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Chapter 8 : The Lord of the Domain (3)
He had heard many stories of people changing completely after a near-death experience.
A scoundrel suddenly turning over a new leaf, or a fearless person becoming timid.
He thought it was entirely possible, as there was no experience as intense as death.
But the Young Master had changed too much.
“You killed a temple knight?”
E̊ numӓ.і̄ d̀
He couldn’t describe how surprised he was when he heard those words from Edward.
Frederick was more shocked by the fact that Edward had killed the temple knight than by the knight’s death itself.
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When he asked the villagers, they said he hadn't just killed him, but had done so with a single stroke. The speed at which he swung his sword was so fast that it was impossible to follow with the eyes.
The Edward that Frederick knew was a person who found it difficult to even swing a sword.
It hadn't always been that way.
He had received systematic training from a young age under his father, an excellent swordsman.
Ěn um̌а.і d̃
But his talent was not that great, and as his health deteriorated, he had completely put down the sword.
So, he couldn't easily accept that the burly temple knight had been killed by Edward.
“The priest? What did you do?”
The events before and after the fight were also shocking.
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He had uncovered the identity of the well that no one had suspected, and had led the villagers to capture the priest.
At that time, he really thought he would grab the back of his neck and collapse. Wasn't he a priest of the Theos Church, not just any priest? He had told the Young Master several times that he should apologize to the priest and send him back, but he wouldn't listen.
Е́ n u ḿ а̀ . і̄d̈
The indecisive Young Master had started to become as stubborn as a bull.
“I, Frederick, will devote this body to the Griffith family.”
When he heard the news that an inquisitor was coming, Frederick spoke with grim determination.
He couldn't just stand by and watch the Young Master be dragged away and burned at the stake.
“No need.”
Edward chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.
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Frederick thought the Young Master, who didn't know the ways of the world, was just bluffing.
But.
The Young Master did not lose a single word against that notorious inquisitor.
Frederick’s heart was pounding and his legs were trembling so much that he could barely stand properly, but the Young Master dealt with the inquisitor with a relaxed attitude from beginning to end.
He didn't even waver when the inquisitor ordered the knights to arrest him. He even threatened the inquisitor by making up a letter that didn't even exist.
It was just amazing where such guts came from.
Ê n ǔm̊ ă
And…
“He agreed to give me 500,000 gold.”
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“500,000 gold?”
“That’s about how much they made by siphoning off the well water through fraud. They have to spit out what they ate.”
He had extorted money from the Theos Church, a body before which even the Queen of Aerok had to prostrate herself.
The inquisitor, who was known as a grim reaper, had left after paying money instead of making an arrest.
Ẃ е b̂ṅ ov̈ е̌ ĺ Е numа
When he had first shown interest in the domain’s affairs, he had been happy, thinking that our Young Master had finally grown up, but now he was starting to become afraid of the Young Master.
“This should give us some breathing room, right?”
The Mana Water coming from the well was enough to give them breathing room.
500,000 gold was an amount that would not just give them breathing room, but allow them to practice diaphragmatic breathing.
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“And Priest Thomas has been excommunicated. I heard his imperial citizenship was revoked too.”
All means of protecting Thomas’s life had disappeared.
Е n̆ǔ ṁâ
“That’s surprising. For the church to abandon a priest.”
“He reaped what he sowed. We’ll hold a domain trial in three days, so tell the villagers to all attend.”
* * *
The square of the Griffith domain.
All the villagers, except for those with mobility issues, had gathered.
Logan also headed to the square after hearing the news that a domain trial was being held.
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He said that Young Master Edward would preside over the trial on behalf of the Lord.
The defendant was Priest Thomas.
‘What is he planning to do?’
Logan was anxious.
Looking at the expressions of the people around him, it seemed they all felt similarly.
The righteousness that had soared after learning of the priest’s fraudulent activities had been broken at the same time as the inquisitor’s visit.
W̄e b n̂ö v̀ е̊l Ёn̄.u ḿ а.
Although they had swarmed to the temple in a fit of anger, they had tucked their tails and run in fear when the church showed its might.
Fortunately, the inquisitor had returned quietly, but the anxiety that something would happen soon did not easily disappear.
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In such a situation, to hold a trial for Thomas, everyone couldn't help but be on edge.
“There he comes.”
Soldiers dragged out Thomas, who was bound by ropes. The villagers who saw him couldn't close their mouths.
“He’s completely wasted away.”
E n ūm а. ї d
The torn and crumpled clothes were covered in dried blood. He couldn't even open his eyes properly because of the dark bruises.
His build was the same, but his face was as gaunt as someone who had starved for several days.
“Is it okay to do that?”
“Aren’t the church bastards going to retaliate?”
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No matter how much of a sinner he was, he was a priest of the Theos Church.
The villagers, who knew the power of the church well, exchanged ominous glances.
Ē n um̄ а̃. і̌d̆
‘That guy was telling the truth.’
His friend, who worked as a soldier at the castle, had told Logan. That terrible screams could be heard from the dungeon every night. That Young Master Edward was personally interrogating Priest Thomas.
Even after hearing that, Logan couldn't help but be half-convinced. No matter how much he was the lord’s son, he couldn't treat a priest like that in a situation where an inquisitor had just visited.
But seeing Thomas’s appearance, he could tell that his friend had not been lying.
“That damned swindler.”
“Go to hell.”
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A few, whose anger outweighed their fear, spat out curses. But even they couldn't bring themselves to throw stones or spit.
Thump.
The soldiers forced Thomas to his knees in the middle of the square.
Thomas couldn't lift his head. He just scanned the ground with hollow, dazed eyes.
“What?”
“What’s wrong with him?”
W̆ёb̄n оv́ ӗ l̇. .Е̃ṅuṁ ā
As his head drooped, saliva dripped from his mouth.
Looking at his expression, it seemed he was no longer a person of this world.
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“Is everyone gathered?”
The soldiers scattered to the left and right, and Edward appeared.
It was a strange thing.
The Edward that Logan remembered was undoubtedly a sick person.
Ŵӗ b̊ n o.v е̊ l Ёnu ṁа
But from the Edward he had met recently, he could hardly feel such an impression.
His gaunt body and pale skin were the same, but his two eyes shone with a brilliant light, and his expression was always full of confidence.
Thud. Thud.
Edward, who had come out to the middle of the square, gave the people a cursory glance.
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The chattering villagers clamped their mouths shut. A thick tension filled the square.
“Listen well. From now on, I, Edward Griffith, on behalf of the Lord of Griffith, Baron Roland Griffith, will begin the domain trial.”
Ẁ е̇ b n̄ о̃ v̊е̂ l̊ Е ń ü ḿа
Edward began to read the prepared verdict in a booming voice.
“The defendant, former Priest Thomas, has insulted the Griffith family by spreading false rumors and has embezzled the well water, which is the rightful property of the Griffith family. And he sold it to the villagers, deceiving them that it was Holy Water. This is an act that violates the national laws of the Kingdom of Aerok and the laws of the god Theos, and corresponds to the crimes of insulting a noble, blasphemy, and fraud. Everyone here is a witness. Defendant.”
The soldiers nudged Thomas.
“Yes…”
A sound that was neither a groan nor a word came out of his throat.
“Do you have any objection to the verdict?”
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“Ki…ll me…”
Thomas, who had run away leaving his subordinates behind to save his own skin. But even when his life was on the line, he did not try to defend himself.
He didn't know what he had been through, but Thomas wanted to die. As if death was his only hope.
Seeing that, Logan turned pale.
“I will take it that there is no objection.”
Shing.
En ū ḿ a. іd
Edward drew his sword. Logan swallowed so loudly it was audible.
“I sentence the sinner Thomas to death.”
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At Edward’s declaration, the villagers began to murmur.
Even the butler who had come with the soldiers was bewildered.
“This is a disaster.”
“Shouldn’t we stop him?”
Е ñ u.m ӓ
Logan did not sympathize with Thomas. If he could, he would have wanted to beat him to death himself.
But he was afraid of the Theos Church. Even if the tip of the church’s sword was not aimed at him.
Logan was worried that this matter would cause problems for Edward.
‘He must have a plan. He must.’
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He is a person clever enough to uncover the identity of the well water. He wouldn't do something like this on impulse.
“Lay him on the execution block.”
W̃е̇ b n о̇ v́ ӗl Е ñ ŭ m̈ à
The soldiers laid Thomas on the temporarily made wooden execution block.
“Any last words?”
“Ki…ll…”
Thomas, who had lost his reason, repeated the same words even with a blade at his throat.
Edward raised his sword. The sunlight reflected off the blade gave a cool feeling.
“Cover the children’s eyes.”
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The villagers did as they were told and covered their children’s eyes.
Slice!
With a single stroke, Thomas’s head flew up.
Thud!
The head that fell to the ground rolled toward the villagers. The terrified people stepped back.
The blood that poured from the neck soaked the dirt ground.
Еn uma
Step. Step.
Edward walked forward, stepping on the blood-soaked ground.
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He picked up the severed head and held it high. The blood flowed down and soaked his clothes, but he didn't care.
“From now on, anyone in this land who insults the lord’s bloodline will receive the same judgment as this man.”
Edward shouted with his eyes wide open. Logan felt his heart shrink.
Most of the people here had insulted Edward before. At first, it was just cursing behind his back, but later they had even criticized him openly.
W е̌ b̀ n̈о̊ v̀е̊l Ё_ňu m̌а̌
It was Thomas who had incited them, but it was the villagers who had followed.
“And no one in this land shall extort property by taking advantage of another’s ignorance. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“We will keep that in mind.”
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The villagers nodded their heads. Edward put down Thomas’s head.
“Frederick.”
Е́nûm̈ а̊ . i̇ d
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Bring what I prepared.”
At the butler’s gesture, four soldiers brought a large chest, grunting.
Edward took out the key from his pocket and opened the chest. Inside, dozens of small sacks were piled up.
Edward held up one of them. At the jingling sound, the villagers pricked up their ears.
“This is the gold sent by the Theos Church as an apology for this incident.”
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Logan doubted his own ears.
Even though he was an illiterate person, he knew that the Theos Church was a group that even the Queen of Aerok could not treat lightly.
The reason he had gone around cursing Edward just by listening to the priest’s words was because he was convinced that the priest was a person of higher standing than him.
But for the church to apologize and compensate the son of a lord of a small, rural domain in a weak country, and a lord’s son with a bad reputation at that?
It was something that was impossible by common sense.
“Logan.”
Ѐ núm̆ а́ .і d
“Yes? Yes!”
Logan, who was suddenly called, was startled.
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“Come forward.”
Logan went forward with a bewildered expression.
Edward took out a ledger, checked it, and then handed a sack to Logan.
“This is the money you offered to the temple to drink the Holy Water. Check it.”
Ŵ е́ b nо̊ vеl̃ Е n u m̂à
Logan opened the sack with trembling hands. Inside, there were indeed gold coins. A whole pile of them.
‘This can’t be.’
The Griffith family had no money. With the villagers not even farming due to the drought, there was no way they had money.
Therefore, this money must have been given by the church.
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‘My goodness.’
The meaning of that fact was clear.
Е n̄ŭ m̆ а́
‘The Young Master fought and won.’
Logan could clearly tell.
Who the true master of this land was. And how merciful and just that master was.
Just because the church had compensated them, Edward had no obligation to distribute that money to the villagers. After all, this well water was the property of the lord.
Although they had paid an absurdly high price, it was a fact that the villagers had bought that water, so there was no need to return the money.
“Thank you, Young Master.”
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Gratitude and apology welled up together.
“To think you would care for us wretched people like this…”
Logan shed hot tears and bowed his head. He was grateful enough that he had forgiven his sins, but he had even returned the money he had blown.
Logan was deeply moved by that sea-like heart. He felt he could now lay down his life for Edward.
“How can I ever repay this grace…”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Е̊.ń ù m̂ a . і̇ ḋ.
It was the same for the other villagers.
All the villagers who received a money pouch from Edward burst into tears.
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Now, when every day was like hell, this money had the value of a thousand pieces of gold.
“Long live Young Master Edward!”
Logan shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Long live the Young Master!”
Е̊nŭ m а . і ḋ
“Long live Griffith!”
The other villagers, not to be outdone, also shouted ‘long live’.
* * *
The reason Edward had killed Thomas through a trial was to establish discipline among the villagers.
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He knew it was because of the situation the villagers were in. He didn't punish them separately, but it was necessary to show an example for the future.
‘This should be enough.’
Ėn u m a.i d
The villagers, crying and shouting ‘long live’. The plan was a success.
The stick and the carrot had worked wonderfully, and the villagers both liked and feared Edward.
The awe of the people is an essential virtue of a monarch. Now, the villagers had completely become Edward’s people.
‘One year…’
Although everything had gone according to plan, Edward had a new worry.
Because he had read an ominous memory from the soul of Thomas, which he had absorbed with Black Soul.
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(End of Chapter)
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