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Chapter 18: Kind and Cruel (unedited.)
After we arrived at the four walls, I first went to the post guard and handed out the documents Abel gave me to the guard. It was a document that granted me the authority of the lord to handle soldiers with the authority of the lord temporarily.
“Is this true?”
The captain of the guard looked alternately at the letter of attorney and my face. He obviously felt suspicious. Well, it was understandable. Not many people could believe a terrifying duke gave such great authority to a girl only over 10 years old.
“The seal of the duke is stamped in there.”
“….”
At the fourth wall, there were not many people who knew me as I often went to the second wall. Thus it was natural that dissatisfaction appeared. They asked the lord of the north to come and solve the problem, yet it was an unknown girl who came as a proxy.
“You’re a child.”
“It’s absurd.”
“Kid, go home and stop talking nonsense.”
Some of the soldiers resting at the post guard laughed at me, and some even threatened me.
This amount of arrogance was nothing for me. However, honestly, I was thinking to exercise my skills a bit.
“Believe or not, it’s up to you. But of couse you could handle the consequences, right?”
After I said that to the captain guard, he looked closely at the document I gave him. Then he seemed to have realized that the document was real, not some kind of manipulation or anything.
“Yes, this is definitely a real one…my lady.”
The quick change of honorifics was very awkward.
Anyway, I didn’t really care. So I held my skirt and gave a polite greeting like a lady of a noble family.
“I’m Fiona Green. I came here under the order of Duke Heilon to deal with the unpleasant thing on the Fourth Wall. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”
The guard responded with a disheartened face.
“Yes… Could I call you, Lady Fiona?”
The first impression in social life was very important, so I smiled, “Please call me with whatever you comfortable to use.”
“Perhaps, Does Lady Fiona know what the unpleasant thing?”
What the hell was he thinking. I was sent here by his superior, obviously, I had my best to do the job. I’ve even organized everything that I have to do perfectly.
“Of course I know. I’m familiar with everything the document. If you don’t believe me, I can recite everything in there—”
The guard captain quickly waved his hand with a heartburn face. “No, No, please. There is no need to do that My Lady. Then what can I do for you?’
I brought up the requirements I had in mind.
“First of all, we need the help of the soldiers to arrest criminals. Second, please gather the people in the village square. I’ll proceed with the work there. Third….”
I turned my head and looked at Sigren next to me.
“Sigren, do you know where the mercenaries I’m talking about usually gather?”
I said the names of the five people on the documents Abel gave me. Maybe Sigren knew the name.
Sigren who heard those name sighed lightly.
“I know. They always gather at a tavern near the wall.”
“I see.”
I told the soldiers where the location of those people was.
The soldier went out of the guard post with a disgruntled face. Even though they dislike my order, they had no choice but to follow it since I was sent by the Duke.
Although I expected that I would not be trusted from the beginning because I was a child, it was still kinda hard. They would do the order and bring the criminals to the square, right?
When I turned my head, Sigren looked at me suspiciously.
“What.. the duke ask you to do?”
Well, Abel commissioned it, but the decision was mine and I felt like it would give a big impact here. Alas, I couldn’t care less. I had no intention to go easy on them. In fact, the actions they did to the people of the Fourth Wall and Sigren were quite vicious. I didn’t think there was room for some improvement. Furthermore, judging by Abel’s gesture, it was highly likely he implied that the punishment would be a part of the body, such as the head, etc., were cut off.
However, Sigren was still 14 years old, so I decided not to tell him. Moreover, based on what I’ve planned to do, letting him go with me to see me doing my job was never in my plan. So, telling him the surface of it was enough.
“It’s nothing. He told me to make a fair judgement.”
“….”
Sigren looked at me with a very suspicious gaze.
‘What? Why do you look at me like that?’
“Well, anyway, you’re not going with me.”
“Let’s go together.”
“Right, it’s cold outside. So listen carefully…—huh?”
“I’m going with you. What? Is it something I could not go?”
“That…it’s not.” I replied in a daze.
“Okay then, it’s decided.”
Wait, but if something was wrong, wouldn’t there be a scene where minors couldn’t watch?
So I made a small gap with my thumb and index finger. “That… It can be a little cruel.”
Sigren grunted with a very displeased expression.
“Didn’t you forget that I came from rolling down in the battle field?”
“I know but…”
Sigren sighed heavily at my hesitant attitude.
“Just so you know, the wounds on my body you saw are old scars, and they’re not something I’ve suffered recently. You might not able to trust me because our first meeting…. But i’m not weak at all.”
“Yes, I know. But it’s another thing to go with me, isn’t it? It has nothing to do with you anyway.”
Of course, he was not weak. He was one of the most talented people in this world, and he was the main character. Even if he was still young, he had talent. He would be really strong in few years.
“Fiona.. That’s not what i meant….”
Sigren was a little bit hesitant before he spoke quickly while blushing a little.
“So what i want to say is, I could be the shield when we are travelling. Also, most of these people here are favorable to you. And two are better than alone, alright? If you understood, let’s hurry up and go.”
“Huh? O..Okay.”
I didn’t know what he implied but he seemed to be worried. Or maybe not? Anyway, it didn’t matter.
Then I rushed after Sigren who was a squick step ahead of me.