Chapter 207: Internal Cleanup - 4
Chapter 207: Internal Cleanup - 4
The street.
Jiha listened to the details as he headed toward the scene of the incident.
Garaon and Uben accompanied him.
Uben asked cautiously.
"Shouldn't we call the others?"
Narsha's escort guards and Heinrich had clashed. The potential involvement of the Unique Barjet also had to be taken into account. In other words, wouldn't it be better to summon another Unique?
Jiha shook his head.
"No, that would just make them behave."
Jiha was actually hoping Barjet would act up. Waris was now his home ground, and the more they struggled, the easier they'd be to crush.
"Watch me and remember this well."
"Yes, understood."
Jiha was deliberately demonstrating how to handle things by bringing Uben along. He was teaching him how to act if a situation ever arose in Jiha's absence that required Uben to make his own judgment call.
'From here on out, things won't be confined to Waris. The whole of Warsland is going to become a battlefield eventually.'
Up until now, the work had been about squeezing Waris dry to solidify a base of operations.
The fights to come would take place on a global stage. Jiha wouldn't be able to personally intervene in every single one of those battles. He needed generals, talented people, to carry out the fights in each region.
'I need to start nurturing them. Recruiting is fine too, but there are limits...'
The reason he'd been feeding Uben so much information lately and bringing him along like this was because Uben was his most trusted aide.
"......."
If Lungtao were still alive, he would have been a pillar of strength. Jiha was just feeling a renewed pang of regret when Garaon spoke up in a booming voice.
"Don't worry, Commander! No matter who comes out, I'll protect you."
"And if a woman comes out and strips?"
"Then I'll kill her!"
Garaon's hearty answer made Jiha laugh in disbelief. It was a nonsensical statement, but it felt reassuring.
As they approached the tavern where the incident unfolded, a group came into view. Men with hammer symbols engraved on their swords and armor—Narsha's escort guards.
"Oh, he's here."
"Chief!"
"Chief, you've come!"
Over fifty guards hurried to bow their heads before Jiha.
As they crowded around, Jiha spoke coldly.
"Since when am I your Chief?"
"Excuse me?"
"Do I look like a babysitter who cleans up after you've taken a shit? You only call me Chief when you need something, right?"
Jiha did intend to bring the escort guards under his command. Individual skills aside, they were men who knew how to act as a group and possessed a desire to become stronger. In short, they were optimal candidates to become professional soldiers.
But their tendency to break rules and act somewhat violently was a flaw. Moreover, the fact that they often bullied the citizens of Waris was something he couldn't overlook. Waris was now his base of operations, and he needed to maintain the citizens' support and cooperation.
The guards' faces turned ashen at Jiha's sharp reprimand.
Jiha asked, his tone cool.
"Where's Bran?"
"He's, he's on his way."
"What, are you guys kidding me right now?"
Jiha tsked in genuine disbelief.
"I got here faster? Huh? Is he crazy? I left him in charge of managing you lot, and now I have to step in myself?"
"......."
The guards remained silent and bowed their heads.
Well, enough with the whip. Jiha asked about the situation.
"Inside?"
"There's this guy named Heinrich... and a woman."
"It's obvious enough without looking. You were pestering her because her tits are big, right? Didn't you know she was a Unique?"
The guards exchanged glances before one hesitantly spoke up.
"Oh, no. We didn't say anything and were just looking... but she started the fight first, saying we were staring too openly."
"Now that's a novel kind of lie."
"I-it's the truth. This is an injustice. We really kept our mouths shut."
The guards pleaded their case of being wrongly accused.
"You told us to stay quiet, so we all kept our mouths shut. Please believe us."
"We were trying not to cause trouble! It's true."
Listening nearby, Garaon nodded.
"Commander, I think the guys are telling the truth. Lately, they've all been on edge around you and trying not to cause any incidents."
"Really?"
To the escort guards, Jiha was now greater than even Lungtao. They worshipped the strong, and they'd all been awed watching Jiha's fight when he took down Lungtao. On top of that, Jiha had become Narsha's Helper, instantly making him the undisputed top figure among the 2,300 guards. Even Bran, who was the best among the guards in terms of pure skill, was following Jiha's orders. Anyone could see he was their new leader.
So the guards were trying hard not to fall out of Jiha's favor. When Jiha had told them not to bother the citizens of Waris and not to cause trouble, they'd tried to follow those instructions.
"Yes, it's the truth!"
"We really were just looking!"
"......."
Jiha thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright. Everyone stand by. And when Bran arrives, say I'm pissed, and tell Bran to strip naked and wait."
"Okay, okay."
Before entering the tavern, Jiha said to Garaon.
"Garaon, when word gets out, more guards might swarm here. Block them from entering. Uben, calm down the citizens nearby."
"You're going in alone?"
"It only takes one person to smash two of them. Why go in with two?"
Jiha entered the tavern.
"I'm enough on my own."
The inside of the tavern was a mess. Escort guards lay scattered here and there. After checking the conditions of the seven downed men, Jiha looked toward the man and woman sitting in the corner.
It was the witch Barjet, with her triangular hat pulled low, and Heinrich.
As Jiha entered, Barjet looked considerably anxious and tense. Heinrich turned and wore a calm face.
"You've arrived. Please, have a seat."
"You've got until I sit down to get your excuses ready."
Jiha snapped as he turned around.
Heinrich kept his smile as he replied.
"Yes, I'll explain. The cause of this escalating was that these guards were staring at Lady Barjet in an excessively rude manner, and I suggested they stop."
"And that's supposed to be why your skull gets cracked?"
He hadn't come here to end things amicably anyway. Jiha intended to use this situation as an excuse to smash one, or both, of them to pieces.
"......You really are a rude man."
"And you guys beat people politely? That's a rare talent I'd love to see."
Jiha lashed out coldly.
"Did you smear honey on your faces, or plaster makeup on your chests? You beat people just for looking?"
"What are you saying? Heinrich was only trying to reason with them nicely. They were the ones who started the fight. Are you suggesting he should have just let them hit him?"
"What kind of bigshot body are you showing off? If you don't want people looking, don't walk around with your tits hanging out obscenely like that."
"......."
Barjet's outfit had a plunging neckline that was dizzying just to look at. The degree of exposure itself wasn't that unusual, but her figure was so good it came off as lewd. What man wouldn't stare at that attractive bare skin revealed by those large, luscious fruits that looked like they'd need both hands to grasp? The guards must have been staring absentmindedly and that's how the fight broke out.
"Th-this isn't something I'm wearing because I like it..."
"A woman has the right to wear what she wants."
When Heinrich stepped in, Jiha nodded.
"And morons have the obligation to get the shit beaten out of them by me."
"That's speech and conduct that doesn't respect women, Lord Jiha. With an attitude like that, how can you expect to receive a woman's love?"
"I just don't respect you two. And I'm getting tired of talking."
Jiha clenched his fist and stepped closer.
Once he shattered Heinrich, it would be over. Barjet lacked agency, so she'd be easy to handle.
But Heinrich smoothly offered an apology.
"I'm sorry. Even though it was for Lady Barjet's sake, I let my emotions get the better of me and made a big mistake. Please forgive me."
"......."
When he even bowed his head, Jiha's eyes grew colder. It was an apology without any sincerity, just a string of words.
"You think it's over if you apologize with words? Is Warsland that easy a place to live?"
"Of course, that's not all. I'll pay the owner of this establishment ample repair costs, and I'll cover the medical expenses for the ones who were knocked down."
Jiha could even move Waris's security officers as he pleased. If he was determined, he could frame Heinrich for assault and tie him up.
'But if I throw a close aide of Barjet, a Purple Unique, into a detention cell, the problem becomes political. It doesn't matter to me, but there's little to gain.'
That was something he could do anytime anyway.
Heinrich sighed.
"But even so, their stares were far too blatant. Don't you know? Staring rudely at a woman is also a form of molestation."
"They were looking at me with such unpleasantness. I was just trying to leave, and Heinrich stopped them, which is how the situation got out of hand."
When Barjet chimed in, Jiha tsked.
"Having to listen to all this bullshit is a form of torture in itself. Shut your trap, you parrot with the big tits."
"......Excuse me?"
"What, are you telling me not to ignore you because your ass is big too? Good for you, having such a lewd body. The only thing I can compliment you on is your body, so remember that for the rest of your life."
"......."
Just by looking, Barjet's body was voluptuous. The only exposed part was a slight hint of cleavage, but the clinging dress vividly outlined everything from her chest to her slim waist and her breathtaking hip line, making any man's mouth water.
Barjet grabbed her staff, an angry look on her face.
"I was trying not to cause trouble, but your rudeness has really crossed the line. Just what kind of ignorant man..."
"I hate parrots. Don't push it."
Jiha coolly issued the warning and then stared only at Heinrich.
Heinrich, wearing a troubled expression, shook his head toward Barjet. After hesitating for a moment, Barjet frowned and sat back down.
'He's completely controlling Barjet.'
Jiha hadn't insulted Barjet without reason. It was to confirm a suspicion he'd had for a while. The words Jiha had just hurled were insults that would make any normal woman's head spin with rage. And a Unique would have no reason to fear a fight.
Barjet was fuming and trembling with anger, yet she held back after looking at Heinrich.
'This is almost at the level of a master-servant relationship. But I don't see a man-woman dynamic here. What the hell are these two?'
As Jiha was calculating, Heinrich spoke calmly.
"I understand. The idea that men and women are equal must be an unfamiliar concept. But if you hear me out, you might come to accept it yourself, Lord Jiha."
"......."
No substance. When you face an opponent in earnest, you instinctively react to their words in earnest. The fact that Heinrich kept smiling through the continued insults was proof he wasn't being sincere.
As Jiha watched him coldly, Heinrich made a suggestion.
"How about it? A candid conversation, just between us men?"
"Fine, the parrot leaves."
"......You really do run your mouth."
Even as Barjet bristled, when Heinrich smiled and gave a slight bow, she got up as if she had no choice.
"I'll be waiting outside. Call for me immediately if anything happens."
"Yes, don't you worry."
Heinrich saw Barjet off with a smiling face. The door closed, leaving just the two of them inside the tavern.
Heinrich sighed and gestured to the seat across from him.
"What are you doing? Sit."
His speech had gotten casual.
Jiha thought for a moment, then sat across from him.
Heinrich took a drink of alcohol and shook his head.
"Whew, I really can't stand this anymore."
"What?"
At Jiha's curt question, the transformed Heinrich gave a wry smile.
"Don't be so stiff. Let's talk comfortably, just between men."
"You're getting awfully chummy."
"Should I call you buddy? Or maybe boss?"
Heinrich spoke with a cheeky grin, making Jiha just frown. He was the type who could say things he didn't mean all day long.
'And that type is usually trash.'
Jiha pressed him coldly.
"Bark."
"Ah, buddy. Stop being angry all the time. Come on."
Heinrich pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. Pretending to be friendly was just an act, so there was no room to let his guard down.
'The cunning type who uses people and throws them away.'
As Heinrich sucked on the cigarette with relish, Jiha spoke icily.
"Put it out."
"What, you don't smoke, buddy?"
"I quit. And if you call me buddy one more time, I'll break your nose."
At Jiha's warning, Heinrich put out the cigarette without any hint of displeasure.
"Then what should I call you?"
"Call me Chairman. No, don't call me anything, just bark what business you have."
The other man was acting chummy, but Jiha remained consistently cold.
Heinrich nodded and finally got to the point.
"So basically, I'd appreciate it if you could go easy on me. I really don't want to cause much trouble, you know?"
"What?"
"I'm just running my mouth to score some points with that bitch."
"......."
What kind of bastard is this? Jiha looked at him in disbelief, and Heinrich grumbled.
"Ah, you don't believe me. This is my true self. I want to get in that bitch's pants, but she won't give me the time of day, so it's killing me. Fuck, she's so goddamn hot and I still haven't even held her hand."
"But didn't you say not to stare rudely at women?"
He'd already known the words were insincere, but the attitude shift was so extreme. Jiha tsked, and Heinrich just made a lecherous face.
'So he was this type of trash.'
Normally, one would recoil at this kind of duplicity and try to expose his true nature, but Jiha had no such intention. Trash could be used as trash. And once he was done, he could just toss him in the garbage bin.