Night was approaching. Claire stood on the balcony outside the study, propping her chin on her hand as she gazed over Nafu City spread out below her.
"Creak!" The door opened, and Regan entered carrying a plate of fruit.
"My lord, this is fruit the people sent over this morning. Please have some."
Claire did not turn around, continuing to look out at the scenery. "Mm, got it."
"What is my lord looking at?" Regan asked curiously.
Hearing that, Claire finally turned around. She walked inside, picked up a piece of fruit from the table, and put it into her mouth. "Don't you think Nafu City is getting a little old?"
Regan did not know what to say and could only reply, "It has been several decades, after all. An aging city district is only natural."
"Mm." Claire nodded and continued, "What time is it now?"
"It's already past eleven..."
"Then it's about time." Claire turned back toward the city gates. "Our government officer should be leaving the city by now."
Time rewound to the night before.
It was also nighttime then. In the meeting hall of the Baronial Manor, only Claire and Hant were present.
"Tomorrow night, the government officer of our barony will be leaving his post. From what I know of him, he should choose to depart at night. You know what to do, right?"
A cold glint flashed through Hant's eyes. "Understood, my lord!"
Claire continued, "Kill anyone taller than the wheels..."
Hant hurriedly praised her, "My lord, you are truly too merciful."
"For anyone shorter than the wheels, put stones under their feet. What did you just say?"
Hant covered his mouth. He had spoken too quickly just now, and his mind raced before he added, "You are truly a wise lord!"
At midnight, three horse-drawn carriages laden with heavy cargo departed Nafu City under the protection of a group of mercenaries, heading north.
Traveling under the cover of darkness, Frank looked back at Nafu City, which he had governed for thirteen years. It would no longer be so easy to make money here in the future.
While he was still feeling melancholic, screams from the mercenaries came from outside the carriage window.
"What's going on?!" Frank drew the dagger from his robes and rushed out.
What greeted his eyes was silver armor gleaming beneath the moonlight, along with a familiar figure at the forefront.
"Hant?!" Frank cried in shock.
"It's me!"
"The Viscount said he would let me leave. What are you trying to do?!"
"Yeah, aren't we letting you leave? We're already dozens of miles from Nafu City." Hant smiled, greatsword in hand.
As they spoke, the mercenaries had all been killed by the knights under Hant's command. The two sides were not even on the same level.
"Claire! We clearly made an agreement, yet you went back on your word! You petty villain!" Frank could only roar in impotent fury.
"Pfft!" Hant's greatsword pierced straight through his chest. "Anyone who dares disrespect my lord deserves death!"
"Claire! You bastard! Demon! I curse you to go to hell with me!"
"Stop shouting. My lord asked me to pass on a message." Hant pulled out his greatsword.
Frank's face turned even paler as blood continuously poured from his chest. Even speaking was difficult now, yet he still forced himself to raise his head. He wanted to know what Claire's final words for him were.
"My lord said: You won't be lonely on the road."
Frank froze, seemingly understanding something. He burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Cough, cough! Hahaha..." In the end, his life ebbed away amid his mad laughter.
The sixty knights quickly cleaned up the scene, leaving behind no trace.
"Fall in! We have to return to Nafu City before dawn!"
"Yes!" The youths' shouts echoed across the plains.
At dawn, the knight squad, reeking of blood, appeared within Nafu City.
The townsfolk gathered around to watch the excitement.
"Whoa! Is that blood on them?!"
"It smells awful, but they really look cool!"
"Exactly. That kind of armor needs to be paired with bloodstains."
Claire had also arrived at the city gate early to welcome them. Seeing the knight squad, she praised them, "This time, you eliminated a cancer of Nafu City!"
The youths all smiled. Only they knew the meaning behind those smiles, and Claire was right—this time, they truly had removed a cancer from Nafu City.
Walking up to Hant, Claire lowered her voice and asked, "How much did he take with him?"
Hant replied quietly, "About twenty thousand Gold Coins."
Claire's eyes flickered. So his entire fortune was only thirty thousand Gold Coins, yet he had another twenty thousand stored at home.
"Let's go back."
"Yes, my lord!"
However, at that moment, the nobles approached with smiles on their faces.
"Congratulations to Captain Hant on your triumphant return!"
As they spoke, they kept turning sideways to look behind the knight squad, but they could not see what they wanted to see.
"Um... where are our goods?!" Lord Wilbur asked directly.
"What goods?" Hant feigned ignorance.
Claire smiled at the side. "The goods those noble lords had stolen, of course."
"Oh!" Hant pretended to suddenly understand. "Those bandits said they had already sold that batch of goods on."
"How is that possible?!" Lord Wilbur shouted. "It has only been a few days! Did those bandits really have the ability to sell goods worth hundreds of thousands?"
Hant spread his hands. "That's what they said. If you don't believe me, why don't you go down and ask them?"
"You!" Lord Wilbur pointed at Hant's nose, about to curse him out, but Baron Eugene stopped him.
Baron Eugene was also suppressing the rage in his heart. A bad feeling rose within him, and he quickly tested the waters with Claire. "My lord, when will we divide that thing of ours?"
"Divide what?" Claire took several steps back, a smile appearing on her face as she shouted, "Oh! You mean the donations!"
Seeing Claire's movement, Baron Eugene felt an eerie sense of familiarity. He had seen that same gesture at the clinic before.
"I would like to thank all you nobles for the money you donated! A full four hundred and thirty thousand Gold Coins! How generous of you!" As she spoke, Claire turned and pointed toward the city gate. "I think we should build a monument for you here in the future, so that whenever the people see it, they will remember your selfless contributions!"
"Claire!" Baron Eugene's teeth were nearly crushed from clenching them so hard!
"Clang!"
The sound of swords being drawn in unison came from the knight squad behind them. When the nobles looked over, they found the knights glaring at them like tigers watching prey. Any unusual movement, and those swords would immediately come down on them.
"Click!" The sound of a cylinder sliding into place rang out. When they looked over, black gun barrels were already aimed at them.
Terror appeared on the nobles' faces, and they fled the scene in panic.
Before you continue