Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Bandits Surrender
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“Gu.”
Pffft!
The sub-boss’s head burst open, brains splattering everywhere. The headless neck sprayed blood like a fountain before the body crumpled to the ground.
‘What the hell? What is this?’
The absurd scene left me unable to process what was happening. As everyone hesitated in shock, the elf folded another finger.
“Arm.”
Boom!
The head of a lackey at the back of the group exploded, blood spraying across the wall. The headless body staggered before slamming into the wall and collapsing.
“Uwaaaak!”
“Eek, eeeek!”
The terrified underlings screamed as they dropped one by one. Finally grasping the situation, the boss turned to the elf, his entire body trembling.
‘Th-this is…’
Spreading ten fingers hadn’t meant giving them ten seconds. It was just marking their lives with his fingers. The moment another one folded, someone here would die.
The thought that it could be him drained the strength from his legs, his mind filled only with desperate screams of wanting to live.
The elf’s third finger slowly folded. The panicked boss tossed aside his weapon and dropped to his knees on the floor.
“Pl-please, forgi….”
His voice shook so badly he couldn’t get the words out. Tears streaming from his dilated pupils, the boss wailed desperately.
“I’ll surrender, so please forgive me, I beg you—!”
At that horrific cry, the underlings threw down their weapons one after another and surrendered.
After a simple lunch in the castle, I patrolled the territory with Marhan.
The main purpose of the patrol was to hear eyewitness accounts directly from the victimized nobles. The count’s private soldiers had felt too distant from the nobles to conduct a proper investigation, so I planned to do the legwork myself.
“When you were attacked, you say? Hmm.”
The noble currently being questioned by me was the first victim of the “Ten Righteous Outlaws.”
I’d heard that count’s soldiers had visited his home for questioning before, but the furious noble had snapped, “You expect me to broadcast to the world that I was robbed by street thugs?!” and they’d given up.
I’d worried he might slam the door in our faces again, but showing up with Marhan of the Blue Banner Knights—a female knight no less—and a few soldiers had made him remarkably compliant.
My role as regent probably helped soften his attitude too.
“…I’d taken a shortcut through the alley on my way home.”
The noble furrowed his brow, groaning as he recalled the moment.
“Masked thugs blocked both ends of the alley and came at me. The moment my slave panicked and drew his weapon, a dagger flew and pierced his shoulder. Then they sauntered over like they owned the place and beat the slave mercilessly. With murderous intent.”
The noble had only killed the slave, leaving the noble untouched. They must have known killing a noble would blow the incident wide open.
They’d timed it for when the noble entered the alley, blocked both ends to cut off escape, and killed the slave as cruelly as possible to instill terror in the noble.
If their first crime was this calculated, they weren’t amateurs.
“Trembling in fear, they held out their hand to me. ‘Hand over all your valuables and money, and we’ll let you live,’ they threatened. No choice, so I gave them everything I had. That’s it. That’s all I…”
“How did they kill the slave? Blunt weapons only?”
It was Marhan who asked. It was the question on my mind too. The noble stroked his chin thoughtfully, then shook his head.
“Thinking back, there were a few sharp cuts. Something pointed… probably a dagger honed to a fine tip. They could’ve killed him by stabbing the throat for sure, but they didn’t. It was like they wanted him to bleed out slowly.”
They’d hacked at the body with daggers but deliberately avoided a quick death. To savor the final moments of the dying man. Utterly inhuman.
‘No way.’
Three years ago. The bastards who brutally murdered a woman’s husband and burned her house down. It was similar to their methods. As I recalled them and opened my mouth—
“R-Regent, Your Excellency!”
A soldier burst through the door. Not one of mine. Had he run all the way from the castle? Staring blankly at him, he caught his breath and continued.
“Good news! The bandits have all surrendered!”
“What?”
More bewildered than happy. Why would they suddenly surrender? I glanced at Marhan, who looked just as puzzled.
*
Riding back to the castle’s inner courtyard, I saw the bandits just as the soldier described—hands bound with ropes. Their faces matched the sketches perfectly, and the weapons from the crimes were preserved, confirming they were the “Ten Righteous Outlaws.”
“Unbelievable.”
“Tell me about it.”
Agreeing with Marhan, I dismounted and landed on the ground. Marhan followed suit, walking behind me.
“Regent, Your Excellency!”
A knight who’d been issuing orders to the soldiers spotted me, approached, and snapped a salute. His face was oddly excited.
“Congratulations on the great victory!”
“Victory?”
“Oh. Apparently, these guys confessed out of fear of you, Your Excellency. They must’ve panicked at the tightening noose of the investigation. When the count hears you caught all these headaches, he’ll be thrilled!”
That… made no sense. I’d only been tracking them for two days at most. Guys who’d hidden for a month surrendering after two days out of fear?
Beyond illogical, it felt off somehow. But the knight pressed on brightly, unconcerned.
“I heard they split into factions—one wanting to surrender, the other not—and had a huge fight. The sub-boss and a lackey died in it, and the survivors, led by the boss, came to turn themselves in.”
“Two dead?”
“Yes. Young Master Fred left to inspect the scene and confirm the facts. In my opinion, the matching sketches and their detailed confessions of the methods prove they’re the real culprits.”
“I see. Who’s the boss?”
“That guy over there.”
“Right.”
Feigning calm, I walked past the knight toward the boss. Bound in ropes, he avoided my eyes and looked down.
“You. What’s your name?”
“…Mernan.”
“Do you know Haria? The woman who lost her husband and home three years ago.”
“N-No way. I’ve never committed arson.”
“Arson?”
I glared down at Mernan coldly.
“Strange. I never said anything about the house burning down.”
“Th-That’s…”
Mernan’s eyes trembled as he forced an awkward smile and looked up. Then he spotted something behind me and dropped to his knees in a panic.
“Y-Yes! Three years ago, I killed that bitch’s husband and burned her house! I’m sorry!”
He shook like he’d seen a demon. What the hell? Turning around, I saw the elf in a perfectly fitted maid outfit staring blankly from in front of the stable.
Our eyes met, and she changed her expression, murmuring sadly. Too far to hear, but her lip movements suggested something like ‘I need to be punished, Master.’
‘As I suspected…’
Now it made sense. The elf had tracked them down and coerced confessions somehow. No other way the bandit boss would cower at the sight of an elf slave.
Should I be pleased or not? As I sighed, the knight strode over and kicked Mernan. A dull thud echoed as he rolled across the dirt.
“Kehek, kuh…!”
“How dare you take back your words in front of the Regent, you piece-of-shit criminal!”
The knight barked, clicked his tongue, and turned to me.
“Your Excellency. How should we deal with them? Hanging them in the square for all to see?”
That’s what I wanted, but no.
“Imprison them. It’s not urgent, so the count will decide punishment when he returns.”
“Y-Yes, sir! We’ll do that. You heard him—move it, scum!”
The knight bellowed at the lounging soldiers as he crossed the courtyard. Grumbling, they hauled the criminals to their feet.
Watching briefly, I glanced at the elf, then tapped Marhan’s plate armor. He turned, head tilted in question.
“What is it?”
“Marhan. I’m about to give you a very special mission. Top secret—nothing gets out. Can you swear on your house and your honor as a knight to keep my orders silent?”
Doubt deepened on Marhan’s face. Fair enough. Giving a major mission right after the case closed? Even I’d wonder.
But to me, it was critical. Tied directly to my survival and house’s future. No more dodging with “busy with work” excuses…
“Hmm.”
After much deliberation, Marhan nodded carefully.
“Understood. My lord is the count, but given circumstances, Viscount Teorad acting as regent is effectively my lord too. Unless it contradicts the count’s will, I swear on my house and knightly honor to keep silent.”
“Thanks.”
Marhan seemed trustworthy. Clearing my throat, I whispered cautiously.
“By chance, are there any torture tools left in the castle dungeon? Something that could double as… sexual tools would be ideal…”
At that point, disgust crept into Marhan’s expression toward me.
“No, it’s not what you think…”
So unjust, so pathetic.
But nowhere to explain.