"He's so lucky. To be made a Count at such a young age... it's enough to make anyone jealous."
"Yeah, but he's genuinely skilled. His performance in the battles against the Alien Races on the various borders was seriously impressive."
"Hmph, so what if he's skilled? Do you think he could've gotten this far without connections and a powerful background?" a noble sneered.
The whispers, though quiet, still reached Henry's ears. 'To escape envy is to be mediocre.' He wasn't angry, nor did he pay them any mind.
These young pups, sheltered by their elders, were naturally fearless and dared to say anything—especially the ones from the imperial capital.
Listening to their chatter, he noted there were some objective comments mixed in as well.
Henry shook his head slightly. If nothing unexpected happened, these same people would take the stage in a decade or so and become the empire's new administrators.
