Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 229: A Twisted Good King
The underground dungeon was musty and dimly lit. The sound of boots hitting the cobblestones echoed, and the lantern's light swayed like a will-o'-the-wisp as it approached.
With each step nearing, the prisoners let out small, terrified gasps, desperately praying to the gods not to stop in front of them.
Eventually, the footsteps halted in front of the iron bars. Leading the way with the lantern was a royal guard, followed by Marquis Beowulf Eldenburger and King Radwald Walscheid.
On the other side of the iron bars, the prisoners looked frightened. Ignoring their plight, King Radwald asked the guard in a cold, emotionless voice.
"What is this man's crime?"
"He's charged with robbery and murder, Your Majesty. He broke into a merchant's house at midnight, slaughtered the family, and stole three gold coins."
"I see. Trash indeed."
King Radwald drew his sword from a sheath adorned with rose vines. Even in the dim light, the brilliance and beauty of the sword were clear.
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"Please, have mercy, forgive me!"
The prisoner pleaded as he fell to his knees, trembling. Although the iron bars were supposed to protect him, the prisoner's expression was wrought with fear. He knew what would happen to him.
A few days ago, another prisoner had been disposed of. The screams were so pitiful that one could hardly believe a human could produce such sounds. And yet, there was someone who could remain calm while hearing such screams, a fact that was unimaginable.
Facing the sword, the prisoner didn't dare to look up. No, he couldn't. His body was becoming heavier by the moment. His head, arms, and legs refused to move. Unable to bear the weight, the skin on his fingertips tore and his nails peeled off.
"Aaaahhh!"
The scream was more of a wail, resembling the cry of a frog.
...This must be a lie. If this continues, I'll die. Please, let it end here. Please, quickly!
The prisoner's plea fell on deaf ears, and the pressure showed no signs of abating. If anything, it increased. Could they really crush him like this? The moment he realized that, the prisoner's heart was consumed by fear and despair.
He wasn't even given the freedom to wail and scream. All he could do was emit strange groans as he accepted the pain. Eventually, his fingers bent in odd directions, his shoulders dislocated, and his spine snapped. But still, the pressure did not relent.
He tried to utter a final word amidst the agony, but his lips trembled and saliva dripped down.
What will happen if you throw a tomato high? It will fall and be crushed. As if it was only natural, his head collapsed and he passed away
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Ratwald remained expressionless for a while. He smelled a blend of fresh blood and offal as he looked at the mangled corpse he had killed himself with. Ah, yes, this is the smell of death.
When the blood of the prisoner flowed, wetting the tip of Ratwald’s boots, he finally broke his expression and burst into laughter.
"Look, this one has dirtied the king's boots. A little revenge, hahaha."
The cheerful voice didn't fit this gruesome murder scene. Beowulf and the guards didn't know how to respond and just silently bowed.
"Order the guards to clean this up."
He said, waving his hand toward the guards. The guards, once again led by Ratwald, started to leave the underground dungeon. At that moment, one of the prisoners shouted.
"Coward!"
Ratwald stopped and turned around. The prisoner was a strong man, perhaps a former soldier. Now he looked shabby, covered in filth with overgrown hair and beard, but with proper grooming, he would have looked respectable.
"Is it fun to kill from a safe distance? If you carry a sword, why not fight honorably face to face!?"
To the desperate shout, Ratwald just returned a cold smirk. As if to flaunt his dirty boots, he kicked the iron bars hard. A behavior somewhat unbecoming of a king.
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"Even if a rat challenges you to a duel, would you say the same thing?"
"What...?"
From the king's perspective, a prisoner was nothing more than a rat. No, even less.
Leaving the speechless prisoner behind, Ratwald turned his back and walked away. Then, as if he had come up with something, he stopped and turned back.
"Next, it's your turn."
The prisoner's face was colored with despair as he let out a short scream.
Wonderful, I wanted to see that face. What kind of undignified voice would that man make when he crumbled? Thinking about it made me excited and unable to contain my laughter. Chuckling with anticipation, Ratwald returned to the surface.
His trousers were bulging, making it a bit difficult to walk.
Marquis Beowulf Eldenburger had been rewarded with land near the border for his role in negotiating peace with the allied nations and now held the position of the king's favorite.
Being favored by the highest authority was quite something. Thanks to that, he was able to enjoy the benefits. However, he couldn't help but feel repulsed by the king's bizarre "entertainment."
Every few days, the king himself would visit the dungeon to crush the prisoners for fun. It was nothing but a tasteless pastime.
The king's sword ``Rose Garden'' has the effect of increasing the weight of the opponent it points at tens of times. It was a gift made by three craftsmen from Count Zander’s territory
During the peace talks, Beowulf was also troubled by the excessive quality of swords, the Over Quality.
"Here he goes again..."
His expression was grim.
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However, one couldn't say that the king had become a foolish tyrant because of this. On the contrary, it served as a stress relief and made him more energetic in handling state affairs.
He gained confidence as a king and as a man to the point where one might wonder what had happened to his previous indecisiveness. Be it maintaining public order, economic policies, or foreign affairs, he excelled in every aspect, from Beowulf's perspective. There would be no problem calling him a great king. In fact, both the nobles and the common people were beginning to speak highly of the king.
However, knowing his true face, Beowulf couldn't bring himself to be genuinely happy.
"To kill people unilaterally from a safe position, huh..."
Recalling the words of the prisoner from earlier, Ratwald had a cold smile on his throne.
"It's enjoyable. It makes me truly feel like a king."
"Your Majesty, please refrain from such words."
Though he didn't go as far as to say that the mask of a great king was slipping, Ratwald, seeing it from Beowulf's expression, forced a wry smile.
"I understand. I won't say such things in front of you and the guards."
With a wave of his hand, as if to say enough of the nagging, Ratwald tightened his expression.
"Now, what about the recent incident with the monsters?"
"Yes, the Thirteenth Knight Order was dispatched and swiftly dealt with it. The damage to the people was minimal. However, three knights suffered casualties."
"That's unacceptable. Commend them as heroes and ensure the protection of their families."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Ratwald wore a gentle expression that was completely different from when he faced the prisoner. From this perspective alone, he truly seemed like a great king.
"And about the reward for the knight order..."
"Is there a problem?"
"The leader of the knight order is requesting a sword as a reward."
"Again..."
Although his tone sounded weary, there was a smile on his lips.
Having a famous sword was Ratwald pride. It brought him a strange joy to see the sword boom spreading around him.