Neighbors Who Would Rather Watch You Die

"Everyone, form up!" While everyone else stood frozen, Battalion Commander Bryce was the first to react. "You, go gather all the companies in the camp."

More than half a month of training had paid off. The soldiers quickly formed their usual ranks and gripped their weapons tightly.

Bryce then assigned two men and ordered, "Escort the earl back to the castle."

That order snapped the stunned Paul back to his senses.

He loudly refused, "No, I'm staying here."

Bryce had no time to persuade him. All his attention was focused on the small boats on the lake that were suspected to be pirates.

The boats on the lake gradually slowed, eventually stopping a considerable distance from shore. The other side had likely noticed that the island was prepared and realized it would not be easy to make a move.

Thus, the two sides entered a standoff, and a suffocating tension slowly spread through the ranks.

After what felt like an eternity, Bryce suddenly raised his shield to protect Paul. Then came a sharp whoosh. By the moonlight, they saw an arrow stuck in the ground not far ahead, with a piece of white cloth tied to it.

The small boats on the water then slowly retreated into the distance.

Once all the suspicious vessels had dispersed, Bryce loudly ordered, "Go bring that arrow over."

"This is outrageous!!!" The others watched as the earl slammed the rag covered in tiny writing onto the table.

It was now certain that the suspicious boats had indeed belonged to pirates. They had likely intended to launch a surprise attack on the town, but after seeing the shore was guarded, they had shot over a letter with an arrow.

The letter read: Greiman brat, you'd better know what's good for you. The brothers have been a little short on cash lately, and the poor bastards by the sea don't have much money either, so we've come to collect a little drinking money from you. Since your old man just kicked the bucket and your territory is such a godforsaken place, we'd feel bad asking for too much. Still, we'll need around ten thousand silver coins. If you really can't manage that, a few thousand will do. As for pigs, cattle, sheep, and the like, that depends on your goodwill. But if the brothers aren't satisfied, don't expect to live in peace. You have one week. We'll come collect after that. Our asking price is already extremely generous. Not long ago, we kidnapped the Horn Bay Alliance's...

The rest had apparently been left unwritten for lack of space. It was signed, "The Lord of the Sea—Quirk I, incomparably great, incomparably wise, incomparably brave, incomparably handsome, and possessed of countless other virtues beyond description."

After everyone passed the letter around, they looked at one another for a while. First Battalion Commander Bryce stepped forward once again to request battle. "Our troops are almost fully trained. They can form ranks properly now, they're well fed and strong, and they're far better than during the last pirate campaign. It's time to let them see some blood." The other officers present nodded in agreement.

Chief Steward Ford objected. "I think we should be more cautious. We might as well negotiate with them first. If we can reduce their demands, there's no harm in temporarily paying them off."

Paul was deeply displeased. Negotiating was humiliating enough, and the recent military training had already drained all the money in his hands.

"Have any of the requests for aid we sent out received replies?" He suddenly remembered this.

An embarrassed expression appeared on Chief Steward Ford's face. He instructed a subordinate to bring over a large stack of thick parchment and place it before Paul. "You should see for yourself."

He picked up one letter. "My worthy nephew Paul, it has been long since we last exchanged greetings. I was shocked to learn of your father's passing. However, with rebel factions causing unrest, I have a duty to defend my lands and dare not leave my fief without permission. I deeply regret that I cannot personally come to offer my condolences..." It practically reeked of last century's stale pedantry. The whole letter was filled with empty phrases stuffed with old-fashioned aristocratic grammar and rhetoric. After going on and on, it never directly answered whether they would help. Paul skimmed it twice and tossed it aside.

He picked up another. "To the young heir of the Greiman Family, if you agree to become my vassal and swear fealty to me, then mere pirates will be no concern..." Taking advantage of the crisis. Tossed.

He picked up another. "Little Paul, they're only pirates. Why take them so seriously? Once they've squeezed enough money out of the commoners, they'll naturally leave. Let him be strong if he is strong, let him be fierce if he is fierce. You only need to defend Lakeheart Town from within your castle..." Damn, had this guy also transmigrated here? Tossed.

He picked up another. "Greiman, what you are doing is improper. As a pacifist, I advise you to open your gates and tell the pirates, 'Bring your instruments of destruction. We will give half our people to you for slaughter. With the other half remaining, we will not surrender'..." Why did every world have people like these preaching nuclear peace? Tossed.

He picked up another. "My dear little brother Paul, it's not that your brother doesn't want to help. Recently, some bastard royal representative came here and bullied and threatened me. He dragged away every last soldier in my territory as conscripts..." Paul cast a teasing glance at Hansel, who was sitting in on the meeting, then tossed it away.

"These bastards. Every last one of them would rather watch us die than help." After looking through that pile of worthless paper, he finally understood why Chief Steward Ford had advocated negotiating with the pirates.

After much consideration, he ultimately agreed to the officers' request and chose to go to war with the pirates.

"Earl, gentlemen, we must first determine the pirates' movements. Therefore, the Cavalry Company needs to spread out and scout, with priority given to both banks of the Ves River..."

"The pirates only arrived here recently. They definitely could not have gone far in one night..."

"Recall the two companies from the New Recruit Training Camp..."

"Lakeheart Town needs some men left behind to defend it..."

The group gathered around a medieval-style map of the territory with wildly distorted proportions, pointing at it as they discussed their battle plan.

In the end, they decided that the Internal Guard Unit and one Infantry Company would remain to defend Lakeheart Town. The remaining three companies would gather and advance along the Ves River toward the coast, seeking out the pirates for a final reckoning.

After settling on the plan, they assigned additional personnel to strengthen the guards and patrols, then everyone returned to rest.

After all the commotion through half the night, the pirates' "divine assistance" had confirmed that Alarda Territory truly could not conveniently send troops. That shut Hansel up. After all, he would be staying here for a long time. Unless they dealt with those pirates bold enough to attack a lord's seat, he could forget about living in peace.

When Paul woke, he received a report that the pirates had been spotted. They truly had not gone far, likely intending to raid an unguarded village nearby.