The next morning.
Abel and Ise headed to the dining hall.
Walt would get his breakfast…well, leftovers from Pierre at the back entrance.
Pierre even prepared scraps of meat, so Walt practically worshipped him as his second master.
There were many unfamiliar faces in the dining hall.
Ever since the expedition three years ago, the Highwand territory had been chronically short on manpower, and there were lots of new hires.
Abel was quietly well-known.
He possessed strength unthinkable for a squire, and in truth, he was blood-related to the count’s family.
By now, it was something everyone just knew…
Abel sank the hard black bread that was too tough to eat as it was into his soup.
He stirred it thoroughly, and once it had softened to a half-porridge-like consistency, he brought it to his mouth.
As he quietly continued eating, a murmur spread through the dining hall.
Wondering what was going on, he looked around.
Near the entrance, Kashe was scanning the room for someone.
As soon as she spotted Abel, she briskly made her way toward him.
She wore leather boots and short culotte-style pants that showed her thighs, paired with a black jacket.
Her posture was upright, her back perfectly straight.
Her purple eyes and finely shaped nose gave her a cool, captivating presence.
Though still a girl, she possessed the noble dignity and commanding aura befitting a family of long-standing aristocracy.
—She really is cool…
Even though Abel was used to seeing her, he couldn’t help but think that.
It seemed the others in the knight order felt the same; the younger squires especially were staring at her with admiration.
Their faces were flushed as they watched her.
“Abel. Come to the knight headquarters.”
That was all Kashe said before turning on her heel.
Abel hurriedly followed.
She led him to the basement of the knight order headquarters, which was adjacent to the main castle.
That was where the prison cells for criminals were located.
And also the interrogation room.
Naturally, it was a grim and oppressive place, but Kashe didn’t hesitate as she walked straight into the interrogation room.
Inside were Lopez, Monke, Gatu, and two senior knights.
The senior knights were Sir Sting Gamon, captain of the cavalry, and Sir Poiret Wise, captain of the criminal investigations unit.
The two of them were key personnel, holding the fort while the main force of the knight order was away on campaign.
Sir Sting Gamon was thirty-five. He was a small but sharp-looking man.
He had red hair and an intense love for horses.
His horsemanship was said to be unmatched in the entire knight order.
Sir Poiret Wise was forty-five.
An experienced man, especially skilled in criminal matters.
His face was lined with deep wrinkles, and his eyes held a cautious gleam.
He had the aura of a seasoned detective.
His hair must have originally been blond, but now it was nearly all white.
Rather than rough combat, Sir Poiret’s specialty lay in investigating what crimes were occurring and where, and whether dangerous individuals had slipped into the territory.
He was more of a behind-the-scenes type.
In the dim interrogation room lit only by tallow candles made of animal fat, Monke was gleefully swinging a hammer and sweating profusely.
He brought it down on the leg of the captured mage.
A wet sound.
A scream.
He had crushed the mage’s toes.
Looking more closely, torn-off nails lay scattered across the floor.
Nails had been driven between the other toes, and he was hammering those spots with his hammer.
Monke seemed to have a fondness for torture and eagerly took on the role of torturer.
The glint in his eyes beneath his protruding forehead was deeply sinister and cruel, burning with a dark enthusiasm.
Grinning and enjoying himself, he carried out acts of violence.
—At this point, it’s hard to tell who the real villain is.
Abel thought to himself.
He killed people too, but it wasn’t because he enjoyed it.
He tried to convince himself that fighting bandits was no different from exterminating pests.
He had no intention of trying to understand the twisted state of Monke’s heart.
Monke who had previously harassed him no longer bothered him at all these days.
He seemed satisfied just watching Abel carry out dangerous missions, ending up like a ragged cloth every time.
“Sir Gatu.”
“Oh, Abel. This guy really was a mage from the Kingdom. He used to be in the army, but after raping several local women, he was sentenced to have one of his arms cut off. Then, as a condition of his release, he was ordered to lead a band of outlaws and cause chaos in the Empire. According to testimony from villagers who’d been captured, he also raped and killed several women in the villages he attacked. So yeah…he’s a repeat offender.”
“This guy’s scum, sure, but releasing criminals and using them to attack civilians… that’s just crossing every line.”
“Looks like he’ll be publicly executed in the town square. Want to be the one to carry out the beheading?”
Gatu’s sudden suggestion took Abel slightly by surprise.
He agreed the man was unforgivable and deserved death….but when it came to performing a beheading in front of a crowd, he found himself wanting to decline.
“I’ll pass. That kind of thing… isn’t for me.”
“I’ll do it.”
The one who spoke in a low voice instead was the grim-faced Lopez.
He was heavily muscled.
With a broad chest and thick arms, he had grown even more over the past few years and now stood taller than anyone else in the room.
Abel had to look up to speak to him.
If measured by standards from his previous life, Abel guessed he was well over two meters tall.
His slightly golden eyes and blue pupils held fury and cruelty deep within.
Lopez was furious.
His entire body radiated intense anger and hostility. It was almost murderous intent.
That was because at present Lopez was responsible for maintaining public order within the territory of Count Highwand.
The head of the house, Count Barth, was currently involved in the political center of the Empire’s capital.
His father Berle was leading troops in battle against the Kingdom on the central plains.
And as the eldest son, it was Lopez’s duty to defend the territory.
It was a division of roles that could not be allowed to falter.
However, public order in Highwand was currently at its worst.
Coupled with increased taxes, public morale had clearly plummeted.
Lopez understood that himself.
That was precisely why he was so angry.
Even so, there were few options available.
So young was Lopez that all he could do now was rage.
The mage hurriedly scribbled something onto a wooden tablet.
Abel read it.
“Keep your promise. You said you’d spare me if I revealed the infiltration routes and strategies for the Northern Mountains… huh.”
“Gehahaha! Don’t tell me you forgot. I only make promises with humans.”
“Hmph. For once, I agree with Gatu.”
Lopez spoke and then slammed his huge fist into the mage.
The sound was like a heavy barrel being smashed.
Abel shuddered, fearing the mage might already be dead, but it seemed Lopez had held back. The mage collapsed unconscious, just barely alive.
“Abel! Tie him up and carry him to the execution platform in the plaza!”
A direct order from the highest commander here…there was no way to refuse.
Abel borrowed some rope and tied the mage up.
Ise helped him.
The two of them lifted the body and carried it out of the knights’ headquarters.
Then they loaded it onto a wagon.
Yesterday’s severed head still lay exposed on the platform.
Crows swarmed over it. Already pecked in several places, it gave off a gruesome sight that Abel never wanted to see again.
Incredibly, they were apparently taking that along too.
Lopez and Monke’s squires were preparing to carry it out.
Lopez, along with the cavalry captain and the head of the criminal investigation unit, rode out through the outer gate of the castle.
Surprisingly, Kashe rode out as well, following them.
Abel grew puzzled and asked:
“Lady Kashe, did you get Lord Stalfon’s permission?”
“This is a serious matter for the entire territory. I have a duty to witness it myself.”
Abel had no choice but to stay quiet. It sort of made sense.
There was a plaza not far from the outer gate.
It could be called the center of Porto’s urban area.
A special execution platform had been set up there.
Due to the high number of heinous criminals deserving death, the platform had been built a year ago at Monke’s suggestion.
It served both as a warning and as an outlet for the people’s frustrations.
On the platform, the severed heads of defeated bandits were neatly lined up.
Not only the mage, but three other major criminals captured in the territory were also dragged in.
When Lopez stepped onto the platform, trumpets blared.
They waited as the residents of Porto and passing travelers gathered.
Being close to the shopping district, the area was always bustling. Soon, the plaza was packed with people.
Lopez shouted with veins bulging on his forehead.
It was a voice fitting of a warrior. It was deep, powerful, and clear.
“This man! Acting on orders from the Kingdom, he attacked villages within our territory, killed innocent people, and kidnapped young men and women! Even if he were executed ten times, it wouldn’t be enough! But I, Lopez Highwand, shall deliver judgment with both mercy and wrath by beheading him!”
Lopez raised a greatsword, the same kind Ise used, straight overhead.
It was the “roof” stance in swordsmanship.
Though Lopez himself, filled with fury, didn’t seem to be consciously taking any stance.
It had happened naturally.
With brute force, he swung the greatsword down.
His aim was slightly off, striking from the jaw to the back of the head.
The skull is a hard part of the body, and in the worst case, the blade might not even go through—
But the blow had been magically enhanced with Lopez’s strength. The head was crushed and blown off as if forcibly smashed.
Rather than a clean cut, a portion of the head fell to the plaza.
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
A release of frustration.
But it was no real solution to the deeper issues….this scene would only repeat again and again.
The executions continued afterward.
Abel was losing interest.
Or rather, he had never cared about the executions to begin with.
Kashe remained on horseback, watching the proceedings intently.
She showed no sign of being disturbed.
—She’s young, but impressive.
Kashe doesn’t even flinch at things like this…
Just as Abel tried to slip away from the execution to go shopping with Ise, Kashe quickly spotted them.
“I’m coming too!”
Her face was filled with determination. She clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
Abel gave a reluctant nod. Refusing would be pointless.
After reporting briefly to Baron Gatu, they left the increasingly raucous execution site behind.
And then, they made their way into the rowdy and bustling streets of Porto.
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