The Flower Dances and the Wind Sings

21.

The Capital guards, who suddenly came in, surrounded all the people in the cabin. Earnhardt tied Carter and punched him in the head.

“You dare-”

Whack!

“To do this-.”

Whack!

“In the capital?!”

Whack!

Carter’s head began bleeding from Earnhardt’s punches. Carter glared at him like an animal and shouted.

“Just who the hell is he?!”

“Shut up.”

Earnhardt punched Carter’s abdomen. Carter let out a scream. He still protested while pointing firmly at Vicente.

“That bastard killed someone!”

“…….”

“I don’t think he’s a knight but can a regular person kill someone in the capital?! Get that bastard too!”

“So noisy.”

Earnhardt’s eyes sank coldly.

“I told you to shut up.”

Immediately, he raised his hand and slapped Carter in the back of his neck. Carter lost consciousness without even screaming. He shook off his hand that touched Carter and signaled his subordinate.

“Take him.”

“Yes, Sir.”

At the Captain’s orders, all the guards went outside. Now, only Earnhardt, Vicente and Veron remained inside.

A momentary silence flowed. Earnhardt stared at the boy in front of him. Bloody clothes, blood flowing from the sword in his hand, the body of a man with a sliced throat, and Carter’s testimony.

It became evident that the dead body lying was the boy’s doing. Earnhardt’s lips bent down with a sigh.

“… Are you Bernhardt’s Young Lord?”

The boy greeted him politely.

“I’m Vicente Bernhardt. I greet Captain of the Capital Guards, Sir Earnhardt.”

A very calm voice that didn’t suit what he had just done.

At first, I couldn’t believe it when I heard from Lord Veron.

Perhaps, the Lord came here beforehand.

Bernhardt’s Young Lord who isn’t an official knight yet, sends Veron, a knight, to the captain of guards and puts himself in danger. Earnhardt thought it was a reckless move.

Just half an hour ago, he was laughing at Veron’s stupidity, for handing over his sword to Bernhardt’s Young Lord and leaving him behind. He assumed that he was still a child who had no idea how cruel the world was.

He ran like crazy to avoid the tragedy of the death of the Young Lord in any way. But to his shock, the situation was neatly handled by only a 15-year-old. He still couldn’t believe seeing Carter overpowered by him so easily.

“How did you know this was their base? Hunter… wouldn’t have told you.”

Was the owner of the archery ground named Hunter? Vicente whispered.

“It had the smell of blood.”

The smell of Blood?

Earnhardt narrowed his forehead. Hunter’s shop is crowded with people. You smelled blood in a crowded place and came all the way to here? Vicente gave an explanation when he noticed Earnhardt’s doubtful gaze.

“I looked at the back of a target and there was a bloodstain that appeared to be relatively fresh. And my suspicions were confirmed when I saw that the address given on this paper was different for men and women.”

I can’t believe he’s so confident with just that. Earnhardt’s eyes became strange for a moment, as he clenched his teeth at Vicente’s words. Has he still not given up his gross habit of shooting arrows at people? I can’t believe I, the Captain of the Capital Guards, didn’t notice the murders happening in the capital. It’s clearly my mistake.

“I heard rumors that people are disappearing from the capital these days. Are they true?”

“…I believe so. Do you have any idea where their captain, Drion, is?”

“He’s in Geschrel.”

Geschrel. That’s really far. Earnhardt gritted his teeth. I don’t know why a man who has been grazing the countryside until recently, suddenly came to the capital, but I will catch him this time.

After expressing endless contempt for the man who wasn’t there, he looked at Vicente again. His face was emotionless as if he was used to this. Earnhardt’s face suddenly hardened.

“…I’m grateful to the Young Lord.”

He shut his mouth for a moment and continued.

“But you killed a man in the capital without authority.”

His knight next to him yelled out.

“Killed a man! That’s too much! Listen, Sir Earnhardt. The Young Master may not be an official knight yet, but he is an apprentice knight. Therefore, he has enough authority to handle felons. Besides, five thugs were surrounding him. You should properly assess the situation.”

Veron’s words made some sense. Killing a person does not necessarily result in punishment. There was a strong possibility of his acquittal under certain circumstances, such as dealing with a vicious criminal like this.

And the lax law was much more favorable for nobility. Especially, if they’re from an influential family like Bernhardt. But how did they threaten this boy? Carter’s foolish men wouldn’t dare lift a hand at him. Carter would have already known how high of a noble he is and that he can kill them without hesitation.

“Or let’s just say that I’ll kill him! I’m a knight, so I have the authority to deal with these criminals.”

In this case, even his loyal subordinate defended his Young Master, claiming that he had committed the murder. But if a knight who is not affiliated with that state commits murder in the capital, he would be sentenced. The odds were low, but if something went wrong, he could lose his knighthood. Are you that loyal to your master?

Earnhardt glared at the boy who remained silent despite the situation.

That foreboding look in his eyes looks just like his father’s.

Earnhardt recalled the Duke of Bernhard, the Commander of the Royal Knights. The way those arrogant eyes looked down at people looked similar. When someone becomes a knight, they are given the right to kill.

When a person kills a person; at first, they are bound to feel guilty, no matter how evil the dead were. But there was no such feeling in the boy.

“Sir Veron, this is not the right time to step up.”

“Sir Earnhardt!”

“Stop. I’ll take care of it.”

The boy slightly raised his hand to stop Veron. Veron swallowed his complaint that was evident in his eyes. Earnhardt looked at Veron, who had become quiet in an instant. He didn’t even listen to me when I was talking, hmph. The boy opened his mouth when he was complaining.

“I’m saying this because you seem to be misunderstanding something. At first, I had no intention of getting involved in this. Despite the rumors circling around. Why would I involve myself in something annoying like this when I’m not even an official knight yet….”

“…….”

“Why did you get involved?”

Earnhardt frowned at the voice full of arrogance.

“If so, why did you come forward?”

“That’s because they were targeting my mother, Duchess Bernhardt.”

The Duchess? Earnhardt’s mouth shut close. If this were true, if they got their hands on the Duchess…

As if he knew what Earnhardt was thinking, he continued coldly. Unlike his calm voice, the listener could never be calm.

“This time, let me be the one to ask. If my mother had disappeared from the capital under your jurisdiction.”

“…….”

“How would you have handled it?”

Ice-cold blue eyes shining in silence spoke. This was a warning. A subtle reminder to him who was unable to catch a small fry.

He bit his lips mercilessly. There was a dirty smell of blood, but if he doesn’t do this, he won’t be able to suppress his anger. As the boy said, if the Duchess was kidnapped and killed, all those who were in charge of the safety of the capital would not be able to avoid punishment.

If they are lucky, they will be fired at most but if they are unlucky, their necks will fly. By that awful arrogant man, the Duke of Bernhardt.

“Considering the circumstances, I acknowledge this… as self-defense.”

He put emphasis on each letter, chewing on them between his teeth. All of them were going to be slaughtered anyway, so it doesn’t matter if these thugs were killed in the process.

It was uncomfortable, but it was undeniable that the boy in front of him prevented huge events that could have happened in the future. Furthermore, since the Duchess was almost involved, he had to trespass Earnhardt’s authority.

“I’ll take care of the rest. The Young Lord should not go any further.”

“I will do as you wish.”

The boy bowed politely. Earnhardt’s forehead wrinkled as if he were insulted by that gesture.

***