Chapter 283: The Frustrated Head of Knight
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lance, the Head of Knight was very frustrated these days.
Ferelden is a country who prides itself on its freedom. As he was shouldering the responsibility to protect this freedom, Lance, the Head of Knight, was clear that this ‘freedom’ has an unspoken line that should never be crossed.
The different cults within the borders were always the thorn in the flesh for His Highness the King. After all, a lesson was learned from the experiences of the Kingdom of Helius. No one dared to underestimate the cults which seemed small and unthreatening as they might grow and step on your head the next moment when you are no longer paying attention.
This time, an obscure cult in the City of Rayleigh was attacked. It was not a big deal initially, but His Highness the King still dictated him and another officer to investigate the matter, and it was a must for them to show him the results.
But.... What could he investigate here?
The case was simple - a bunch of hooligans attacked this street hell, and burnt down a temple in the process. However, these thugs were nowhere to be seen once they started their investigation - they had hidden themselves away long before this! The leader of the crime committed suicide at a street nearby, his body hung for the people to see.
If Lance intended to end this vaguely, he could simply close the case with the dude’s head. Unfortunately, His Highness was not a man that could tolerate vagueness, especially in cases where cults were involved; the stakes were too high.
Basically, they would never be allowed to leave this bloody place unless they solve the incident, and bring along some legitimate witnesses and evidence.
That sentence alone could already be the cause of his frustration.
Hence, they camped around these streets in the following days, having daily patrols and sudden spot checks in order to obtain some relevant evidence. Sadly, whenever he tried to ask the residents around here, jumbled words leaped out of their mouths when they tried to speak; he could never understand what they were staying, which only served to intensify his headache.
How could they not know how to speak the common language if they had lived in Ferelden for so long? Lance refused to believe that. Even so, he could not deploy harsh measures due to the sensitive nature of the cult issue, which was why he had no choice but to allow the people to pretend as if they were dumb or mute; he had no idea how to deal with this issue even though the evidence were right before his eyes.
Thus, they were stuck with zero progress as days went by. The officer that came with him was not on his side, and would periodically come to him and insult him. On top of that, the soldiers under his command were not the obedient type, too; they had a conflict with the locally stationed soldiers just days ago, and the general came to question him about it. What could he say but to lower his head and apologize for his subordinates’ behaviors?
When he was jolted awake yesterday night, Lance realized that he suffered from severe hair fall due to the stress. The incident happened so long ago, and the probability for them to uncover new clues became slimmer by the minute. How is it possible for him to crack the case?
Might as well return to the King and beg for forgiveness, really....
The intention to give up grew stronger in his heart.
However, the patrolling soldiers under his command returned early today to inform him that they arrested someone.
Arrested someone? Was it because they found some clues? No, it was not; it was because the person behaved crazily and was spouting nonsense. He even kicked some soldiers in the ass, and the kick was so strong that the soldiers’ waists were injured.
"...."
Could you imagine Lance’s frustration as he was hiding in his room, trying to glue his hair back on when he was suddenly told of the news. He nearly unearthed a whole piece of his scalp by it.
He had a burning intention to commit homicide. Seriously, those really cruel and inhumane ones.
"Sir, we...."
Lance suppressed his inferno of rage as he interrupted the soldier’s words, "Where the heck are your brains? What do you think you’re here for? Fighting with the soldiers from the neighboring camp; fine, it wasn’t a big issue after I apologized for you. But now? Your waist snapped just after a kick by some nobody? What soldiers are you still trying to masquerade as? Go home and rear some pigs, really!"
The soldiers were evidently shaken as they immediately explained, "No! Sir, it’s because we...."
Sadly, Lance was not in the mood to listen to explanations, "Alright! Release him immediately! How would the locals think of us if this incident became public? Us soldiers, the bullies that were taught a lesson by a local hero. That’s what the press would love to write! Also, if the neighboring camp caught wind of this, I would become the joke throughout my f*cking lifetime!"
"No, sir...."
"Enough of your explanations! Release him immediately, and never let this become an issue. If His Highness were alerted by this, even I would not be let off the hook."
"Sir, that couldn’t be done. Sir Mikel is interrogating that person now, we had no way to release him.
Lance had a double take. Mikel.... That weirdly effeminate officer that came along with the investigation?
Sh*t.
That dude was the supervising officer that the King sent to follow along. His pair of small eyes was always following Lance, never letting him out of his sight! Now, these useless halfwits caused a ruckus, and somehow it landed right on that fellow’s lap; he must be so delighted that his bottom must be waggling to the sky as if there was an imaginary tail. He would definitely snag this opportunity to drag Lance to hell!
Lance felt darkness creeping at the sides of his vision. Please, take sympathy of his effort; he walked through fire and lived warily just to reach his height today. Now, he would be required to hand his Head of Knight away on a plate even if he only had it for a few years. This was an unfair defeat, really....
Say, why and how did he end up with this batch of subordinates?
"Sir? Sir? Are you okay?"
Lance gradually returned to his senses when he heard the desperate callings of his soldiers. As he glanced at the soldiers before him, whom were visibly shaken and trembling in fear, he suddenly could not muster any anger within him. He was like a deflated balloon, with only sadness filling to the brim.
What use could scolding bring to him? Maybe.... Maybe the situation was not as bad as he thought. Maybe Mikel did not get anything useful in his interrogation.
He needed to go and take a look.
"Wait here for my return. I’ll deal with you after this!" Lance leaped from his chair and rushed out the door, his words loud in his wake.
The mayor of the City of Rayleigh was not too much in their favor either; he refused to let them work in the City Hall. Thus, they had no choice but to rent an empty house in the area as their base of operations, and the basement of that house was altered to be their interrogation room.
Lance went past the walkways to arrive in front of the basement. He pushed the door open to hear a sudden bark of laughter.
His heart abruptly went cold.
This laugh was Mikel’s, the chillingly fake one that feigns familiarity and closeness with you while he spread rumors behind your back. In what way will this kind of laugh fit into an interrogation session?
Lance was increasingly flooded by an overwhelming sense of doom.
However, he was surprised at the sight that greeted him when he entered the basement. Mikel was sitting right across a young man, and two cups of wine were sitting on the table between them, as if they were having a pleasant conversation.
This was definitely not how a standard interrogation should be.
"You’re finally here, Sir Lance the Head of Knight," Mikel smiled as he stood and walked towards him, "I thought you would be crying in your room for an hour for your incompetence. I never expected you to show up so quickly! Your courage as a Head of Knight is indeed a respectable one."
Lance took a deep breath and smiled, "No, no, you’re the great one, Sir Mikel. You managed to climb out of the bed of three prostitutes right after you got the news. Sir Mikel’s speed in arriving here is the most impressive thing I’ve experienced in my life."
"Oh, you’re flattering me. The Head of Knight is greater."
"You must be pulling my leg, sir. You’re the respectable one."
"You are the great one."
"No, you are."
"....."
The atmosphere was tense.
Just as Lance and Mikel shared a wordless stare, the exaggerated smiles plastered on their faces getting more and more uncomfortable by the second, the young man who was sitting in the other seat finally decided that he could not take it anymore. He spoke abruptly, his voice slicing the terrifying air.
Benjamin walked towards the two looked as if they were going to start exchanging punches. He pulled them apart, stood in front of Lance, and gave him a dazzling smile. "So, this must be Sir Lance, the Head of Knight who is in charge of the case. My name is Benjamin, and it’s my pleasure to meet you."