Chapter 184: I Always Stick To My Contract (3)

“Damn it! A carriage smaller than a damn doghouse? How the hell did I end up like this?!”

Inside the moving carriage, Galahind banged on the walls and continued to vent his frustrations. Technically, the carriage wasn’t that small; he had the four-seater to himself, enough room to even lie down. But for Galahind, who had always ridden in a twelve-seater, this felt smaller than the kennel of a house pet.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford a larger carriage. The law only allowed six-seaters for lower nobles, and anything above that was reserved for high nobles.

“Those damn Sefira bastards dared to sue me? I’ll pay them back for this insult one day.”

It wasn’t empty threats. He was stripped of his high noble title and had his assets seized, but he still had plenty of hidden funds, just as Keter had predicted. And he wasn’t stopping there; he was even planning to defect to the Samael Empire.

“With this country’s secrets and a few million gold, I could easily become a count in the empire. Heh... heh heh heh.”

Already envisioning his grand return to power as a noble of the empire, Galahind clenched his fists.

“Just wait. I’ll crush Sefira beneath me. And Eslow, I'll make sure you kneel before me too!”

It was then that his carriage came to a sudden halt.

Screeech! Thud!

“Whoa!”

Galahind slammed face-first into the wall.

“Guh! M-my teeth!” Clutching his loosened front tooth, Galahind groaned in pain. He threw open the window and yelled, “You filthy scum! Why the hell did you stop?! If you don’t tell me right now, I’ll have your head!”

“Someone suddenly jumped out onto the road.”

“What? S-someone?”

Galahind went pale.

C-could it be Keter? N-no, no way. I left the courthouse and boarded the carriage immediately. How could he possibly know where I went?

Just in case Keter pursued him, Galahind had sent the other nobles ahead as bait and departed last.

There’s no way he could have tracked me so precisely!

He tried to calm himself with reason, but the fear still lingered.

“W-who is it? Who’s blocking the way?!”

“A one-armed man.”

“Huh? One-armed?”

Keter didn’t have one arm. He remembered clearly that Keter definitely had both arms.

Just to be sure, Galahind asked again, “Is he carrying a weapon?”

“He’s holding a pitchfork.”

“A pitchfork? What the hell is that?”

“It’s a farming tool used to move hay or straw.”

Galahind summed it up in his head.

“So you’re saying some crippled farmer is blocking my path?”

“That appears to be the case.”

“You fucking...! Get this damn thing moving!”

Now that he realized it wasn’t Keter or some powerful figure, Galahind ordered the carriage forward. But the coachman didn’t move. He couldn’t.

Rustle.

People began to step out from either side of the road. Galahind could see that there weren’t just a few; it was dozens, at least. They all had something in common: they were missing a limb. Some were one-armed, others one-legged, missing an eye or an ear.

Their clothes varied, but the dirt on their clothes and the tools in their hands made one thing clear—they were everyday tools turned weapons, such as flails, rolling pins, butcher knives...

“Marquis—no, Baron Galahind, do you know who we are?” asked a middle-aged man with one leg.

Galahind scoffed. Even though dozens of people were in front of him, he wasn’t afraid.

“How the hell would I know a bunch of cripples like you? Get out of my way!”

With sorrow in his eyes, the one-legged man murmured, “I expected that. But hearing it directly only makes it worse.”

“What the hell are you mumbling about? Hey! Kill them all! I’m not wasting any more time!”

At his command, the four mercenaries who had been following behind dismounted. They were the reason Galahind wasn’t afraid. All four were Platinum-class and higher mercenaries, each capable of using aura. Ordinary people could never stand against aura users, and Galahind understood this all too well.

The mercenaries drew their swords and approached the crowd.

“Kill them quickly! We don’t have all day!”

Just as Galahind barked his order, the mercenaries stopped in front of the crowd, turned around, and looked at him.

“...?”

Galahind froze.

“You really are beyond redemption,” said the Diamond-class mercenary, the highest-ranking among them, shaking his head. “These people aren’t bandits, and this isn’t some coincidence. You really don’t recognize us, Baron Galahind?”

“Y-you bastard! What are you saying?! A mercenary dares betray his employer?!”

Galahind looked around, but there was no one left to help him.

The Diamond-class mercenary ignored the outburst and continued, “We were the ones who worked for you as servants, as employees, as maids... There was even a knight who swore loyalty to you for decades. And yet, you cast us aside and maimed us for petty reasons.”

The crowd closed in around the carriage. Galahind could only tremble.

“I lost my right arm because I dropped a fork.”

“You pulled out my left eye because it rained.”

“You cut off my left leg because I had red hair.”

“I served as a loyal knight for twenty years, but once I turned forty, you kicked me out.”

Every single one of these people had a personal grudge against Galahind. It wasn’t a coincidence that they had gathered here. Despite their disabilities, they were hardworking individuals, and yet they had come together in less than an hour since Galahind had been stripped of his title. Even his location had been revealed to them.

Someone must have fed them information!

There was one person who had planned everything to kill Galahind from start to finish.

“We’re here to reclaim everything you stole from us.”

Clack!

The Diamond-class mercenary flung open the carriage door and dragged Galahind out.

“Gaaagh!”

Galahind tumbled to the ground. Then, a shadow fell across his vision.

“Sorry to interrupt while you're having your fun.”

A familiar voice pierced Galahind’s ears, causing the furious crowd to stir. One person had suddenly appeared, and his presence shifted everything.

Galahind slowly looked up.

“I’ve got my own business with this bastard too,” said Keter with a sharp grin as he looked down at him.

* * *

It was obvious that Galahind would try to run, so Keter attached a strand of his hair to him. Since it was imbued with his mana, he could track it and instantly know where Galahind went.

When he tracked Galahind down, a group of people was already waiting for him—people who bore a grudge against him. There was no way this was a coincidence.

As expected for Ultima. Nice and clean.

Ultima knew that true betrayal needed to end with no loose ends. For him, having Galahind and the allied nobles still alive would have been a lingering problem, but he couldn’t kill them outright. So instead, he gathered people who held personal grudges against Galahind and brought them here to handle it.

Unlike Keter, Ultima had a proper intelligence network. Finding people who had it out for Galahind and tracing his movements would have been easy.

I like that there won’t be any loose ends, but Galahind is mine.

Keter didn’t care if Ultima dealt with the three other nobles who allied with Galahind, but not Galahind himself. He didn’t even hold a personal grudge against Galahind since they had barely interacted, but that was now. Before he regressed, Galahind had caused him so much trouble.

Galahind had played a major role in the downfall of Sefira, and when they fell, Keter’s life crumbled with it. Plus, he had messed with the tournament, so there’s no way Keter could let him go. However, dying quickly at the hands of the mob didn’t feel right. That was not the ending he deserved.

“Sorry to interrupt while you’re having your fun, but I’ve got business with him too.”

When Keter revealed himself before Galahind, he looked up, horrified.

“K-Keter!”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Recognizing him, the crowd took a few steps back.

“I-it’s really Keter?”

“It’s truly Lord Keter...”

One of the mercenaries stepped forward and said, “Lord Keter, we know you also hold a grudge against the former Marquis Galahind. So do we.”

They were telling Keter they were allies, but he already knew that. But for now, Keter had to pretend otherwise. Galahind needed to fall even deeper into despair.

“What do you mean? I just stepped in because Marquis Galahind looked like he was in danger.”

“...?!”

“...What? Are you defending him now?”

“What if I am? What are you going to do, huh?”

All Keter did was frown, and the crowd stepped back. Galahind, not understanding what was going on, stared at him.

“Stand up, Marquis Galahind. What are you doing?” Keter said, extending a hand.

“H-huh?”

He helped Galahind to his feet and brushed the dust off his clothes.

“You seem to be in a tough spot. Shall I let you live?”

“...!”

“No... No way!”

The crowd looked crushed.

Good. Let them feel hopeless—it’ll make the next part even sweeter.

Galahind, now hopeful again, said brightly, “P-please save me, Sir Keter. I’ll never forget this kindness!”

“No need to repay me. Just give me the money right now.”

“R-right now? I don’t have a single coin on me. You know this! His Grace confiscated all my assets!”

“Then die.”

Thud!

Keter shoved Galahind back into the crowd. Their furious hands grabbed him tightly.

“W-wait! I’ll pay! I’ll give you one hundred thousand gold!”

“Your life’s only worth one hundred thousand gold? Just die.”

“How much do you want?!”

Hm, I don’t know how much you have. Let’s see what he’s got.

“Five million gold. You’ve got about ten million stashed away, don’t you?”

“Ten million?! I don’t have that kind of money!”

Hmm, by his reaction and tone... he probably doesn’t have a full ten million, but he might have half of that.

“Fine, I’ll be generous. Just give me three million. By the way, this is my final offer. Refuse, and I walk.”

Keter wanted to take the full five million gold, but Galahind was the type to rather die than give it up. He was the kind of man who would lose everything trying to keep everything. Keter needed to show him a way out; he had to believe he could walk away alive. That was how Keter could take everything.

“T-three million? Three million...”

Still restrained by the mob, Galahind hesitated, while the crowd could do nothing but wait for Keter to make a move. His mind was racing, and the mob silently prayed he didn’t actually have that kind of money.

“I-if I really give you three million gold, you’ll let me live?”

“I swear on Sefira’s name and my soul that I will let you live.”

“I’ll give it to you, b-but I can’t give it to you right now. I hid it somewhere else.”

He took the bait.

Keter grabbed Galahind by the collar and dragged him to his side.

“Tell me the location. I'll check now.”

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Keter shook his communicator at him.

“You’re going to check it right now?!”

“You think I’m just going to trust your word?”

“E-even if I swear on Her Majesty the Queen’s name?”

“One more delay and the deal’s off.”

“O-okay! I’ll tell you. The coordinates are...”

Keter transmitted the coordinates Galahind recited to Ultima. He hadn’t told Ultima anything in advance, but he got a reply in just three minutes.

—Found the secret vault. Seems to definitely be over two million gold.

Keter wasn’t sure if it was the full three million, but it was close enough.

“Good. I’ve confirmed it.”

Galahind sighed in relief, then immediately turned on the crowd.

“Ha! You scum! You’re all dead! I’ll rip you limb from limb!”

Then, Keter kicked him in the butt.

Thud!

Galahind flew right back into the crowd. The mob stared at Keter in confusion.

I guess I have to give them a hint.

“I said I would let him live, not that I would protect him.”

“...!”

Understanding what Keter was saying, the mob’s anger reignited.

Galahind figured out what Keter meant and screamed, “What are you doing, Sir Keter?! You swore to spare me!”

“...!”

“Look, I’m in a hurry. Can you all kindly beat him to death? Just don’t cut off his head.”

The crowd, who were waiting, inched forward. Then, one brave soul threw the first kick, which became the signal starting the merciless beating.

Wham! Crack!

The beatings had a kind of rhythm to them.

“Alright, pause for a moment.”

Whenever Galahind looked like he might die, Keter used elixirs and the art of healing to revive him, even if he had a broken neck or a heart that was no longer beating.

“Ugh! I-I’m alive?!”

Keter nodded and said, “I said I would let you live, and I will.”

Then he stepped aside again. The anger hadn’t subsided, and there were still plenty of people who hadn’t had their turn. And so, Galahind died and came back over and over.

“Kill me... Just kill me...”

Keter grabbed him by his hair and whispered, “Can’t do that. I always stick to my contract. You’re not allowed to die.”

Death would be too merciful for you.

After paying back the consequences with his entire body, Galahind looked utterly wretched. Of course, he was completely uninjured as he was treated with elixirs and by a healer acknowledged by the Lord of the South. Outwardly, he seemed fine, but his mind was probably shattered from dying and coming back to life dozens of times.

If you haven’t lost your mind after this, I’ll respect you. You deserve to live.

“Thank you, Lord Keter.”

“We’ll be off now.”

The mob, finally satisfied, began to disperse. Even the coachman, clearly in on it, drove away. Keter was also done here.

“Take care, Galahind. Whether you live or die now is up to you.”

He turned his back on the squirming wreck Galahind had become.

Five minutes after Keter left, a young boy emerged from the bushes. He had been in the mob earlier, carrying a kitchen knife.

He raised the blade and murmured, “You’ll never be forgiven for what you did to my father.”

Squelch!

The knife plunged awkwardly into Galahind’s neck. Terrified by the sensation and his first murder, the boy screamed and fled. And thus, Galahind bled out on an empty street, dying a cold, miserable death.

* * *

As soon as Keter returned to the city, an Immortal Knight approached him as if waiting.

“His Grace wishes to see you."

“So do I.”

Keter had won the Sword of the South Tournament, and he wasn’t going to walk away with just the title of Bow of the South and nothing else; the first-place prize was one million gold.

Three million from Galahind, and now another million from the prize. The money I used to buy the Decameron gets covered here.

As expected, Keter believed money always came full circle in the end.

He returned to the palace to claim the prize and was immediately led to Eslow’s office.

“The Bow of the South has arrived, my lord,” Keter said casually as he entered the office.

However, Eslow wasn’t the only one there.

Why is Henya here?

Henya stood beside Eslow. She was not in her usual pitch-black armor, but dressed like a noble lady. Her hair was braided, and she was wearing makeup. However, she was frowning like she had just stepped in poop.