Chapter 6
The guards brought me to a halt in front of a long, square stone building.
Was it called the Punishment Unit?
As expected, the place had a strong impression of being a huge dungeon.
The Punishment Unit’s quarters weren’t far from the castle.
Thinking about being called here and there, I guess that’s a small advantage.
“This place used to be a weapons depot,”
The Scholar Krellyn told me as he guided me along.
“As you might know, the Rondore Family was once powerful. This weapons depot was packed with arms. Of course, those weapons are probably buried in various muddy battlefields now.”
Considering who might have buried the Rondore’s weapons, I wondered if Krellyn was hinting at something, but looking at his expression, he seemed harmless.
“While thinking about how to utilize this empty space, I figured that the Punishment Unit would be the remedy for all problems.”
Krellyn puffed out his chest with pride. This man, appearing to be around forty, was filled with enthusiasm.
“With the men from Roktana being slaughtered and crime rates soaring, it was already difficult to deal with petty criminals… putting the criminals in the Punishment Unit to do some work turned out to be a brilliant strategy for punishing them and solving annoying issues at the same time.”
“…So, you founded the Punishment Unit?”
“Indeed. It was an idea that came from… Oh.”
He suddenly fell silent as he noticed my reaction.
We maintained an awkward silence.
Well, I had already guessed from the name “Punishment Unit,” but it felt like I was entering a den of criminals.
Considering there were plenty of enemies in Roktana, it might not make a huge difference, but still, the thought of spending time with lowlifes made me uncomfortable.
Could you imagine the firstborn of a powerful northern family sharing a room with common criminals?
Such a twisted fate it was.
I missed my mother.
Following the guards’ lead, I walked into the Punishment Unit’s building.
The moment the door opened, I was hit by the foul stench of men.
It made me want to gag.
Inside, there was a small makeshift area already set up.
One soldier who had been joking around with his comrades got up and saluted.
“Scholar Krellyn, to what do we owe this honor…?”
“I’ve come on behalf of Lady Vivian to introduce you to your new brother.”
The soldier quickly scanned my black hair and dark eyes, quickly putting the pieces together.
“…Kyle Allen?”
“Is Sir Burgor here?”
“Ah, yes. He is. Would you like me to show you?”
“That would be great.”
The guards who brought me here turned and left, and now I was being led by the Punishment Unit soldiers.
As we walked, Krellyn continued explaining.
“The Punishment Unit is divided into two groups. The Punishment Unit that you are entering and the Observation Unit that watches over the Punishment Unit to ensure they don’t escape or commit more crimes. The Observation Unit consists of all knights or those training to become knights. They’re quite the fighters too.”
…”
“You could think of it as a slightly altered form of jailers and criminals. Accordingly, the Punishment Unit has restricted freedoms. You can’t just go outside.”
…”
“Oh, but Kyle, you’ll be different. As Lady Vivian’s escort, you can go wherever you like—”
-“On my own discretion.”
I was irritated by Krellyn’s words, as if he was teasing me.
“…I’ll figure it out, so just keep quiet.”
“Ah…! Yes.”
Krellyn thankfully nodded and lowered his head at my words.
He seemed a bit timid and clueless. He didn’t mean any harm but was the sort who was a bother to have around.
Before long, we stopped in front of a room. Krellyn knocked lightly on the door before entering.
“Sir Burgor.”
“Scholar Krellyn, to what do we owe this visit…?”
The man known as Sir Burgor was as big as a bear.
He was shorter than my father but broader, with a massive frame.
He was thick not only side to side but also front to back, making me feel like I was facing a giant tree stump.
He had a balding head and his face was scarred, a visage of someone who had seen countless battles.
He too recognized me the moment he saw my black hair and dark eyes.
“…Kyle Allen, isn’t it? Are we responsible for you now?”
Sir Burgor asked with a slight smile forming on his face.
“It is Lady Vivian’s command.”
“Lady Vivian… is wise. No place suits the son of the Invincible Knight better than this.”
Thud, thud, the ground shook as Burgor stepped closer to me.
He felt even larger up close.
Krellyn introduced Burgor to me.
“This is Sir Burgor. He is the leader of the Punishment Unit and also oversees the Observation Unit. You can think of him as the head of the Punishment Unit’s Knight Order.”
…”
It felt like a moment when I should bow in greeting, but I held my head straight.
I couldn’t bow to someone who might have fought against my family, the Allen Clan.
Sir Burgor looked at me and said,
“Your gaze… is alive. It feels like facing little Jade Allen. Bloodlines can’t lie, can they?”
…”
“Your new brothers will surely like you, Kyle Allen.”
“Brothers? We’re from different births.”
“Do criminals really care about bloodlines?”
“I didn’t come here because I committed a crime.”
Krellyn warned the now excited Burgor.
“Sir Burgor, be careful. Kyle Allen here is a guest of the Rondore Family. Should anything happen to him…”
“…I know. Jade Allen would come running. Don’t worry, I’ve thought it through.”
…
The dining area of the Punishment Unit was filled with uproar.
Shouts and scuffles erupted from all directions.
A sour smell and musty air were an added bonus.
I followed Sir Burgor into a place where decorum was nonexistent.
A long table was lined up, with people like cockroaches sitting around, munching their food.
The dining area was divided into two spaces—one was filled with filthy, scruffy-looking men, and the other had cleaner folks, each adorned with a red armband.
As Krellyn said, one side was the Punishment Unit, and the other was the Observation Unit.
It appeared there were roughly three members of the Punishment Unit for every one member of the Observation Unit.
Add up all the people in the dining area, and it looked like there were about 200 members in total.
“Focus!”
-Smack!
“What the—ah, Burgor…”
Burgor swatted away the bowls of the guys from the Punishment Unit who were enjoying their meals, creating a small space on the wooden table.
-Thud!
Then he climbed onto the table with muddy feet and hoisted me up.
All 200 pairs of eyes turned toward me.
“You know who this is?”
Burgor plucked a few strands of my black hair and said.
“He’s the new brother of the Punishment Unit. Welcome him with love.”
Dead silence.
The raucous dining area fell silent enough that you could hear a fly buzzing.
Only Burgor’s chuckles broke this stillness.
Swallowing my fear, I faced the glances directed at me.
Not a single one of them looked like they wanted to welcome me with love.
I gritted my teeth and thought.
Vivian Rondore.
…that damn woman.
****
Days passed.
Vivian Rondore sat by the window again, gazing outside.
An everyday routine of spending time blankly.
Sometimes, when she regained her senses, tears would be streaming down her cheeks, or she would find it had turned into night.
Under normal circumstances, she would have gone to visit her mother’s sickbed and spent the day there…
But now, with her mother gone, she didn’t know what to do.
In the quiet room, loneliness came to visit Vivian constantly.
Every time she realized that her respected father, reliable brother, and beloved mother were truly gone from this world, the overwhelming fear would hit her hard.
Her father and brother’s deaths were two years ago, yet it felt as fresh as yesterday.
How much longer would it take for her to accept her mother’s death?
When would she truly grasp that she was left alone in this world?
She had no clue who she should rely on in tough times.
Uncle Robert Rondore?
Steward Pippin?
Finance Officer Brinden?
Commander of the 1st Knight Order, Sir Baelor?
Spy Nesto?
Or should she trust the barons and marquesses who swore loyalty to Rondore?
That seemed…
“…”
Vivian Rondore remembered all of them from her mother’s funeral.
She clearly saw the strange eyes filled with greed and desire in their gazes.
She remembered those who erupted in rage when she declared that she would ban regency.
Those looks had been so terrifying.
Moreover, hadn’t her mother warned her? Not to fully trust her retainers.
That loyalty without cost was a false concept and that she needed to govern them with benefit and profit.
…But how?
For Vivian Rondore, that was an incredibly difficult task.
There wasn’t a trustworthy adult around to teach her how.
…
Before she knew it, Vivian realized her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
That foolish sight made her burst into tears.
Stuttering as she spoke, her body seemed out of her own control.
How could someone like her govern this vast territory and lead her family?
It felt overwhelming and suffocating, making it hard for her to breathe.
She needed family.
She desperately craved someone she could lean on.
Sorrow quickly morphed into rage.
Vivian bit her lips.
…It was all the Allen Clan’s fault.
If they hadn’t existed, she would still be in the embrace of her family, living happily.
She wouldn’t have to face subjects staring at her with hungry eyes, nor would she have retainers scanning her up and down, and she wouldn’t feel this suffocating pressure.
…If it came down to this, wouldn’t it be better to die?
Her family, all together in heaven except for her.
Was it better for her to join them?
‘You must survive, Vivian. No matter what…’
Her mother’s words echoed in her head, but… she had never been an obedient child.
How about one more time, disregarding her mother’s words?
-Knock, knock.
‘Lady Vivian, it’s Pippin. Lady Linne has arrived.’
Lady Linne.
She would be the one to take care of her education, the mistress of the Rommer family.
She was also her mother’s caregiver. Her mother learned manners, etiquette, politics, and much more from Lady Linne.
Vivian quickly rubbed her eyes dry and responded.
“Pl-please let her in.”
-Creak.
Lady Linne entered the room and greeted her briefly.
“It’s been a while, Lady Vivian.”
With her white hair and deep wrinkles, she still held her back straight and possessed an air of unyielding spirit.
“Y-yes…”
Why had she forgotten?
Lady Linne was the one her mother relied on.
As soon as she saw her, Vivian felt her discomfort melt away.
Like her mother, she could rely on Lady Linne.
“Have you had enough time to mourn…?”
Lady Linne asked gently.
“Ah… no.”
At Vivian’s honest answer, Lady Linne nodded with a bittersweet expression.
“I feel the same. The Duchess, whom I’ve known since she was a baby, left like that… no matter how much I mourn, the pain doesn’t fade.”
“…It’s all the Allen Clan’s fault. After losing my father and brother, I feel sick with grief…”
“…”
Lady Linne took a deep breath, raised her head, and said.
“But Lady Vivian, you can’t stay like this forever.”
“What?”
“You are now the head of the Rondore Family and lord of Roktana. I hear there was some opposition from the retainers when you opposed the regency… I’m worried. You must grow quickly. I don’t think time is on your side.”
“…Y-yes? Wh-what do you mean…?”
-Clap! Clap!
As Lady Linne clapped her hands twice, several people came bustling into the room.
Vivian stared blankly at the people who had entered her room.
Even so, wasn’t this a bit too much…? It hadn’t even been five days since her mother had left her.
The pain was still too vivid to focus on anything.
While she was speechless and couldn’t respond, Lady Linne pulled something from her waist.
It was a long, iron rod.
“Lady Vivian, I was asked by the Duchess to train you strictly. You will be taking regular tests, and if you don’t meet the standards, there will be punishments. Weakness will be treated the same way.”
Lady Linne stepped closer to Vivian.
Vivian couldn’t understand why she felt suffocated again.
She thought she could lean on someone psychologically…or was it just a mistake?
Lady Linne, now just in front of her, spoke.
“And I will correct how you speak, Lady Vivian. Stuttering really doesn’t make you look good.”
“B-but I, I’m—”
-Clap!!
“Ah!”
The shock of pain made Vivian shrink back.
“…Huh?”
It took Vivian a moment to comprehend what had just happened.
Having never been hit by anyone in her life, this experience left her bewildered.
Through her falling hair, Vivian looked up at Lady Linne.
“It hurt…”
-Clap!!
“Aah!!”
Lady Linne swung the rod with all her might.
Two distinct, red marks slowly blossomed on Vivian’s pale arm.
“Weakness.”
The feelings she had toward Lady Linne shifted from relief to doubt, and from doubt to fear.
But whatever Vivian thought didn’t seem to matter to Lady Linne, who coldly remarked.
“…I clearly said there would be punishments, didn’t I?”
