Chapter 123
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Summary Judgment
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Baron Wiesbaden, who had rushed out, panting, glared at me, his arms akimbo.
“How dare you cause such a ruckus here?!”
“Well, you’re looking spry for an old man.”
I admired the old man’s vigor, thinking how much the world had changed, and then pointed to the ground.
“Now, on your knees.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
The Baron seemed more flustered than I was.
Well, his usual blustering might have worked on others, but I wasn’t in the mood to play games.
“H-How dare you speak to me like that! Do you have a warrant?!”
“This old man is slow on the uptake. I know you’re plotting a rebellion, so get on your knees, now.”
Baron Wiesbaden’s face turned pale.
“Who told you that?! I swear on the heavens, I’ve done no such thing!”
“So, the protesters in front of the governorate were lying? They all said you hired them.”
“Slander! I hold no such treasonous thoughts!”
I scratched my chin and asked my subordinates,
“He says he’s innocent. What do you think?”
The first to answer was the employee who had been snubbed by the Baron before.
“Why don’t we take him in, beat some sense into him, and then slowly uncover his other crimes?”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
The only problem was that the Baron was old. He might die during the interrogation, which would be a problem.
“Think carefully, old man. We don’t execute entire families these days. If you confess and die quietly, your family will be spared.”
“…Lawyer! Get me a lawyer!”
Since he was clearly going to deny it to the end, I decided to take a more direct approach.
“Tell me the truth.”
A mage’s words held power.
It was called a command spell. Those without mana resistance couldn't resist even a simple command spell and would fall into a hypnotic trance.
The Baron, now hypnotized, confessed his crimes with a blank expression.
“…I was planning to make my grandson king. Although she’s a concubine, my daughter gave birth to King Oscar’s son…”
“Father!”
The Baron’s daughter, who had just arrived, cried out in shock.
I looked at the Baron’s family and said,
“Well, there you have it. What do you think?”
A middle-aged man, standing beside the Baron, shouted,
“Don’t try to fool us! You’re using some kind of trick to make him confess falsely!”
“It’s always the guilty ones who accuse me of using tricks when they have nothing else to say.”
I shrugged, and the middle-aged man ordered the family’s private soldiers,
“What are you waiting for?! I pay you to kill insolent bastards like this!”
The guard captain hesitated.
“We weren’t told we would be participating in a rebellion…”
The middle-aged man snapped,
“That’s just his baseless accusation! And since he’s the only one who heard what my father said, if we kill him here, there’ll be no problem!”
I chuckled at his blatant disregard for human life.
“So, not only are you plotting a rebellion, but you’re also planning to kill a high-ranking official?”
I had had enough. I pulled the knuckles from my back pocket and put them on.
“I’m now passing summary judgment. Anyone who gets in my way will die.”
I took a step forward, and the middle-aged man shouted,
“What are you waiting for?! Stop him!”
The Baron’s private soldiers reluctantly formed a line, blocking my path.
My subordinates, sensing the danger, hid behind me.
“I warned you. Get in my way, and you die.”
I walked towards Baron Wiesbaden, who was still in a hypnotic trance. One of the soldiers charged at me with a spear.
“Whirlwind Bone Cutter”
A whirlwind enveloped my arms and legs.
I dodged the spear thrust and punched the soldier in the face.
His teeth flew out, and he collapsed, bleeding. I stepped over his body and continued forward.
“UAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Three soldiers with tower shields charged at me.
While a shield charge could be effective, it was useless against someone like me.
“Sudden Gust”
A blue blade of wind shot out from my foot, slicing their shields and armor in half.
If I hadn't held back, they would have been bisected. But I didn’t see any need to kill them.
“Eek!”
“Monster!”
The three soldiers, having narrowly escaped death, scattered. No one else dared to block my path.
“What are you doing?! Stop him! I’ll give you a huge reward! …Gah! Stay away!”
The middle-aged man, seeing that his shouts were being ignored, drew his sword and swung it wildly, but his movements were clumsy and unskilled.
Clang! Clang!
I clashed my knuckles together.
“I told you, old man. Get in my way, and you die.”
“Shut up, you fiend! Do you think you can intimidate me with… ugh!”
I punched him in the right cheek before he could finish.
His cheek swelled up.
But I didn't stop there. I punched his other cheek.
“You! You won’t get away with this! Stop! Stop hitting me!”
The middle-aged man, who had been trying to maintain his authority, finally broke down and cried after five punches.
I had been careful not to break his teeth, but the effect was still dramatic.
The middle-aged man, having been forcibly taught some manners, retreated, crying. I then turned to Baron Wiesbaden, who had finally snapped out of his trance.
“So, are you feeling better now?”
The Baron glared at me.
“What did you do to me, you bastard?”
I fiddled with my mask.
“Nothing special. Just a little confession.”
Baron Wiesbaden, still defiant, shouted,
“Do you really think a forced confession will be accepted in court?! You’re gravely mistaken! The law in this country is not dead yet!”
I stared at Baron Wiesbaden, who was still spouting nonsense, and then punched him in the cheek.
BAM!
“Gah!”
White teeth, mixed with blood, flew from his mouth.
His teeth, already in poor condition, had been easily knocked out by a single punch.
“Wh-What are you doing?”
“Well, you still didn’t seem to get it, so I helped you out.”
I grabbed the Baron by the hair.
“Have you forgotten who I am? I’m Patrasche, the second-in-command of the Ozma Governorate. When it comes to treason, I can kill you right here, and no one will say a word. What do you think about that?”
Baron Wiesbaden forced a smile.
“Hmph, go ahead and kill me. Do you think I’ll yield to such a threat?”
His pride, even in this situation, was admirable.
I was curious to see what he was relying on.
“Bind.”
Instead of handcuffs, I used a binding spell to restrain him, then gagged him to prevent him from committing suicide.
“Father!”
“Tch.”
The middle-aged man was about to charge at me again, but he stopped when I raised my fist.
“We’ll discuss your crimes at the governorate. For now, let’s end this conflict.”
I looked around and then ordered the guard captain, who was standing there, dazed, to bring a carriage.
I put the Baron in the carriage and, to make sure he didn't try anything, I got in with him. I had one of my subordinates act as the driver.
“Let’s go!”
I shouted, and the two-horse carriage began to move.
I looked at the Baron, his eyes still filled with defiance, and began to happily calculate how much of his assets I could seize.
Treason was a serious crime. If I played my cards right, I could confiscate his entire fortune for the state treasury.
What should I buy with my bonus?
I was already looking forward to it.