Volume 1 Chapter 106

Volume 1 + Chapter 106: Beat Him Half To Death

This voice—could it be that Old Master Reynolds himself had come in person?

That man was one of the empire’s founding heroes, a legendary figure who had followed the late emperor to conquer new lands and establish the empire.

It was even said that the very first flag ever planted in the region where the imperial capital now stood had been personally raised by Old Master Reynolds himself, back when he was still a great general.

Old Master Reynolds was, without question, a bold and indelible stroke in the history of the entire empire.

However, he was now well into his nineties. Lingering injuries accumulated from years of warfare had left him unable to move normally for the past two years.

Even getting out of bed on ordinary days was extremely difficult for him, yet his stubborn temperament refused to allow him to rely on others—he insisted on standing up on his own, no matter what.

One attempt after another only worsened his condition, until he had reached the point where he could scarcely even leave the house.

So much so that when the imperial Emperor wished to see him, His Majesty would have to personally visit the Reynolds family estate.

So why had he come out in person today?

Nearby, the old man Fu, the Reynolds family’s butler, was clearly ill at ease as well.

Despite being well past fifty, he was behaving like a child who had made a grave mistake.

He stood stiffly to the side, his face tense, looking lost and unsure of himself.

“Father, your health…”

The current head of the Reynolds family—the middle-aged man with a trace of valor between his brows—looked visibly nervous. Staring at the lowered curtain of the carriage, he hesitated, uncertain of what to do.

“It’s fine. Help me down. I want to speak to Miss Eve in person.”

From within the carriage came an aged yet commanding voice, carrying an oppressive authority that brooked no refusal.

The middle-aged man dared not say more. He rose, lifted the curtain of the carriage, and stepped inside.

A short while later, he laboriously carried down a heavy wheelchair, upon which sat an elderly man with a calm expression.

He looked frail and thin, yet his gaze remained sharp. His grizzled beard was trimmed with meticulous care, and aside from his advanced age, there was not a single fault to be found.

Judging by his spirit alone, he seemed several times more energetic than the office drones from Eve’s previous life who suffered daily under the so-called “996 blessings.”

Thinking of this, Eve could not help but smile wryly.

“Miss Eve.”

Reynolds spoke slowly. The empire’s founding general, once a veteran of countless battlefields, now sat in a wheelchair, far shorter than the tall Eve before him.

Yet his presence yielded to no one. From his resolute eyes, Eve could even sense a trace of killing intent lingering from the ancient battlefields of the empire.

“My grandson has caused you such great trouble. I sincerely apologize. Allow me to offer my apologies to you on his behalf.”

“And also… Gerson.”

Old Master Reynolds spoke as he cast a sidelong glance at his son.

“Yes, Father. Your orders?”

“Go teach that brat a lesson. A crooked sapling won’t grow straight without pruning—beat him hard!”

“Yes! Father!”

Hearing his father’s command, Gerson did not dare delay for a moment. He shrugged off his suit jacket, rolled his neck, undid a button at his cuffs and collar, and strode swiftly toward the carriage where the young master was.

It was unclear whether the people in the carriage had acted in time to save him, or whether Fu’s earlier treatment had taken effect.

The dissolute young master seemed to have regained consciousness. When he had been struck by his own butler earlier, he showed little reaction—but now, from inside the carriage came wave after wave of piercing, miserable screams.

The sound was so grating that Eve instinctively covered Umi’s ears.

When Fu had struck him earlier, constrained by the master–servant hierarchy, he had not dared to go all out.

Besides, the young master had been half-unconscious at the time, a few slaps meant little.

But now he was fully awake, still dazed from what had happened before, only to run headlong into his father’s merciless discipline.

Eve did not dare imagine how deep the psychological trauma would be for this fellow.

“Well… Lord Reynolds, from the standpoint of our Tribunal, we still hope you can show some restraint.”

Unable to bear it any longer, Carlo finally spoke up to dissuade them.

When Fu had acted earlier, Carlo had also spoken up—but that had mostly been for show.

He had even subtly instructed the man on how to strike—painful, yet not lethal.

But this time, he was genuinely anxious. They were truly beating him without holding back. If the man ended up hospitalized under guard, it would be troublesome.

For a repeat-offending dandy like this, the proper solution was to lock him in prison for a few days—that was the only way to teach him a lasting lesson.

“Beat him. Beat him half to death. Don’t worry—I know imperial law very well. After all, more than half of it was drafted with my participation.”

“No matter how badly that wretched creature is beaten today, we will not shield him in any way!”

“Beat him! Beat him half to death! If he dies in prison, that’s his own bad luck. I, Reynolds, will simply pretend I never had such a worthless grandson! If the Reynolds family falls into your hands, it’s doomed sooner or later—and if the empire were left to descendants like you as well…”

Old Master Reynolds was so enraged he nearly rose from his wheelchair.

His face was flushed crimson, his fury unrestrained, as if he had been dragged back onto the battlefield of old. The wheelchair beneath him seemed like a warhorse, and he himself like a fearsome commander, directing his lone soldier to clear obstacles for the empire’s future.

“Miss Eve, I truly apologize. Handle the matter as it should be handled. Compensate as compensation should be paid.”

“Your return is a blessing to our empire—an honor thrice over. And a blessing thrice over for me, Reynolds!”

“Return?”

Hearing Old Master Reynolds’s words, Eve frowned instinctively.

What did he mean… return?

“No, no, look at me—old and muddle-headed. What I mean is that your coming to the imperial court, instructing Her Highness the princess, and being willing to assist her as the future Imperial Grand Advisor, is a great fortune for the entire empire.”

Old Master Reynolds looked exceedingly excited, almost wishing he could stand up and shake Eve’s hand himself.

“From top to bottom, the entire imperial royal family recognizes you and warmly welcomes you to join us and work together.”

“I am old now. There isn’t much more I can do for the empire. In a few years, when I scoop up a handful of imperial soil and let it cover my face, it will be time for me to close my eyes for good.”

“The future of the empire will have to rely on you.”

As he spoke, Old Master Reynolds frowned and turned his head toward the carriage from which cries of pain still echoed. He said reflexively, “Stop hitting him.”

“Yes, Father.”

Gerson climbed down from the carriage, panting, with a look of partial relief on his face.

Though the beating had stopped, faint whimpers could still be heard from inside the carriage.

“I’m speaking with Miss Eve. That wretched creature screaming like that is irritating to the ears. After I finish speaking with Miss Eve, you can continue.”

“H-Hey, calm down, everyone. Let’s all calm down. How about we let the Imperial Tribunal take over from here?”

Carlo hurried forward to block them. If this continued, they would probably end up returning to report with a freshly dead body instead.