The feud between Annan and the Mad Dog Duke revealed an absurd, cruel truth: the Mad Dog Duke's men had only burned a few buildings and injured some residents. But the Mercenary Company Annan had hired to protect Free City had killed dozens of innocent Villagers first.
Annan decided to follow the woman to her Village and take responsibility.
Ingrid specifically warned him not to apologize to them as if he were the one who had committed the violence.
"Why?"
"The Villagers may blame you for it... You want to take in the survivors, don't you? They'll bury their hatred. It might fade with time, or it might erupt one day."
"Just put all the blame on the Mercenary Company."
Annan thought Ingrid was exaggerating, but she knew this world better than he did.
"I'll be careful."
Femi led an elite detachment of the Musketeer Corps to the Village with Annan. The surviving Villagers, sick with worry, only relaxed when they saw the woman.
Strictly speaking, they were Annan's Subjects too. Their families had lived in Gem Bay for generations, paying no taxes and serving no master—until a lord arrived.
Annan had undoubtedly been merciful. He had left the locals alone, yet that very mercy had gotten these Villagers killed.
"You can move to Free City now. I'll give you a place to live for free, fresh food, and more work than you can finish," Annan promised the remaining women and children. "You can start over."
Terrified by the slaughter, the Villagers agreed at once. None dared even ask, "Really?" for fear the nightmare would return.
Their fear pained Annan, but he worried that the Villagers, huddled together like quails, would grow more uneasy if he showed it. So he took it out on Femi. "You're frightening them."
"Sorry, my