Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 11 - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Man of Justice

An old home trampled by monsters... Every time he remembered that scenery, Louis Bard asked himself one question: How much could he do for the sake of the people?

“Oh? Commander Louis, what is that?”

This happened while Louis was having a meeting to organize the camp. One of his subordinates casually asked about an accessory he was wearing.

“Aah, this?”

Louis smiled bitterly—the subordinate’s sight was sharp—then held up his wrist. He was wearing a leather bracelet. It was made of several leather straps woven together in a peculiar design. Normally, Louis didn’t wear any accessories. He enjoyed a high status in the Margraviate of Maclaurin, and he was also paid a significant wage, but he’d never shown any interest in personal luxuries. That was why his subordinate was interested in the accessory, even if it was simple.

“I had to mediate a little quarrel the other day,” Louis said.

“You mean when you saved that prairie dweller boy?”

“Yes, that. I was given this as thanks. It’s a prairie dweller charm, apparently.”

The incident had taken place in one of the towns they’d passed through during this expedition. Louis had protected a prairie dweller boy who was being mistreated, and he’d seen to it that the boy’s wounds were treated. When they parted, the boy learned that Louis was leading an army on an expedition and gave Louis the bracelet out of concern for his safety.

If it were just an ornamental accessory, Louis wouldn’t have accepted it, but it was filled with the boy’s concern. Louis wasn’t so tactless that he didn’t realize this. He’d gracefully accepted it and put it on right before the boy.

“That boy was extremely grateful, wasn’t he?” another subordinate said. He’d been with Louis at the time. He was praising Louis, but Louis looked a little depressed.

“I merely did what was natural,” Louis said, then sighed. “It is so wretched to oppress such a young child, and unjust and meaningless to persecute prairie dwellers. They are subjects of the Empire, just like us.”

He lamented this from the bottom of his heart. Imperial citizens had a tendency to disparage the prairie dwellers. To the people who built up defensive walls around their towns to protect against monsters, the prairie dwellers, who lived outside the walls and went grazing in the dangerous prairies, were extremely abnormal. Louis understood their feelings, but he didn’t think it was a reason to discriminate against them. The current Margrave Maclaurin, Glantri Maclaurin, had raised Louis in that manner.

Louis Bard was a native of a village that had been destroyed by monsters. The Maclaurin Provincial Army had saved him, given him shelter, and taken him back to the margrave’s residence.

As some kind of charitable enterprise, several other children had been there who shared his circumstances. Glantri Maclaurin had given them jobs so that they could survive and offered them the opportunity to receive training. Among those children, Louis had had a good foundation and had put in the most effort. This had drawn the margrave’s eyes.

Glantri Maclaurin had taught the still-young Louis that it was a noble’s duty to guide and protect the people. There was no place for discrimination, and such a thing couldn’t be allowed. One had to hold out their hand to all people, or true peace would never come.

For the sake of the world, they had to fight the evil that threatened the people and carry out justice. Unlike the great saviors, they didn’t possess enough power, but even so, they had to do everything they possibly could. Glantri Maclaurin had taught him that as well.

To Louis, these were the teachings of his one and only benefactor. He would never doubt those words, and he would sacrifice himself for such ideals. Once he’d made up his mind to do so, reality was so vexing to him.

For example, take that middle-aged man who’d oppressed the prairie dweller boy the other day. He was an executive for a certain trading firm. Louis had spoken with him but had been unable to rid the man of his prejudice. It was so unfortunate.

The existence of a fake savior was even more preposterous than that. Why were fellow humans incapable of living hand in hand? Louis simply couldn’t understand.

“Commander Louis!” As Louis let out a deep sigh, a soldier came running to him. “I have a report, sir!”

“What is it?”

Louis immediately focused his thoughts. He was the leader of an army; he couldn’t just sit by grieving for this sad world. He figured they’d encountered some monsters or something, but that wasn’t what the soldier was here to tell him.

“Just now, a request to meet you in person has come.”

This was unexpected.

“A meeting? Tell me the details.”

“Yes, sir.”

The soldier nodded and went on to explain the situation. Listening to him, Louis narrowed his eyes.