Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: A Hawk is the Best Medicine (3)
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"No way."
After replying slowly, I beckoned to Blackstar, who was still glaring at Philip.
"Come here."
"Purrung."
Blackstar immediately turned and approached me. Then it rubbed its head affectionately against me.
"Purrung, purrung."
It was an incredibly docile gesture, as if it had never growled at a human.
"Th-that thing..."
Philip was aghast at the fact that this ferocious monster obeyed me. I flashed him a relaxed smile.
"Riding this guy got me to the capital in no time. Thanks to him, Yonas had quite the ordeal."
"-!"
Philip's mouth fell open. He had caught the implication in my tone.
"H-Have you met Sir Yonas, by any chance?"
"At the palace entrance. I couldn't get inside, though."
"Th-then, Young Master, did you attend the Noble Conference in his place?"
"Yeah. Without missing a single day."
As my smooth reply continued, Philip squeezed his eyes shut.
"Oh, dear God..."
It seemed the suspicion he harbored had turned out to be true, hitting him hard.
"How am I to report this to the Lord..."
"Now's not the time to worry about that."
Leaning against Blackstar, I slowly stroked its mane.
"Don't you get what it means that I'm here right now?"
Philip couldn't reply right away and just blinked dumbly. His face showed everything happening at once was too much to process.
"Now that I think about it, Young Master, why on earth are you here...?"
Philip began to stammer out a response.
"You're not here to rescue me, are you...?"
"Obviously not. How would I know you were here to come save you?"
I chuckled and added,
"I was the surprised one. Didn't expect to find you here."
Only then did Philip seem to understand, his face turning blank with shock.
"No way..."
"Yeah. For that reason we both know about."
Fear washed over Philip's face. He finally realized the source of the languid smile playing on my lips.
"Then the screams we heard from outside were all...?"
"Yeah."
I replied while slowly stroking down Blackstar's mane.
"I killed them all."
"All those bandits?"
"Yeah, their leader included."
Philip's trembling eyes fixed on my arm.
"Your arm has healed completely. Well, that explains how you rode this thing..."
"What are you talking about? My arm healed ages ago."
Of course, in this world, a broken arm healing in 1-2 weeks was impossible. But that didn't apply to me.
"How did you take down so many all by yourself...?"
"Still don't believe me? Want to test it?"
I gave him a bright smile, and Philip clamped his mouth shut like a clam. He mulled over my words.
He knew better than anyone that I wasn't lying—and had no reason to.
"Oh my God..."
Philip staggered, then collapsed to the floor as if his knees had given out.
"Young Master, what on earth have you done...?"
Intense fear and dread crept across his face.
"Why so surprised?"
I snapped my fingers and spoke nonchalantly.
"Whether it's buying slaves to kill or killing bandits, killing humans is killing humans."
"But this is..."
"Oh, sure, this isn't Ovest Territory. But who cares?"
A cruel giggle scattered like a chill wind blowing into the prison.
"No one will know who did it."
"Ah, that explains..."
Philip knelt on the floor, trembling all over.
"Why nothing happened on the way here..."
He muttered in a dazed voice.
"Is this how you've been relieving your urges? What do you plan to do from now on...?"
The fact that this wastrel, who used to cause trouble only within the territory, was now committing murders outside—even near the capital—had plunged Philip into despair.
"You can't kill everyone every time. And wandering around committing massacres like this..."
"That's not your concern."
I approached the bars and held something out through the gap. Philip's eyes widened upon recognizing the letter in my hand.
"Th-this!"
"Yeah, the letter you carried so preciously."
Seeing my cold expression, Philip guessed I had already read it. He closed his eyes in despair.
"Young Master, this..."
"Ah, no excuses."
I smirked and tore the letter to shreds.
"I expected Father to act like that. But,"
Clink.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a money pouch.
"This, I didn't see coming."
"Th-that!"
Philip's eyes bulged at the sight of the pouch. He approached me with a joyful face.
"Did the boss still have it?"
"Yeah, he did."
"Thank goodness! With that, I can..."
"Yeah, give it to your daughter, right?"
I cut him off, and Philip's face stiffened.
"Wh-what? That's just travel money..."
"Too much for travel money. Do you and the coachman really need this much for a trip?"
I jingled the pouch as I continued.
"From what I know, Ovest Territory's finances aren't great right now."
"......"
"And with me gone, there must be holes in the operations."
My words hit home, and Philip's face grew rigid, every muscle frozen.
"And this much money? Hmm."
"Y-Young Master, it's just that..."
"Still can't kick the habit, huh, Philip?"
Philip gulped repeatedly, staring desperately at my face.
"Y-Young Master."
His voice was utterly desperate.
"Yeah, I bet. With me gone, how easy it must've been to dip in again. Right?"
"I-I, well..."
Philip tried to stammer something but clamped his mouth shut. Even with ten or a hundred mouths, he'd have nothing to say.
'Tsk tsk.'
I looked down at his balding head with pitiful eyes.
'No improvement.'
Even after getting caught by Abel before and suffering for it, doing the same thing again. Of course, he thought he wouldn't get caught this time.
'On the way to the capital, planning to give his daughter some pocket money.'
I accurately grasped Philip's intent from the partial situation.
'Is this fatherly love?'
They say even a hedgehog's young look cute to it—watching this pathetic man care for his child left a bitter taste.
I reached through the bars and grabbed Philip's collar.
"Y-Yo-Young Master!"
Philip squeezed his eyes shut and clasped his hands.
"P-Please spare me! Just my life, please!"
"Who said anything about killing you?"
I yanked Philip out of the cell and tossed him onto Blackstar.
"H-Hiiiik!"
"Stay still."
I gave the short command, then hopped onto Blackstar.
"If you don't want to fall."
"Wh-what..."
Philip couldn't finish.
"Alright, let's go!"
I shouted energetically, and Blackstar took off.
"Kwaaaaaack!"
Philip's pitiful scream echoed through the prison. He flailed like a fish in a net, but as soon as we exited, he fell silent.
"......"
Philip stared at the bandit camp turned into a slaughterhouse with terrified eyes. Realizing it was all my doing, he grew eerily quiet.
Those who value their lives switch attitudes quickly.
Thud thud thud thud!
Blackstar retraced its path swiftly. But this time, it veered off the forest road onto the main avenue.
After running for a good while.
"Uweeeck!"
As soon as I dismounted him, Philip vomited repeatedly. Since he hadn't eaten much, only yellow bile came up.
Being carried like luggage must've been rough. Blackstar was awfully fast, too.
I left him be and spoke to Blackstar.
"I'll call you again next time. Stay well."
"Purrung."
"Don't eat anything weird next time I call, and come running."
"P-Purrung."
Blackstar rolled its eyes.
"No humans."
"Purrung!"
Blackstar neighed vigorously and departed. Watching its plump rear, I thought of the nearby bandits' fates.
'Maybe hit them next?'
Of course, planning to use the situation to my advantage.
"Y-Young Master..."
Philip finally stood and approached me.
"Why are we here?"
We had stopped before the capital's walls, where the gate was visible.
"Why do you think?"
I fished out Philip's ID from my pocket and tossed it to him.
"You know Yonas, right?"
"...Of course."
Philip's face looked uncomfortable as he replied. Recalling the incense I made him leave per my orders probably came with thoughts of Yonas.
"He's in the capital. Find him and bring him to me."
"Y-Yes? Sir Yonas?"
"Deadline is after tomorrow's conference. Wait for me at the palace entrance if you find him."
Philip listened with his mouth agape, then stammered,
"What if I can't find him...?"
"Don't show your face before me until you do."
My curt words slumped his shoulders.
"I-I understand. But in this vast capital, how am I supposed to..."
"Not my problem."
I tossed him a silver coin and turned. I started walking toward the brightly lit gate in the darkness.
"Don't be standing there looking like that tomorrow. It's embarrassing."
❖ ❖ ❖
The next day.
"Young Lord Abel."
As soon as I entered the conference hall, Mikel approached me directly. He scanned my complexion with a worried look.
"Are you alright?"
His gaze brushed over my neck, wrapped tightly in a scarf.
"Did the treatment go well?"
"Of course."
I smiled brightly and waved it off.
"It was just a minor wound, so no need to worry."
I meant it—no need to worry at all, to begin with.
I swallowed the retort I couldn't voice aloud and stared at Mikel.
"This is unfortunate."
Mikel drooped his white eyebrows.
"I wonder if Diego will get angry. Scratching his precious son's body like that."
"Father won't be angry."
It had already healed completely. Besides, Diego wasn't the type to fret over a scratch on Abel's neck.
"I see. Well, that makes sense."
Mikel smiled faintly.
He seemed to think the wound would heal by the time I returned to the territory, so no issue. Of course, it was a misunderstanding.
"Thanks to you, it was a valuable time. Thank you again."
I smiled lightly and changed the subject. Mikel gazed at me with an odd look.
"Was it truly valuable?"
"Of course. A time I'll never forget."
All of Mikel's attacks were etched perfectly in my mind. I couldn't stop smiling at the thought of soon practicing Nod Swordsmanship and making it my own.
"I'm glad, then."
An enigmatic smile played at Mikel's eyes. As we conversed, the nobles glanced at us furtively.
'Something's off.'
I had braced for negative reactions after admitting defeat yesterday and leaving without even a goodbye.
I expected whispers like, 'He challenged first but tucked tail at a little scratch.'
'Not that reputation matters much anyway.'
Yet the nobles' gazes were far more favorable than expected—admiration, curiosity, interest, and more.
'What did Mikel say?'