Chapter 19: Doom’s Retribution

After quickly sending Baron Lelbrant on his way, I carefully examined the message.

I had been too flustered earlier to read it properly.

So what exactly is the reward?

The system was kind yet infuriatingly vague.

It should at least tell me what changed.

I frowned, deep in thought, when something flashed through my mind.

Wait, no way…

I hurried to the full-length mirror in the corner of my office.

A window popped up instantly.

Name: Abel Carius

Identity: Duke

Position: High Judge

Title: Berserker of the North

Skills: Beast’s Heart, Doom’s Retribution

<Person Information>

“Whoa!”

Sure enough, the change was right here.

A new skill had been unlocked.

All my irritation melted away like snow in spring.

With a reward this good, I could forgive the system’s lack of explanation.

But what does Doom’s Retribution even do?

Just the name screamed offensive power.

Of course, there was no description.

So what else could I do?

Test it myself, obviously.

“Doom’s Retribution.”

I didn’t actually have to say the name out loud, but it was the first time, so I did it for the vibe.

Nothing happened even after a while.

What the hell?

A skill that wouldn’t even activate? I felt like I’d been scammed.

I tilted my head in confusion and casually lifted the iron gavel; just in case it needed a weapon.

And that instant;

SWHOOOSH—BOOOOM!

“GUEGH!”

A sharp blue blast shot from the gavel’s head and punched straight through the office wall.

A massive hole gaped open.

Pure, overwhelming destructive force.

Even Beast’s Heart at full power wouldn’t do this much damage…

The blue energy vanished as quickly as it appeared.

The sudden drain told me it was a one-shot ultimate skill.

Can’t use this carelessly.

I shook my head at the giant hole in the wall.

The office was ruined, but I still felt great.

I’d just gained an incredibly useful trump card.

Now even seriously strong opponents could be crushed instantly.

But what about the wall…?

I’ll just make something up and pay for repairs.

Money was the one thing I had in excess.

***

“I’m dying. Actually dying.”

Four trials a day left no time to breathe.

At least the judgments were relatively simple.

If they’d been as complicated as the Lelbrant case, everything would’ve been delayed again.

Of course, I didn’t half-ass the proceedings.

I had a reputation to uphold.

“Your Excellency, this is the last case. Once this is over, we return to the normal schedule next week.”

I took the files from Joseph and let out a short sigh of relief.

The end was finally in sight.

Please be an easy one. Please!

I opened the folder with a silent scream; and there it was, a very welcome name.

Alonzo Brayden.

The lunatic who’d been caught hunting humans on the territory outskirts.

Thankfully, an extremely straightforward case.

All evidence was already in, and the defendant had confessed.

More precisely, his father, Count Brayden, had confessed on his behalf.

Whatever. Simple is what matters.

Count Brayden had begged for mercy, but I had zero intention of granting it.

This was a barbaric fantasy world.

People getting hurt in the wilderness happened all the time.

Bandits attacked; self-defense was fully recognized.

The criteria were broader and clearer than on the Hellish Korean Peninsula.

But this guy’s different.

It wasn’t just a fight in a remote area.

It was systematic human hunting; harassing defenseless travelers and even selling some into slavery.

True, Alonzo hadn’t killed or sold anyone into slavery, but it remained a grave crime.

I need to make an example. Show what happens to human hunters.

I flipped through the documents with a meaningful smile when Judge Kolund Emir spoke.

“Your Excellency?”

“Yes?”

“A petition from the Brayden county.”

He handed over a thick stack of papers.

I chuckled hollowly and peeked inside.

There was barely any white space left; completely covered in writing.

Who the hell mobilized an entire army to write this just to save one spoiled brat?

Looking at the names, I had a pretty good guess.

“He must’ve terrorized all his retainers into writing these. Right?”

The judges hesitated, so I shrugged.

“It’s fine, you can answer. It’s obviously true.”

Joseph looked away, and only Kolund barely nodded.

As expected, only the powerful can mass-produce these things.

The self-defense standards were different, but the petition bombardment felt eerily familiar to Korea.

Of course, a bunch of paper wouldn’t sway my verdict.

“The trial for the human hunting incident in Brayden territory will now begin. All rise and salute the High Judge.”

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

Humans are creatures of habit; the more I did this, the less embarrassing it became.

I calmly took my seat on the bench.

The proceedings began.

There was really nothing to see.

The defendant admitted everything and only begged for leniency.

The trial flew by like roasting beans over lightning.

“The prosecution seeks fifteen years’ imprisonment for the defendant who inflicted serious injuries on thirty people through human hunting.”

I nodded at the prosecutor’s demand.

In the Parbiant Farm assault case, breaking an arm had earned ten years.

Whipping thirty people? Fifteen years was remarkably lenient.

Yet Alonzo’s eyes were filled with hope as he stared at the towering stack of petitions on the bench.

He was banking on them.

Nope. Not changing it.

I handed down exactly fifteen years.

“NOOOOO!”

Alonzo’s scream echoed, but the trial was already over.

The only appeal left now would go straight to the Emperor himself.

Would Count Brayden really play that terrible move?

Of course not. He’ll wait quietly, then try to negotiate under the table.

He’d offer some massive concession to get his son out.

Since I had no intention of taking bribes like the doppelgänger, the kid would suffer a few years first.

Whatever happens after that is up to them. Time for a break.

I tried to leave the courthouse as soon as work ended.

But today, someone extra stood beside my carriage.

A man in plain light armor; clearly a knight, and one raised gently.

I tried to slip past to the carriage, but he predictably blocked me.

“First time meeting you, Your Highness Carius.”

“And you are?”

“I am Cordel McNeill, Black Agent of the Imperial Guard Knights.”

Just the introduction made my head spin.

I knew about the Imperial Guard, but…

Black? Agent? What kind of insane nonsense is this?

Feeling my confusion, Cordel continued.

“Black Agents specialize in VIP protection. We move solely on His Majesty’s direct orders. Usually we escort the imperial ladies.”

“Then keep doing that. Why me…?”

“I told you; we obey only His Majesty’s commands.”

“…Huh?”

“From now on, I am responsible for Your Highness’s security.”

I clutched my forehead.

A bodyguard for someone once called the Berserker of the North?

I wasn’t invincible, but this was overkill.

A few mercenaries had always been enough.

This is definitely a surveillance agent.

He’d report my every single move.

A knight whose real master was someone else.

But I couldn’t exactly send him away.

Rejecting him would probably mean facing the Emperor directly.

That man whose mental world was a kaleidoscope of madness?

Sigh… fine, whatever.

“Did you say something?”

“Nothing. Just talking to myself.”

“Hm. Frequently talks to himself…”

I shook my head and answered vaguely, yet Cordel was already jotting it down in a notebook.

He’s writing down even that?

Something told me life was about to get very annoying.

***

And I was right; Cordel was a leech.

He followed me everywhere, making me break into a cold sweat every time.

He even tried to enter the bathroom with me; I had to give him a “lesson” with my fury-charged gavel.

But his bizarre behavior didn’t stop there.

“They say Your Highness’s new knight has been rummaging through every corner of the mansion.”

“Why the hell is he doing that?”

“For security, he claims. In case an assassin slipped in.”

“Who would even…”

“They do exist.”

I tilted my head at Steward Miller Xavierre’s words, but soon had to agree.

My verdicts had earned me plenty of enemies.

The big ones were the Sierre and Giovanni noble factions.

Small fry included the bandit gangs from Lelbrant territory.

So yes, a bodyguard made sense.

Then at least send a normal one!

I frowned, recalling the Emperor’s eccentric grin.

Clicking my tongue, I walked through the garden when a sharp noise rang out.

CRASHHH!

“You’re the assassin?!”

A sudden commotion followed by a shout.

Miller and I exchanged glances instantly.

We both knew exactly what had happened just from the direction of the sound.

The crashing was definitely porcelain.

Cordel must have seen Adam in his beastly form and lost it.

Sigh…

Another headache.

Explaining this was going to be hell.

Then a brilliant idea struck me.

The perfect way to put that blockheaded knight in his place.

He who rises by the Emperor shall fall by the Emperor.

“What does that…?”

“Just follow my lead. Come on.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

Leaving the bewildered steward behind, I dashed to the warehouse and grabbed the shattered porcelain pieces off the floor.

“UWAAAHH! The treasure meant for His Majesty!”

“Oh nooo! Who broke these priceless works? The master artisan poured his heart into them!”

We burst in and started wailing dramatically.

Cordel’s face crumpled.

The sword pointed at Adam dropped limply.

“T-These were such items…?”

His voice trembled in shock.

I smiled triumphantly inside.

Gotcha.

Now then; shall we put a leash on this rotten dog?