(EP-22.2) Angmar #2
022 – Peaceful Angmar #2
People almost went crazy at the sight. The image of them frothing at the mouth while holding their torches up and down made a terrifying atmosphere…
“Burn! Burn!”
“Throw her into the flames!”
The fake nun, whose identity was exposed to be an Imp, shouted.
“Wh, what’s wrong with being an Imp!? I, Marmar, didn’t do anything wrong! Rather, I do volunteer work, help people and give legal advice-.”
“Silence, you devil!”
“Arr, Garr, Imp, burn the Imp!”
“Raise the stakes, set it on fire!”
The Imp was a demon.
They were Angmar’s pawns and were a rare race like the Nymphs. However, now that the Demon King was subjugated, Imps could be said to be in danger of extinction.
At least, that was how it was portrayed in the ‘Villain Hunter’ novel.
A mischievous being with the appearance of a young girl.
Most of them were Mages of the Demon King’s army, so the fear and hatred of Imps was still deeply ingrained in people’s minds.
Looking at the current situation, that seemed to be the case.
The Imp nun then shouted like it was unfair.
“What is the difference between me and a Nymph? It is politically wrong to be discriminated against just for having a tail! Meanwhile, the Nymphs have a relief foundation to protect themselves!”
“Hey, how can you and a Nymph be the same!?”
At the cry of someone, the Imp fiercely retorted.
“Then, what’s the difference between me and a Nymph?”
“Um. Ummm….”
The man who claimed that Imps and Nymphs were different put his hand on his chin. He pondered for a while, then cautiously said.
“… The difference between an Imp and a Nymph, um… Nymphs don’t have tails.”
“Is that it?”
People then echoed.
“That’s right! Nymphs have no tails!”
“Yeah, Imps have tails!”
So, was there no difference between an Imp and a Nymph other than the tail?
As I was organizing the new information, the captured Imp shook her head helplessly.
“Ugh, it’s useless to say anything to you idiots…”
“Hey, this bitch called us idiots! This is absolutely unacceptable! I, Orkos, chairman of the Slave Owners’ Rights Advocacy Committee, propose that we burn this wicked Imp at the stake!”
“Agree!”
“Agree!”
Before I knew it, the Imp was already hung on something similar to a cross, with a lot of firewood placed underneath. If this continued, she might really be burned to death right in front of our eyes.
“Hmmm, it’s the first time I’ve seen an Imp. It’s also my first time seeing an Imp burn.”
Even Aira was showing a lot of interest.
What if, after Aira saw the Imp burn, she became fascinated with arson and turned into a mad Queen that burned entire cities down?
This might end with Aira going to the guillotine!
Deciding to stop this situation somehow, I approached the people who were stacking firewood.
“What crime did that Imp commit?”
“Can’t you see? She’s got a tail! This is a huge sin! The tails of the Imps are symbols of evil. It is a sin just by having it!”
“So, are you saying that being born as an Imp is a sin in itself?”
“You are quick-witted, brother. And remember how she called us idiots? Absolutely unacceptable! She can burn in hell!”
Wow, ‘burn in hell’ huh? Anyway, I continued asking.
“Death by burning is a very serious sentence. Can you just impose it so arbitrarily? Shouldn’t you at least ask the judges or advisors of the Kingdom for their opinion?”
“We have been doing this since the beginning, and this is local practice. Rather, you seem to be an outsider. Why are you siding with the Imp?”
I felt the torches and bamboo spears pointing towards me.
“You talk like an Imp rights activist. What are you trying to do?”
“No, that’s not it.”
The words, ‘Theo was executed according to his karma’ resounded deep inside my head.
The man who identified himself as the chairman grasped his beard. After scrutinizing me up and down, he said.
“It looks like he wants to save that Imp from the fire. Pay the fine, then you can take her.”
Ah, so we could work it out with money.
“How much?”
“Let’s see, if you convert the total amount of damage done from the Imp enticing the slaves to flee and the workers to go on a strike… 12 gold coins. That seems about right.”
It was more expensive than expected.
However, to prevent Aira from turning into a pyromaniac, no price was too high!
I pulled out 12 gold coins from my pocket and put them in the chairman’s hand. Eventually, I was able to obtain a certificate of rights to the Imp Marmar.
“As written here, you can feed her three meals a day. Giving too much snacks would spoil her. Thus, you should only do so if she does something praiseworthy.”
“Uh….”
“You can give her exercise and go for a walk sometimes. It is best to whip her once a day. Please note that there are no refunds. Alright, let’s go to the next town!”
Gaja, gaja. Wa-
The group left just like that…
I wondered where they would go and what they would do next, but I was too exhausted in many ways and had no motivation to pursue them.
Now, all that remained in this wide open space was me and Aira, who gave a long empty sigh. Oh, there was also the Imp Marmar.
Aira then said.
“I wanted to see the Imp on fire… *Sigh* So, Theo, what are you going to use the Imp for?”
I had no idea.
But I couldn’t say that, so I decided to give a roundabout answer.
“I thought it would be nice to have a servant who could do various chores.”
Since I “bought” her, I had to make it work somehow.
However, the Imp wasn’t so accommodating.
“You can’t buy people’s rights with money! And don’t touch my tail!”
“Interesting, she really has a tail.”
Aira looked at the slender tail, which soon slipped into the torn skirt and started wrapping itself around the Imp’s waist.
It looked like a belt.
Aira, who was watching the scene, said.
“I got to see more of the outside and feel better now. Theo, let’s go back.”
“Ah, yes, at your service. Marumaru, let’s go.”
“First of all, it’s not Marumaru, it’s Marmar. Also, know that I am not your slave. I just don’t have anywhere to go, and that’s the only reason why I’m following you!”
I was wondering what to do if she ran away.
Fortunately, she said that she had nowhere to go. But even if she fled, people might just catch her right away. In fact, the Imp would just get hurt attempting to do so.
“We just have a bilateral contractual relationship driven by debt. The contract between us will be null and void when the full amount owed is paid!”
Jojaljojal.
She babbled loudly while following us. My impression of her was a tough nut to crack.
Was she smarter than I thought?
Well, a smart servant was good.
When Aira and I were about to enter the palace, Marmar was startled. She looked like a cat that was about to be dumped in the bathtub.
“Hey, you can’t go in! The scary Witch Queen lives there!”
What was she saying now?
Oh yeah, I hadn’t told her who we were…
Edited by: faker
