Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Punishment

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Gray Chasefield is someone whose mood fluctuations are extremely clear-cut.

So the situation she was currently experiencing was quite unfamiliar to her.

It was the feeling of not knowing whether she should feel good or bad about something.

“Hmm.”

She snorted as she watched Carlisle beat up yet another student.

It was a scene that had been repeating since earlier.

With the Hero’s eyes, she could clearly perceive that what Carlisle was doing right now wasn’t just indiscriminate violence.

The fact that something was ‘flowing out’ from the bodies of all the humans he had beaten up was something she could sense with her intuition.

‘It’s ominous.’

And she could clearly see that it harbored some kind of evil.

The Holy Sword she carried around reacted most intensely to that thing above all else.

‘…Well, whatever.’

She could just ask Carlisle about what that was later. As long as he wasn’t going around doing pointless things, it was fine.

Bringing Elena along was to find each and every one of those kinds of people.

If he was bringing that girl around not to harm her in any way but because he had work to do, then there was no particular reason for her to harbor any ill feelings about it.

“You must have some feelings for her too, right? Making all these preemptive moves to keep others at bay?”

“…There’s no way that could be the case.”

Right.

That’s how it should be.

“…”

Something.

It was irritating her.

Up until earlier, it had been at a level where she could just think, ‘I suppose that’s how it is’ and accept it, but after hearing Carlisle say that, her mood had suddenly soured.

Gray herself had no particular intention of having that kind of relationship with that guy, but hearing him cut it off so definitively made her angry instead.

‘What am I doing?’

Once that thought occurred to her, she gradually began to feel foolish.

It wasn’t her business to care about where that guy went or what he did.

…That guy wasn’t doing such things out of concern for her either.

Thinking about it that way made her even more petulant.

To the point where even watching Carlisle scuffle with someone else no longer evoked any thoughts.

She looked indifferently at the person across from Carlisle.

‘Who was that again…?’

The name Count Grimbalt vaguely came to mind from her memories.

Well, they were unremarkable.

They weren’t particularly impressive enough to be memorable, but precisely because of that, she remembered barely restraining the urge to twist their necks when they kept making advances toward her.

What was happening right now with Carlisle was probably similar in nature.

“Why is a lowly bastard like you sticking around near the Hero? Huh?”

The blonde, pretty-faced man picked a fight with him.

Upon hearing those words, she could see Carlisle’s eyebrows twitch.

“…Why are you bringing up the young lady’s name?”

“Well, to tell you to know your place.”

The man continued with a bitter smile.

“I don’t know what you came looking for me for, but you do know there are plenty of people lying in wait for you, right?”

Along with those words, a menacing atmosphere arose.

It seemed he had been quite annoyed that Carlisle had blocked everyone from approaching Gray at the banquet.

Content about wanting to personally deal with him and whatnot swirled around in front of Gray’s indifferent expression.

Who was that guy again?

Leon Grimbalt. From the Count Grimbalt family…

‘What number was he?’

…She couldn’t remember.

Anyway, he was someone quite far back in the line of succession.

If that was the case, well.

‘He’ll handle it himself.’

She yawned and turned around.

He was someone who had knocked down even a Spirit Knight in one blow. There was no way he couldn’t handle a guy of that level.

And then, the next moment.

THWACK—

The sound of Carlisle getting hit rang out.

It was definitely the sound of him allowing an attack from someone he could have dealt with in one punch.

“…”

Gray’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

Then.

The sound of Carlisle getting hit rang out again and again.

Gray whipped her head around.

‘What is he doing right now?’

That was the first thought that came to mind.

Carlisle was just standing there getting beaten up.

While up until now he had been perfectly fine beating up whoever his opponent was, now he didn’t even seem to have the will to fight.

Even Elena, who had guided him here, was staring at him blankly, unable to understand what he was doing.

“…”

Before any emotion could surge in, the thought that this was strange came first.

“Is that sword you’re carrying just for decoration?”

Such mockery fell bitterly upon Carlisle.

“It was nice when you were acting cute and getting protection while staying by the Hero’s side, wasn’t it? Not knowing your place.”

“…”

“You wanted to monopolize her by blocking her opportunities to interact with other people, so that’s why you were strutting around so stiffly at the banquet, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“What? So did you come to pick a fight with me because of that? To preemptively and disgracefully check me in case the Hero’s attention might go to someone else and she might stop paying attention to you?”

…That never happened.

If Carlisle had helped her, he had helped her, but he had never for once done anything deserving of such words.

Rather, he had tried to protect her from whatever the Cardinal was saying.

However, even while hearing such words, Carlisle wasn’t making any rebuttals.

He kept taking hits.

Continuously.

Until bruises formed all over his body and blood came from his face.

Why was he acting like that?

Why wasn’t he fighting back?

“—You fucking idiot. Won’t you fight? Are you even a man?”

The situation was so absurd that even Leon, who was doing the hitting, let such contemptuous words fall.

Gray clenched her fists tightly.

Why was Leon dishing out such hits?

The only difference between that guy and the people Carlisle had beaten up so far was that Leon was a noble.

‘…That level shouldn’t matter, right?’

What was the big deal about being a noble? The person Carlisle served wasn’t anyone else but the Hero herself.

The Hero and Grand Duke Chasefield family. Even if they tried to use connections, there was no comparison.

“I am the young lady’s attendant.”

However,

“I cannot cause trouble for the young lady.”

Upon hearing those words.

“—”

A shock that struck from the top of her head crashed down on Gray.

‘Ah, I see.’

Whether they were nobles or whatever, if she didn’t like them, she could just crush them—that was Gray’s own position.

That guy was an attendant serving Gray, someone who followed Gray’s will.

Unless he had received permission from her, if he directly accepted a fight, even if it was self-defense, it would become a subject of gossip.

Either way, an attendant fighting without orders was itself something that didn’t match his ‘station’. It would be something that would damage Gray’s reputation for having such an attendant.

There was only one logical conclusion.

Carlisle was enduring being beaten up to that extent by someone he could knock out with one punch.

Even while suffering such absurd false accusations.

…Because he didn’t want to cause trouble for her.

So as not to give others even the slightest pretext that might harm her.

Even while in that state.

“…”

All kinds of thoughts surged through her mind in an instant.

“How foolish.”

Really, even crushing a guy like that wouldn’t make anyone care.

But watching him in that state, because there ‘might’ be harm — it suddenly reminded her.

—So, may I promise you just this one thing? 

— No matter what happens, I intend to work for the Hero’s sake.

From before.

She remembered him saying that.

Gray closed her eyes.

He really was a ridiculous guy.

With that thought, Gray opened her eyes again, and they were filled with firm resolve.

‘Well.’

…He was such a loyal attendant.

She should give him some reciprocation.

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[…Doesn’t it hurt?]

‘Compared to getting hit by you, this level is like getting hit with cotton.’

[…]

Carlisle, who had instantly silenced the Holy Sword, chuckled inwardly and accepted another punch.

How should he put it?

This guy seemed to be hitting with real intent, but compared to Gray’s punches that seemed to shake the very core of his soul with just a graze, this was nothing.

The Hero’s beast-like bare-knuckle punches had emotion in them, but this guy wasn’t swinging at all…

“Let’s see how long you can endure, you vermin—!”

And then, the next moment.

A moment before Leon was about to speak triumphantly, his body bent into a metaphysical shape.

Thanks to Gray, who flew in like lightning and landed a violent kick to his abdomen.

Along with a sound that shouldn’t occur when human bodies collide, Leon’s body flew away in an almost cartoonish display.

Like becoming a star in the sky above, he shot up to a position where a person definitely shouldn’t go.

After a long while, the sound of the guy falling and getting stuck in the ground with a CRASH could be heard.

“…”

“…”

Silence filled all directions.

Everyone seemed to have lost their words at the sudden appearance of the Hero.

Carlisle glanced at Leon, who was stuck far away.

He wasn’t dead, was he?

‘Ah, it came out.’

As the demon worshipper’s mark flowed out beyond his mouth, Leon twitched.

He didn’t seem to be dead.

With that thought in mind, Carlisle opened his mouth.

“…Miss?”

Blinking as if he knew nothing at all, he spoke blankly.

[You.]

‘Yes.’

[Your acting skills keep improving.]

…Well, it was one of the miscellaneous skills he had acquired through all those regressions.

Regarding Carlisle, Gray, who had let out a deep sigh, turned her head toward him.

“You.” 

Then, with fierce flames in her eyes, she walked toward Carlisle step by step.

“Don’t ever let yourself get beaten up again.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Don’t go around doing pointless things because you’re worried about causing me trouble. If someone hits you, make sure to hit them back. Got it?”

“…”

“Or I’ll be even angrier.”

How should he put it?

Her tone was as rough as could be.

…But right now, she was clearly showing concern for him.

‘She seems to have cheered up?’

[Definitely.]

He chuckled and exchanged such words with the Holy Sword.

Well, if this had resolved things, that was fortunate.

“Miss, Miss! Any more than that and he’ll die-!”

Carlisle spoke in alarm, watching Gray approach Leon, who was twitching on the ground.

She looked like she was about to deliver some additional blow to him.

No, he had expected this to happen, but if he actually died, there would be chaos.

“I know.”

Gray said calmly.

“I won’t kill him, just beat him up a little more.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’ll pay him back the same number of times he hit you.”

“—If he gets any aftereffects, the Count Grimbalt family will make a move, won’t they?”

“If they make a move, those bastards are next.”

“…”

“Just try touching me.”

Look at that presence.

He might actually fall for her at this rate, seriously.

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[System Message]

▶ The trait ‘Hero’s Companion’ is activated. 

▶ Part of the ‘Rehabilitation List’ has been updated!

[ ★ Misanthropy 95% → 80% ] 

[ ★ Jealousy 10% → 0% ] 

[ ★ Trust 70% → 90% ]

▶ Rewards are granted! 

▶ Open the traits tab to check! 

▶ You have kept the boundary trait ‘Jealousy’ at a low level.

▶ The trait changes to ‘Possessiveness’!

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