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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guests
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Having entered the mansion, we soon reached the entrance to the hall, from which boisterous sounds could be heard.
"The one who first reaches them, the one who first breaks them, shall receive His recognition and enjoy eternal life!"
A voice, full of conviction, resonated from within the hall.
"What a load of crap."
Camel, who had put about twenty guards to sleep in an instant on the way here, yet showed no sign of disturbed breath and seemed perfectly at ease, scoffed as he pushed open the door.
Around thirty nobles sat lined up at a long table. Standing, an old man was seen delivering an impassioned speech.
"Should anything untoward befall our brothers, fear not! He and countless brethren shall always protect you!"
The old man, presumed to be Count Einsteir based on the crest embroidered on his attire, concluded his fervent speech, clenching his fist.
Hooray!
These individuals, all with oily faces, cheered at the old man's impassioned words.
A question arose. Just how profound was that old man's speech, that not a single one among so many people looked our way, even after we opened the door and entered?
"Durand, lock the door."
Amidst all this, Camel's voice, so cold it was impossible to defy, reached my ears.
Before I could even answer, my hand moved reflexively.
Thud.
Click.
The moment the door was locked—or rather, even before it was fully locked—Count Einsteir's head, which had been speaking, fell to the floor.
"Ah, everyone. A pleasure to meet you all!"
When did he get onto that table?
Despite holding a sword drenched in blood, Camel bowed, greeting the wide-eyed nobles.
"Oh, you're wondering who I am? Why, I'm just a good person who's come to kill all you wicked folk."
With those words, Camel's sword flashed, beginning to carve lines infused with starlight.
A speed my eyes could barely follow,
A trajectory utterly incomprehensible to my level.
Red blood and black filth splattered everywhere.
"…Immanuel."
An surreal scene where I dared not even draw my sword.
I could do nothing but quietly murmur.
****
—*Swoosh!*
As I swung the sword, fountains of blood erupted in various places.
'As expected, hunting is…'
Six corrupted nobles, unable to even scream, collapsed to the floor, dead.
'Rounding them up is truly the best way to hunt.'
It's a bit of a shame that these guys don't drop experience or items, though.
Perhaps because I was dealing with all the guys I would've had to hunt down one by one, my mood wasn't bad at all.
Phew.
My first steady breath since I started swinging the sword.
Before swinging the sword again, I looked around.
'Ten left, seven of them not corrupted by demonic energy.'
Tsk, I smacked my lips.
I'd only swung my sword two or three times at most, yet there were only three left to cut down.
'This is ridiculous.'
The fact that this empire had been swayed by mere nobodies like these.
Of course, I knew that the ones truly pulling the strings behind the scenes weren't these insignificant fools, but the Seven Deadly Sins.
Regardless, the fact that these pig-like bastards had been manipulating the empire was more than enough to sour my mood.
"I-I'll do anything! P-Please, just spare my life…!"
As I approached one of the three remaining targets, the terrified man begged, even banging his head on the floor.
Perhaps because I was the kindest person in the world? Seeing the pathetic sight of the man, whose pants were soaked, a pang went through my heart.
What kind of wealth and glory did he desire so badly,
What on earth was his story,
That this person, not only corrupted, would now grovel and cling to his miserable life like this?
"P-Please, can't you spare me…? *Sob*, *hiccup*!"
Watching him shed tears and snot, I, uncharacteristically, hesitated to swing my sword.
'Wait.'
This voice… it was the one that said he wanted to defile the Saintess earlier…
"Indeed. You cannot!"
*Slice!*
Come to think of it, this bastard was the worst.
"Alright, those of you still alive, gather in front of me."
Having killed the remaining two corrupted men, I called the survivors in a polite tone.
"P-Please spare me. I have a precious family…"
"*Hic*, *hiccup*—!"
"I-I'll do anything! Just spare my life, please…!"
"I'll live a good life from now on. I'll live a good life from now on."
Once gathered in one place, they each pleaded for their lives in different ways.
I had intended to let these particular ones live anyway, but…
"I'm a very impatient person, so I'll only say this once. From now on, if anyone so much as hiccups, I'll just kill all of you. So, if you want to live, it'd be best to shut up."
Not wanting to listen to their disgusting noises, I murmured softly.
"Do you know why I, who just killed everyone else here, am not killing you?"
"I don't kno—*Mmph!*"
One quick-witted noble clapped a hand over the mouth of another who was about to answer my question.
"Alright. I'll let it slide just this once. You there, you can live your life forever grateful to the person next to you who just extended your lifespan."
I, who had genuinely been about to cut down the one who spoke, smiled contentedly, pleased with how quickly they learned.
"The reason I haven't specifically killed you all is this: while you're definitely rotten idiots, you haven't completely succumbed to corruption yet. How should I put it… Ah, yes! It's because there's still a chance for rehabilitation, I suppose."
Half of that was true, and half was false.
That these guys were clearly idiots who had committed wicked deeds as readily as eating was true; that there was a chance for rehabilitation was false.
Even though they were the kind of people who would never reflect on their actions even if they survived today, my reason for not killing them was clear.
'I have to think about the aftermath.'
Today, I had killed not just one or two, but dozens of nobles.
Naturally, this fact would spread quickly, causing an uproar in Iezesti.
An investigation team would be dispatched, and weekly papers would publish news based on their testimonies.
That the corrupted individuals, possessed by demonic energy, had faced the hammer of judgment from a masked man of unknown identity.
However, these trembling men before me did not possess demonic energy. Although they were bad people, outwardly, they were no different from civilians.
What this meant was that whether the investigation team, who would examine this place, saw their corpses or not made a world of difference.
I wanted this situation I had created to be known not as 'a masked man committed indiscriminate murder,' but as 'a masked man executed the corrupted.'
"Listen carefully to what I say now. I'm about to give you your last chance."
Honestly, I wanted to slaughter all of them in one go, but I suppressed that urge with difficulty, whispering in a sweet voice.
"First, a question. You have friends who weren't here, right? Friends in other cities, too, I presume."
Because I intended to thoroughly exploit these men, whom I could kill at any moment I wished, until their very last breath.
****
The Emperor of the Iselos Empire, Sikar von Isbant.
He had been troubled by an uninvited guest since early morning.
"This… you really didn't order this, did you?"
The unwelcome guest poked the weekly paper on the table with his index finger, asking.
"…Given my current plight, how could I possibly issue such an order?"
The Emperor, looking at the story emblazoned across the weekly paper, which the guest's finger was pointing at, shook his head as he replied.
A sigh escaped him.
The man sighed deeply, lowering his gaze to the weekly paper.
—Twenty-four nobles brutally murdered at Count Einsteir's mansion…
—All murdered nobles revealed to be corrupted individuals, possessed by demonic energy…
—According to the testimony of Baron Horro Sweki, one of the survivors, the masked assailant called himself 'The Judge' and threatened to hunt down and kill all corrupted individuals within a week if they did not repent their sins…
For the man who had been corrupting and managing these nobles, these were headache-inducing tidings.
"…I hear it's only been two days since this happened, and already six of them have surrendered?"
"It was so just a moment ago, but now it has increased to nine."
"Ha… This is troublesome. Why did that ignorant brute have to come all the way here and interfere with my business?"
The man cursed his fellow-of-sorts, who had handed over the list of those he'd corrupted, and stood up.
"Wouldn't it be better to ask your friend directly, rather than complaining in front of this poor Emperor, who is nothing more than a puppet?"
"Hey, Emperor, old man."
The man, his expression souring at the question, put an arm around the Emperor's shoulder and spoke.
"Why are you being so difficult lately?"
"Haha, I don't know why you say this powerless puppet is taking a crooked path."
"Don't pretend you don't know. I know, so don't play innocent. I clearly heard with my own two ears that you told *him* to go wild to his heart's content with an excited expression not long ago."
Startled.
The man asked, and the Emperor, startled inwardly, pressed his lips together.
"Why? Did you think I wouldn't know?"
"…"
"Let's make a request. Please, don't harbor vain hopes, and just stay quiet. Otherwise…"
Tap, tap.
The man slowly brushed the Emperor's shoulder with his hand as he spoke.
"Because your poor children, whom you think you've hidden so carefully, might silently die somewhere in Adenia at any moment."
The Emperor's eyes widened in horror, and the man grinned, turning away.
****
Today, two days after the incident at Count Einsteir's mansion.
The pilgrims were following Lily, touring Iezesti and going about their schedule.
"No one would ever know."
Today, as usual, the ugly Durand suddenly shook his head and whispered.
"That our 'Judge' — who, with his own hands, executed dozens of evils and even made the corrupted surrender themselves — was actually a poor young man treated worse than a bug by a woman, teary-eyed."
"…"
Just moments ago, that poor someone, who had genuinely tried to hand Lily a flower and talk to her, only to be treated like an invisible man, pressed his lips shut.
"My clumsy friend. A woman's heart, you see, is a very delicate thing. What does that mean? It means if you want to untangle a woman's knotted feelings, you need to find the root cause and gently soothe it. That's what it means. It's not something you can solve just by swinging a sword well, like an ignorant brute such as yourself. Understand?"
"…"
Durand put an arm around my shoulder and spoke, and I, looking at his hand, seriously considered, 'If I just broke two of those fingers, wouldn't he shut up?'
But then.
"Still, aren't we friends? And as it happens, that woman is my own sister."
At this ear-pricking revelation, my hand, which had been heading for Durand's fingers, stopped in its tracks.
"So, I personally asked her yesterday. 'Sis, why are you looking at Camel like he's a bug lately?'"
"And?"
"Camel. This is a really important question, so answer honestly."
Durand spoke with a serious face, and I nodded endlessly, my eyes shining.
"Did you perhaps…"
Durand paused, and I, tense, swallowed dryly.
Not long after, Durand's ugly lips parted.
Indeed, it was the moment the cause of my heartache, which had lasted for quite some time, was finally revealed.
"Did you ever… rape a familiar? And I heard that familiar even got pregnant…"
What the hell. What kind of bullshit is this now?