Black-haired demon (part 2)

"Stop the carriage and prepare for the routine con..."

"PSHH!" *THUMP*

One of the guards standing by the main gate of the capital of Wondalandor stepped in front of the oncoming carriage, but while he was in the middle of the routine command, the most forward animal – spotted one with a black mane, looking more like a cow than a horse – neighed in his face before shaking its head and pushing him to the side.

"You should have trampled him, you know?"

"Pshh."

The black-haired coachman said with a serious expression while watching the fallen guard struggling to get back up. The horse neighed while throwing its head up dismissively.

"HALT! An act of aggression toward the guard will not get unpunished! You and all of the people inside the carriage are about to...!"

"..."

Almost all of the guards stationed at the gate poured outside to surrender the carriage – two of them helped the fallen one, while the third one, most likely the commander, approached from the side, speaking with confidence and pride...

...that is until he noticed the black-haired coachman leaning to the side to look at the emblem on the side of the carriage and following his example...

"That's odd; the Rotteloss family crest is properly visible... Mister, why do you and your men are so keen on committing suicide via disrespecting the family of Earl Alexander Rotteloss?"

The black-haired man nodded to himself after confirming what had been painted on the door and turning towards the green-faced commander of the guards.

"I would like to say that things will get better and that even when the night is pitch black and horrifying, the day will come... but it's too late for that already, isn't it?"

"K-k-k-kind sir... please...! This has been a terrible, terrible misunderstanding...!"

*shhh*

Medea breathed out, propping up his thick glasses and pulling on the reins to completely stop the carriage before quietly making his way down from his seat, completely ignoring the plea of the guard's commander.

*THUMP*

"I BEG YOU! IT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING AND A MISTAKE FROM AN OVERZELOUS NEWBIE! I WILL BE SURE TO PERSONALLY PUNISH HIM FOR THE DISRESPECT!"

The commander dropped to his knees and bowed his head while begging – a few of the quick-witted guards were already doing the same thing, while the two that were originally helping the one knocked over by the horse were now detaining him like the worst kind of villain.

"The audacity and incompetence of the subordinates are faults of the commander, unfortunately. You could tear off his uniform and brand him with a hot iron as a traitor, but it doesn't change the fact that he ORDERED the Rotteloss carriage to stop with the intention of – routinely - inspecting it as if it was a rundown wagon full of shady individuals. Is he, by any chance, a nobleman himself? And didn't basically all of you point your weapons toward the carriage of an aristocrat? For the matter, is ANYONE of you a nobleman or has a blood connection with one... maybe a twice-removed cousin who married into a noble family...? If so, then please, don't dirty your knees and stand up."

"!!!"

Medea stopped with his hand halfway to the carriage's door and asked, looking back over his shoulder at the cordon of guards whose silence and eyes bulging out in despair were enough of an answer to that.

The black-haired man was speaking in a serious, almost soothing voice, but his calmness was that much more of horror to the several guards.

This man wasn't angry; every word he said was in according with the Wondalandor's laws... he was even willing to be merciful as long as there was even a grain of basis for it.

...but the thing was, there was none...

Commoner guards with no direct order from the territory's ruler had no right to stop or demean to perform an inspection on the carriage of an aristocrat with no escort. If anything, they could call out to the coachman and ask if they could become an escort for the visiting noble... but that option was buried the moment the armed guards blocked the gate to aid their comrade.

"Please... Young lady Zorivia Rotteloss will become the queen and is known for her kind heart and merciful personality...! Is it possible to plead to her for forgiveness...?"

The commander of the guards begged without raising his head from the pavement while one of his men started crying as the realization that they would all be executed and bring ruin to their families settled in.

|That would be an option if only my dummy was in the carriage.|

Medea thought to himself, weighing the pros and cons of making Charlotte stay put for the time being.

There was no doubt that Zorivia would pardon the guards, and since they were already scared shirtless, such a kind act would make them praise her for at least a few days.

But on the other hand, was it worth the risk?

Hiding Charlotte – who was going to show herself as the second prince and come out as a girl – would make others question something benevolent like sparing the guards and try to paint it as negligence...

No, there could be only one choice, and Medea didn't feel a need to even act as if it was something difficult to pick.

"What is this commotion about?"

"Lieutenant Colonel!"

Someone approached the scene from inside the city walls, and a few guards cried out in desperation, as if clinging to the appearance of the new person as if it was their final lifeline.

The person in question was a tall man in his early forties, handsome, ashen-haired, blue-eyed, with a lean but strong body looking especially good in the uniform.

"Why is the gate block...? Captain Medea in the flesh?! Long time no see, my boy!"

"!!!"

But the hope soon changed into an even deeper level of despair as upon laying his eyes on the black-haired man, the ashen-haired officer gaped, and his face lighted up with a genuine smile.

"Greetings, Lieutenant Colonel Neal. Indeed it has been a long... the inauguration of your promotion, I believe? I'm sorry to say that even after you recommended aided with my recommendation, I was discharged from the army."

Medea straightened his back and showed off a perfect Wondalandor salute before lowering his head.