Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 536

"I see. Then, I shall escort and guide you."

"Okay, please do."

Upon hearing my response, Dynas immediately called out to the knights nearby.

Then, they formed a protective circle around Diana and me as we stepped out of the vehicle.

They were likely wary of snipers armed with bows or magic.

After walking a short distance, the driver's seat of the charcoal car became vacant.

"Lord Ridd, I will accompany you as well."

"Thank you, Capella."

I greeted him with a nod, and he took his place beside Diana.

Dynas was in front, with Diana and Capella on either side.

Surrounding us were the sturdy knights of Baldia, making the whole scene a bit over the top.

By the way, we only brought the captains from the Second Knight Order, but they were riding in the back of the vehicle, so they weren't present here.

"Lord Ridd, they’ve come into view. It’s them."

"Huh? Let me see."

Peeking through the slight gap Dynas made, I saw a mixed group of lightly armed, masked fox-people and humans.

The humans were probably mercenaries, former adventurers hired with money.

"Wait. Those guys…"

Upon closer inspection, among the human mercenaries, there were three masked men whose appearances seemed oddly familiar.

One was a short man with a mohawk, wearing a leather jacket.

Another was a well-built—no, rather overweight—man who was sweating profusely for no reason.

The last one was a tall, bald man whose head reflected the sunlight, also wearing a mask.

Glancing sideways at Dynas, he smiled as if he had already figured it out.

"Please don’t lump me in with those kinds of people."

"Sorry, my bad."

As I nodded in apology, a well-equipped, muscular fox-man stepped forward from the group.

"We are the 'Golden Dawn,' concerned for the future of the fox-people. Where is R idd Baldia, who drove out our leader, Elba Grandork? Has he been struck by cowardice, or what?"

Being called a coward doesn’t really bother me, but the mention of "our leader Elba Grandork" is something I can’t let slide.

If they revere him as their leader, then they are undoubtedly our enemies.

Taking a deep breath, I exchanged glances with Dynas and the others before stepping forward.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I am Ridd Baldia. I cannot overlook your statement about revering Elva Grandork as your leader. While I had hoped to resolve this peacefully, depending on how things unfold, I will not hesitate to eliminate those who oppose the Baldia family. Be careful with your words from now on. I will only tolerate reckless remarks once."

I spoke firmly and authoritatively, channeling my father’s stern demeanor, and infused my voice with magical pressure to intimidate them.

However, I was still feeling the effects of the alcohol, and a wave of nausea hit me.

I wanted to cover my mouth and gag, but I had to hold it in.

"Ugh…!? This pressure… No wonder they say you defeated Elba."

The tall man, struck by the magical wave I emitted, relaxed his mouth and retaliated with his own wave of magic.

"I am Marvellous, leader of the Golden Dawn. I advise you to return to your own territory. This land belongs to us fox-people. It is not a place for the likes of Amon, who became chieftain by relying on the Empire and your power, to do as he pleases."

"…Marvellous, was it? I already told you. I will only tolerate reckless remarks once."

It’s better to intimidate such people from the start.

If  I let them get carried away, things won’t end well.

I glared at him while gathering magical energy in my right hand.

"Oh, interesting. Then show me the strength that defeated Elba, Ridd Baldia."

Marvellous seemed quite confident, pointing at me as if to provoke me into making the first move.

He must be underestimating me because I look like a child.

Glancing at the others, I noticed the trio of men had noticed Diana and turned pale.

"B-Boss, those guys are probably bad news."

The mohawk guy, I think his name was Morse, hurriedly advised Marvellous, while the sweaty man nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, yeah. Just seeing that woman makes my legs go weak."

"…I didn’t hear anything about them being involved. But if they’re the ones we’re up against, it’s gonna hurt… Ouch, ouch, ouch… Heh heh."

The bald man chuckled, and the trio exchanged uneasy looks.

"Hmph, you should already know my strength."

Marvellus snorted, dismissing their warnings, and confidently stared me down.

"Someday, I will rival Elba—no, I will surpass him. I have the potential to become a warrior greater than him. A mere child from another country like you has no chance of defeating me. You may have some presence, but the idea that you defeated Elva is dubious at best. You probably stole the credit from the knights standing beside you. Typical of an Imperial noble. Nothing to fear."

With that, he took a deep breath.

"Come on, Ridd Baldia. Show me your little tricks."

So, he claims to have the potential to rival Elba, huh?

If that were true, he’d be a terrifying individual, but I feel no fear from Marvellus.

Just to be sure, I’m scanning the area with my magical senses, but it seems there’s no one in that group who poses a real threat.

"Lord Ridd, there’s no need to show mercy to such insolent fools. Let’s cut off their heads right away."

"Huh?"

I was taken aback by Diana’s extreme suggestion, but Dynas calmly interjected with a smile, "Now, now, calm down, Diana."

As expected of the knight order.

"If we cut off their heads immediately, they won’t have a chance to reflect on their mistakes. First, we should capture them, whip their backs and buttocks, and make them spill information about their connections. After that, we can slowly saw off their heads with a wooden saw."

Wait, that’s terrifying.

Oh, but Dynas is the captain of the knight order, so he’s used to interrogating bandits.

I agree with extracting information about their connections, but carrying out such torture-like interrogations in another country could damage the Baldia family’s reputation.

"Lord Dynas, with all due respect, such methods might tarnish the Baldia family’s reputation among the fox-people."

Capella said this and then smiled. "So, how about this instead?"

"After capturing them, we strip them naked and make them sit cross-legged with their hands tied behind their backs. Then, we tie a rope around their ankles, thread it through their crotch, and pull it up to bind their necks and chests. Finally, we connect the end of the rope back to their ankles to complete the binding. In short, we force them into a position where their faces are pressed against their knees. It’s a humiliating and disgraceful posture, perfect for stripping them of their pride."

"Hmm, I’ve never tried that before. But isn’t it a bit too lenient?"

Wait, how is that lenient?

As Dynas tilted his head, Capella shook  his .