My Vests Are All Over The World - CH 8

Punishment?

Edelman certainly knew what the punishment for lying was.

The human empire’s punishment was clear, each crime had a prescribed amount of punishment, slandering others and perverting right and wrong was also to be distinguished in the context of the scene.

If the slander was between ordinary people, then the penalty was probably a fine, but if it was a dispute between nobles or wealthy merchants, they were likely to be stripped of their titles, so that they’d become ordinary people.

Whichever it was, these punishments were enough to make people numb from fear.

No one wanted to get this punishment.

Especially Edelman.

He originally only thought that Qiao Nan was an ordinary person, at most a relatively rich guy, but he didn’t expect that Qiao Nan was actually from the royal family.

What was the concept of the royal family?

Probably the kind of degree that could send him to the gallows.

Admittedly, the empire’s penalties were very strict for members of the royal family, offending a family member led to severe punishment but the crime of offending the royal family ……

was also very horrible.

Why did the royal family come to Bangal City if they didn’t stay properly in the capital city?

And their city lord was even a member of the royal family!

Edelman fell to his knees with a poof, “City Lord, and this gentleman, please forgive me for my momentary confusion, I am so old, yet I couldn’t weigh clearly, please pardon me ……”

Just now, the people that were excitedly condemning Qiao Nan, quietly froze, they quickly lowered their heads, afraid to look up at Qiao Nan and Norman.

“Okay.” Seeing how tense the atmosphere had gotten, Qiao Nan quickly stepped in, “just apologize.”

“What? You just want to let him off the hook?” Norman wasn’t happy, “He just tried to make a move on you, yet you’re so good-natured that you want to let him go.”

“A fine is also good, it’s not a crime punishable by death.” Qiao Nan probably understood the current penalties, he knew that offending the royal family could lead to death.

The other didn’t get enough time to get at him, so it wasn’t like he hurt him.

He didn’t really care, a little lesson was what he needed.

“Since this is your will ……” Norman was very reluctant, but he still changed the original sentence he wanted to hand down: “A fine of one million gold coins, you knighthood will be taken down by two ranks.”

When Edelman heard this verdict, he felt unconvinced and stood up in protest: “City Lord, isn’t this a little too heavy? I didn’t do anything to this gentleman!”

“It’s not that you didn’t do anything, but I came in time. If I hadn’t appeared, you probably would have done everything you wanted to do.” Norman pushed up his glasses, his eyes swept over Qiao Nan, seeing Qiao Nan’s thin lips pursed together, he knew he was dissatisfied, but he continued speaking.

“Since you aren’t willing, then I deprive you of your title.”

A nobleman who lost his title was even lower than a commoner, making him give up his privileged life to return to the bottom of society, this was absolutely unacceptable to him!

Norman’s words were like a bolt from the blue, hitting Edelman’s head, he couldn’t bear the blow and fell to the ground: “You! You’re being unreasonable!”

“City Lord.” Qiao Nan also felt it was slightly uncalled for, but Norman had no intention of backtracking, Norman didn’t care about Edelman who was still on the ground, but instead handed out an invitation to Qiao Nan: “This gentleman who came all the way from the empire , would you like to come to the city lord’s house to rest for a few days? There isn’t a place as comfortable in this city than the city master’s residence.”

“No, I have to go somewhere else, so I won’t stay here much longer.” Qiao Nan’s purpose of coming to Bangal City was mainly to travel to the Magic Domain from Bangal City’s teleportation formation, he didn’t want to delay here, so he politely refused.

Hearing the refusal, Norman’s eyes darkened a little.

Qiao Nan couldn’t read Norman’s eyes, but he had a weird feeling, as if his words just now offended him, he blinked, wanting to say something, but Norman spoke first.

“Just a moment ago, there was a temporary failure in the transmission array, it needs an overhaul, although it has been scheduled for repair, it’s not clear when it’ll be done, before this, you can only temporarily stay in the city for one night.”

Norman’s face wasn’t red as he lied, the transmission array was still in good use, how could there be a failure?

The transmission array was constructed by the best spatial magician on the entire continent, and was serviced every month, so how could it possibly malfunction?

Norman just wanted to Qiao Nan to stay.

Norman didn’t expect to see Qiao Nan so soon, he thought it would take a long time to find him, he went outside the city to look for a long time, and found nothing, who would have thought that when he came back he would meet his teacher here.

When he saw his teacher, he even had the urge to directly lift his disguise and reveal his identity.

However, what was left of his sanity made him calm down.

Now his teacher was bullied, his teacher wasn’t the former omnipotent demigod, he was now …… just a young, unarmed little child.

His teacher must have suffered many trials and tribulations to rise to the forty-fourth level when he was away, he must have suffered a lot and now, he was  bullied by a trash.

This was what he absolutely wouldn’t allow!

How could Qiao Nan know what Norman was thinking, he couldn’t figure out why this city lord wanted him to stay.

Maybe he felt that he had met a relative?

Norman’s family members weren’t many, plus relatives, there were only dozens of people, Qiao Nan didn’t know how many relatives Norman actually had.

“City Lord ……” the butler hesitantly opened his mouth, he wanted to say something but was blocked back by Norman’s eyes.

Since the city lord said that the transmission array was broken, then it was broken.

“Yes, just a little while ago, there was a little problem with the teleportation array, and someone has already gone over to fix it.”

“Is that so? It just so happens that I have some research in spatial magic, so maybe I can help you guys out.” Qiao Nan made a gesture to leave, Norman subconsciously reached out to stop him, “There is no problem there, it will be repaired soon, you are a guest, you shouldn’t worry about this.”

“Broken? I just used it.” He didn’t who muttered, the voice wasn’t loud, but it reached the silent crowd’s ears’.

Qiao Nan smiled at Norman, Norman also smiled, not the least bit embarrassed.

Seeing Norman this way, Qiao Nan frowned, he would have continued to refuse, but the ring on his finger suddenly burned him, Qiao Nan’s hand subconsciously curled up, covered by the sleeve.

This ring was reminding him of what?

…… this place had good things?

With the thought of this, Qiao Nan, who was about to blurt out a refusal reached out and held Norman’s arm, “Well, then, I’ll bother you.”

This was the first contact between the two people after several hundred years, Qiao Nan didn’t feel anything, but the other’s attitude was a bit strange, but it wasn’t malicious, since there was no malice, then he didn’t need to care too much, he’d just stay in his house for one night only and go to the magic domain tomorrow.

Qiao Nan just casually touched Norman’s arm, but in Norman’s eyes, it was a century-long reunion of the two.

His palm and his own arm clearly had several layers of fabric in between, the warm body heat couldn’t penetrate these layers of fabric to his skin, but it was as if Norman was scalded, he quickly pulled his arm behind his back, and then realized that he was very rude and quickly tried to explain: “Sorry, I didn’t mean ……”.

It seemed that he didn’t like to be touched.

But the other’s clothes weren’t so clean as to be frightening, the hem and long cuffs below were still a little dusty, as if he just returned from outside.

Chagrined at his impulsiveness, Qiao Nan made up his mind not to have physical contact with Norman, and hurriedly changed the subject, “Let’s go, we shouldn’t block the road.”

Norman’s expression was a little gloomy, looking at Qiao Nan, he was just about to speak when he was interrupted by the others.

“Yes, yes, it’s getting late, let’s hurry back.”

These pampered aristocrats like a flock of sheep quickly scattered, only Eliza Byron dawdled a little with a blush, seeing that the crowd in the way finally left, she plucked up the courage to come forward.

Norman, who was interrupted once again: “……”

“I’m very sorry! Just now I misunderstood you.” Eliza stepped forward and gave a noble salute to Qiao Nan, “Please give me a chance to make amends.”

Qiao Nan shook his head, “It’s okay, I didn’t take it to heart.”

Eliza curled her fingers around her handkerchief: “You’re staying in the City Lord’s house, aren’t you? Please allow me to go home and make some preparations, and then come to visit later.” Elisa finished, gave a salute to the two men, bowed her head and ran away shyly, before leaving, she also stuffed her feather fan in Qiao Nan’s hand.

Snap.

Norman threw the accidentally destroyed cufflink into the storage space, pretending that nothing happened on the surface, but in his heart, he wanted to burn the fan that Qiao Nan was holding!

He hadn’t given him anything yet!

Norman barely kept his decent smile on his face: “The City Lord’s residence is up ahead, let’s take the carriage and go there.”

Qiao Nan was a guest, what the host said was how it’d be done, he wasn’t quite sure what to do with this fan, it could only be stuffed in his storage ring.

The ancient and simple ring wasn’t like a storage space, Norman wanted to ask who gave him the ring, but now he was just a random person to him, he could only put this question to the bottom of his heart, he’d wait for the right opportunity, and then he’d ask.

Qiao Nan was shocked by the carriage, he stood still and didn’t move, feeling a bit embarrassed to step inside.

It was too white.

“What’s wrong?” Norman asked from behind him.

“Nothing, just a little surprised that you like this style.”

The same aesthetic as his disciple.

He liked white with a little gold for accent, even the clothes on his body were the same, he never waited more than half an hour to change his set of clothes to make sure there was not a trace of dust on his body.

Qiao Nan suddenly found that this city lord’s feet didn’t touch the ground from the beginning, it was suspended in mid-air, with a small space between the soles of the feet and the ground, when he walked, he was stepping on the air, not getting in contact with the ground.

“You have a cleanliness fetish?” Qiao Nan asked.

“…… no!” He affirmed categorically.

Norman created the floating technique because standing on the dusty ground made him nauseous, but now if he could, he could even rush to the nixie pit and roll in it to prove that he didn’t have a cleanliness fetish.

If he had a cleanliness fetish, according to the teacher’s considerate character, he’d certainly not touch him!