Charles lay before me, panting, his eyes bloodshot with fury and despair. Even injured and humiliated, he growled, his voice dripping with menace: "You're dead! My family won't let you escape!"
I tilted my head slightly, a mocking smile curling at my lips. "Oh, really?"
Without waiting for a reply, the tip of my boot lunged straight for his face.
"POW~~"
The impact made him writhe on the ground like a wounded snake. He tried to curl up, but the scorching desert around us seemed to swallow his dignity whole.
I crouched down, bringing my face closer to his, letting the smile on my lips morph into something... more predatory.
"Since you're not going to let me leave anyway... don't you think it'd be better if I took the initiative and finished you off first?"
I saw the shift in his eyes. Fear had replaced the rage. For Charles, this was no longer a battle of honor or strength; it was a fight for his life. My smile now resembled that of a demon ready to drag him into hell.
"He's not joking... he actually dares to do it!" Charles' eyes trembled, and for the first time, I saw something I didn't expect: pleading.
"Lord Eclivel! Lord Eclivel! You can't do this! I... I have a powerful noble family backing me. If you kill me, you'll be in trouble!"
I let out a dry laugh, increasing the pressure of my boot on his chest. "Ah, so you admit you were wrong?"
"I admit it! I admit my mistakes! Please, forgive me!" He babbled desperately.
I watched him for a moment, leaning closer, my voice firm yet dripping with sarcasm: "Very well, I accept your apology. However, according to the law of nobility, I have the right to demand compensation!"
Charles' eyes widened, a mix of relief and apprehension. But when he heard my next words, his expression quickly shifted to despair.
"As compensation, hand over all the magical crystals you have with you!"
"No! You can't do this!" he shouted, his voice nearly breaking. "Do you know how many lives were sacrificed by my family to obtain those magical crystals?"
I tilted my head, my tone growing even crueler. "Sometimes, Charles, life is simply a matter of multiple-choice questions. Now it's your turn to decide: your life or the magical crystals. Which will it be?"
To drive my point home, I pressed the sole of my boot against his face, pushing him further into the hot desert sand. His skin began to burn from the heat of the ground and the accumulated dirt. I laughed loudly, the sound echoing like that of a triumphant predator.
"So, have you decided yet?"
He choked, struggling to inhale the hot, dry air, his face now covered in dust and footprints. The pitiful sight of Charles amused me, but my patience had its limits.
It was then that one of the young men nearby tried to discreetly slip away.
"Tsk tsk..." I shook my head, watching the coward make his escape.
With a quick mental command, I activated the Lab.
"Activate auto-targeting," I ordered.
["Calibrating aim..."]
["Wind estimation complete!"]
["Trajectory adjusted!"]
I pulled the small knife from Charles' pocket, the one the fool hadn't found an opportunity to use, and gripped it firmly.
"Whoosh!"
The knife cut through the air and embedded itself directly in the fleeing young man's leg, sending him crashing face-first into the sand. He screamed, clutching his leg, as blood stained the ground beneath him.
I walked slowly back toward Charles, still lying on the ground, and pointed at the wounded young man. "See that, Charles? Don't bother waiting for reinforcements. No one's coming to save you today. Besides, I'm not very patient... you should know that by now."
I looked around, my eyes scanning each of the young men. They trembled, unable to hold my gaze. Their heads dropped, and the atmosphere around us became even more suffocating.
"Now, Charles," I whispered, leaning in closer. "The last time: magical crystals... or your life?"
Charles didn't answer immediately. But the sound of his rapid breathing and the trembling of his hands said it all. He knew he had no more choices.
"OK! I'll give you the magical crystals! But I left them in my room on the dirigible! Follow me back to get them!" Charles said, his tone desperate but filled with an attempt at manipulation.
I let out a sigh, crossing my arms. "Magical crystals are so important, and you want me to believe you left them in your room? Charles, are you really treating me like a fool?"
The smile on my face disappeared, replaced by a cold, threatening expression.
"It seems you still don't understand what's happening."
Without hesitation, I grabbed his arm tightly. His eyes widened in panic, but before he could react, I used my knee as leverage and broke his arm as if snapping a dry twig.
"CRACK!"
The sound of the fracture reverberated in the air, followed by Charles's miserable scream. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his bloodied arm, with the bone sticking out, alongside a lot of blood, and his face twisted in pain.
"If you keep lying, Charles, the next one will be the other arm. Or perhaps... something even more valuable." My voice was calm, but carried a threat that left no room for doubt.
"No! No! You can't do this! The servants of the dirigible won't let you!" He screamed, still trying to find some way to escape.
I laughed, my laughter echoing like a knife piercing through his fragile hope. "Why would they interfere, Charles? Did you forget that you nearly beat me to death in front of everyone, and no one cared? Isn't that the world you created? A place where no one cares?"
His eyes widened even more, and he curled up on the ground like a terrified child.
I leaned in slightly, looking directly into his eyes. "It seems like you're really wishing for death, Charles."
I moved to act again, but his desperate voice interrupted me:
"Wait! Wait! Alright! I'll give you the magical crystals, but you have to swear that you will never take revenge on me again!"
I let my smile return, now more threatening than ever. "I swear on the honor of my Rustel family," I replied casually, as if it were a joke.
Charles hesitated, but he knew he had no choice. With a pale face, he struggled to sit on the ground. Trembling, he took a small leather pouch from his chest and threw it to me.
"Here are all my magical crystals. Now leave me alone!"
I grabbed the pouch, feeling the soft, expensive leather under my fingers. I opened it carefully, and to my surprise, I saw dozens of small blue crystals softly glowing in the sunlight.
"Interesting..." I murmured.
Suddenly, the familiar sound of my lab echoed in my mind:
["Beep!"] ["Unknown energy source detected!"]
My eyes sparkled with excitement. "So? Can they be used?" I asked mentally.
["Searching the database..."]
["Insufficient information!"]
["The usage method was not found!"]
I let out a frustrated sigh, but my mind was already working on possibilities. "It looks like I'll need to run some experiments later..."
I smiled faintly, letting a mystery show in my gaze that only I understood. My smile wasn't one of relief or mercy; it was one of absolute control. "I'm always one step ahead, Charles. And know this: your punishment isn't over yet."
With my precise calculations, I planned the next move. Not just for now, but for what would come afterward. Every action would have its impact carefully orchestrated for the future.
"Alright." I took some magical crystals from the pouch, enough for my immediate purposes, and threw the rest back at Charles, as if doing him a favor.
"These magical crystals here will be my compensation!" I declared, holding the few I chose.
Charles looked at me, confused, but clearly relieved to still have something in his hands. The reason behind my choice was obvious only to me. I knew that while I could take all the crystals now, that could cause problems with the servants and the wizards watching from afar.
Also, I had other plans. Plans that Cleo, that fool, would also need to feel firsthand. Hehehe… A subtle, almost imperceptible smile curved my lips as new strategies formed in my mind.
With that, I decided to leave Charles with enough to pay the academy's entry fee. That way, even if he tried to cause trouble, I would have the perfect excuse to defend myself.
"Thank you... thank you!" Charles mumbled, still clutching his broken arm, his expression now less desolate. I knew exactly what was going on in his mind. If he lost all the crystals and couldn't enter the academy, his family would probably make him suffer something worse than what I had just done.
I took a step back and looked around. My eyes met those of the other young nobles, who were still trembling. Their clenched fists showed the tension they carried, but no one dared to act.
"Calm down! I won't take your magical crystals!" My voice echoed, firm but with a touch of sarcasm. It was fascinating how the promise of mercy could relax even the most desperate.
Upon hearing this, the young men finally let out the breath they had been holding, relieved. "Thank you, Lord Eclivel!" they said in unison, bowing in an almost pathetic manner.
But then, I turned my eyes to the young man who had tried to escape earlier. He was still on the ground, with his leg bloodied from the knife I had thrown. The sight of him gave me a new idea.
"But!" My voice sliced through the air like a blade, and all eyes turned back to me. "I want to ask for another compensation!"
My eyes fixed on the young man. He visibly trembled. I raised my arm and pointed directly at the weapon strapped to his back. "The axe on your back... looks very nice!"
The young man began to stammer, desperate, but soon hurried to answer: "M-Master... you can have it! Please, take it!"
I laughed. Not out of happiness, but out of disdain. "Haha! What generosity. In that case, I won't hold back."
Approaching, I took the axe from his hands and examined it. It was a noble weapon, forged with precision and details that only the wealthiest families could afford. The weight was perfect, the balance impeccable. I tested it in the air, and the sound of the wind being cut brought me satisfaction.
I looked at the young man once more, now with the axe in hand. "You made a good choice in giving it up. You know what they say... it's better to lose a weapon than your life."
I turned to the other young men. Their heads were lowered, their expressions filled with fear and submission. "Well, I believe we're even for today." I walked slowly away from them while carrying the large axe on my shoulder.
...
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