Chapter 158. Evil Shall Be Punished
I walked toward the half-open door, intrigued by the situation that was unfolding.
I didn’t forget to reassure the trembling employee who was cowering in fear.
‘Shh.’
Perhaps he understood my signal? The employee nodded with a pale face, hands neatly clasped together.
Meanwhile, the conversation between Lancy and that Pai-something… no, the scoundrel, was in full swing.
“Ah, is it that commoner boy named Chenbi? Planning to attend the Young Lord’s birthday banquet?”
“I cannot answer that question.”
Lancy gave no response, yet the scoundrel continued speaking as if he understood.
But the tone of his words was…
“My, the matriarch sure is kindhearted. Inviting some lowly commoner to the Young Lord’s banquet, huh?”
“He is a friend of the Young Lord. Please mind your words.”
“Ah, right. Of course, of course. But I just can’t help but feel sorry, you know? It’s the great Blando family’s banquet, and yet, what’s this about a commoner? Hm? There’s a limit to how low you can drag down the dignity of the occasion.”
Ah, so this was what they called a noble family’s scoundrel?
I’d heard plenty of stories, but I never thought I’d witness such a perfect stereotype. It was as if someone had crammed every cliché image of a “noble brat” into one man!
However, the scoundrel’s insolence didn’t end there.
“Lancy, come on now, huh? Let me at least see her face. Who knows? If she catches my eye, I might just give her something. I heard your whole family’s been leeching off Blando lately, right?”
“…Lord Paijin.”
“Bring her here. Oh, didn’t that guy have a little sister? I hope she’s at least decent-looking…”
“Your words are out of line.”
Lancy’s already cold voice dropped to freezing temperatures.
The atmosphere grew heavy in turn. Even from beyond the door, I could feel that chill seeping through.
And then…suddenly, laughter burst out.
“Ha-ha, ha-ha-ha!”
Was he insane?
The scoundrel laughed so hard the shop nearly shook, then abruptly stopped, silence settling in its place.
And then, cutting through that silence came a voice.
“What did you say? Out of line?”
“…”
“Ha-ha, Lancy. That actually made me laugh. So you’re saying my words are out of line? That you’re admonishing me?”
“If I’ve offended you, I apologize.”
“Yeah, you’d better. You should. But then again… this is rich.”
And then came the noise.
Crash!
“Kyaaaah!”
The sound of something shattering rang out, followed by screams. Then, the scoundrel’s enraged voice bellowed across the room.
“Everyone drop it! Damn it all! What, you think I’m a joke, huh?! You useless idiots blocking my way… and now what? Ha! Yeah, fine, I went too far. Huh?”
“…Lord Paijin.”
“What, Lady Lancy? Am I out of line again? Just wait, since I’ve gone too far already, I might as well wreck everything while I’m at it!”
And then he began destroying everything within reach.
I had no idea how long his tantrum went on. Eventually the sound of breaking furniture faded, leaving only the scoundrel’s labored breathing echoing through the now-silent room.
“Lady Lancy. No, Lancy. You’re under a big misunderstanding, see, and I’d like to offer some advice.”
“I shall listen.”
“Sometimes, when you keep an animal as a pet, they make a funny mistake, right? They start thinking their master’s prestige belongs to them. Hm?”
“…”
“Serving great people doesn’t make a dog a human being. But here I see a dog that actually thinks it’s a person. So tell me, what should be done with such a beast?”
“…”
“You don’t know? I don’t either. Because when you punish that dog, its master gets angry. But you can’t just leave it alone, either…”
Good. Decision made.
That was as far as I let him go before I kicked the half-open door.
Bang!
“Kyaaah!”
With all my strength, the wooden door slammed against the wall, a thunderous echo filling the shop.
The employees shrieked.
“Huh? What the hell’s this now?”
“…Lord Aster.”
“Aster? Ha! Don’t tell me that’s the vagrant from the Grey Zone?”
I fixed my gaze on the smirking scoundrel who stood before me.
I didn’t know who this guy was. Judging by how even Lancy was holding herself back, he must’ve had quite the status.
But right now, none of that mattered.
Only one thing did.
‘Evil shall be punished.’
“Ha-ha! I’d been curious ever since I heard the Young Lord was fond of you, and what do you know, here you are. I am Paijin von Tulk, heir to House Tulk, vassal of Blando…”
I gave him a calm, almost bored apology.
“Sorry.”
“…?”
“My foot slipped.”
I swept my leg out across the floor…
Thud!
“…Gah!”
The scoundrel’s body lifted clean off the ground, then crashed down with a loud boom.
He hit the floor on his back, choking and gasping, unable even to breathe. I smiled as I took in the scene.
The audience was struck dumb by the justice that had just been delivered.
“Eeek!”
“Gasp!”
Some were too overjoyed even to speak.
[…Lord Aster!]
Lancy, thrilled beyond measure, even called out my name.
Of course, not everyone was cheering.
“You mad bastard…!”
Ah, there it was. That must’ve been the scoundrel’s escort knight.
Having failed to protect his master, the minion of evil now came at me in a delayed rage. But who was I?
A righteous troubleshooter.
“Do you not know who I am?”
“…What?”
At my pompous line, the minion hesitated, and I gave a cheerful grin as I revealed my identity.
“Ah, yes. I am a friend of Lord Demian of the Blando Household.”
“…”
“For your information, Demian and I share everything equally, as closest of friends. And yet you dare draw a sword against me?”
Can you bear…
“the weight of this justice?”
* * *
Having swiftly silenced the minion of evil, Aster turned his gaze back to Paijin.
“Are you all right? My apologies. My foot slipped.”
“You damn bastard… do you have any idea who I—!”
Paijin, overcome by humiliation, tried to stand. But that was a mistake.
“When I get scared, my legs tend to tremble.”
“What does that even—urk!”
Aster toppled forward, driving his elbow down onto Paijin’s back!
The full-force blow struck square in the center of his spine, leaving Paijin breathless once more.
Th-this… this…!
What kind of nightmare was this?!
He was the heir of House Tulk!
One of the seven vassal houses that served Blando!
The rightful successor of his line, a man who bowed to no one save Blando’s blood itself…
“Ah, are you okay? Sorry about that, my foot slipped again.”
At the shameless remark, Paijin ground his teeth.
How dare… this filthy vagrant from the Grey Zone…
At least he had enough sense not to say it aloud.
He merely swallowed his rage and tried to steady his breathing. But Aster, as a righteous troubleshooter, had an uncanny knack for sensing evil intent.
“Hm-hm. Let me help you up.”
“Just leave me—”
“Oh now, how could I?”
As Aster grabbed him by the scruff and hauled him upright, Paijin felt like dying.
Still gasping for air, he grew dizzy, as if struck by sudden vertigo. But it didn’t end there.
“Whoops—slipped again.”
“Guh!”
Aster let go abruptly, and Paijin’s face smacked straight into the floor. Somehow, after much struggling, he managed to get up again. But the humiliation wasn’t over.
“It was an accident, of course you’ll forgive me, right?”
“You damn—”
“Damn? Damn what? Am I making some huge mistake here? Should I give you some advice?”
That smiling face…Paijin’s eyes twitched violently.
It was unforgivable.
He, the heir of House Tulk, tossed around and humiliated by a filthy vagrant, rolling on the ground before a crowd of lowborns?!
Naturally, murderous intent boiled up within him.
At that moment, the knight who’d been standing uncertainly at the side stepped forward.
“…Lord Aster, was it? Even if you are Lord Demian’s friend, I cannot stand idle any longer.”
From the viewpoint of a knight of House Tulk, he could no longer watch his lord be toyed with.
Aster burst into laughter.
“Can’t stand idle? And if you don’t? What, what’ll you do?”
“…I will cut you down.”
“‘I will cut you down,’ huh? ‘Cut you down,’ you stupid fool—AAAH! You think you can just—urk!”
“Man, you’re noisy.”
Aster’s fist buried itself in Paijin’s solar plexus.
This time, there wasn’t even an excuse.
Seeing that, the knight of Tulk drew his sword in a fit of fury, but then froze when Aster’s voice cut through the air.
“Mister, you’re free to come or not, but right now your Young Lord’s in my hands. Think your sword’s faster than my hand?”
“G-grr… you… you’ll—urk!”
“Ah, hush, will you? Hm? Mister, are you really that fast?”
The knight said nothing.
Because Aster already had the Young Lord’s throat in his grasp.
Sure, if he swung immediately, he might cut the man down before that hand snapped the neck, it might.
But what if he was just a fraction slower?
If his lord died because of his hesitation, or his haste?
There weren’t many knights in the world who’d gamble their master’s life like that. The knight of Tulk was no exception.
As the knight clamped his mouth shut, Aster looked down at the choking Paijin.
It didn’t take long before his mouth opened again.
“Hey. What was that about a commoner?”
“Ghh, urk.”
“Chenbi’s family, what? His sister, what? And that dog talk? Damn it, you really crossed the line touching someone’s family, didn’t you? Don’t you think so?”
“You… you think… you’ll get away with this…”
“And if I don’t? What, you’ll kill me?”
“Even… even the Young Lord… can’t cover… for such an act…”
As Paijin stammered, Aster let out a small laugh.
“Ha, come on now. You think I’d do this banking on my friend? Sure, he’s my friend, but still…”
Paijin had it wrong.
Aster wasn’t the type to act depending on someone’s backing.
When he planned, he planned thoroughly—but once the act began, he relied on nothing and no one.
“Now then, I’m going to give you a chance.”
“Don’t… talk nonsense… huff—”
Paijin suddenly froze mid-sentence.
Those transparent eyes staring back at him, within them was an emotionless void.
Neither killing intent nor hatred, merely utter neutrality.
Those eyes were like glass, cold, lifeless, reflective.
The eerie sight robbed Paijin of speech.
Then Aster smiled and raised his voice for all to hear.
“Alright! Lord Paijin of House Tulk has something to say to everyone! Gather in the lobby-yyyyy!”
His booming voice echoed throughout the tailor shop, and those who’d been hiding during the commotion slowly crept out to gather.
Even Lancy stood there dumbstruck, watching the bizarre scene.
Before long, a crowd filled the lobby.
Aster leaned close to Paijin’s ear and whispered.
“It’s time for your presentation.”
Presentation?
“Right here, you’ll confess every one of your sins and be reborn. This is your first and last chance.”
“What are you—urk!”
As Paijin tried to protest, Aster kicked his leg out again.
“No questions allowed.”
“…My Lord!”
The knight of Tulk moved in panic, but Aster’s voice froze him in place.
“Stop!”
“…”
“From this moment until our scoundrel Young Lord’s presentation is over, no one moves a muscle. Understood?”
No answer came.
Only Lancy, watching with worried eyes, dared to show concern.
[Lord Aster, what are you doing…]
[Administering justice.]
And thus began the presentation of Paijin of House Tulk.
