Chapter 46 – The Guilty Will Be Punished

When I came out of the entrance of the castle and entered the drawbridge, I saw a four-wheeled carriage waiting in advance. Next to it was a small wagon, escorted by two knights on horseback, evidently a wagon for the evacuation of criminals.

"Good. Please come this way."

The driver shows his yellow teeth and bows down. I took my eyes off the wagon and, following the coachman's guidance, got into the carriage.

"...."

I did it anyway. Inside the wagon, the elf was seated in advance. I felt bad for a moment, but I sat next to her without showing it.

"Let's go."

Tapping the floor of the wagon with the tips of his toes, the sound of the horse's hooves resonates along with the whipping. I took out the book out of habit and opened it, but the elf didn't take his eyes off me.

'Is there something she wants from me?'

Not. Let's not do things that consume my spirit just by talking for nothing. Completely ignoring it was the correct answer at this point. I'll get to the mansion if I ignore it somehow.

Jiing-

It's burdensome to look at it without a single wave. Sweat drips from my hand holding the book. How long are you going to keep staring at me, elf?

Gyyyying-

It would not be an exaggeration to say that she is openly seeking attention at this level. If I continued to ignore her, it seemed that something would go wrong with me, so I closed the book and looked back at the elf as plainly as I could.

"Do you have something to say?"

"Ah. On that..."

It's absurd that she acts so naturally while staring at me right now. The elf hesitated, then lowered her pointy ears and looked up at me with innocent eyes.

"Because there is a ring on my master's left hand that I have never seen before."

"Is that what you were curious about? This...."

My mouth, which was about to say it was an engagement ring, stopped abruptly. If I confessed the truth as it is, my life in the mansion would turn into an inferno.

I don't know if it's possessiveness or conquest, but this elf really hated me being intimate with other women.

Saying, "This is an engagement ring!" An elf's face might translate to "Kill me!" To the elf.

Gulp.

This is clearly the crossroads between life and death. If I tell the truth, my life will be hard, with a high probability.

The fact that I had to lie hurt my faith and conscience, but since I struggled to survive, the God of Light would be lenient.

"I recently bought one because I wanted to dress up."

"Hey."

Suspicion lingers in her red eyes.

"You wore a 'diamond ring' on the 'ring finger of your left hand' for adornment. I see. It feels like you matched a ring with 'someone' to promise unchanging love. Mmm. It must be my misunderstanding."

Left ring finger, diamond ring, someone.

The clues the elf gave were so tenacious that the thought of making excuses disappeared.

But admitting it here would only add to the guilt of lying. It was a bit risky, but it was necessary to go out boldly.

"Trash. It doesn't matter what your master does. It's disgusting to let your imagination run wild."

I clicked my tongue and glared at the elf with a cold face. Only then did the elf look down, and her ears trembled.

"I'm sorry. My intelligence is like a sow, so I didn't know it was wrong to ask my master questions."

"Huh. You just need to know. I'm tired, so I'm going to close my eyes, so don't disturb my sleep."

"Yes, yes...."

The elf closed her mouth sullenly.

It was fortunate that the improvement worked. If it is discovered later that this is my engagement ring, it may cause her a big upset, but if I communicate with Esily in advance, the misfortune can be avoided.

Maybe....

***

"We have arrived; be well!"

My coachman's booming cry opened my eyes. I blinked my eyes a few times in a daze, only to realize that I had fallen asleep involuntarily.

Looking around me, the elf was sleeping as well. She is seen sleeping with her back reclined in her seat and her head leaning against the wall.

'It must have been tiring.'

I told her to redraw yesterday's picture from scratch, so she must have stayed up all night. No matter how much she had reached the level of a great wizard, she couldn't help the fatigue accumulating in her body.

I wanted to wake her up but decided to stop. It was much better for me when the elf was sleeping. I stopped the coachman from speaking again by putting my index finger to my mouth and got off the carriage.

I took a few steps in a confused mood, and Harvey, the chamberlain, and Bainen, the vassal knight, approached me.

"You went through a lot of hardships while fulfilling the role of regent, Head of Household."

"Congratulations on your safe return, young boy."

After being greeted by her nodding, I stared at Bainen.

"Has anything happened to the family?"

"Yes? I don't know. You should ask the chamberlain about that."

"I mean, I'm asking what you've been up to for the past week."

"Hey what.... As a vassal knight, I kept my family name as usual. Nothing happened."

"It means you played Tangja the whole week?"

Possibly pricked by his conscience, Bainen coughed.

"Young master. Do you think your words have pricked up a bit?"

"Not at all. I just want to thank the God of Light that the only vassal knight of the Deharm family is alive and well."

"Huh true. If there had been a separate order, I would have done my best to deal with it, but didn't the young master go to the count's castle without saying anything? It is unfortunate for me."

"If you gave a separate order, would you faithfully carry out your mission?"

"Yes. I swear by my chivalry."

You're caught, Bainen. I smirked and pointed at the cart in the back.

"Then, I want you to carry out the orders I give you now. Get the prisoner out of that wagon and take him to District 21 on Skygarden Street. There will be a flower shop there. The owner's name is Haria. Go and ask how the criminals should be punished."

"No. I am a valedictorian; I am not a person who runs errands."

"Well? Did you just say it with your own mouth? If I give you a separate order, you will faithfully carry it out. That too, while mentioning chivalry."

Bainen's eyebrows twitch. His expression was as ferocious as that of a beast caught in a trap, but I was not afraid at all.

"I think you, who value knightly tradition, will not violate chivalry."

When I sarcastically asked him to refute it, Bainen let out a blank laugh as if it were absurd.

"Why, it seems that the young master's head is getting more and more sharp."

"I take it as a compliment."

Low sigh.

 Bainen walked towards the wagon with no help.

"Wake up, you bastard criminal!"

I also forgot to vent my anger.

*

Bainen went to the flower shop in District 21 of Sky Garden Street, as Theorard ordered.

There was a widow raising a three-year-old boy alone, and the widow greeted her brightly and screamed in surprise when she saw the criminal 'Mernon'.

By the look on her face, she would know that Mernon was the one who killed her husband. So, Bainen explained what he had done, and the widow, who was at peace with her mind, asked for Mernon to be killed as brutally as possible, saying that he would go through the same pain that her husband suffered.

Incidentally, while not forgetting her gratitude to Theorad, she handed over the money she had saved from running the flower shop, but Bainen did not take it. Because he knew Theorad would hate such action.

"Hey, hey!"

So, a simple execution ceremony was being held in a wide open space in the middle of the forest. Beinan tossed the rope over a sturdy tree branch and then dragged the criminal down.

His nonchalant eyes turn to the criminal.

"Why. Do you have something to say?"

"Yeah, yes! Save me! Then I will tell you where my wealth is hidden!"

"Oh my. Where is it?"

"If you save me, I will tell you. Really!"

"That doesn't work. What do you believe in me to save you?"

Bainen pulled the rope tight and secured it to a stake driven into the floor.

"Khehe!"

As the rope is pulled tight, the noose around Murnon's neck is pulled up. But he didn't die immediately—just enough to let him breathe if he lifted his toes.

From the point of view of Murnon, with his arms and legs tied, it is a structure that has no choice but to be defeated. Sensing his sense of danger, Murnon exhaled his breath roughly.

"Well, then... would you save me if I told you first?"

"Of course. I swear by my chivalry."

"Joe, okay. If you go to the basement of the Black Wheat Field Tavern, you will find bricks of different colors alone. From there, press the brick located 3 times down to the left and 5 times to open a secret room. I've saved my money there! Really!"

'It's pretty specific. I don't think it's a lie.'

Bainen, who had been stroking his rough beard, nodded his head indifferently.

"Your money will be put to good use. But I can't respond to your request. I am the one who swore allegiance to the young master. Even if the emperor told me to do it, I wouldn't do it if the young master told me not to."

Bainen still remembers Wellian, the father of Theorad and the ancestor of Viscount Deharm. As well as the words Wellian asked before he died.

—Bainen. Take good care of my son. Since he is a good-natured guy, he could get caught up in political strife and be in danger. I'll give you any amount of money you like.

But no money was received. Bainen simply followed the master's last command. He was the last request of the person who gave him knighthood and allowed him to live like a human.

Of course, there was no way that Murnon knew that.

"Muh, what! Didn't you just say, 'I swore to chivalry'?"

"It did. But breaking chivalry is my chivalry."

What nonsense do you mean? Murnon opened his mouth in embarrassment, but Bainen scratched his head and backed away.

"I'm sorry to tell you one thing, but it would be better if you just hang yourself and die. Wolves come out here every evening. Wouldn't that be better than being eaten alive by them?"

"You swindler, I hope you die a dog's death!"

"I don't want to hear from a murderer who killed an innocent person. Well, you know how to do it. Since I have the money I received from you, I will pray for you to rest in peace."

A grinning Bainen mounted his horse and gave it a light kick in the side. He then walks leisurely forward, his horse, which was eating her grass, raising her head.

"You bastard who deserves punishment! Where are you like a knight?"

The profanity shouted from behind her comes across quite beautifully. Bainen, who was humming the song, waved his finger in the middle of her chin as if to ask him to lift it up.