Chapter 10: How Can Someone Be So Dumb?
The outcast was in the garden, and a broom remained in his firm grip. He was sweeping the dead leaves, but then the voice of soldiers fell inside his ears. His head moved towards the main gate instantly. "The count’s soldiers?" He muttered as his body tensed.
He gritted his teeth, grip tightened on the broom. "No, it can’t be because of that."
"Should I go and check?"
He stood there as multiple choices started to swirl around his mind. "If I attend them, and it becomes even a bit meaningful for us... Then Mister might be a bit friendly towards me."
A small sigh left through his mouth as he made his way towards the main gate. He unlocked the locks and pushed the door open.
A group of soldiers was standing a few meters away from the house.
"There are a total of six of them."
"Uh, hello?" The outcast said.
"What are you here for, dear sirs?"
Stephan took a step forward, arms crossed. "You dare ask that question from me while being a criminal yourself?"
A bead of sweat tugged on the outcast’s temple. "Huh? Criminal?"
"Did I say something wrong?"
"You built an illegal mansion on the Count’s land, yet you still dare to ask how you’re a criminal?" A vein throbbed on Stephan’s temple as irritation filled his face.
He walked toward the outcast and slowly unsheathed his sword, the sharp sound echoing through the surroundings. The blade stopped right at the man’s neck.
"Confess to your crime."
The outcast took a step back, raised both hands forward, as his body started trembling with fear. "Hey... I’m innocent, please withdraw your sword."
"Innocent, you say?"
"Then the thing behind you is a mere illusion, huh?"
"Ugh... I knew that something was wrong with this place."
Stephan directed his other hand towards the outcast’s neck and grabbed it firmly. But before he could do something else, a pressure that made his body unable to breathe struck him.
"W-what?"
A crimson-coloured mana wrapped around Stephan’s hand; the force of it made the sword fall out of his grip.
He could barely keep himself standing. His body trembled violently, his eyes were half-open, and his teeth remained tightly gritted as he struggled to endure it.
The outcast took a few steps back, creating a significant distance between him and the soldiers.
His eyes shifted to the right as he noticed Kael walking past him.
A tired smile slowly appeared on his face.
"Yeah... I forgot that a terrific person resides here."
"Don’t raise your voice at someone else’s house,"
"Because their kids might be sleeping inside."
Kael’s words weren’t just words for Stephan; they felt like a knife. That was because the mana of Kael, his mana still remained lingering beside Stephan, which made it hard for him to even breathe.
Another thought appeared inside the outcast’s mind. "And the thing which he cares about the most is his son’s peace."
There wasn’t any effect on the soldiers’ bodies because Kael wasn’t using his mana on them, but all of them had their morale crushed by seeing their vice commander on his knees, begging for mercy.
But there was one guy who had the unnecessary urge inside of him to stand up for justice.
"Hey, you bastard."
"Can’t you see who you are in the presence of?" He shouted, pointing his hand towards Kael.
Silence fell over the soldiers. Helmets turned. Eyes widened. A few men looked at each other, silently confirming they had all witnessed the same act of suicidal stupidity.
All of them knew what was going to come towards them.
The outcast who was standing a few meters behind Kael, a look of confusion appeared on his face, and a chuckle followed behind. "Puhahaha."
He kept laughing for a while, then he finally regained his composure as he wiped his eyes, which had welled up with tears as he laughed mindlessly.
"How can someone be so dumb?"
Kael looked at the outcast through the side of his eye. The outcast instantly straightened, and the unusual banter of his disappeared. "Fuck... he stared at me, is he going to feed me to the beasts now?"
He turned around and started running towards the inside of the mansion. "I’m not going to die that early, heh."
The mana circling around Stephan disappeared instantly; finally, his body felt lighter. "Fuck... that... that was even stronger than the commander. Who even is this man!?"
The silence fell inside the air, and for a while it continued, but then Kael broke the silence. "So, what were you here for?"
"Uh... I wanted to ask, did you build this mansion?" His voice stuttered, but he still fathomed the courage to talk.
"Yes, why did you ask regarding this?" Kael crossed his arms.
"This land comes under the control, and no one can build an illegal building in here."
"I hope you understand and cooperate with us."
Kael stared down at Stephan, his gaze lingered around him for a couple of seconds. "Why should I cooperate?"
"Please cooperate, or else we’ll have to resort to violence against you... I don’t want to do that, but the empire’s law forbids us to do that."
A sigh escaped through Kael’s mouth; he closed his eyes lightly. "Nothing in this world has changed; it’s the same as it was in that era."
"Fine, but listen well,"
His mana escaped through his body and directly went towards Stephan and the others.
All of their eyes noticed it coming towards them, but no one dared to move even a single inch, as if they all had accepted their fate.
The pressure of Kael’s mana pushed them all down to their knees, and their bodies started to tremble.
"Y-yes, please speak," Stephan muttered, voice barely escaping his throat.
"A boy is living in this mansion, and if even a hair on the boy’s head is harmed," Kael said quietly, "cooperation will be the least of your worries."
His gaze swept across them, heavy enough to crush breath itself.
"I will erase every last person in this county."
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A/N
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