Chapter Fourteen: Murder

Klay was absolutely furious; someone dared to lay a hand on his sister! Just then, a guard brought news: while wandering in the city, his sister, Vira, got separated from her escort, and when the guard found her, she had been harassed by a minor noble from House Lannister.

Upon the guard's arrival, the arrogant lad only realized he had truly harassed a noble lady when his identity was revealed. And as if that wasn't enough, his way of handling the situation was to toss a few copper stars on the ground!

This was not just humiliating for the Mandrell family; it was utterly intolerable! Hearing the account from the guard, Hosta's eyes reddened with anger. First, the young master slept in the mud, and now Miss Vira was harassed because of the guard's negligence. If this matter wasn't resolved properly, even three heads wouldn't suffice for the Earl of Mandrell's wrath!

"Young master, I'll gather the guards. Those scoundrels need to learn what it means to incur the wrath of the sea god!" Without waiting for Klay's response, Hosta, his beard trembling, rushed out like a gust of wind. Honestly, Klay could easily dispatch a few dozen knights in plate armor to deal with a minor noble, but openly resorting to violence while the king was in residence required consideration of the consequences, no matter how angry he was.

Although it was difficult to back down at this point, assembling forces to demonstrate the Mandrell family's anger was a necessary move. However, despite his anger, Klay couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this whole situation.

The events didn't add up. Vira might be a bit naive, but she wasn't stupid, and the guards weren't incompetent. Having protected her for so long, Klay knew that the strength of Vira's escort was, in some ways, higher than his own as the heir.

Losing track of her was unrealistic in itself, but even if it did happen, was it just a coincidence that she was harassed immediately after leaving the guard's sight? Klay sensed a scent of orchestrated conspiracy in the air.

Arriving hastily at the scene, the shining armor and drawn swords of the White Harbor guards had already surrounded the several Lannister minor nobles who had been firmly held by Vira's escort.

Hosta was leading Vira, who, upon seeing Klay, immediately threw herself into his arms, crying in distress.

"Are you her brother?" Even from a distance, Klay could smell the strong scent of alcohol in the man's words.

He looked coldly at the still-mounted Lannister minor noble, his face filled not just with anger but also with suspicion. Surrounded by dozens of knights in plate armor, Klay gave the order, and these fools who didn't know their place became nothing more than a pile of limbs. The main line of House Lannister maintained itself well, so why were these peripheral branches so foolish? They clearly lacked any sense.

Ignoring him completely, Klay whispered comforting words to Vira, relieved that nothing more egregious had happened. If it had, it wouldn't have been within his power to decide; he would have had to consult his own lord father.

"Dismount, Lannister!" Hosta wielded his longsword, pointing it towards the center of the encirclement.

As he spoke, the White Harbor cavalry, mounted on their heavy-breathing warhorses, slowly advanced, pressing in, the circle shrinking, the sword's edge drawing closer.

The deep blue mermaid banners fluttered, sandwiching the roaring lion in the center like a lone island.

The commotion attracted the attention of Duke Edd, the host, who quickly received the news. He had been discussing his family's ancestral sword, Ice, with Robert, but upon hearing of the incident, his face darkened, and he grabbed his greatsword before storming out.

King Robert, who had also heard the news, knocked over his chair, taking a few quick steps to follow his good brother. However, as he passed by the doorway, he instructed a servant, "Fetch the queen."

Inside the courtyard, seeing Klay paying him no mind, the Lannister noble, still on horseback, assumed it was due to his status and became even more arrogant.

"Cowardly eel! You don't deserve such a spirited sister. Hand her over to me, and I'll take her to see the sights of King's Landing. It's much better than this frozen wasteland that can freeze off your manhood." The scene fell silent as everyone stared at Klay.

What a fool... the more he acted like this, the more Klay found it strange. Why would such a brainless idiot target him of all people?

Worried that his emotions might cloud his judgment, a single stroke could satisfy certain individuals, but now, Klay had no choice...

He insulted not just anyone, but even dared to disrespect our lord father. You see, Lord Wyman Manderly is known by the nickname 'the Merman Lord'. As the heir, it is his undeniable responsibility to uphold the honor of the lord and the family.

Releasing his sister and pushing her towards the nearby guard, Klay sighed. The next moment:

Activated muscles, honed through hunting, propelled him like a cannonball from his position as he charged towards the Lannister with a frozen smile, sword drawn.

The sickening sound of the blade piercing flesh, cutting through bone, accompanied by the agonizing whinnying of the horse filled the air. With a single stroke, Klay severed the front legs of the lead Lannister noble's mount, causing the horse to collapse, pinning its master beneath. The barely audible sound of bones breaking indicated that this individual, likely suffering from osteoporosis, had his thigh crushed by his own steed, resulting in a piercing scream after the chaotic fall.

Approaching him, Klay raised his sword, now stained with crimson blood. Since he had already initiated the violence, it was cleaner to finish the job.

"Spare me, spare me..."

Once proud as a deity, now lowly as grass, truly pitiful.

"Too late." With a calm remark, the sword thrust down, blood splattering everywhere!

Amidst the murmurs of the onlookers, the Lannister noble, clutching the sword embedded in his abdomen, stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that Klay would kill him. After all, his surname was Lannister.

King Robert and Duke Edd, who had just arrived, halted their steps, gazing at the emotionless figure at the center of the scene.

"Seven hells..." Robert muttered. Accustomed to death, he didn't mind the sight of the corpse; he was just surprised to discover that the Mandrell boy he had seen at the first feast was actually quite ruthless. When a Lannister said to kill, he killed.

"Enough, Klay," Duke Edd entered the scene, surveyed the area, then addressed Klay sternly.

"It's alright, Your Grace," Klay replied with a slight bow. "The honor of House Stark is as pure as the ice of the North, untainted and noble. As your vassal, the Mandrell family is the same." He nodded to Edd and Robert and added, "Your Majesty."

Robert nodded stiffly, realizing he might have just made a foolish move. His offhand remark to Rosalind had now brought about a bigger trouble. The queen's figure had already appeared not far away.

He had intended to use the authority of the king to beat the Lannister senseless and then have the queen take him away, forbidding him from coming out again before he left Winterfell. However, Klay had been too efficient in his killing, leaving him no time to assert his kingly authority.

A squad of soldiers bearing the sigils of Lannister and Baratheon forcefully separated the crowd. The queen entered the scene, catching sight of the corpse, Klay, and the bloodied sword he had just withdrawn from the body