Chapter 12

Chapter 12

* * *

When we arrived at the fourth rampart, the first thing I did was stop by the guard post. I handed over the documents giving me the temporary authority to command the soldiers as the captain of the guards.

“Is this true...?” asked the captain suspiciously, as he glanced up from the paper at me.

Well, I suppose I couldn’t blame him for questioning this. It didn’t make sense. Why would the duke give a child, who seemed no more than ten, such powerful authority?

“Do you not see the seal of the duke?” I asked.

It was different here than at the second rampart. This was a place where most people did not know who I was, and their reception was less than welcoming. But I understood. Of course, they’d be upset if all they received was some strange little girl in response to their complaints to the duke.

“She’s just a kid.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Kiddo, stop your nonsense and go home.”

Some soldiers grumbled under their breaths. Others snickered at me from their posts. But there wasn’t any real malice behind what they were saying. I could bear this much hostility with ease.

“You’re free to not believe me. But I hope you’re ready to face the consequences of going against the duke,” I warned, ready to show off my powers if necessary. Once again, I looked at the captain, who looked at the papers again with a more careful eye.

“This is certainly... real,” he said, his voice gaining a tone of respect once he realized that the documents were indeed legitimate.

Holding the hem of my dress, I curtsied like a noble lady. “My name is Fiona Green. I came under His Grace’s orders to take care of the unfortunate happenings at the fourth rampart. It is very nice to meet you.”

The captain of the guard had an uneasy look on his face.

“Yes, um... Shall I call you Lady Fiona?”

I smiled. First impressions mattered a lot, after all. “Call me as you please.”

“Do you happen to know why you are here...?” asked the captain.

Geez, who did he think I was? I was quite diligent when it came to business. Of course, I had come prepared.

“Of course. I remember everything in the document by heart. If you wish, I could recite what is written—” I spoke.

The captain waved his hand. “No, no. That won’t be necessary. How may I be of service?”

I began to recite the requests I had in mind. “First, I need help from your soldiers to arrest the culprits. Second, please gather the townspeople in the square. I will take care of the matter there. Thirdly...” I said, then paused, turning to Siegren. “Do you know where the Karl Mercenaries usually gather?” I asked before reciting five names from Abel’s documents that Siegren likely recognized.

He sighed quietly. “Yes, I do. They always gather at the ale house near the wall.”

“I see.”

I informed the soldiers of the location. They headed out with slow steps, as if making a point that they were only doing this for the sake of the duke and not for me. I mean, I had been expecting some resistance against my authority. I was a child after all, but this was pretty demeaning. Hopefully, they would still bring the criminals to the square without any issues.

I turned to find Siegren looking at me suspiciously.

“What did the duke ask you to do...?” he asked.

Abel had given me the freedom to do as I liked, so my own decisions would play a big role in the fate of the mercenaries. I definitely would not let these men off lightly. It wasn’t just for the sake of Siegren. What they had done to the residents was vile, and they didn’t seem willing to redeem themselves either.

Judging from Abel’s gesture, he had wanted me to slice off heads. Or perhaps other parts of the body... Yet Siegren was only a fourteen-year-old boy, so I decided not to tell him. He didn’t seem like he wanted to accompany me anyway. So I could probably make up a reasonable excuse to ease his suspicions and send him off.

“It’s nothing much. He just wanted me to make a fair judgment is all,” I said.

Siegren looked at me doubtfully.

Oh, come on. Why?

“Where will you go in the meantime?” I asked.

“I’m going with you.”

“I see. It’s cold, so take care— Huh?”

“I said I’m going with you. Is it something I shouldn’t see?”

I wasn’t sure how I should respond. “No... It’s not that.”

“Then it’s fine,” he said.

I was worried about the sights he would see and started fumbling at my clothes with my forefinger and thumb.

“It might be a tad gruesome though.”

Siegren frowned in response. “You’re forgetting that I came from a battlefield.”

“No, but...” I mumbled.

Siegren sighed. “It’s fine. The scars you saw are from a long time ago. They’re not recent. I guess I didn’t leave a good impression on you... but I’m not half bad at fighting, you know.”

“Yes, I know. But that hasn’t got anything to do with joining me in this. This hasn’t got anything to do with you,” I said.

I was sure Siegren was quite capable even if he was young. After all, as the protagonist of this story, he was one of the most powerful figures in this world. Indeed, I knew he would become quite strong in a few years.

“Fiona, that’s not what I meant...” he said quietly, heat rising to his cheeks as he continued on. “What I want to say is that I can protect you if necessary. Most people here are pretty hostile to you. So it’d be better than going alone, right? Let’s go together then.”

“Huh...? Oh. Okay,” I said. It almost seemed like Siegren was concerned about me. If not, well, there was nothing I could do about it.

As he strode away with quick steps, I followed behind.

* * *

Following Siegren to the square, I wondered once more why Abel had delegated this task to me. He probably wanted to take care of my concerns. But at the same time, to give such a suspicious girl the full authority of the duke...

Wouldn’t Jeron have been the better choice? Judging from the way that people were looking at me—with surprise, disconcert, ridicule, and doubt—I was sure Jeron would have had an easier time gaining their trust. No matter how dense I could be at times, it was impossible to ignore the outright hostility emanating from the crowd. Being stuck in a kid’s body was such a nuisance at times like this.

Well, I’d just have to get the job done first, I thought, deciding to put aside my question as to why Abel had put me on this task.

I needed to focus on the work at hand. First, I had to decide how I would punish these criminals. Since I was to punish mercenaries, how the punishment would be doled out mattered. I was to make an example of them, an example to serve as a warning to everyone else. This way they’d know exactly what would happen if they ever dared to step out of line.

In comparison to the other walls, the fourth rampart was occupied by many outsiders, not just mercenaries. So if I did a good job here, it could help strengthen public security in great measures. On the other hand, if I did a poor job, the situation might get even worse, for this was how the human mind worked. If those who committed crimes did not get punished or even benefited from their acts, others would begin wondering why they shouldn’t do the same.

I wasn’t sure what would be the most appropriate according to the traditions of the north. True to Abel’s words, everything was returned tenfold here, even vengeance. Sometimes, people got more than what they actually deserved. For example, one might get one’s wrist cut off if caught stealing.

All in all, this meant that these mercenaries couldn’t get off lightly.

Hmm, should I just tell them to snip... I glanced at Siegren walking by my side, wishing that I had sent him back Or I should cast them out of the wall...

In Heylon, one would only have to take a few steps outside of the wall to find a horde of demonic beasts. Casting regular folks out unarmed was akin to literally throwing them to the demonic beasts.

All right, these two options would do. As my last mercy, I would give those mercenaries a choice between the two.

“We’re here, Fiona,” said Siegren.

“Oh? Already? You’re right.”

I looked up to see the square full of people, some talking in hushed tones as if they had already heard the rumor about me.

“That little girl is His Grace’s proxy?”

“What is His Grace thinking...”

The voices in the crowd spoke so loudly that even Siegren started getting angry. Clutching the boy’s wrist lightly to calm him down, I looked forward.

“Would you clear the way?” I asked.