"Wait… let me explain… I really wasn't... aaargh!"
"What are you doing? Grab his hands tight. I can't kick him properly otherwise."
"Aaargh. Bastard, I'm telling you. It wasn't…. aaaaaaaaough… me.
*Cough cough.* It was your damn ale. You should have banned it aaargh …
From getting served to…"
"Just shut the fu*ck up and receive your reward like a man. You were so confident last night, right? Just thinking about it makes my blood boil. Guys, let's beat him up together."
"Aaaaagh! Help, Eren. Help me, man. You know I'm innocent in all this."
"Just leave that boy out of your mess, you swine. And nobody would come to save you after what you've done with my niece."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtFor the next few minutes that felt like a breeze to Eren, he heard a cacophony of noises. But he wasn't paying attention to any of them. He was focused on watching this nuisance of a white knight getting his ass handed to him by the goons he had indirectly hired.
Eren wasn't aware of what had happed to Lensa after he had left her there. And Devon kept that detail out from his explanation as well. So he had assumed that the girl was just sad and brokenhearted.
Eren had assumed that the girl must have complained to her family about being treated as a cum-dump by Ken. He had remembered that Lensa's family was influential from his previous timeline's memories. So he knew it would not hesitate to take action against the earl's scion, especially when he had misbehaved on its turf.
Eren finally got to enjoy the fruits of his labour. He felt all his efforts were worth it to watch this show. The scrooge was magnanimous enough to make an exception and pay with his own money this time to watch this pay-per-view in repeat.
Alas, the show ended for Eren when Ken managed to blurt out the following amid the beating he was receiving:
"Fi…. fine. Let me speak damn it. I… I am ready to take the responsibility for my actions. Where's Lensa?
Hoh! Stop. Don't you dare to raise that fist on me again! Otherwise forget about me ever getting myself involved with the girl."
Ken finally managed to make the guys stop beating him with his statements. They were enough for Devon to at least let him explain himself better before he started his next round of "rewarding"
"What do you mean by taking responsibility? Brat, explain yourself better. Otherwise, the next course of your meal is going to be aven more appetizing for you."
"I mean… let me meet Lensa. I mean if I have really hurt her, let me say sorry to her. AND make amends to her.
I want to hear from her mouth what I did or didn't do from her mouth. I'll let you guys know how I can make amends after that."
Ken expected his answer would get appreciated by Devon because it was based on logic and reasoning. But he would have never guessed that his answer would irk the young elf uncle more. That's because his niece had to be awake for her to talk with this wretched guy, which she was not.
"You just like to dig your own grave, don't you. Guys beat him some more for me."
'Wow! Should I gift this Devon guy a bouquet or something? The guy's just unstoppable when it comes to beating teens.'
Eren had this thought and smiled inside his head as he watched Ken getting pounded for another round.
Eren hoped the white knight would get beaten up in front of him every time he opens his eyes in the morning. That would be a good start for the day. But alas, Ken decided to open his mouth again against Eren's wishes.
"Wait… aaargh! Hold on. For Lensa's sake, damn it. Listen to me.
Something tells me Lensa would listen to my story. I'm sure she would understand that I wasn't in control of my behaviour or function…"
"That's the problem, you dimwit. She can't talk to you. She can't talk to anyone."
Devon answered frustratingly. He knew the boy was talking sense. His point about the ale needing to get banned from the street was also hit the bull's eye.
But like Eren, Devon too had started experiencing uncontrollable irritation after looking at Ken's hero-like face.
"What do you mean? Don't tell me she di…"
"Fu*ck you, Ken Riverine. No, my girl isn't that weak. It's just that…"
Devon denied Ken's grim predictions and sighed. He didn't know what to do with the boy anymore. One part of him wanted to beat this brat up till he died. And the other wanted to take him to his niece, hoping his presence and apology would bring her back from her icy slumber.
Finally, the rational part took over and Devon decided to come clean to Ken regarding a few things about Lensa's situation.
He first dispersed all his teammates that he had bought to the inn, including the ones waiting at the lobby. He wanted to relive Eren too but Ken demanded that his friend and Almera should stay with him.
Ken had understood that something had happened to Lensa after his "supposed" misadventure on her. He figured it was better to rely on his friends in this situation for his and Lensa's sake.
Devon decided that the guy like Eren who talked less and didn't butt into his business wouldn't spread the news about Lensa's condition any further. And Almera was even tight-lipped considering she didn't even stay there to watch her teammate getting pounded by him and his team.
So Devon invited both Eren and Almera into Ken's room before locking the door. He then told them about what had happed to Lensa after Ken's departure.
Ken and Almera were shocked. But the guy who had caused this event was in even more of a shock than those two. He had dark lines on his forehead after thinking about a possibility.
'For hell's sake, please don't turn this misfortune into a fortuitous encounter for this goddamn mother***** protagonist.'