The Lord Thoroughly Schools Her Knight
After Hecate fled, they headed straight to the Lord's residence. Throughout the journey, Martina kept pouring out her worries about me.
"You aren't hurt anywhere, right? That demon bitch didn't curse you or lay a hand on you?"
"......I'm fine, how many times do I have to tell you."
"I'm worried, that's why. Demons are all vicious, filthy scum."
Even as she escorted me to the Lord, Martina continued venting her anxiety and unease. It showed how much she cared about me, but knowing her disgust for Hecate ran deep at the core, I couldn't take it entirely positively.
"Well, from what I saw, she didn't seem like a bad person."
"Didn't seem bad? A demon?"
Martina's eyes widened at my offhand remark, as if she'd heard something she shouldn't have. Clutching her forehead, she spat out words laced with resentment.
"In this world, while I was away on a mission for just a bit, our A gets possessed by a devil......"
......How negatively did she have to view Hecate to react this extremely?
"I don't know much, but are demons really that dangerous?"
"No need to ask twice."
When I posed the question out of curiosity, Martina shot back immediately.
"Demons are all sneaky, dirty bastards. Long ago, after the Demon King fell and his forces crumbled, his underlings hid in human society, disguising themselves. Every time they revealed their true nature and rampaged, everything around them turned to ash. Just from those bastards destroying territories, countless people lost their homes—too many to count."
"Hmm, I see."
It seemed demons in this world were treated like terrorists—think ISIS or the Taliban—just by their reputation. With that level of prejudice, defending Hecate further would only backfire.
Realizing this, I held my tongue, but Martina gave a wry smile and patted my back.
"Anyway, even trying to see the good in a notorious criminal—you're too kind for your own good, A."
Kind? That wasn't why I'd defended her. I'd just gotten a little turned on, and in that short time, I'd felt her budding feelings toward me, so I reciprocated. But even that seemed to irk her; Martina's expression hardened as she continued.
"But listen, A. No matter what first impression that demon gave you, to the world, they're nothing but criminals bent on destroying society. Especially our Lord, who has unwavering loyalty to the royal family—she despises those revolutionaries."
By the time she said that, they'd arrived at the Lord's residence. Before entering, Martina warned me like a stern reminder.
"Never say anything defending the revolutionaries in front of the Lord. Got it?"
Don't show any signs of protecting Hecate, no matter the reason. Her advice carried more weight than ever, so I reluctantly nodded and stepped into the Lord's presence.
"......You've come."
Renes stood in the audience chamber, gazing out the window at the cityscape. Even from her back alone, her voice told me everything. Disgust, displeasure, irritation... those ugly emotions simmered beneath her calm tone.
"Hah, what a night. First shocking thing at this late hour—turns out one of my most faithful servants was a demon in the revolutionaries. I trusted her enough to make her head maid, and she stabs me in the back like this? Never saw it coming."
She let out a scoffing laugh, turning from the window. Then, with deliberate footsteps, she approached Martina and fixed her with a piercing stare. Her lips smiled, but her eyes didn't—ice-cold, a gaze no one would direct at a loyal vassal.
"Yeah, it's pretty unpleasant. Finding out a subordinate you thought was loyal is a traitor."
"L-Lord......"
"But do you know what bothers me even more?"
-Slap!!
Martina's head snapped to the side from the sudden slap. I tensed up watching it, but Renes raised her hand again.
"That filthy demon bitch entered my territory, and you let her escape unscathed. Even though the city's top knight herself went charging after her."
"S-Sorry......"
-Slap, slap!!
Her head whipped around again from the follow-up slaps. I felt a surge of anger, but Martina straightened her head each time, facing her head-on. As if it were natural. As if enduring her Lord's rage with her body was a knight's duty.
Even with her face swelling, Martina held her posture steady. Renes unleashed her displeasure without restraint.
"This is weird. I've never had such an incompetent knight under me."
Her question implied: Why the hell did you let Hecate escape? Martina bowed her head in shame and continued.
"I'm sorry. But...... if she kept rampaging, A might get hurt......"
"A? You mean the one next to you?"
Renes glanced at me briefly. As my body stiffened, she smirked and turned back to Martina.
"......Martina."
Her hand rested on Martina's shoulder. Gently at first. But loaded with a menace heavier than ever.
"I've told you time and again: if you encounter revolutionaries threatening the kingdom, capture them at any cost."
"I-I know, but......"
-Thwack!!
A fist slammed into Martina's face. Far heavier than the slaps, it made her stagger. Renes twisted her expression in fury.
"But? You let that demon bitch get away, and you're still making excuses?"
"N-No, that's not......"
-Thud, thud!
More punches rained down on Martina's face. Violence far beyond mere scolding. Yet Martina endured it silently. The longer the silence stretched, the rougher Renes's blows and insults grew.
"These aren't petty criminals—they're threats to the kingdom's survival. Letting one escape could endanger hundreds, thousands, and topple entire territories. And you let them go for the sake of one man? You think that's acceptable for a knight?"
She yanked Martina's hair viciously, slamming her body to the floor. With Martina's strength, she could break free anytime. But she chose to take it, and Renes, knowing that, indulged her sadism fully.
"Fine, if you love sucking cock that much, time for some proper discipline."
The tip of her high heel aimed at Martina's face—a weapon that could crush bone and pulp flesh with full force.
"Stop!"
Just as it descended, I grabbed Renes's arm late, halting her.
"Stop it."
I couldn't stand by any longer. I couldn't watch a woman who'd given me her heart get beaten unilaterally—not as a man.
"......Hah."
Did my belated intervention amuse her? Renes turned to me slowly, her sharp whisper dripping venom as her arm stayed gripped.
"Well, isn't this something. A mere man trying to stop me? I give you some leeway, and you think you're somebody?"
Her tone was polite, but the emotion underneath wasn't. It took real effort to hold her arm.
Viewing me with utter contempt, Renes warned.
"No long talk. Let go."
"If I do, you'll just beat Martina more. That's......"
"Even I have limits on indulging a man. Let go now!?"
Her savage reaction ground my teeth. Rationality in my head teetered on the brink. Why hold back? All my sufferings stemmed from this woman before me. Because of her, every woman around me suffered. So why not just do it—without looking back?
"A!!!"
Then Martina's shout rang out. She struggled to rise from the floor, pleading.
"......Please let go of the Lord."
Let go? That's the woman who just beat you mercilessly. If you leave it, she'll do worse. You have the power to resist. You could slit her throat right now—why take the hits?
"Please, I beg you. If you do this, it'll be irreversible......"
"......Damn it."
But I couldn't ignore her plea. I released the Lord's arm. No matter how much I wanted to tear this bitch apart, doing it would lead only to ruin.
"Hah, what a night...... Never thought a man would interfere with me."
Renes clutched her wrist with a sigh. Then, fixing her sharpened gaze on me, she probed.
"Come to think of it, that demon escaped because you were a hostage. And now you dare defy me directly? How should I punish you?"
Was she finally targeting me? Fear and defiance rose, but also relief. If she focused on me, Martina would be safe.
"......Pfft."
But instead of anger, she burst into light laughter. Patting my shoulder, her voice turned excited.
"Punish? No, can't do that~ You're this city's most precious commodity. Punishing you would disappoint all the visitors who come to see you."
She'd spare me because damaging my value would hurt her. Feeling the hypocrisy, I sniped back.
"That's different from before. You said sacrifice me to catch that demon......"
"That demon bitch was worth the sacrifice, but whining about the past is pointless. What matters is the achievements we'll seize in the future~"
With that, Renes turned from me toward the room's exit. Beckoning with a soft voice, she said,
"Follow me. I'll introduce you to your 'fourth opponent'."
"......"