Chapter 216

"Is that so? Are you certain you don't want to seize this chance to live?"

"Besides, the faces of that Silver Wolf Tribe's heir, Iron Claw, were a joy to slap—wonder if the faces of other tribe heirs will be just as satisfying?"

"Why not… I try one right now?"

Swinging his wrist, Gervas prepared to leave the cell.

Whoosh!

All the tribe heirs who had been straining to listen turned pale, trembling with fear as they scrambled into corners.

"Devil! You're a devil!" Freya's eyes burned red, on the verge of tears from rage.

"One last time—do you agree?"

"I… I agree…"

"Louder! I can't hear you!"

"I agree!" The cry drained the last of Freya's strength; after speaking, she slumped completely.

"Good, good! For your sake, I'll hold off on slapping their faces—for now. But if you ever misbehave, I'll come back to enjoy it later."

"Of course, you still need to write the ransom letters! Carolyne!"

"My lord, your servant is here!" Carolyne, who had been waiting outside the cell, stepped in.

"Attend to the Silver Moon Princess and tidy her up. If you're to serve me, you can't stink like a beast!"

"I… you…!" The Silver Moon Princess's anger flared again—who stank?

"Come on, you little bitch!" Seeing Freya dare glare at her lord, Carolyne shoved her shoulder roughly.

This barbarian tribe princess had dared to assassinate her lord—Carolyne would never give her a kind look.

Upon hearing Carolyne's curse, Freya's beautiful eyes instantly locked onto her.

But then Gervas's voice drifted softly: "A servant must know a servant's rules! During this time, you will obey discipline!"

"And Carolyne is your acting head maid—do you understand me?!"

"Did you hear that, little bitch? My lord ordered you to listen to me!" Carolyne had been momentarily shaken by Freya's gaze.

After all, Freya was no weakling—she had combat strength.

But with her lord backing her, Carolyne straightened her spine instantly.

Freya clenched her teeth and looked away!

Thus, Freya was taken away by Carolyne!

Meanwhile, Gervas ordered the tribe heirs to write ransom letters.

Once everything was settled, Gervas left the dungeon.

"By the way, since each is worth hundreds of gold coins, don't let them starve—give each half a black bread loaf daily from now on!"

"Yes, my lord!"

After giving his orders, Gervas returned directly to the inner keep.

And just then, the Silver Moon Princess had finished washing up.

Her previous fur garments had been removed, replaced by a simple linen maid's dress.

The bone ornaments on her head and body were gone—only a linen strip remained, tied around her hair.

Of course, even in such plain attire, her tall, statuesque figure could not be hidden.

Having grown accustomed to delicate, frail noble ladies, Gervas found the Silver Moon Princess's refined features uniquely alluring.

"My lord!"

"M… my lord!"

"Good, good! Now follow Carolyne closely—how well those tribe heirs fare depends entirely on you!"

Freya's heart burned with bitter resentment, but she dared not show even a trace of disrespect—only bowed her head in silence.

"My lord asked you a question—did you hear him? Are you deaf? As a maid, you must answer immediately!"

Carolyne no longer called her "little bitch"—Freya was now playing the role of a maid.

And as acting head maid, she couldn't curse inside the castle.

"I… I heard… my lord!" Freya replied, humiliated.

"Good. Now go write the ransom letters to your tribal chieftain fathers!"

Afterwards, Gervas took Freya to the back garden.

"White Cloud!"

Hoo-hoo!

Freya's white-feathered owl was now bound in chains, utterly motionless.

Upon seeing its master, it struggled wildly in excitement.

This time, Gervas intended to send this first-rank beast to deliver the letters.

After all, those heirs were all gold coins—he couldn't bear to let them go.

And the journey was long; if one or two men went alone, the danger was too high—whereas this first-rank flying beast…

Was both safe and swift.

Learning Gervas intended to spare her mount, Freya was overjoyed, immediately calming and instructing White Feather to deliver the letters.

Gervas tied the letters to the owl's neck in a leather pouch, then ordered the chains removed.

With a rustle, the white-feathered owl soared into the sky.

Letting out a cry, it flew southwestward.

"Come on—let's go to the village!"

After sending the ransom letters, Gervas took his "new maid" to the village square.

…

"Oh, my lord, what's going on? Why so many people?"

As they approached the village, they saw crowds swarming the Wheatfield Town square.

Carolyne, who loved a good spectacle, immediately asked curiously.

After all, today wasn't a caravan arrival day.

"Because we're about to carry out an execution—this is the first official hanging in Stormhold, and that's why I came."

"Hanging!" Carolyne's eyes widened, excited yet fearful.

Carolyne's reaction was typical of a medieval mindset.

To them, a hanging was as ordinary and thrilling as a child watching a pig slaughtered for the New Year.

"My lord, everything is ready!"

As Gervas took his seat on the temporary viewing platform, Captain Laurence rushed over to report.

"Then begin."

"Yes, my lord!"

Immediately, Captain Laurence hurried to one side of the square and ordered soldiers to bring up five prisoners wearing linen hoods.

With a rustle, the hoods were ripped off—five prisoners' faces were fully revealed.

But these faces were unfamiliar to the people of Stormhold.

Everyone began whispering, wondering who they were and why they'd been sentenced to hang.

Yet one person in the crowd reacted violently upon seeing the prisoners.

"Do they look familiar, my maid Freya?"

That person was Freya, the maid.

And those five prisoners were clearly the captives who had guided the barbarian tribe yesterday—whom she had spared.

"They're innocent! We forced them to guide us! Why are you executing them?" Freya could no longer suppress her fury, confronting Gervas.

Clearly, Freya still felt pity for them.

Gervas finally confirmed: Freya was unlike ordinary barbarians.

She did not see all humans as enemies.

He smiled lightly: "Innocent? Maid Freya, do you think I'm executing them because they guided you?"

"No, no, no! I'm not that cruel to my own people—under such circumstances, I'd only sentence them to years of hard labor!"

"Their real crime? Robbery."

Freya froze.

Gervas waved his hand, signaling Laurence to continue.

Laurence stepped beneath Gervas's platform and began recounting their crimes.