"What's happening here?!"
The young master barked as he stormed up to the scene, his sharp eyes narrowing at the sight of the guard lying on the ground, eyes gouged out, blood staining the dirt beneath him.
Axel—or rather, Artis—turned, schooling his features into one of righteous indignation.
"Young master, you won't believe this! This fool thought he could peek at the Matriarch while she changed. But I caught him red-handed. If I hadn't, this traitor would've gotten a good look at the Matriarch's heavenly body."
Axel's voice dripped with disgust, though inwardly, he was congratulating himself for his flawless performance.
'Superior acting, check.'
After all, this was his chance to save Artis and tweak the narrative a bit. Why not add a little spice? He knew this author loved dragging out the romantic tension, so giving Artis a few wins with the ladies would only make things more entertaining.
"So this is the bastard my mother told me about?"
The young master growled, cracking his neck, a menacing light flickering in his eyes.
"The one who's been constantly peeping at her? Filthy vermin!"
Axel blinked.
'Constantly peeping? That was never in the novel...'
He felt a bead of sweat roll down his neck.
'This script is changing way too fast.'
Artis gulped, stepping back instinctively.
"Y-Young Master, let's not be too hasty. What if there's been a misunderstanding? Losing a man now, especially one trained in the sect, would be a complete waste."
Pliney interrupted, waddling up with a nervous chuckle, his diplomatic tone faltering under the intensity of the situation. His eyes darted between the unconscious guard and the furious young master.
"We can't afford to lose manpower, not with tensions between sects running high."
Axel smirked inwardly.
'Poor Pliney, always the voice of reason. But I have to finish this before this guy wakes up. No way I'm letting Artis go down like in the original story.'
"Are you calling Artis a liar, Grand Elder?"
The young master's voice was low, menacing, his eyes narrowing like a predator about to pounce.
Axel, playing his role to perfection, crossed his arms and raised his chin indignantly.
"Yes, Grand Elder, are you accusing me—someone who caught a filthy pervert peeping at the Matriarch—of lying?"
He made a show of looking deeply offended, glancing at the unconscious guard and then back at Pliney with mock outrage.
Pliney gritted his teeth, his pudgy face turning an uncomfortable shade of red, but Axel merely smiled back, the smugness practically dripping off his face.
"By saying we can't waste any more manpower," Axel continued, "and that killing this pervert isn't justified, you're implying that peeking at the Matriarch's naked body isn't a big deal. Is that what you're saying, Grand Elder? Are you suggesting her honor isn't worth defending?"
"Y-you...!"
Pliney's voice trembled with rage. His face flushed crimson as the accusation took root, and a few of the guards exchanged nervous glances.
"How dare you accuse me, a Grand Elder of this sect—someone who has guided the young master for years—of such vile thoughts!"
Pliney roared, but the damage had been done. The tension was thick, and the eyes of the young master were filled with something far more dangerous than mere irritation.
Axel internally smirked. The trap was set. All that was left was to wait for the inevitable. The young master, with his temper already ignited, was about to explode.
"Is that right, Grand Elder?"
The young master's voice grew colder, his qi surging ominously.
"Are you protecting this pervert because you think my mother's honor isn't worth killing for? Or... are you also one of those who dares to peek at her body?!"
At that, the young master's qi burst forth like an overwhelming tide, suffocating the air around them. His killing intent was too much, pressing down on everyone in the vicinity. Axel had to step back, nodding to himself, satisfied with how well things were unfolding.
'Yep, he's powerful, okay.'
Suddenly, defying both gravity and dignity, Grand Elder Pliney knelt down with a heavy thud. His rotund belly jiggled as it hit the ground, and his golden chain necklace hung limply from his thick neck, giving him the unfortunate appearance of a real-life "Oink-Oink." Sweat trickled down his round, piggish face as he grovelled, his voice trembling with false humility.
"This servant would never dare to utter such disrespectful words, young master! Please forgive this lowly one. This old man only seeks to protect the sect's reputation. If this incident were to spread, it could bring shame upon the clan. That is all."
Pliney lowered his head further, so low that his double chin nearly grazed the dirt beneath him. Axel couldn't help but think,
'What a damn good actor he is. The pig's only worried about saving his own ass.'
The young master, his sharp eyes burning with fury, took a step forward.
"So, my mother's dignity has no value? Is that what you're implying?"
"No! Nothing like that, young master! What this humble servant means is that we should handle this matter quietly, without involving others. If word spreads, it may bring... unnecessary misunderstandings. The reputation of the sect could be tarnished."
Axel clenched his fists, feeling the boiling anger rising in his chest. He saw through the elder's performance.
'This bastard... he's just trying to save himself. He's protecting the guard because he thinks he can use him later. If that fool lives, Pliney can patch him up and squeeze the truth out of him. As if I would allow that. fu~ Fu~ Fool.'
The young master, meanwhile, was deep in thought. His face showed a mixture of rage and contemplation, torn between punishing the traitor immediately or considering Pliney's words. Axel watched carefully, knowing that Pliney's plan was as transparent as glass.
"There's nothing to think about here, young master. My brother-in-law caught this pervert red-handed. Death is the only fitting punishment for such filth. If you don't deal with him now, the others will start thinking they can peek at your mother and walk away, believing the men of this sect are nothing but cowards!"
Chen, Artis' brother-in-law, stepped forward with a sneer, his words filled with disdain. He was married to Artis' 28-year-old sister, who, despite being a minor character, was described as a beauty—because in this world, even the side characters were blessed with unfair allure.
The young master's eyes flickered with cold fury.
"What do you think, Artis?"
For a moment, Artis—or rather Axel, who now found himself deeply entangled in this bizarre reality—considered his options. He glanced at the guard, a pitiful mess on the ground, barely conscious after the beating. The young master's gaze had shifted from Pliney to the broken man, filled with the hunger for vengeance.
"You know me, young master," Artis began, his smile as wicked as ever. "Let's call the Patriarch and be done with this mess before word gets out. We can't let a scandal like this fester."
The young master's expression softened, but only slightly. He looked at Artis, then back at Chen, and a sinister smile spread across his face.
"Yes... I agree."