Chapter fifteen: The Butcher
Chapter summary: The pig is slaughtered and the fool is appeased. Leo makes a half-baked attempt at opening up. Constructive feedback appreciated.
Disclaimer: I don't own Re:Zero.
He awoke shackled to a chair.
The copper-scent of blood, the rattling of chains, the sight of his beloved tools… This was his dungeon!
"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted, but the cloth gag reduced it to muffled braying.
Deliberate steps followed the man that entered the room. A thin black cloak mimicked flickering darkness with every pace. Not a spec of skin visible save for the neck and above, the pigmentation reminded him of rich Vollachian coff. His hair was pitch black, so much so that it devoured the light around him. He stared at the bound man for a cold moment before he sat in the chair opposite.
"A bit hard finding a chair big enough for you," he jeered, "But hey, a bit of Muskrim in the right place and coins exchanging hands was all it took for the rest."
More muted yelling. "Ah, right," the man commented before he ripped the gag off.
"Guards! Servants—!"
He chuckled derisively. "Don't bother. You had so few guards around I practically strolled in. And the rest? Funny thing happens when you treat your staff like shit… All I had to do is give them kind words and heavier pockets and suddenly they're looking elsewhere."
"You… You filthy peasant scum! You can't do this to me! Do you have any idea of who I am?!"
"Sure I do. Did my due diligence, that's for sure. Baron Milkovich Porcus. You're forty-three and lived in your family's shadow until you were thirty. Bit of an unfortunate family history, really. Parents died of natural causes—got that tidbit from a friend of yours. Your brothers? Not so much. Murky at best which screams sabotage," he asserted.
"Release me at once or I'll—!"
"Not done yet," the intruder snapped, "After a series of incredible coincidences, you took over. Wasn't as easy as you thought, was it? Weren't trained in etiquette. Didn't know shit about conduct. Ate like a fuckin' pig and acted like one too. Ranted whenever you got the chance about the 'demi-human scourge'."
"You—!"
"And then," he paused, glancing around the torture room, "Had this place built with nearly every gold coin you inherited… most of them used to keep things on the hush-hush. You'd take some… slum rat off the streets, usually a girl, and exact your brand of justice on them. More recently though is that Pig and Co. were involved in a fun little plot to kickstart a civil war between the lower classes and demi-humans. So… think I know who you are yet?"
The Baron's thick skull kicked into gear. "Wait… I know you… It was you, wasn't it?! The one who ruined my plans!"
"Hey now," he replied mockingly, "Still mad about that? That was weeks ago! I think. Time's been moving faster for me… Or maybe it doesn't mean as much…? Besides, don't flatter yourself. Your bomber had a modified slave collar. Heavily modified. And you're too lazy and too stupid to get your hands on one. Shit was expensive and the only open-secret slave trader around was Saevus El Richmond."
The Pig Baron wasn't listening. "I'll have you hanged! Beheaded! Starved and burned at the stake! I'll—!"
Crack! His head snapped left, his cheek raw and burning. He tasted wet iron and loose teeth while the chair toppled over sideways from the force of it.
"Shut the fuck up. Jesus," he spat. Porcus was placed upright too quickly to comprehend. Before he could berate the man that dared to harm him, a black-gloved hand shoved the moist gag back into his mouth.
He shot up from his seat. "You see me with all of this," he gestured to the room and its torture devices, "Yet your first thought is to squeal and make empty threats?!"
The man's expression deflated. He sat back down and said morosely, "I've never killed anyone before, not really. At least not this close and personal. I was the type of guy that'd find a gore site, dig up a video, then sit through it stone cold. But it was after the fact that fucked me up. I'd keep replaying the worst bits in my head, over and over…" he stopped.
"Forget it," he shook his head, "Let's get this shit over with."
The man grabbed a plier.
The message arrived in Wind Time. Roswaal E Mathers had been expecting it and found himself reading it in his office.
"I see…" he murmured to himself. The Baron was dead, just as ordered. Saevus had been bargained with and Archibald Lauren had died peacefully in slumber. It seemed as though Leo had been busy. What would have taken Roswaal excessive finances and several months had been completed in two weeks. Frederick Albrecht was the only one left, but remained a threat to the continued tenuous peace of the kingdom.
Peace that suited his agenda.
There would be investigations, but his shadow had been quiet and thorough. Archibald Lauren would likely never be probed. The man had been old and failing already, and the collapse of his information network—at least until his grandson reestablished it—would be invaluable to many. He had been a minor noble that many had seen as decrepit long before his brain sickness had set in. All of his spawn had loathed him, legitimate or otherwise.
Earl Saevus El Richmond troubled him. Roswaal knew little about him other than that he was a foreign commercialist and an active participant in the demi-human slave trade. He had pulled enough strings to be named Earl a mere month after starting in Lugunica. No matter how enigmatic, Leo treated him as a businessman. One negotiation later and that had been the end of it. Limited mining rights in the mountains within the Mathers' territory and in return, a slave trade reduction in Lugunica by forty percent. A fairly expensive agreement but otherwise manageable… and more critically, one that did not draw much attention.
Porcus had died as he lived, spewing hatred into a well of indifference. Last of his House and known only by his fervent bigotry, followers to his cause were small and influenced nothing. And the rest, those that knew him, either despised or tolerated his ranting. The slum-dwellers and demi-humans hated him equally and would be overjoyed at his death, both uniting and pacifying them for a time. After all, justice had been delivered. The gruesome details of his murder would spread and there would be momentary shock and horror, but it would pass.
Roswaal read through his imperfect Book of Wisdom one final time before returning to his paperwork. Each had been found with ease.
A frog, a galewind, a pig, and a rabbit will cross paths with a lion. The frog will die by its own poison. The galewind will be satiated. The pig will be slaughtered. The rabbit will be driven away.
He allowed himself a pleased smile.
-Reborn-
Leo spared Lily a glance before he returned to his book. His dress shirt and pants were wrinkled from stagnation and the scent of paper and parchment clung to him. She straightened her maid dress and made her way into the Juukulius Family library, sitting down next to him on the luxurious couch as he read.
"Sooo," she began lightly, "It's been a few weeks since we got here…"
The library was a multigenerational treasure. It boasted a sprawling collection of works gathered throughout history both embellished and true-to-life.
"And you're wondering when we'll be leaving, right?" Leo answered flatly, eyes glued to the flickering pages.
"That obvious?"
"Yeah."
He picked up another book.
"I mean, I like it here in the capital an' all," Lily said. "But y'know, I wouldn't mind seein' the rest of the country…"
Leo said nothing.
"Uh, Leo?"
Leo set the book down and moved to pick up another, a novella titled The Half-Devil. A quaint horror story of a noblewoman that awakened to find herself transformed into a silver-haired half-elf. He stopped himself and sighed, seating himself upright on the couch. Confining himself in the library for two days and counting after the murder of Milkovich Porcus, he still hadn't spoken to Frederick Albrecht. His speed-reading rate had skyrocketed and mounds of books had been carelessly piled beside him. Any of the servants that had tried to attend to him were turned away. They had overstayed their welcome and he knew it… he simply couldn't care.
"I know you've been apologizing on my behalf. Thanks," Leo replied finally.
We've been here too long. It'd be best if we find an inn to stay at soon, and on Roswaal's dime I can essentially stay anywhere. I already have the paperwork and the Scholar's Certification, so there's no reason to even remain in the capital. But it's just… I mean… The fuck am I supposed to do?! Other, can you elaborate on "assimilate knowledge", for fuck's sake? How much do I need to assimilate?! I know I've made progress but at the same time it's like I haven't gone anywhere!
"Ah, well, I didn't really wanna tell ya as much, but yeah, I'm gettin' the feelin' our welcome's been a bit overstayed," Lily confessed sheepishly.
Leo didn't hear her as he reasoned with himself. Is it really that big a deal? It's been what, a few months since you ended up in this world? Relax, seriously. You're immortal, you literally have all the time in the world. Probably. I mean, shit, why not just take a vacation? Go talk to this Frederick guy then fuck off to wherever for a while. Not that it'll make you forget about the fact that you took a man apart like a fucking lego set.
Lily noticed his expression and frowned slightly. "Hey… Leo? Are ya… doin' alright?"
"I'm fine."
She gave him a look.
Leo grabbed the novella in response, but a hand on the cover stopped him. "I'm bein' serious here," Lily expressed. "I'm worried. Ya seem… out of it, more than usual. I might not understand but I can listen. So talk to me. What's goin' on?"
This is stupid, Leo. Don't tell her shit. What're you hoping to get out of this? She's not your friend, you don't have friends. She's a country bumpkin who wouldn't understand shit about shit. She might be an open book but you shouldn't be so don't. We both have different goals and there's no point in baring your soul to her—
"Know anything about Baron Porcus?" Fucking idiot.
"Huh?" Lily blinked, confused. "Uh, I guess? I've heard stuff about him. Lady Cornelia talked about him durin' dinner last time and… Well, I heard someone killed the guy. Pretty much everybody hated him anyway so I didn't care all that much. What about him?"
"I killed him."
Lily's eyes widened. "You… You killed him? What do ya… When? How? Why?"
Leo sighed. What did you think was going to happen? "Do you know why we came here?"
"I… No—I mean, yeah," Lily stuttered, "Ya came here to become a scholar under Roswaal, right?"
"Partially," he clarified. "In exchange for parading around as Roswaal's apprentice scholar… I also became his merc. Right before we left he gave me a job which included killing Porcus."
A long pause followed his words. "Then you did what ya had to," Lily told him. Her expression was troubled yet resolute as she met his eyes. "I'm not gonna say it was right but—"
Leo shook his head. "I didn't just kill him… I butchered him, Lily. You don't get it. I took him apart. I-I don't—I don't even know what came over me—I could've poisoned him but I just… I dissected him. Turned him into a fucking experiment and—"
Lily waited for him to compose himself. She regretted doing so when he got up and began to stack books. "Well, let's not worry about it anymore. It's all said and done anyway and we're just about done with the books here too. I'll find us an inn, go on some trips to a few more libraries, and we'll leave the capital right after."
"Leo…"
"And after that," he continued whilst moving about to replace the books, "We can travel around the rest of Lugunica then head over to a different country. How about… Gusteko? You mentioned a sister."
"Yeah, but—"
"Perfect, we'll head there next," Leo interrupted without skipping a beat. "Though I guess I'm assuming Roswaal won't give me another mission before then. Man, are you tired? Because I know I am—we should probably turn in for the night. Think I'll head to the bath first."
He left before Lily could reply, the library now clean and organized.
Morning arrived with a clear sky and a sunny disposition, wiping the sleep from the eyes of the fortunate. The pair rode through the Nobles' District, an environment noticeably cleaner than most. Fountains and stone statues depicting heroes and legends dotted the area below villas and beautifully constructed manors. Children played openly throughout the streets and their yards without fear. The servants of the nobility ran errands for their lords and ladies under the eyes of the well-equipped guardsmen. A place within arm's reach of the mythical opulence of the first and highest layer of the capital: the Land of Royalty.
Leo pretended not to notice as Lily glanced back at him from the carriage every so often, opening her mouth to say something before snapping it shut. The tense ride owing to his idiotic half-attempt at opening up and it showed. He was used to dead silence though it was uncomfortably clear she wasn't.
Great work, dumbass, Leo berated himself, We'll check into the inn and I'll try and un-fuck this. Two days and you couldn't even keep it to yourself.
"Uh, Leo? There's guards up ahead."
Leo glanced out of the carriage, confirming her words. Three guards blocked the path ahead. They were instructed to pull to the side and after a quick nod from him, Lily complied. Now wearing the regalia of House Mathers and dressed as he was on his arrival, the genuflection held weight.
"Good day sirs," Leo began courteously, "Might I ask as to the reason for this blockade?"
"Polite," the guard on the left of the patrol leader commented. The heavily built man in the center had brown hair and a severe expression but seemed mollified by the deference.
He spoke briefly. "We are pursuing an ongoing lead within an investigation. We… have reason to suspect your involvement in the murder of Baron Milkovich Porcus."
Author's notes: Think he's desperate enough to clash wits with Echidna yet? Anyway, Reborn is going on hiatus due to personal life bullshit. I wanted to upload at least one actual chapter beforehand—I hate announcement chapters and I'm sure you do too. I'll probably end up having to revise this one eventually. This arc has felt directionless to me and it's getting clear that I need to flesh out where the fuck this story is going. And thanks for reading, I appreciate it.