The authorities were quite dissatisfied with the steward's answer, but they had no way to act on it.
They could only leave resentfully. Before departing, they warned him, "Don't kill people without authorization next time."
The steward could not be bothered to pay them any attention and simply said that they would abide by the law.
Two days later, the Stephen Family came knocking again, saying that among the people killed some time ago, one had been a collateral descendant of their family.
That was hardly unusual. Even a dragon's nine sons could all be different, and nobles were all so prolific.
Those with good aptitude and high standing in the family were worth cultivating vigorously. As for those hopeless wastes who could not be molded no matter what, they could only be abandoned.
The steward could not completely disregard them, after all. An earl stood one rank below a marquis.
But he explained earnestly, "We did not verify their identities. They infiltrated the fief in secret, and we had the right to kill them!"
Yet the Stephen Family refused to accept that. "So you don't take a marquis seriously? Could it be... you want to start a noble war again?" The steward explained neither humbly nor arrogantly that the current tenants were not nobles and could not decide to start a noble war.
"So they know they aren't nobles?" The Stephen Family members sneered disdainfully. "They certainly have some nerve."
The steward cautiously reminded them, "Sir, this has nothing to do with their identities. The key is that this is Gustin Territory."
"A mere earl's territory," a Stephen Family member snorted before turning and leaving.
The next day, the Stephen Family came again.
This time, they came in force. Three Armored Vehicles led the way, followed by seven or