Grimm: Ch. 17

---Third POV---

"Oh my God, how could this happen?"

"My lord actually died here? Your family must give us an explanation!"

"What exactly happened..."

Early in the morning, the entrance of the brothel was surrounded by people, some demanding answers and others just there for the spectacle.

Thud thud thud

Two groups approached on the street.

One was the Weimar security patrol, and the other looked tall and imposing, clad in armor. It seemed the incident had alarmed the Panther Knights.

"That fucker!"

The leader, apparently the Panther Knights' commander, Waldo, slapped the guard who had been attending Oka across the face upon hearing the report.

When he arrived at the scene and realized it was a brothel, his face darkened. As a noble knight, visiting such a disreputable place was already disgraceful. Dying there was an even greater embarrassment to the Panther Knights!

Waldo shoved aside the attendants on either side. No one dared to stop him as he strode in with the army doctor to check Oka's condition.

In a shabby room, two naked women covered themselves with a tattered cloth, trembling. Their bodies bore bruises and welts.

The previous night, Oka had been fine when carried in, seemingly asleep. Thinking it would be an uneventful night, the two women had attended to him and were preparing to rest.

However, he suddenly went berserk, violently assaulting them until dawn. After finishing his rampage, he collapsed onto the bed, convulsed, and died!

The two women were terrified. Despite their physical pain, they were more frightened of the consequences. Oka wasn't just anyone—he was the vice-captain of the Panther.

They feared the knights would take revenge on them.

The army doctor briefly examined Oka's body and immediately determined the cause of death: "It's death from excessive indulgence, my lord."

"..." Waldo's face was as dark as thunderclouds.

Losing such a promising deputy to such an absurd cause of death was utterly humiliating.

"You've truly disappointed me, Oka. Truly... and now I have to clean up your mess." Waldo turned and left the room, disgusted by the disreputable place.

He could barely stand another moment there.

"Has news of his death spread?" he asked his subordinates. Why was it so noisy outside when he had been notified immediately?

"No, my lord."

"Then what's all the commotion about?!" Waldo's tone grew irritable. This incident would greatly affect the Panther Knights.

"Apparently, there's been trouble with a captain of the Dragon Knights' mercenaries, someone named Odru. He was stabbed in the neck by one of this brothel's servants."

"Take me to see it."

At the crime scene, Waldo fell into deep thought.

A seasoned captain like Odru wouldn't ordinarily be killed by a young servant girl, even if he was drunk. Moreover, the girl was also dead, in an equally gruesome manner.

Judging by the state of the corpses, the two had died almost simultaneously.

While the probability was low, it wasn't impossible. The scene had been meticulously cleaned up. Even if it was murder, the killer's skill was remarkable.

Still, two deaths in one day raised many questions.

"Later, I want a detailed report of everything that happened yesterday."

"Seal off the news. Extend a favor to the brothel owner. Tell her the Panther Knights won't pursue the matter, but if even a hint of this leaks out, her establishment will be shut down."

"And make sure Odru's death becomes a bigger scandal, dragging his mercenary group into it. Honestly... what was Julius thinking? How could such lowly, pedophilic scum be allowed in Weimar? Their mercenary group has no reason to continue existing."

Leaving those words behind, he departed, as he had to hurry to attend Julius' wedding today.

Since today was the day of the wedding celebration, the matter was quickly suppressed.

---

The wedding took place in the early morning.

The streets had been thoroughly cleaned, appearing immaculate. Julius, dressed in a groom's noble attire, rode a tall white horse at the front of the procession.

On either side of him, a group of neatly dressed attendants escorted him. The streets were lined with crowds of people, scattering seasonal flowers and petals as they offered their heartfelt blessings to the couple.

The procession slowly made its way along the cobblestone streets toward the grand cathedral of Midor. The luxurious carriage of the Foss family had already been waiting there for a while.

It was only waiting for the groom to dismount, receive the beautiful bride, and walk together into the cathedral to be witnessed by the archbishop, to pray, receive blessings, and exchange rings.

Pride filled Julius' eyes. He felt immensely proud to marry the most noble and beautiful woman in all of Weimar.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder how she compared to the former queen.

After all, the former queen's grace and elegance were renowned throughout Midor, making her an unparalleled figure. She was the woman who had captivated even the king, who defied widespread opposition to win her heart—despite the fact that her father had betrayed Midor.

Although the people couldn't see what was happening inside the cathedral, their imaginations were enough to picture the beauty within.

The groom and bride were the perfect match, both talented and beautiful.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the children returned to the streets to play as usual.

However, one child with long silver hair remained, gazing in the direction of the cathedral.

"So, this is what a wedding is like?"

"Hehe, Gerald, what are you daydreaming about? Come play with us! How about playing knights today, and you can marry me?" Annie called out, wearing a pretty dress she had specially chosen for the occasion.

"Annie..." Gerald seemed a little downhearted.

"I... I have things to do at home."

He hesitated, seeming uninterested in their usual game of pretending to be a knight. His mother had been angry last night, and he had sneaked out this morning. It was better to go home quickly.

"Sorry..." Seeing Annie's disappointed look, he could only apologize before running back home.

---

Gerald's mother was already at home, waiting for him with a feather duster in hand.

The moment he entered the door, he turned to see his mother closing the door behind him, holding the feather duster with a fearsome expression.

The sight made Gerald shiver in fear.

What followed was complete chaos.

Unfortunately for him, the house wasn't big enough to offer much of a chance to escape. He didn't get far before being caught and treated to a round of scolding, accompanied by some painful discipline.

"Didn't I tell you not to go out?! I warned you that something big might happen soon, and you still ran off! And yesterday, you ran into the main hall! You never listen! You never listen!"

Whack whack whack

"I-I know I was wrong! Waaaah!" Gerald cried as his bottom turned bright red under the feather duster's punishment.

Women, he thought to himself, can truly be terrifying creatures sometimes…

---

At the wedding celebration, Waldo appeared absent-minded.

After all, losing his trusted aide earlier that morning would sour anyone's mood. This was not lost on the ministers close to the Dragon Knights.

To ensure Oka's death appeared honorable, one of his loyal guards was unfortunately made a scapegoat for the incident.

It wasn't until the group arrived at the king's castle, waiting for the monarch to witness the couple's wedding, that Waldo finally emerged from his gloom to offer congratulations to the newlyweds.

"Congratulations!"

"Ah, thank you, thank you..."

"Best wishes to you both..."

"May you have many children soon!"

The others around joined in with their well-wishes. Julius beamed with pride, his laughter hearty and his cheeks flushed from drink. Life, at this moment, was a rare triumph.

Waldo downed his glass of celebratory wine in one go, but for him, the taste was unbearably bitter, a reminder of the heaviness in his heart.

---

That night, Kadi visited the brothel to speak with Karina about the previous evening. Gerald was not there.

"How are you? They didn't make things too difficult for you, did they?"

"Sigh, I'm fine. As long as it doesn't get out, there's no issue. They didn't trouble me."

"That's good..."

"But Gerald somehow sneaked into the front hall last night! I don't know if anyone noticed him. He even caused a bit of a commotion. His hair color is just like mine—too eye-catching. I'm so worried..."

"He went into the front hall?!"

"Yes... Luckily, the little pageboy you sent managed to get him out. Otherwise, I dread to imagine what might have happened... Kadi, I only have this one child left."

Karina couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She hadn't cried like this in forever.

"I see."

Kadi gently held Karina in his arms, offering her solace. He could tell that the boy resembled him in some ways—he wasn't the type to wander in aimlessly without reason.

Still, the sudden incident made Kadi realize it might be best to have Gerald lie low for a while. Perhaps it was also time to arrange for him to be fostered in a noble family to train as a knight's squire.

"Keep him from wandering around for the next few days. Next month, I'll arrange for him to stay with a noble family to practice swordsmanship properly."

"You're sending him away?" she pushed Kadi away upon hearing this, staring at him in disbelief.

"Karina, every man dreams of making a name for himself."

"I don't care!! He's the only one I have left to keep me company. I don't care about his achievements; I only want him to be safe and sound…"

Karina collapsed onto the bed, curling up and sobbing quietly. She didn't mind what Kadi wanted to do, but she couldn't bear for him to drag her son into it!

Moreover, she could no longer bear children. The thought of losing their last hope was unbearable.

"Karina..."

"Don't touch me!! You're just a revenge-obsessed fool!!!"

Kadi tried to embrace her, but Karina shoved him away forcefully.

Meanwhile, Gerald, who had been drawn to his mother's voice, came to the door and began eavesdropping.

"..."

"But have you forgotten the destruction of our homeland?! You're a princess, and now you've been reduced to this state. How can I let it go?!" Kadi's voice rose in a suppressed growl.

Outside the door, Gerald was stunned. He clasped his hand tightly over his mouth. His mother had once been a princess?

"Of course I remember, but I don't want to lose anything else. You and Gerald are all I have left. Please, Kadi, let it go. I don't want revenge anymore..." Karina sobbed.

"Enough! I'll never forget how Midor betrayed us. It's all that old fool's fault—he deserves to lose the ones he loves!" Kadi suddenly laughed cruelly.

Yes, it was true. The former queen had been killed by his men, a deed he had orchestrated himself.

"My son is the sole legitimate heir. He must grow strong. He will establish a nation of his own, and I will teach him everything I have learned in my lifetime..."

A nation? Was it that white castle?

For some reason, hearing his father so resolutely declare that he would one day establish his own nation made Gerald's heart race uncontrollably.

Was it excitement?

Would he truly have a white castle of his own?

"Please, I can't bear to lose either of you..." Karina's fragile sobs revealed her utter breakdown.

It had been ten years, and she had finally found a place where they could live in relative peace. She couldn't bear the thought of more separation or death.

"..."

The sound of footsteps rang out. The door suddenly opened. Lost in thought, Gerald, who had been eavesdropping behind the door, panicked and tried to flee, but it was too late.

His legs, numbed from crouching, gave out, and the door pushed him straight to the floor.

At that moment, he felt an unexplainable fear as he looked toward the doorway in a panic.

Noticing someone behind the door, Kadi's sharp gaze instantly turned murderous. His hand moved to the hilt of his sword. This conversation could not have any unintended witnesses!

He was about to draw his sword when he realized the child on the ground looked familiar—his own blood.

No wonder Best had allowed him to stay outside the door.

With a furrowed brow, he glanced at Gerald before striding away without another word. After all, these were truths the boy would eventually need to know. This incident simply saved him the trouble of explaining.

"Listen to your mother. Don't run around for the next few days. Stay home. I'll come for you next month," he said, leaving without even turning back.

What a terrifying father... If he hadn't recognized him a moment later, Gerald would surely be dead!

The murderous intent in his eyes was no joke!!

He collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. Being his first brush with death, fear froze him in place.

---Grimm's POV---

[System upgrade complete...]
[Checking host status... Scanning surroundings...]
[Unlocking spatial functions...]
[Current personal inventory space: 100x100 cubic centimeters.]
[Items have been organized.]
[Host status: 25/57 [43%] (Currently healing +2, full recovery estimated in three days.)]

In my feverish state, I heard the system's voice.

My stomach was empty, my head was burning up, and everything hurt. My arm was completely numb.

It turned out just one day of confinement was already unbearable. I couldn't help but wonder how Gerald from Akatosh managed it. Over time, anyone would lose their sanity.

I laughed bitterly at myself. It was a pity I had only watched the anime sporadically. Now, thrown into this bizarre place, life felt like a cruel joke.

[Host has reached Level 20.]
[The continent of Alland has been unlocked.]
[Estimated mental energy consumption: 10 points per hour.]
[Checking host status... Scanning surroundings...]
[Current intelligence: 10 points]
[Mental Energy: 300/300]
[Enter Alland? Yes/No.]

Yes.

A dazzling flash of white light passed, and when I opened my eyes again, I was back in the shabby little apartment I had once rented!

The game on my computer was loading, and a new save file had been created.

What was going on?

And what was the point of starting a new save? Wouldn't it be more fun to load an old file and start slaughtering?

Just as I reached for the mouse to do exactly that, an overwhelming suction force pulled me in the moment my hand touched the mouse...