Chapter 52

22. Retrieving the Sword (2)

Everything must have a cause and effect, and it should be carried out when the right and wrong are clearly determined.

However, what about a crime caught red-handed at the scene?

That's a no-brainer, deserving immediate execution.

Of course, this applies to those who have the authority to make such a decision.

Most of the guards here are essentially private soldiers of the Barrietta Dukedom, so their right to punish lies with the Duke of Barrietta, not me.

Of course, that doesn't mean I can't cut them down.

“Huh...”

The surroundings fell into a deep silence in the blink of an eye.

Thud...

A black, round object sliced through the air and fell, and soon everyone's gaze slowly turned toward it.

Or rather, it wasn't exactly round.

“Wh... Wh-what? Aaaaaah!!!!!”

Realizing what it was, a guard began to scream and roll on the ground.

At the same time, hot, bright red blood began to spurt out like a fountain in all directions.

“T-this madman!”

“Surround him!!”

“I had a feeling.”

I muttered softly, shaking the blood off my sword.

This world, at first glance, seems to be one where human life is worth less than a fly's.

At least on Earth, or in Korea, murder was considered an extremely heinous crime.

But here, someone could die just for offending a noble, and until recently, the entire continent was engulfed in constant warfare.

It was only in the last 50 years, with the establishment of the Continental Alliance, that wars were somewhat eradicated.

How long that would last was, in fact, a predictable outcome.

“Do you know where you are?!”

As they finally aimed their weapons at me and charged, the situation began to spiral out of control.

Do they know?

That they are aiming their weapons at a member of the royal family, and that their actions constitute a grave crime of treason, punishable by the extermination of their entire clan?

Of course, this happened because I didn't show them proper identification, but the moment they tried to kill me to cover up their misdeeds, their guilt was already proven.

‘Barrietta Duke won't even care about such a small fief.’

Balharashad Fief is, to be precise, just one of the Barrietta Dukedom's territories.

When the political conflict with Viscount Paletris began, no one would bother with such a minor incident.

I dodged the sword that flew at me in an instant, and the guards persistently chased me, swinging their weapons.

As people panicked and fled in a hurry, only the guards who glared at me with hostility and I remained.

“The first virtue a noble of the kingdom must cultivate is the protection of its people.”

I said calmly, deflecting the sharp tip of the sword that pierced at me.

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

“Die!!”

One of the guards, interrupting my words, swung a halberd at me.

But his halberd had no choice but to fly into the air before it could reach me.

Swoosh!

The guard's wrist, which he had firmly gripped, was cleanly severed as if it had never been there.

Unaware that his hand had been cut off, the guard, feeling something was missing, flinched and, upon realizing his wrist was gone, turned pale and began to scream.

“G-gaaaaah!!!”

The guards, who had lost a part of their body, rolled on the ground in agony.

I stepped on the panicking guard, who had lost a part of his body, and pointed my sword at his neck, emitting a light killing intent.

“Next time, your head will fly off. Don't make me say it again, bring the steward.”

Everyone trembled in silence at my words.

They seemed to be on the verge of charging to subdue me, but the fear of losing a part of their body like the guard on the ground must have deterred them.

Some of them looked at me with a sense of something being off.

Because the single strike I had just shown was not the swordsmanship of an F-rank novice mercenary.

To ignore the attack of a trained soldier in armor and draw my sword at a speed that the eye couldn't follow, cleanly severing only the wrist?

And that from an F-rank novice mercenary?

Their faces quickly hardened as they realized something was wrong.

“Hey.”

“Eek!!”

I pointed my sword at one of the remaining guards, who took a step back in fear.

“Do you want me to say it again?”

“I... It...”

“Who’s causing this commotion?!”

As the saying goes, "If you call a tiger, it will come."

This is exactly that situation.

The guards turned their heads to the man with a plump body and a bizarrely twisted mustache, bowing their heads.

Except for those lying on the ground screaming, of course.

“V-Von Gerta, Viscount!”

“What’s the commotion about?”

He looked around with a haughty expression, as if my presence didn’t interest him at all.

The guards lying on the ground, and me holding a blood-stained sword.

He narrowed his eyes as he silently scanned me.

“Did you do this?”

I nodded silently in response to his question.

“Hm... So you did...”

He muttered, as if in thought, and then shook his head as if annoyed.

“What are you doing? The man is mad, kill him.”

“But, Viscount! He is dangerous...”

“Tsk. Do you dare defy my orders?”

The guards, who had been at a loss, now aimed their weapons at me again.

If left unchecked, things would get very troublesome.

Ultimately, it's about status.

I immediately took out what I had in my pocket and threw it lightly to him.

“Hm? What is...”

It was a natural result that his words were cut off.

His face, which had initially shown a look of disbelief, gradually turned to shock...

A mithril identity badge, indicating a high-ranking noble or royal.

No matter how much of a backroom prince I was, the fact that I am a prince of this country remains an unchanging truth.

“I said earlier, a noble’s duty is to protect the people of the kingdom.”

He turned his gaze to me with a look of disbelief.

Indeed, it is a bit of a remote fief for a royal to visit.

“This...”

“Would a noble who shirks responsibility, breaks the law, and only seeks privileges be allowed to continue?”

Looking at his face, which seemed to be deep in thought, it was clear what he had in mind.

“Make a good judgment. Don’t entertain any foolish thoughts just because there are no royal guards around.”

“Hiss!”

His eyes widened and he trembled as if I had hit a nerve.

It’s a place that high-ranking nobles or inspectors rarely visit.

Especially since this is a fief under the Barrietta Dukedom.

That’s why such blatant law-breaking could be carried out so boldly.

He approached me, knelt down, and shouted.

“S-Sir Gerta, Viscount! I... I greet Prince Davey!”

“Good, I’m glad you recognize me.”

He bowed deeply, trembling.

“P-Please show mercy... It’s because the fief’s situation was very difficult...”

A lie that wouldn’t fool anyone, but it was a known fact.

The tourist attraction and the ruins of the Thousand Nights are designated as national treasures by the Continental Alliance.

Because of this, the Continental Alliance sends a considerable amount of money to this fief under the guise of maintenance fees.

“So you don’t have money?”

He trembled at my words.

He must have found it absurd himself.

Rolling his eyes, he finally began to shout at me.

“This is unreasonable! An incognito visit! No kingdom would allow a royal to arbitrarily visit a fief and impose punishment!”

In response to his outburst, I lowered my sword and asked.

“What nonsense. Where in the kingdom can a royal not go?”

“Without proper official documents, this is tyranny!!”

“So, you want me to bring proper documents?”

“Y-Yes. This matter will not be overlooked by His Excellency, Duke Barrietta!!”

He seemed to believe that the Duke’s influence would protect him, now pushing his demands forcefully.

Indeed, a regular inspector might overlook it out of fear of repercussions.

Most fiefs, not just this one, openly commit such law-breaking.

Seeing me remain silent, Viscount Gerta seemed to mistake it for hesitation due to the Duke’s name and even smiled in triumph.

“S-So, let’s eat. I’ll make sure you’re not disappointed...”

“By the way, Viscount.”

“Yes?”

“Does the lack of official documents erase the crimes that have been committed?”

Swoosh!

That was the last thing Viscount Gerta said.

-Quite a concise last word.

Even Perserk, who usually advocates for the sanctity of life, seemed to have nothing to say this time.

Thinking the Duke of Barrietta would back him up? The man is too busy covering his own ass to care.

The body, having lost its head, collapsed to the ground.

“What a mess.”

A curse slipped out, and the sound of people gasping was clearly heard.

“What are you waiting for? It’s the body of a criminal. Dispose of it.”

“Hiss!”

Public execution is also an option.

The citizens of the fief, who have been oppressed by Viscount Gerta, might even appreciate it, but unfortunately, this is a tourist fief.

I have no intention of exposing the kingdom’s dirty laundry to foreigners.

The guards, pale-faced, stared at my back in silence for a long time.

* * *

-Viscount Gerta’s crimes are clear, but even those under him are not without fault.

“This is getting too involved.”

Unnecessary interference only complicates matters.

“And the rest of the cancer will be dealt with by Duke Barrietta.”

He can’t afford to leave even a speck of trouble behind.

Now that he realizes I’ve been here and done this, he will likely eliminate all witnesses to cover up the evidence.

The guards, who stared at me blankly, are ultimately in cahoots with the viscount and will be dragged to the execution ground one by one.

There’s no need for me to get my hands any dirtier.

The fief continued to flow peacefully, as if nothing had happened outside.