"Kirgil from Agnes Village has arrived!!"
The soldier at the entrance shouted into the building, and moments later, the massive main gate creaked open.
I followed Ferio's lead into the hall of Prosek Castle.
More like a palace, really.
I'd had some expectations for a count's castle, but...
There were more wooden buildings than stone ones—more humble than I'd imagined.
The key structures, like the inner walls, were stone, but the palace I was in now was a sprawling wooden affair.
It wasn't ugly or anything, but... what can I say?
I guess I'm just too used to Baroque or Gothic architecture.
Come to think of it, the reason we only see stone castles in pictures today might be because wooden ones don't survive intact for centuries.
Anyway, enough rambling.
At the end of the hall—which resembled a church without pews—there was a raised platform about two steps high, with three seats.
No ornate music playing, no elaborate ceremonies with whispering retainers or nobles on either side.
Just nine people in the whole hall.
Three on the platform, four guards, and me and Ferio.
Pretty modest.
Still, it was the lord's presence, so I'd been disarmed at the entrance.
I simply matched Ferio's pace and stopped before the three on the platform.
No kneeling, no sacred oaths, no grand self-introduction.
Modest.
And honestly? Refreshing!
"My lord, as you commanded, I have brought him here. This is Kirgil, the one who severed Katona's head."
Ferio introduced me first.
She's calling him 'my lord' instead of 'Father,' huh.
I bowed my head in greeting... or should I have?
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kirgil."
I just gave a stiff introduction while standing at attention.
Screw it! Ferio didn't brief me!!
"Did you truly strike down Katona?"
Luckily, the lord—Father, rather—didn't seem to care about formalities.
Now that I got a good look at him, he was a muscular, white-maned lion of a man.
Obviously a warrior.
His face alone screamed 'no time for pointless pomp.'
But he was sizing me up too.
That same piercing gaze Ferio had given me on my first day here, when she shot at my naked ass.
They share the same eye shape.
"...Hmm."
I get it. You're skeptical.
Not some dashing youth or renowned noble scion—just a middle-aged guy with a bit of a paunch, looking all casual. Who'd buy me pulling off heroic feats?
To a discerning eye like yours, I probably look sub-hyena.
I know. I know full well. Sorry for looking like such a scrub.
"My lord, I stake my rank and name on it: this man felled Katona. It's an indisputable fact. Archmage Agnes herself bore witness."
"In that case..."
"Hold on. I see it differently."
One of the three on the platform—the woman on the right—cut in.
Now I finally took in the faces of the two flanking him.
To the left: an elderly woman with brown skin and black hair. Prim and quiet. Probably the wife.
The one who'd just objected, on the right...
Wait... what!?
Blonde hair, pale skin. She looks a lot like Ferio.
Sister? Nah, I'd heard she had two older brothers, no mention of a sister.
Mom? Second wife?
"Even after hearing the reports, I still can't make sense of it. A man of that age, with no name or record to speak of, suddenly appears and slays the demon executioner Katona? It defies common sense."
Ah, just as Ferio feared.
So she's the 'bitch' Ferio warned me about?
Oof... rude thoughts slipping out.
"Shall I spin a more convincing tale for you? The Archmage Agnes arrives at the village, spots Katona and his horde, and wipes them out with powerful magic. Then she lets her favored man finish off the stragglers and claims the glory for him. Turning a pathetic nobody into a success story everyone acknowledges. And conveniently, Ferio takes a shine to him too, so it all lines up."
Bitch confirmed.
She's a beauty on Ferio's level, which makes it sadder.
"Kirgil, was it? No matter what you say, you won't be punished here. Why not tell us the truth?"
Sigh. What a pain.
Should've just let Agnes take the credit.
"Mother!!"
"Ferio, that's rude! A knight shouting before the lord? What manners are those?!"
"Rude?! You're the one who knows nothing!! Have you even tried to learn what kind of man he is?! Judging someone without knowing them—that's the real rudeness!!"
"You're the blind one. Swinging a sword all day has lowered your standards, making you fall for a man like that. Broaden your horizons already. Didn't I say I'd introduce you to someone better?!"
She's saying all this right in front of me.
She's not brainless, from the way she talks.
That condescending look, those arrogant metaphors...
She's doing it on purpose.
Highborn folk see commoners as lesser beings. That's the vibe I'm getting.
Like, 'Who cares what a nobody thinks?'
"...That's why I...!!!"
"Enough, both of you!! Stop it!! And Orio. Are you telling me to disregard Archmage Agnes's testimony?"
"Given the story and the man himself, I can't fully trust her word. But I can't dismiss the archmage entirely. That's the best counsel I can offer you."
For a second, I thought the lord was mediating properly.
But nope—abacus beads rattling means scheming.
Orio's the wife and acting as secretary or adjutant, it seems.
Her attitude grates, though.
Worse, Ferio's biting her lip, on the verge of tears. She's holding them back, but I can tell.
"Kirgil, sorry you had to see this ugly display after your long journey. As for you..."
"You don't have to appoint me hero."
"...What did you say?"
"It's causing grief for your daughter and wife. Does a man who troubles Prosek's lord's family deserve to be Prosek's hero?"
"W-Wait, Kirgil..."
Ferio tried to stop me, but I raised a hand to halt her.
I picked up the sword Agnes had given me, still in its scabbard.
The soldiers leveled spears at me in an instant, but
I simply walked toward an empty pillar against the wall.
Everyone was probably staring at my bizarre behavior right now.
"At the very least, let this prove I felled Katona."
In my mind, I shouted [Stop], drew the sword, and swung at the pillar—with the command [Sever].
Then, as I sheathed it, I let time flow again.
In the blink of an eye, half the pillar was sliced clean to the sword's thickness, and there I stood, sliding the blade home.
"What in the—?! I didn't even see the swing..."
The lord and Lady Orio must've realized their mistake by now.
"..."
...or so I fantasized in my chuunibyou phase.
They'd disarmed me at the entrance, so no show like that anyway.
And even if I had the sword, Agnes told me to keep my ability secret—no dice.
Point is, I was that pissed!! Fantasizing just to vent!!
Treating me like some mooch living off his woman's affection! Unbearable!
"Fuck it! Hero? I'm out. Don't need it. Later."
I caught the lord's stunned face, gave Ferio's shoulder a light pat for encouragement,
and turned on my heel toward the door.
At the same moment—
"General Liard has returned!!"
...came that shout.
I reunited with the mustachioed adjutant I'd met before. So he was a general originally.
"Kirgil! What are you doing here? I rushed back just for this—why are you leaving already? From what I know..."
"Great to see you, but sadly no time for a drink. Take care..."
I gave my greetings and kept walking; Liard stared in shock before hurrying inside.
"My lord, what have you done? Right now..."
He seemed about to plead urgently, but I was done caring about that mess.
Grab my gear and backpack from the entrance and bail.
I wanted to say something to Ferio, but in this situation, it'd just complicate things.
Lord or not, I held back a full rant—that was me being nice.
I almost went full rampage, but Ferio's face stopped me.
I know class society's no joke; this could mean execution.
But they won't. Agnes once threatened Star's Tear if they tried.
Anyway, time to cool off separately.
She'll be around Prosek Castle, so Ferio can find me easily if she wants.
I gathered my stuff and was just stepping out when
soldiers called from behind.
"Sir Kirgil! Please wait!! The lord summons you."
I pretended not to hear and kept going.
Not outright running—to avoid looking like a blatant fugitive—just briskly.
"Please wait!! Huh...? Where'd he go all of a sudden??"
I ducked around a building, out of the soldier's sight, confirmed no onlookers,
activated my ability, hightailed it far away, and resumed time in a quiet alley.
Wasted nearly half my mana for nothing.
Happy Moment is great and all, but the duration's too damn short.
Still, lingering would've brought misfortune in every sense.
I didn't want to badmouth Ferio's parents to her face.
Third parties meddling in family drama always makes it messier—even close kin or friends. Holidays back home taught me that.
The moment I did, that house... no, that whole house would crumble.
Anyway, wreck a family, take that treatment, and play hero? Hell no.
Screw that hero gig.
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