261. The Method of Distinguishing Good and Evil (9)
As I stepped out of the cave, the faint light of dawn had already broken. Fernandez stretched his stiff shoulders and entered the alley. With every step, dried blood crumbled and fell like dust.
There wasn’t a spot on his armor or the clothes beneath it that wasn’t soaked in blood. With two greatswords strapped to his light armor, and blood caked all over him, he looked utterly menacing.
After walking a while longer and exiting the closed-off area, he sensed movement. People recoiled in horror at his appearance, some even screaming.
Having good hearing is generally just annoying. Fernandez quickened his pace to avoid the murmurs of the crowd. Then, someone blocked his path.
“Please stop for a moment.”
“What’s the matter?”
It was a guard with a somewhat nervous expression. Perhaps on morning patrol, the guard flinched at Fernandez’s appearance and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Did you have an accident?”
“Not on my end.”
“You’ll need to spare some time.”
This was getting bothersome. He should’ve expected this when walking through the heart of the city covered in blood. The blood loss must’ve dulled his judgment.
“Don’t worry. It’s my blood.”
“Ah, yes. Is that so…? Wait, what do you mean? Was there a fight?”
“I rolled.”
“Rolled…?”
The guard stared at Fernandez, dumbfounded. Even if he had fallen from a watchtower, he wouldn’t have bled this much. The bloodstains on his clothes weren’t from mere scratches.
The guard’s face hardened.
“Then I’ll accompany you to the hospital.”
“A nap will fix it.”
“Who in the world gets injuries like that and thinks a nap will heal them? Is this really your blood? How are you even moving with that much blood loss?”
“Hah.”
Fernandez let out a short sigh. His head felt heavy, his body ached, and the fatigue from days of sleepless nights, compounded by blood loss, made him dizzy.
What he needed immediately to recover his physical functionality was a hearty meal, plenty of water, and sleep. Fernandez extended his hand toward the guard with a slightly sharp expression.
As the guard stepped back warily, gripping his sword hilt, Fernandez slowly removed his gauntlet with a calm gesture.
-Clank.
The removed gauntlet fell to the ground, followed by the gloves and bracers. One by one, Fernandez stripped the armor from his arms and held them out to the guard.
“Look.”
“What… is this…?”
His exposed skin was covered in scars. Torn, slashed, ripped, and split scars. From old, faded scars to fresh, deep ones with raw flesh still visible.
Like a shattered mirror or a spiderweb, scars densely covered every inch of his skin. Some scars still oozed fresh blood.
The guard, overwhelmed by the shocking sight, stepped back.
“The rest is the same. If you want to see, I’ll show you.”
“No, how… How did this happen? Were you attacked?”
“I’m an ascetic priest of Vaitas.”
Fernandez shrugged and pulled out a rosary from his pocket. He shook the Vaitas Church rosary in front of the guard before putting it back.
“It’s nothing unusual. No need to worry. I just did some ascetic practices in a secluded place. No victims, no perpetrators. Are you going to detain me?”
“No, no. My apologies.”
“Take care.”
As the guard stiffly stepped aside, Fernandez patted his shoulder a couple of times and walked away.
*
After passing five more guards with similar reactions, Fernandez finally arrived at Duke Erbe’s mansion. The fatigue had peaked due to the tighter security in the noble district.
Now looking almost like a walking corpse, Fernandez raised his hand to knock on the mansion’s door, but it swung open on its own.
“Your Excellency, where have you been all night… Oh my God!!”
“Don’t shout, Kirhas. My head is ringing.”
“Kyaaaaaaah!!”
“Ah.”
Kirhas screamed as if she was about to faint and immediately lifted Fernandez up. She carried him in her arms and rushed into the mansion.
“Put me down. My head is spinning. Stop shaking me.”
“Your Excellency! Hold on tight! I’ll call a doctor right away!!!”
Kirhas panicked and screamed. At her urgency, all the servants and attendants in the mansion rushed out, only to scream at the same level.
A half-corpse, covered in blood and still dripping, was in the arms of the Chieftain of the Beastman Nobles!
“Chieftain! Did you kill a citizen this early in the morning!?”
“This is Paltennoia! What on earth have you done…?”
“Call the King!! Quickly!!”
Kirhas roared like a lion at the screaming servants.
“Everyone, shut up! Where’s an empty room!?”
“H-here!!”
Before Fernandez could say anything, Kirhas carried him and followed the servant’s gesture, striding quickly. He couldn’t even speak, his breath catching from the rough movement.
‘My condition is really something.’
-You look absolutely, absolutely terrible. Haha. This needs to be recorded!
‘Didn’t you hear her say shut up? Kirhas was talking to you too.’
-Oh, sorry… Kirhas’s silence spell doesn’t work on spirits.
‘No response.’
-‘Fernandez’s Scolding.’
Faijashi kept giggling as he followed. Soon, Kirhas kicked open a closed door, shattering it, and entered. The servant who was about to open the door collapsed in fear.
“Your Excellency, just wait a bit. Hold on! I’m here with you!”
“I’m fine, Kirhas. I just need some sleep….”
“You can’t sleep!!”
-Bang!
Kirhas slammed the bed violently. Fernandez gasped at the impact, and she looked at him with pleading eyes.
“You can’t sleep while bleeding like this without treatment. Your Excellency, not all the Diemonica brothers are immortal. They can die too….”
“I know my body better.”
“My mother said the same thing before she passed….”
“Ah.”
Fernandez looked at the tearful Kirhas.
