Chapter 6: Punishment Unit – 2

The guards halted me in front of a long, rectangular stone building.

Was it called the Punishment Unit?

As expected, the place where they resided also gave off the impression of a giant prison.

The quarters of the Punishment Unit were not far from the castle.

Considering the fact that I’d be dragged around from place to place at times, I suppose that was an advantage.

“This used to be an armory in the past.”

Scholar Crellin spoke as he guided me.

“As you know, Rondor was once a great power. This armory used to be filled with weapons. Of course, those weapons are probably buried in various muddy battlefields by now.”

Since it was easy to guess which family had buried Rondor’s weapons, I wondered if Scholar Crellin had brought this up to drop a hint.

But, judging by his expression, it didn’t seem like he had any ill intentions.

“We were thinking about how to make use of the empty space, and well, we figured all our problems would be solved if we had a Punishment Unit.”

As he spoke, Scholar Crellin proudly puffed out his chest.

The man, who appeared to be around forty, had a passionate gleam in his eyes.

“After all the men of Loctana were slaughtered and the crime rate soared, we were already having trouble dealing with petty criminals. If we put criminals in the Punishment Unit and make them work, it serves as both punishment and a solution to our problems—an ingenious strategy.”

“…Did you create the Punishment Unit?”

“That’s right. It came from my head… ah.”

He cut his words short, noticing my reaction.

An awkward silence fell between us.

As I’d already anticipated from the name “Punishment Unit,” it seemed I was entering a den of criminals.

Given that enemies were swarming all around Loctana anyway, it might not make much of a difference, but the thought of having to live with lowlifes left a sense of disgust.

Who would’ve thought that I, the eldest son of a great family from the north, would end up sharing quarters with common criminals?

It was a twisted fate.

I missed my mother.

Following the guards’ lead, I entered the Punishment Unit’s building.

The moment the door opened, the stench of men hit me.

I cursed under my breath.

Inside was a small makeshift space.

One of the soldiers, who had been lounging around and chatting with his comrades, stood up and saluted.

“Scholar Crellin, what brings you here…?”

“I’ve come under Lady Vivian’s orders to introduce you all to your new brother.”

The soldier quickly sized me up, taking in my black hair and dark eyes, and soon realized who I was.

“…Kailo Alan?”

“Is Lord Vergor here?”

“Ah, yes. He’s here. Shall I escort you?”

“I’d appreciate that.”

The guards who had escorted me turned and left, and now I was in the hands of the Punishment Unit’s soldiers.

As we walked, Scholar Crellin continued his explanation.

“The Penal Unit is divided into two groups: the Punishment Unit, which you will join, and the Surveillance Unit, which monitors the Punishment Unit to prevent escape or further criminal activity. The Surveillance Unit consists of knights or those in training to become knights. They’re skilled in combat as well.”

“Think of it like a modified version of criminals and wardens. Naturally, the Punishment Unit’s freedom is restricted. You won’t be able to go out as you please.”

“Ah, of course, things will be different for you, Kailo. As Lady Vivian’s escort, you’ll be able to go wherever—”

“—I’ll figure it out.”

Annoyance crept into my voice as Scholar Crellin’s words kept rubbing my situation in my face.

“…I’ll figure it out, so just be quiet.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Fortunately, Scholar Crellin immediately complied and bowed his head.

He seemed like a timid man, lacking in awareness.

He probably didn’t mean any harm, but he was the type of person who was tiresome to be around.

Before long, we stopped in front of a room.

Scholar Crellin knocked lightly and then entered.

“Lord Vergor.”

“Scholar Crellin, what brings you here…?”

The man called Lord Vergor was built like a bear.

He wasn’t taller than my father, but he was much broader.

Not only was he wide from side to side, but he was also thick front to back, making him feel like a massive log.

His head was bald, and his face was full of scars, the marks of someone who had fought through countless battles.

He too quickly realized my identity when he saw my black hair and dark eyes.

“…Kailo Alan, is it? Are we to be in charge of you?”

A faint smile appeared on Lord Vergor’s face as he asked.

“It’s by Lady Vivian’s command.”

“Lady Vivian… she’s wise. There’s no place more fitting for the eldest son of the Undefeated Knight than this.”

Thud, thud.

As Lord Vergor approached me, his steps reverberated through the ground.

Up close, he felt even larger.

Scholar Crellin introduced Lord Vergor to me.

“This is Lord Vergor. He’s the commander of the Punishment Unit, and also the commander of the Surveillance Unit. You can think of him as the overall head of the Punishment Unit knights.”

It felt like the moment called for me to greet him, but I kept my head held high.

I couldn’t lower my head to someone who had likely fought against the Alan family.

Lord Vergor spoke to me.

“Your eyes… they’re alive. It feels like I’m facing a young Jade Alan. Bloodlines can’t be hidden, can they?”

“Your new brothers will love you, Kailo Alan.”

“Brothers? We’re of different birth.”

“Do criminals care about birth?”

“I’m not here because I committed a crime.”

Scholar Crellin sternly warned the delighted Lord Vergor.

“Lord Vergor, be cautious. Kailo Alan is a guest of Rondor. Should any harm befall him…”

“…I know. Jade Alan will come running, right? Don’t worry, I’ve thought it through.”

The Punishment Unit’s dining hall was filled with noise.

Curses and bickering came from all directions.

The air was thick with sour smells and humidity.

Following Lord Vergor, I stepped into a space utterly devoid of dignity.

Long tables were lined up, and sitting at those tables, people resembling cockroaches gnawed at their food.

The dining hall was divided into two areas.

One side was filled with filthy men, while the other side was relatively clean, with men wearing red armbands on their arms.

As Crellin had explained, one side was the Punishment Unit, while the other was the Surveillance Unit.

Judging by the numbers, there seemed to be about one surveillance member for every three in the Punishment Unit.

Based on the people in the dining hall alone, it appeared that the unit consisted of around 200 men.

“Attention!”

-Smash!

“What the… Oh, Lord Vergor…”

Lord Vergor smacked away the bowls of the Punishment Unit soldiers who were enjoying their meal, creating a small space on the wooden table.

-Thud!

Then, he climbed onto the table with his muddy boots and pulled me up after him.

All 200 men turned their attention toward me.

“You know who this is, right?”

Lord Vergor spoke as he plucked a few strands of my black hair.

“He’s your new brother in the Punishment Unit. Welcome him with love.”

Complete silence.

The previously noisy dining hall grew so quiet that I could hear a fly buzzing.

The only sound breaking the silence was Lord Vergor’s chuckling beside me.

Swallowing my fear, I met the gazes directed at me.

Not a single one of them looked like they would welcome me with love.

I gritted my teeth and thought to myself.

Vivian Rondor.

…That damn bitch.

***

Several days passed.

Vivian Rondor was sitting by the window again today, gazing outside.

A daily routine of sitting idly, letting time slip away.

When she regained her senses, tears were often streaming down her cheeks, or night had fallen before she realized it.

Normally, she would visit her mother in the hospital and spend the day there, but…

…Now that her mother had passed away, Vivian didn’t know what to do.

Sitting alone in the quiet room, loneliness frequently crept up on her.

Each time she realized that her revered father, her reliable brother, and her beloved mother were truly no longer in this world, she felt an overwhelming sense of fear.

Her father’s and brother’s deaths were already two years ago, yet they still felt as vivid as if they had happened yesterday.

So how much time would it take to accept her mother’s death?

When would she come to terms with being left alone in this world?

She didn’t even know who to lean on in times of hardship.

Uncle Robert Rondor?

Butler Pippin?

Treasurer Brynden?

The First Knight Commander, Sir Baelor?

The spy master, Nestor?

Or should she trust the viscounts and marquesses who had sworn loyalty to Rondor?

Yet…

Vivian Rondor remembered all of them at her mother’s funeral.

She distinctly saw the strange greed and desire in their eyes.

She recalled those who had burst into rage when she declared, in accordance with her mother’s will, that there would be no regency.

Their expressions had been terrifying.

And hadn’t her mother warned her?

Not to trust the retainers completely.

That loyalty without compensation was a hollow concept and that they must be governed through profit and gain.

…But how?

It was all too difficult for Vivian Rondor.

There was no trustworthy adult by her side to teach her how.

Before she realized it, her hands were trembling.

Overwhelmed by her own pathetic state, tears welled up and she began to cry.

She couldn’t even speak properly, stuttering her words, and her body wouldn’t move the way she wanted.

How was someone like her supposed to manage such a vast estate and lead her family?

The sense of helplessness suffocated her.

She needed her family.

She desperately longed for someone to lean on, someone to hold her.

Her sorrow gradually turned to anger.

Vivian gritted her teeth.

…It was all because of the Alan family.

If not for them, she would still be living a happy life with her family.

There would be no starving peasants staring at her with hollow eyes, no retainers scrutinizing her from head to toe, and no crushing sense of pressure weighing down on her.

…Sometimes she even thought it might be better to die.

Her family must be together in heaven, waiting for her.

Wouldn’t it be better for her to join them?

“You must live, Vivian, no matter what.”

Her mother’s dying words echoed in her mind… but Vivian had never been one to follow her mother’s advice.

Should she, just this once, ignore her mother’s words again?

-Knock knock.

“Lady Vivian, it’s Pippin. Lady Linne has arrived.”

Lady Linne.

The matriarch of the Rommer family, who would be responsible for her education.

She had also been her mother’s nanny.

Her mother had learned many things from Linne Rommer, including manners, etiquette, and politics.

Vivian quickly wiped away her tears and responded.

“Please… let her in.”

-Creak.

Lady Linne entered the room and greeted her with a brief bow.

“It’s been a while, Lady Vivian.”

White hair, deeply etched wrinkles, yet her back remained straight and her presence unyielding.

“Y-yes.”

Why had she forgotten?

The person her mother had relied on was none other than Lady Linne.

The moment she saw her, Vivian felt her uneasy heart melt away.

Just like her mother had, Vivian could rely on Lady Linne.

“Have you mourned… sufficiently?”

Lady Linne asked gently.

“N-no.”

At Vivian’s honest response, Lady Linne nodded with a bitter expression.

“I haven’t either. It’s hard to let go when I’ve known the duchess since she was an infant… no amount of mourning seems to ease the pain.”

“…It… it’s all… because of the Alan family. They caused father and brother’s deaths, and mother became sick with grief…”

Lady Linne took a deep breath and lifted her chin as she spoke.

“But Lady Vivian, you cannot remain like this forever.”

“What?”

“You are now the head of the Rondor family and the lord of Loctana. I’ve heard that when you opposed the regency, there was some resistance from the retainers… I’m concerned. You must grow quickly. I don’t think you have much time.”

“…Wh-what? I… I don’t understand…”

-Clap! Clap!

Lady Linne clapped her hands twice, and the door opened, with several people entering the room in a rush.

“These are the instructors who will oversee your education until you come of age. Lessons in economics, history, music, etiquette, social dancing, and more. You’ll have to learn a great deal in a short time, but don’t worry, I’ll make sure you have appropriate breaks.”

Vivian stared blankly at the people entering her room.

But wasn’t this too much…?

Her mother hadn’t even been gone for five days yet.

The pain was still far too raw for her to focus on anything.

As she stood there, unable to say a word, Lady Linne pulled something from her waist.

It was a long rod made of metal.

“Lady Vivian, the duchess asked me to teach you strictly. You will be tested regularly, and if you fail to meet the standards, you will be punished. The same applies if you complain of weakness.”

Lady Linne took a step closer to Vivian.

Vivian didn’t know why she suddenly felt as though she couldn’t breathe.

She had believed that Lady Linne was someone she could lean on… Was it all just a misunderstanding?

If she complains of weakness, she will be punished?

What did that even mean?

Lady Linne, now standing right in front of her, spoke.

“And I will correct your speech. Stuttering… is unbecoming.”

“B-but I, I…”

-Slap!!

“Oh!”

Vivian hunched over from the sharp pain that made her mind go blank.

“…Huh?”

It took her a moment to understand what had just happened.

Never in her life had anyone hit her, so the experience was utterly bewildering.

Through the strands of hair falling across her face, Vivian looked up at Lady Linne.

“…It hurts…”

-Slap!!

“Ah!”

Lady Linne swung the rod with full force.

Two bright red marks slowly appeared on Vivian’s pale arm.

“I said no complaints of weakness.”

The feelings of relief Vivian had felt when she saw Lady Linne shifted to doubt, then to fear.

But no matter what Vivian thought, Lady Linne coldly continued.

“…Or you will be punished, as I clearly stated.”