"What? Y-You! What did you just say to me?!"
Baron Garcia's face flushed beet red.
Even in his wildest dreams, he had never imagined a wet-behind-the-ears brat would hurl foul curses straight to his face.
He knew the boy was the eldest son of the Silverstone Barony, sure, but they had literally just been introduced.
On top of that, weren't both Baron Silverstone and this brat of his nothing more than lowly commoners who lucked their way into nobility?!
"What did you stuff in your ears? I called you a fucking bastard, you fucking bastard!"
""......""
Stunned by the sudden outburst, the nobles stared blankly at Bellun.
Their faces all read, 'Did this young brat eat something rotten?'
Because instead of rubbing his hands together and begging when he was in debt, hurling foul insults at Baron Garcia right after the man showed leniency was utterly absurd.
"You filthy little cur!"
"Shut your mouth, Baron Garcia! Do you think the likes of you has any right to curse at my son?!"
""......?!""
When Kaiel grabbed the raging Baron Garcia by the collar, the nobles blinked in dumbfounded disbelief.
At the exact same moment, Ilia, who had been standing silently until now, stepped forward.
"This is the promissory note left behind by the previous lord, Baron 'Bisque Silverstone.' It states that he lent three thousand gold to Baron Garcia. Yet Baron Garcia claimed instead that he lent two thousand gold to our Silverstone Barony and collected monthly interest from us."
Unfolding the promissory note, Ilia slowly held it up for the nobles to see.
Because she was holding a magic stone close to the note, a bluish glow flowed across the signature and the stamped seal.
Important transactions normally used ink and seal paste made from magically melted magic stones, which produced this exact phenomenon.
"Th-That's... Gahk! Urgh!"
Baron Garcia's eyes flew wide open in shock.
Before he could say another word, however, Kaiel twisted his collar even tighter, cutting off his breath.
"Baron Garcia did something like that...?"
"Ignoring the Noble Code—how could he do such a thing?"
"I never took him for that kind of man, what a despicable fellow."
Confirming the glowing signature and seal on the promissory note, the nobles clicked their tongues.
Just looking at the placement of the signature on the note made it obvious that Baron Garcia was the borrower.
Even while the nobles murmured among themselves, a sharp glint flashed in Ilia's eyes.
"Halt! Children and retainers of the Garcia Barony, stay right where you are! You'd best not even think about running away. Why, those little—? Bellun!"
Ilia called out Bellun's name in an icy voice.
Because despite her warning, several people were already bolting for the exit.
The next instant, the nobles gasped.
Ilia had ripped off her wide, flaring dress.
RIIIIIP—!
The nobles who had momentarily imagined something scandalous widened their eyes even further.
What appeared underneath the torn-away skirt were her sleek legs clad in leather trousers, and three swords dangling from straps.
"Kill everyone who tries to run!"
"Yes, Mother!"
Tearing Dark Reaper free from its strap with one hand, Bellun answered and leaped forward in the same breath.
He closed the distance to the exit in an instant and lopped off the heads of the three men leading the dash in a single stroke.
"She said stop. Anyone else who tries to pass through here will leave with their head separated from their torso just like these bastards."
Bellun swung Dark Reaper once, flicking off the blood drenching its blade.
"Uuuugh..."
"How could this happen?!"
The retainers who had been about to flee froze with their eyes wide open, trembling as if struck by lightning.
Not a single retainer dared charge at Bellun.
Partly because they weren't carrying weapons at a party, and partly because Bellun's clean movement made it clear he was no ordinary fighter.
Just as the commotion seemed to settle down,
"Aaagh! Thompson! Luca! Kugh!"
Baron Garcia, still held by the collar in Kaiel's grip, let out a scream before coughing in agony as his collar was wrenched tight again.
Thick tears welled up in his eyes.
Because among the three men Bellun had just cut down were his own two sons.
"When a dispute arises between nobles, anyone who defies the lawful order of the wronged lord is subject to summary execution. Let the record show that this was a lawful measure under Article 2 of the Noble Code."
Ilia spoke in a frigid voice.
She briefly caught Bellun's eye across the hall, the faintest smile brushing past her lips.
Bellun gave a light nod and dropped the heavy crossbar over the Great Hall's entrance doors.
Blocking off any potential interference from outside.
Ilia had aimed for this exact outcome on purpose.
Knowing how cowardly Baron Garcia's sons were, she had anticipated they would be the very first to run.
And even if it wasn't out of cowardice, they would've tried to escape to bring back troops anyway.
"Under Article 2 of the Noble Code, Baron Garcia must pay the principal of three thousand gold owed to the Silverstone Barony. Furthermore, the two thousand gold falsely claimed against the Silverstone family, along with the two hundred and sixty gold extorted as thirteen months of interest, must be compensated at double the amount under the Noble Code, totaling four thousand five hundred and twenty gold. Does anyone here have an objection?"
Ilia swept her gaze across the nobles as she asked.
It wasn't a formal trial, but since so many nobles were gathered here, she was making full use of the occasion.
""......""
The nobles couldn't utter a word.
Having come to a party in light spirits only for the room to turn into a bloodbath, they were simply too stunned to speak.
"Article 2 of the Noble Code states, 'If document forgery is suspected for the purpose of seizing a territory, the provisions of Article 1 shall be applied in addition.' And Article 1 states, 'The wronged lord may take armed defensive measures, and shall not be held culpable regardless of the outcome.' I hereby state that the current situation has followed every lawful procedure."
Ilia cited the Noble Code and sought the nobles' agreement.
The nobles had no choice but to acknowledge her words.
Given the circumstances, Baron Garcia was undeniably at fault.
He had repaid the Silverstone Barony's goodwill with malice, and his intent to swallow up their territory was unmistakable.
Even if he was being held by the collar, Baron Garcia wasn't refuting a word of it (not that he could), so the verdict was already sealed.
"My lord, it is your turn to step forward."
Having finished laying the groundwork, she untied one of the bastard swords strapped to her waist and handed it to Kaiel.
Kaiel took hold of the bastard sword and let go of Baron Garcia's collar.
"Uuuugh... I, I was wrong. Forgive me. I was blinded by greed and did something I never should have done."
Baron Garcia dropped to his knees on the spot.
His two sons were dead, yes, but he figured he could always sire more children.
Only if he stayed alive could the Garcia Barony be preserved.
"I, Baron 'Kaiel Silverstone,' did not come here to receive an apology from you. Together with the seven thousand five hundred and twenty gold, I demand an additional two thousand gold for the mental and financial damages we suffered, for a total compensation of nine thousand five hundred and twenty gold. That is far less than converting twenty percent of an encroaching lord's territory into gold coin under the unlawful territory seizure clause of Article 1 of the Noble Code. Will you pay the compensation?"
Kaiel spoke as if reading straight from a book.
He had been forced to memorize those exact lines over and over before coming here to tear the place apart.
"H-How could I possibly have that kind of money? If I had that much money, why would I have borrowed three thousand gold from the Silverstone Barony in the first place? I'm begging you on my knees like this, so please show mercy, Baron Silverstone!"
"Do you truly have no money? Or do you simply have no intention of paying compensation?"
"O-Of course I want to pay! How could I commit such a terrible wrong and have no intention of making amends? I beg you, please show mercy."
When Kaiel's expression seemed to soften slightly, Baron Garcia clung to his plea even harder.
Moreover,
THUD—! BOOM—! THUD...
A loud pounding echoed from the barred doors of the Great Hall.
Soldiers or knights outside had noticed something was wrong and were hammering on the Great Hall's doors.
Judging that a way out might open up if he just stalled a little longer, Baron Garcia appealed to sympathy and dug in his heels.
"Fine. Then if you hand over at least half right now, I am willing to accept the remaining half in installments."
"O-Our Garcia Barony does not have the means to pay that kind of money. I beg of you. Please..."
Kaiel made another offer, yet Baron Garcia only whined without giving a single concrete answer on how he would pay.
At that,
"Thanks, you son of a bitch!"
Without the slightest change in expression, Kaiel lopped off Baron Garcia's head with his bastard sword.
"For letting me kill you with a clear conscience."
Giving him two chances was plenty.
He knew talking any longer would get them nowhere.
Among nobles rotten from politics, there were plenty of bastards who couldn't give a straight answer to a direct question, as if answering honestly would kill them.
Waiting around for an answer from someone like that would only make your own blood vessels burst first.
""......""
The nobles' jaws dropped wide open.
They never expected him to take Baron Garcia's head without a shred of hesitation.
Regardless of their shock,
"First, let's strip the body."
Kaiel stripped every last valuable off Baron Garcia's headless corpse.
"Let's go, wife."
"Yes, my lord."
When Kaiel stood up after pocketing the valuables and called to her, Ilia smiled brightly and stepped up beside him.
They stuck close together like an affectionate couple.
Though since both of them were gripping bastard swords in their hands, the vibe they gave off was murderous rather than sweet.
"Stand back! Anyone who doesn't step back gets cut down."
Having already driven his bastard sword through the torso of a nearby retainer, Kaiel barked a warning.
There was no way the retainers hadn't known about what Baron Garcia was doing.
He had no intention of keeping them in line with words alone.
"Bellun!"
"Yes, Father."
"I'm going to open the doors and issue a warning. There will still be bastards who don't listen, so cut down anyone who moves without exception."
"Got it."
Bellun grinned with anticipation.
These bastards had been sticking straws into someone else's back and sucking their blood until now.
Hesitating or showing mercy when making a move here was dangerous. Going easy on them could end up spilling even more blood.
"Wife, keep that in mind as well."
"Of course, my lord."
"......"
Bellun stared at the couple with disgust written all over his face.
Setting aside their flirting in the middle of a bloodbath, the difference between the tone Kaiel used with him and the tone he used with Ilia was night and day.
'Damn it! Did I claw my way out of the Demon Realm alive just to watch this?'
Bellun clicked his tongue bitterly.
Even so, a moment later, Kaiel lightly tapped Bellun's chest with his fist and grinned, while Ilia patted Bellun's back and gave him a wink.
Bellun's protruding pout vanished right back in, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Even if he felt a little left out, there was that unspoken trust that a simple 'You know how I feel, right?' was enough for them to understand each other and let it roll off their backs.
Unwavering eyes that didn't even entertain the thought of betrayal.
'Well, I guess that's what family is.'
Bellun tightened his grip on Dark Reaper.
Meanwhile,
Kaiel took a wide stride forward and sliced straight through the crossbar locking the Great Hall's doors in a single slash.
"Baron Garcia has been executed in accordance with the Noble Code! This is the rightful authority and duty I hold as a noble, 'Kaiel Silverstone'!"
"......"
"......"
Contrary to what he had just promised, as soon as the doors of the Great Hall swung open, Kaiel began hacking down the knights and soldiers of the Garcia Barony pouring inside without waiting to see who moved.
"Oh, come on!"
Bellun gaped in disbelief for a split second before leaping straight to Kaiel's side and severing the heads of two knights in a single flash.
"Nice!"
Ilia beamed brightly and lunged into the fray, sweeping her bastard sword horizontally.
"Kill every last one of them!"
"You damned bastards! You're all dead!"
Kaiel and Ilia shouted at nearly the exact same time, carving through the soldiers and knights as if competing with each other.
""Uuuugh...""
Watching their terrifying, murderous rampage, the noble guests whimpered in horror.
Caught up in the couple's ferocious assault and fighting like a madman alongside them, Bellun wore a face on the verge of tears.
"Dammit! If we were going to do this anyway, don't pretend to come up with a plan first!"