Chapter 139
Let Me Hear You Squeal
Half an hour later, men wearing the uniform of Greyvault Town’s Guards had gathered in front of the headquarters. They were bewildered by the sudden summon, but what caught them off guard the most was the situation of their captain; gagged and hung on a pole upside down. The cold air bit into his cheek, turning the skin red. Below him were ten of their own men, parts of their exposed skin red and blistering; the pain preventing them from fainting.
Questions and uncertainty filled their heads. Their legs shuffled uncomfortably under the watchful gaze of the Centaur standing before them. One look and they knew that she was stronger than anyone there. Much stronger.
“Are these all the members of the Town’s Guards?” Akula scrunched her eyebrows. “Are you serious? They all look so…weak! How are you supposed to keep a town safe with those flabs you call stomachs?!”
Nick glanced at the rock-hard abdomen that Akula sported and rolled his eyes. He patted his own belly, which despite being quite muscular, had started to soften from age.
“These are the sorriest piece of shit I have ever seen,” Nick cursed, irritated. “Hey, you! It’s not standing to attention if you slouch!”
“What are you all doing?!” A Guard who just arrived shouted. “They’ve harmed the Captain! This is a crime!!”
The man raised a sword, intending to save their captain. But his effort was quickly put down by Nick’s headbutt, right into his face.
Akula took up her bow and shot an arrow at another man who had also taken up his sword. The arrow clipped the ear of the hostile Guard and went into a nearby tree, the force contained within causing the unfortunate tree to burst into smithereens. Junnaveil knew what would happen if that arrow went through the body of a human.
“Anyone else?” Nick bellowed as he let go of the poor man’s lapel.
“Quiet!” Davis came forward to keep them in order. He then gestured politely towards Connie, who was reading through a sheaf of documents they procured from Captain Hill’s hidden cache.
“This is Lady Cornelia Asterium Steelheart. The new Lady of Arlaine, appointed by His Majesty King Gerard the Second,” The man started. He felt his throat dry and squeaky when he started, but as he continued, his voice gradually began to become louder and more confident. “By the order of the new Lady of Arlaine, the Captain Jeremy Hills had been stripped of his position from dereliction of his duty. And I have been appointed the new Captain of the Town’s Guards!!”
Hearing this, the Guards clamored.
“What? Is this a joke?”
The Town’s Guards had merely about fifty members. And all of them knew the man standing before them. He was one of the men who refused to stay in line and was demoted to jail duty.
Davis looked uncertainly at Connie, who did not move from her chair and kept on reading the documents. His eyes moved back and forth between his fellow Guards and her, not knowing what to do.
Seeing this, Connie put down the papers and began to speak. Her voice was laden with Sword Intent.
“Kneel.”
Suddenly the men felt that it was hard to breathe and all of them fell to their knees, unable to muster the strength to stand.
“The Town’s Guards have the duty to protect the townspeople. You have all sworn this oath upon joining,” Connie spoke. “But you all have broken this oath. You all have spat upon the works of your predecessors.”
She released her suppression and the Guards eagerly gasped for breaths. Some vomiting from the discomfort.
“Indeed, mistakes have been made. And the Townspeople have all but lost their respect for you. And that is why I am here. I am here to give you all a chance to atone for your mistakes. Today, I will lead you to take out the root of the problem.”
“Today, we will arrest the Mayor and put him to justice!! Who among you dares to follow me?!”
The Guards were filled with disbelief. They all knew that the Mayor had employed strong mercenaries to do his bidding. That was one of the reasons that they could not do anything to him.
“Do you want us to die?!” One of the men shouted, forgetting his earlier fear.
“Are you afraid? Then leave. Leave and never come back.,” Connie spread her arms and shouted. “Those who are afraid, put down your sword and leave! The newly reformed Town’s Guards have no need of useless cowards! I need courageous men! Hot-blooded men!”
The Guards looked at each other, unsure of what to do. One man then threw down his sword, the edged weapon made of pig iron made a dull clang as it hit the cobblestones. It was then followed by another, then another.
Davis watched the backs of his colleagues left one by one. The veterans and the newbies. A tinge of pain and loneliness in his heart.
All that was left then were seven men. Five of them were young men with bright looks and slight confusion upon their faces. While the two others were veterans.
“Not leaving, old man?” Nick patted the shoulder of a balding man with a rather rotund body. He had greasy white hair and a white beard that grew out in odd angles. He also had the look of constant homelessness about him.
“I’m already old enough to make peace with whatever is coming to me,” the old man said. “Sergeant Brandon Stillson. At your service.”
“I’ve always said I don’t like the Captain. You heard me, right? Never liked the man,” the other man said. He was younger than Brandon, but he looked like he had been through more than a few rough patches in his life.
“That’s Private Goons,” one of the remaining young men said helpfully. “He’s been a private since I was a boy. He’s a bit…not right in the head, but he’s a good man.”
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“I see, and who are you?”
“Private Locke Braun, sir!” he saluted.
“Now, these are good men. Men with principles!” Akula nodded in satisfaction.
Davis was speechless upon looking at the only remaining members of the Town’s Guards.
“Are – are we sure about this, Lady Steelheart?” Davis asked. He was starting to regret his decision to follow her. “These Guardsmen are not exactly the best of the best.”
“I am very sure. In fact, this is better than I expected,” Connie said with a bright smile.
“It’s just…we are severely lacking in manpower,” Davis said again. “I think it’s wise to hire a few Hunters. The Mayor -!”
“Hush, Davis. I dare offend the Prince and the whole Nobility of Calendia. You think I’m afraid of a small-time Mayor?” Connie stopped him with a wave of her hand. “Now then, follow me, Captain Davis. You’re going to work under me from now on. You’re going to need to learn how I handle things.”
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Mayor James Hordin’s mansion was located near the base of the mountain. It was a garish, eye-watering conglomeration of bad taste and opulence. Statues of naked women and powerful beast-like men filled the mansion’s garden with no intention of hiding the nature of its owner. Every part of the mansion was filled with so much carving that one would wonder how it could hold its form.
The man’s office was no less richly decorated. As it was filled with many antiques that shone gold under the afternoon sun.
He was proudly admiring his collection as he did every day when a maidservant came in bearing a tray of tea. The poor girl could not hide her trembling as the soreness on her leg from the last beating she endured from his Master did not have the chance to heal yet.
As she slowly walked forward, her leg was caught on the edge of the carpet. Her wounded leg could not steady her in time and she came tumbling down. The sound of perfect ceramics fell and broke.
“M-Master! I -I’m sorry -!!” The maid begged when she saw his Master came towards her with a face like that of the devil.
Outside, the men under his employ frowned when they heard the screams. Shortly after, Hordin opened the door and spoke briefly. “Clean this up.”
They then came in and covered the body with a cloth, removing her from his office.
“That’s the second one this month,” a tall man in scaly leather armor came in as he was about to sit behind his desk.
He was accompanied by a wild-haired woman and a large, robust Beastfolk male holding a cudgel. The surface was covered with many unidentified fluids that had dried and stained it permanently.
The tall man glanced at the departed servant’s body and sucked in air harshly with his nose. “Continue this and you’ll be out of competent servants soon.”
“They can always be replaced, Orville,” Mayor Hordin said. His meaty fingers choked by rings of gold and diamonds caressed the remains of a broken cup with a look of anger. “But this cup? There is no replacement for this work of art.”
The woman reclined on the sofa in front of Hordin’s desk. The Mayor flinched when he saw her putting her dirty shoes on the sofa’s cushion, yet he dared not speak. He could only bear his anger and swallowed it down.
For despite their presence here for his protection, these three before him were watchdogs who served only their owner.
And it was not him.
He had tried bribing them once, to pull them to his side. The result was not pleasant. He grabbed his wrist with a look of fear.
“Why are you three in my office?” he asked, feigning bravery.
“You think we want to be here?” the woman asked brusquely. “I want some action! Not to rot here, doing nothing like some people! Isn’t that right, Bosley?”
“Hm…Hmm…” the Beastfolk man harrumphed in agreement. “Melida…”
“See? Bosley agrees with me,” Melida said.
Orville stood before the Mayor, looking down at him like a hawk looking at a sparrow, “I’m here to tell you that Mister B feels that you are not doing your job properly. Some people that fancied themselves as the Resistance has been making things annoying. It’s getting hard to steal people away like it used to.”
“I’ve done my bit!” Hordin said defensively. “That’s why no one ever gets the Greyrats or asks dangerous questions!”
“Not enough,” the man bellowed. “Mister B is moving up his schedule. We need more people. More bodies for our needs.”
“But if you are taking more people, it’s going to be hard keeping it only as a rumor!”
“It’s not of my business.”
“Look! I’ve been doing my best to provide Mister B with what he wants! But I can’t let the Capital know what I’ve been doing, otherwise, I’m screwed!” the man flared up, anxiety made him forget who he was dealing with.
Immediately, Orville loomed over him with a deadly stare. “Do not mistake your position here, Hordin!! You are nothing more than the bastard son of a Noble. You have nothing going for you but the Mayor in front of your name! You can’t even inherit your father’s title!!”
“If you think no one can replace you, then you are fooling yourself,” his voice lowering into a growl. “You are…replaceable. Just like that servant you just killed.”
“Hehehe, I love it when Orville gets nasty,” Melida laughed.
“Hngh hngh hngh,” Bosley followed suit, a tad slower than Melida.
Suddenly, they heard a loud sound coming from downstairs, followed by shouting and screaming.
“What’s going on out there?!” the rotund man shouted angrily and stepped outside.
When he descended the stairs, he saw his people sprawled on the ground on the first floor, groaning in pain.
Then he saw the uniforms and he exploded in anger.
“What is this?! How dare you come in here and destroy my property!”
Davis looked up at the hateful Mayor and raised a parchment and yelled out loud. “My name is Davis Thornston. I am the new Captain of the Town’s Guards! Mayor James Hordin! I am arresting you for the crime of bribery and corruption!”
“This is outrageous!” Hordin roared. “Where’s Hills?!”
“Former Captain Hills is being taken care of by my subordinates. Now, please come with us peacefully.”
Hordin snapped from the disrespect and yelled. “How dare you impersonate a Captain of the Town’s Guards! This is a rebellion! Men! Take them out!”
“Are you talking to the poor sods kissing the ground here or the ones making friends with the pavement outside?” the Paladin said mockingly. “Either way, they ain’t coming. So, might as well just give up.”
“Rebels!” Hording cried out pathetically. “Rebels!”
“Rebellion? Hardly,” a young girl came into his sight with hands behind her back. To her side was a Centaur and a slime the size of a man. An impressive sight compared to the poorly armed Town’s Guards.
“Is that the evil Mayor? He’s just like what I thought he’d look like,” Akula scoffed. Behind them were the remaining Guardsmen who by now was nothing more than a spectator, unable to fathom the violence and one-sided massacre that they had just witnessed. Unlike when dealing with the Guards, Connie and her companions did not show any mercy now.
“Captain Davis is arresting you under my order. If anything, it is you who is rebelling.”
“Who are you?!”
“Ah, silly me. I thought I saw a pig talking just now, so I forgot to introduce myself,” the young girl laughed. The laughter reminded Hordin of many bad memories caused by his low birth.
“I am Cornelia Asterium Steelhart. Also known as the Hero Killer. I have been appointed Lady of Arlaine by His Majesty, the King of Calendia,” Connie spoke. She then gestured at him. “And I am stripping you of your title.”
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James Hordin’s mind went blank. Without his title, what would he be? Without his title, would he have to live the life of a layman, forced to work for scraps of food?
Despair overcame him. What would a man do when one was put in front of its maw? Some would stand up, but some, like the Mayor, would go mad.
“ORVILLE!! Kill them! Kill them!!” James Hordin cried out in anguish.
The man named Orville did not like being ordered by the stupid man, but he was still useful. So, he gestured at Melida.
"Cut off her head."
“Shadow Step!”
The woman disappeared into the shadows and appeared next to Connie. To her surprise, her target had turned her head in her direction with a smirk. “Attacking an unarmed person?”
Connie slapped away the woman’s hand, grabbed her by the neck, and then pushed her against the wall. All with the same right hand, while the left was folded behind her back. “That’s good decision-making, but sadly…”
With a powerful tug, Connie’s hand turned into claws that ripped the poor woman’s neck. Blood spurted up like a fountain as the people in the room watched in horror.
“…I am good with my hands.”
With a hand still bloody from her earlier kill, Connie gestured at the Mayor.
“Come on now, don’t be shy. Let me hear you squeal!!”