Chapter 89

“A rascal dares to challenge the knight of Count Modrich’s territory…”

It was a fairy tale he threw.

And a silver coin that flew and fell to the ground.

Upon hearing it was a toll, the knight got furious and stood up.

But as soon as he stood up, a sword was pressed against his neck.

He had to realize who his opponent was first.

However, standing against the sun, the man’s figure was hard to make out.

“Who are you? A knight from another house?!”

“Another house’s knight, huh… Well, yeah.”

Of course.

There couldn’t be someone carrying a sword in Rusmaier.

“Ha. Then go on your way. Why cause such a disturbance? Huh?”

“You’re the one who started causing trouble.”

“What did you say?”

“I clearly saw you throw a fairy tale at the residents of Rusmaier, treating them as a joke.”

What kind of weirdo would do something like this? Tuspel, the knight of Count Modrich’s territory, frowned deeply.

“Listen. That’s none of your business. This is related to our territory, what do you know about it?”

“That’s right! We need to stop these guys from passing through recklessly!”

“We are knights of Count Modrich’s territory. Is it a crime to stop these Rusmaier people who might do anything?”

His fellow knights beside him also supported him.

Tuspel rebutted with a haughty air.

“Besides, if you keep pressing your sword like this, it will cause friction between houses. Do you want to embarrass your lord by making a knight look bad?!”

“…”

“Apologize now. If you show even a little bit of honor, I’ll let it slide.”

The knight was not satisfied with just being reimbursed for his feelings due to the toll thrown at him. He kicked him fiercely and drew his sword to press it against him.

Then, what? A toll?

Isn’t it natural for pride to be scratched?

He planned to make him apologize. At least bow his head. Otherwise, he thought, he would threaten to report directly to the count.

Of course, inside, he wished the count could eat some dirt, but…

“Have you said enough?”

“…What?”

-Smack!

“Guh…?!”

“Hey! Are you out of your mind?!”

“What did you hear?!”

Hearing this, Tuspel stomped on the man’s body with his foot.

Without letting go of his strength, he pressed his sword against Tuspel’s neck again.

“There are three reasons why I can punish you.”

Three fingers were spread.

“Firstly, if it’s a situation where crossing into another territory, collecting a toll should be sufficient. In an emergency, you just laughed it off.”

The first finger was folded.

“Secondly, you attacked my people unilaterally. Therefore, I have a reason to punish you.”

The second finger was folded.

“Lastly, as of today, Rusmaier territory has been placed under my management with the royal family’s certification. So, I can punish you.”

The third finger was folded.

With three reasons stated, he held his sword ready, without drawing it fully.

“Do you think you’re a lord or something? Ha. Just spouting nonsense…! Fine. If you want things to get bigger, I’ll inform your house immediately!”

Outraged by the humiliation, Tuspel drew his sword and raised himself to slash diagonally.

However, Tuspel’s sword flew and stuck far away in the ground.

“Your…! Do you think you’ll get away with this?! A knight like you, causing direct friction between houses, and threatening to punish us with a sword?!”

“That’s clear criminal behavior! Do you want to be dismissed from your knighthood?!”

“It’s not a crime. Didn’t I just say I have the right to punish you?”

“W-what…?”

This was absurd.

To hold a sword to a knight from another house and claim to have the right to punish them is to imply they deserve to be struck.

Such a thing cannot be a crime.

Yet, this man acted so confidently.

As if he believed this wasn’t wrong.

A sudden doubt arose.

‘Could it… be true?’

‘Is this man, whom I’ve never seen before, the one backing Rusmaier secretly?’

‘That he has the right to punish those who harm the residents?’

The three knights’ doubts were quickly shattered.

Because a single piece of paper he presented proved everything.

“I, Carsein Bargrand, as the lord managing Rusmaier, have the right to punish you. This permission is certified directly by the Imperial Palace of Peselros.”

Upon hearing this, the faces of Tuspel and the other two knights turned pale.

***

‘Carsein Bargrand…!’

‘They really were backed by the Bargrand duke house?!’

‘And if it’s the imperial certification… there’s no way out…’

When he heard the name Carsein, he seemed different, almost like a different person, but the blue-black hair and light eyes made it hard to believe he was a stranger.

The man in front of him was indeed Carsein.

The certification was not fake.

That’s the truth.

So, what about this situation?

It was truly a difficult predicament.

An ordinary knight dared to block the path of Rusmaier’s residents and refuse passage.

Not only that, they insulted them with money right in front of the noble overseeing them.

Moreover, they joked about getting help from the Bargrand duke house.

Truly, they were cornered.

Being punished by Carsein was a given.

But, there was still a way out.

‘The news hasn’t reached Count Modrich yet!’

Tuspel felt relieved.

If the news had reached the count, they would truly be cornered, but Carsein said he would impose the punishment on them, not inform the count.

Although it’s humiliating to be punished by a commoner, this decision could settle things here.

Also, a faint escape route appeared.

The permit to manage the territory, which Carsein presented as certified by the imperial palace, was issued in Carsein’s name, not the Bargrand duke house’s.

This meant it was Carsein’s responsibility.

So, it’s simple.

Just deceive this man.

If this naive man, who knows nothing about how the world works, is convinced with some smooth talk…

They could get away with it.

‘Yes. After all, we don’t know what we did anyway, right?’

With a drop of cold sweat, Tuspel changed his attitude.

“Carsein young master becoming the lord managing Rusmaier is well known. However, our punishment shouldn’t be severe enough to cause injury.”

The other two knights, who initially doubted, understood Tuspel’s intention and chimed in.

“That’s right! We have a mitigating circumstance!”

“Even if we wanted to collect tolls, Rusmaier territory has always been impoverished. How could we expect to collect from just three, or now four, people?”

Another comfort.

They never asked about the tolls, but conversely, they never paid the tolls either.

“The residents of Rusmaier territory themselves were known to be poor. Did we really think we could collect tolls from them?”

They never considered the possibility of collecting tolls from the residents because they were too poor.

That justified not asking them for tolls.

And.

“Moreover, rumors persist that because they are poor, they are suspected of being thieves from other villages.”

“Not long ago, thieves were found in one of Count Modrich’s villages. They were so quick, we couldn’t catch them.”

“They are strongly suspected to be the current residents of Rusmaier territory. There were many who showed strong suspicion and demanded questioning.”

Rusmaier’s poverty led to suspicions in other territories.

Naturally, compared to nearby villages without any problems, they were considered prime suspects.

If they raised this point, the conversation would take a different turn.

“That’s ridiculous…”

Kian couldn’t stand it and tried to interrupt the conversation.

Rusmaier’s poverty was due to the monsters descending periodically from Wagluru Mountain and the regular raids.

People who were being robbed wouldn’t commit theft and robbery themselves, knowing the pain.

Kian tried to explain to ensure Carsein didn’t misunderstand.

But before Kian could speak,

Someone’s sword swung.

Someone’s hair scattered in the air.

“Hmm. Now it suits you.”

Carsein muttered as he cut off Tuspel’s hair with his sword.

At first glance, he looked more like a bandit than a knight with that hairstyle.

“What are you doing…!”

“What do you mean? It suits the bandit look.”

“What are you saying?!”

“Are we supposed to act like bandits?!”

In response to the knights’ protests, Carsein replied calmly.

“Why deny it when you’re the ones who raided Rusmaier? You must have done it.”

“What… did you say?”

“Those knights… our village?”

“Yes. Even though you didn’t notice, those knights are the ones who raided your village.”

The eyes of the three boys widened.

Those who regularly disrupted their lives would quickly leave whenever support was requested.

They couldn’t be caught even if pursued.

For powerless Rusmaier residents, calling the three knights from Count Modrich’s territory was the only option.

So, naturally, they would suspect them.

The knights erupted in anger.

“That’s absurd! That’s just sophistry!”

“You know how dangerous Rusmaier is! It takes time to get there!”

No matter how they argued, suspicion was already rampant.

“Every time, you were late. Every time, you didn’t arrive on time. Didn’t the timing of the raids coincide oddly with yours?”

“How could you…?”

“When I checked the reports over the past two years, it was always the same. When a raid occurred, you were called, but arrived very late. Or sometimes, you weren’t there at all.”

Carsein said.

Thinking back, they had never encountered the bandits and the knights at the same time.

In fact, Kian and the two boys knew this was true.

“No way… Those people… Could they really be…!”

Carsein drove the final nail in their coffin.

“Most importantly, Rusmaier doesn’t receive protection from neighboring houses. So, even if those people hide as bandits, you’d have to rely on the knights. Thus, you wouldn’t have shown the wounds you inflicted on yourself.”

-Swish!

Carsein swung his sword twice.

Cutting only the clothes, a scar from a broken stake that Kian had driven into Tuspel’s waist during a raid remained.

“Now, what excuses do you have? Bandit lord.”

Seeing Carsein’s mocking smile, the two knights behind him drew their swords immediately.

-Swish!

“It’s your own doing.”

“Think of it as punishment for speaking out of turn!”

Two swords flew.

Blood splattered instantly.

Soon, they became unable to wield weapons, not even as knights, let alone bandits.

***

Despite the disadvantage of having to face three opponents at once, Carsein showed no signs of backing down.

Although he felt it might be dangerous, it was only momentary.

The three knights—or bandits—were unable to use any strength against Carsein and collapsed.

Wiping the blood off his sword, Carsein spoke.

“They’ll survive. But their arms are gone, so they won’t be able to wield weapons anymore. It’s up to you to administer their punishment.”

“Y-yes…”

The three boys watched their master put his sword away in its scabbard, stunned.

“Cough, cough!”

Meanwhile, a violent cough came from the girl they were carrying.

Not just a cough, but red liquid flowed from her mouth.

“D-Diana!”

“Kian, we have to go now!”

“R-right!”

Though their misdeeds were exposed, they still had work to do.

They needed to somehow bring Diana to a council member in another village.

“Thank you. But, I’m sorry, we don’t have time to properly thank you!”

“Really, I’m so sorry, my lord. Please…!”

“Come with me.”

At that moment,

Carsein interrupted Melik.

“Running won’t get us there in time. The council member might not be there. So, let’s take the carriage.”

“A carriage?!”

“Master, we don’t have the money…”

“I’m offering to have you ride in the Bargrand duke house’s carriage.”

It was a shocking statement.

Not only lending money for a carriage, but offering to ride in the Bargrand duke house’s carriage.

It was unheard of for a mere resident to ride in a noble’s carriage.

But.

“What are you waiting for? Get in quickly.”

“…”

He seemed completely unfazed as he offered to have the residents ride in his carriage.

Prompted by Carsein, the boys boarded the carriage without protest.

After boarding, Carsein said nothing more.

He only handed a handkerchief to wipe Diana’s mouth before gazing out the window at the distant sky.

‘A person like him… is going to take care of our village, our territory?’

Kian sensed it.

Rusmaier would no longer suffer.

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