MMM: Chapter Sixteen: Thanks' Punishment
The seven people once arrested by Thanks as suspects now stood in judgment over his pitiful, groveling form. Their expressions held no trace of mercy, least of all Ines and Caroline.
Caroline's contempt stemmed from his attempt to blackmail her into his bed. Ines' fury, however, was rooted in his attempt to harm one of her two favorite people in the world: Licht.
August, towering at 6'4", stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a habitual stance. His eyes, sharp and assessing, flicked briefly to his disciple, who was still staring at Licht with an unreadable glint in her gaze.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me!" Thanks broke down, his tears half genuine, half theatrical. "I know whatever I say now will sound like an excuse, but—"
"It's good that you know," Caroline cut him off coldly. Her eyes narrowed with disgust as she added, "No matter what you say, I won't change my mind. I respected you once. Even after I turned you down, I challenged myself to catch up to your level of power. But now…" Her lips curled in disdain as she spat at the ground. "Spit!"
"Hey! Watch it, Carol!" Bluma hissed, dodging the green-haired leader's spit with a grimace.
Caroline softened slightly, offering a sheepish apology. "Ah, sorry, B."
Thanks paled further, turning desperately to the ice mage, Lena. From his observations, she seemed distant but kind, an easy target for his pleas.
"Ms. Lena…" he began, his voice trembling with false hope.
"No," she replied flatly, her tone final.
The loli chimed in before he could even glance her way. "You tried to hurt Sister Carol and even went after a kid. Nope, no sympathy here."
"Don't say it like that!" Thanks pleaded, his voice rising in desperation. "I didn't even defile her womanhood! The most I'm guilty of is a slap! That's all! I'm willing to compensate her for that!"
Mercedes, standing nearby, felt Licht's gaze on her and turned just in time to hear him mutter under his breath, "Why does everyone act like their intentions don't matter as long as they didn't succeed? Attempted murder and assault are still crimes."
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she quickly looked away.
Ines' gaze was sharp, her tone mocking. "Master Licht's perspective is spot on. Funny thing is, if someone else wronged them, they wouldn't let it go either."
Licht responded with a derisive "Hmph!" as he turned his attention to Thanks, now on his knees before him.
Thanks, desperate, reached out to grab Licht's ankle, but Ines was quicker, stomping on his hand. Despite the pain, he continued pleading, his life hanging in the balance.
"I know I was wrong! I've already resigned from my position in the City Guard! Isn't that enough? If not, then…" He glanced at Mercedes, clutching at straws. "Earlier, Miss Mercedes also threatened your life, but you gave her a chance to redeem herself by serving as your bodyguard for a week, right? Or was it ten days? If you'll spare me, I'll serve you for ten years—no, thirty! Please, just spare me!"
Licht's expression was neutral as he glanced briefly at Mercedes, then shook his head. "According to her teammates, she's just a bit aggressive normally and only temporarily loses a few screws in her head when she's drunk."
Ignoring the reactions of the group, he shifted his focus back to Thanks. "You, on the other hand, were stone-cold sober. If you're this conniving when you're sober, what would you be like drunk? No thanks. You'd stab me in the back the moment my guard was down."
Thanks shivered, his voice cracking in desperation. "Young Master, you don't have to worry about that! I'll take the Slave's Oath!"
Licht blinked, unfamiliar with the term. He understood the words but not their implication.
Noticing his confusion, Ines explained. "Master Licht, the Slave's Oath is a pledge made to a God or Goddess, who acts as a witness. If the slave breaks the oath, the deity punishes them accordingly."
Licht recalled that Ines had once been a slave herself. She must have witnessed or experienced such things firsthand. Suppressing the pity threatening to surface, he forced himself to focus.
"And how severe are these punishments?" he asked.
This time, the loli answered. "That depends on whether specific punishments are stated in the Oath or not."
Licht shifted his attention to her, listening intently.
"If the punishment is outlined in the Oath, the deity enforces only what's stated. But if no punishment is specified…"
Ines cut in, clearly irritated by the short mage stealing her master's attention. "Then the deity decides the punishment at their own discretion."
Licht rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "So, which option usually leads to harsher punishment?"
Ines removed her foot from Thanks' hand, her voice measured. "There's no clear answer to that. Gods and Goddesses still have emotions, just like when they were human. They might be merciful to some and ruthless to others. It depends on their mood and the terms of the Oath."
Licht's eyes gleamed as understanding dawned. "I see. So, anything left unspecified in the Oath is left to the deity's whim."
Ines nodded. "Exactly."
Licht considered this for a moment, then turned to Caroline. "You… What do you think? He wronged you even more than me. Would you accept turning him into a slave?"
Caroline crossed her arms, her expression cold. She stared at Thanks, who knelt trembling before her. After a moment, she said, "If it were up to me, I'd rather see him rot in a cell. But if you think slavery is a fitting punishment…"
Licht glanced at the rest of the group. "Anyone have objections?"
The others exchanged glances but said nothing. Their silence was all the answer he needed.
Finally, Licht looked down at Thanks, his gaze icy. "You're lucky Caroline's willing to humor this idea. You'll take the Oath, but I'll be the one to decide what goes into it."
Thanks' face brightened with a flicker of hope. "Thank you, Young Master! I'll do whatever you say!"
Licht's smile was razor-sharp. "Oh, I'm sure you will."