Chapter 21: Monster Subjugation (XIV).
The two knights exchanged a glance- one nervous, one defiant. Steel rasped as they bent down and gripped the swords Olivia had tossed to them. This is the price of running their mouths.
A ripple of sound moved through the watching soldiers, the hush of armor shifting, the faint clink of chainmail.
Commander Lenof stood at the edge of the circle, jaw tight, saying nothing. 'I know I should stop this… but what can I say to mediate the tension? That idiot subordinate of mine has already disrespected the Alarie family and that kind of matter won't slide just easily.'
Olivia moved first.
It wasn't even a charge. Just a step, deliberate, silent, the kind of movement that made the air itself draw taut. Her sword came up in a guard that looked almost lazy, yet every trained eye around the ring saw the precision behind it.
One knight lunged, reckless and loud, his boots tearing into the dirt.
The other followed, circling to flank her.
"Hah-!"
Steel met steel.
Clang!
Olivia parried the first strike with a flick of her wrist, the force of the impact driving her opponent back a half-step. Her eyes didn't even follow him, she was already turning, blade sweeping low to deflect the second man's thrust.
Sparks flashed, and before he could recover, she pivoted sharply and kicked him square in the chest.
"Ugh!" The man hit the ground hard, his sword tumbling from his hand.
"Too slow," (Olivia) said calmly.
"You'll regret crossing with me you Alarie bastard!" The first knight roared, lifting his blade high, sloppy, desperate and charged again.
Olivia didn't retreat. She stepped in, closing the distance before his swing even reached its arc.
One clean motion.
Her sword traced a silver blur through the air and stopped a hair's breadth from his throat. The tip pressed against his skin just enough to draw a shallow line of blood.
"Yield," She said.
The man froze, trembling, sweat dripping down his temple. His sword clattered uselessly to the ground. Behind her, the other knight scrambled up, gasping for breath, but stopped dead when Olivia turned her gaze on him.
Her eyes were cold, violet, and unblinking.
'For months… Since I've come into this world I've done nothing but follow orders and trained with Sebastian. This body still remembers to fight. I know I won't lose to the likes of them.'
He dropped to his knees instantly. "M-Mercy, milady! Please!"
The circle of soldiers erupted in whispers, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Olivia exhaled slowly, sliding her sword back into its sheath.
The soldiers who had surrounded the circle were now murmuring among themselves, eyes wide with something that hovered between fear and admiration.
"Did you see that?" One whispered hoarsely. "She took both of them down like it was nothing, didn't even break a sweat."
"Her footwork- gods, I didn't even see her move," another said, shaking his head. "One second she was still, the next-! Bam! He's on the ground."
"I've trained for ten years and I can't even parry that cleanly," muttered a third, rubbing the back of his neck. "They say she's strict, but now I get why. She's a damn monster with a sword. I already knew the Alaries were all military heads but even the women… all of us should be careful and not offend them."
A few nodded in agreement, their earlier arrogance replaced by something almost reverent.
"She didn't even draw blood," One soldier noted quietly. "She could've… but she didn't. That's control. That's real power."
"Lady Alarie," another said under his breath, a hint of awe in his voice, "is the real deal. No wonder her family's name is feared across the border."
Their whispers carried through the camp like wind through tall grass, respect, disbelief, and the uneasy realization that they had just witnessed something far beyond ordinary skill.
"Commander," (Olivia) said, her tone clipped and unwavering. "Anyone who does the same will be removed. Take note of that and I will be giving good words to my father, so I'll keep this incident quiet."
Commander Lenof bowed quickly, sweat beading at his temple. "Understood, Lady Alarie. It will not happen again."
Olivia made no answer. With a single, practiced motion she drew a small dagger from her belt and held it at arm's length, expression impassive, eyes hard as flint.
No smile softened her face; there was only the cold, ordinary business of enforcement. "Now… I did say that if I won our duel I would get to cut both of your tongues with no complaints."
Everyone in the crowd gasped.
"S-She's actually going to do it by the light!"
"T-This is not right but those two had it coming!"
"Goddamn it, I lost my money betting on those two! I thought two men are better than one little girl!"
"Knife." For a fraction of a second, a thought flickered through her- she did not relish this, but she could not afford to be all bark and no bite.
More whispers came pouring in as Sebastian took a knife from his side and handed it to his young lady.
"No way she's really going to do it?!"
"I thought she was just joking or would at least just kick them off the mission."
"She's going to cut their tongues out?!" The camp's respect, like discipline, had to be earned. Slowly, without ceremony, she unsheathed the dagger.
"These two… will need healing." Olivia's hands were shaking as she held the knife, but she tried her best to not show off her hesitation.
In this world, with the role she was given- you can only survive by creating respect out of fear.
"Hold them."
No one moved.
No one wanted to be a part of whatever she was doing.
The reincarnator didn't want to do it either but she refuses to have the Alarie name tainted, she might be the villainess and she has to play that role the least she could do is honor it. "I said hold them. Or would anyone else want to be next in line to have their tongue cut?"
All she saw on these people… these knights.
'These are all npcs anyways, they're all irrelevant to the story so as long as I don't break anything regarding the important characters it should be fine.' Because without a villainess fueling the fire, the story would be nothing.
Her eyes felt no guilt, she kept repeating over and over again that these are all npcs.
Non playable characters who mean nothing to the story.
'It's okay for me to pull out their tongue then, better than killing them at least.' (Olivia) thought as her grip held tighter on the knife.
Commander Lenof didn't know what to do, all he was thinking about was how his authority and power will be questioned if he lets the young lady do as she pleased.
"...Hold them." (Olivia) ordered, turning to Commander Lenof who had to grit his teeth but in the end he complied with her request.
It is only fair.
"A duel is a duel!" Hearing that made the knights around them quiver and finally they followed her orders. "Hold them as Lady Alarie commands. They have lost and to honor the duel, they must follow the consequences of accepting it."
They held the two men down,
"No! Please! I-I don't want to have my tongue cut! I-I am really sorry!"
The rude one who cursed a lot struggled to break free, he kept kicking and even drew out his sword in protest but it was dismantled by one of the knights and grabbed his head to be thrown flat in the ground. "Ugh-! Fuck you Alarie! Fuck you-! You goddamn nobles think you can get away with this?! A rebellion is already trying to fuck your family and now you want to add this to fuel the fire?!"
Olivia knew the brewing problems within the Alarie family. Including the rebellion that's already been conspiring against them for decades now.
"I should've said it louder… that the woman you brought is nothing but a southern bitch! And could be a good prostitute at that! Southern bitches are good in bed better than-!"
"...!"
That crossed the line, her hand unconsciously gripped onto the knife's handle tighter.
"If anyone would tell the story of a commoner getting abused by a noble- I would tell them myself that's a lie. Everyone here saw that we had an honorable duel, you just lost…" She held out the rude man's tongue and cut it in half with a knife- blood spilling all over. "And I'm doing this to make sure you never badmouth Mariana or any southern woman like her ever again. Know your place, you npc."
"Ugrulgh!"
Blood fell all over the grass.
The knight beside him, seeing a horrible scene has peed his pants and prayed-
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… forgive me." He begged the woman carrying the punishment should mercy befall upon him.
Olivia stared at her hands- and the knife now covered in blood. She saw the tongue she cut fell to the ground and felt disgusted.
The heavy feeling as expected set in, she threw away the knife and gave up on punishing the other knight, "Sigh… Unhand this one- he's learned his lesson. He can continue his work, just make sure you hold your tongue if you have nothing good to say."
The other knights breathed a sigh of relief hearing that from her, they let him go and he was grateful for his tongue to be spared. "Thank you, oh thank you milady!"
"Bring the medic to clean this one up, his tongue will take a while to heal. Once he's recovered- he's dismissed." As she turned to leave, the tension that had frozen the camp began to loosen, but only barely. "You're lucky I left you alive, count your stars… if I see you again I'll make sure to finish where I left."
And in the middle of it all, Olivia walked away with calm, deliberate grace, her armor catching the sunlight, her expression unreadable.
Commander Lenof's face went pale, he snapped an immediate order and a medic pushed through the ring, hands steady but eyes wary. The camp's murmurs swelled into a low hum as bandages were pulled back and wounds probed, then redressed with efficient, practiced motions.
The knight that she left wounded had hatred boiling inside of him.
"..."
Olivia knows.
To her, it wasn't a victory. It was discipline.
The game hadn't even started and the whole event was tiring.
But to the rest of them, it was a legend in motion.
Around them, the men exchanged uneasy glances- respect had been won, and the cost of losing it was now painfully clear. '...If I still don't return back to my world I should think of taking over my father's territory once everything is settled.'
If you would look at it in another way, in this section of the story she's free to do whatever she wants considering the game hasn't started yet.
This punishment won't come to hunt her in the main story line and even if it does, being transmigrated in a wealthy and powerful noble family has ways to take care of someone without much trouble.
"It's both a blessing and a curse to be born as an Alarie."
===
Alarie Territory: Medical Tent
===
Mariana, escorted by Sebastian, followed quietly until they reached the medical tent. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of herbs and disinfectant, but her face lit up the moment she saw her guards.
"Lady Borbon!" One of them called out, relief flooding his voice.
"Everyone! You're alright!" (Mariana) exclaimed, rushing forward. "Oh, thank the Light, all of you are safe!"
The men laughed despite their exhaustion. One flexed an arm still wrapped in bandages, another lifted his sword arm just enough to grin through the pain. "See, milady? Nothing to worry about! We've faced worse!"
"I'm so glad everyone is okay…! Uncle Herald, James, Frins-! Oh everyone!" She smiled- that same radiant, genuine smile that made the entire tent seem brighter.
She moved from cot to cot, asking softly about their wounds, remembering names, praising their courage.
"Do not hesitate and tell me if you are currently feeling any pain. I can help, please." (Mariana) insists, feeling so guilty. "These wounds that you have were because of me, I wanted to go here despite my father's warnings."
"You don't have to blame yourself, milady, these things happen. We just came across the path at the wrong time, it was a good thing that someone has helped us in protecting you." One of her guards assured her, everyone was thankful for the hero that has come to save their asses in time.
Mariana's eyes lit up hearing them compliment her beloved moon, "Mm, it's Countess Olivia Charlotte Alarie. She saved us… and I'm forever in her debt."
Sebastian lingered by the entrance, arms crossed.
"Hmph." He had seen many nobles offer kind words to their soldiers, but not like this.
She wasn't doing it for show, her concern was unforced.
'Strange,' He thought. 'For someone so young, she carries herself with more grace than half the nobility I've met… but I suppose we have to add the fact that she came from humble beginnings.'
When she finally returned to his side, she looked up at him with worry in her eyes.
"Sir… um… "
"Lady Borbon," (Sebastian) replied, bowing slightly. "How can I be of service?"
"I just wanted to thank you for escorting me here," she said, voice soft, "but… should we go check up on Lady Alarie? I fear she might have done something to those men- and what if she got hurt?"
Sebastian blinked, faintly amused. Few would ever worry about someone from the Alarie family getting hurt.
"You need not to worry," He said with quiet pride. "Our lady is not so easily harmed. I have been watching over her since she was little. She has been training to take over the mantle of her father, everything will be alright."
Mariana clasped her hands together, smiling in relief.
"I suppose you're right… Still, I feel partially at fault… I think she fought her own people for me. I don't want her getting hurt because of me…" (Mariana) lowered her head hiding the sad expression on her face. "I wanted to see her again- but not in this way. My apologies if I have been talking too much, it's just… Lady Olivia means so much to me."
Sebastian studied her then, the southern woman with skin kissed by the sun, the one who had somehow made the usually cold and unshakable Lady Alarie lose her composure. He couldn't see what made her special at first glance, yet the more she spoke, the more he understood.
Her warmth was disarming.
Her kindness, unpretentious.
Even in a foreign land, surrounded by wounded men, she carried light like a torch.
'So that's why,' He thought, a small, knowing smile ghosting across his face. 'That's why my lady is different around her.'
"From what I've observed," (Sebastian) began, his tone thoughtful but sincere, "milady feels the same way about you- in her own way. You mean something to her, Lady Borbon. I'm certain she wants nothing more than for you to be safe, after all, she requested me to guard you a few times now. I'll let you in on a secret. I'm her father's right hand man."
Mariana's mouth lowered a little by the surprise, this man before her as the Duke's right hand man meaning someone very important and surely Olivia trusts.
Knowing Lady Olivia Charlotte Alarie… if she cares about you she'll really make sure you're well taken care of.
"Oh my…"
"It is not your fault, I assure you. That bastard had it coming anyway if he continued running his mouth like that. Milady, do know that you're a wonderful girl."
Mariana's eyes softened. "Thank you."
A pause lingered between them, not awkward, just quiet, filled with the muffled sounds of the camp outside.
"Y-You've been watching over Lady Alarie since she was a little girl, haven't you?" (Mariana) asked, curiosity lighting up her face.
"I have," (Sebastian) said with a faint smile. "Since before she could even hold a sword properly."
Mariana's lips curved in amusement. "Can you tell me more? While we wait for her… I've already spoken with my guards, and I'd love to hear what she was like when she was little."
Sebastian chuckled softly, his usually stoic expression easing.
"There was this one time," He said, voice lowering as if sharing a fond secret, "when she cried because she couldn't find her favorite teddy bear. The entire mansion was turned upside down for hours. We thought it was stolen, but…"
He paused, shaking his head with a small laugh. "It was hiding under her pillow the whole time."
Mariana clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling, she wanted to hear more of the countess' tales when she was young. "...So cute!"
Sebastian huffed lightly through his nose, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "Cute is one word for it. She tried to hide her tears from everyone afterward, even ordering the maids not to speak of it. She's always been proud, even as a child."
"I can imagine her still being like that now," (Mariana) said, giggling softly. "All stoic on the outside, but just a little soft inside."
Sebastian nodded, happy to have found another person who was willing to get to know the misunderstood young lady Alarie.
"You read her well, Lady Borbon. Not many people do."
The heroine politely smiles towards Sebastian, "Maybe it's because… I adore Lady Alarie… I really adore her a lot."
She adores and loves her a lot.