"If you insist on denying the truth, then we'll have no choice but to use force," Blayn said coldly.
Aria's father hesitated for a moment, his expression wavering, but then his eyes turned ruthless as if he had made up his mind. He raised his hand, signaling the guards around them. His face twisted into something cruel and menacing—his previous gentle demeanor nothing more than a facade.
"Kill them all!"
At his command, the guards surrounded Blayn and Seryu.
Blayn's gaze darkened as he shook his head in disappointment. He no longer restrained Seryu and instead gave her a simple reminder:
"Take care of yourself. Try not to get hurt."
"Yes!"
With that, Seryu unleashed her so-called "justice" without restraint.
Though the guards were far stronger than ordinary people, they were no match for someone chosen to serve in the Imperial Capital Security Force. Wielding her massive sword, Seryu carved through them effortlessly, heads rolling one after another.
"Wait! Wait!! We were just hired! They're the ones responsible!"
Some guards, overwhelmed with terror, dropped their weapons as their legs gave out beneath them. Kneeling on the ground, they pleaded desperately for mercy.
"You are all accomplices. Once tainted by evil, the only redemption is death."
Seryu's expression remained ice-cold, utterly devoid of mercy. Ever since the day bandits slaughtered her parents, she had developed an unyielding hatred for evil.
"Justice, executed!"
No matter how much they wept and begged, Seryu swung her greatsword without hesitation.
With her merciless rampage, Blayn hardly needed to lift a finger. Within moments, the guards had either been slain or lost their will to fight.
Aria and her parents stood frozen in terror. The orange-haired girl's strength was beyond anything they had imagined—she had single-handedly wiped out all the guards they had hired.
"Attacking the security force is another crime to add to your list. If you don't start talking, I won't be able to stop her," Blayn said, his tone indifferent.
He was, of course, referring to Seryu.
By now, nearly all the guards had been slaughtered. The few that remained wouldn't last much longer. Once they were gone, Aria and her parents would be next—after all, in Seryu's eyes, they were the embodiment of "evil."
Realizing what was about to happen, Aria's father broke down.
"Alright! I'll talk! I'll take you to the place!"
"Then lead the way. Now," Blayn ordered.
At that moment, Seryu had already finished off the remaining guards. Bloodlust still clouding her mind, she didn't seem to notice that Aria's family had surrendered. Gripping her sword tightly, she charged straight at them.
"Why isn't she stopping?!" Aria's father shouted in panic.
Aria and her mother clung to each other, trembling.
Before Seryu could strike, Blayn stepped in and caught her wrist.
Seryu blinked, snapping back to reality. "Vice Captain Blayn?"
"They're still useful," Blayn explained.
"...Fine."
Though reluctant, Seryu withdrew her sword.
—
Blayn and Seryu followed Aria's family to a forested area outside the palace. In the middle of the woods stood a large building, which at first glance looked like a warehouse.
However, the moment they opened the doors, it became clear this was no ordinary storage facility.
The space was filled with an array of horrific torture devices, some still occupied by victims in various states of suffering. Corpses dangled from hooks on the ceiling—some headless, some missing limbs, others barely clinging to life.
Along both sides of the room, rows of iron cages held prisoners with festering, reddened flesh, ravaged by disease. This was the work of Aria's mother, who took pleasure in infecting them with the Lubora Virus—her favorite pastime.
Blayn's stomach churned at the sheer brutality.
Seryu, on the other hand, remained unfazed. A sight like this didn't scare her—it only strengthened her conviction to eradicate all evil.
"Why did you do this to them?" Blayn asked, his voice heavy with disgust.
Aria's father scoffed. "What's the big deal? These country bumpkins are nothing more than livestock—a waste of resources. We can do whatever we please with them!"
"Exactly," Aria's mother added gleefully. "Why treat livestock like humans? I love infecting them with the Lubora Virus, watching their condition worsen day by day, and recording it in my diary. It's simply addicting."
Aria remained silent, her emotions conflicted. She had never expected that the young man she had taken an interest in would bring about her family's downfall. Some of the words he had spoken to her that day still lingered in her mind.
She had been raised in this environment—her beliefs molded by her parents.
"Vice Captain Blayn, can we pass judgment now?" Seryu asked coldly.
To her, these three were beyond salvation.
"Let the court handle them. And while we're at it, we can take down Ogre as well."
Keeping them alive had its uses. They could testify against Ogre, making his conviction inevitable. If they were executed now, it would take far more effort to bring him down.
Moreover, allowing Seryu to carry out an unauthorized execution could lead to legal complications. It was best to avoid unnecessary trouble.
—
The court's verdict was swift.
Aria's parents were sentenced to public execution by beheading for their countless atrocities.
As for Aria, though she had fewer victims, each one had been chosen out of her jealousy. She was sentenced to life in prison.
Blayn and Seryu attended the trial, watching from the gallery.
As Aria and her parents were led away, she passed by Blayn and, to his surprise, suddenly spoke.
"That day... the things you said to me—did you really mean them? Or were you just trying to fool me?"
Blayn hesitated before understanding what she was referring to.
After a brief pause, he nodded. "I meant every word. Your eyes and hair are beautiful. You're already cute—there was never any reason to envy others."
"...I see. Thank you."
A faint, complex smile lingered on Aria's lips as she was led away.
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