Heavenly Castle

Chapter 92 Let’s listen

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

In a blink of an eye, the carriage got dismantled while the horse and a coachman rushed to escape for their lives.

With the sudden appearance of the golem that he thought he managed to lose, the man now curled up, making his forceful tone from just a short while ago seem like a lie.

The location seemed to have only scarce pedestrian traffic, yet the number of witnesses was still high. As people kept screaming here and there, I got A1 to tear the ropes and stood up.

「Da-damn…… I can’t get up……」

Looking at the frightened man, I wonder what I should do next. This man is pretty much a terrorist that has his aim set on nobles. However, I understand his reasons.

Going from his story a while ago, if targets of his revenge are only such villainous nobles, then I even consider it not to be a problem.

But if he is gunning for all nobles, then no doubt, innocent and good-natured aristocrats will get killed as well.

I mean, just a moment ago, I myself was about to get killed.

Not sure how my thinking state was perceived by the man, but he promptly drew a knife he had on the waist.

And then, pointed the blade at his own throat.

「S-stop!」

As I tried to stop him while panicking, A1 grabbed the man’s hand and stopped him physically. As expected of A1. Efficient.

「Ki-kill me! I won’t yield to torture! Trying to force a confession out of me is pointless!」

The man yelled frantically. I guess he is trying to die for the sake of his comrades. He looked so desperate, that it seems I began to look like a bad guy to the onlookers.

「……Okay. First of all, let’s calm down and have a talk. The people seem to be gathering, let’s switch location.」

When I told him that, the man’s face went completely pale as if all of the blood was drained from him.

「We-where are you planning to take me?! Le-let me go! Please, kill me!」

And so, having A1 carry the half-crazed man, I get out of the carriage while gathering frightened looks.

「Taiki-sama!!!」

Seeing Ayla and Yuri running from the other side of the street I raise one hand.

「Tha-Thank goodness……! I couldn’t even imagine what to do if something happened to Taiki-sama……」

「I’m glad that nothing happened.」

Giving my thanks and an apology to the two that run up to me while breathing heavily, I then began to talk as we walked.

「Looks like they were aiming for me. However, being done in so brilliantly in that timing that Aifa wasn’t around, I can’t help but salute them. So my reaction was a bit delayed.」

As I say that with a wry smile, the two following behind make troubled expressions.

「Since it’s Taiki-sama we are talking about, self-defense should be but a simple matter…… Yet seeing you get abducted like that before our own eyes is bad for the heart.」

「Isn’t it nice that you didn’t anger Taiki-sama, kidnapper-sama? You could’ve become cinders.」

「No no, Yuri-san. Please don’t make some kind of a devil out of me…」

To Yuri’s words, the man on top of A1 shoulder turned a shade of blue and stiffened. Wryly smiling at that sight, I tried to object, then, Aifa flew to us with a serious look on his face.

「……Looks like you are fine.」

Aifa Uttered upon landing, after he spotted us.

「Aifa-sama, you’re late.」

Yuri laughed, but Aifa lowered his head with a grim expression.

「……I have no excuse. At least let me interrogate this brazen fellow.」

Hearing those words spoken by Aifa in a cold tone, I shivered along with the apprehended man and shook my head.

「I-It’s fine. I can do that much myself.」

「…Understood.」

Aifa reluctantly agreed.

By the way, being unfortunately exposed to way too much attention, we decided not to stop at the inn picked by Aifa, and as if running away, once again left the city.

★

When we outlined what happened, Leticia made a concerned expression and hummed.

「……Is that so? Now, I didn’t understand the reason why you brought him here, but I got the general picture.」

Nodding to Leticia’s words, I then point at the man that sat with a sour face. Perhaps able to calm down as time passed, but the man now was glaring at me with an expression that showed that he resolved himself.

Wryly smiling at that spectacle, I lean to Leticia.

「If it’s fine with you, can you explain to this man that we are not bad nobles? I don’t want them to keep targeting me from now on, so I’d like to resolve this misunderstanding before I let him go.」

When I whispered so to Leticia, she first slightly opened her eyes in surprise, and the next moment replied with a bit of an awkward smile.

「Fufu. So that’s how it was. Indeed, releasing a person right after he made an attempt on your life is a kindness bordering with foolishness. For me, it’s also unpleasant to allow a misunderstanding about such a person to continue.」

And like that, she easily accepted my request. I’m quite happy about that, though the notes of disappointment in her tone didn’t sit quite right with me.

While I kept pondering on that, Leticia stood up and walked past me.

Then, she sat facing the man, looked directly at him, and suddenly turned a palm of her hand.

Then, slapped him across the face with a nice sound.

「Sla-slap…?」

Not only me, but everyone in the room was bewildered by that sudden strike.

The slapped man froze for a moment, but soon realized what had happened and then glared angrily.

「Wha-what are you doing…!」

Not taking her eyes off the man that bellowed in a threatening tone, Leticia then shouted right back at him in an even louder voice.

「Be silent!」

I involuntarily straightened my back due to the force behind that voice.

「You are assuming that the target for your revenge is there, and use that to justify your actions. But you are wrong.」

Having completely changed her tone, Leticia spoke in a mild tone, as if remonstrating him.

「How am I wrong?! I will exact my revenge on nobles! What’s wrong about taking an eye for an eye!」

As the man roared menacingly, Leticia slapped him without saying a word.

Once again, the sound of a slap boomed across the room.

「I’m the one talking. Talking back is not permitted.」

When Leticia declared so, the man sunk into silence with a confused look.

「……Yikes.」

I involuntarily muttered seeing Leticia’s forceful attitude. Looking around, Ayla’s shoulders were slightly shaking.

「Since something cruel was done to me, I will repay with the same coin. That I can understand. You surely have strong hatred and resentment. But should your resentment befall those people? Did Taiki-sama, the one that would heal a wounded child and bestow charity upon those in need, do anything cruel to you?」

「He-heal? Charity? Y-You are lying! They are Reginshion company’s……」

Smack, that is another slap that resounded through the room, and the man once again closed his mouth.

「I’m still talking.」

When Leticia told him so, the man, for a moment, looked like he was about to cry.

Leticia in sermon mode is super scary.