Killing Innocents for Merit

Uncle Doyle explained further, and only then did Duke and the others understand. Count Santos's personal guards were notorious for their brutality and loved oppressing commoners.

Count Santos's personal guards came from complicated backgrounds. Only some were locals from the territory; many had once been bandits, robbers, adventurers, and the like whom Count Santos had taken in.

These people had not originally come from Silver County and felt no attachment whatsoever to the commoners of this territory.

On top of that, their backgrounds were already questionable. Given the right opportunity, they could return to their old trades at any time.

That was why the local commoners of Silver County feared these personal guards so deeply. It was clear just how much psychological trauma their past experiences had caused them.

Ed was the village chief of Yatai Village. He was already over sixty, considered quite old in this era, and his hair had long since turned white.

Hunched over, he approached the group of personal guards with a flattering smile. "My lords, is there anything we can help you with?"

This group of personal guards numbered roughly two squadrons, nearly thirty men in total. Their leader was a Squadron Leader.

The Squadron Leader jumped down from his horse, walked up to the village chief, and smiled. "There is indeed something we need your help with. Recently, the Count ordered us to eliminate the bandits nearby. Have you seen them?"

After thinking for a moment, the village chief said, "I have only heard of those bandits. They have not appeared near Yatai Village."

"Exactly. We have searched for them forever and still found nothing, so we need your help," the Squadron Leader said.

"Uh... how are we supposed to help?" the village chief asked blankly.

The Squadron Leader grinned viciously. "I think you have lived long enough. There is not much point in living any longer, so why not lend me your head?"

Frightened by those words, the village chief hurriedly backed away and waved his hands. "Th-this... sir, please do not joke with a lowly man like me..."

The Squadron Leader ignored him and said to the soldiers behind him, "Yatai Village was attacked by bandits. Every villager died. We only managed to wipe out the bandits after fighting with everything we had. Understand?"

"Understood!" The soldiers behind him immediately grasped their leader's meaning. They drew their swords and rushed into the surrounding houses, raising their blades and slaughtering the commoners.

"Y-you..." The village chief was furious and terrified. His hand trembled as he pointed at the Squadron Leader, but he could not even speak.

The Squadron Leader could not be bothered wasting words on him. The flesh on his face twitched as he drew his longsword, about to finish off the village chief.

He raised his longsword and was about to bring it down when a pebble flew over and struck his wrist with tremendous force. The longsword fell to the ground with a clang.

"Who is it?" The Squadron Leader stared in shock as two people clad in full armor emerged from a distant house. Ignoring the searing pain in his wrist, he snatched up his fallen sword and hurriedly retreated.

In this era, anyone who could afford to wear full armor was a formidable figure. It meant not only that they were powerful, but also that they had backing.

Vivian was furious. "You actually dare slaughter commoners and kill innocents for merit! Is this how Count Santos manages his personal guards?"

When the Squadron Leader heard Vivian mention Count Santos, his heart sank.

What they had done had clearly crossed the boundaries of accepted conduct. If Count Santos learned of it, they would surely be sent to the gallows.

The Squadron Leader hardened his heart and roared, "Get over here! There are two troublesome ones here! Kill them first! Do not let a single person escape!"

He guessed that Duke and Vivian were adventurers. Since outsiders were present, he could not let them leave.

Otherwise, if word got out, the consequences would be severe.

Upon hearing the order, the soldiers elsewhere immediately rushed over and charged at Duke and Vivian.

Although Duke and Vivian wore armor, they did not have any weapons in their hands, leading the soldiers to believe they could handle them.

Duke and Vivian exchanged a glance, then attacked at the same time with perfect understanding.

These soldiers were all ordinary people who had never cultivated a Breathing Technique. They were far too weak before Duke and Vivian.

Within moments, five or six soldiers had fallen before them.

With their strength, even ordinary fists and kicks were enough to take down these soldiers.

Duke and Vivian casually picked up longswords from the ground and slowly walked toward the soldiers in the distance.

There were over twenty men on that side, yet they retreated step by step under Duke and Vivian's advance.

They had already realized that these two were both Knight Level powerhouses, and cold sweat instantly drenched them.

The strength Duke displayed was also tremendous, so they regarded him as a Knight Level powerhouse as well.

The Squadron Leader's expression changed repeatedly before he finally forced out a conciliatory smile. "You two have misunderstood. We thought you were bandits, which is why we attacked. How about this? I have more than two hundred Gold Coins. I will offer them all to you as an apology."

"Let us pretend nothing happened here. How does that sound?"

The Squadron Leader cursed inwardly. How had he run into two Knight Level monsters in such a remote little village? His luck was truly rotten.

They had completely abandoned any thought of killing Duke and Vivian. Having fought in countless battles, they naturally knew that this handful of men was not even enough to fill the teeth of Knight Level powerhouses.

"Dream on!" Vivian shouted. With a stomp of her foot, she shot forward and instantly arrived before the Squadron Leader.

With a single sweep of her sword, the Squadron Leader's head flew high into the air. The surrounding soldiers immediately scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing for their lives without any thought of avenging him.

Vivian had seen them slaughter women and children with her own eyes. How could she possibly accept their bribe? It only made her even angrier.

After the soldiers fled, Duke and Vivian did not pursue them. There were more pressing matters to handle.

The soldiers had been clever enough to flee separately on horseback, making it difficult for Duke and Vivian to kill them all.

Several corpses lay in the village, belonging to both the soldiers and the villagers.

After thinking for a moment, Vivian said to the village chief, "I am Vivian, daughter of Count Hardy of Maple Hill County. Come with me to Maple Hill County, and I will arrange commoner registrations for you."

The village chief froze. He did not doubt Vivian's words, but sighed. "Our families have lived here for generations. To leave for Maple Hill County..."

"If you do not leave, there will be trouble later. I am a noble, and I understand nobles best. If Count Santos learns what happened here, he will first execute those soldiers, then execute all of you as well," Vivian advised.

"Th-this... why?" The village chief did not understand.

"Because of his reputation!" Vivian said gravely. "Nobles care most about their reputation. Count Santos cannot possibly allow outsiders to learn that his personal guards killed innocents for merit. Once word spreads, he will lose all face."

"Rather than let a count lose face, he will certainly choose the simpler method: erase everyone who knows, including all of you."