I watched Marquis Owen Glines and his inforr writhing on the ground under the pressure of my Dragon’s Presence while I walked ahead, letting the doors close behind .
"You must not know it," I spoke as I walked forward, "but the Queen knows that Ace, the founder of Azurlite, is my friend. Didn’t she tell you?"
The veins on his neck stood taut as he forced his head up to glare at .
"You... You’re the sly—" I sighed and increased the pressure, making him gasp and his face slam back onto his carpet.
"I would be careful if I were you, Owen," I said, and heard him grunt.
"Your illegitimate son is as good as in hell right now, and honestly, I don’t need him anymore. I got what I wanted from him, so I’m here for you." I spoke before I heard soone approaching.
The low and soft footfalls ca up to the doors, followed by two gentle knocks.
"I’ve brought you so gin as you asked for, My Lord," the polite male voice seeped in.
Owen Glines flinched and quickly gathered his strength to shout.
"M-Mark! Hurry and call the guards!" He only managed a flimsy, muffled grunt while I used telekinesis to open the door. There stood a tall young man of around his early twenties with auburn hair and green eyes, carrying a tray with a gin bottle and glass.
His eyes grew wide as they landed on , then flicked to Owen struggling on the ground, along with the second man.
Mark stepped in quietly, closing and locking the doors behind him, which made Owen frown slightly. Mark walked over, placed the tray down on the table, and then knelt.
"It’s an honor to see you again, Master Ocean," he said in the utmost respectful tone, making smirk as Owen’s face turned ashen.
"Y-You’re a spy!" Owen barely managed to speak.
"Rise, Mark. You’ve been doing quite well," I said, and he stood up with his head down, eyes glaring at Owen.
"Mark," I said, and he looked at .
"Yes, Master?"
"Do you know where this guy keeps his ledgers and other records of his criminal dealings?" I asked, and Mark bowed.
"Yes, Master. I shall get them now." Mark moved toward Owen.
Owen struggled as Mark plucked a gold chain from around his neck. With a snap, he unhooked it, revealing a key hanging from it.
"No! Mark, how could you..." Owen grunted, still wheezing for air.
"Quite ironic for the backstabbing snake to be so angered by betrayal," I comnted, watching as Mark swiftly moved through Owen’s desk, retrieving so books from hidden drawers and placing them on the desk.
There were five in total.
Once done, Mark collected the books and walked up to .
"Here, Master," he said, handing them to while Owen glared at him.
"You little bitch! I gave you money and fed you, and this is what you do to ?" he grimaced, and Mark crouched to his eye level.
"You did give money and fed , but you also aid to exploit . I know all about your sick tendencies, and I had only been waiting for Master to co so I could spit in your face and leave," Mark sneered.
I tilted my head slightly and said, "I’m sorry, Mark, but you can’t leave just yet."
"Pardon?"
"I’m taking him with for now. This family will be gone in a couple of days, so when their downfall is obvious, I’ll send for you. Then you can return ho happily after watching it all crash." I said, and Mark nodded.
"I understand, Master," he said.
"Also, keep an eye on his son and daughter. Though they are young, they will definitely try sothing after he’s disappeared."
"Yes, Master. I’ll take care of everything here," Mark responded before looking at the inforr.
"What about him?"
"Get rid of him," I said.
I then walked over and slamd my boot on the back of Owen’s head, knocking him out. I grabbed him and slung him over my shoulder. After a final nod to Mark, I teleported to Ryujin montarily to drop Owen at the Eastern wing’s dungeon cell. I also dropped the ledgers off in my office before returning to Eirn.
It wasn’t particularly hard to kidnap Marquis Glines, but I was still wondering about sothing, which was why I left my room and went down to the dungeons where Laude was being held.
I descended the stony stairs, my boots making next to no sound. I passed several cells where Laude’s accomplices were held—one of them had Pesor with his leg bandaged up—and in the last one sat Laude with a sharp rock in his hand. He was about to stab himself in the neck with it.
I opened the cell door and he panicked, trying to hide the rock and pretending to sleep. I walked up to him, and he was unable to hide his trembling.
"If you’re so scared, how on earth will you kill yourself?" I asked, and he gasped, opening his eyes to look up at like a deer caught in headlights.
"Hm? You don’t quite look like . How did the people believe that you were Ocean?" His eyes grew wider, and I saw the color draining from his face.
"O-Ocean Ryujin?" he gasped, and I smiled.
I crouched to his eye level, watching him chained to the wall in a sitting position.
"I heard you used to bring in people who opposed you and had them tortured here," I said, touching the antimagic shackles.
He gulped, hanging his head. "And also assaulted won and girls," I added.
"... I didn’t," he said in a low voice, making tilt my head.
"Hm?"
"I... never sexually assaulted any woman or girl..." he said.
"Your partner kept boasting about how you dominate won, though," I noted, and he shook his head.
"My mother... was a commoner. She used to work at the Marquis’s mansion. He assaulted her one day and... I was the result. My mother grew weaker after giving birth to and... she passed away when I was five. I worked at the Marquis’s mansion but, being a bastard, I could never really call them my family. Then suddenly he called up one day and told I had so use for him..." he explained, then looked at tentatively.
"Since I have blue hair, I could be mistaken for Ocean Ryujin, who also has blue hair... He told to go to Slavenreach with Pesor and make people believe that Ocean Ryujin is an evil man... He ordered to smuggle the money provided to Slavenreach to him and... well... ruin the place so there would be unrest among the people against Ocean and his Foundation."
"I... left most of it in Pesor’s hands... I would only show dominance when soone approached or was brought to ... Like when Ace D’Arc arrived... Pesor told he wanted to make a deal with Ocean Ryujin and that... if we managed to fool him sohow... then we could beco even more rich and powerful..."
I listened quietly. He coughed a little before saying, "I... know telling you all this doesn’t matter now... I’m already dood to lead a life worse than hell... But that’s... what I deserve... for being so weak... and a bastard."
"So you didn’t assault anyone unless soone was there to see it... because it reminded you of your mother?" I asked, and he flinched, then nodded with his head hung.
I looked at his blue hair, which was nowhere near the shade I had, but if soone knew that Ocean had blue hair, then any man with blue hair claiming to be Ocean would be mistaken for him.
"If I gave you a chance at redemption, would you take it?" I asked, and he looked up at .
"Re-Really?" he asked, hope swirling in his chocolate-brown eyes—then the light dimd instantly and he looked down.
"I-I’m probably of no use to you though... You have the ledger and the Marquis... He’ll probably send assassins to get rid of soon..."
"He almost did," I said, making him look up.
"If you’re worried about your father doing sothing, then don’t be. I’ve taken care of him," I said, and his eyes went wide.
"Wh-What?!"
"I captured him. I have all the evidence against him, so he is powerless now," I said, and he stared at for a long mont before tears glistened in his eyes and he sniffled.
"You can stay here for so ti. Try to redeem yourself for all the bad deeds, and make up for it... The people are pretty simple. They got angry when you wronged them and would probably forgive you if you show them that you aren’t evil." I offered, and he hung his head.
"But... I was still part of those who are evil... How could they forgive an imposter who dared to sully the na of soone as kind as you?" he asked, and I smiled.
"I’m sure they’ll see it for themselves..." I said, and he looked at .
With that, I placed my hand over his head, ruffling his hair while removing the sharp rock he’d hidden at his side, and stood up.
"And don’t try things like this. Face your punishnt justly, and at the end of it, I’m sure you’ll be able to live a happy and content life."
I announced crushing the rock in my hand and he watched as the dust fell from my hand before I turned and left the cell.
The next morning, I was prepared to leave Eirn, but before leaving I had breakfast with Earl Thas.
"I hope you had good sleep last night, My Lord." Earl spoke and I smiled.
"Yes, I did."
Thas looked a little worried about sothing and I could see where his thoughts were.
"Don’t be worried about Marquis Glines doing sothing. The first I’ll do after I return is sue him for what he did, I have evidences so, nobody could possibly save him." I announced and Thas’s eyes glowed with hope.
"As for this territory then, I’ll continue sending the funds and drop by myself or send soone from ti to ti so, please don’t feel like I’m abandoning you." I said and he smiled waving his hand.
"No, no, My Lord. We’re really grateful to have a Lord like you who did so much for us." He said and I smiled.
"Earl Thas," I started, "You know since I’m busy with a lot of things so, I will probably not be able to visit soon again so, I’d like to ask you to be my vassal and be the Lord of this place. I’ll leave the governance and decisions regarding this Eirn to you so, you could just send reports at the end of each month to let know that everything is going well or not. And if there is so problem then, please don’t hesitate to reach out to right away."
Thas paused for a mont before he stood up.
"Y-You’re really leaving the governance of this place to , My Lord? E-Even after my incompetence?" He asked and I sighed.
"I trust you, Earl Thas. So do the people of Eirn. So, don’t think that just this one thing would make that trust sway. I know you can take care of this place that’s why I’m giving you this responsibility and I’m sure you’ll do it well."
His eyes glistened and he bowed, "Yes, My Lord. I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations!"
With that done, I mounted on my horse as I hadn’t brought a carriage along and made my way towards Aurelia territory.
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