I mentioned this previously but pretty much decided on it yesterday. This will be the last chapter I plan to do on a weekday. Most of my updates after this will come ONLY on the weekends Sat/Sun, and I"ll probably limit that two 2-3 chapters per weekend. If there"s cliffhangers I might try to do more but won"t exceed that too far.
Also, I mentioned it before but the content of the chapters will slow down plot wise a lot coming up. If you check the chapter list on the index page from 115~ up until about 140~ when SS27 finishes the plot focuses a lot around the same stuff they"ve been doing up until now(there are some twists). Character development and leveling on the 7th floor. Along with that after 140-150~ the stuff that is plot related from the Reverse chapters starts to get mentioned so I need to go back and do those as well before then... All in all things are just going to feel slow for a while. Just wanted to give update and advance notice on that.
Anyway, next chapter ETA 7/15. See you then.
An Unfortunate Father And Son
Year 7445, Month 1, Day 15
Faruergaz and Hirosukol haven"t gone to the dungeon since then and together with k.u.miru and Ruttsu they"ve been gathering information, buying tools, producing preserved food (mixing dried meat in with wheat flour dough and baking until it"s harsh, it"s sold but it"s cheaper to make yourself. I think k.u.miru and Ruttsu probably taught them) and that sort of stuff. It appears that all four of them are in good condition again.
They came to see me a number of times and asked various things as well. I just honestly answered everything I asked without hiding anything and while I might be thought of as meddlesome I even taught them some things they didn"t ask.
The possibility that people you thought were allies could betray you. Betrayal, it"s an expression that has various meanings behind it. If you just go off the literal meaning then you could take it as someone who starts disputes over the method of splitting up portions, otherwise in a broader sense it could include those who don"t protect the pre-decided rules. And also, I told them they"re probably lacking in combat potential as well.
He listened to most of it honestly but when it came to the parts about being betrayed or lacking in combat potential they made a vague expression like they had accepted it or didn"t want to accept it. Well I think it"s best to carefully think about the things your seniors tell you and come to your own conclusion.
By the way, we returned from the dungeon January 11th but by the time we returned from the dungeon it seems that they had already given notice of the day of judgement. Since there was no notice of it through the New Year"s holiday I let my guard down and right as we tried to return to our schedule of six days in the dungeon followed by three consecutive days off, there was this. If it was just as planned then we were supposed to return to the dungeon again today. I think it would have been great if they started announcing it a bit earlier.
Since it can"t be helped just complaining, in any case Ralpha, Gwine, Toris, and I head towards the plaza in front of the government office. The other members aren"t victims or witnesses this time so they aren"t accompanying us. We entered the government office and after telling the official we came to appear in court, when I asked it seems that the predicted time for us is around noon. We went back outside once and I was able to discover everyone around the center of the plaza at a location which is kind of vague for watching with a goza laid out drinking tea so we joined back up with them. It seems that the areas in front which are better for watching were already taken by other onlookers.
Just before 9 am the governor of Baldukk came out to give greetings with one of the megaphone magic tools that"s said to only exist in a few locations including here and the capital, it seems that there"s a total of 46 cases of crimes and he declared that the punishments would be enforced if they accept their crimes during the public trial. And then, the King entered the platform soon after and the judgement began.
Before the judgements started, I thought I met eyes with the King once but when I saluted it was ignored. I thought it couldn"t be helped but one day I"ll make it so he can"t ignore me, while lining up with the witnesses, then I crossed my arms and sat in a chair. From stingy larceny to injury, murder, and a case of arson that happened a while back they"re gradually given judgement and the punishments are enforced on the side of the plaza.
And then, just as the official had predicted, just before noon when the sound of the whip is still ringing out from the edge of the plaza, Ralpha and Gwine the victims (since it"s treated as a criminal case accusers don"t exist) were called up, and the judgement begins. The ones dragged out on to the judgement place were the suspects, Misseru.Beirun and 9 others. Now then, your majesty King Thomas Rombert the Third, I wonder what kind of judgement you"ll show me?
Misseru.Beirun and the other suspects had their gags removed but they didn"t say anything. I guess they can"t say anything until given permission. In that case then it seems they at least have some amount of common sense.
The King who was on the platform receives the paper the crimes and suspects are written on from an official in the knight group the same as others and with a flat voice that didn"t give off any sort of feeling read it out.
"..like this the charge is the crime of attempted robbery and if it"s recognized I impose the sentence of 10 lashes with the whip on the suspects Misseru.Beirun, including Rihyaruto.Oigen....Romeru.Biurkuride. Suspects do you accept your crimes and submit to the punishment?"
Ho...10 times for attempted robbery is a bit heavy. If I remember correctly actual robbery that isn"t attempted was 15 times so you could say it"s quite heavy. Since attempted robbery is a fit case for today, there"s no way of checking if it"s a valid punishment. In the first place, past precedents are used as somewhat of a reference it seems but it"s not like j.a.pan where it depends on a doctrine of past precedent, and the one who maintains supremacy the King and embodies the national law itself has the final say in it.
"Fa..Father, we di"Shut your mouth, who"s your father! Just now, I add to the charges of the suspect Misseru.Beirun. False statements as well as contempt of royalty. I myself stand witness. The punishments of three lashes with the whip, including decapitation and the head will be showed above the prison gate are included."
Mu, that illegitimate child (?) called Misseru seems to be quite the idiot. If he had just obediently accepted it then it would have ended at 10 lashes with the whip...In the first place, it was already over the moment he was so brainless that he couldn"t even understand that blood relationships aren"t taken into consideration at all when it comes to the enforcement of punishments.
In the Kingdom of Rombert where multiple husbands and polygamy are accepted there"s no way something like an illegitimate child would have any rights. However, putting aside the charge of contempt of royalty, I don"t think anything up until now was a false statement...Ah, since publicly his father is Viscount Beirun so the charge of contempt towards royalty where he called the King his "father" could be taken as false as well.
"Ah..Gu.."
Misseru was so surprised his eyes when wide like they"d fall out of his head while his mouth keeps opening and closing.
"Respond, suspect Misseru.Beirun. The response is do you accept or not."
With a severe face towering over him like a rock the King questioned his son(?).
"Ah...No, I don"t recognize the charges."
"Is that all of the charges?"
..I guess you could say this this is in some meanings the kindness of a father.
"No, only the attempted robbery.."
The King looked at the suspect Misseru.Beirun"s face for a few seconds but soon after changed his glance to the suspect next to him as if he had lost interest and asked the same way. The other 9 who were making expressions of surprise easily accepted their crimes.
Now then, at the very least there"s one person who didn"t accept his crimes. In other words, Toris and I will be called up I"m sure.
"Well then, the witness for this matter come e..Hmph, after all it was you..Swear upon the G.o.d of Law and Truth that you will verify without falsehoods."
"I, sub-n.o.ble Alan.Greed, swear upon the G.o.d of truth and law that I speak only truth."
"I, sub-n.o.ble Toris.Kalstalan, swear upon the G.o.d of truth and law that I speak only truth."
sub-n.o.bility is the official ranking of those who border the line of n.o.bility. Even if it"s the eldest child of a Duke if they don"t have any n.o.ble ranking at the time they"re considered a sub-n.o.ble. The exception is only for the prince and princesses of royalty.
We respond to the questions of the King who is the judge, prosecutor, and defense. The questions themselves aren"t any different from the other trials. The date and time of the crime, the situation, and our impressions we just respond as we"re asked. Well it"s mostly just the same things we told the knight group of Baldukk when we handed them over.
"Once again I"ll hand out the judgement. Suspect Misseru.Beirun will receive 10 lashes with a whip for the crime of attempted robbery. Adding 1 lash for denial of the crimes. Another 3 lashes for stating falsehoods during this trial. And for the crime of contempt of royalty he will be decapitated and have his head displayed on the prison gate for one week."
After he declared that things simply moved on to the next trial.
When I returned to everyone else I sat down with my legs cross sipping some tea and eating the wheat senbei (a confection made by just crushing wheat flour and adding that into the dough to be baked) while watching the remaining judgements. While watching I once again thought that I can"t let my guard down around that old man.
Furthermore, the one who was acting as guard for the first knight group this time was lord Balkisas. Soon after the judgements ended, a member of the first knight group came to call for me so I went to the government office and the King and lord Balkisas were hiding behind a wall further inside. When I took the pose of a retainer in front of them the King made an unpleasant face while whispering something to lord Balkisas. Che...This old man, so he doesn"t want to talk directly to me that much.
Well, it"s just somehow but I also originally had an imagine of n.o.blemen only talking intimately with their most loyal of retainers and officials and not directly speaking with commoners or of the lower cla.s.ses, so thinking that I decided to join his game of telephone. Though if I think about it, just now he exchanged words with criminals and me as well so I guess that"s not the case either. I"m sure it"s that right? The studs. Yes I get it, isn"t that great. This old man who"s stamina is running out from his old age felt rejuvenated again making his women go hi~hi~ I"m sure.
..I guess there"s no way that"s the case huh? I don"t know if there was any affection but it"s like he just killed his own blood related son a short while ago. But, in this sort of world. Let alone parents or siblings, it might even be only obvious to harm your own son.
"..Greed-kun. I received the order to convey it to you without even a single mistake from his majesty but these aren"t my worebu"
When Lord Balkisas was about to start giving an excuse the King hit him in the head from behind. At the same time the King whispered in his ear "It"s fine if you don"t say anything unnecessary." I can hear you~ I"ll use {Charm.Person} and {Suggestion} on you~ old man.
"Hn, gohon. For you to not have brought even a single magic weapon since then, ow"
The King hit lord Balkisas in the back of the head again.
"It"s not haven"t brought. It"s can"t manage to bring. And also, don"t forget to add brat. Convey things properly."
Hey now, I can hear everything clearly, old man.
"A~ br..brat, for you to not be able to manage to bring back even a single magic weapon, even though you"re getting arrogant with the name {Slaughterers}, you"re just at that level huh? If it"s at this rate then won"t it take over 10 years? If you can"t manage something during the period I"m still the King then it"s not my responsibility you know, id~iot"
Ku...He hits where it hurts. But, we"ve already long since gotten our hands on a magic weapon. Shut~up. The one who says idiot is the real idiot. I"ll show you. In the first place it still hasn"t even been one year since then. You"re too impatient. Are you premature? However you know..I guess he was interested in it.
"..Oh my, that is quite. I"m quite surprised you know of this humble retainers movements.."
Suddenly the King flicked his tongue and made an unamused face. I"m not amused at all either.
"However, we"ve still only just started. I"m not in any hurry myself. In the first place I"m still a young 16 years old. It"s strange saying it myself but since I"m still young I have an infinite amount of possibilities but..Oh my~ since I swore to only speak the truth to the G.o.d of law and truth just a short while ago so I can"t speak anything but the truth but please humbly forgive me.."
I added some sarcasm. Even if he knows it I couldn"t help but say it. I"m still plenty young.
"This..impudent brat...It"s fine, let"s go."
While the King had a bitter smile on his face he said that to his guards before disappearing past my side even further into the government office.
Since I boasted so highly about it, it"s necessary to actually show him the possibilities thanks to my youth. If possible I want to somehow manage it this year.
I continued to remain in the pose of a retainer until the King and others were out of my sight.
Well, putting that aside, it was unfortunate this time right. Your majesty the King.
I"m sure that method of yours was one method itself.
It"s unfortunate that your son was too much of a fool.
I"m sorry for your grief
..This is something I think from the bottom of my heart.
...........
Year 7445, Month 1, Day 16
We ended up having one extra day off thanks to the day of judgement but starting today we"re entering the dungeon again. Just the same as usual, we aim for the 7th floor right away and hurry ahead. We continue to the 3rd floor without problem and then setup camp in the teleport room on the 3rd floor.
................
Year 7445, Month 1, Day 17
We cleared through the undead on the 4th and 5th floors and then finished up preparations to camp in the teleport room on the 5th floor. And while I say that it"s nothing that takes much work other than raising the dirt level a bit to use as a bed. Within 20 minute since Zulu and I started making preparations to camp a group of adventurers appeared in the teleport room on the 5th floor. I thought everyone else had caught up to us and that they were reasonably fast today but since {Party-ization} still shows them as being a bit of distance away it must be a different group. If it"s someone other than the {Slaughterers} who comes here then it doesn"t need to be mentioned but it"s {Sun Ray}.
It"s an eight person party with the Rindobel couple and six others. The only other faces I know than theirs are the round shield and mace using human male, Harukein.Fumizu and the Wolf-people man who uses a spear named, Jerutodo.Ramires. I don"t know the other four people.
Fumizu and Ramires came with the RIndobel"s to greet me. It"s quite polite of them for adventurers so it leaves a good impression though. Well, it"s fine.
"If you intend to use the shower then feel free to use it first."
I said that and offered it to them. They were grateful but also made surprised faces. Yeah, that"s right. We split into two groups of 2 and 9 people each up to here. Judging from their appearance, it seems like they heard of it from rumors and doubted it, and they"re surprised to actually see it.
"Umm, Greed-san. Would it be fine to talk with you for a short while?"
The husband of the Rindobel couple, Koritto.Rindobel started talking to me. So they"ve come huh? Thinking that I invited them over to the bench while trying to be careful to not seem unnatural.
"What is it?"
"That is, it"s a bit embarra.s.sing to make this request but around the 5th floor, would you mind letting our members accompany you once?"
Huh? They aren"t trying to pull us in but rather they"re coming over here? I don"t get the meaning. No matter how you think about that it"s spying. Is this guy an idiot?
I"m sure my expression reflexively changed into something really suspicious. It seems the husband of the RIndobel"s read the meaning of my expression and added in a panic.
"Ah, no, please excuse me. I"m very sorry for putting it in a way that could be misunderstood. Some of our young members look up to the {Slaughterers} you see...They"re even saying they want to leave {Sun Ray} and join the {Slaughterers} so..Honestly, they"re members who we"ve spent a reasonably long time together with in the dungeon so while it"s quite disappointing but we want to grant their individual wishes as well."
There"s no way, no matter how you think about that it"s way too obvious. If you were to really just take it on the surface level then it might be seem like parental affection of really wanting to make their members happy, or something like that but there"s no way anyone would get caught in this. Or else did they seriously see me as someone who would get caught in this? If that"s the case then that"s going quite far. Certainly it"s true I might look like a naive brat but even like this I"m still the head of the top team in Baldukk. I"d really prefer if you don"t underestimate me.
I seriously started to feel like using {Charm.Person} to ask their true intentions but somehow managed to endure it. If there"s even a small chance that it might fail it would be annoying.
I politely refuse their offer and had them return to their group.
After that, we grouped up with everyone else, had dinner, took our showers and then when I wrapped myself in my blanket I thought for a bit.
I wonder what {Sun Ray} is aiming for? Their larger objective is clear. It"s the underlying truth of the word. Earn money. I"m sure there"s nothing other than that. Since it"s their freedom how they use the money they earn, whether it"s giving it as an offering or using it on the dog races, I don"t think anything at all. It doesn"t matter as long as they"re not my acquaintance.
And, in order to achieve that larger objective, the Rindobel couple of {Sun Ray} seem to be gathering money with methods that are close to fraud. It seems they"re normally using headhunting as their primary method but as expected I"m sure they understand that"s close to impossible. With that they thought up a different method is what it means. However, it"s far too crude.
I feel like they"re probably still thinking something I haven"t realized yet.
However, isn"t this method just like giving me a warning?
Even when it"s me if the Ginger or Gekudo we saved previously were to one day come ask for me and say they want to join the {Slaughterers} out of their debt to me then I would think a bit about it.
Ah, I need to sleep already.
Tomorrow is early.
..............
Year 7445, Month 1, Day 18
We did two round trips around the 6th floor and by the evening all of us had arrived at the teleport room on the 6th floor. This time taking into consideration what I was told my {Sun Ray} I left Giberuti from the start and brought along Basutoral. When I returned to pick him up {Sun Ray} was already gone. It seems they all teleported into the 6th floor.
Well, on the way I talked to everyone about things in regards to {Sun Ray}. Everyone was laughing but Basutoral"s eyes were swimming. He panicked a bit when Toris poked fun at him but I"m sure anyone would want more money. Particularly since Basutoral has his circ.u.mstances as well. It can"t be helped if they can touch his feelings while he still doesn"t know much about the dungeon.
"Once you return your debt, if you really want to you"re free to join {Sun Ray}. Don"t hold yourself back."
However, if it comes to that, I won"t forget that it happened though.
"That"s absurd. {Sun Ray} was it? Most likely, their abilities are less than us {Slaughterers} right? That"s no joke. What I was thinking is, someone could pretend to be deceived and enter their group intentionally, those sorts of moves are possibly as well, just that. But, when I thought about it once again I realized there"s not much meaning in it either way."
Yeah. I thought of that as well. In reality Miduchi would be the best ability wise but I"m sure that would be exposed right away. The runner-up would be Bel but she"s one of our old-time members including Zenom and Ralpha. Even when it comes to Gwine and Toris they"ve already been with us for two years so I doubt {Sun Ray} would think they"d join them either. The only one remaining is Basutoral but this guy is still an amateur and depending on how things go he could even slowing them down in combat.
What the, isn"t everyone fine then?
I guess it"s already fine to just not worry about it~