Going out

Under Paul's decree, Radeus had no choice but to go out with Rudeus.

"You'd better remember this, you little punk!"

Radeus spoke viciously as he walked through the village with Rudeus.

"Hmph, I'll tell Father on you!"

Rudeus was completely unfazed by the pressure and opened straight away with a threat to tattle.

"Holy shit, you really are a little bastard!"

Radeus couldn't help cursing at the threat of being told on.

The first person to ever tattle must have been a brave soul. After all, they could have been beaten to death!

"Forget that. Look how beautiful it is around us. Let's enjoy it together!"

Rudeus pointed out the surrounding scenery to Radeus.

"Hmph!"

There was no denying that the people here were genuinely friendly and down-to-earth. As the two walked through the village, the villagers they met greeted them warmly.

"Hey, Rad, is that your little brother?" a middle-aged man called out to Radeus.

"Yes, Uncle Laud. This is my little brother, Rudeus!" Radeus introduced Rudeus to Laud.

"Hello!" Rudeus greeted him very politely too.

"Twins really do look alike!" Uncle Laud remarked as he looked at the well-mannered Rudeus.

Apart from slightly different eye colors and heights, Radeus and Rudeus looked practically identical. Paul's powerful genes really were something!

"Of course. Aren't you going fishing today, Uncle Laud?"

Laud owned the bakery, and his biggest hobby was fishing. It was just that Radeus had never seen him catch a fish.

That was right. Laud always came back empty-handed!

"I'm not in good form today, so I thought I'd head back to the shop and rest first."

"Perfect. We need to buy some bread, Uncle Laud!"

"Oh, come along. I'll give you a discount!"

With that, the three arrived at the bakery. Laud's son was minding the shop, and he greeted Radeus when he saw him arrive.

"Hey, Rad, long time no see! How come you haven't been coming out lately?"

"Oh, my brother was..."

Rudeus had just started to speak when Radeus clamped a hand over his mouth.

Damn it, I'll buy you something to eat. Don't embarrass me!

I want sweets!

Deal!

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Uncle Laud asked as he looked at them.

"Nothing, nothing. I've just been studying at home lately. Oh, right, this is my little brother, Rudeus!"

Radeus hurriedly changed the subject.

"Hello, Rudeus!"

Laud's son greeted Rudeus too.

"And give us a bag of bread!"

The two then made it out of the bakery without incident and finished buying what they needed from the other shops.

"Well, we've bought everything. We should head back now!"

Rudeus spoke indistinctly around a mouthful of the sweets Radeus had bought him, while Radeus followed behind carrying their purchases.

"That's true. I haven't worked my arms in ages. Once we're back, I'll let you experience the joys of flying!"

Radeus looked at Rudeus with a dangerously friendly expression.

"Ha, ha, ha. Let me carry those for you, my dear big brother."

Rudeus tried to take the things Radeus was carrying, hoping to avoid becoming a human projectile.

Faced with Rudeus's outstretched hands, Radeus turned and dodged him.

"No need. A big brother ought to dote on his little brother, wouldn't you say, my! Dear! Ru! De! Us!"

Rudeus knew there was no escaping now, and his face went ashen.

The two passed through a small grove, and along the way Rudeus consulted an illustrated guide to identify the plants.

"You've looked enough by now, haven't you? Hurry up and head back. My hands are already itching!"

Radeus urged Rudeus on as he watched him deliberately stall for time.

Looks like I can't drag this out any longer. Damn it! Rudeus thought as he looked at the increasingly impatient Radeus.

With no other choice, Rudeus returned to their original path, ready to go home and accept his punishment.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto Rudeus, and the air around him was so fresh, but he could no longer properly enjoy it.

As they passed a clearing, a voice reached their ears.

"Get out of our village, demon!"

"Yeah, yeah! Go back to your Demon Continent! Get lost!"

The two exchanged a glance and walked toward the voices.

Three children were throwing handfuls of dirt at a child wearing a hood, their mouths still chanting:

"Get lost, demon! Leave our village!"

"Get lost!"

The child's white clothes had long since been stained the color of the earth. He crouched on the ground with his back to them, desperately shielding himself, his body trembling under the impacts of the mud.

"What should we do? Step in?" Radeus asked Rudeus as he watched.

Watching the bullying left a bitter feeling in Rudeus's heart. In his previous life, bullying had been what turned him into a shut-in. Now that this scene was unfolding before him, was he really going to turn a blind eye?

Even if it meant a child's life would be ruined?

Suddenly, Paul's words came back to Rudeus:

"A man's strength isn't for showing off. It exists to protect the weak!"

They might have been lofty words, but they helped Rudeus make up his mind.

"Stop them!"

Rudeus's voice was firm, without any remaining hesitation.

"That's the way. Besides, anyone who turns a blind eye is just as guilty!"

Radeus grinned. He had never doubted that Rudeus would make this choice.

Radeus put their purchases beneath a nearby tree and walked forward with Rudeus.

By now, the children were getting more and more carried away with their attacks, crazed smiles spreading across their faces.

One of the bigger children glanced at a fist-sized stone on the ground, picked it up, and prepared to throw it.

If it hit the child, he might bleed. In the worst case, he could even die on the spot.

But little brats never thought about that. They only followed their own desires.

"Stop!"

Before the stone could be thrown, Rudeus hurried forward, conjured a small water ball with water magic, and fired it at him.

The water ball was very weak and wouldn't injure anyone. Rudeus was an adult too, and naturally wouldn't lose his reason.

The water ball struck the stone-throwing boy in the head, knocking him to the ground. The stone tumbled from his hand as well.

Rudeus and Radeus, standing off to the side, both breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened?"

The three brats looked toward Radeus and Rudeus.

"Who are you? Why are you getting in our way?"

"Hmph, we're just passing Kamen Riders. As for you, isn't three against one pretty low? How about sparring with us?"

A water ball formed in Radeus's hand too as he looked at the three brats.

"The knight's kids?"

The three immediately recognized who they were, then tried to grab mud to throw at them.

Radeus wasn't about to give them that chance. He and Rudeus immediately fired a water ball each, knocking them to the ground.

"Where'd those two get water?"

The three were stunned by the blows.

"Still not leaving?"

Radeus and Rudeus looked at them as water balls appeared in their hands again.

The three took one look, hesitated, then immediately ran away, leaving a threat behind.

"You'll pay for this!"

"Doesn't it feel like we went too easy on them?"

Watching those brats, Radeus felt his anger flare up.

He had only held back because they were young. Now it seemed there had been no need!

Radeus really couldn't stand even a little of this!

When it became unbearable, there was no need to bear it any longer!

A water ball several times larger than the previous ones shot toward the three from behind, instantly sending them flying several meters. They were covered in water and dirt, looking as though they had just crawled out of a swamp.

"Waaah!"

The three burst into tears, running as they cried, and even accidentally tripped again along the way.

"Serves you right!"

Radeus instantly felt his anger subside. Bratty kids needed a heavy hand to teach them the price.

Blind tolerance would only become a breeding ground for darkness. Only absolute violence could bring others to their senses!

Sometimes, villains didn't rediscover themselves because of the protagonist's words. They were simply beaten into submission by the protagonist's high damage!

How could talk therapy be as effective as high damage in your left hand and heavy damage in your right?

One slap from me, and they wouldn't dare do it even in their next life!