must equip with armor and weapon. An ordinary soldier equipped with a spear and a shield, the price of a spear is 5 silver coins and a shield price is 10 silver coins. Group leader equipped with a long sword and a shield. Long sword cost 8 silver coins. For commander, he gets a horse, iron armor and sword which all cost 2 gold coins. So the question is: how many silver coins needed to equipped that army?"
"Eh? What? What do you asking?"
Roland looks surprised with my question. Panic and cold sweat can be seen in his face. I repeat my question once again with stressing and clear voice on the number. This time, there's no one talking, it seems they also do their own calculation for my question.
Roland looks confused and even uses his fat fingers to help him count. Meanwhile, in VIP seat, Earl Stamfort who wants to leave the dining hall, keep sitting on his seat with his family.
"Anthony, Celes, let's sit for a little longer. Don't you think this is entertaining?"
"Yes, father"
"I think so"
It seems Earl Stamfort see my confrontation with Roland as an amusement event.
"Anthony, can you answer Henry's question?"
"Wait father…I'm still calculating in my mind"
After a few minutes, it seems Anthony already finish his calculation. He whispers to his father beside him
"I'm done father, it's 1730 silver…nice question. That kind of question also used in royal army test for the logistics officer. I wonder how Henry knows about this kind of question. There's even a trap in his question"
"Hoo….Really? He's an interesting boy….it seems that Easton boy can't answer that question"
"I heard from my junior in Royal Academy, that Easton boy is not too bright in his academicals achievement and get expelled from the academy in his second years because sexually harassing Earl Norman second son's girlfriend. That girl comes from a merchant family so her appearance might be like a common girl which makes Roland dare to harass her. They almost involved in the bloody fight but academy side can prevent it. After investigation, Easton found guilty and expelled from the academy as punishment, but his father bribes the academy and makes like that boy quit from the academy because of health reason"
"Hohoho…there's nice story too about him"
Of course, I can't hear what Anthony and Earl Stamfort talking about since they speak in a low voice. I just keep Roland answer my question patiently…but minutes by minutes passing by, he seems can't answer He even already start discussing with his guards about the answer, what a shameless guy!.