Reborn as a Useless Noble with my SSS-Class Innate Talent-Chapter 169: Ch : The Tribute- Part 1

Kyle remained in the village for two more days, observing the flow of people who had come for the auction and ensuring there were no hidden threats lingering in the shadows.

He made his rounds quietly, checking defenses, exchanging brief conversations with the chieftain and his soldiers, and inspecting the mana detection wards.

Thankfully, the nobles and merchants began departing one after another, the buzz of the failed auction quickly losing its heat.

When the last of the outsiders finally left, Kyle stood at the top of the small watchtower and exhaled.

The village was safe.

For now.

It was time to move.

Preparations were made with quiet efficiency.

Kyle oversaw the loading of their supplies and then turned his attention to the large, specially prepared bed meant for Queen and the dragon egg.

The bed was made from soft pelts, padded carefully to absorb shocks, and enchanted slightly to regulate temperature during travel.

As Kyle placed the bed into the carriage, Queen hopped onto it, giving Kyle a suffering, half-betrayed look before dramatically settling down on top of the egg.

"You’re being overdramatic."

Kyle muttered dryly.

Queen snorted and fluffed its wings before circling once and pressing down onto the cushion, covering the egg with its body and tail protectively.

Satisfied, Kyle closed the carriage door and took his seat beside them, giving the signal for the journey to begin.

The roads to Venuce were long but smooth, maintained well due to the merchant traffic.

The sun had already passed its peak when Bruce rode up to the carriage and knocked twice on the door.

"Young master, I’ll head ahead and secure us an inn before the city fills up for the evening."

Bruce called,

Kyle nodded, and Bruce rode off at a steady pace.

The city walls of Venuce appeared on the horizon not long after—tall, dark stone structures standing firm, polished by wealth rather than war.

The gates were wide, but even from a distance, Kyle could see a line of carts and travelers being turned away.

Something was wrong.

As Bruce neared the gates, Kyle saw him being stopped and questioned. A few heated words were exchanged.

When Kyle’s carriage reached the entrance, the guards moved to block it as well, crossing their halberds with professional indifference.

"Hold. Entrance is restricted by order of Sir Veldom, head of the merchant association. No one is allowed in without special clearance."

The senior guard ordered.

Kyle raised an eyebrow slightly.

"On whose authority?"

"On the only authority that matters in Venuce. The Merchant Association. No noble laws apply here."

The guard said firmly.

Before Kyle could respond, Bruce, already on foot, stepped between them.

His expression was a mask of irritation, voice low and dangerous.

"Are you willing to risk your life blocking this carriage? Do you understand who sits inside?"

He asked the guard flatly.

The guard squared his shoulders.

"I don’t care who it is. Venuce follows its own rules. You want in? Take it up with Sir Veldom. Until then, this gate stays shut."

Kyle narrowed his eyes. There was no anger in his face—only calculation.

So this was how Venuce did things.

He glanced back toward the carriage briefly, where Queen peeked through the curtains with mild interest, still curled around the egg.

Kyle exhaled and stepped out slowly, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeves.

"Very well. We’ll speak with your Sir Veldom. But I suggest he be worth the trouble."

He said calmly.

The guard stood firm even as Bruce calmly stated they would speak to Sir Veldom directly.

Instead of stepping aside, the man’s eyes narrowed, and his grip on his halberd tightened.

"No one enters Venuce without showing proper sincerity. If you want an audience with Sir Veldom, you’ll need to pay tribute"

He declared.

Bruce’s expression darkened.

"Tribute?"

The guard sneered.

"Twenty gold coins. Not a coin less. It’s the price for nobility who think they can walk in like they own the place."

Inside the carriage, Queen stirred.

It blinked at the guard with growing amusement, sensing the tension thickening in the air.

Kyle, silent until now, pushed the door open and stepped out with a soft thud.

Dressed in elegant but unassuming robes, his delicate features and frail posture made him look more like a sickly noble child than someone who could be feared.

The moment the guard saw him, his grin widened.

"Well, well. This is your master? No wonder you’re so loud. You’re compensating for this little thing"

The guard said mockingly, giving Kyle an assessing look.

Bruce’s jaw twitched, and Melissa had already placed her hand on her sword, but Kyle simply stood there.

The breeze shifted his dark hair slightly as he slowly walked forward, his steps light, almost too quiet to hear on the stone road.

"You heard me. Twenty gold coins if you want to—"

The guard said again, stepping closer.

Before the man could finish his sentence, Kyle’s hand moved. In one fluid motion, a silver blade gleamed in the light and sliced cleanly across the guard’s throat.

The man choked, his smirk vanishing in an instant as blood spilled from his neck.

He dropped to the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief even as the life faded from them.

The world seemed to freeze.

The other guards around the gate stiffened, gripping their weapons but making no moves.

They looked between their fallen comrade and the calm young man now standing over the corpse, sword still in hand, expression unreadable.

One of them finally found his voice.

"D-Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Sir Veldom—he’ll have your head for this!"

Kyle tilted his head, his eyes empty of emotion.

"Then bring him here. Or would you prefer to accompany your friend?"

He said quietly.

That simple statement carried more weight than a shouted threat.

The guards hesitated no longer.

Two of them turned and bolted toward the city, disappearing into the gates with panic in their movements.

The rest stayed, hands trembling as they lowered their weapons slightly, clearly uncertain whether to fight or flee.

Bruce let out a long breath, walking to Kyle’s side.

"Young master, do you want me to clean this up?"

"No need. Let it serve as a reminder."

Kyle replied coldly, wiping his blade on the dead guard’s sleeve before returning it to its sheath.

Behind him, Queen peered through the curtain of the carriage with a small snort, almost seeming pleased.

Melissa looked down at the corpse, then up at the frozen guards.

"He thought his life was worth twenty gold. That was an expensive mistake."

Kyle said nothing more, only staring at the city gates in silence, waiting. There was no fury in his gaze—just the calm intensity of someone who had weighed a man’s life and found it lacking.

Venuce wanted tribute.

It had just received one.

The silence hung thick at the gate, broken only by the quiet breathing of the stunned guards and the faint rustling of wind.

Bruce stood at Kyle’s side like a shadow, while Melissa remained slightly behind, her hand still loosely resting on her sword hilt.

A few townsfolk had begun to gather at a distance, whispering among themselves as they watched the scene unfold.

Inside the carriage, Queen let out a dramatic sigh and settled back atop the egg, clearly bored with the delay.

Kyle didn’t move. He simply waited, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.

Venuce would open its gates—one way or another.