Chapter 77: Deterrence At The Border
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Young Master Watson, are you serious?!” Allen had a strange look on his face.
Even if he hated those farmers, he thought that Watson would let them go after obtaining their a.s.sets. He did not think that Watson would order them to be killed. After all, Watson was still a child.
“Watson, please don’t mind me for meddling in your business, but killing these people will cause more chaos,” Vincent, who had brought Nindy back with him, said worriedly.
“That’s right, Watson.” Nindy rubbed her arm, which had become sore from the ropes that bound. She glanced around with a conflicted look in her eyes. “Forget about these manor owners. Folson is an elder of the Mage Guild in Monte Town. They will not let him go easily! Plus, they have already lost their power. So let their people pay their ransom and forget about this matter.”
Nindy had agreed with Watson’s decision discreetly. She also felt that those people deserved to die. However, she understood the world’s rules, and sometimes they would have to compromise with reality.
“Do you all think so too?”
When he heard his brother and sister’s suggestions, Watson did not express his opinion. Instead, he turned to look at the Blackmoon Knights, including Allen.
“We shall do as you say, Young Master Watson. We do not have the right to judge this matter. You are the favored son of heaven, a rare genius that the kingdom had seen in a few hundred years. My admiration for you is like a torrential river that never ends. Therefore, in my opinion, you are always right…”
Allen babbled on and on and attracted the other men’s disdain.
That guy was too good at flattery!
Watson looked past Allen as if the man had farted. Then, he looked at the vice-captain—Liszt.
“I will obey your orders, Young Master Watson.” Liszt knelt on the ground; he did not say anything else.
He was the exact opposite of Allen, who appeared serious on the surface, but he was actually a sultry man with a rich heart. Liszt looked gentle and refined, but he usually did not say much.
The other Blackmoon Knights followed his lead; they knelt in front of Watson. The earth trembled as the armor on their knees. .h.i.t the ground.
“We will obey Young Master Watson’s orders.”
“Very good.”
Watson nodded. He realized that his effort to nurture those people did not go to waste; they looked like an army.
“Well, as I’ve said earlier, take these people out and kill them! You may think that my decision is cruel and irrational, but you can’t rely on compromises if you want to survive in this world. The enemy attacked us first, so do we compromise with them and let them go? Then, the next time, they will bring more people. And should we compromise again? If we do it once, then there will be a second time, and one day, we will not be able to compromise anymore…”
Watson spoke with confidence and courage. He did not look like a child but more like a king who gave a speech before the war.
His men looked at him and subconsciously ignored his age. At that moment, they felt Watson’s charisma as their leader.
At the same time, they thought about Watson’s words.
The young man was right. If Wilber and the others did so many evil deeds, and their punishment was only some of their a.s.sets, other parties would think that Blackmoon Castle was merciful but weak. More people might get the same idea and attack them next. So they had to kill all their intruders and let their blood flow like a river so that other people would be afraid of them and not act so rashly.
However, since ancient times, the rule of war had always been to exchange captives for a.s.sets. Thus, Watson’s actions would probably bring a brutal reputation, especially since he was only a child. Furthermore, it would affect his future development.
“I can guess your thoughts, but why should we care about other people’s opinions? Perhaps we needed to do that if we’re weak. But when we’re strong enough, our Blackmoon Knights will leave footsteps all over the world, and they will tremble under our gazes. Those who have wronged us will have to beg for our forgiveness. We will spare those who submit to us and kill those who disobey us.”
Watson’s blue eyes contained the sea, and at that moment, they also contained the sky.
“I have a wish, a great wis.h.!.+ I want Blackmoon Castle to be the number one faction at the border so that the people in my territory will never go hungry. I want to wipe out all things evil so that this land will not be abused and there will be no war. I also want to become a king here, as well as the king of the world.”
“Veni, Vidi, Vici!”
That was something that Watson had liked very much in his previous life. Emperor Caesar had once said that, which could be translated to as I came, I saw, I conquered.
“Veni, Vidi, Vici!” Allen chewed on those words as he shouted. His face had a strange glow.
“Veni, Vidi, Vici!”
Liszt shouted with him. Then, the other Blackmoon Knights raised their fists and placed them on their chests. Their voices had been relatively low when they shouted the slogan before it finally converged into a loud noise that shook a hundred meters.
Vincent also muttered those words in his heart; he felt an oppressive air that transcended everything. ‘If Watson was born into the royal family, he would definitely become the emperor! No other prince or princess would be able to compete with him. I’m sure of it.’
No, even if Watson was not a royal family member, he would still be king. He was his own king, and he was also the king of his territory and everything that he could see.
‘My little brother always likes to do things that are out of my expectations. He even dares to say things like becoming the king of the world! If His Majesty were to hear this, he would be beheaded at least ten times or more. However, it doesn’t feel bad.’ Vincent shrugged before he sighed.
He did not intend to dissuade Watson anymore. On the contrary, he was proud to have such a little brother.
Nindy was dumbfounded. She had not returned home for a long time, and she still thought of Watson as that runny-nosed kid.
When she saw Watson, she had the urge to kneel and wors.h.i.+p him. That was the same feeling as when she went to the Royal City a few years ago and saw the King when he made his speech on the stage.
The Rainbow Phoenix Chicken egg in Nightingale’s hand fell to the ground. She did not care about it; she stared at Watson in a daze, but there was no disdain in her eyes. She did not think that Watson was overestimating himself. However, there was regret.
She regretted that she did not fight in the battle. She also lamented that she did not send a message to the border count to cancel the test and help Blackmoon Castle defend against the invasion.
Those who could say such words—Veni, Vidi, Vici—would definitely not be weaker than the border count in the future, especially since Watson was already a gold-tier warrior at the age of ten.
“I’ve said what I needed to say. Get to it.”
Watson turned around, and Blackmoon Knights stood up, one after another. Every two knights were responsible for a manor owner. They dragged more than ten men, including Folson, to the castle’s collapsed walls.
At that moment, the Blackmoon Knights carried out the orders strictly, and no one questioned them.
The manor owners cried and begged for mercy. “Don’t kill me; I’m willing to pay. Is a thousand gold coins enough? Please, I don’t want to die yet.” Among them, Wilber begged the loudest, “Vincent, save me, Vincent! Have you forgotten that you used to work in my manor? Who took you in when you were at your lowest? You haven’t forgotten, have you? Let me go, I’ll betroth Monica to you, and I’ll give you the manor too…”
Vincent turned his gaze away. He did not say anything, nor did he look at Wilber. He had asked Wilber the same question—why did he attack the castle? Wilber’s answer was that anyone who stood in his way would die, and his answer to Wilber was the same.
“I heard your name is Wilber Liszt? What a coincidence; my name is Liszt too.”
Liszt was in charge of the execution; he stroked the snow-white blade.
“Young Man, since everyone calls me Liszt, please forgive me—”
Pfft!
Before he could finish his sentence, Liszt’s hand moved swiftly with a silver light, and Wilber’s head flew.
Liszt shook the blood off his blade and looked up at the sky. “From now on, there’s only one Liszt.”
After that, the other Blackmoon Knights followed suit.
Folson was the last person to be executed. Before he died, he had shouted, “I’m an elder with the Mage Guild. You have no right to kill me. You have no right—” Then, a sword pierced his chest.
The ground was covered in blood; the metallic smell rose in the air under the bright sunlight.
It was the 10th day of the 9th month of the 221st year of the Holy Dragon Calendar. Some manor owners had joined forces and sent their allied troops to attack Blackmoon Castle. Unfortunately, they died on the same day, and the alliance leader and Folson were beheaded. The news spread across the border like a storm and caused every farmer to feel fear from the bottom of their hearts.