Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Ruby
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Since We Cannot Punish Them by Law
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When I first made the plan, I simply thought to deal with Jobaton and seize the unique skill first.
However, after meeting Baron Lopenser, the mayor of Oliton, I received a somewhat unsettling feeling.
'Why is he so restless?'
Baron Lopenser's reaction to the mention of touching the underworld on the outskirts of the city was unexpected.
If I hadn't known about future events, I wouldn't have thought much of it, but I felt that things didn't quite add up.
Oliton was not a small city.
The larger a city was, the larger its shadow—the underworld—became as well.
The situation in Oliton that I remembered was one where the underworld forces had grown too powerful.
Neither the citizens nor the officials could control the underworld forces.
That's why related sub-quests continued and I ended up fighting Jobaton...
'Rather than being grateful, he seemed worried instead.'
From that point, I began to harbor suspicions.
The underworld forces and Oliton's mayor.
There was definitely a connection between them.
And now.
I heard the entire story through Jobaton's mouth.
My prediction had been correct.
"Every night, the screams of the 59 dead people echo in my ears. The screams of those who were sacrificed for that demon's seal... Those bastards are complete demons..."
Diaz's expression also hardened after hearing the entire story.
I felt the same way.
They were far more vicious than I had thought.
Jobaton poured out his pent-up frustration as if venting his accumulated resentment.
"Naturally, Rockter plans to kill all seven remaining people. This is insane! I wanted to immediately destroy this parchment from the world, but... perhaps because of the seal, it wouldn't even burn in fire."
"......"
"I have a request!"
"Let me hear it."
"Please help me! I'll testify! No matter what threats come my way, I'll tell everything! So... so please save at least the remaining seven people! You have the ability to do it, Sir Knight!"
I pondered for a moment.
What was my purpose for coming here?
'Of course, the unique skill... right.'
But to extract the unique skill, seven more sacrifices still needed to be offered.
Even so, letting the seven people who were still alive become sacrifices left me feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
So, I asked Diaz.
"If we officially report this matter, could Baron Lopenser and Rockter be punished?"
To my question, Diaz shook her head.
"It would be difficult. Baron Lopenser is someone who knows how to use his head. He's probably already destroyed most evidence. And that Rockter fellow, even if he's pointed out, would likely pin everything on his subordinates. Plus, Baron Lopenser would support him..."
Upon hearing that, Jobaton also closed his mouth.
He realized that even if I stepped forward, things wouldn't be resolved as easily as he had thought.
Even if made public, all the masterminds behind everything would end up living well in the end.
It was unfair, but that was reality.
After finishing my brief thoughts, I made a decision.
"59 people have already died. I cannot let their sacrifice be in vain like this."
At my answer, Jobaton frowned.
"Wait a minute! Don't tell me..."
"That's right. I'll offer seven more sacrifices to break the seal."
"Ha!... Are you the same kind of human too? Now that divine power is dangling before your eyes, you can't see the victims or anything else..."
Before Jobaton could finish his response, I cut off his words.
"Do you know how to break the seal?"
"...Yes. I know. What are you going to do about it?"
I called Diaz.
"Diaz."
"Yes."
"Those guys behind us. Wake them up and send them away."
At my words, Diaz looked back.
There, the two thugs who had guided us to Jobaton's dwelling were lying unconscious.
Diaz tilted her head in confusion.
"If we release these guys now, they'll definitely come back with their gang."
"That's why I'm releasing them."
"......"
"Since we cannot punish them by law, we'll have to use them as sacrifices. Isn't that right?"
Only then did Diaz's eyes widen greatly as she understood my words.
On the contrary, Jobaton still seemed unable to fully grasp what was happening.
So I bestowed kindness upon him and added a brief explanation.
"I'll use Rockter's gang as sacrifices."
"......!"
Jobaton's mouth fell wide open.
He hadn't expected a knight of the Seven Knights Order to say such things.
With a small smile, I turned my gaze to Diaz and continued speaking.
"We'll dispose of the underworld trash and break the seal too. Perfect. Ah, but then Baron Lopenser might suspect me, right? I suppose we'll have to eliminate him too for witness elimination purposes... Is that difficult as a holy knight?"
A smile also bloomed on Diaz's lips.
"If you choose to take that path, I will follow. My lord."
I already knew such an answer would come.
She was originally someone who harbored the disposition to become a cold-hearted demon hunter.
And now, Baron Lopenser and Rockter would appear as demons in her eyes.
I also raised the corners of my mouth along with her.
"Then let's begin. Trash cleanup."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Ro, Rockter sir!"
Two men came rushing to Rockter's dwelling with battered faces.
Of course, they were blocked by Rockter's lieutenant at the entrance.
"Hey? Where do you think you're going? Do you know where this is?"
Truly befitting the ruler of the underworld, even meeting Rockter itself was not easy.
However.
"It's urgent! Jobaton has been taken down!"
"What?"
As soon as Jobaton's name was mentioned, the lieutenant's expression hardened instantly.
He gestured with his chin to a subordinate nearby.
The subordinate immediately entered Rockter's dwelling.
Soon after, Rockter walked out.
Just by revealing his presence, an tremendous sense of intimidation was felt.
Rockter's height reached 2 meters.
Moreover, his displeased mood made the atmosphere even more menacing.
His expression was no different from usual, but the veins bulging on his forehead represented that his mood was displeased.
"Is what I just heard true?"
One of the two men stepped forward.
"Yes! Rockter sir! As you instructed, we were watching Jobaton, when that damn bastard suddenly appeared, did this to us, tied up Jobaton upside down, and is trying to extract something from him!"
"......"
A smile appeared on the man's lips.
It was because he thought Rockter would now personally deal with those bastards who had beaten him up.
Of course, Rockter intended to do just that.
However.
"I smell alcohol."
"...Excuse me?"
"I'm sure I told you not to do useless nonsense and to watch properly."
"We, we were just thirsty so we drank just a little..."
Crack!
Before the man could finish his words, Rockter's massive hand grabbed the man's neck.
And then.
"This is the price for not listening to my words. I'll forgive you with just one slap on the cheek."
He said he would give a light punishment.
But strangely, the man began to tremble seriously.
"Wa, wait! Rockter siiiir!"
The man's eyes turned to Rockter's hand aiming for his cheek.
He cried out, but Rockter had no intention of stopping.
Smaaaack!
A sound that was hard to believe came from a slap with the palm erupted.
The man collapsed, bleeding from his ears and nose.
He had died instantly.
The remaining man's eyes shook roughly.
Looking at him, Rockter spoke.
"I'm keeping you alive because you're a guide. Lead the way immediately."
"Yes! Yes! I, I understand!"
Then he spoke to the lieutenant guarding the main gate.
"Gather all the lieutenants. Right now."
"Excuse me?... I understand. But who is it that requires this? Someone brought in by the mayor?"
"No. If that were the case, I wouldn't have cared much. But there's one guy I have in mind."
Rockter closed his mouth.
Revealing the information that the opponent was from the Seven Knights Order now would only hinder morale.
But that didn't mean he was afraid.
'Seven Knights Order? Hah! I've heard they're impressive, but they're still human in the end. They're the same humans, so why would I need to be afraid?'
Numbers were everything in a fight.
Moreover, Rockter himself had definitely not reached this position for free.
He had survived by breaking through countless boundaries between life and death.
Whether it should be called overconfidence or competitive spirit, such feelings were slowly creeping up.
'I'm also someone who endured in this hellish underworld.'
He didn't know how impressive they were, but he thought he had sufficient chances of winning in a street brawl.
Meanwhile, Rockter's forces gathered together.
Rockter stood at the very front and shouted briefly.
"Alright, let's go."
Behind him, the key figures of Oliton's underworld followed.
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"He, here it is!"
Following the man's guidance, Rockter stood in front of Jobaton's dwelling.
"Here? They didn't go somewhere else?"
"Ye... yes!"
"Hmm."
Rockter sent an eye signal to the lieutenant standing beside him.
The lieutenant bowed his head.
"Hold this bastard. If he stabbed me in the back, I'll dismember his limbs."
"Yes! Understood."
Rockter left them behind and approached the door.
The entrance was already slightly open.
But the interior was unpleasantly quiet.
Rockter pushed the door slightly and entered inside.
Then.
Far inside the room.
There was a shadow illuminated by moonlight.
The shadow was sitting in a chair, holding a sword upright like a cane.
Rockter was the first to speak.
"Who are you?"
To that question, a hollow answer was heard.
"Are you Rockter?"
Rockter's brow furrowed.
It was an unfamiliar voice.
That's why he became certain.
That person was definitely Rohan, a member of the Seven Knights Order.
"Do you know me?"
Rockter felt somewhat pleased.
The fact that a member of the famous Seven Knights Order knew him made him feel his own worth…
"No. I just asked because you're standing at the front."
Apparently that wasn't the case.
"......."
Just as his mood was about to sour, the opponent said something strange.
"I was wondering if there were some kind of rules."
"What are you trying to say?"
"You guys always stand at the front before a fight, even though you'll fold your arms and watch from behind your underlings once the fighting starts."
Rockter chuckled.
He was definitely intimidated by the numbers.
That must be why he was saying such things.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Behind Rockter, seven lieutenants lined up in a row.
He asked triumphantly.
"What? Are you dissatisfied that I have many followers? Then why didn't you bring some? I never stopped you, did I?"
The lieutenants drew out their most confident weapons with bitter smiles.
Shing! Shring!
Various weapons in their hands exuded killing intent.
From swords to hidden weapons and axes.
You could see all types gathered at once.
"Always putting on armor, waiting for the opponent to draw their sword. Knights' fair play? Give that crap to the dogs. Bastards who don't even know what real fighting is."
At Rockter's words, I chuckled.
Fair play? Real fighting?
How laughable.
If he had just experienced the bloody battle that occurred in Straun not long ago, he would never be able to spout such nonsense.
But since he didn't seem like someone who would listen even if I explained such things in detail, I merely snorted with derision.
Meanwhile, Rockter seemed confident that victory was on his side.
"Attack!"
At his single word, the seven lieutenants charged all at once.
"We'll tear you to pieces and throw you to the wolves!"
"Hiyaaaa!"
"Kill him!"
Their movements entered Rohan's eyes like slow motion.
He had become quite adapted to the third eye that he was gradually getting used to.
'They're much slower compared to ghouls.'
The lieutenants approaching slowly.
At that moment.
A movement incomparably faster than theirs swept past his field of vision.
Blonde hair fluttering in the darkness.
It was Diaz.
"It's an ambush!"
"Catch her! There's only one in ambush!"
"Aack! My, my hand!"
Diaz instantly dealt with them one by one, appearing and disappearing in the darkness.
Gradually, Rockter's expression crumpled.
Looking at him, I sneered.
"Having many doesn't seem like much after all."
"......"
Rockter ground his teeth.
Meanwhile, the lieutenants were already writhing on the floor, moaning.
Rockter observed them carefully.
Not a single one had died.
"I see..."
Muttering quietly, he raised his eyes to look at me and laughed.
As if he had realized something.
"Seven Knights Order... Right. That was it, wasn't it? That's why you can't kill. Keh keh keh!"
But what was really funny was actually on my side.
"Can't kill? I'm just choosing not to kill."
"Hahaha! You would say that! You won't kill! But I can kill you. No! You will die!"
"You seem to be misunderstanding something."
"Misunderstanding? Really? What could be such a big misunderstanding? Huh? I'm curious."
Rockter didn't erase his amused laughter.
I pulled out the sealed parchment from my chest and waved it gently.
"I didn't kill them because of this."
Only then did Rockter's face turn pale white as he grasped the situation.
"No, no way...! Th, that...!"
"You recognize it well despite the darkness. That's right. It's exactly what you're thinking right now."
Rockter's eyes bulged wide.
The next moment.
The sound of someone chanting a spell could be heard faintly from a corner.
Rockter recognized that voice.
"Damn... that incantation is?... Jobaton! You bastard! You weren't tied up after all...!"
Magic enveloped the bodies of the seven lieutenants behind Rockter.
The magic that affects sacrifices for breaking the seal!
"Seven sacrifices were needed... right? The guys writhing on the floor are also exactly seven."
As my words ended, the magic was completed.
Black flames engulfed the bodies of the seven lieutenants.
Whoooosh!
"Kyaaaack!"
"Aah! Aaaaah!"
"Ro, Rockter sir! Sa, save me...!"
Crackle...
And then they instantly became white bones, and even the white bones completely disappeared.
They had been offered as living sacrifices.
They received back exactly the same evil deeds they had been committing.
Simultaneously, the seal magic on the parchment in my hand was broken.
I felt a mysterious energy flowing into my left arm.
"......!"
At that moment, the corners of my mouth curved upward.
Grin.