Chapter 67: King of Slaves - 4
Chapter 67: King of Slaves - 4
All thirty elves were annihilated.
The moment they threw down their weapons, the outcome was sealed.
The elves who belatedly tried to resist were swarmed by Commons who threw themselves forward without regard for their own bodies, tearing them limb from limb.
It was hard to find even one intact corpse.
Combat operations had concluded.
Jiha gave his orders to the Commons, who were still breathing raggedly, drenched in blood.
"Twenty-minute watches in three rotations. Purple might send reinforcements, so don't let your guard down — center the watch on Bideon, he's got the best night eyes. Hold until the security officer arrives."
"Understood."
"The officer will bring a healer. Anyone injured, just endure it until then."
Jiha issued additional commands.
"The crossbows — we'll stage it so the Purple bastards brought them and fired first, then we seized them and fired back. We need five or six of us with arrow wounds."
He was ordering them to fake the scene as though the elves had brought crossbows and shot first.
At the command to self-inflict wounds, the Commons vied to volunteer.
"I'll do it!"
"I'm bigger!"
"Captain, let me take it!"
Jiha decided quickly.
"Okram, Garaon, Piron, Gujadeu, and Iteun will do it. Keep your distance and aim for arms and legs only."
"Hell yes!"
Every Common whose name was called looked delighted. Those who weren't picked were thoroughly dejected.
"Captain, any other orders?"
"Is there nothing else to do?"
Jiha gave his loyal subordinates one more instruction.
"Recover Deubang's body. He gets a burial."
"...Understood."
The Commons bowed their heads with solemn reverence.
"Then everyone carry out your assigned duties and stand by until the security officer arrives. I'll be here observing, so report any unusual situations immediately."
"Understood!"
Some happily prepared to wound themselves. Others moved to recover Deubang's body. The rest scattered to take up watch positions — all of them bustling.
Amid the commotion everywhere, Jiha looked up at the night sky.
He was the leader. In situations like this, he had to stand before them all.
"..."
The stars shone beautifully, but not a single constellation he knew was visible — not so much as the North Star.
As Jiha gazed up at the sky, Enril approached his side.
"What in the world are you going to do...?"
"I'll handle it."
At Jiha's words, Enril fell silent.
The spectacle all around them.
The Commons followed Jiha's orders without the slightest doubt.
They accepted even commands to kill and to self-harm gladly; tell them to die and they would not hesitate.
...How did it come to this?
It was not only the Commons.
She, a Unique, could not even entertain the thought of defying Jiha.
Enril surveyed the situation around her and shuddered.
When she came to her senses, Jiha had become the ruler of this barracks.
"Hooo..."
Jiha closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath.
Deubang had been a traitor.
But that hadn't been the time to kill him.
Jiha decided to shift his thoughts elsewhere.
He'd killed every last elf, but Blue Seal had justification.
Purple had murdered Normal guards who had nothing to do with any of this, after all.
If Purple goes berserk over their young elves getting wiped out, I'll use that as leverage and work my way through it... Leticia will whine, but that's better. I'll drive the wedge in today and push forward at the same time.
After reviewing his upcoming agenda, Jiha lowered his head.
Enril was still standing beside him, gazing at Jiha with a complicated expression.
"...What should I do?"
When Enril asked of her own accord, Jiha looked at her blankly.
A dark elf with a beautiful body, hesitating yet still seeking to serve him.
Lust surged suddenly.
He wanted to throw this woman down right now, to vent his desires without restraint.
She wouldn't resist even if he reached out and pulled her in.
Jiha knew just how alluring this woman's body was.
And that they'd grown familiar with each other's bodies.
"Leave some traces of yourself on the elven corpses."
But now was the time to grip the reins of his heart.
Ruining his fortunes over a woman — once was more than enough.
Jiha gave his instruction.
"The picture of them getting wiped out by Commons alone doesn't do Purple's reputation any favors. You stepping in to finish things makes a more appropriate image. And as the barracks officer, if there are traces showing you took action, your stock rises inside Blue Seal. The dark elf faction will also look more favorably on you for killing a whole pack of elves."
"...Fine. I understand."
Enril let her words trail off and looked at Jiha evenly.
"If there's more you need done... or something you want to say... call for me."
"..."
For a long while she regarded him with an ambiguous gaze, but Jiha pretended not to notice and returned to looking up at the night sky.
At the sound of footsteps receding, Jiha closed his eyes.
If he wanted it, Enril would not refuse. That last look she gave him meant exactly that.
"Mustn't let myself break."
Even if Enril had grown somewhat obedient, he had no intention of letting things develop into a sexual relationship today.
Jiha thought about Galak, who couldn't even clean up his surroundings, and Jadrun, whose emotional judgment had invited this catastrophe.
And he thought about Deubang.
"...Good."
As his mind settled, the path ahead became clear.
Today he would crush Leticia completely and steer things to his advantage.
Jiha decided to make a round of the barracks to see if his people were executing their orders properly.
"Captain, look at this!"
Garaon proudly raised an arm with four arrows lodged in it, drenched in blood.
Jiha looked around at the other Commons, incredulous.
Why had they let him do something so stupid?
"I said get injured, not get yourself killed."
"Haha, don't worry. This much doesn't even itch!"
When Garaon flexed his biceps, the arrows pushed outward and blood streamed freely down.
Enough to make a human pass out and more, but Garaon just grinned.
"Right, good thing you're hardy. When the healer arrives, show them this one first."
Jiha moved on with a wry laugh.
He could feel Enril watching him strangely from a distance, but Jiha deliberately averted his gaze.
The Commons who had been bustling to carry out their duties immediately bowed their heads in loyalty the moment they saw him.
Watching that response put his mind in order.
"We have people approaching, Captain."
Bideon came up to him and reported.
Being an owl beastman, his night vision was excellent, so Jiha had entrusted him with perimeter watch.
"Yeah? The security officer?"
"Yes. Five officers, two healers, and a Unique elf from Purple."
"Leticia. Time to brace for it."
When Jiha turned to look, the Commons nodded in unison.
Leticia, accompanied by the security officers, entered the Blue Seal barracks.
When they reached the area near the detention cell and beheld the carnage, their mouths fell open.
"Wh-what in the world..."
"What is..."
A mountain of corpses was hard enough to stomach on its own. But the sight of Purple elves' bodies piled up inside Blue Seal's camp carried a truly horrifying meaning.
What would come next?
The Commons and Enril stood before the speechless arrivals.
"What in the world are you going to do...?"
Leticia's mouth hung open, utterly stunned.
The ghastly and bewildering spectacle made her head spin.
On Jiha's orders, she had passed information to Galak's gang.
She'd also thought it might teach those reckless fools a harsh lesson.
But to kill them all, not leaving a single one!
"You're insane..."
Dumbfounded, Leticia looked at Enril.
No matter how far dark elves were willing to go, this kind of madness was historically rare.
"Why are you acting like we're the ones at fault?"
At the voice, the officers and Leticia turned around.
Jiha was walking toward them through the path the Commons had opened.
"We had no choice but to respond in self-defense."
"You call that an excuse right now? The elves will never let this stand! This means war, right now!"
"Then let's have a war."
When Jiha answered shortly, everyone froze.
"I mean, if we handle things because you screwed up, and you just get angrier — is there an answer besides war? Isn't that right?"
As Jiha turned and spoke, the Commons nodded as though it were obvious.
If Jiha said the sun in the sky was the moon, they would agree.
Even Enril's reaction was one of assent.
Leticia collected herself and shouted.
"How dare you run your mouth! You don't even know how horrific the Thousand-Year War was!"
"It'll get more horrific going forward. The Yorn incident is connected to this place too."
"..."
The fact that this wasn't the only scene made the officers' faces stiffen further.
They hadn't been in contact with the officers handling that case, so they hadn't known.
An officer shook his head as he spoke.
"For now, understood. We'll preserve the scene... and call for a support team. We'll also ensure no further acts of force from Purple. We'll contact the mayor immediately, too. We'll keep watch to prevent the situation from worsening... then proceed with the investigation once day breaks."
That was everything they could do at the moment.
Jiha nodded, then looked at the healers who had accompanied the officers.
"Our people are considerably injured, so have the healer attend to them. Preserving the scene is fine, but don't move the bodies."
Jiha turned to the Commons and ordered.
"If anyone tries to move the elf corpses without authorization, smash them. Anyone."
"Understood!"
When the Commons answered in chorus, the officers froze.
Moving bodies to the magistrate's office was standard procedure, but Jiha had brought up war.
Touch the corpses, and they really would be smashed.
Jiha smiled at the officers.
"Anyone have something to say to me?"
"..."
Everyone was silent.
Jiha looked squarely at Leticia and asked.
"Nothing to say?"
"...No, I think I have a great deal."
Singled out, Leticia stepped forward with an angry stride.
"This place is uncomfortable, isn't it? Let's move."
"Fine, I don't care."
Leticia nodded, her voice brimming with fury.
She too wanted to settle things somewhere away from prying eyes.
"Then follow me."
Jiha turned his back and entered the barracks lodging.
Leticia followed alone, her footsteps furious.
...She's not taking the chance for a surprise attack.
Even though he was deliberately leaving openings to bait her, Leticia simply kept following.
Just as expected.
"How far exactly are we going?"
Once they passed the building entrance and entered the hallway, Leticia demanded, sharp-tongued.
When Jiha stopped and turned, she was fuming, her face contorted with fury.
"You're just stalling because you're scared of me, aren't you? You think that'll make me go easy?"
"..."
At the aggressive words from the blonde elf, Jiha laughed in disbelief.
"Seems like you're the one who should be scared of me."
"Why would I be scared of a lowborn human like you?"
Leticia shot back hard, but her voice was trembling.
Jiha knew it, but he pretended not to notice.
Leticia bit her lip and spoke.
"It's just the two of us now. What is it? What in the world...?"
The bait Jiha had laid out before.
Leticia had jumped to the conclusion that Jiha was only putting on a strong front because he was mindful of onlookers too.
Jiha spoke calmly.
"I'll explain the details once we're in my room. The hallway is too exposed."
"You're telling me to walk into a rat's nest?"
Leticia scowled fiercely.
A truly high-and-mighty little spitfire.
"Why? Scared?"
"...As if I'd be scared!"
Leticia vehemently denied it, but Jiha was already seeing straight through her.
Leticia's pride was strong — in a different way from Enril's.
If Enril was the type who valued honor, Leticia was the type who bluffed.
If Jiha hadn't just singled her out and asked whether she had something to say, she wouldn't have tried to talk to him at all.
Deep down, Leticia was afraid of Jiha.
A human who did things far beyond her imagination, who could calmly wipe out her own kin to the last one.
And most decisively — the time she'd been helpless in his arms, pinned down and left gasping all night long.
Being alone with Jiha — in his room, no less — must have terrified her deep down.
She was putting on the bluster to avoid admitting it.
"What? Why aren't you saying anything? Having second thoughts?"
"A little, maybe."
"That won't make me go easy. Today you're going to... really get what's coming."
When Leticia snapped at him, Jiha just laughed.
Given the situation, killing him outright wouldn't even be enough, yet all she could manage was talk of violence.
A feisty little wildcat, all bluster.
Well, to get things done, he did need to pin her down firmly today.
"Please be gentle."
Jiha taunted as he headed for his room.
Leticia, who had been hesitating, quickly followed — but contrary to her high-handed words, her footsteps were cautious.
She couldn't hide her fear.
And Jiha fully intended to frighten her even more.
With his body.