111 – Then the devil came in through the front door (5)
One jumped out of the tree. Another person turns half a circle and lifts his lower jaw with his elbow. The three of them twisted his waist to attack him and thrust his staff into his uvula. Four people kicked the waist of a guard who was trying to turn and run away.
Soldiers are rolling around. Cain unfastened the soldiers’ belts, crossed their wrists and ankles behind their backs, and tied them to a tree. He tore off the collar, stuffed it into his mouth, and retrieved the whistle from around their neck.
“Uh. Ugh… “
Sochojang Vidok just trembled. With his mask over his eyes and his camouflage cloak of leaves and branches attached, Cain looked like a forest monster. As soon as Cain stretched out his hand, Vidok fainted with a single shriek.
* * * * *
In front of Cain and the White Blood Knights, Vidock actively cooperated with the interrogation. There is nothing he can do as he is hanging upside down from a tree, his eyes blindfolded.
According to Widock, Count Wördem’s soldiers formed a thin semicircle-shaped encirclement and were searching the forest.
It was a reason full of justice to find the person who assassinated Roberta, the hero who ‘dared’ to defeat the Demon King, but the Count family’s soldiers already knew that Wördem and Roberta had an affair. What would she do if her wife was alive? Her lover, who gave her love, has died.
But that wasn’t everything. The problem was that Wördem’s soldiers were plundering everyone they saw and killing anyone who resisted.
They sound like soldiers, but in reality, they are criminals whose identities were laundered. It was half true that Roberta had ‘pacified’ the bandits of the Black Forest.
What Roberta was truly doing was ‘selection.’ After deciding who was useful among those who crawled into the mountain, he sent those who were good at fighting, had a harsh personality, or enjoyed harassing others for their own gain to Wördem.
“I liked the kids who settled in the Black Forest. Because the strong-willed and vicious people disappeared after being taken to Roberta. But actually, they didn’t get any punishment. Rather, I became a soldier of the county.”
“Why did you do that?”
Vidoc’s answer to Cain’s question was shocking.
“Count Wördem is plundering his territory. That way he can raise funds secretly.”
It was not true that Wördem had poor territorial control. Rather, he had a broader influence over his territory than anyone else.
‘A count plundering his own territory.’
Cain understood what that meant.
Wördem, like Goetz, was a swordsman. The only difference between Wördem and a wandering blade robber like Goetz is that Wördem became a blade robber of his own choice.
The reason is sufficient.
Although his control over his own territory is poor, Bördem is said to be Elector Reinhardt’s closest confidant. So, Wördem gave money to the Elector and was firmly assured of his power and title.
A person called a nobleman.
A person called a ruler.
He is eating his people and enriching himself.
Cain was angry. He couldn’t believe this was happening in the Empire. Even that a hero of the Empire was involved in such a thing. The fact that the nobles themselves were so corrupted.
“Why is Wördem leading his soldiers to attack here? “Is this revenge on Roberta?”
“There is that too. But not everything. See you… Wördem plans to capture and kill all the bandits in the Black Forest.”
“… Why?”
“They want to take all the money they earned from passers-by. This forest can’t function properly without Roberta. So Wördem plans to kill them all and take their property for himself in the name of ‘suppressing bandits.’”
It was only then that Cain understood why Wördem’s soldiers had beaten the guard. Even the guard commander, who was eager to extort money from passers-by, was nothing more than a bandit to Wördem.
“What is the story about the mine?”
“Quite up in the Black Forest. There’s an abandoned tunnel fortress. It takes about an hour to get out. It’s easy to find because it’s the middle of a peak that sticks out alone. It was said to be an underground refuge dug by a now-forgotten royal family. It looks like a mine, but it’s not a real mine. “I wonder if even a single piece of stone will come out.”
“Why does Wördem consider that place important?”
Vidok did not open his mouth. Cain deliberately pulled out his imperial sword loudly. Vidok was startled by the sound of metal hitting the sword sheath.
“… Me… I don’t know everything either… Really… “
“Tell me as much as you know.”
Vidok answered.
“I, I don’t know everything. But from what I heard… “
Even the knights who were listening sighed. Maria grabbed Lily who was about to sit down on the floor. The knuckles of Grand Executor Astrid’s hands, who had been listening quietly without saying a word until now, bulged.
Vidok must have sensed an unusual atmosphere and smiled humbly.
“Sure, it’s probably not true. Yes? “There’s no way something like that could happen.”
“Did you participate too?”
Cain growled. B-Dock clicked his chin.
“Tell me. “Did you join in too?”
“… Me, I… ” Heavy breathing.
“… I just took him to the entrance and left him there. That’s it. That’s it! I don’t even know what exactly happens inside! “How should I know what they do by kidnapping and rounding up the children of disobedient serfs?”
Cain was about to throw out her fist, but Lily held him still. Although she too was angry, she calmly conveyed her hand signals to Cain.
‘Is there anything else you want to ask?’
Cain shook her head. As if she had been waiting, Lily hit Vidock on the back of the neck. The knights put the unconscious man in a sack and disappeared into the bushes.
* * * * *
The members returned. The group moved to their seats. The purpose was to go to a pre-arranged gathering place with the guerrillas who had left for defense.
Because there was a story to be told, the group dispersed in a loose circle. The decision was made that it would be better to spread out more widely and be on guard in all directions.
Thanks to this, Cain was able to calmly organize the story he heard.
Roberta and Wördem had more than just a romantic relationship. She was also his business partner.
Wördem plundered his territory with his own hands and harassed the serfs with excessive taxes and labor.
The serfs, unable to survive any longer, fled into the forest. Roberta pretends to accept them, but she selects the tough, fighting, and cruel people and sends them back to Wördem.
Wördem appointed them as soldiers of the county, and then they again harassed the serfs.
‘The serfs eventually come from somewhere. Whether you run away from somewhere else or find a new place to settle down… Count Wördem is kind to first-time visitors. Give me the land without asking any questions. ‘No one knows that it’s actually a trap.’
Among them, there are those who do not listen, those who rebel, and those who are troublemakers who are difficult to obey.
Roberta and Wördem kidnapped the people they cared about to the ‘mine.’ Only the trees of the Black Forest would fully know what was happening in the shelter built by the old king.
With the fall of Roberta and her village, Wördem feared that what he had been doing with her would be discovered.
So, under the pretext of avenging Roberta, he unleashes the hunting dogs he had carefully raised and causes carnage in the forest.
Take away as much as you kill, and kill as much as you take. Leave no one alive except those in uniform. It was the bandits who killed Roberta, so I will take revenge on them.
‘So. With the money that was extorted like that. Being promised a position by the elector… ‘
This is something that cannot be overlooked. Count Wördem is currently wandering somewhere in the Black Forest.
I wanted to catch him and send him to the capital’s court.
If the evidence and statements about Wördem’s misconduct are clear, Elector Reinhardt is likely to withdraw rather than actively defend him. Aren’t the electors of that kind?
“Cain. What are you going to do? “Are you just going to leave like this?”
Maria came closer and whispered. She was with Lily too. Both women’s faces were flushed. It was anger about something wrong.
“It’s right that bandits should be caught and punished. The count is also responsible for driving the serfs to become bandits. So the real responsibility should be placed on the Count. But… “
“But?”
“That is assuming that everything Sochojang Vidok said is correct. All we heard was a statement. There is no evidence. “It means that even if you drag the count to the capital, there won’t be anything you can do there.”
Maria was equally frustrated. She was like Cain in wanting to shout that people were dying.
But the justification lies with the count. If we look at it objectively, isn’t the current situation the same as ‘bandits blocking the army of Count Wördem, who showed up to investigate the death of a hero named Roberta?’
“… “I think it would be a good idea to go to the ‘mine’ that Vidock was talking about.”
This is Lily’s suggestion. And that was also a matter Cain thought deeply about. If you can get some evidence from that mine…
However, Lily’s injuries and Maria’s fatigue are noticeable. It hasn’t even been that long since she had a big fight, and she’s going to a place where she doesn’t even know what’s going on.
Cain made a decision.
“Lily.”
“Yes.”
“You first return to white blood. I’m not saying just go back. We need to find out if any of the white-blooded apprentices left without permission 10 years ago. Maria. You too, with Lily… “
“And you?”
“I will go to the mine alone.”
Unexpectedly, Maria was not angry. She instead turned to face Lily and she smiled. Cain felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.
“Why?”
“I knew you would say that.”
Maria put her hands on her waist, and Lily stood close next to Cain. Maria quietly whispered to Cain.
“You… “Do you feel anything when you see that grand executioner?”
“Be knowledgeable. It’s frustrating. It’s not flexible. But definitely doing the right thing.”
“Then now you understand how we feel.” Maria gently pinched Cain’s side. “No. We’re going there no matter what you say.”
“Lily, you’re hurt.”
“No problem.” Lily shook her head. “Not only is the wound not fatal, but it was treated appropriately. And I have training to fight in situations like this. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
But Cain asked again.
“What about your heart?”
Lily could not answer easily. She just lets out her hot breath between her lips. But her head did not bow. She stands up straight and looks at Cain.
“To be honest, it’s not a good idea. That’s why…That’s why I want to go with you.”
I cried a little due to the urgency. Lily’s voice becomes increasingly wet.
“I don’t think I can bear it if I stay still. Please don’t leave me in my past. Don’t leave me…Don’t go.”
“That won’t happen.” Cain held Lily’s hand. But Lily still turned her head.
“… Don’t send it anywhere without my permission. I won’t send you anywhere if you don’t want to. Let’s go. Together.”
Lily stopped walking and hugged Cain. As Cain tried to hug her, he remembered the scars on Lily’s back and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Maria was happy and covered her mouth. She didn’t care even if the White Blood Knights stopped in her tracks and looked at her as if they wanted to see all the rare things in the world.
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Even though Grand Executor Astrid approached with his hands shaking.
“… What are you doing? Liliana Brünnhild?”
“It’s a private matter.”
Cain answered calmly. Astrid gritted her teeth.