Chapter 26

Actually, Caroline couldn’t quite figure out why she still charged forward despite the glaring blade.

Maybe it was the golden earrings from last time, or perhaps just a servant’s instinctive reaction.

I’m so foolish… and… will it hurt when the sword pierces me?

Caroline closed her eyes, trembling in fear as she waited for the pain.

Puff!

A sound of blade slicing through flesh echoed, followed by a few warm droplets splattering onto her face.

Caroline’s body shuddered, but the tension in her chest eased.

“Good! It doesn’t hurt!”

Yet, just as Caroline calmly awaited death, Sir Lei Meng’s voice reached her.

“Miss Caroline, are you unharmed? The assassin has been slain by me—he couldn’t have injured you!”

“Mmm…” Caroline opened her eyes and saw that the vicious assassin had collapsed in a pool of blood, his sword fallen to the ground, still over a meter away from her.

Caroline’s face flushed crimson. “I… I…”

“Miss Caroline, your actions today were exceedingly brave—I, a knight, am truly impressed!” Lei Meng’s voice rang out.

“R-Really?” Caroline’s embarrassment finally eased.

“Caroline, well done.” Gervas’s praise also reached her, and only then did she feel at ease.

…

What followed was simple and easy.

With Sir Lei Meng, a titled knight, present, the remaining six bandits of knight rank were killed three, captured three.

Of course, the most important target—Codo and several other wealthy landowners—were also captured.

To be fair, these fools brought their own doom; had they stayed home and resisted together, they might have had a chance to escape.

But they foolishly ran to the square, scattering among the crowd, leaving their guards useless.

Thus, not a single soldier was lost as they were all subdued.

And once they were captured, their personal guards could only lay down their weapons and surrender.

“I’m a commoner—you have no right to arrest me! I’m protected by imperial law! Besides, my uncle works in the Iron Wolf City Civil Affairs Office—he’ll help me!” Codo, of course, still tried to struggle.

Gervas sneered, stepped forward, and raised his hand without mercy.

Slap!

“You’re a commoner, are you?”

Slap!

“I have no right to arrest you, are you?”

Slap!

“You’re protected by law, are you?”

Slap slap slap!

“Your uncle works in the Iron Wolf City Civil Affairs Office, are you?”

Slap slap slap!

“Your uncle will help you, are you?”

Slap slap slap!

Soon, the sound of slaps filled the air.

For these short-lived vermin, Gervas had no such gentleness as he showed to the maid’s backside.

The maid’s backside was his future collection.

But these bastards—he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he beat them so badly even their own mothers wouldn’t recognize them.

“Wahhh! Stop! I’m sorry! I know I’m wrong… Wahhh…” Finally, under Gervas’s knightly strength, Codo was beaten until blood and teeth flew, nearly fainting.

His face was swollen like a steamed bun—his own father wouldn’t recognize him now.

And he finally submitted; better to die quickly than be beaten to death like this.

“Now you beg for mercy? Then confess—how did you conspire with the bandits to assassinate me?” Gervas stopped, mainly because his palms were now red and sore.

“I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything!” Codo immediately began recounting how he found Kuntuo of the Scorpion Bandits and hired him to kill Gervas.

The other wealthy landowners turned ashen, knowing death was inevitable—now they only prayed not to be beaten by Gervas.

Bringing these men back to the castle took over an hour; after recording and sealing all their confessions, Gervas ordered their executions.

Previously, he had to consider imperial law—but now the evidence was undeniable; killing them required no hesitation.

After the men were executed, Gervas assigned ten soldiers to escort the captured bandits and the corpses to Iron Wolf City.

It was troublesome, but since Codo’s uncle worked in the Civil Affairs Office, better to be cautious—better to solidify this case first.

After all, Codo was dead—his goal had been achieved.

And with these men dead, their estates and lands naturally reverted to Gervas’s hands.

“My lord, the Storm Domain now has a total population of one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four—all are now your serfs, with no commoners left!”

“Excellent!” Nobles disliked commoners—Gervas felt the same.

From now on, the entire Storm Domain was truly Gervas’s domain.

Afterwards, Gervas returned to the town and, before all the townsfolk, announced that all confiscated farmland would be distributed to the serfs for cultivation.

Of course, though called “distribution,” the serfs would still have to pay taxes.

But previously, they were exploited by Codo and the other wealthy landowners—now they only needed to pay taxes to Gervas.

Naturally, this move sparked a wave of cheers from the serfs—cries of “Our lord is benevolent!” and “Our lord is mighty!” echoed across the square.

With the assassination crisis over, recruitment of soldiers resumed.

Though one hundred professional soldiers far exceeded what a baron needed,

the Storm Domain was far too dangerous—and Gervas was no miser.

Besides, he had his intelligence network; as long as he ensured the domain’s safety, how could he ever worry about lacking funds?

Besides soldiers, Gervas ordered Thomas to recruit castle servants as well.

After all, this directly affected his own comfort as lord!

…

In the castle stables, Lei Meng and five other knights were summoned there.

They clearly sensed why their lord had called them.

Aside from Lei Meng, each looked eager, glancing repeatedly toward the stables.

“Look at how impatient you are—learn from Sir Lei Meng! His expression hasn’t changed at all!”

Mi Gen and the others immediately grimaced. “My lord, Sir Lei Meng is a Bronze Knight and once served as knight captain to a viscount—his experience is beyond our reach!”

Gervas smiled but didn’t delay. “Then let’s begin. I’ve given you the chance—if you can’t tame the Flame Horse, don’t come crying to me!”

“My lord, we will give it our all!” Mi Gen and the other four knights swore earnestly.

But some things aren’t solved by mere confidence.

The Flame Horse’s wildness—even Lei Meng, a Bronze Knight, had only subdued it after using his battle aura.

So Mi Gen and the others, mounted on the Flame Horse, couldn’t last twenty seconds—each was thrown off, bruised and swollen.

After all, the Flame Horse was meant for titled knights in other noble households.

Who would be so wasteful as Gervas, giving it to ordinary knights?

“My lord, shall I help them tame it?” Lei Meng knew Gervas was in need of manpower—if these men couldn’t ride, it would be a major inconvenience.

“No, that’s too troublesome—I’ll have Zhuoyue handle it.”