CH. 17

"The son of a Baronet huh?"

He seemed to mull it over in his head a bit before his body started shaking. At first, I thought he was suffering some sort of seizure but the reason became apparent.

"Ha… Ha ha hahaha! You've got to be kidding me! The son of a Baronet? Pfffttt that's hilarious!"

"Just som' bratty kid of an honorary noble. Wha' a waste hahaha! Ya's ain't even a true noble!"

Even Atard was laughing at me.

At least it's some sort of title and I'm not a fool like you!

"You ever met this honorary noble, daughter of the Duke? Or let me guess… You haven't even heard of his family I bet." Julius probed.

"Uhh…"

Arabella averted her eyes from me and didn't answer straight away. I already knew what was coming anyway. I'd experienced this kind of treatment about Keiran's title before.

"Well… Uhh…"

"Come on girl don't be shy."

"Well… I haven't… Really…"

She trailed off, mumbling under her breath and wilting under the fierce pressure exuding from Julius. Whatever she was trying to say, it was pretty obvious she didn't really want to speak it. Not that Julius would let you escape an answer so easily.

"Well? Spit it out already! Is this how a noble lady acts? No need to act all coy."

"I said I don't know him, and I've never heard of his family!"

She curled up into a ball and refused to look at me. On the pyramid structure of nobility, Baronet's were the lowest building block.

I knew I shouldn't have felt anything by her honesty, but it still stung a little.

""HAHAHA!""

Julius and Atard were both losing their minds over it. Laughing their heads off so hard I wouldn't have been surprised if the masks strapped to their faces flew off.

"Not surprising that a shitty Baronet doesn't even register the attention of a Duke. They don't offer much political sway with their ranking, you're pretty much a laughingstock."

Even scumbags like these guys disparaged the Baronet ranking. Who the hell were they to speak with such condescending words about a title they couldn't even hope to reach? They were just petty scumbags, interested in kidnapping little girls and murder.

"Anyway, we're done here. Atard."

"Aight."

Jerking his head at me, Julius gave a clear direction that even I, without needing to hear the order from his mouth, understood.

Atard advanced on me, the blood lust in his eyes evident. Not only that, but I could also see the excitement in them, he was looking forward to what came next. He was going to enjoy it.

Though I was ashamed to admit it, I did want to save Arabella as well, but it was extremely clear where the balance of power and danger came from in this situation. If I had to choose between her and I, it was going to be me.

"Wait! I just want to know something!"

"Ugh. What is it kid? I have a schedule to keep and you're blowing it out."

"There was something you mentioned before, about how you knew I was nearby. Something about a arte?"

Not only was there magic in this world, but also skills or abilities? Not that the knowledge was going to do me any good at a time like this.

I just had to stall. It was inevitable that help would be arriving soon. If I could keep them talking, I just might be able to save myself.

"Like I'm gonna tell you the particular details of what my arte is. Suffice to say it found you."

"I've just never heard of skills before!"

"Quit it kid. I know you're just trying to stall for time. Maybe hold onto your life a little longer. Maybe talk your way out of being killed. But the world's an extremely cruel place. You want to survive? Then you should've been strong. The strong live whilst the weak die. That's the one rule of the world you can't break."

"Ya tell 'em boss."

Damn! That didn't last long. Looks like I'm done for.

This was so unfair! What had I done to deserve this? I hadn't done anything particularly meritorious sure. But I also hadn't don't anything so reprehensible as to end up meeting a closing scene like this.

Maybe I could have been a better brother to Lilly, like Keiran and Mera asked me to be. The same also applied to my de-facto parents. They were nothing but exceptionally kind and generous with me, their son.

I owed them the loyal, caring child they so utterly deserved. I had behaved with a sense of entitlement since becoming reincarnated here, basically doing as I saw fit, whenever I wanted.

Isn't this how I had been back on earth as well? Shutting myself off from reality and doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted? Separating myself from my parents and siblings then, when they deserved so much more?

I had been playing the victim for so long, it was a broken record.

I hadn't shown any growth. I hadn't tried to make a change for the better in myself.

Now I was about to die. Again.

What a waste.

I was so angry. At myself. At this world. At these two pieces of shit that lorded their superiority over others. Who were they? To claim they were strong? Of course they would be compared to kids!

Why was it always the dirt bags of the world who got what they wanted? While the rest of us were left collecting scraps by the wayside?

"I'm gonna enjoy this brat. Once' I'm done wit' ya, I'm gonna enjoy th' gal real nice ya know?"

"…"

Arabella began whimpering again. She knew exactly what was in store for her once I was done in. I felt the Duke was partially to blame for this whole situation. No actually, the entirety of it.

He should have sent more soldiers. Someone as powerful as him had a much larger responsibility in ensuring his daughter was traveling with enough of a safety to ensure something like this wouldn't happen! Wherever they were headed, they should have used a different route. Or, why did he not just refuse whatever had her called forth out into this neck of the kingdom?

Atard perched over me as I lay on my arms on the ground.

"I like tha' look brat. It's real nic'. Keep lookin tha' way for me until th' end."

My look? What's the look he's talking about?

I know I'm scared. I know it's going to hurt.

Wait.

I know what it is. More than the fear I'm feeling.

This rage.

Like a smith had pulled a white-hot iron rod from its perch in a furnace and plunged it piercing through the center of my chest. The surrounding meat sizzling and roasting around the seething heat.

I could point the finger at everyone else. That was the cycle of self-destruction which continued its toxic circle around and around. But that was the wrong way to go about things.

Who I was most furious at, was myself.

For being so weak. For not being better. For not changing myself, even though I knew I needed to change.

"Hurry up Atard, for the sake of the gods. My patience is wearing thin."

The flaming, raging heat in my chest rose in volume and intensity. The blazing inferno had escaped its containment within me and was spreading throughout my body.

It was as if a huge surge of adrenaline was being injected into every fiber of my being, I had felt nothing like it. Both burning and being energized at the same time, my body shook.

It needed to be released. I had to release it. If I didn't, the pressure would almost certainly crush me.

"H-hey! Wot're ya doin'? Don't try anythin' funny brat!"

Just like that, it erupted from me, spilling forth into the surrounding area.