Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: An Unpleasant Encounter
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Whoosh!
Maranello appeared on the other side of the street.
The child who had been about to pick up the bag of candy was now in Maranello's arms.
“Who are you, mister?”
It had all happened in such an instant that the child seemed completely unaware of what had just occurred.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The six-horse carriage sped past.
“How dare you defile Decaron with the wheels of Schwerin.”
Carlyle saw it.
A murderous glint flashing in Maranello's eyes…
Flash!
With a sharp glint of light, the rear wheels of the speeding carriage were sliced clean off, perfectly horizontal.
‘Just how fast is he?’
Carlyle was startled by Maranello's swiftness.
He hadn't even seen it.
He thought he might have glimpsed Maranello's weapon, but he couldn't be sure if he'd actually seen it or just imagined it.
But one thing was certain: in the blink of an eye, Maranello had moved the child to the other side of the street and even swung a blade?
Though he couldn't be certain, Carlyle believed he wouldn't be able to withstand Maranello's full power for even a single second.
Crash!
Smash!
“Heeeeeigh!”
The carriage, having lost its rear wheels, skidded across the road, and the galloping horses tumbled over.
Thud!
“Agh!”
Serves him right. The coachman driving the carriage was thrown nearly ten meters, crashing headfirst onto the ground.
“What's going on?”
“Why did the carriage suddenly overturn?”
Murmuring, a crowd began to gather.
“Child, you must be careful when crossing the road.”
“What do you mean, mister?”
“It’s just something to remember. In any case, keep this old man's words in mind.”
“Okay!”
With an innocent face, the child took the bag of candy and disappeared into an alley.
“That was incredibly fast.”
“My back is aching all over.”
Maranello chuckled, pretending to rub his back.
‘Aching back, my foot.’
Carlyle was inwardly dumbfounded but didn't let it show.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Maranello's face was smiling, but his eyes glinted with such killing intent it was enough to make one's knees buckle.
‘You guys are in big trouble now.’
Carlyle could roughly guess what was about to happen.
Because an angry Maranello was a truly terrifying person.
“Kugh!”
“D-dammit!”
The knights climbed out of the carriage, seething with anger.
“How in the world were you driving this carriage?”
A low, husky voice emerged from the woman who had just exited the carriage.
Alicia van Lauren.
The young lady of the Lauren family, and the younger sister of one of the main characters, Kaldor van Lauren.
“My lady, the carriage's rear wheels have been cut off.”
“Cut off?”
“Look here.”
“…This is.”
Alicia's expression turned cold.
Though not a knight, she was a powerful warrior with exceptional swordsmanship.
She had the insight to deduce what had happened just by looking at the severed surface of the wheel.
“Who on earth would do such a thing…”
Alicia's sharp gaze swept over the surroundings before settling on Maranello.
“It seems this was your doing. Maranello. The Grim Reaper of the North.”
“Ho ho.”
Maranello smiled as he approached Alicia.
“Maranello, the Chamberlain of Decaron, greets the young lady of Schwerin.”
“Tell me. Why did you do this?”
“I was merely giving a warning, my lady.”
“A warning?”
“You were driving the carriage too recklessly, so I simply stopped you. There was no other intention.”
“We were just going a little fast. Does it make sense to overturn a carriage just because it was speeding?”
Although she was furious, it was clear Alicia was struggling to restrain herself because her opponent was Maranello.
“There is a time and place to drive fast, and a time and place to drive slow.”
Maranello said, his tone gently admonishing.
“You shouldn't drive so fast in the middle of the city. Someone could have been hurt.”
“Did anyone get hurt? If someone did, tell them to step forward.”
“Ho ho.”
“Wouldn't it be too late to say that after an accident has already happened? We are a delegation. We came to celebrate your Victory Commemoration Day. And you treat us…”
“A child was nearly killed, my lady.”
“Hngh!”
Alicia suddenly clutched her chest, groaning in pain.
“My lady!”
“Are you all right!”
The knights checked on Alicia, but they were no exception.
“Gak!”
“Ugh!”
The knights, just like Alicia, clutched their chests in agony.
“I earnestly ask that you take this to heart.”
“Hngh!”
“Schwerin will not dare harm the people of Decaron on this land. If anyone from Schwerin harms a citizen of Decaron, then this old man will drag his weary body to ensure they pay the price. Do you understand?”
“I… I under… stand… so please… hngh!”
Tears welled up in Alicia's eyes.
“Do you understand?”
“Y-Yes, I understand, so s-stop.”
“Good.”
As if he had never worn such a terrifying expression, a gentle smile appeared on Maranello's lips.
“I trust you understand, so I will conclude my warning here. Oh, and thank you for coming all this way. Though it wasn't such a long journey. Ho ho ho.”
“…”
Alicia glared at Maranello with a look that said, *What kind of person are you?*
***
Maranello's lecture was over, but the situation was not.
Seeing the corner of her eye twitch, it was clear Alicia was furious.
“Bring me the coachman.”
“Pardon?”
“I said bring me that bastard coachman!”
“Ah, yes!”
The knights dragged over the unconscious coachman and slapped him across the face.
Slap, smack!
“Kuuugh!”
The coachman, who had barely regained consciousness, had a face twisted in agony.
Having been thrown nearly ten meters and slammed into the stone pavement, he surely had bruises and several broken bones.
“Speak. What happened?”
Alicia asked the coachman in an icy voice.
“N-nothing happened. I swear.”
“And yet the Grim Reaper of the North overturned our carriage? Do you think that makes any sense?”
“Th-that's.”
“He said a child was almost hurt.”
“I think there was something in front of the carriage, but it disappeared so suddenly that this humble servant doesn't know the details…”
Smack!
Alicia struck the coachman across the face.
“How dare a mere coachman like you put me in such a difficult position?”
“M-my lady!”
“Hold him.”
At Alicia's command, the knights seized the coachman's arms.
“Are you left-handed or right-handed?”
“I'm right-handed. Why do you ask…?”
“If you're going to make a living with one arm, it's better to leave you with your dominant hand, isn't it?”
“My lady! Please forgive me! I was wrong! I-I was only trying to show those Decaron bastards the dignity of Schwerin!”
“The dignity of Schwerin?”
“Yes! My lady! The people of Decaron are nothing but meat shields for us in Schwerin, aren't they?”
“Hahaha!”
An agitated laugh burst from Alicia's lips.
“How amusing.”
“Why are you acting this way…?”
“Do you know why our Schwerin is so wealthy? Why we can use the people of Decaron as meat shields? It's all because my cunning ancestors betrayed the Chaos King, risking the condemnation of the entire world.”
Alicia's self-deprecating words silenced not only the coachman but also the knights of Schwerin.
“Even now, hundreds of years later, the Sigmunds, the other families, and even the royal family despise and point fingers at our Lauren family. They say the Laurens are vile, cunning, deceitful, shameless, and immoral. But we gladly accept their scorn and contempt. Why? Because we want to live well. Not just our family, but even insignificant commoners like you. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“This… this humble servant is too dull-witted to fully understand your words, my lady.”
“You crossed the line. What? Show them the dignity of Schwerin? An insignificant commoner like you?”
“Th-that's…”
“In making Schwerin wealthy, worthless commoners like you, no better than pigs and dogs, have done nothing. The credit belongs solely to our Lauren family, who betrayed the Chaos King, prepared to bear the infamy. You have infringed upon that dishonor.”
Alicia averted her gaze from the coachman, as if he wasn't even worth looking at, and gave her command.
“He's right-handed, so cut off his left arm. Make sure he never holds the reins again.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The knight drew his sword.
“My lady! I was wrong! Please forgive me!”
The coachman pleaded, but it was no use.
“Open his mouth!”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
The knights gagged the struggling coachman and held his arm.
“What are you doing? Cut it.”
“Yes!”
Swish! The knight swung his sword down, and the coachman's arm was severed.
“Mmmph… mmmmmmmph!”
The coachman let out a pain-filled scream, but thanks to the gag, the sound wasn't loud.
“Are you satisfied now, Grim Reaper of the North?”
Alicia turned to Maranello, as if to make a point.
“How truly merciful. I had heard that the young lady of Schwerin was wise and generous, and it seems the rumors are true.”
Maranello didn't even blink at Alicia's provocation.
He even smiled, and Carlyle thought he knew why.
‘Merciful, indeed.’
The carriage carrying the young lady of Schwerin running over and killing a child of Decaron?
It would have certainly started a war.
A mere coachman's recklessness could have resulted in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands.
So, ending it with ‘just’ an arm was indeed a very generous punishment.
“As it happens, we have a carriage ready…”
Maranello said to Alicia.
‘Ab-so-lute-ly not.’
Carlyle crossed his arms, signaling his refusal, but the cunning old chamberlain pretended not to see and asked Alicia.
“Would you care to ride with us?”
“I'd like that.”
Much to Carlyle's misfortune, Alicia readily accepted Maranello's offer.
“To be able to ride in a carriage with the Grim Reaper of the North is a great honor.”
“I am just an old chamberlain now.”
Maranello said humbly, as if brushing off the compliment.
***
Clatter, clatter!
Inside the carriage, on the way to the castle.
“You, who are you?”
“?”
Alicia frowned at Carlyle.
“Who do you think you are, wearing a hood in front of me, the young lady of Schwerin?”
“…”
“What, no answer?”
Anger flared in Alicia's eyes.
“Young Master, you must show courtesy to Lady Alicia.”
“Ugh.”
As Maranello spoke with a smile, Carlyle, who was wearing his hood, flinched.
“Young Master?”
Alicia frowned and tilted her head.
“If you're a Young Master… are you Frey van Sigmund, or that infamous good-for-nothing? The one who's supposedly just a pretty face?”
“My lady, please watch your words. Ho ho.”
“My apologies, Chamberlain.”
Alicia seemed to realize her mistake and backed down slightly.
She knew all too well what would happen if she crossed the line with Maranello…
“So, who is it? Don't tell me it's Frey?”
“It is the Young Master Carlyle.”
“Ah…”
Alicia made a sound of disappointment that anyone could understand.
“Young Master, please show some basic courtesy. There was a small disturbance, but she is still here as part of a delegation.”
“…”
“If you keep this up…”
“Hah.”
Carlyle let out a deep sigh and removed his hood, revealing that famous face.
That handsome face, said to be the finest in the North, perhaps even the entire continent.
“Oh my.”
Alicia subconsciously brought a hand to her lips.
Her assessment upon seeing Carlyle's face was as follows.
“…Incredible.”