41-57

Chapter 57: The Lord Disciplining a Knight 

After Hecate fled, I was brought to the lord’s residence. 

During the process, Martina never stopped expressing concern for me. 

“You’re not hurt anywhere, right? That demon didn't curse you or use violence, did she?” 

“…How many times are you going to ask? I said I’m fine.” 

“I can’t help worrying. Demons are nothing but vicious, filthy beings.” 

Even as Martina escorted me to the lord, she kept voicing her anxiousness and fear. 

Her reaction likely stemmed from genuine concern for me, but there was a base layer of loathing towards Hecate that made it hard to take only as kindness. 

“Well, from what I saw, she didn’t seem like a bad person.” 

“Didn’t seem bad? A demon?” 

Martina’s eyes went wide at my casual reply, and she pressed her forehead, letting out a pained groan. 

“I step away on a mission for just a little while, and Ei’s gone and gotten seduced by a demon…” 

…Just how negative must their view of Hecate be for her to react like this? 

“I don’t really know are demons really that dangerous?” 

“It goes without saying.” 

At my question, Martina replied flatly. 

“Demons are all devious and filthy. A long time ago, after the Demon King was defeated and their army fell apart, those followers hid among human society. Every time they show their true nature, everything around them gets laid to waste. There are countless people who lost their homes from their raids.” 

“Huh, I see.” 

Sounds like in this world, demons are held in the same regard as terrorist groups like IS or the Taliban. 

With that level of negative perception, there was no way defending Hecate would yield any good response. 

Realizing that, I decided to hold my tongue, and Martina gave a bitter laugh as she patted my back. 

“You try to see the good even in the world’s worst criminals Ei, you’re too damn kind for your own good.” 

Kind? It’s not like I was defending her out of some pure-hearted sense of righteousness. 

It’s just that, after sleeping with her, and sensing her true feelings in our short time together, I wanted to respond to that. 

But even that seemed to bother Martina as her expression grew stern. 

“But Ei. No matter what your first impression of that demon was, the world sees them as criminals out to destroy society. Especially our lord, whose loyalty to the royal family is absolute she absolutely despises rebels.” 

By the time she spoke those words, we’d arrived at the lord’s residence. 

Before entering, Martina gave me a warning. 

“Whatever you do, don’t defend the rebels in front of our lord. Got it?” 

Don’t make any move to protect Hecate, no matter the reason. 

It was the heaviest, most serious advice I’d heard from her, so I nodded and entered the hall where the lord awaited. 

“…You’re here.” 

Reness was in the audience chamber, gazing out the window at the city. 

Even though I could only see her back, her voice made it obvious: 

Disgust, displeasure, annoyance… those feelings all lurked under her calm tone. 

“What a night. To discover the servant who served me so faithfully was actually a rebel and a demon… Actually sitting her at the head maid’s seat only to get betrayed never saw that coming.” 

Reness laughed softly as she finally turned from the window. 

She marched towards Martina, fixing her with a piercing gaze. 

She smiled with her lips, but not with her eyes her stare was cold, utterly unsuited for a loyal retainer. 

“Yeah, it’s infuriating. To learn a loyal retainer’s a traitor.” 

“My… my lord…” 

“But you know what’s even more infuriating?” 

 Smack! 

Martina’s face jerked to the side from an abrupt slap. 

I stiffened at the scene, and then Reness raised her hand again. 

“That loathsome demon infiltrated my city, lived among us untouched, and even when the city’s top knight went after her, she escaped unharmed.” 

“S-sorry…” 

 Smack, smack!! 

Martina’s head snapped to the side with each blow. 

Even as I felt anger rising, all Martina did was straighten herself to face Reness again each time. 

As if it was only proper a knight’s duty to bear the lord’s fury with her own body. 

Even after her face had swelled, Martina kept her composure, and Reness vented her disgust without restraint. 

“It’s strange. I’ve never kept such an incompetent knight as you.” 

She was demanding: how could she let Hecate escape? 

With head bowed, Martina answered, 

“I’m sorry. But… if I pushed any harder, Ei could have been in danger…” 

“Ei? You mean the one standing next to you?” 

Reness glanced at me. 

The moment her gaze came my way, I tensed; she just curled her lips into a smirk and turned back to Martina. 

“…Martina.” 

She placed her hand on Martina’s shoulder. 

At first, gently but then, with a threatening force. 

“How many times have I said it? If you encounter rebels that threaten the kingdom, you capture or kill them no matter the cost.” 

“I understand. But…” 

 Thud!! 

Her fist crashed into Martina’s face. 

This was a real punch, not just a slap Martina staggered, and Reness’s expression twisted with anger. 

“But? Are you trying to make excuses, even after letting that demon escape?” 

“N-no, that’s not it…” 

 Wham, wham! 

Her fists landed again and again on Martina’s face too violent to call mere scolding. 

Still, Martina didn’t protest. She just took it in silence, which only made Reness’s blows and words more brutal. 

“These aren’t just common criminals they’re people who could plunge thousands into chaos, destroy entire territories. And you let one go over a single man? Do you think that’s becoming of a knight?” 

She grabbed Martina’s hair and slammed her to the ground. 

With her power, Martina could have broken free at any moment. 

But she chose to take it, and Reness knew it so she gave full vent to her sadism. 

“So you like sucking cock that much? Then let’s give you a real lesson.” 

Reness raised a stilettoed heel toward Martina’s face a weapon sharp enough to break bone and mangle flesh with the slightest force. 

“Stop!” 

Just as it was about to come down, I grabbed her arm to stop her. 

“Stop it.” 

I couldn’t watch anymore. 

The woman who’d given her heart to me was being beaten senseless, and as a man I couldn’t stand by. 

“…Huh.” 

Maybe my belated intervention was laughable to her. 

She turned and leveled a cold voice at me. 

“Now this is rare. A man daring to try and stop me. Did you think you were special just because I indulged you a little?” 

Her tone was polite, but the meaning was anything but. 

It took considerable effort to pry her arm from my grip. 

Disdainful, Reness warned me, 

“I won’t say it again. Let go.” 

“If I do, you’ll just beat Martina more.” 

“Even I have a limit to how much patience I show men. Let go, now!” 

Her harsh tone made my teeth grind and my self-control tremble. 

But honestly, why hold back anymore? 

All the suffering I’d endured was because of this woman. 

All the pain my women experienced she was the cause. 

Wouldn’t it be better to just end this right here…? 

“Ei!!!” 

Right then, Martina’s desperate shout rang out. 

She dragged herself up, bloodied, and pleaded, 

“…Let go of the lord.” 

Let go? 

This was the woman who’d just beaten her senseless leave her and it’ll just happen again. 

You’re strong enough to stop this at any time. 

Why take it? 

“Please, I’m begging you. Otherwise…it’ll be truly irreversible…” 

“…Damn.” 

But in the end, I couldn’t ignore her plea. 

No matter how much I wanted to lash out, I knew all that awaited if I crossed that line was ruin. 

“Sigh… What a day. Now I’ve even got a man interfering with my discipline.” 

Once I let go, Reness clutched her own wrist with a sigh. 

Then she locked sharp eyes on me, her gaze probing for weakness. 

“So. You got taken hostage by that demon, and then had the nerve to challenge me directly just how should I punish you?” 

Was she really going to turn her cruelty on me? 

It made me fearful, and filled me with rebellion but honestly, there was relief too. 

If her attention was on me, at least Martina wouldn’t suffer further. 

“…Heh.” 

But instead, Reness let out a light laugh. 

She patted my shoulder and spoke in a cheery tone. 

“Punish you? Of course not~ If I did anything to the city’s most valuable commodity, it’d disappoint all the people who come here just to see you.” 

She was sparing me purely for pragmatic reasons. 

That contradiction made me scoff and reply sarcastically, 

“That’s not what you said earlier. Before, you talked about sacrificing even me if needed to catch that demon ” 

“That demon was worth risking sacrifices for. But there’s nothing more pointless than obsessing over what’s already in the past. What matters is the achievements you’ll bring me in the future.” 

With that, she smoothly turned and made for the exit. 

Over her shoulder, she beckoned me forward with a gentle voice. 

“Come along. I’ll introduce you to your ‘fourth challenger.’” 

“…”