Domination (2)
Domination (2)
Recently, the lord’s castle had become nothing but chaotic.
Far too many changes had come suddenly.
Betra, who used to torment the palace girls, had disappeared, and the baron, as if frightened by something, hid inside his room without leaving.
The treasurer had not been seen for some time.
And the knight’s behavior was strange as well.
He, who had been so talkative, had not uttered a single word these days. He simply roamed the castle, stiff like a wax doll.
He looked just like a puppet soldier.
As those who held power shrank back, the servants naturally found it easier to breathe.
They could gather in the kitchen to chat without being yelled at.
The maids each made a comment as they looked at the young palace girl.
“Rowen, there aren’t many days left to see your face now. It’s a bit sad.”
“Sad? It’s something to celebrate, really. They’re sending you home.”
“That’s right. Unlike us, Rowen was taken away. You must miss your parents a lot, right?”
Rowen smiled brightly as she spoke.
“Yes, when I return, I’ll learn how to weave to help my mother. And one day, I want to get married.”
“Good. Do everything you want to do and live well. Just don’t forget us.”
“Of course. How well you all treated me here. I’ll write letters often.”
“And one more thing. Be sure to thank the elder young master for us.”
If it had not been for Johan, the palace girls would have withered under abuse. They would have been ruined and spent their youth rotting in brothels or dens of prostitution.
Now, their future has changed. To them, Johan was nothing short of a savior.
Rowen spoke with a subdued expression.
“Every time I try to visit him, he’s always busy, so it’s hard to find a chance. But I’ve been praying steadily.”
She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.
“Great Saint Marziel. Please bless Young Master Johan.”
As she finished her prayer, a calm voice was heard.
“There’s no need to pray for me.”
Everyone gathered in the kitchen bowed their heads.
Rowen smiled brightly.
“Elder young master!”
“Your name?”
“It’s Rowen.”
“I see, Rowen. I appreciate the sentiment, but I will decline the prayer. The Great Saint hates me.”
“What? Why…”
“As you know, I am a half-blood. Your prayer might return as a curse.”
On the surface, Johan was a bastard with half noble and half commoner blood, but in truth, he was a half-blood between human and demon.
A prayer directed at him, if imbued with holy power, could sprout into a sacred chant that would be fatal to a demon.
“N-no! The Great Saint may dislike half-bloods, but only those born between humans and demons. There’s no reason for you to be hated by the Great Saint.”
Johan shrugged.
“What if I am a half-blood between a demon and a human?”
Everyone was flustered.
“Y-young master!”
“Someone might hear you!”
Johan let out a small laugh.
“I went too far with the joke. Pray for yourself rather than others. That’s all I wanted to say.”
Rowen took a step forward.
“I will. But I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life. Thank you so much.”
Johan brushed aside her hair.
“Go back and live happily.”
Rowen beamed and bowed deeply.
“I will be going now. I need to serve tea to the baron.”
“I will take it instead.”
“Huh? But…”
“Don’t worry about it. I was planning to see Father anyway.”
As he said this, Johan snapped his fingers.
The baron’s knight stepped out from the darkness.
The maids recoiled in surprise.
“Rail, bring it and follow.”
The knight, Rail, followed Johan while holding the teacup.
Everyone could not hide their shock.
The knight’s eyes, always sharp, were now empty like a hollow husk.
***
Johan headed straight for the baron’s room.
“I will enter for a moment.”
As he was about to open the door, a loud noise was heard from inside. It sounded like glass bottles or flowerpots breaking.
Johan frowned and pushed the door open.
The baron was sitting awkwardly at the center table.
“O-oh, you’re here.”
The baron greeted Johan with an awkward smile. Shards of broken glass were scattered messily around him.
“You must have been startled by my voice.”
The baron bowed repeatedly while wiping up spilled alcohol.
“You came without notice, ha ha.”
“A brief visit between father and son is natural. There is no need for formality, is there?”
“O-of course, you are right. Please feel free to visit anytime.”
Johan nodded.
“I will do so. However, I came with a separate matter today.”
Tension appeared on the baron’s face.
“Is there something uncomfortable in your stay…”
“There were some things, but I handled them. This matter is separate.”
The baron sighed in relief and spoke.
“Please, tell me.”
“It is regarding my uncle. Have you sent a word?”
A few days ago, Johan had asked the baron to summon his uncle to the castle.
At that time, the baron had clearly been reluctant. Though he verbally agreed, he could not hide his displeasure.
There was a chance he had ignored Johan’s order.
If that were the case, punishment would be necessary.
The baron spoke with an awkward expression.
“Of course. I also received a reply.”
Johan had expected him to resist at least once, but unexpectedly, the baron had complied obediently.
It was surprising for Johan.
“What did he say?”
“He said he would visit along with the pilgrimage group. No doubt, he plans to hide behind the Church.”
In the early part of the original story, there was an episode where the Church’s pilgrimage group passed through the Miyatro territory.
The pilgrimage group was touring the continent to collect pieces of the Great Saint’s remains, and their route overlapped with the Miyatro territory.
It seemed Krill planned to visit the territory along with them.
‘Thorough, just like the original.’
If accompanied by the Church, one was untouchable. No one, not even the king, could lay a hand on those traveling with the Church.
By the customs of the nobility, one could not harm a guest invited into one’s home, and with Krill coming with the Church, that custom became an unwritten law beyond courtesy.
Assassination would be absolutely impossible.
The baron glanced at Johan nervously.
“…May I say something?”
Johan nodded.
“To avoid such predicaments in the future, it seems it would be best for you to consult with me when planning something. The matter with the palace girls and the dismissal of the treasurer, both were done without a word to me…”
Johan stopped him with a wave of his hand.
“It seems you need a bit of education.”
He then looked toward the door.
“Rail, come in.”
The blond knight entered the room.
“It seems the baron does not know his place. You need to teach him.”
The knight’s empty eyes turned toward the baron.
In those hollow pupils, there was no emotion. Like a machine without a soul, Rail creaked as he walked toward the baron.
“R-Rail…?”
The baron looked at his knight with disbelief.
But Rail was no longer his sword. He was nothing more than a puppet whose soul had been taken by a demon.
Smack!
A fist as hard as a rock struck the plump face.
“Ugh-ugh!”
Blood spouted from the baron’s nose like a fountain, and he fell backward with a crash.
The violence did not stop.
Rail began to cruelly stomp on the collapsed baron.
Terrible screams filled the room.
By the time the white carpet was stained bright red, the kicking stopped.
Johan approached the groaning baron.
“…S-save me.”
The baron’s body was crushed in places like spoiled tofu.
Johan crouched down and looked at him.
“Grian, listen well. I do not consult with you. I do not need your advice. You are nothing but a scarecrow. Remember that the only reason I have not taken your soul is because of my whim. Abandon your thoughts and will, and live like a puppet. Do you understand?”
If it had not been for Raguel, the baron would have ended up like Rail. A test subject for the authority of Soulkill. He was not qualified to stand equal to Johan.
The baron nodded, convulsing.
“I-I understand. Please, just spare me. I will never rise against you again!”
Johan lifted the corners of his mouth with satisfaction.
“I will trust you just this once.”
Then he smiled softly.
“But Father. Using honorifics, really? From now on, speak informally during the day. We can’t remain awkward as father and son, can we?”
The baron looked at Johan with a terrified face.
“Answer.”
The baron lowered his head.
“…I will do so.”
***
Time flew by. By late autumn, when the leaves reached their peak, the pilgrimage group arrived at the Miyatro territory.
The holy army, composed of priests, holy knights, paladins, and monks. The white army wound like a serpent through the red autumn leaves.
Their vanguard passed through the castle gates.
In the vast courtyard of the lord’s castle, priests in robes began to gather one by one.
“Ah, you have traveled a long way. It is humble here, but you are most welcome. It is an honor to offer what little help I can on your sacred journey.”
To the bowing baron, the white-haired priest spoke.
“I express my gratitude for your hospitality. May the Great Saint’s blessing rest upon the Miyatro family.”
As he finished, the subordinate priests and holy knights traced the pentagram sign of the holy blessing.
The baron, Johan, and all of the Miyatro side responded with the sign as well.
“Hospitality, you say. It is only our duty to aid the pilgrimage.”
The white-haired priest smiled kindly and stepped forward.
“Truly devout, as expected of the prestigious family that watches the Abyss. I am Archbishop Hiles, the head of this pilgrimage group and a representative of the Holy See. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Johan looked him up and down.
‘Archbishop Hiles.’
He was not a character important enough to influence the narrative.
There was someone else who was a higher priority to watch than Hiles.
A single crimson figure amidst the sea of white. A girl with hair redder than the autumn leaves was the top priority target of caution in this procession.
At least, for Johan.
‘Shaferia.’
She was the sword of the Great Saint and the shield of humanity.
Until that red hair was stained with the black blood of demons, Shaferia would not stop her judgment.
To demons, she would be fear itself.
For now, she was nothing but a mere fledgling.
She needed to be crushed before she could sprout.
Perhaps, she was someone who needed to be dealt with before his uncle.
That girl had been staring intently at the Miyatro side for some time.
“Grian von Miyatro. I greet Archbishop Hiles. I have long heard of your reputation. It is an honor to meet you.”
As the baron’s introduction ended, Shaferia began to walk forward slowly.
As she passed the archbishop, the priests shouted in disapproval.
“Shaferia, that is rude!”
“Return to your place at once!”
Shaferia did not stop. Instead, the archbishop restrained the priests.
“No, wait. Let us see.”
Shaferia’s eyes saw through malice. No disguise or concealment could hide one’s essence before her.
She was the nemesis of heretics and demons, the judge who sensed malice and slowly drew her sword.
Her gaze met Johan’s.
‘Chilling.’
Shaferia’s eyes were burning with hostility.
Had she sensed the black blood? As tension rose, the judge suddenly stopped.
She opened her mouth.
“You wear a human mask. What are you hiding behind that beautiful facade?”
The tip of Shaferia’s sword was pointed not at Johan, but at Illea.
The judge and the witch stared at each other.
Johan lifted the corners of his mouth in amusement.