"Even so, arresting someone for something like this… If you were to keep detaining people for such reasons, the lord would be furious."
"Hmph, not at all. Our Royal Guard has the highest arrest rate in the region, so the lord remembers us well. In fact, we frequently receive letters of praise from him, such as: ‘You lot again?’, ‘It’s good to be diligent, but…’, or ‘Aren’t you overworking yourselves? How about the whole unit take a vacation at a hot spring?’”
"I’m pretty sure that’s not actually praise."
Apparently, the local lord was having a great deal of trouble dealing with this troublesome group.
Even while Allen was being interrogated, two of the unit’s members brought in another man. He looked fairly sturdy, yet his face was pale as he shouted.
"Why do I have to get arrested?! I just littered a little!"
"No excuses. It's wrong to litter the city."
"You'll be asked to perform some volunteer work as punishment, but until then, please wait in the detention center for a while."
The other members calmly escorted the man away and disappeared into the back of the compound. Apparently, this was an everyday occurrence.
Giselle watched them leave and shook her head.
"We were planning to take control of the Mead District, which had become a haven for thugs and Magus, the Rock People. At the time, I heard that you had both of them under your control, and I assumed you were a true embodiment of justice. To think you turned out to be such a villain... I'm disappointed."
"Don't say it, man..."
Allen had no choice but to give a curt reply.
(This town... is it safe despite the large number of adventurers? Perhaps it's because these guys act as a deterrent?)
Among the adventurers are many thugs with bad tempers.
Magus and Groh are good examples. Towns near dungeons tend to prosper, but they also bring with them more trouble.
However, this town was an exception, staying peaceful.
Now that the Mead district, a hotbed of thugs, has fallen into Allen's hands, there are no rumors of even minor incidents.
He’d been a little suspicious of how good the security was… but now it made sense. If a group of ultra-strict enforcers were cracking down on every petty offense, this was the result.
"I understand that you are carrying out your duties with your own sense of justice in mind. However, I'm sure... you don't have a good reputation among the citizens, do you?"
"Ugh... I-it's true that for some reason we receive a lot of complaints... but this is also in the service of justice. We are just playing the villains."
Giselle's face grimaced a little, but she finally spoke resolutely.
Their ambitions are admirable, but... sooner or later, their dismissal will be inevitable.
"Hmm, I see. I understand the situation very well."
"I'm grateful that you understand our sense of justice. Now, we'll begin the detention procedures, so please sign the consent form."
"But first..."
As Giselle began to take out some documents, Allen pointed his index finger and asked,
"Tell me something, Giselle. Do you have any hobbies?"
"Huh?"
Giselle blinked.
The question was so sudden that she forgot all about her work. Frowning deeply, she thought hard.
"Hobbies... self-training, I guess. Also patrolling the streets and talking to the elderly."
"That's work, right?... So, what's something that made you happy recently?"
"Ah, I have one. Some people I apprehended before came back to ‘thank’ me by joining my training. I took it as a sign that they had awakened to justice. I wholeheartedly and sincerely beat them down."
"Pretty sure that was revenge, not gratitude."
Her answers were exactly what he had expected, and he felt a wave of nostalgia.
(Man, this reminds me of Charlotte when I first took her in…)
Someone who had no idea how to relax and simply carried out every task given to them.
That would be fine, but unlike Charlotte, Giselle tends to get a little out of control.
Allen only had one option when it came to dealing with an opponent like that.
"Okay, I understand. Let's do this, Giselle."
"Hm… what is it?"
Allen smiled cheerfully, which made Giselle eye him warily.
But he ignored her suspicion. In a theatrical gesture, he raised both hands in a pose of surrender.
"I've given up. I'll admit my guilt. But there's one condition."
"A condition...?"
"Yes. In exchange for admitting my guilt, I want you to experience for yourself just how sinful my actions were. Then you can decide the severity of my sins."
"Hmm… Indeed, I do not know the suffering Charlotte endured under your abuse. Without knowing that, I cannot properly judge you…"
Giselle stroked her chin in thought.
After pondering for a moment, she gave a deep, resolute nod.
"Very well, I accept your proposal. I will never yield to anything naughty."
"You said it, huh?"
Allen grinned.
Now, Giselle was like prey caught in a spider’s web.
Allen was thinking furiously about how to deal with her when he loudly declared,
"Then… gather all your subordinates immediately! I’ll treat you all to the full-course of naughtiness!"