Chapter 60 : Noblesse Oblige (Part 3)
"W-wait...how can this be...w-where...where did you get that from!! You brat!!"
As Iris flashed him an innocent smile, she showed a simple letter on her hand that was enough to make Cooper lost his composure, "Oh this?~ Well a great friend of mine gave me this letter~ along with a journal~"
"W-who is it?! What journal?!" Cooper's eyes are starting to go wide in panic, getting even more desperate to know the answer but Iris simply chuckled
In her mind, this is only the phase one. She's baiting and taunting the enemy into action on purpose, making sure they dropped their guard and lost their ability to keep calm to create an opportunity to break apart their mind.
Iris sighed at the pitiful sight of him, "Why are you so desperate, Baron~ it's as if you are trying to get to know where I got this from~ and from the looks of it~ it seems very important~" Iris spoke while flaunting that letter in front of him.
"I wonder what's inside of it!~ Let me take a look~" Iris smiled wider, flipping the letter before her and was going to open the envelope when Cooper, who had completely lost control of himself made a dash towards her.
"GIVE IT TO ME YOU LITTLE BI—!"
But suddenly...
TAP
His path was blocked by Henry and the others.
"H-huh??"
"Baron...what are you trying to do?" Henry glared coldly as he was about to unsheathe his sword strapped on his waist.
"I-i am–"
"Oh my!~ How terrible!~" Suddenly Iris shouted while holding a piece of paper on her hand that seemed to be the letter inside of the sealed envelope.
"There's so much money~ so much stuff have been sent~ Wow~ I can't believe it, I have never seen that many gold in this life~" Iris taunted as she skimmed through the letter, only mentioning the important details for her plan which seemed to do its job, making others curious to what the letter is all about.
Norman quickly approached her, "May I see it...Iris?" he asked while stretching out his hand.
"Hm?~ Of course~" And just like that, Iris handed the letter to him.
Norman took the letter and he started to read it carefully. A few seconds passed and he widened his eyes at what he's reading.
Veins began to form on his forehead as he felt the anger rising up inside of him, "What a nasty piece of—I never thought you would do this to your own kind, Baron Allura." Norman hissed as he crumpled the letter on his hand.
Upon seeing his unexpected reaction, King Bradley spoke, "Duke Ashdown...will you be so kind to tell us what kind of letter is that?"
"Yes Your Highness...my apologies on losing control over my emotions." Norman fixed his glasses, trying to calm himself down.
"You are forgiven and now...please continue."
"Yes...this is..." Norman raised the letter high up in front of the other nobles, before announcing it loudly, "A transaction letter for slave exchange...with Baron Allura's name on it!"
Bradley widened his eyes in shock, followed with the loud gasps from all around them before he glared at the Baron who cowered under his gaze, clutching onto his own hair and quickly shook his head as he looked down.
"Not only that...he made tons of deals in this letter...drugs, black money, kidnapping, assassinate request....
....and even [Valhalla] liquor among the drugs...a drink that was supposed to be destroyed long ago and banned from this kingdom." Norman explained them all, single handedly throwing the Nobles present in the room into chaos.
"It can't be!"
"What a disgrace!"
*CHATTERS* *CHATTERS*
Meanwhile, as the room was filled with nothing but multiple voices talking among themselves....Iris was the only one who stood there without making any expression.
Norman fixed his glasses before turning around to look at Iris, "Miss Iris...may I ask something?"
"Sure~" Iris responded a bit too quickly, as if she was expecting it.
"Where did you get this kind of letter?" Norman asked since he was more curious about the source of this letter.
But Iris simply smiled at him, "Like I said, a great friend of mine gave me this letter~"
"I see...then may I know who is this friend you're talking about?" Norman asked her once more.
"I promise to keep a secret of his identity~ but I will make an exception for you~ Duke-sama and Your Highness~" Iris nodded.
'His? It's a man?' Norman thought to himself while Iris slowly approached him. Iris tip toed on her feet as Norman leaned down to lend his ear for her.
"[Dark Guild]~" She whispered.
Norman stepped back in surprise after hearing that name coming out from her mouth. '[Dark Guild]....the most reliable place to gather various information in this kingdom and also...
a place where you can hire skilled Assassin...only a few Nobles knew about this place...but for a little girl like her to know about it….and not only that...she's friends with them? Henry....what kind of daughter have you brought to this world.' Norman gulped while looking at Iris who tilted her head a bit to the side, and smiling innocently.
But he shook his thought away and walked towards the King to pass the information to him by whispering through his ear. Bradley widened his eyes once more, turning to look at Iris who still standing there with her ever present smile,
'I know what you all thinking~ well the [Dark Guild] has been the most reliable for their info gathering...but since most people don't know where the place and secret code is...it's really hard to track them...unless you are a high-class Noble.'
Norman returned to her again, "I understood...it seems this letter is true...but I'm still wondering, what is the connection between the things that he does...to him plotting to poison the Duchesss." Norman asked while staring down at her.
Iris shrugged her shoulder, "It's pretty simple, I just asked that friend of mine~"
"What did he say?" Norman asked.
"It goes all the way back on a rumor of mine...no–a rumor about the destruction of my family." Iris replied with such a cold eyes, "I asked the source of the rumor....and found out~"
Iris suddenly turned her head towards Cooper who still refused to meet anyone's eyes
"That Allura's family were the one who spread them~"
Norman only gave a glance at him and looked at her once again, "I see...and what did you do afterwards?"
Iris folded her hands to her chest, "Afterwards~ I attacked his territory and investigate it myself~" Iris answered the question with yet another smile.
As if it was a normal thing to do.
Norman felt something was different about her right now, but he needed to focus on this matter first.
"I see...but it didn't change the fact...that you did attack his territory correct?"
"Of course." Iris nodded.
"Then what did you find?" When that question rose up, Iris suddenly became quiet.
She was just smiling at him, quietly and staring directly into his eye.
"I want to ask the Baron about something first." Iris shifted her eyes towards Cooper.
"Huh??" Cooper blinked for a moment, "What is it..."
"Don't be too nervous~ I just want to ask something simple based on child's perspective~"
Her words boosted Cooper's confidence the moment she said that, "Heh, then ask away!"
"What is the title of a [Noble] to you?~" Her question confused the nobles.
[Did she just asked him somethinh so obvious like that?] Is what they're thinking.
Cooper burst out laughing, "Hahaha!! What a simple question!
"The answer is [Power and Wealth] of course! The power that choses us to be one of the top of this Kingdom!" Cooper boasted proudly.
Silence fell inside of the room. The other nobles and even the King and the Queen themselves were rendered speechless, some of them even looked at Cooper in disgust.
Before Bradley could open his mouth, Iris raised her hand and he halted, It seemed like she has something to say.
"I see...so [Noble] is [Power and Wealth]...and also being the [chosen one]."
"Yes yes! Of course!–"
"Is that why you trampled those people under your command....Baron?"
"H-huh??–"
She has laid out the trap and the Baron went straight into it.
Iris pulled out something from her [Inventory] once again, but this time...it was a book.
A worn out book, filled with notes and handwritings.
Cooper knitted his brows in confusion at the book on her hand but when he saw it more clearly, all colors were drained form his face, "Isn't that!!–"
Iris ignored him and opened the book, "I will hereby read it out loud."
"Hamilton, male, age 40, disposed, [Failure]." Iris called out an unknown name.
"Next...Raylee, female, age 20, disposed, [Failure]." And kept on calling other names.
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.
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"...Harlow, male, age 50s, disposed, [Failure]."
She kept going again...and again...causing the people who stood there to feel uneasy about the names she mentioned until eventually she reached the end of the list...
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"Finally...Liley, female, age 6 years old, diposed, [Failure]."
*TAP*
She closed the book, no one else dared to say a word after that.
"Let me tell you something Baron...for me, a [Noble] is indeed people who were chosen and blessed with power and wealth."
"But they were also given a responsibility...to protect the people their ruled...the people exists for us and we exists for them...we protect and the people will provide support!"
"That's what a [Noble] is! Baron! a [Noblesse Oblige] that was given to you when you gained that title! An Obligation to live for the people and exists to protect the people with the power and wealth we were given!"
"But here you are, misusing it for your own greed...using those innocent people for your foolish bloated ego! Tell me!! Are you not so different than a Goblin who steal people's lives and took their property?!" Iris shouted, her face was almost red with anger that quickly built up inside of her
The King and everyone who's watching were taken by surprise upon hearing such words coming from a child. It's almost as if their eyes were opened for the first time but even so, there were some of them who looked at her disapprovingly.
The people around her like Norman, Matilda and Rowan...they couldn't help but feel like this youngster is very different than the children her age.
Henry felt nothing but pride towards his daughter.
"Duke Ashdown...I shall give this to you." Iris turned to him and handed over the book to Norman who's still taken aback by her words.
"This is a journal that were kept hidden inside one of Baron Allura's fort. Inside of it, there's this poison they plan to use to the Duchess."
"And...those names I spoke of...are the people who were disposed...because they were a...." Failed" Product of human experiment."
Norman widened his eyes, grounding his teeth as he glared at Cooper.
"What?! Baron Allura...i can't believe you could stoop so low" Norman hissed at him, as if he was even more disgusted than ever.
"T-that's a lie!! I would never do such thing!!–"
"I should add that it was written by none other than you, Baron...we have [The Witch] here who excels on magic...simply tracing the one who wrote this will be just a piece of cake for her~"
"G-guh...." Cooper began to back off until suddenly someone shouted.
"Is that true!"
All eyes turned towards the source, a noble lady in a yellow dress with a man standing beside her. She looked extremely shocked and at the same time terrified.
"Is it...really her." The woman mutterred in disbelief.
Iris were confused for a moment but then she realized something when that woman started to call out someone's name.
"My dear...tell me...did our sweet Liley...really died?!" The woman tugged the man's arm who seemed to be her husband. Her eyes were wide, "It...it couldn't be right?? Right??!!"
Iris widened her eyes, gripping her own shaky hands, "Yes ma'am...the little girl name...is Liley...from the journal, she is dead...and I...saw her body in person" Iris spoke softly, as if talking to a frightened wild animal.
The woman burst out into tears as soon as she heared her, "YOU MONSTER!!" the woman glared with teary eyed at Cooper, "She went to your territory because she find it fun...until we found out...she went missing....I never knew....I never knew...I thought she would be fine...but...you... YOU!!!!"
"You killed my daughter!! Give her back!! MONSTER!!!" She cried even harder. Her husband put both of his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down and holding back his own tears before he lifted his head to glared hatefully towards Cooper who flinched away from his gaze,
"I-i don't know...I thought she was just a beggar." Cooper suddenly admitted it as he was beyond shock.
"MONSTER!!"
"What a scumbag!!"
"You should have been ashamed of yourself!"
The situation started to escalate quickly as the other nobles started to rise up in arms. They feel anger rose inside of them after they heard of his despicable acts towards a helpless little girl who's also a Noble's child.
Norman fixed his glasses and sighed, "This has spiralled out of control...I think we should conclude the–"
*THUD*
"Huh?"
Before Norman can finish his words, Iris tugged onto his sleeves, "Duke...may I borrow something from you?"
"Borrow what?"
The little girl pointed her finger towards a sheated sword right beside his waist.
Norman blinked in confusion but he ended up giving her the sword without question.
Iris grabbed the sword and all of sudden she walked towards Cooper who's frozen on his spot then threw the sword to the ground right in front of him
*TANG* *CLINK* *CLINK*
Cooper widened his eyes and met Iris' cold gaze,
"Take it...and...
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.
.
.
...kill yourself."
"You are given a chance to execute yourself...you had done horrible things towards your people and that woman's daughter without second thought...so now, kill yourself." Iris continue to speak emotionlessly towards this man in front of her.
Cooper knelt down as he slowly took the sword in his hands.
"Or rather...do you want to die honorably?"
"Huh?" Cooper looked up towards her, when she offered something different until she...
*BZZTT*
....pulled out her rapier from her [Inventory].
"Fight me." Iris suddenly declared her challenge. "...with the pride you have left...Baron."
Cooper looked at the sword for a moment, his eyes we're hollow but they were burning with hate and rage towards Iris who had ruined everything for him.
'Yes...this isn't over yet...this isn't over! Because of this brat...because of her....because of one little girl...'
"AHHHHHH!!! BECAUSE OF YOU!! YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!" he cried out and ran towards her with that sword.
"Baron!! Stop it!" Norman shouted and was about to stop him when his path was blocked by Henry.
"Henry!" Norman called his name out but Henry didn't budge, simply looked at Iris who stood there calmly.
"Don't worry...Norman...my daughter is..." When he was about to finish his words.
Cooper was already near her, but Iris remained her calm and the steady grip she had on her sword until...
*TING*
In a flash, Iris unsheated her rapier, pulling out her beautiful blue rapier and deflecting his attack with ease.
Everyone had their mouth open except for three person in the room, Henry, Rowan and Matilda.
"She is...pretty strong." Henry commented with a smile.
"W-whaa–" Cooper lost his balance because of his sword was being deflected by her rapier.
But she's not finished yet since she balled her hand into a fist.
"[Enchant : Strength]."
A red aura surrounding her fist and then...
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.
.
*BUAK*
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....punched him right on the face.
*SWOOSH*
*BOOM*
Iris sent him flying and crashed towards a wall, creating a large hole and cracks around that wall.
As the dust cleared after Cooper's initial crash, he fell down to the floor without realizing what happened to him just now.
'H-huh?? W-what just happen?' He felt dizzy, his vision became hazy, and he could feel the pain starting to throb around his face.
*TAP*
*TAP*
*TAP*
Light footsteps can be heard, closing in on him, "Is that all? Baron..."
Cooper saw a pair of small legs in his vision but when he looked up...he shrieked, "Aackkk!!" Cooper quickly crawled back and hit the cracked wall behind him.
Iris looked at him coldly with her shining red eyes. "Baron...you are given a chance to kill yourself...but instead, you try to kill a little girl in front of you...again." Iris suddenly raised her rapier.
"I had enough playing with you...begone form my sight, scum."
Without wasting anymore time, Iris thrust her rapier down towards his face.
*SWOOSH*
*THUD*
But before the tip of her rapier could Pierce his neck, it stoped right before that could happen. Iris widened her eyes at the big hand grabbing her small arms which was holding the rapier and another hand covering her vision.
"You can stop now...Iris." A voice came after that, a voice that was all too familiar to her.
It was her father–Henry, he stopped her right before she could strike this man.
"Father..."
"I'm sorry....Iris, but this time...let your father handle the rest." Henry spoke warmly, and that alone managed to calm her down.
From their view it seemed like she let out her magical aura by accident, despite having that skill suppressing her feelings to keep calm.
"Now...take a deep breath." As Henry instructed her, Iris slowly took a deep breath and then let it out...
"Haaa...." When he slowly pulled his hands away from her eyes, the color changed once again into her normal color, sky blue.
Henry smiled and gently patted her head, "That's my daughter."
Iris smiled at his compliment and felt calm and safe at that big hand of his on her head.
"Thank you, Father." Iris nodded and sheathed her rapier back.
Norman approached them, "Are you done Iris?" he asked while looking at her in concern.
"Mhm, I'm fine now. I'm sorry for borrowing your sword Duke Ashdown." Iris turned around and quickly bowed her head towards him.
Norman shook his head and smiled, "It's fine, you did the right thing...if I were you I would beat him up even more." he chuckled.
"That aside...Baron Cooper Allura, you shall be judged for your crime which includes kidnapping, smuggling slaves and drugs, also murdering and experimenting on humans."
"I shall leave the King to judge you...What do you say your Highness?" Norman asked while fixing his glasses.
Bradley who sat there on his throne, only watching in silence at what happened was now closing his eyes, "Hmmmm...you don't need to ask me anymore...take this scum away! Strip all of his possessions and title as Baron, then announce his execution!"
Bradley declared while raising his hand.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Norman replied and bowed his head a bit before turned around to carry out his order, "Guards! Take him away!"
The guards approached them and started taking Cooper out of the room.
******
The case finally came to an end and now Iris and the others were kneeling down in front of the King.
Iris who previously was kneeling behind them is now kneeling right in front of them.
"Iris May Welford, I must thank you for your feat...even after watching it unfolds, I still couldn't believe you would defeat an adult man with just one punch, did you use magic just now?"
"Yes, Your Highness...I used magic to enchant my strength."
"Hahaha! That's more amazing! Isn't that right honey!"
"Indeed~" The Queen smiled warmly. "I think she will be a perfect match for him~"
"Ohh that's a great idea!"
'Him? Who?' Iris knitted her brows as Bradley and his wife the Queen are now busy discussing about something to themselves
Bradley cleared his throat after a while and offered her a reward, "Ahem, now! I want you to stand up and tell me, what do you desire?"
When Iris slowly stood up and looked up towards him, she could see that the King and the Queen is expecting her to say something.
Iris smiled and nodded, "Thank you for the compliments your Highness...and for what I desire, I think I just want a few gold coins."
He looked disappointed with her answer.
"Huh?? Just a few gold coins? Is that all?" Bradley asked as if he was making sure he was hearing it right.
"Yes, Your Highness." Iris smiled.
"Really?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Are you really sure?"
"Yes, Your Highness absolutely~"
"Maybe meeting my son, the Prince?"
"Why should I meet him?"
Every question he threw, Iris just simply answered them, even he decided to let out his true intenstion, Iris perfectly dodged it with a smile and a question of "Why".
Bradley sighed, sensing as if he was being played by her somehow.
"Then...I shall be direct to you...I want you to be my son, the crown prince...fiancé." When Bradley announced his true intention, it gave a shock towards everyone present in the room.
The Crown Prince Fiancé, it is something many Noble's daughter desired to be. From fame, attention and at the same time the chance to rise up to the top. Now Iris was being offered all of that.
Henry looked angry a bit at that, "U-ugh...."
On the other hand, Rowan just chuckled awkwardly while Matilda giggled with a smile,
"Ara~"
Iris blinked her eyes a few times before she bowed her head gently and smiled, "Thank you for the offer Your Highness...but...
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I am afraid I must refuse~"
Silence filled the room once again and her answer caused the King's face to be distorted into utter confusion.
"Huh??"
To be continue...