The sudden sound of a horn echoed over the crowded square — one long blast, two short, one long — repeated three times. It meant the lord had arrived. The crowd turned to look, like a boulder hurled into a still lake, sending ripples outward. More and more people directed their attention here, and the noise of clamoring and questions merged into one — they all wanted to know what was happening.
The crowd in front began to part left and right, opening a passage toward the center of the square. Facing the fully armed family guards in their standard-issue equipment and imposing presence, the people who had been clustered together instinctively revealed expressions of fear and retreated to both sides. Though they didn't know who was coming, it was clearly obvious that another distinguished figure of great status had arrived.
The squad leader of the guard company,
"Come here," Lorist said to the burly sailor who kept backing away. "What's your name?"
The sailor's legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground. "M-my lord, please forgive me, I shouldn't have offended you..."
A gleaming gold Forde coin landed beside the sailor. Lorist waved him over. "This is your reward. You didn't offend me. Get up and lead the way..."
The sailor stared blankly at the gold coin beside him, but quickly snapped out of it, snatching it up. Out of habit he was about to bite it to check its authenticity when he noticed the guard watching him with an amused expression. He scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply to Lorist. "My lord, my name is Potter. I'm at your service..."
Lorist said nothing, simply pointing ahead. Potter immediately ran to the front of the procession, and soon his commanding voice could be heard: "Make way, make way! His Lordship has arrived..."
"Porter, what did you say?"
"The lord? Which lord?"
"What are you saying — Count
Ahead lay the center of the square, encircled by a dense crowd. Potter was standing in front of several plainly dressed guards wielding spears and leather shields, gesticulating excitedly. Aire strode over and barked: "Who are you people? Why are you blocking the way!"
Potter quickly explained: "My lord, they're the garrison of White Deer Town..."
"If they're the garrison, then step aside! His Lordship has arrived — form up and receive him at once!"
The few garrison guards hastily moved to the side and saluted Lorist and his group as they approached.
The circle of people in the center of the square wasn't very large. At the very center stood a wooden scaffold, to which a man of about sixty with graying hair was bound. He was bare-chested but looked quite robust, though three bloody lash marks now marred his body. Below the scaffold, over a hundred soldiers wearing black-gray leather armor and carrying spears, swords, and shields stood facing off against approximately two hundred garrison guards in multicolored plain clothes who were similarly armed. In front of the protesting onlookers, several dozen more garrison guards maintained order.
"Hm? The garrison here is actually quite capable — they even know to maintain order?" Lorist said, somewhat surprised.
Now everyone in the square had turned to watch Lorist's group arrive.
Pointing at the bound old man on the scaffold, Lorist asked: "Potter, is that Town Mayor Hugo?"
Potter nodded hastily. "Yes, my lord. Old Hugo is warm-hearted and fair. All the townsfolk trust him. Five years ago, after the
Lorist nodded. "Aire, Pat, go bring Old Hugo over."
"Yes, my lord."
Aire and Pat swaggered over, walking as though no one else existed, and arrived at the scaffold. The armed soldiers nearby, intimidated by their bearing, backed away one after another.
Pat drew his sword and slashed, severing every rope binding Old Hugo. The old man pitched forward. Aire stepped up and caught him. "Are you all right? Can you walk?"
Old Hugo said: "I'll manage. Just a bit stiff from being tied up so long, but I can still walk."
Pat said: "Come with me. The lord wants to see you."
The armed soldiers nearby came to their senses and blocked the path. Aire didn't even raise an eyelid. "Get out of the way. Those who block my path will die!"
"What nerve! Who are you? Hand the old man over!" A knight in azure armor appeared to Aire and Pat's left front, drawing his sword with a sharp ring. Golden sword aura coiled around the blade — this was a Gold-rank knight.
"Wait... Locke, isn't that the standard armor of the Royal Guard Corps? Are they really sent by the Second Prince?" Fatty Shi muttered.
"Jo—" Lorist said. "Be careful. Don't hurt the onlookers..."
Blood. He never dreamed that arrow would fly with such precision — piercing through his sword while the massive burst of
The moment this Gold-rank knight was wounded, the rest of the soldiers were thrown into a panic. The armed soldiers who had been blocking Aire and the other two scrambled aside, watching helplessly as Aire and Pat brought Old Hugo before Lorist.
"My lord, my respects. Might I ask who you are? What brings you to White Deer Town?" Old Hugo bowed with his hand over his heart in respect before Lorist.
"I am Count Norton, and also your lord. Were you elected as town mayor by the residents of White Deer Town? Old Hugo..." Lorist looked at the sturdy sixty-something man before him.
Old Hugo paused, looking at Lorist. "My lord, you truly are Count Norton? Forgive my presumption, but may I see your title and territory credentials?"
Schwade sheathed his horn and drew out the appointment documents from the leather pouch at his side, unfolding them. Old Hugo was literate; he examined the documents carefully, then let out a sigh of relief and bowed to Lorist once more. "Welcome, my lord. I am Hugo, the interim town mayor elected by the residents of White Deer Town. I hereby transfer the administration of White Deer Town to you..."
"No need. Continue serving as town mayor for now. I'll make adjustments to positions once I've familiarized myself with the territory," Lorist said. Then he looked at the garrison. "Old Hugo, who is the garrison captain? I'd like to meet him."
"Uh..." Old Hugo immediately turned and shouted toward the White Deer Town garrison gathered nearby. "Victor! Get over here right now! The lord has arrived and you haven't even come to pay respects?"
A middle-aged man in worn leather armor limped out from among the garrison guards and walked over. Upon arriving, he gave a rather casual salute. "White Deer Town Garrison Captain Victor, greeting His Lordship."
Lorist stared straight at him. The middle-aged man called Victor finally wilted under Lorist's piercing gaze, lowering his head and averting his eyes.
"You've done well. Even while facing off against the enemy, you didn't forget the safety of the surrounding crowd and sent garrison members to maintain order. That's very commendable," Lorist said.
"My lord, Victor was an officer in the Galewind Corps. If not for his injury and retirement, he could have become a squad leader by now," Old Hugo added from the side.
"And you, Old Hugo? You carry quite a military bearing yourself," Lorist said with a smile.
"My lord, I was formerly a logistics quartermaster for the White Lion Corps. After the White Lion Corps was disbanded, I came back here. White Deer Town is my hometown. I spent thirty-five years away from home as a soldier — being able to return to my hometown to live out my final days is already luckier beyond measure compared to those brothers who were buried in the sands of the battlefield..." Old Hugo sighed.
"Oh, the White Lion Corps? It seems Old Hugo is no stranger to us. Several of my family knights come from the White Lion Corps — Bodfenger, Rod Wells, Malek. Do you know them?" Lorist grew interested.
"Bodfenger? Of course I know him. I know his hometown is up in the Northland. Rod also went to serve as a knight in your family? Oh, right, that fellow and Bodfenger are good friends. But that cold-faced, emotionless boy Malek becoming one of your knights too — that really is surprising. He was always expressionless, caring only about military law and nothing for personal feelings. I remember once Rod got drunk and was caught by Malek, who personally gave him ten lashes. Rod cursed Malek for not being a friend, and Malek said he was only personally punishing him because he was a friend — otherwise he'd never learn his lesson..." Old Hugo rattled on about the three of them as though reciting from memory.
"My lord, there'll be plenty of time for catching up. Let's deal with this first — have the residents of White Deer Town disperse. Standing around here like this won't do," Fatty Shi interrupted Lorist's conversation with Old Hugo, pointing toward the armed soldiers in black-gray leather armor.
"Very well. Old Hugo, we'll talk more later. Right now, let me see what gives them the right to come collect taxes on my family's territory." Lorist led the way toward the cluster of armed soldiers, and his entourage hurried to follow.
"I am Count Norton. Have your leader come out and speak."
Though these armed soldiers in black-gray leather armor numbered around a hundred, they had no courage to stand up to Lorist. Setting everything else aside, the twenty-some sets of silver-gray standard-issue armor alone had blinded their eyes. Moreover, the Gold-rank knight who had led them had already been wounded by a single arrow, which destroyed what little fighting spirit they had left. Now, hearing that Lorist wanted to see their leader, every soldier instinctively looked toward that Gold-rank knight.
"He's your leader?" Lorist was somewhat puzzled. He had assumed these armed soldiers were family soldiers brought by that Viscount Aslan to collect taxes. He hadn't expected them to actually be led by this Gold-rank knight in Royal Guard Corps standard armor.
Lorist walked toward the Gold-rank knight. "Who are you? Why have you brought troops onto my family's territory?"
The Gold-rank knight glared at Lorist with hatred. "You lowly count dare to have someone ambush me? Do you know what the consequences will be?"
Lorist spat contemptuously. "I don't know what consequences there'll be, but the fact that you entered my family's territory with troops without my invitation or permission means invasion and war to me. I'll give you one chance — tell me your identity and the origin of these soldiers, or I'll hang you all as bandits."
"Are you not afraid of the Second Prince's wrath? Do you want your entire family to be wiped from the face of the earth?" The Gold-rank knight was still defiant.
Smack. Lorist raised his hand and slapped him across the face. "The Second Prince's wrath? Heh, I'm terrified! Now that I've touched you, what are you going to do about it?"
The Gold-rank knight flew into a rage. "I'll fight you!" He spread his arms and lunged forward.
Ugh — a fist buried itself in the Gold-rank knight's stomach, doubling him over like a lobster.
Pfft — a punch to his right cheek knocked out two teeth.
Blegh — another blow to his chest and abdomen sent the Gold-rank knight to his knees, trying to vomit but unable to, his face covered in blood and tears.
Lorist grabbed the Gold-rank knight and delivered seven or eight resounding slaps to his face, swelling it into something resembling a pig's head, then tossed him to the ground. The Gold-rank knight had already lost consciousness.
"Drop your weapons. I'll count to three. Anyone who hasn't dropped their weapons will be killed on the spot!" Lorist looked at the armed soldiers in black leather armor. "One..."
Before he could say two, a clatter rang out as every armed soldier threw their weapons on the ground. What a joke — a Gold-rank knight, a lofty battalion commander, had been reduced to a punching bag by this lord and knocked flat in just a few blows. The highest Combat Force rank among them was barely
Lorist hadn't expected these hundred or so armed soldiers to surrender their weapons so easily. He paused, then said: "You're a clever lot. I was hoping to hang a few of the more obstinate ones as a lesson for the rest, but it seems you won't indulge even that small wish of mine. So tell me — which of you is the squad leader?"
Every soldier's gaze fell upon a sweating soldier at the front.
"Are you going to come out on your own, or shall I invite you?" Lorist asked with a smile.
The fellow, whose face had gone pale with fright, dropped straight to his knees before Lorist. "My lord, my lord, spare my life..."
How could these soldiers be such cowards? Lorist hadn't anticipated the shock that his swift defeat of the Gold-rank knight had delivered to these men.
"Tell me who you are and where you came from..."
"My lord, I am the seventh squad leader of the second company, first battalion, Third Army of the Iblia Kingdom's First Reserve Corps. My name is Celit. Our battalion is stationed at Qilin Port. Gold-rank Knight Favenmant is our battalion commander — he's the one..." This squad leader named Celit pointed at the Gold-rank knight lying face-down on the ground. "Today, we followed his orders to come here and assist Viscount Aslan in collecting taxes on behalf of the kingdom and the Second Prince. My lord, spare us — we were only following orders..."
"Collecting taxes? And where is this Viscount Aslan? Why hasn't he come to see me? I'd very much like to hear how the Second Prince authorized him to collect taxes on my territory..." Lorist looked around at the gathered soldiers but didn't see anyone who looked like the tax-collecting Viscount Aslan.
That was right — now that the territory's lord had arrived, the Viscount Aslan who had come to collect taxes should have stepped forward to negotiate. Why hadn't he shown himself for so long? He hadn't even made a sound when the Gold-rank knight was beaten to the ground. This was very strange! Coming to their senses, the reserve corps soldiers turned to look for him. After a long moment, someone shouted: "That viscount ran away! Damn it, we've been played!"
The soldiers erupted in curses.
"Ran away? On Xilowas Island, where does he think he can go? Jim, take two guards and four sailors back to the dock to stand watch. Tell Wilson — without my permission, don't let a single ship set sail. Anyone who resists, sink them directly!"
"Yes, my lord."
"Victor, you're the garrison captain of White Deer Town. Lock this squad up somewhere for now. They aren't exactly prisoners — they were tricked too. Don't mistreat them. Get them some food and water and settle them in. Understood?" Lorist ordered.
"My lord, we don't have money to feed them..." Victor said.
Lorist smiled. "Schwade, give this garrison captain ten gold Fordes. Have him distribute one small silver coin to each garrison guard as a reward for protecting White Deer Town. The rest should be more than enough for a good meal and drinks."
Ten gold Fordes could be exchanged for a thousand small silver coins. After distributing one to each garrison guard, what remained would be enough not just for one good meal but several days' worth.
Victor finally bowed his head and saluted respectfully. "Thank you for your generosity, my lord. I'll make sure the soldiers are settled properly."
"Good. Old Hugo, have the residents disperse. If they all keep standing around here, I'm not providing lunch."
Old Hugo placed his hand over his heart and bowed. "As you command, my lord."
...(To be continued.)