SWNOVELXO Chapter 631
Chapter 631: Then Give Me Some Compensation. (3)
“Hey! Don’t you know who I am?”
Some people can’t control themselves when their situation suddenly changes, whether due to their inherent nature or environmental influences.
Alfoy was exactly that right now. He was bullying the castle’s servants.
“I-I’m sorry!”
“Do it right! Like this, properly! Ugh, do I really have to explain everything? What do you take me for?”
Alfoy relentlessly tormented the servants whenever they made a mistake, or even if they didn’t please him.
He had always been arrogant, but his character had been somewhat restrained due to his status as a slave.
Now that he had rolled around freely in Penris, all those constraints were gone, allowing his true nature to emerge.
Yet, many people praised him, so Alfoy remained completely unaware of any problem.
“Haah… This is why ordinary humans…”
Alfoy clicked his tongue as he swaggered around the royal castle.
The nobles and ministers watching frowned, but they had no choice but to let him be since he was so popular.
However, if a person continued to act with such hubris, bad rumors were bound to spread.
“No, they’re completely different from what I heard.”
“I’ve never seen such a arrogant person in my life.”
“From his behavior, he sounds like a high-ranking noble. Just a commoner.”
No matter how great a contribution someone makes, if flaws come to light, there will be people who criticize. Alfoy was constantly making a spectacle of himself.
And the number of people fanning the flames of those rumors kept increasing.
“Hey, they say he’s not even a 100 Circle. Just a measly ‘10 Circle’.”
“Really? They inflated it tenfold? I didn’t see him like that, what a disappointment.”
“Did you hear about his personality? Supposedly, he’s totally rude. If things don’t go his way, he flips out.”
“I heard he thinks he’s a king.”
“They say he even caused a rebellion in the past. His temper is that bad.”
The bad rumors began due to Alfoy’s own actions, but it was Claude who amplified them even more.
Claude spared no means and methods to slander Alfoy’s reputation. Alfoy’s bad temperament became fuel for the fire, and soon everyone was talking behind his back.
People no longer praised Alfoy; they started to avoid him instead.
The more they avoided him, the more Alfoy lost his temper. He could subtly feel something off in the atmosphere even without knowing the exact cause.
“What’s going on! Why is everyone so indifferent to me lately? I saved this world!”
He didn’t think he did anything wrong. He only thought it was outrageous that no one showed respect to a hero who saved the world.
With every outburst, Claude was thrilled. He secretly met with Kaor and said,
“It’s about time to start. His reputation has hit rock bottom. No one will defend him now.”
“Really? The time I’ve been waiting for has finally come.”
Kaor grinned wickedly.
He didn’t like that Alfoy was doing well either. Now he was acting arrogantly even in front of him, and his reputation had become too great to treat him recklessly.
Thanks to Alfoy, two people with a history of bad blood joined forces. Both were petty enough to not want to see Alfoy succeed.
In a large room of the royal castle, Alfoy spent his days feasting and enjoying life. He ate so well that in just a few days, he had plumped up.
“Ugh, this is the life.”
Although it was meant as a suggestion to relax until Ghislaine’s return, Alfoy assumed he could continue living like this indefinitely.
While he lounged in a big chair eating fruit, the door swung open, and knights marched in.
“What the? Who do you think you are barging in here so rudely?”
Alfoy squinted. The knights who entered were former members of the Mad Hounds under Kaor.
One knight stepped forward with a grin and said,
“Uh, we need you to come with us for a moment.”
“What? Where are we going?”
“The Chief Officer wants to see you.”
At this, Alfoy scoffed. He had ignored Claude’s face several times since his return.
Chatting extensively with a ‘slave’ would yield no benefits, after all.
And Claude, for some reason, was avoiding eye contact and running away from him. Perhaps he understood his situation, which secretly pleased Alfoy.
So he said arrogantly,
“Who do you think you are, telling the ‘Hero who Defeated the God’ and ‘Dragon Slayer’ to come? If you need something, come to me directly. How presumptuous of you, being a mere slave!”
The knights shrugged.
“I guess we have no choice but to take you by force then.”
“What? How dare you! Ugh!”
The knights all jumped on Alfoy, forcefully tying him up and gagging him.
As Alfoy struggled, a knight solemnly said,
“Alfoy, you’re being arrested on charges of rebellion. You’ll need to defend yourself in court. We didn’t want to go this far either…”
The knight smiled amusedly as he continued,
“The Chief Officer really wants you brought in.”
Alfoy was taken away as the ringleader of the rebel wizards.
“Uuuhh!”
Even while thrashing about, Alfoy was trying to think hard.
“What? Rebellion? I did instigate one, but… Didn’t we just sweep past that?”
After slaying the dragon, no one had mentioned anything like that. He thought he had been forgiven.
Moreover, didn’t the lord help him get out of slavery?
He had received nothing but praise until now and hadn’t even considered that such a matter would still linger.
“Uhh! No! Let me go!”
Alfoy cried out, wanting to be released. But the knights were too absorbed in their task of dragging him away.
Kuwuuung!
Finally entering the largest courtroom in the capital, the gag that had silenced Alfoy was removed.
“What is the meaning of this? Do you know who I am to dare do this!”
Alfoy shouted hoarsely, raising his head. Sitting high above was Claude, looking solemn.
“Hey! Claude! Do you think you’ll get away with this?”
Alfoy’s reputation was soaring. Everyone was praising him.
Yet, a ‘slave’ had the audacity to bring him in!
“You! A slave shouldn’t behave like this! You’re a slave! How dare you bring a free man in! And who do you think you are, discussing the law from that seat?”
Though Alfoy yelled, Claude merely smiled faintly. It seemed he still didn’t grasp his situation.
Claude spoke with a serious and stern expression.
“Alfoy, listen carefully. As the Chief Judge of the territory, I must enforce the law strictly. It’s my job to pass judgment on your charges of rebellion.”
“What, huh? You?”
Alfoy was momentarily stunned. This was something he had completely forgotten.
Claude was at the pinnacle of all fields except for military. Ghislaine had entrusted him with every authority for a reason.
The territory had grown, and the administrators had increased, but Claude remained at the top of it all.
While Claude delegated the enforcement of the law to the judges under him, he still retained overall authority over the establishment and enforcement of laws.
Only then did Alfoy realize, as if a cold bucket of water had been thrown on him.
‘That bastard… is trying to take me down…’
They had spent years together already. There was no way he couldn’t read Claude’s intentions.
He got free of his slave contract, and it had twisted him inside out.
If Claude was the only one released from slavery, he would have schemed to somehow bring him down.
‘That bastard would seize upon the rebellion!’
In the courtroom were only Claude, a few administrators, and Kaor with the knights.
If only Vanessa were there, he wouldn’t have fallen into this trap. They had come to arrest him with a devious plan from the start.
Alfoy’s mind raced furiously. He had let his guard down and had fallen for it. He couldn’t let himself be dragged along by this trick.
“Wait! That wasn’t a rebellion! It was the scheme you taught me! I was just trying to bait the wizards!”
“I only said to bait them, not to actually start a rebellion.”
“W-wait…”
Alfoy had actually led an attack against the wizards alongside Vanessa and the knights. He had no excuses to offer.
Now, hidden behind the dragon hunt, some people who knew the truth were indeed calling him trash.
Alfoy shouted again.
“The lord allowed it! That’s why I participated in the dragon hunt and was freed from slavery!”
“What nonsense. Didn’t the lord say he’d punish you later? I’ve already gathered testimony from others who heard.”
Alfoy looked blank. Hadn’t that ordeal simply passed?
Thinking back, sure enough…
— Let him go for now. We may need even one more 5th Circle wizard. He’s always been like this. Let’s deal with punishment after the fight with the dragon is over.
“Ughh!”
Surely that was not wrapped up. Everyone thought it had been, given the lively atmosphere.
But Claude was clinging to that statement and pushing Alfoy further down.
“W-wait! Let’s wait until the lord returns! We can have the trial again then!”
Claude pretended to look sad.
“Sorry, bro. The whole kingdom is really busy dealing with the aftermath right now. So the trial is being held in the capital, not in our territory. So let’s not make this uglier and wrap things up quickly.”
“What do you mean, wrap things up!”
Claude crossed his arms, eyes closed. He looked like he was pondering what kind of punishment would be appropriate.
After a moment, he spoke with a serious expression.
“I sentence the ringleader Alfoy for ‘execution.’”
“Hey! You crazy bastard!”
“Hurry up and carry out the execution.”
“Hey! Do you know how popular I am right now? Do you think people will stand idly by if you kill me?”
“Don’t worry about that. There will be more people who will be pleased. I knew you would eventually show your true colors.”
Claude grinned. Thanks to his efforts, Alfoy’s reputation had fallen to the same level he had during his days as a slave in Penris.
Alfoy was hit with a huge shock. So that was why people had been so indifferent towards him lately!
That bastard must have been scheming from behind the scenes! Jealous of his popularity!
Alfoy didn’t realize that he was the one at fault. Claude had merely amplified it a bit.
Alfoy stuttered.
“W-wait. This is a joke, right? We’ve played jokes like this before.”
“Does rebellion sound like a joke? You really thought you could just sweep that under the rug?”
There was nothing wrong with that statement. In another territory, he would have been executed on the spot.
Alfoy had no rebuttal to that. But even so, this trial was far from normal.
“B-but isn’t this proceeding too quickly?”
“Things are busy, you know? Hurry up and take him to the execution grounds!”
“Ughhhh!”
Alfoy thrashed about as he was forcibly dragged away. Claude sighed as he watched.
“What a pity. He was a good friend.”
“…”
Wendy looked at Claude with a look of disbelief. His intentions were so transparent.
But there was nothing she could do against someone wielding their power like that. Claude held that much power.
They were immediately taken to the execution site. Naturally, there was no one around to witness this reckless act.
Alfoy, having his neck raised on the gallows, screamed in agony.
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Do you think you’ll get away with this? Stop the trial until the lord comes!”
“Hmmm, I don’t feel comfortable sending a distinguished friend like you off this way.”
“Then let me go!”
“But the crime of rebellion can’t be pardoned unless the lord allows it. I’m merely enforcing the law. Of course, there are ways to get around it…”
“What? What’s that!”
As Alfoy frantically questioned, Claude pulled out a document from his coat.
He held it out in front of Alfoy and said,
“Sign this, and I’ll reduce your sentence. There’s a way to interpret this legally to avoid execution.”
“What? What’s that?”
“I’ll reduce it to a life sentence of being a royal slave. Doesn’t that seem sufficient as compensation for your contributions? After all, you’re being pardoned for rebellion.”
“Get lost, you lunatic! Cut it out!”
Alfoy thought they would never actually go through with it. No matter how much power Claude had, it made no sense to kill him.
He really believed that. Kaor and the knights were still chuckling.
But…
‘This bastard has really lost it.’
Claude’s gaze was eerie. It seemed he was truly ready to go through with the execution, and then justify it with the law.
The lord would surely be furious, but he wouldn’t kill Claude.
‘So I’d just be forgotten?’
A chill ran down his spine. He could sense a similarity between himself and the man before him. He was clearly a mess, spinning in circles.
If he were in the opposite position, he would have acted just the same. He had let his guard down and been caught.
Claude, eyes gleaming, said,
“Let’s just go peacefully, bro. Okay? Please.”
Alfoy, intimidated by Claude’s crazed look, found himself nodding his head without realizing it.