PASP Chapter 25

“What are you doing to my dim-witted friend?”

Levian said while firmly gripping Randall’s collar.

“You’ve turned the kid into a pulp. Do you know what that means? A bloody mess.”

Randall, his neck strangled by the shirt collar, choked and flailed. His bloodshot eyes were bursting with burst blood vessels. Regardless, Levian pulled back his fist.

“Was it like this?”

A chilling cracking sound rang out.

“Gaaaah…!”

Randall couldn’t say a word. With one heavy punch, his front teeth were shattered in chunks. The front of his once-neat shirt was now covered in blood.

“So I should thank you personally, huh?”

Levian said while forcefully straightening Randall’s shirt. He lowered his voice so Egru couldn’t hear. Egru had long been seated far enough away that he couldn’t see the alley.

“You’ve instilled caution in him without me having to lift a finger. You’ve saved me some trouble.”

Levian patted Randall’s cheek as if to say ‘well done’. Randall resisted, spitting blood, but it was like trying to move a rock.

“I was worried because the kid still doesn’t know how the world works.”

Levian shook his head and lamented.

“His actions are too naive. He trusts and likes just about anyone.”

“P-please spare me…”

“It’s really amazing. What trick did you use to catch his eye with that ugly mug? When I’m right here beside him. Did you cast some cheap hypnosis?”

Levian’s face, with its distinct knife scar, tilted sideways.

“What do you think? Hm?”

Even as he spoke, his calloused fist struck Randall repeatedly. Each merciless blow was packed with strong force. Blood splattered on the alley wall like red paint.

“I’m asking for advice, so why aren’t you giving any suggestions?”

Levian violently shook Randall back and forth by the collar. He put his ear to Randall’s mouth, which was coughing up blood, then shook his head disappointedly.

“You’re overreacting just because you lost a few teeth. I’d have a better conversation with the old man who takes walks in the square every morning. He’s ill-tempered, but the pecan pies he occasionally bakes as a hobby are excellent.”

“Y-you vulgar commoner…”

Randall barely managed to muster his last bit of pride. Clotted blood poured from between his red gums.

“All you can do is such pathetic…”

“Like what’s hanging between your legs?”

Levian giggled without any change in his demeanor. Randall trembled with rising anger. But the moment the iron-like hand raised again.

“Eek!”

He instinctively cowered. He crossed his arms over his head and hunched his body pathetically.

Levian raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘Are you serious?’ and burst into laughter. His raised hand casually brushed through his pomegranate-red hair.

“Chevery Randall. Your head was empty, but your pockets were full. But now you’ve lost even that.”

“W-what?”

“You know what? Despite how I look, I love art.”

Levian abruptly let go of the collar he was gripping. As Randall rolled on the dirt ground, Levian pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. Next, he rummaged through his back pocket, then briefly showed his palm as if to say ‘wait a moment’.

“You have to pay for damaging my goods.”

Hazy cigarette smoke dispersed between his lips. What he finally pulled out was a cold, sharp blade. A shape more suited for stabbing than slashing. Like an awl, its cross-section was narrow and thin, but it was honed to a razor-sharp edge.

“Hiiik…!”

Randall’s complexion turned paler than the blade before him. His legs seemed to give out as he sat, and he scrambled backward.

“D-do you think you’ll be forgiven for doing this?”

“Who? The Emperor? I don’t care what happens to him.”

Levian responded carelessly. His amber eyes, contrasting with his red hair, scanned the alley floor. He seemed to be looking for something.

“Then the god?”

Levian soon bent down and picked up a suitable stone. The hand holding the blade once again grabbed Randall’s collar. Randall was terrified as the blade barely grazed his face.

“L-let go of this! Ugh!”

It happened in an instant. A stone the size of a fist was shoved into Randall’s wide-open mouth.

“It’s okay. Then I care even less.”

Levian comfortably adjusted his grip on the dagger handle.

“I’ve received an indulgence, you know.”

***

Egru was crouched in front of a closed shop. The medicine bottle he barely held in his hand kept sloshing. His peeled hands were twitching uncontrollably.

Gulp… Gulp…

The color of the potion gradually became murky. It was mixing with the blood flowing from his lips.

When the swaying bottle in Egru’s green hand was about half empty, Levian suddenly emerged from the alley, throwing off his blood-stained gloves one by one.

“Hey, it’s all over. Let’s go now.”

“W-what did you do?”

“Just drew some pictures together.”

Levian said while casually wiping the blade on his dress pants. The cold dagger was tucked into its leather case.

“Your friend was uncooperative.”

“H-he’s not my friend…”

“Oh really? I thought he was your friend. How disappointing.”

“Y-you didn’t stab him, right? You can’t kill him.”

“……”

Levian silently wiped the blood splattered on his face with his rolled-up forearm. The shirt sleeve wrapped around his thick arm muscles was tight. Below his exposed elbow were numerous long-neglected scars.

“They say 70% of the human body is made of water.”

Levian said, picking up the long coat he had thrown to Egru earlier. The dress vest tightly hugging his thick chest didn’t look neat at all, rather it accentuated his threatening physique.

“W-why is that?”

“He’s probably not anymore.”

Levian pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the alley. When Egru turned pale, he laughed it off as a joke.

“Did you drink all the healing potion I gave you?”

“N-not yet.”

“You’re such a slow bastard.”

Levian tilted his large frame to match Egru’s gaze. He licked his thumb and then firmly wiped Egru’s face where blood had dried.

“Tch, it’s not coming off easily.”

“I-it hurts…”

“This little thing hurts? You’re really no help in my life. Everyone should pull their own weight. But you’re just so incompetent.”

Egru whimpered. Levian continued with a grinning face.

“And why is your face so ugly? Ugly eyes, ugly nose. Look at this? Even an ugly mouth.”

“……”

“I really can’t find anything to love. Can’t love it at all.”

Levian clicked his tongue. Egru thought while holding back his rising tears.

‘If there was a contest for saying mean things and they ranked the contestants…’

Levian would undoubtedly be first.

“Who would like an ugly duckling like you in the first place?”

The next words he heard didn’t deviate at all from Egru’s expectations.

“Stupidly expecting and trotting along to the party, and ending up in this sorry state. In all my life, I’ve never seen someone as dimwitted as you.”

Levian’s hand was large enough to grip Egru’s entire head at once. That rough hand firmly grasped Egru’s green face. As he applied pressure to both cheeks, Egru’s chapped lips protruded like a carp’s.

“Still, where else can you find someone who looks after you like I do, right?”

“……”

“Why aren’t you reacting?”

“……”

“Want me to buy you a balloon?”

Twitch.

One of Egru’s green pointed ears perked up on its own. Startled, Egru pulled the ear tip down. He quickly restrained the other ear that hadn’t done anything wrong.

“D-don’t need it…”

“Look at you perk up. Have I been too lenient lately?”

Egru’s shoulders sank as he gripped both ears. Levian turned his head as if satisfied.

“Hurry up and finish the healing potion. We have a mountain of work to do today.”

While Egru put the medicine bottle back to his mouth, Levian suddenly stroked his chin.

“Wait, come to think of it, you brought out the vice commander? Did your brother send him?”

“?”

“Thinking about it again, it’s quite annoying. You know I don’t like the Papal Headquarters, don’t you?”

“I-I don’t know. You never told me…”

“Ah, is that so?”

Levian chuckled. Egru mumbled with his bleeding lips.

“Y-you were watching all along… but didn’t help…”

“I’m fundamentally a hands-off type. It’s your fault for bringing the vice commander in the first place.”

Egru quietly lowered his gaze. He also turned aside slightly. It was clear to anyone that he looked disappointed. The skin under Levian’s eyes reddened as if he was trying not to laugh.

“Hey. I need time to judge right from wrong, don’t I?”

“……”

“Think about it. Should I intervene blindly without knowing who’s at fault? What if you were in the wrong? Wouldn’t the other party feel wronged if a third party suddenly butted in?”

Levian persuaded, grabbing Egru’s shoulders.

“Right?”

“Mmm…”

Egru finally nodded. Levian is really good with words. Is it because he has a broad view of the world? Whatever he does, there’s always a reason behind it.

“Yeah, someone like me especially needs to be fair.”

Levian stood up, dusting off his palms.

“Healing potion.”

“……”

At Levian’s words, Egru fumbled to show the now empty medicine bottle.

“Now you can walk on your own, right?”

Egru nodded.

“Then get up quickly. Walk on your own feet.”

Levian strode ahead with his hands in his suit pockets. Egru slowly stood up, then slowly turned around. Levian’s steps stopped.

“What, where are you going?”

“G-going to get the cheese…”

“You slow bastard. Don’t go back to the alley. I’ve erased all traces.”

“W-what traces?”

“…There were some. Anyway, is this what you’re looking for?”

Levian pulled out a cloth pouch from inside his jacket. Relief finally spread across Egru’s anxious face.

“T-thank you.”

“Who said I’m giving it back?”

“I-it’s originally mine…”

“With just words?”

Levian smiled playfully.