"Of course I'm threatening you."
Having been refused, Mel certainly wasn't going to put on a pleasant face.
From the initial mockery to this refusal, everything proved that the poet before him had never taken him seriously.
He wasn't a violent, belligerent man, but he didn't mind resorting to extraordinary measures.
The law wouldn't favor nobles.
But it would favor money.
He threw lavish balls every week and showered the invited nobles with money. Naturally, that wasn't because he was an idiot with too many gold coins and nowhere to spend them.
He wanted those powerful nobles who held important posts throughout Dragon Gold City to refrain from making trouble for him over trivial matters.
Such as killing an insignificant outsider.
The man had only recently arrived at Dragon Tail Pass. He hadn't even paid taxes yet.
And Melard understood what his father was thinking—
Since money couldn't shut the bard's mouth.
Force would have to tear it apart.
That inevitably worried him:
"Father, don't..."
"Shut up, boy."
Seeing that his useless son still harbored such naive notions, worrying over an outsider's life, Mel's tone grew harsher.
"Put away that unnecessary pity, open your eyes, and watch closely!"
He gave a cold snort, as though issuing an order.
The guards who had silently surrounded them had already drawn the swords at their waists.
An icy gleam reflected off the sharp blades—
"Let your father teach you a lesson himself.
Then you'll understand what it means for the head of a household to act decisively!"
"Can we settle this?"
Looking at the mercenaries Dawn had stopped, now sprawled on the ground, Mel spoke decisively.
Damn it!
He had assumed that the bard had only Gravel, that dwarf warrior, protecting him.
Although these six mercenaries were individually weaker than the dwarf,