Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Severance
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Luna opened her mouth dryly toward the anxious Jin.
"Is that all you've got? Your reputation as the disciple of the esteemed knight Sir Charles must be ringing hollow."
-Clang!
"Urgh!"
Unable to contain his rage, Jin swung his sword wildly.
'Faster! Faster!'
Though he pressed her with his superior physical abilities, she deflected his blade with minimal movement.
"Even using mana... is this the best you can do?"
That was when her red eyes flashed.
Luna blocked Jin's swinging sword.
As she parried his attack, she dragged her blade down along his sword's edge toward the flat, applying pressure there...
Her sword flowed naturally like water, piercing his right arm.
"Argh!"
Red blood trickled down her hauberk onto the snow.
"Your mana control is decent enough, but your swordsmanship is shallow and your experience lacking."
Bearing the pain, Jin cried out in a trembling voice.
"What... what do you know!"
Ever since becoming Charles's disciple, Jin had honed his mana.
Because he knew just how immense the power of strong mana could be.
So... it was only natural that he was furious at Luna for dismissing his efforts.
"You, who were born with everything! Born with pure, high-grade mana!"
Jin retreated while swinging his sword wildly with rage-filled eyes.
-Clang! Clang!
As his blade clashed with hers, producing a massive metallic ring echoing everywhere.
Luna blocked his sword and twisted her wrist in a peculiar way...
-Slice!
With a chilling sound, a fountain of blood erupted from Jin's right wrist, and he collapsed screaming.
"Aaaargh!"
Luna watched as Jin's red blood stained the pristine snow, his severed right hand rolling pathetically on the ground, leaving frantic traces in the snow like a firefly.
"As you say, I was born with pure mana. But right now, in this moment, I've beaten you without using a drop of it."
Her elegant leg kicked Jin's shoulder, sending him tumbling backward.
-Thud!
"Do you know why?"
"Aah! My hand! My hand!"
She looked down at Jin, his face a mix of agony and pallor.
"Unlike you, I never had the luxury of a master's protection. I survived by endlessly training and tempering myself."
As Jin clutched the stump of his severed wrist in panic, Luna stomped on his bleeding arm with her military boot.
-Boom!
"Gaaargh!"
"The desperate struggle to survive is worlds apart from half-hearted efforts like yours, a flower in a greenhouse."
Jin couldn't properly respond to her cold sneer.
The pain was invading his brain.
-Boom!
"While you wasted time living promiscuously, I trained. To drive out usurpers and power-hungry ministers..."
-Crunch!
"Haaargh!"
Jin's severed stump was crushed, blood spraying everywhere.
"I toiled endlessly. Because that's the only way I could survive."
Luna bent down to look at Jin.
"Because I know my duties and responsibilities all too well."
Her eyes gleamed with ferocious intensity.
The aura she exuded overwhelmed everyone into silence.
The pure killing intent she radiated without mana was beyond what ordinary humans could endure.
Drenched in that viscous malice and blood-red eyes, Jin forgot even his pain in utter terror.
-Tremble...
To the shuddering Jin, Luna declared.
"I've never once abandoned my duties or responsibilities like you have. For the sake of your former master's face, I'll spare your life."
With that, Luna severed his remaining left hand as well...
"But what I've invested in making you a knight? I'll take that back."
Sheathing her sword and raising both hands.
Jin's twitching left hand and pale, wriggling right hand floated in the air.
Luna frowned at the floating hands...
-Fwoosh.
Flames ignited on the severed hands.
As if to say, don't even think about healing them with recovery magic.
"N... nooo!"
Seeing his hands burn in midair, Jin staggered up and reached out with his empty arms, but could only watch them char to black.
Luna wrinkled her nose at the blackened hands and the foul smell of burning flesh.
As she waved her hands side to side, the burning hands fell into the snow.
"Aah!"
Jin desperately scooped snow onto his flaming wrists to extinguish the flames, looking quite pitiful, but Luna showed no interest and spoke to the soldiers.
"From today, this wretch is banished from the Grand Duchy. Soldiers, drive him out beyond the borders."
With that, she turned away.
As her killing intent faded, the elves hurriedly checked on Jin's condition.
And... Aiden, who had watched the entire scene from the fortress...
'Fuck... isn't that Sword Saint level?'
Felt extreme fear toward Luna.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I had originally planned to just sleep.
I was tired from dealing with her all night.
I even fell asleep for a bit.
But noisy sounds from outside made me check what was going on...
I was shocked to see Jin attacking Luna.
Then surprised to see his blood flowing, thinking it might end when his hand was cut off...
But after watching them burn completely, I couldn't help but find Luna terrifying.
I've killed people too... but never done anything that cruel.
Gruesome.
Scenes of brutality I'd skim over casually in novels now made me grimace in real life.
I know the reason... but isn't this too much?
Actually, I know why Luna handled it so cruelly.
Having ascended to Grand Duchess at a young age, her chosen method was rule by fear.
When she tried to persuade her ministers as a teenager, they dismissed her citing her age, so she subdued them with terror.
Of course, in the novel, it was just a common satisfying scene where villains die gruesomely...
But seeing it with my own eyes gave no refreshment.
Instead... it only brought deep disgust.
On top of that, Jin was someone I'd been fairly close to.
Seeing him end up like that was heartbreaking.
Idiot... he should've just apologized properly.
I don't know why Luna was so brutal to him, but if he'd begged earnestly...
Wouldn't the outcome have been different?
"Tch..."
I thought as I watched Jin desperately trying to save his burning hands and the elves staunching his bleeding.
Too cruel? Was that really necessary?
Since falling into this world, I'd seen far more gruesome scenes than in the modern world.
Like cutting off wrists for theft... or burning people for blasphemy against the gods...
I'd grown numb to such cruelties by modern standards, but Luna's actions just now made goosebumps rise on my arms.
Can I really have kids and live with a woman like that?
The same woman who was acting cute in my arms not long ago did that in less than an hour.
If we ever have a marital spat, I fear my head might roll.
Maybe... I should run away?
"Haa... what to do?"
I have no idea what face to make if Luna shows up tonight too.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A week had passed since arriving at the fortress.
I'd worried if Luna would visit every night, but aside from the first day, she didn't come.
Probably because of the fortress. Avoiding others' eyes to come to my room must be burdensome.
Indeed, when we occasionally crossed paths, she'd flash a playful smile at me.
And I learned what happened between Luna and Jin that day.
Reprimand and punishment for handing me over to the orcs.
The price felt far too harsh.
In the end, Jin, defeated by Luna, was being expelled from the Grand Duchy along with the elf women, I heard.
Later, I heard it was fortunate he survived.
In a duel trial, death was expected for his side, or so they said.
Wait... what's a duel trial?
Isn't a trial usually a judge's verdict? Why fight to the death?
Then super strong Luna could commit any crime and get acquitted via duel trial?
I was dumbfounded by the utterly bizarre logic.
A culture rivaling barbarians—I couldn't help but click my tongue, but to the people here, it was perfectly normal.
Is it just the North? Or do all people in this world do this?
Lying on the bed lost in thought...
-Knock knock.
A knock sounded.
"Yes? Who is it?"
-Secretary Aiden. The demi-human negotiation delegation has arrived.
Charles's voice from beyond the door.
Oh? The delegation's here?
I jumped from the bed and replied hurriedly.
"I'll be right out."
-Yes. Come straight to the reception room.
With that, the presence outside the door vanished, so I bundled up warmly and left the room.
Demi-human negotiation delegation... they came sooner than expected.
My plan here is simple.
Peace negotiations for Northern pioneering, and exclusive contracts for valuable goods equivalent to the orcs'.
From what Luna told me before, completely halting Northern pioneering isn't easy.
Since the Grand Duchy's founding purpose is Northern pioneering.
In exchange for the costly obligation, there are tax rights and various privileges, I heard.
So stopping it entirely is tough, but...
We can blindfold the baby and pretend, as they say.
Rubbing my hands in anticipation of a smooth negotiation, I headed to the reception room.