Were we their kind?

Once everything outside had fallen completely silent, Tiemu and Caesar calmly pushed open the battered wooden door and slowly walked out.

"My son-in-law certainly knows how to get things done! You took down these fools without losing a single soldier!" Caesar said flatteringly, glancing at the nobles sprawled all over the ground.

"Hahaha, you flatter me, Father-in-law!" Tiemu laughed heartily. Then he waved a hand, and a large group of Samurai bound all the fallen nobles and their servants with ropes!

About half an hour later, Yamada struggled to open his eyes. Seeing the crowd of nobles bound just as he was, he shouted in panic, "Tiemu, you bastard! What the hell are you trying to do?"

"Haha! Yamada, please quiet down for a while! Save your strength and beg the new lord in the city for your life tomorrow!" Tiemu stroked his beard, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

"Bastard! You're trading us for wealth and status! Just wait until the Daimyo attacks and takes your damned head!" Yamada spat through gritted teeth.

"I don't know whether the Daimyo will make it here, but I do know I'll lose my life if I don't do this. So please settle down and prepare to answer for your crimes, Yamada!"

"Bastard! Tiemu, you'll die a wretched death!" Yamada glared at him, his eyes red with hatred.

As the other nobles awoke, they too began hurling curses!

"Guards! Gag them!" Tiemu ordered coldly.

"Mmph! Mmph!"

"No! Lord Tiemu, let me go! I'll give you anything you want!" Seeing Yamada's mouth stuffed with a filthy rag, the other nobles began pleading.

"Gentlemen, rest assured. Once I've made my fortune, I'll remember you all!" With that, Tiemu ignored the noisy nobles and turned away.

At dawn, the sky brightened to a dull gray. Corona City had already regained its usual bustle. After the turmoil of the past two days, most people had realized that the force newly arrived in the city treated ordinary people kindly. As long as they did nothing illegal or disruptive, they could live normally.

The thugs who had bullied people everywhere were gone, as were the Samurai who once swaggered through the streets without restraint, and the nobles who lorded over everyone.

Walking through the streets, people encountered disciplined Holy Knights and groups of three or four Priests dressed in white robes embroidered with Holy Light symbols. With friendly smiles, they visited each household, helping people with the procedures and explaining the newly introduced policies!

The tall Holy Knights looked imposing and strong, yet somehow they felt approachable. Children occasionally gathered beside them, pointing and chattering among themselves. Even when the children blocked their patrol route, the Knights merely picked them up gently and told them to play off to the side, showing none of a Knight's stern authority.

Yet it was precisely this behavior that allowed the Holy Light to swiftly take root and sprout in the city!

Just as most people were taking in this unfamiliar atmosphere, a familiar sight suddenly appeared on the street.

A large group of Samurai was escorting a group of finely dressed dignitaries. They looked rather worse for wear, strung together by a rope, their former elegance and grandeur gone. Their hair was disheveled, and filthy rags filled their mouths. Beside them, a Samurai in a general's armor rode a tall, fine horse, angrily urging them to move faster. Whenever anyone slowed down, he lashed them with his riding whip! The dignitaries he struck wept helplessly, unable to voice their suffering, letting out muffled, agonized whimpers.

Though the commoners on the road had no idea what had happened, their old fear of the Samurai still drove them to clear a path!

Seeing the commoners ahead step aside in fear, Kumata immediately called to his men and rode over with them on their Holy Light Wolves to surround the group.

"Who are you? How dare you assault people in the street!" Kumata demanded sternly as his ten-man group firmly shielded the commoners behind them.

At the first sign of trouble, they would do everything they could to protect the commoners and eliminate the enemies before them as quickly as possible.

"My lord, my lord, this is a misunderstanding! Please don't misunderstand!" Caesar hurried out from the front of the procession. Tiemu, who had been driving the nobles along from behind, saw that something was wrong and quickly dismounted, approaching with a smile.

Kumata looked at the two suspiciously, never lowering his guard. Holding his knight's sword, he continued coldly, "What misunderstanding? A whole mob of Samurai, with unidentified civilians tied up-what exactly are you doing?"

"My lord, they aren't lowly... civilians. They're all nobles and their servants," Caesar hastily corrected himself, nearly letting the wrong word slip.

"Oh... And where are you taking these nobles so early in the morning?" The corners of Kumata's mouth lifted in faint amusement.

"My lord, we're turning away from darkness and coming over to the light. Last night, these nobles actually tried to force their way through the city gates and escape to inform the Daimyo. We refused to join them in their wrongdoing. After a bitter fight, they proved no match for us, and we captured them on the spot. Please recognize our sincerity, my lord!" Tiemu said humbly, his face full of ingratiating smiles.

Kumata watched Tiemu's performance calmly. After a moment's thought, he said, "I don't know whether you're sincere, and I can't make a decision about this myself. Wait here while I report to our commander!"

"Please do, my lord, please do! We hope you'll put in a good word for us!"

Kumata cast a sidelong glance at the white-haired old man, then opened the flap on his wrist armor. A faintly glowing Glass Bead was firmly embedded in its smooth surface. He channeled Holy Light power into it, and a screen of light appeared.

"Kumadai, what is it?" Axel asked evenly.

"Commander, while Squad Eleven was on patrol, we encountered a group of Samurai. They've captured some nobles who may be the ones who escaped a few days ago, and they want to submit to us!" Kumata briefly explained the situation.

"All right! Wait a moment and tell them to stay where they are. I'll send men over to take custody immediately, just in case."

"Yes, Commander!" Kumata closed the flap on his wrist armor.

Then he looked at Caesar and the others. "You heard him. The commander wants you to stay here. A larger force will arrive shortly to take you into custody!"

"Yes, my lord. We promise not to move!" Tiemu said solemnly.

Kumata nodded, then dismounted and called loudly to the commoners still watching behind him, "Please move along, everyone! There's nothing to worry about here now. A larger force will be arriving soon, so please help us keep the road clear!"

Watching the nobles who had once stood high above them being offered to the Holy Church's Knights like cattle and sheep, the nearby people whispered among themselves.

Suddenly, a man stepped out of the crowd and fell to his knees, asking bitterly, "Sir Knight, is that Baron Shiji?"

"Brother, what are you doing? And please don't call me lord. My name is Kumata, and I'm a squad leader in the Holy Church. You can call me Captain Kumata or Knight Kumata!" Kumata hurriedly helped the middle-aged man up, speaking gently.

"My... no, Captain Kumata, I recognize him. That baron stole my family's ancestral sword. And that beast not only killed my father over it, he even sent men to violate my wife!" By this point, the man was sobbing too hard to speak.

The surrounding commoners were filled with righteous anger. Seeing this, Kumata supported the burly man, who was crying as helplessly as a seven- or eight-year-old child, with one hand and declared, "Rest assured, everyone! The Holy Church will give you justice. Before, the Holy Light had not reached this place. Now that it has, we will never allow such injustices to be buried beneath the power of the mighty! Justice may be delayed, but it will never fail to come!"

"My... Knight Captain Kumata, you must avenge me!" With swollen, reddened eyes, the burly man clutched Kumata's arm.

Kumata took the man's hand and looked at him firmly. "Rest assured, brother! The Holy Light will not disappoint the people! What you wish to see will come to pass, and you won't have to wait long."

After Kumata's reassurances, the people finally left with hope in their hearts.

Before long, a large group of Knights riding Holy Light Wolves arrived!

"Captain Kumata! We're here to take over."

"Thanks for your hard work, Shishu!"

"It's no trouble, Captain!"

Kumata happily clapped Shishu on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go take custody of them!"

Watching over a hundred Knights move as one, Tiemu involuntarily narrowed his eyes, shaken to the core. He had never seen warriors with such strict discipline. The pressure rolling off them only made him grateful that he had not followed those fools to their deaths!

"All right! Put down your weapons and come with us!" Shishu said coldly.

"My lord, we've come to submit to you. Couldn't we keep our weapons?" Tiemu asked awkwardly.

"If you've come to submit, what do you need weapons for? Planning to throw your weight around?" Shishu looked at Tiemu with a cold expression.

"No, no, my lord, I..." For a moment, Tiemu had no idea how to explain himself.

"Put down your weapons! You're already here. Do you still intend to resist?"

"Yes, yes, my lord! I'll tell them to put down their weapons immediately." Seeing Shishu rest his hand on the greatsword at his waist, Tiemu broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly answered.

At Tiemu's command, all the Samurai reluctantly surrendered their weapons. The bound nobles watched as though enjoying a fine show.

"My lord, may I ask what your commander intends to do with us?" Tiemu asked uneasily.

"Rest assured! You've rendered a service this time, so you'll receive the benefits you deserve." Shishu said no more after that, quietly leading the procession and bringing Tiemu and the others to the Lord's Mansion.

Two Priests in white robes came out. Shishu exchanged a few words with them, then had his Knights hand the Samurai and nobles over to the two separately and escort them away.

Watching his men being taken away, Tiemu was just about to speak when Shishu said indifferently, "You two, come with me to see the commander!"

Hearing that he would meet the mysterious commander, Tiemu immediately suppressed his doubts and hurriedly offered a flattering smile. "My lord, please put in a good word for us before the commander."

"Yes! Indeed! Please say a few kind words for us, my lord. This old man thanks you!" Beside him, Caesar bent his aged body into a deep, full one-hundred-and-eighty-degree bow.

"Enough! There's no need for this. The commander will decide everything!" With that, Shishu ignored them and strode toward the Main Conference Room!

The two exchanged ugly looks, then glared viciously at the figure ahead. Gritting their teeth and clenching their fists, they reluctantly followed Shishu.

"Commander, I've brought the men you wanted!" Shishu stepped aside after speaking.

Axel nodded to Shishu, then looked at the two nervous, apprehensive men and said, "You've rendered a service this time. What reward would you like?"

"My lord, you're too kind. We only hope for a minor official post under you, so we can make a peaceful living," Tiemu answered first.

"Oh! Unfortunately, anyone who wants to serve as an official under me must at least be a Level Ten Holy Light Cleric. Do you believe in the Holy Light?" Axel asked with amusement.

"Well... my lord, although I don't know what a Holy Light Cleric is, I'm a powerful Samurai. I do have experience in suppressing lowly commoners on my lord's behalf!"

"Yes, my lord. This old man was formerly the chief minister who managed money and grain for the lord. I would certainly be able to manage your finances with ease," Caesar hastily chimed in, recommending himself.

Listening to the two men, who still spoke like Carnivores, Axel felt a little disappointed. "It seems I should never have held out hope for people like you. Do you think we're like you? That we need to suppress the commoners and exploit them for money and grain?"

Seeing Axel's expression suddenly change, the two had no idea what they had said wrong. Just as they were about to hurriedly explain, Axel continued in a low voice:

"You said you didn't know what Holy Light Clerics are? Then I'll tell you now. Holy Light Clerics are warriors who believe in the Holy Light. And the Holy Light exists to bring hope to the countless oppressed commoners who can see none. As for us..."

Axel paused, fixing the two with a piercing gaze. "We are the very people you keep calling lowly commoners!"

The sudden surge of imposing power from Axel shook them both. Their hearts trembled, their legs went weak, and they hurriedly dropped to their knees. "My lord! We didn't know! Please give us another chance!" They repeatedly kowtowed, putting on a show of repentance.

Axel looked at the two coldly and told the Holy Knights beside him, "Take them away! Once Bishop Ria arrives, arrange a public trial in the city center! It's time to give some relief to the people who live in fear, struggling so hard yet still unable to make a decent life for themselves!"

"Yes, Commander Axel!"

"My lord! We've rendered a service! We deserve credit! Please give us another chance!"

Watching the two being dragged away, Axel could not help reflecting on his own naive expectations. He had thought they truly meant to turn away from darkness and come over to the light, never imagining that they actually believed his people were their own kind!