Chapter 8: Chain of Punishment

Zenon's father, Garondolf Baskerville, is another character who appears in [DunBrave 2].

However, he only appears in a few scenes, including a few conversations with Zenon.

However, his infamy is known to everyone living in this country, from the nobility to the common people.

The leader of the underworld. A master of the crime guilds. The leader who has nearly a thousand gangsters under his control. A profiteer who kidnaps innocent people and sells them into slavery. A killer who has many assassins in his brood, and who keeps everyone he doesn't like in the dark.

Just from the information in the game, it is clear that Garondorf is a villain of the highest order. He was the first person whom I would not like to meet if I could.

But... no matter how much I might not want to have anything to do with him, he is still Zenon's father. So, there was no way I could ignore him.

I had no choice but to walk up to Garondolf's office and knock on the door.

"Come in"

A short response comes from inside. It was a deep, austere voice. I let out a deep breath and turn the doorknob.

"Excuse me. Father(Chichiue)..."

"Bloody chain"

"What the...!?"

As soon as I step into the room, black chains extend out from under my feet, restraining me.

The chains restrain my limbs, and the pain is so strong that it feels as if a needle has pierced through my body.

"It's been a long time. My son..."

"Ugh, ghhhhhhhhh... you...!"

I looked up, lying on the carpet on the floor, and saw a mature man in a black suit looking down at me.

His black hair was pulled back in an all-back style, and his face was deeply chiseled, and his eyes were cold as if frozen. There are scars around his eyes like sword wounds, and I can feel by the air that he has been through an extraordinary hardship.

This man is Garondolf Baskerville.

He is the leader of evil (Big Father) who rules the night in Slayers Kingdom.

"F-Father... What are you d...!"

The chains are still sending out intense pain.

This magic is called Bloody Chain. It's a kind of dark magic that restrains the opponent so that he/she can't move. The frightening thing about this spell is that it not only blocks the opponent's movement, but also inflicts continuous damage over time.

If used in battle, it was a useful spell that could deal damage every turn while the enemy was immobilized... but when experienced on my own, it was like torture.

"I heard that today was the entrance ceremony of the school. My son"

"Ggh, ah...!"

Garondorf looks down at me and speaks quietly. I let out a groan of pain and clench my grip on the thick carpet.

"I heard that you got second place on the entrance exam. And I heard you were runner-up in your class too"

"Ugh, it hurts... help me..."

"I'm deeply disappointed that you can't even be number one among the mere 200 new students at such a small school. Even though you are the eldest son of the prestigious Baskerville family!"

"Gah...!"

Garondorf raises his leg and stomps on my torso. The blow is so hard that my breathing is choked, and I can no longer breathe properly.

"Stop... it, haa... haa...!"

"The Baskervilles are a powerful family that has ruled the nights of Slayers Kingdom for generations. Whoever will be the head of the family must be the strongest. The word 'defeat' is not an option for a male member of our family. You have disgraced the pride of the House of Baskerville. You fool!"

"Ah... gah... forgive me... for... forgive me"

"Hmph? Hmph? Hmph?"

"Ah, gaaaahhh...!"

The room was filled with the sound of repeated blows. Garondorf kicks me again and again. He kicked me in the back, in the abdomen, in the face... When I couldn't even scream anymore, he finally seemed to have had enough and stopped.

"U......"

"To think that you can't even move after a blow like this... you've really let me down, my son. My amusement is gone. If you can't take the top seat in the next exam, you won't get away with this"

"......"

"I will be away on business for a while. Listen carefully to the Butler and keep up your training"

When he has said all he has to say, Garondolf walks out of the room, leaving his son cowering in the room.

Levienna, the maid, comes running into the office and jumps on my body.

"Zenon-bocchama? Ah, you poor thing...!"

"Ugh...!"

"Zenon-bocchama, Zenon-bocchama? Please pull yourself together!"

The binding spell had already been lifted, but the damage caused by my father's abuse had remained so deep in my body that I could not even look up.

Levienna picks me up and holds me to her ample bosom.

"Zenon-bocchama... I will heal you immediately. Just hold on a little longer...!"

Levienna takes out a bottle of what looks like medicine and gives it to me. In my fading consciousness, I realize that it is a healing potion.

I let go of the consciousness that had barely held me together as I felt my body fill with vitality from the pain that had taken over.