Chapter 5: There is a Pushover Here Who Surpasses You (1)
Chapter 5: There is a Pushover Here Who Surpasses You (1)
‘This is troublesome. Whom should I trust and base my judgment on?’
He wanted to believe his son, Patrick, but he also wanted to believe his knight, Brian.
That conflict of heart was preventing him from making a proper decision.
However.
‘There’s always a way. Do you think this is my first time dealing with a pushover?’
Patrick had already anticipated this situation.
If the scales are balanced so evenly that it’s hard to tell which way they’ll tip, what should one do?
The solution was simple.
You just have to add a weight to one side.
“Lawrence!”
“Did you call, Young Master?”
The one who appeared in response to Patrick’s call was an elderly gentleman with his gray hair neatly slicked back.
It was Lawrence Gerick.
The butler, who managed the Schneider estate, had been waiting outside the training ground for some time.
Patrick spoke.
“Show my father the materials we prepared.”
“Yes, sir.”
Lawrence then handed a thick stack of documents to Baron Schneider.
The Baron took the papers and began to read…
“Is… Is this true?”
“I investigated everything myself. These materials only contain facts for which the evidence is certain.”
“How can this be?”
Baron Schneider was devastated.
The documents he received contained detailed records of the amounts Brian had embezzled over the years and the methods he had used.
As long as the butler guaranteed the evidence, it was impossible to deny it any longer.
“Sir Erickson! What is the meaning of this?!”
Baron Schneider’s voice shook with rage at the stinging sense of betrayal.
No matter how good-natured the Baron was, anyone would be furious after being stabbed in the back like this.
“I… I trusted you! How could you…?”
Watching Baron Schneider tremble, Patrick let out a sigh.
‘Finally, his eyes are open.’
Seeing the Baron explode in anger after learning the truth, Patrick felt a sense of relief. Even the biggest pushover in the world would naturally get angry after being blindsided so thoroughly.
Now, Baron Schneider would punish Brian severely and wrap this up—
“I am sorry, My Lord!”
It was then.
Before anyone knew it, Brian had dropped to his knees and slammed his head against the ground, beginning to plead in a voice thick with desperation.
“I was blinded by greed and committed a terrible mistake. Please, forgive me! I will work to ensure nothing like this ever happens again!”
Brian moved his battered body to prostrate himself, begging for mercy.
The brazen man who had been claiming his innocence just moments ago was nowhere to be seen.
Patrick smirked at the sight of a man who had discarded not only his honor as a knight but even the minimum self-respect of a man.
‘Pathetic wretch. He should have at least stayed brazen until the end.’
He was third-rate as a knight and fifth-rate as a villain.
Who would accept an apology like that at this point? Unless someone was an absolute, total pushover, there was no way they would forgive him here.
“Do you truly repent for your wrongdoings?”
“Yes, of cour—Wait, what?”
Patrick was stunned.
Seizing the moment, Brian replied with teary eyes.
“Of course, My Lord! I will strive to make sure this never happens again.”
“Hmm…”
“Please, considering the service I have rendered to the territory all these years, I beg you to forgive my sins just this once.”
“Phew… Yes. Everyone is bound to make mistakes.”
Patrick finally clutched the back of his neck.
He grabbed his own hair with both hands and thought:
‘Master, are you watching? There is a pushover here who surpasses even you.’
And of all people, it had to be my father.
It was truly a tragic realization.
Leaving the lamenting Patrick aside, Baron Schneider spoke in what he intended to be a stern voice.
“Sir Erickson. I expect you to do better in the futu—”
“Fatheeeer!”
Patrick roared, cutting off Baron Schneider’s words.
He began to rant and rave.
“Does it make sense to forgive this man? He is a criminal who has been embezzling the territory’s budget for years!”
“But we cannot ignore the service he has provided in the past, can we?”
“Why can’t we? We just don’t!”
“……”
Patrick wore a face that sincerely said, ‘I don’t understand why you can’t do that.’
In response, Baron Schneider looked at his son with an expression that said, ‘What is wrong with this kid?’
The Baron let out a small sigh and asked.
“Then, what do you think should be done?”
“Is there anything else? We should just lop his head off.”
“Gasp!”
Brian, listening from the side, reflexively brought his hand to his neck.
He felt that this wicked demon was more than capable of actually cutting his head off.
“Isn’t that too harsh?”
“Then should I cut it only halfway instead of all the way?”
“If you cut a person’s neck halfway, can they still live?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the difference, you brat?!”
“Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Patrick scratched his head and looked at Brian.
‘It would be cleaner to just kill him, but I guess it can’t be helped.’
Regardless, the Lord was his father. He had to respect his father’s opinion here.
Patrick looked at Brian and asked.
“Let me ask you one thing, Brian.”
“Yes, please speak, Young Master.”
“Do you want to live?”
“Yes!”
Brian nodded his head frantically. He was currently burning with a desperate obsession for life.
“Hmm, so you want to live?”
“Please, please, just spare my life.”
“Right. That’s a good attitude. A person shouldn't let go of the thread of life so easily. You have to cling to it.”
“That is correct.”
“If I spare you, you’ll accept whatever punishment I give you, right? Isn’t that so?”
“Yes, tha—”
Seeing Brian hesitate, Patrick spoke up.
“What? No? Did I misunderstand?”
“It’s not a misunderstanding, it’s just… that is…”
“Wow, was our Brian someone who valued honor and pride more than his life?”
“That’s…”
“You should have said so sooner. Come on, stretch your neck out. Be a good boy. I’ll make sure it hurts when I cut it.”
Usually, wouldn't someone say they’d cut it without it hurting?
Regardless, Brian snapped to his senses.
This kid would do it. He was the type who would definitely follow through.
“No! I want to live! I absolutely want to live!”
“Really?”
“Yes, really!”
“Tsk, then I guess it can’t be helped.”
Patrick looked at Brian with pathetic eyes before turning to Baron Schneider.
“Father, would you leave the punishment of the criminal to me?”
“To you?”
“Yes. Didn't I perform a great service for the territory through this incident? Right?”
“That is true.”
It felt a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn't wrong.
Once his father acknowledged his contribution, Patrick continued.
“So, as a reward for that service, please leave the criminal’s punishment to me.”
Commonly speaking, this made no sense. Wasn't punishing a criminal the unique authority of the Lord who managed the territory?
Entrusting that to a child who was only ten years old was normally unthinkable. However…
“My son.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You won’t actually kill him, right?”
“Of course not.”
“You won’t do something like cutting a part of him off to make him disabled, right?”
“I’ll try my best not to.”
“…Alright. Then I shall trust you and leave it to you this once.”
“Yes. Thank you, Father.”
As expected, a pushover who surpassed his master from his previous life.
He was truly a man who loved to trust people. However, there was something he didn't know…
‘Hehehe. Right. Now that I think about it, just killing him would be a waste. I have to squeeze every bit of value out of him to make up for what he embezzled. If I use that, it should be more than possible.’
Sometimes, it might actually be better to just die.
Truly.
* * *
A few days later.
Patrick appeared before Brian, who was locked in the dungeon.
“Yo, how’ve you been?”
“You’ve come, Young Master?”
Brian bowed deeply at the waist toward Patrick.
“Yeah. Prison life is manageable, right? Your face looks much better.”
“Haha… It is all thanks to your consideration, Young Master.”
“You’re laughing?”
“……”
“Tsk, tsk. This is why they say you shouldn't take in black-haired beasts. Now that you’ve got a bit of room to breathe, you’re showing your teeth already.”
Internally, Brian wanted to say that his hair was actually brown, but he wasn't so dense as to open his mouth here.
Patrick spoke to Brian.
“I came today because your punishment has been decided.”
“……”
“Ahem. First, regarding the damages. It has been estimated that the total amount you embezzled over the years exceeds 50 gold.”
“That’s not true! It’s absolutely not that much!”
Brian jumped up and denied it.
“What? It’s not?”
“That is correct! In this remote, impoverished territory, how could I possibly take such a staggering amount… Gack!”
Patrick’s fist sent Brian’s jaw spinning.
He then proceeded to ruthlessly trample the fallen Brian, saying:
“Is this bastard crazy? Remote? Impoveeeerished! Are you insulting our territory right now? Huh?!”
“Agh! Sor—Cough… Not there, that’s a vital spot… Aaaaagh!”
After giving Brian a thorough thrashing, Patrick cracked his neck from side to side and spoke.
“Let’s get this straight, okay?”
“Yes… I am sorry.”
Then Brian spoke as if he were truly being wronged.
“But Young Master, it really isn't that much. I swear to God…”
“It’s not?”
“……”
“You say it’s not?”
“……”
“So I’m wrong? Is that it?”
Every time he spoke, a thick madness began to swirl in Patrick’s eyes.
So I’m wrong and you’re right? Are those your last words?
The moment Brian saw that look, which was filled with such meaning, he realized.
‘Ah, I’m screwed.’
Even if it were 5,000 gold instead of 50, the atmosphere dictated that he just say, “Yes, that is correct.”
That is, if he didn't want to die.
“It… it seems to be about 50 gold.”
“Right. Exactly.”
“……”
A bright smile returned to Patrick’s face, and Brian hung his head gloomily.
“Ahem. Anyway, if a person steals money, they have to pay it back.”
“Are you telling me to pay it back?”
“Yes. You will be demoted to a low-ranking soldier, and from your salary, you must pay back five times the amount you embezzled.”
“Fi… Five times?!”
“Yeah. Why? Is it too little?”
“Yo—Young Master. To pay back 250 gold, even if I save every single penny without spending anything, it would take more than twenty years’ worth of salary.”
“What are you talking about? Twenty years? What kind of math gives you that number?”
“Since my monthly salary is 1 gold, 250 gold would be…”
“No, no. 1 gold was your salary when you were a knight. I told you, you’re being demoted to a low-ranking soldier.”
“……”
“And not just any soldier, but the lowest of the low. Your salary will now be 10 silver a month. If we subtract the minimum expenses for your food and lodging and this and that…”
Patrick thought for a moment before smiling brightly.
“I think it’ll take roughly 444 years?”
“……”
Brian’s mouth fell wide open.
He looked at Patrick and stammered.
“Do you… do you really think I would accept such an absurd condition?”
“Why? You don’t like it?”
“Of course—”
Boom!
In an instant, Patrick’s fist smashed into the thick stone wall of the cell.
His fist sank into the wall, and stone dust showered down onto Brian’s shoulders.
Patrick spoke.
“Then just drop dead.”
“……”
“What’s it gonna be?”
Tears began to stream down Brian’s face.