*Unedited

I got those kneeling old men to somehow stood up. What I needed the most, at this moment, was an explanation.

This was not a plan to escaped while I was confused. Rather, they looked to be really afraid of me. I wondered if this was the effect of me releasing my mana from before. But Guta-san once said ” They returned to their previous state after a week even if they were being threatened by [Shadows]. ” so they do not seemed like men who would cringed away when their life was threatened after going through that experience.

So.. why? I glanced at the trembling old man standing nearest to me. Sensing my glance, he shivered up into his clothes.

” Erm… ”

I asked the one who stood at the front, thinking that he must had been the leader. His shoulders jumped at my voice.

” P, p, please forgive me! O’ messenger! We are wrong! So, so, please, please spare our lives…..! ”

He then proceeded to prostate once again as he howled in half-madness. Somehow, I felt like I did something horrible to them. With a wry expression on my face, I walked over to where he was. It seemed like he had gone to the brink of madness.

” And why is that? ”

I had no idea what [O’ Messenger] was but since it seemed like they had mistaken me for that, I was going to put it into use. Seeing the weird expression on my face, the old man trembled even harder.

” I, I was tricked! That’s why…. ”
” I see…. Sigh…. That’s horrible… So that’s it… ”

I responded emotionlessly as the old man rambled on with his excuses. Like how they were threatened by the n.o.bles into paying high taxes thus squeezing them dry. Like how they were trying to protected themselves by using the money they took. Like how they were tricked by the Emperor into believing that Beastmen where beneath them. And many more.

Despite being the Emperor of a country that despised Beastmen, Guta-san surprisingly held no contempt towards them at all. Back at Elzmu’s Royal Castle, he did not shown any bad feelings when I introduced the members that would be heading towards Hattuo for the mission. This surprised me greatly.

Guta-san once said that he believed in efficiency instead, I think. It didn’t matter if they were humans or not, as long as they could be used. Guta-san, who was born in a country with a deep-rooted contempt for Beastmen, and had even grew up in within the n.o.bles who had been the worst, had not been led by that thinking.

The old man continued his tasteless excuses. The anger that gotten lost in all the confusion before, rushed right back up. It looked like he was going to continue weaving excuses for himself.

I looked down at the old man and said.

” I won’t take your life. ….Raise your face up. ”
” Yes! Yes! Thank y..o..u…?! ”

Thanking profusely, the old man looked up and froze. Yes. Right now, I had a superb smile on my face.
…..As my anger raged on inside!

” I said it before, haven’t I? That I am here to judge. ”

Touching the cheek of the frozen old man, I smiled.

” Please do not think that you would die so easily. …..You will pay for your sins, you pig. ”

Releasing the fainted old man, I turned and walked out of the room. At this time, the Intelligence Corps members entered the room. The timing was perfect, seeing the gambling tables were still all in full view. With all these evidence, it would be easy getting a confession out of them.

Leaving it to them, I left the room.

” It went just as I expected. ”

Guta-san said as he grinned,

although I had no idea why. But first, let’s go back, Guta-san.

Well then, after settling that disgusting church, Guta-san and I went back to the inn. At this moment, the Black Knights Intelligence Corp must be busying collecting evidence of all the bribery, gamblings and wrong doings that all the old men.. priests had done.

I don’t really want to leave them there but Guta-san and I were people of positions. Our job was to wait for them to do their jobs so that was what I was going to do. So even though I was doing the right thing, I still felt guilty about it.

” Ah! I should have at least clean up the door crumbs…..! ”

I buried my face in my hands. Yes, what should I say… If I were to explained my feelings in a word, it would be ’embarra.s.sed’.

To had raged on by myself.

Destroying the door, using ‘coa.r.s.e’ language unlike a n.o.ble should when scolding the old men, and then to leave in a huff like that. I looked just like a kid in his rebellious age, throwing a temper.

I heard in my previous world that the young kids had a bad temper these days but to think that even me…. I used to be a gentleman with his gentle temper in my previous life! When I did regressed to such childish-like behavior?!

….Ah, I’m sorry.
I knew I should not make up memories like that.

” Will-Dono, that…. ”

Guta-san said hesitatingly behind me. He must be troubled at how to faced me after seeing me with my bad temper and coa.r.s.e language.

” Ah…it just came out. I still have a long way to go, don’t I? ”

I turned back to looked at Guta-san and gave an embarra.s.sed smile. Since it had reached this stage, I had to start over from the beginning. I guess it was better this way. I was appointed with the mission of taking over Hattuo, so I would had to spend a long time together with Guta-san anyway. Thus, there was merit in showing myself then to keep up the facade in the long run.

Since we were taking over Hattuo. we had to win over the n.o.bles here as well. This was not simply a matter of moving over with good will. There would be a merit for both me and the Kingdom of Elzmu.

As to what would happened to Hattuo after that, it would be up to them. Although I was aiming for a win-win situation still. I was pretty sure the King was as well. Because the King was quite a nice person.

” Right, why did you say what you said, Guta-san? ”

I stared at Guta-san. Before we went, while I was troubled over if we could get those rotten priests to admitted their crimes, Guta-san had said with confidence that there won’t be a problem. Plus that ” As I expected ” just now. He knew something. If that was so, please do tell!

” No, please don’t misunderstand! I had no ill will against you! ”

Guta-san panicked in a rare moment as he waved his hands.

” Then, why? ”
” You may not believe me, or rather, you might misunderstand my meaning… ”
” …. I believe I am quite wide open to different things. ”

Why? Because I was a kid. Because I had my previous world memories. I believed I was super flexible in that aspect. Seeing that villainous face twisted into a troubled expression, Guta-san stuttered out.

” You won’t.. think of me an idiot, would you? ”
” No, I won’t. ”

Hearing me made answered immediately, Guta-san seemed to had gathered his resolve. Swallowing his saliva, he finally began to speak.

” ….Will-Dono looked… too much of an angel…. ……! See! See! I knew you would look at me like that! ”

Guta-san stopped in the middle of his sentence before derailing and pointing his finger at me, troubled.

” I am not looking down on you. ”

I laughed. I was a man who held his word. I did not think that he was an idiot at all. Maybe just a little. Like what was this person saying and if his head was screwed on tight.

” Stop it with that look! ”

Guta-san closed in, desperate. Unconsciously, I took a step back. Seeing that, Guta-san closed in further.

” No… I…. ha ha ha. ”

Well, I can’t helped letting out a bit wry laughter. What, an angel, me? A boy with a normal face? Guta-san, with his villainous face, had a surprisingly cute thinking, unlike of a gentleman. So people with fetishes do exist.

” You misunderstood!! ”

Guta-san screamed.

” I knew that, really I do. So let’s head back to the church and see their doc.u.ments area, okay? …..Please let us head back. ”

Leaving the desperate Guta-san behind, I began heading toward the church once again.