If he were not lazy, Negris could ask him how old he was when he wet the bed.
"I'm a man, I'm a man." Brand answered hastily.
"Why did you commit robbery on the road?"
"Well, sir, we were not robbing. We were only collecting taxes. You can't label us like that." Brand lifted his head, a mournful look on his face as he spoke.
"Quibbling, smack."
Ange once again slapped his head, dazing him, his eyes nearly blurred with stars.
"Why did you commit robbery on the road?"
"...We're poor, but we are not robbers. The local troops levy an eleven percent tax. This is a power bestowed on us by the Holy Light, we're absolutely not robbing." Brand vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Although what they were doing was essentially no different from robbery, and even possibly better than robbery, they firmly refused to admit it. If they admitted it, not only would he be finished, but the other people would also be finished, and it might even implicate their families.
