Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Reason for Returning
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The soldiers outside the main gate still held their swords at the ready, waiting for orders from within.
The atmosphere between the two opposing forces was stark. On one side, those barely standing on trembling hands and feet, and on the other, the Cheonryeo tribesmen leisurely chewing Gurut Leaves as they waited.
Creak.
Soon, the gate opened. They parted to either side, allowing the strangers entry.
“Ian and the clan leader only!”
“Enter?”
“Damn, that sounds good.”
“…….”
The soldier belonged to the Bariel Central Army, while these were frontier barbarians. It was a natural attitude and tone, but one warrior openly mocked and provoked them.
The other warriors snickered in agreement, creating a coercive, rough atmosphere. But this time, even Ian didn’t stop them.
“Let the escorts in.”
“That won’t do.”
“Are you the captain or the commander?”
“…The orders have already come from above.”
“You’d better ask again. Your lord’s mind might change. Just as ours could.”
At Ian’s calm words, the soldier’s face paled. He had no will to resist, but this approach meant anything could happen.
The Central Army had already suffered significant losses in the battle with Derga, so they had to avoid further armed clashes at all costs.
Moreover, the opponents were the belligerent barbarians threatening Bratz—the Cheonryeo. Who knew what the future held, but flattening this mansion right now would be simple enough.
Ian turned to Kakantir and suggested.
“Kakan. Lord Nersarn, Su, and me. The four of us should go in.”
“Me too! Ian, I’m here! Berik’s right here?”
“Yeah. As you wish.”
“Now, go ask again.”
“Iaaan! Are you deaf?”
Berik clung like a piece of luggage, wriggling to be taken along, but he was still left out.
Under Ian’s pressure, the soldier went back inside and soon returned with satisfactory news.
“Enter.”
“We’ll be back. Everyone wait here.”
“Yes. Kakan!”
Creak.
The main gate slowly closed. The Bratz mansion, returned to after a couple of months, was vastly different from his memories. The serene, fresh energy was gone, replaced by the heavy air of defeat.
The annex visible in the distance was charred black, as if burned to the ground. Ian stared at the unidentified objects piled beside it. What on earth were those…?
“Are you Ian Bratz?”
At that moment, a woman emerged from the main building, escorted by her subordinates.
Judging by her attire, she was the investigation captain. Her pink hair tied back in one ponytail, bandages wrapped around various parts of her body. It seemed there had been fierce fighting inside the mansion too. She smiled with a cigarette in her mouth.
“Ah. Since you’re not registered, I suppose I should just call you Ian. I heard about you from Lord Molin. I’m the captain, Erika.”
“Are you Lord Molin’s subordinate?”
“Subordinate? Well, if we’re splitting hairs, you could say that. Come on in. It’s humble, but better than the dirt outside, right?”
Erika led the way as if the mansion were her own. Watching her back, Ian could guess she was the next lord handpicked by Molin.
The position of investigation captain aside, handling things directly here made the next lordship a fitting reward.
“What happened?”
Arriving at the reception room, Ian first played it cool to gauge her. The inside of the mansion reeked of blood that hadn’t fully dissipated.
“As you can see, there was some bloodshed, but the cleanup’s almost done. We’ve confirmed the tax evasion charges and found the evidence. Now we just need to cut off Derga’s limbs.”
Ian twitched an eyebrow. Most executions of traitors were by hanging. Death by blade was an honor for nobles, so ropes were usually used. Dangling in the air, kicking futilely—it was a humiliation rarely seen by the public.
Erika cackled as if joking. From the main gate to the reception room, she hadn’t spared Kakantir a single glance. Arrogantly.
“Well, it’s just a figure of speech. He’s got knights and a captain with him. Deora, was it? Pretty skilled. He’s been dodging us while using all sorts of underlings as limbs, so of course we have to chop them off.”
Whoosh. Erika blew cigarette smoke into Ian’s face. Only then did she glance at Kakantir, asking with a puzzled expression.
“So, what brings you all the way here? I heard you’ve got a grudge against Derga. Curious about the execution, huh?”
This place wasn’t safe with Ian here. With House Bratz on the verge of extinction, even unregistered, everyone knew Derga’s blood ran through his veins.
“Or are you waiting for Lord Molin’s letter?”
Just the fact that he’d tipped off Lord Molin was enough for this friendly treatment. It was the generosity of those who held the upper hand.
Erika smacked her lips.
“What do you want? I don’t have any specific orders.”
“I’d love to hear how Lord Molin’s doing, but I have other business.”
“Hm? Is that so?”
Erika seemed unimpressed. What business could a bastard sold to the Great Desert as a slave possibly have?
“Bratz is my hometown. When I heard trouble had broken out, I lost sleep worrying. The Cheonryeo tribe, allied with Bratz, felt the same. That’s why we came together.”
Erika glanced at Kakantir. She tilted her chin slightly and just smiled. She hadn’t yet grasped the intent behind Ian’s words.
“Aren’t the barbarians on bad terms with Bratz?”
At her words, Ian let out a short, mocking laugh. A clear sneer of disdain. Erika’s face hardened as she stubbed out her cigarette on the table, and her subordinates behind her gripped their sword hilts.
“House Bratz and the Cheonryeo tribe have long maintained friendly exchanges. A bond beyond brothers.”
“Brothers? Ha. Dog-eat-dog bullshit. Everyone in the central administration knows Bratz and Cheonryeo can’t stand each other. Aren’t you the proof? A lowly body sold alive to the Great Desert.”
“Impressive rhetoric. Unexpected. Do they even pick commoners as investigation captains these days?”
“What!?”
Ian’s calm words made Erika shriek. It was as good as calling her crude speech lowborn.
Kakan chuckled in agreement with Ian.
“Listen here, Captain.”
“Listen here, Captain?”
“I am the heart of the Great Desert. Stop spewing vulgarity and hurry up with Derga’s execution for tax evasion if you’ve confirmed it, then get out. We’ll handle Bratz territory’s aftermath.”
“Have they lost their minds? What the hell are they saying!?”
“Lady Erika! No need to hear more!”
Clang! Shing!
Erika’s subordinates drew their swords. Kakantir, Nersarn, and Su just stared blankly. Unlike the agitated men, they exuded calm.
“You beast-blooded bastards think you can act up here!?”
Swoosh!
One nearby man lunged at Kakantir, swinging his sword. Kakantir casually caught his wrist barehanded, then began applying pressure with a blank expression.
“Huh…?”
Crack.
“Arghhh!”
With one hand, he twisted the man’s wrist. Not stopping there, Kakantir grabbed his hair and slammed his head into the table. The cigarette ash Erika had left smeared across the man’s face.
Thud! Thump! Bang!
Once, twice, three times.
Each brutal smash burst blood, soon soaking the carpet beneath the table. Erika, who had stumbled back, screamed shrilly.
“Y-You mad? I’m the emperor’s envoy! This is an insult to the palace!”
“Insult? Watch your words. Surviving my hand is an honor and mercy in itself.”
It wasn’t wrong. To rise to clan leader, Kakan had never lost once, and all his opponents met death.
Erika looked ready to flip out. She glared at Ian and warned.
“…Want to lose your head with your father? Everyone knows Derga’s blood flows in you! Kill you, and no one will hold me accountable!”
“As you said, I carry Derga’s blood, but I’m not House Bratz.”
“Try spouting that in the palace! See if your tricks work!”
“Well, ending up as a palace slave is common enough, but you need to read the situation carefully. Above all, I’m the only ‘imperial’ who interacts with the border Cheonryeo tribe.”
This was the frontier, a fortnight’s ride from the palace.
No matter who became the next lord, defending Variel’s borders from external forces was a lord’s duty. In this urgent situation, who had the Cheonryeo at their back?
Ian lifted his chin slightly, as if to say, take a good look.
“Moreover, due to the peace treaty, my affiliation is with the Cheonryeo of the Great Desert, not Bratz of Variel. Ah, better lower your swords. For your own safety.”
They could easily overpower dozens. Their builds alone were imposing. At Kakantir’s casual gesture, Erika’s subordinate had fainted. Armed, who knew what bloodstorm they’d unleash?
“And above all, Captain Erika’s mission is investigating and punishing Derga’s tax evasion, not cleaning up Bratz territory. Finishing your job and leaving—is that so unpleasant?”
“I came to catch Derga!”
“You turned the territory into a wasteland. Overkill. You just needed Derga’s blood, but now it’s filled with the territory folk’s screams.”
“You’re the overkill! Face your place!”
Derga’s blood, a commoner, a Great Desert sacrifice—a pathetic existence. Once the count’s formal trial opened, Ian’s enslavement was a given. Derga had to pay back the embezzled taxes somehow.
“I know my place well.”
At Ian’s words, Kakantir pulled a letter from his inner pocket and tossed it onto the blood-smeared table.
“This is the stance of our ally, the Cheonryeo. Derga’s situation is an internal imperial matter, but we’re allied with Bratz regardless. We desire Bratz’s peace more than anyone.”
“Ha! Shameless.”
“You’d better be polite. Who’d regret your death here most? You.”
A simple but certain warning. Erika bit her lip hard and gripped her sword again. Then she realized the Cheonryeo hadn’t even drawn weapons yet. Bare hands were enough for them.
“By alliance oath, we should back Derga. But he’s a criminal, and Bratz is a piece of Variel. So we wish to aid you…”
Kakantir glanced at Ian.
Everything was as prearranged.
“We deem Ian the suitable link between you and us, so we’d like all Bratz authority delegated to him. What do you think?”
“…Did I hear wrong? Sounded like he’s saying he wants to be lord.”
Ian and the Cheonryeo said nothing, just staring at Erika. She felt speechless with absurdity. But as if it were too early for that, Ian smiled brightly.