The Sword Empress's Changing Gaze
Shit, what the hell? That bastard’s expression!
Even Alfonso himself thought it was the perfect moment to cut ties. After Veil had already admitted that he had indeed fought the Ragnarok tribe, and after the word “purged” came up, Alfonso had believed his tail-cutting maneuver would be flawless. Geum Taeyang might be clever, but in the end Alfonso was certain of his own complete victory.
Yet the moment Geum Taeyang clapped once and ordered Camilla to fetch something, the look on his face sent a chill down Alfonso’s spine. The man possessed an almost animalistic instinct for survival.
“I’ve brought it, Lord Geum Taeyang.”
“Thank you, High Advisor.”
Camilla presented a luxuriously decorated box. Geum Taeyang took it, then pulled something out—shhhk-shhhk-shhhk-shhhk!
“Do you remember what this is, Duke Alfonso?”
He held up a rolled parchment for Alfonso to see.
!!!!???????
Alfonso’s face twisted in shock.
“What is that supposed to be?”
“A contract… It looks like a contract.”
It was indeed a contract scroll.
“Correct. This is the directive contract Duke Alfonso wrote fourteen years ago when he mobilized the Black Wolf Bandits and handed it to their leader.”
Such a large-scale operation would never have been handled by word of mouth alone. A detailed contract existed, one that even outlined how the reward would change depending on how thoroughly the job was completed.
“This seal here belongs to the head of House Granada, does it not?”
“That’s the head’s seal!”
“It’s the exact way Duke Alfonso stamps it—slightly off-center on purpose!”
Geum Taeyang pointed to the clearly imprinted seal of the Granada head. At the sight of that unmistakable mark, the noble jurors and spectators cried out that it was definitely Alfonso’s seal.
“Th-that’s—!!”
He had to deny it somehow. The crowd was already buying it. If things continued like this, he was screwed.
Shhhk-shhhk-shhhk-shhhk-shhhk!
“You might claim this contract is forged, so allow me to show you this as well.”
Geum Taeyang unfurled a second scroll.
“House Granada conducts both the craft and silk trades, so they use a special silk for the contracts they keep. Here—identical content, identical seal, stamped on that very special silk.”
Each side had written one copy of the contract. The first belonged to the Black Wolf Bandits; the one now revealed belonged to Alfonso. Anticipating trouble, Alfonso had prepared his own copy in a special manner—and that very precaution had now become his undoing.
“No! Where did you get that?!”
It was as if a ghost had wailed. Why did Geum Taeyang possess it?
Realizing his blunder too late, Alfonso had already made a fatal slip.
“I found it on the street.”
Geum Taeyang grinned like a man celebrating victory.
Good job, Tia. Once the trial ends, I’ll make you climax twice.
He glanced toward the defendant’s seat where Tia sat.
The first scroll had been obtained by Veil, who had become close with the Black Wolf Bandits’ leader after the incident fourteen years ago. The second scroll had naturally been stored in House Granada’s secret vault; Geum Taeyang had known its location from his World Conquest Record playthrough information. He hadn’t revealed the source directly, instead making it seem as though he had deduced it from the testimonies of the bandit leader and Veil. Then he had given that information to the top-tier assassin Tia and had her steal it.
This is truly astonishing. I never imagined such a scene.
With so many shocking facts pouring out, the courtroom burned hot as the first trial came to a close. Geum Taeyang left with High Advisor Camilla through the defense counsel’s door. Sword Empress Marianne, watching him go, could not tear her eyes away.
I thought he wouldn’t be able to do much, so I only granted him the bare minimum convenience… but at this rate, the verdict Lord Geum Taeyang wants is highly likely to come through.
Though she was the head of the Noble Alliance, Marianne had granted Geum Taeyang many of his requests. It had started with genuine impression during their first meeting—letting him handle Narsha and preventing public humiliation—but afterward it was for a different reason. She had believed Geum Taeyang would be utterly humiliated and defeated in court. In other words, she had been generously feeding a man whose loss was already decided. Yet somehow, Geum Taeyang was turning the trial around.
“Indeed. It is only natural. For such a man to continue standing in court as a prosecutor is an insult to the justice of the Grace Kingdom’s laws.”
After the trial ended, Geum Taeyang returned to his lodging at the Jasmine ducal mansion. He sat at a splendid desk and spoke through a mana-stone communicator.
[The royal family seems quite interested in the trial as well. I believe I must enter the palace today to answer His Highness Constantine’s questions.]
It was High Advisor Camilla Jasmine.
The moment the trial concluded, Geum Taeyang had submitted a request to recuse the prosecutor, which was accepted. From the next trial onward, the prosecutor would change. Thus the second trial was scheduled for three days later. Timing it perfectly, King Luvendtner Jasmine of the Grace Kingdom—Nadia Jasmine’s father—had summoned his niece Camilla Jasmine.
[After hearing the general details, His Highness did not show displeasure. Instead, he expressed great interest in your performance, Lord Geum Taeyang.]
“Haha! Is that so? Please tell His Highness exactly as it happened. Trying to embellish things for the moment only leads to the same kind of situation we saw today when the truth eventually comes out.”
Originally, upon entering the Grace Kingdom, Geum Taeyang had planned to visit the palace and meet King Luvendtner immediately. However, becoming the defense counsel had changed his schedule; meeting the king before the trial might have been perceived as external pressure on the judges and jurors. If Geum Taeyang had been utterly crushed in court, any subsequent meeting with Luvendtner would have become uncertain. Instead, his spectacular performance had made him the center of attention.
Kuh… This man… How much more amazing can I become…?
After ending the mana-stone communication with Camilla, Geum Taeyang shuddered like a pervert. He had accomplished quite a lot already, but this achievement felt special. He had relied far less on his overpowered traits and instead played as though he were back in the days of World Conquest Record. The dopamine rush was exquisite.
Knock knock knock.
While he was still basking in that perverted thrill, someone knocked on the door of his temporary office.
Tap tap tap.
“Come in!”
Geum Taeyang quickly straightened his posture, pretending to study documents, and answered in a dignified voice. Why did this man always speak so casually?
Camilla was not currently in the mansion. The other Jasmine servants never came directly to Geum Taeyang’s room. That left only one possibility: one of Geum Taeyang’s four slaves.
“I’ve brought refreshments, Master.”
As expected, it was one of the four—Ivy Viola, the daughter of Cassandra Viola, who had been sitting right behind Camilla in the defendant’s seat earlier.
“Good. I was just feeling a bit hungry after reading so many documents. Set it down and leave, Ivy.”
Despite having just enjoyed an orgasmic thrill moments ago, Geum Taeyang struck a workaholic-master pose.
“What? Do you have something to say to me, Ivy?”
According to Geum Taeyang’s second command, his slaves must be naked whenever they were alone with him indoors. Naked Ivy placed the refreshments on his desk, then stepped back a little and simply watched her master at work instead of leaving.
Geum Taeyang, pretending to read documents, was well aware of her gaze. After savoring it for a moment, he looked up at her with sharp eyes and opened his mouth.
“W-well, that is…”
Ivy truly did have something to say. She hesitated.
“What a thoughtless slave. Can’t you see how busy your master is? I’m even working hard to save your own tribe. Yet here you are wasting my time.”
Geum Taeyang scolded, ignored, and gaslit Ivy thoroughly.
“I just… wanted to say thank you, Master…”
Normally, Ivy would have been intimidated by such treatment and left after a quick bow. But not this time. After today’s trial, she genuinely wanted to convey her gratitude to Geum Taeyang from the bottom of her heart.
“How foolish. The trial isn’t over yet. The next prosecutor replacing Alfonso might be competent enough to turn things around. And you’re already saying such things?”
Geum Taeyang found fault with everything and threw Ivy aside.
Shit, she’s basically saying thank you for revealing the truth and standing up for us today, isn’t she? Why the hell is this twisted bastard acting like this?
Haaaah… I’m going crazy…! It hurts so much I feel like crying, yet I’m being pulled in even deeper…
Because Ivy’s subconscious, already thoroughly tamed by the bad man Geum Taeyang, desired exactly this.
But… it still hurts…
Yet Ivy felt a deep sense of disappointment. Her eyes grew moist.
“Go back, wash your face, and get some sleep. Don’t disturb my work any further.”
Geum Taeyang deliberately ignored her teary eyes and delivered an utterly crude evening greeting.
“Do you… dislike me that much…?”
Plop, plop, plop…
Tears finally streamed down Ivy’s cheeks.
“Am I really that hateful… and worthless in your eyes, Master…?”
The bad man Geum Taeyang’s demeanor was truly addictive in its charm. Yet Ivy felt as though Geum Taeyang hated her.
“Of course I know you have every reason to dislike me… But you eventually love the others… Yet I can’t receive your love… It’s presumptuous of me, but it feels so miserable and heartbreaking… Hic…!”
After all, they had once been enemies. So even while feeling hurt, Ivy had kept waiting. Today, seeing Geum Taeyang defend the Ragnarok tribe, she had thought perhaps there was room for her in his embrace after all. Yet being cast aside again filled her with despair.
“How absurd.”
Tap.
Geum Taeyang pressed his fingers to his brow, set the documents down on the desk with his other hand, and spoke.
“I’ll ask you, Ivy. What kind of person is your master, Geum Taeyang?”
Slide…
He stood up.
Step, step.
“He seems cold, but he’s actually kind… smart, and overflowing with ability…”
Geum Taeyang approached Ivy. Intimidated, she answered his question.
“That is exactly why you are not acknowledged, Ivy.”
Thud.
Geum Taeyang stopped in front of her with a solemn expression.
“Listen carefully, Ivy! Your master, this Geum Taeyang, is—”
Thud!
“Hnnngh!”
He grabbed her crotch.
“—a pervert, Ivy.”
Yes, Geum Taeyang was a pervert.
“All the other bitches have already acknowledged me as a pervert, yet you refuse to see me that way. Do you really think it’s right for me to mix bodies with such a boring bitch?”
Squeeze… squeeze… squeeze…
Simply being pretty with a good figure no longer satisfied Geum Taeyang’s dopamine. Only when he conquered a female who felt revulsion toward his perversion did he experience that perverted sense of conquest. Yet Ivy did not flinch at his perversion. As he explained this, he continued kneading her crotch.
“Shit, bitch. Are you looking down on me? Are you saying my perversion isn’t enough? Can’t you feel this perversion, Ivy?”
Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Squelch! Squelch! Squelch! Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop!
Geum Taeyang suddenly exploded, relentlessly pounding Ivy’s crotch. The more he spoke, the angrier he became. Everyone else was overwhelmed by his perversion and played along, yet with Ivy it felt like she was merely throwing a childish tantrum. Geum Taeyang was thoroughly irritated.
That’s because I’ve already been completely dominated by you, Master… You’ve tamed me far too perfectly…
Even as Ivy’s crotch was mercilessly violated, she could not resist the way the other females did. Complete domestication—that was Ivy’s current state.
“I’m taking myself to the next level, Ivy. Right. I had forgotten for a moment. A harem male must not discriminate against any pretty female. I should be the one adjusting to you.”
Having properly vented his frustration, Geum Taeyang’s mind cleared. He would now perform a custom-made perverted act tailored specifically for Ivy.
And so Geum Taeyang headed to the special management facility where Ivy’s mother, Cassandra, was being held.
“Hehe…! Ivy’s mother… You’re still awake, as expected?”