Chapter 57: The Governor’s Hammer

Tss tss tss tss! Kwaang! Paaak!

An untimely roar erupted from the governor-general’s building.

Followed immediately by relentless, pitiful screams.

“Kaaak!”

“Kraaa!”

“S-Spare me!”

Burly men bounced around in bizarre postures.

The reason? All their limbs were completely shattered.

Shugl, watching the scene, widened his eyes.

He’d thought the guy was just a slender human, yet he was hiding such transcendent martial prowess.

It was a genuinely absurd sight.

—Was that guy always this strong?

A muttered question slipped out unintentionally.

Cordell McNeil shrugged and replied.

“You didn’t know?”

—Of course not. He’s never shown anything.

“Wouldn’t a demon be able to see through that much?”

—I never even thought to try. But even now, I can’t figure anything out.

“Why?”

—It’s not visible. Like thick fog blocking everything.

It was incomprehensible.

His outward appearance was clearly that of an ordinary human, yet he so strongly obstructed a half-demon’s insight.

Shugl scratched his head with his short front paws.

A black squirrel doing that was utterly adorable.

But Cordell, watching him, furrowed his brow deeply.

He knew all too well the true nature of this horned little beast.

“Let me say this upfront: I do not acknowledge your existence.”

—Why?

“Because I’m a believer in the Aramidian faith.”

The cleric who had testified in Abel’s first case was from the Aramidian order.

Probably more than half the people he’d passed on the street were Aramidian believers.

It was a religion spread widely across the entire empire.

But Shugl trimmed his horns with a bored expression.

So what?

“It means if you pull any nonsense, I’ll cut you down.”

—That’s ridiculous. Your master already promised to cooperate with me. Don’t you think you’re overstepping?

“He is not my master.”

—Ha! You jump at his every word, though?

“Umm…”

Cordell McNeil let out a long groan.

The Abel Carius he’d observed so far was an outstanding figure.

But that didn’t mean he followed orders blindly.

Black Agents moved solely according to the Emperor’s will.

Yet he’d never once disobeyed.

‘No point in rebelling and getting hammered.’

A monster enveloped in crimson aura, bursting with blue flashes.

That’s how Abel appeared in Cordell’s eyes.

More upright than anyone, yet merciless toward inhuman things.

If someone intentionally crossed the line?

Black Agent or not, their skull would shatter.

But then a rotten smile crept onto Cordell McNeil’s lips.

“Sounds like you’re saying you won’t have to jump at his words?”

—Of course. We’re not in a superior-subordinate relationship.

“You have to snap to it and use your ability every time he asks—who’s the master and who’s the servant here?”

—That’s…

Shugl trailed off.

Come to think of it, this slick knight’s words seemed right.

Didn’t they?

He had to do as told—claiming equality wouldn’t convince anyone.

—Damn it, no way!

He shouted in indignation, but all he got back was a mocking expression and a shrug.

Watching Shugl’s trembling back, Cordell smiled secretly.

‘Heh heh! Go ahead and talk back—get properly burned once.’

Cleaning up the occupiers of the governor-general’s office wasn’t difficult.

They had good equipment and were fairly trained private soldiers, but in the end, they were just small fry.

Fewer than half had awakened aura, so they inevitably crumpled like leaves.

No, honestly, even if they’d been decent knights, it wouldn’t have mattered.

I could handle that level alone.

“Whew! Been a while since I stretched.”

I stepped over the sprawled, groaning soldiers and ventured deeper into the building.

Before, it had been neatly organized offices with officials bustling about.

But now, it was littered with liquor bottles and trash.

What on earth had happened to let management fall this far?

‘This was the administrator’s office.’

Opening the door, Hozein Allegan should normally have been hard at work.

But instead, an unexpected figure was lounging there.

A gaunt frame, heavy dark circles under his eyes.

Not from fatigue, but from being steeped in alcohol.

The room reeked of booze.

“Ha!”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

Hearing my voice, the man who’d had his feet on the desk looked up.

“Hm? Who the hell are you?”

“And who are you to be sitting in the administrator’s seat?”

“Because I’m the administrator, obviously.”

“Who appointed you?”

“You don’t need to know that. Hey! Drag this rotten bastard out right now!”

The rough-looking man yelled irritably.

But no one was coming.

I’d shattered the limbs of every nuisance on my way in.

I’m not usually someone who handles things so violently.

But right now, rage was rising to the top of my head.

‘How could they collapse in just two months the foundation I’d built so solidly?’

These were Delriat’s own people, yet they uprooted the nation’s development like this.

They were truly insane.

Or perhaps scum who didn’t care if the territory fell to ruin.

“Ah! That makes more sense. You’re not from Delriat, are you?”

“Can’t you tell? You think this body suits some backwater village?”

“As expected. You’ve got the face of someone who’d dance with monsters in the wilds.”

“What’d you say, punk?”

He’d ignored everything until now, but apparently he couldn’t let the appearance jab slide.

I’d always avoided insulting looks, but this guy’s sore spot was exactly that.

Of course, further bickering was pointless.

Just grab him, beat the backers out of him, and be done.

But suddenly, a very uneasy feeling hit me.

Somehow, beating this guy felt like it wouldn’t mean much.

“What’s your name?”

“Why do you care?”

“Gotta have something for the gravestone. Stop dodging and answer.”

“Damn it! Fidel. Happy? Hey, why isn’t anyone coming! I said drag this guy out!”

Finally, introductions were made.

As long as it wasn’t an alias, I could now pull up his person info.

‘Let’s see what kind of bastard he is.’

<Person Information>

Name: Fidel

Status: Commoner

Position: Self-proclaimed Governor (Forced Occupation), Professional Con Artist

Relationship: No prior connection

Condition: Hangover from excessive drinking, Irritated by troublesome developments, Thoroughly wicked individual.

Skill: Devil’s Torture

Overall Ability: A

I flinched involuntarily.

His stats were better than expected, and he even had a skill.

Such talents were rare—and he was a villain.

‘If I can’t perfectly control him, I can’t let him walk around intact.’

Most people have a little demon deep in their hearts.

Life sometimes leads to less-than-moral actions.

I’d seen countless villains in court.

But one this blatantly evil was a first.

Even scum like Brayden Alonzo or Skyler Sierre pretended to be decent on the surface.

“I’ll deal with the crime of impersonating the governor later.”

First, the administrator’s safety was paramount.

I grabbed Fidel by the collar and demanded,

“Where is Administrator Allegan?”

My chilling voice weighed down the air, but his response was calm.

He sneered as if asking why I was bothering him over something trivial.

“Why ask me about him? Go check the Allegan family home.”

It felt extremely unpleasant.

What was this guy relying on to act like this?

Defying imperial administration in Delriat meant straight to prison for everyone involved.

‘Did the alcohol rot his brain?’

Maybe booze-damaged judgment led to madness.

Or he had very solid backing.

The latter seemed more likely…

“Whoever it is, what does it matter? Just dispose of them and be done.”

I yanked Fidel’s body and scanned the room.

A discarded coat caught my eye.

Delriat people mostly wore thin clothing.

To block intense sunlight and fierce sand winds.

Unfolded long, it would make decent binding material.

Kkwak! Kkak!

I swiftly tied his hands and feet tight.

“How dare you touch the administrator’s person! Untie this right now!”

“Man, you’re annoyingly loud. You’re under arrest. So shut up.”

“Who the hell are you to restrain me!”

“Me? The governor.”

“What nonsense is that? Why’s the governor suddenly—”

Fidel’s eyes widened as he blinked dumbly.

He’d finally realized who I was.

But strangely, the leisure on his lips didn’t vanish.

Did he have confidence to smooth things over even if caught impersonating?

I couldn’t read his intentions, but one thing was certain.

“Things tend to happen during arrests.”

“What are you talking about?”

“For example, the criminal resists violently.”

“I’m already tied up tight.”

“I always try to live righteously. But sometimes compromise is needed.”

Paaak!

I swung the raised communication rod down swiftly.

To correct this rotten bastard’s mind.

So I didn’t hit hard enough to kill.

Just enough to instill some manners.

Pak! Ppak! Cheok!

“This seems a bit excessive for ‘discipline,’ though.”

“Does it? Feels about right to me.”

“Hm. If Your Highness says so, then it must be.”

“You’ve gotten quicker on the uptake lately?”

“Haha! All thanks to a certain some— No, never mind.”

Cordell McNeil, watching the situation, approached with a pale face.

Fidel had already passed out.

Beaten severely while still hungover—natural result.

This much punishment was enough.

Time to figure out how far this mess had spread.

“Let’s head to the security force.”

“Yes.”

Their purpose was to check the governor-general’s office from misdeeds.

But the current situation was a complete disaster.

Administrative power was virtually nonexistent, and the city had lost all vitality.

The security chief bore responsibility too.

‘If he’d done his job properly, it wouldn’t have come to this.’

The security building was right next to the governor-general’s office.

But arriving there, I witnessed an even more absurd sight.

“The security chief is not in. Make an appointment and come back later.”

The gatekeeper’s words were outrageous.

Saying that while knowing who I was?

‘Let’s see what this guy is.’

Searching the person handling gate duty would reveal it quickly.

But in the employee management window, the Delriat tab itself had vanished.

I hadn’t checked often, figuring nothing major would happen, but changes were too drastic overnight.

‘Why did this happen?’

It couldn’t just be because the office was seized.

Probably because it was no longer funded by my money.

It was still a government office, after all.

“What now?”

At Cordell’s question, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Shouldn’t ‘step aside’ come first?”

“We’re not enemies, so no reason to.”

True—he’d never been obedient like that.

Always slick and evasive.

The Delriat tab disappearing from employee management didn’t matter much.

It just wasn’t displayed in the hologram—I was still Delriat’s de facto highest authority.

Whatever I did, the Emperor had my back.

I glanced at Cordell McNeil and said,

“There is a reason. Rotten parts need to be cut out.”

Sswik! Paaaaak!

The slowly raised communication rod plunged down like lightning.