章 24: Reasons for beheading
As soon as Christie saw Ron, she rushed toward him, throwing her arms around him tightly, completely ignoring the frightening severed head he was holding.
"No one bullied me, it's just that you took too long to come back! I was so worried about you!"
"Sorry for making you worry," Ron replied with a wry smile. "I should have been back earlier. That Enke Knight, though he talked big, was pathetically weak—I cut him down with a single stroke. But just as I was about to finish him off, something unexpected happened, which delayed me and made me late."
"Never mind that. Do you want to keep this head as a ball to kick around?"
"No way!" Christie waved her hand with a mix of laughter and tears. "Was it really necessary to bring the head back just to ask me that?"
"Of course it was necessary!" Ron answered seriously. "If I didn't follow through on my word the first time, you'd never believe me again. But if you don't like it, we can skip this formality. Honestly, bringing this head back wasn't easy."
"Just get rid of it. And if this happens again, don't bring any more heads back," Christie replied just as seriously.
"I can't just toss it," Ron said as he pulled Christie along, heading towards the manor. "Since I went to the trouble of bringing it back, I have to complete the duel's ritual. If you don't want to kick it, I'll just throw it into the sewer."
And so, Ron carried Enke's head around the manor, searching for a suitable place to discard it. Unfortunately, in this world, what they called sewers were really just surface drainage ditches—more like open gutters. But leaving the head out in the open would be too unsanitary.
Finally, with no other options, Ron threw the head into a cesspool. After completing the final part of the ritual, he dusted off his hands and headed to his room to take a bath.
Christie insisted on bathing together, and Ron, having no way to refuse her, agreed. They shared a lovely time together in the bath.
By the time they finished, it was almost midnight. But the entire Moore Manor was still brightly lit, with not a single servant daring to rest, knowing that two people had yet to eat dinner.
As Ron led Christie to the dining hall, all the servants lined up, ready to serve. Those pulling out chairs did so silently, while those serving food did so efficiently. Everything was done with quiet precision, creating an orderly atmosphere.
Having exerted a lot of energy in the bath, both were extremely hungry, making the meal particularly satisfying.
After eating, Ron asked Christie to return to their room first, as he had to visit Feli, who had summoned him to her study.
Knock, knock, knock!
Ron lightly tapped on the door of the study.
"Come in."
Ron opened the door and saw Feli, dressed in a sensual silk nightgown, casually reading a book in a high-backed chair behind the desk.
Ron frowned slightly, then glanced at a red carpet by the desk. He hesitated for a moment before stepping into the room and closing the door.
"You wanted to see me?"
Ron deliberately chose a chair far from the red carpet and sat down, maintaining a posture ready to draw his sword at any moment.
Feli noticed everything but didn't comment, pretending not to see it. Once Ron was seated, she put down her book and smiled.
"You managed to awaken your Qi Force in just one night, and the extent of your control is already impressive."
"Ron, you've really given me a huge surprise."
"There's nothing surprising about it. I don't feel any different myself, so why should you be surprised?" Ron replied coldly, unable to stand Feli's condescending tone.
Feli was momentarily taken aback but quickly replaced her expression with a sweet smile.
"My apologies. I forgot you don't like the way I speak. But please understand, our manner of speaking is ingrained, unlike a servant's attitude that can be changed on a whim."
Ron didn't feel pleased by Feli's accommodating tone; instead, he felt a growing sense of pressure. He suddenly felt like the Enke Knight, whose head was now buried in the cesspool—overconfident, arrogant, and dismissive of authority.
Enke had at least some reason to be disrespectful; he understood the bigger picture and had some leverage. But Ron realized he had been disrespectful to someone with far more power than he understood.
The fact that Feli had been so patient with him, despite her obvious strength, indicated that she was confident in her abilities to the point of disregarding any potential threat he posed.
Realizing this, Ron straightened his posture and made his tone and demeanor more respectful. He didn't want to provoke Feli.
"I apologize as well. I've been too hostile towards you, forgetting that we're now allies on the same side."
Feli's smile widened, clearly pleased by Ron's change in attitude.
"I'm glad to hear you say that. But I still have to reprimand you. Your actions today have caused great trouble for our family, and for me, your devoted admirer."
With that, Feli stood up and slowly walked over to sit beside Ron, continuing.
"While your methods today were certainly eye-opening, I don't understand why you did it. The Duke's Knights were just performing their duty, trying to stop you from desecrating a corpse. Yet, you insisted on bringing Enke's head back."
"To do so, you challenged anyone who tried to stop you, killing three members of the Knights in the process, until no one dared to oppose you."
"Your actions went far beyond the need to establish your reputation. It seemed more like an obsession—a pathological one."
"Can you tell me why? Of course, this is just my personal curiosity. You don't have to answer, but considering all the trouble I've handled for you, could you indulge me? Otherwise, I might not be able to sleep out of curiosity."
"There's no particular reason," Ron replied with an awkward smile. "You might not believe it, but it's actually quite ridiculous."
"I promised your sister that if anyone bullied her or spoke ill of her in public again, I'd twist their head off and give it to her as a ball to kick."
Upon hearing this, Feli's pupils contracted sharply as if she had been deeply shocked, leaving her speechless for a long time. Finally, after some contemplation, she smiled softly and said, "It seems my sister has found herself a good man."
"Alright, now that we've finished discussing trivial matters, let's get down to business. Since you've already awakened your Qi Force, the Qi Force Slate is no longer of use. Please return it to me."
"It's in my room. You can send someone to retrieve it whenever you like."
"Good," Feli said, pressing her lips together. "There's one more thing. I originally gave you three days to awaken your Qi Force, but since you've finished early, you'll leave tomorrow."
"There's a merchant ship at Mino Port, one we've prepared for a long time, just waiting for you to board. And don't tell me you plan to refuse."
"Of course not! I would never go back on my word," Ron replied with a grin. "I'm more than willing to go. But where's the Lir I asked for? Where is she?"
"And I'm taking my fiancée with me. Even if I die, I won't let her be used as a bargaining chip for the Moore family again because she's my woman!"
"No problem!" Feli said with a genuine smile. "I'm no longer worried you might die. Of course, you can take my sister with you, as long as she agrees. As for Lir, she's already on the ship waiting for you. But be prepared; it seems she doesn't want to leave Lane Town."
"I'll handle that myself, but thank you for the warning."
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