Chapter 85: Nah, I don't think I will.
"H..he..hehe… I'm a dead man." Ha Joon gave out weak laughs as he stood in front of the mirror in his room, staring back at his reflection.
His eyes were pale with dark spots under it; he could barely stand well, all his energy seemed to have flat lined.
The reason for this — no one in the castle knew.
"I don't mean to ask too many questions, but where have you been? Did you go somewhere? Yesterday you had only a slight headache, and this morning, it looks like you could drop dead any second from now." Yukio spoke, dressing him while checking his pulse at the same time.
"Maybe it's my time to die, hehe… but hey, I didn't die a virgin right?" Ha Joon spoke, barely any energy behind his words.
"Please refrain from speaking in such a manner." Yukio sighed, clearly confused on the next step.
There was a chance that if she told Artoria, Artoria would get worried about the whole thing and might probably excuse her from being Ha Joon's personal maid.
"Uhm… My love." Sinex wiggled her legs in the air while lying on the bed, eating her loaf of sweet bread.
"What do you want?" Ha Joon slowly settled on the chair close to him.
"A question just popped up in my head."
"Please don't ask."
"Why haven't you gone to visit Mother?" Sinex looked at him as she chewed.
Ha Joon carefully rested his back on the chair.
"Because there's a chance if I go there, I will never be coming back." He responded. MVLeMpYr-hosted
"Yeah, but is that really a bad thing?" Sinex spinned her leg, until she was now kneeling on the bed, "You have no use for the people here anyway, you've been cooped up in this castle that you don't even know the rumors that are spreading throughout the city."
Ha Joon observed Sinex, "There are rumors spreading".
"Yes, I heard it when I tried to steal— I mean borrow drinks from one of the bar downtown,"
'I thought I told her not to roam about!' Ha Joon squinted his eyes.
Sinex continued, "They were saying stuff like, you were the one that higher the bandits terrorizing the people, also something about you wanting to bring Camelot to the ground."
….Oh?
He glanced at the ceiling.
"Quite interesting."
"It has also been spreading to the maids and house helps." Yukio added, "They say you've kept the king imprisoned with your wizard powers."
"A wizard uhn? Heh…heh heh. Not bad." Ha Joon chuckled.
"Be rest assured, I defended you on the spot, I didn't-"
Ha Joon cut Yukio off -
"Doing that is pointless, that won't work, as long as the person spreading the rumors holds more importance, your words are by all means meaningless."
'Rumor eh? This wasn't part of the plan….it would seem someone new has joined the picture. Someone with much influence as it presents itself'.
"Ha Joon! Ha Joon!" Mordred badged into the room, concern evident on her face.
The moment she spotted him, she was relieved, "Oh thank goodness you're okay".
Ha Joon was too weak to turn his whole body, so instead, he simply looked at her with his side eye, "Why are you so worried? Did something happen? Your boobs fall off? Nah they are still there."
"I don't have time for your painful jokes, you need to see this, now!"
And thus, Mordred dragged him out of the room all the way to the town square, where people were gathered.
×××{}××××
"No way…"
"I knew he was evil… he's the devil."
"What a monster, how could he…"
Ha Joon could already hear the hateful words of the group of people blocking the path before him.
Mordred stood in front of him, leading the way, while Sinex and Yukio followed behind.
But before they could even get to the crowd —
"Look, it's him!!!" One of the civilians alarted, pointing at the Traveler.
Immediately, everyone turned to face him, their faces hitched with so much hatred it would be almost impossible to miss.
From every house, every ally, people were present, all looking at the Prime minister and the Knight of the roundtable, Mordred, standing before them.
"Y-you monster! How dare you do this to us?!!!"
"Lady Mordred! Deliver justice!"
"We want justice!"
They all began to chant.
"My my, so loud yet no information is being passed." Ha Joon uttered, his voice so carefree.
"Can you understand why I have brought you here?"
Mordred asked, but not once did she look at him.
Ha Joon looked forward, that was when he noticed the burnt building that was once an orphanage. Outside the building, were multiple children crying and shouting, with about three adult females, who were the caretaker, following in the same sorrow.
People around were trying to console them– giving them hugs and care.
Ha Joon couldn't help but smile as he figured it out.
"Have I done something?" He asked back.
"Where were you yesterday?" Mordred asked, the chants of the people echoing in the background.
"Was in my room, sick and sleeping." He responded.
"These people claim to have seen you at the orphanage home yesterday, you tried to pick one of the females to spend the night with, but when she refused, you got angry and acted out. You assaulted her until she could barely breathe, and out of anger, you burnt down their house and beat up the children." Mordred explained, though her tone sounded more serious than normal.
"I see. Crazy," Ha Joon sighed.
"I am a knight of the Roundtable, and justice to the people is one of my sworn oaths. I can't turn a blind eye towards injustice."
Oh?
"I know you are innocent, and that is why I have brought you here to clear your name… I promise, I'll get to the bottom of this and punish those responsible".
Ha Joon first took a deep breath, and then he replied -
"Nah, I don't think I will."
Mordred's eyes widened as she immediately looked at him.
"What?".
.....
A/N
Do not falter, the lemons after this arc will be worth it.