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Knight Organo looked shocked for a brief moment before he sprung up his gauntlet-equipped right hand from below in an attempt to fling the saucer and tea cup.
Lecan gripped Organo's right wrist with his own right hand.
Knight Organo put his strength into shaking Lecan's hand off, but it wouldn't even budge.
The cup on Lecan's left hand is shaking on its saucer, but the content barely spilled at all.
"<Move><Float>."
Once Lecan recited those spells, the saucer and cup floated away and landed on top of the desk.
"Y-you?"
Knight Organo followed the cup and saucer's trajectory, looking like he couldn't believe what he was seeing all the while. Lecan released Organo's right wrist when he sensed strength completely escaped out of Organo's body.
Then Organo drew his sword and slashed at Lecan while his line of sight was still fixated on the cup.
(What.)
The speed of which he drew his sword was extraordinary.
The sword hanging on knight Organo is a long, wide and broad knight sword. Naturally it's heavy.
Yet he managed to draw such a heavy knight sword at a speed naked eyes cannot follow. With nary a sign of him even going into the offensive.
Ordinary swordsmen, no, even really skilled ones would definitely fail to dodge or even block this attack.
But Lecan's reaction speed was sharpened beyond limit after his encounter against Argent Flame Wolf twice.
He swiftly step in and chopped Organo's right sword wrist with his hand, prompting the hand to undo its grip on the sword.
Then he grabbed Organo's right wrist.
The sword flew and cut at empty air before piercing the wall.
The sound produced didn't match Lecan's expectations.
It's a short, thin and sharp sword.
Only the sheath and the grip are that of a knight sword, the blade itself is that of a short sword.
(I see now. His equipment, techniques and bearings, all of them have been carefully calculated to engage in foul plays.)
(A coward through and through.)
This was the real nature of the odd feeling he had on knight Organo. The real center of gravity didn't match the true thing.
Lecan unleashed a magic spell while still grabbing Organo's right wrist.
"<Lightning>."
<Lightning> magic enveloped Organo's whole body, paralyzing him as he fell on the floor.
Lecan grabbed the tea cup's handle with his right hand, walked up to Organo and crouched down with his left knee pressing on Organo's body while his left hand squeezed Organo's mouth from both sides.
Organo attempted to resist opening his mouth, but his paralyzed body couldn't muster a struggle. His mouth flapped open right away.
"Drink up. If it's poisoned, you're dead. Otherwise, you live on. Have a taste of your own medicine."
Knight Organo's eyes popped open wide in fear as he looked at the cup and tried to shake his neck but Lecan wouldn't allow him the luxury.
The tea cup drew closer to Organo's mouth, Lecan leaned it down.
Gaskoel who couldn't keep up with the event proceeding before his eyes finally spoke up here.
"Wait! Please wait, Lecan-dono!"
Lecan lifted his face up at Gaskoel.
"Are you really speaking the truth about that tea being poisoned?"
"Organo won't die if I'm lying. Just stay there and watch."
"But wouldn't he die if it had poison?!"
"If Organo dies, then it's a clear attempt at my life. Which means poisoning their guests before snatching away their possession is how Zaidmahl House does thing."
"Dare you insult our household?!"
"Then, wanna be the judge?"
Gaskoel looked taken aback before putting on a resolved expression on his face.
Lecan stood up and left the tea cup on the table.
Organo wriggled again in another futile attempt at escaping.
"<Lightning>."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
A very weak <Lightning> was shot to stop Organo's struggle.
Gaskoel brought the cup and leaned it down just above Organo's face.
Organo desperately squirmed with a frightened expression. The tea fell down next to Organo's face.
Organo let out a soundless scream.
"It's, the truth."
Gaskoel was dumbfounded for a while but then he put the tea cup down and bowed at Lecan.
"My apologies, Lecan-dono. Truly I do."
Lecan rained down another weak <Lightning> on Organo. Organo got knocked out.
That was when a rustle could be heard at the front gate.
It's the return of the newly royally appointed knight, Ezak.
Ezak went upstairs and entered the room only to stare in wonder at the knocked out Organo and turned his sight at the sword stuck on the wall. Then once he received an explanation from Gaskoel and be shown the blue jewel by Lecan, he yelled out loud.
"Haaa? <Guardian Jewel of Overlord> Zaidmahl Household's heirloom? Is that some kind of joke?"
"I-Is it not so?"
"Listen here, Gaskoel-sama. My family has served Zaidmahl Household since my great-grandfather's time. I can confidently proclaim that there is no such things as secret heirloom. We'd have long sold it if there were. Or rather, that blue jewel was something the late madam brought with her when she got married into Zaidmahl house."
"What did you say? Is that true, Ezak."
"Besides, as Gaskoel-sama himself should be aware of, Organo was a knight transferred over from late madam's household. I don't think he has much knowledge on Zaidmahl Household's history. Although since that blue jewel was something the late madam brought over from her household, it might have some sort of anecdotes attached to it. At any rate, that was the late madam's personal belonging whom Lady Rubianafale-sama's inherited as her own personal belonging. Zaidmahl Household has no right nor history over it."
"T-Then why would Organo lie about that. He even deceived me."
"I do not know. However, he might be planning to steal that jewel and run away once it becomes Gaskoel-sama's possession."
"Run away? He would abandon his knightly status?"
"Young master. After my royal appointment today, I was let in some intel by the secretary of Prime Minister Office. Zaidmahl Household seems to have incurred a large amount of debts from several noble houses at the capital, you'd better pay them back before the rumors spread further, he said. That was the reason we cut our palatial visit short and hurried back here."
"Debts? I have done no such things. Do you have any idea how careful I've been on money spending all this time."
"The one who went around borrowing them was in a matter of fact, Knight Organo. Not an insignificant amount at that."
"Knight Organo did that? In my name?"
"Yes. I'll give you a rundown after this, but before that, Gaskoel-sama. Have you made a proper apology to Lecan?"
"Yeah. I did."
"Did you stand up, straighten yourself and beg for forgiveness from the bottom of your heart? Have you passed on a token of apology?"
"Why should I lower myself to that. He's just an adventurer."
"Gaskoel-sama."
"W-what."
"There are adventurers that behave no differently from thugs indeed. But so are there adventurers who have gained respects from upper echelons of nobility. Which one is Lecan, do you think?"
"I-I've no clue."
"I told you how I was summoned by Marquis of Smarc-sama when I applied for my knighthood, did I not?"
"You did."
"I must apologize for not telling Gaskoel-sama the subject matter discussed in that summon because our schedules never crossed."
"Yeah."
"As for the subject matter itself, they wanted to ask me about adventurer Lecan."
"Eh?"
"This is what a high ranking knight told me at Marquis of Smarc-sama's mansion. 'Descender Lecan has received a summon from the Royal Palace for his accomplishment in conquering two Grand Dungeon, thus we would like to run a background check on him'."
"W-wha."
"What do you think would go down if news about how 'Lecan almost got himself poisoned and his possession stolen at Zaidmahl Household while he was waiting for his summon to the royal palace' spread?"
"T-that's."
(I'm done with the royal palace though.)
(No plan to ever go back there.)
(Eh, whatever.)
(Still, I get it now.)
(Felt like I did tell Ezak about how I was an orphan one time.)
(So they got it from Ezak.)
(Wasn't Boudo huh.)
"Even if that wasn't the case, Lecan is a man who return kindness with kindness, and violence with violence. Gaskoel-sama. Do you want to be repaid in kindness. Or in violence. And this issue isn't limited to Lecan. I'm asking you your way of life as a member of nobility."
"I-I want to be a noble who get repaid in kindness."
"Well then, I would like to see you apologizing properly to Lecan."
Gaskoel stood up and straightened himself up.
Lecan also stood up.
"Lecan-dono. My household has done you great wrong. Please accept my apologies."
"Apologies accepted."
"This is my token of apology. It would be my greatest pleasure if you could accept it."
Gaskoel took a coin pouch from his bosom pocket and presented it to Lecan.
Lecan took it. He plans to give it back to Ezak later. Would serve well as a gift for his knighthood.
"Now then, Gaskoel-sama. I will now fill you on what I've heard. You will have the final say on what needs to be done after."
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