As we walked into the mansion, I could spot several dozen mana and heat signatures.
"Let me deal with them Isaac. I don't want to damage our future house."
With that, she vanished. The signatures were disappearing one by one.
"I was planning to take this slowly but I guess I should simply go and find the Viscount."
I put my sword on my back and looked around and noticed seven heat signatures deep underground in a bunker. I stretched my hand but then I retracted it.
"No. I should refrain from using magic as much as possible. I don't want to cause unnecessary damage to this place."
I continued walking through the hallway, killing the stragglers Ashley left for me. I soon made it to the courtyard where i was following the heat signature of the metal stairs that went underground to the bunker. The temperature difference between the metal and the soil guided me. I soon reached a wall and I pressed a block. An entrance opened and I went in. I took my time walking down the stairs. I soon reached another huge door. I knocked.
"Wh-who is it?!"
"Viscount Luke Rodias, Frey Rodias, Abel Rodias, Light Rodias and James Rodias. You five are known for engaging in illegal slave trading, are involved in multiple kidnappings and are also known to sell children in auctions to other nobles. You were also involved in multiple massacres across 16 villages and 4 towns. I will only say this once so listen carefully. Either open this door and get sent to trial or I open the door and I torture you until you beg for death. I give you 5 seconds."
"WH-WHO ARE YO-"
"5"
"..."
"4"
"He's probably jokin-"
"3"
"YOU DON'T SCA-"
"2"
"HAHA. THIS IS A STEE-"
"1"
"HAHAHA!!! THIS IS THE STRONGEST DOOR IN THE ENTIRE EMPIRE. EVEN THE STRONGEST WARRIORS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT BUDGE!!!"
I looked at the door and sighed. I placed my hand on it.
"Void tear"
A section of the door was engulfed by a magic circle and disappeared. The youngest child who seemed to be thirteen was crouching by the corner, visibly scared.
"Alma Rodias. You're the only one innocent here so I won't touch you. However..."
She spoke calmly.
"I know what they did. I've borne witness to all of it. So it doesn't matter to me what you do to them. Just make them experience the worst hell possible. Inflict on them every thing they did to other people."
I didn't give the five of them the time to be in shock as I pressed them against the wall with my telekinesis.
"Now then. Shall we start?"
...
Ashley was in the Viscount's office up on the third floor. She was playing on the rotating chair and throwing knives at a four women she strung up. They were arranged neatly in a row in front of her. She would close her eyes, then make herself rotate very fast and then throw a knife. She had already stabbed several of them. She was keeping them alive using the same healing magic that Isaac used on the people outside. He had taught it to her.
"Hey can you stop with the screams? I'm trying to concentrate."
The women were in pain. Each had a knife pierced into their bodies. They were frantically trying to undo the mana rope stringing them up.
"Please...let us go. We beg of you."
"We swear you won't see us again."
"We swear on our lives we won't trouble you again"
"I have a husband and son so please have mer-"
*Pierce X4*
Ashley threw knives at all four of them, piercing their hearts. They began coughing as their hearts continued beating against the knife blades, enhancing their pain.
"I like this healing magic. It's very convenient for playing but I'm getting bored now."
She looked at them as she twirled her ponytail.
"Ah! I have an idea."
She took out her notebook containing the names of all people who were investigated. She gently tore off the pages after she found the names of the four women in front of her.
"I think a needle knife will do this time."
She took out at a knife with an extremely thin blade and went to the first one.
"What do you think if my baby here? It's shiny isn't it?"
"..."
"It's shiny isn't it!"
"Yes yes it is!!!"
"Good. You can have it then."
She pressed the paper to her stomach and stuck the knife through it, impaling it to her. She did the same for the rest.
"Heehee! Now everyone will know what you've done."
She was about to go back and sit when she heard Isaac come up from the vault. He was at the courtyard. She ran.
"ISAAAAAC! WAIT FOR ME!!!"
She dashed through the hallway and jumped from the railings down to the courtyard and landed next to Isaac.
...
Ashley landed right in front of me and her eyes were dazzling.
"WOW! You really did a number on them Isaac!"
I was carrying the five of them with my telekinesis.
"I simply did what was asked of me."
Ashley then saw Alma clinging to me.
"You asked Isaac to rough them up like this?"
"Y-yes."
She smiled.
"You and I will be the best of friends."
What I did to them was nothing short of horrifying. I had burned each of their arms to a crisp like she asked and pulled out all their toes using my telekinesis. She had asked me to shove in rows of nails on the burn flesh but I used extremely cold ice spears for that. I had tried suppressing their screams but she said she wanted to hear everything. From when I slowly burnt their arms, to when I pulled out their toes one by one. She said she wanted to see everything they did onto others done onto them and to observe their reactions. We walked outside into the front of the mansion. There were corpses and groaning men everywhere. I couldn't help but feel happy. I looked at Ashley. Tears were coming out of her eyes.
"What's wrong Ash?"
"I can't control myself. It's just SO BEAUTIFUL."
I sighed.
"You're crazy."
"Says the one who burns arms for fun."
"Nevermind that. Did you find the four maids?"
"You mean Martha, Mary, Lucy and Josie? They're in the Viscount's office upstairs."
I patted her head
"Nice. They were one of the worst. Now, it's time for the main event to begin."
I removed the barrier. People were horrified at the sight before them. There was some hesitation but some walked in to inspect. One had a very large cheer as he picked up the head of someone who had troubled him. Similar cases were erupting as tears of joy came out from a few people. I then flew up, carrying the Rodias children and father with me. I made a very wide magic circle so that anyone who was under it would be able to hear my voice like they were next to me.
"To everyone listening to this. The people who had once harmed you are killed. There are some who are still alive. The ones that have a magic circle on them will not die for the next few hours, no matter what you do to them. So you can freely settle your grudges with them."
As soon as I said the last part, a huge barrage of people came storming in. The most interesting part was Ronald being beaten by multiple people. One even sliced his ears off. They were merciless. They were cutting off body parts and lifting them in triumph. Their hunger for revenge had taken over. Ashley flew over next to me, holding Alma next to her. She smiled
"I can't imagine the satisfaction these people must be feeling."
"The opportunity to get revenge on someone who caused you endless pain is a feeling you can't easily beat."
I looked at the sight before me again. Sobs of happiness came from content mothers who finally got revenge for their husbands and sons.
"Since we're done here, let's head back to the palace. The guild will settle things here."
"Actually, I'll head back to the guild. I need to settle some things first."
I sighed.
"You can't open my locker and even if you do, you won't be able to find anything on how to obtain the Kansatsume and Hasunome."
Ashley fumed.
"Hmph whatever. BYE!"
She vanished. I put the Rodias father and sons into my dimensional world and teleported to the palace. I arrived there and there were a lot of people present. There were new guards and the King was shaking on his throne as soon as he saw me. Before anyone could speak, I dragged out the father and children of the Rodias family from my dimensional world. A lot of people gasped and some even fainted due to the despairing condition they were in. I decided to show the king some element of respect since we were in front of people.
"I have bought the traitors of the empire your majesty."
They were still alive but barely. Maria stepped forward.
"His majesty thanks you for your service to the empire. As previously discussed, the Rodias Manor will now belong to you Mr Blake."
"Thank you for the kind reward."
Maria smiled.
"That's not all. His majesty also feels you deserve an additional reward. As such, you are now proclaimed as the new Grand Duke of the empire of Linchestin."
"I accept my title with gratitude."
I smiled since everything went according to plan.
"With the title of Grand Duke, I can utilise many resources of the empire without having to resort to alternate means. Now I will shape this empire as much I want and in order to prepare for the upcoming war, I will have to restructure the academies entirely and form a central system. Oh so much to do, so little time. I...enjoy this."