Chapter 40: Never insult her in front of me.
Kein''s POV
I was rather perplexed at the ce I was standing at right now. The building really smelled so strong of perfume it was hurting my nose. I could hearughter inside both from men and women.
I covered my nose for a bit trying to get ustomed to the strong scent.
The old brothel that I thought was in an inn got turned into some... pleasure bar instead.
I remember that time when I was just looking for a ce to stay when I got kicked out from Aunt Haren''s ce.
"Those fools skipped to meet theirmander for this shit?" I red at the building holding myself. Of all the bars they could ever choose- ugh I have to remind myself to give them a double take down.
Sarah and Minerva noticed my fuel for anger and nodded nervously. "Y-Yes, Commander." (Sarah) replies.
I sighed for the onest time. Composing myself before deciding... to teach those fools a lesson.
"Alright let''s go in." I muttered irritated while walking inside of the pleasure bar.
The both of them follow behind me, while I lead in front.
There was hardly any privacy and I''m thankful I''m in an adult age so I am allowed toe inside here but if any of my superiors saw me. They''re going to misunderstand a lot of things that will happen here.
There was a counter up front where a busty woman was smoking a cigarette, looking amused when the tree of us entered the... pleasure bar. She fixes chest, puffing it up front, having a proud expression while she leaned in closely into the table. "My... oh my. Are you three lost? Or perhaps you''re one of those people hmm? This is a pleasure bar for people who want to beforted by... women." (Woman at the counter) unts her chest dipping it lower so we could see the cleavage of her breasts. Sarah looks away while Minerva just stares.
She really hinted at the tone of ''those people'' suggesting... well she''s not wrong but somehow the tone in her voice really irritated something within me.
I moved forward with no hesitation asking her this. "Is there a problem with it?"
She shakes her head taking a smoke out of her cigar before leaning in closer to my ear. "Nothing wrong with it, of course. It''s just I''ve always wanted to... try it with another woman before. I''m free of duty right now if you''d like, you''re really... adorable." (Woman at the counter) winks over me and I stood there unfazed.
I could feel Sarah had to rush to Minerva quickly covering her eyes in a panic. "Listen I know you''re deaf but I''m kinda afraid you might read their lips so- bear with me-" (Sarah)
Minerva looked confused at her state but she didn''t move nheless.
The woman at the counter smiles feeling that she''ll get lucky tonight but I''m sorry.
I might be a lesbian but I have standards. "I''m sorry but I''m here for work rted reasons only. Tell us how much the entrance fee is, then we''ll be out before you know it." I told her coldly and she bats me a pouty look of disappointment.
"Because of your rejection. I feel hurt, I''ll charge you extra because of it." (Woman at the counter)
People charge more if you reject their advances huh? "That''s alright by me. If it makes you feel better, miss. You can charge me triple the amount if you''d like."
Sarah lets go of Minerva''s eyes before tranting everything that had happened here. Ourmander is a rich person. Is what I read and well... yeah I am kind of rich now huh.
The woman at the counter looked mad, still continuing to charge me extra and I paid for it of course. For the three of us, Sarah and Minerva followed, finally we were inside. "Tch, rich snobs can''t see good qualities when they see one." I heard her say before cing some coins over her breasts.
Serene music yed in the background, it was eastern music, and clearly it had an effect on the ce. Immediately when I came inside I could feel the room''s mood changing. Sarah and Minerva even looked hazy but I held their shoulders for support. "This ce is enchanted with illusion magic."
It doesn''t work on me though. I can still see clearly, if a normal person saw this scene they would be seeing the room of their desires but the truth is its just a normal, simple, in bar.
There were several women smoking cigarettes eyeing me having their legs crossed.
Wearing revealing clothes... garments.
The other men from different ranks, civilians, kingdoms,ughed holding the several women and even doing indecent things together in public it looked like they didn''t care.
"Oh? Would you look at that~ new ones that just came in."
"Really? Oh my... they''re women. Would you take them?"
"Hmm, the other two look really fragile. The blonde one is really handsome though..."
"Ew you would take them? They''re women you know."
"For the money of course. You wouldn''t? Well... your loss, darling. She''s my prey now."
I could hear the snippets of some of the women about us.
The hair on my skin shivered hearing their conversation and decided I would stay away from that area.
My gaze went through left and right trying to find knights who were in uniform. I could see Sarah and Minerva being ufortable in here as well having indecent things disyed on their sight so I couldn''t me them. It''s probably their first time being in this kind of ce after all.
I checked up on them asking them both. "Are you two alright?"
I had to ask Minerva through signnguage and she read my question forcing herself to nod in reply but she didn''t look reassuring. Sarah smiles holding Minerva to support her. "I think we are. Don''t worry about usmanders. We''ll find the others soon enough." (Sarah)
I nodded in reply while going through the private crowd of people. Half of them I recognize as merchants working in small local businesses. Some of them already have families of their own.
"Yeah, ditching thatmander or what not is the best choice we''ve ever made."
"Er... Not really. I actually think this is a bad idea because- even if ourmander was a woman she''s been appointed as amander for a reason right? Don''t you think she''s strong as hell to be even given that rank by the time she graduated?"
"Come on, live it a little! We have the bestpany in all the capital, rx yourself."
My ears perked up at the voices whom I''m guessing are the people I''ll be having to give a thorough conversation with and bring them back into the training grounds.
I don''t mind them insulting me behind my back, but I just want a functioning squad before we leave to escort the second princess in the next week.
There were three men that looked a few years older than me. The first one on the right had dark brown hair, voice gruff and he looked arrogant and cocky, the one on the middle was short with freckles and looked worried, probably regretting having ever tagged along on whatever this is, and the third one is just drinking like crazy.
I sighed, rubbing the side of my temples looking at the state of my squad. They''re just... inefficient, surely they''re not all that bad.
I called out to them walking forward behind their back, "Excuse me-" but my mouth stopped the moment I heard something that irked me to the core.
"Please with a woman who''ll be our ruler I think this kingdom is going to shambles." The person on the rightments and that got me pissed. I wanted to choke him right then and there but I mustn''t result to violence.
The middle one shakes his head defending Rose, "Hey the second princess is not that bad you know."
"Have you ever seen her? I bet she doesn''t even do shit."
The middle person scratches his neck. "Yes, I did see her. She''s really kind towards the other knights and staff in the pce. I only saw her once but the rumor of her beauty was true-"
"You sound like a virgin teen, I can''t believe we were batchmates." The first knight on the right elbows him hard, taking in his drink in his hand. He sits infortably while I tried my best to interrupt again. "Listen what we wanna see is those big assets so does she have-"
I grit my teeth not taking shit on listening anymore or even wanting a proper conversation on asking them to politely go back to their jobs.
"URK!" I hold him behind his neck and raise him up in the air. The knight that insulted Rose tried his best escaping my grip trying to kick me but even if he did. I didn''t feel any pain with the rage clouding my eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>
"You wanna finish that sentence. You little shit?"
I could see his neck already turning purple. My mind... is. just. so. pissed. "I won''t let you say shit about her anymore." I muttered.
You don''t fucking know the good she did for this kingdom.
Small it may be but she fucking made people hope for the better.
Sarah runs up to me as well as Minerva. The other knights were shocked, drawing their swords and then pointing it at me. "Commander, that''s enough!" (Sarah)
The other knights looked shocked staring at me in disbelief. "D-Did she hear everything we said?!"
I smiled in the back of my head. I fucking heard everything, enough to give me reason why this little shit deserves punishment for even insulting Rose. Both of the other knights dropped their swords.
My gaze turned back into them looking scared and I clicked my tongue ring at this knight. "Give me five more seconds to teach this foul mouthed one a lesson."
"Um, Commander, if you don''t let him breathe anymore he''ll most likely die-" (Sarah) pleaded and I realized she was right.
My grip loosens slowly, throwing him back into his seat. He groans holding his back, the ss cup on his hands fell down onto the floor, my eyes looking through him with disgust. "You''re lucky I don''t want any rumors that I killed someone on my squad on the first day." I told him, fixing my gloves that seemed to have been dirtied by this piece of trash.
"Who the hell even are you?" He stands up from his seat drawing his sword out sloppily with the effect of the alcohol he wasn''t sober at all.
The other women in the establishment felt the danger and immediately evacuated away from here. "You must be deaf." I gave them a salute introducing myself.
"I am Commander Kein Hills. Themander in charge of the Lion Brigade which are you lots." when I told him his hands traveled to his neck.
"What kind ofmander almost kills one of their knights?!"
Me apparently. I only kill disrespectful knights- and you''re the perfect fit. I wish I could say that but now is not the time.
"And what kind of knight are you, discing your loyalty to the royal family by speaking ill of them. Especially... the second princess and the current heir to the throne." I clenched my hands remembering this bitch sexualizing Rose behind her back. I want to punch him again and again till his face is unrecognizable.
"I am disappointed to have even found you in this kind of ce. You should be ashamed of yourself." I circle around, the three of these knights huddled up in a line. "Well are you fucking ashamed of yourself?"
"B-But you went in here too?" They tried arguing with me.
I felt like one of my veins popped. "THAT''S BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIND YOU PEOPLE. DON''T ARGUE WITH ME, YOU DON''T SEE ME HAVING COMFORT WOMEN BY MY SIDE." I screamed and that startled them.
I didn''t even want to go in here jeez. They all looked so guilty except for the person who was still holding the sword drunk.
"Shut up!" He hups. "I don''t take orders from a woman!" He started to chant a magic spell summoning a powerful breeze.
"Really attacking me with magic?"
"I bet you suck at it. You only got yourmander title because you''re a daughter of a Baron and I heard you only used your connection to get into the academy anyways hah!" He puffs his chest proudly. I felt the wind getting stronger. It was gathering dust that was blinding everyone except for me because I''m immune to magic.
I smiled and chanted my own spell feeling tired of all this ruse. Since my magic was strictly confidential to a few people I had mastered the ability to just imagine the spell that I was and then casting it. "[Cancel]." the voice in my mind chanted the spell.
The wind immediately died down.
The knight looked confused, his powerful breeze that he summoned was no longer there. "Huh? What?" He hups again, realizing that even the magic circle was gone.
"Ugh I''ll go summon another one!" He yells, raising his hand up. "Wind Magic! W-What? I can''t feel my magic!" he yelled like he was about to cry at any moment.
I couldn''t help butugh a little. "How unfortunate." I told him and he looked like someone took his candy away from him.
"I don''t need magic to beat a woman! I have my sword!"
And you''re drunk.
He charges towards me, swinging the sword sloppily, hitting everything that was in his way trying to get to me. I quickly dodged all of them with grace, not even getting a single scratch in me.
"Stop moving I can''t hit you!" he tells me and that line seriously made me facepalm myself.
"Are you serious?"
The amount of coteral damage this person is doing- Oh he''s going to pay a lot for it.
When I got into an appropriate distance, I waited for him to leave an opening- the time moving slowly he swung at me missing my head, before he left his right side open with enough force. I kicked him right there and that was enough to make him faint.
Oh and by the way. He was wearing cheap armor.
I think I cracked it.
My body has been built to be as durable as a brick after all.
The other just stood still watching all this shit happen, while I walked over his body sleeping on the floor. The other knights that were watching immediately gave me a salute feeling fear. "So I see I only have four decent knights. I will be telling the higher ups that I am not a fan of knights that attack theirmander. Even when they''re drunk, that is no excuse."
I re at the wasted knight on the floor. "He could''ve seriously hurt someone else."
"Y-Yesmander."
"We are already behind schedule. I assume you already have news that we will be a part of the escort mission for the second princess next week. I have less time to get to know all of you and I must''ve gave a scary first impression but-"
I scratch my neck awkwardly. Yeah I probably messed up my first introduction badly with how I dealt with the knight that insulted Rose, whatever he deserved it. "I''ll be in your care."
All of the four of them were hesitant but Sarah and Minerva looked at me with admiring eyes. "Yesmander, we''ll follow you! You''re so strong!" (Sarah)
The men followed the salute that seemed forced but I''ll take it and hope I can get to know the real them by next week.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.
I went home with Vani that day feeling exhausted. I decided to stay inside her stable for now, I yed with the hay on the floor, my Pegasus sat with me and I leaned back my head onto her stomach. "Vani, choking someone who insulted someone you like is wrong right?"
Vani looks at me weirdly before nodding. "I couldn''t help it! He insulted Rose and I wanted to punch him again!"
Vani neighs before licking my cheek. "Ugh. Now it doesn''t help that I''ll be escorting her next week but... I''ve always wondered why I was included in the mission? I know for a fact she''s ignoring me... so why... I''m also freshly graduated so this doesn''t make any sense-"
My thoughts were being clouded with questions.
I want answers but I know Vincent''s father won''t tell me the real reason why he included me in the mission.
They already have three heroes with them.
Something is up. I can feel it.
I sighed feeling stress all over my body so I decided to take a nap on the stables in Vani''sfort. Her wings were really soft and it makes a really fun nket. "Thank you, Vani. This is one of the most tiring days I''ve had ever since I reincarnated here."