CLA.S.S NEUTRAL: Stranger Is Coming

Unusual test. Sense of justice. What is the King's plan?

After a minute, the king slowly closed his eyes, thereby showing that he saw strength in me. Sneaky devil! He quit the game so cleverly! I had expected him to look away, as I'd always come out the winner from such games.

"Well, Allone, I see that you're a courageous guy. Since no one could look into my eyes before—they have always looked away after the first second. Only Kurbakht can. But I don't take him into account —he is my shadow and my servant." The king smiled slightly. "You are definitely suitable for my task, but first, a little test. Bring them here."

After this phrase, five people came into the hall and stood in front of the pedestal: a girl of about ten, dressed in a beautiful dress; a pretty middle-aged woman, wearing an apron and with a large butcher's knife on her belt; an old hunched woman with a cane; a tall muscular man in a leather jacket with a pair of daggers; and a crippled boy without legs, or rather without feet, in simple, worn clothes. It was a very strange company.

"Do you like the representatives of my kingdom? I see that you don't like them. You're right, because they all are murderers. They all took away many lives. Some of them like to torture their victims and value the ability to kill more than gold. Some just take lives for a handful of coins, and others… others follow orders.

You are probably wondering why I've called them, aren't you? The answer is simple: now you're a judge, and you can sentence three of them to death. But you must have mercy on two of them.

You can also give those a light sentence, thus you'll be able to punish four or even all five of them, depending on your decision. So, think carefully and decide what you'll do with them," the king stretched his arms and leaned on the back of the throne, looking at everyone with a sneer.

Bastard! I hadn't expected it and, apparently, neither had Kurbakht. I had no doubt, he would have warned me otherwise. So what should I do? Has the king told the truth, or has he intentionally lied? Hmm... a good question. Why did he prepare such an ordeal for me? Is it a mockery or a test of justice?

"Ah, yes, you are free to ask me as many questions as you like."

"Then my first question is…" I smiled. "May your words be false?" Such questions always should be asked carefully, because powerful people don't like them, considering them to be insults. Offended lords like to send those who dare to do it to the other world, so it would be better not to ask, but I have no choice.

"No, all my words were true."

Well, I hoped he didn't lie now—otherwise, it would be an interesting logical chain.

"Tell me how many people each of them killed and why?"

"Seventy-five, eighty-two, one hundred forty-seven, seventy-seven, and ninety. I refuse to answer the question 'why'."

Well, I can ask any question, but I won't always get an answer. How could they manage to kill so many?

Think! According to Kurbakht's words, the king wasn't a good guy. So, if I want him to trust me, I'd better behave the same. I doubted his answers about these people's lives. Even if he told the truth, he would dodge it in a completely different way, which would only confuse me. I decided not to ask anything more.

I approached the people, deciding to look carefully into their eyes. In the girl's eyes I saw only indecision and fear, as well as surprise. The woman, too, was afraid of something and looked at the girl and at the old woman. However, her smile exuded a thirst for murder, and the knife twitched slightly in her hand.

The old woman's narrowed eyes and dotted with wrinkles face were blank. The man looked arrogantly at me, holding his hands on the hilts of his blades. His gaze expressed a lot of contempt for everything that was happening.

The cripple's look struck me. It was as heavy as the king's and contained resentment, hatred, anger, and rage. However, he looked away: I had a very hardened stare. My friends had often told me so. When a person often looked into death's eyes and cursed it, his gaze got something back that was hard to describe with words. People seemed to see death in his eyes and tried to stay away from him. The cold and emptiness in his eyes could destroy any hatred or happiness.

Looking at each of them, I realized that the king was trying to circle me around my finger. It was a catch. You're a bad boy, Ragan, very bad. You make bad impression. I'd better sign the verdict for you. But now I am mocking you a little and hitting your nerve in doing so.