Chapter 76

Chapter 76. The Executioner of Westfalen (1)

That evening.

The Provence Mage Tower installation ceremony ended.

The incident involving the Sun God’s blessing also finally calmed down.

As planned, I brought the young priests of the Church of the Sun God back to the lord’s residence.

They needed washing, clothing, and food.

Soon, the priests entered the dining room wearing ordinary clean clothes.

“See? After a bath, haircut, and shave, you all look perfectly respectable.”

They had apparently been so filthy that one senior maid reported scrubbing their backs with a rough sponge while dirty water poured off them.

One embarrassed priest thanked me.

“We do not know how to repay Your Lordship’s mercy.”

“We have plenty to discuss, but eat first.”

I was worried about their nutrition.

So I served wheat bread and lamb.

Naturally, I ate rye bread and oat porridge.

The healthiest meal possible.

One priest was devouring lamb when he noticed my plate.

Tears immediately filled his eyes.

“You give only us such luxurious food, while Your Lordship eats... Ugh!”

“That’s not what’s happening. Just eat.”

“Sniff... The people of Hovion should learn from Your Lordship’s mercy.”

Hovion?

Wasn’t that the village where Anton, the former Dijon knight turned bandit, had taken hostages?

“You built your church there?”

“We still have not been able to construct it because we lack funds.”

“Didn’t the Cardinal of Aachen send money?”

“We spent everything already. Nothing remains.”

What the hell happened to them?

“Tell me what happened in Hovion. Stop crying first.”

“Actually...”

After listening to all the priests, I finally understood.

The village chief of Hovion had become obsessed with the fear of another bandit attack.

He took even the money intended for the Sun God church and spent it strengthening the village walls and arming a militia.

These priests were also repeatedly dragged into communal labor.

That was how they ended up looking like beggars.

Well, during the bandit suppression, the front gate and palisade were destroyed. I can understand the fear. Still, this is a bit much.

What should I do with these poor priests?

There was no choice.

I needed to ask Aachen for money again.

“It is embarrassing, but I’ll write to the Cardinal asking for another budget. When the new funds arrive, do not build the church in Hovion. Build it in Provence. I will personally select the site.”

The region east of Provence Mage Tower followed the coastline and also touched the edge of the Great Forest.

Right now, all eight of my golems were being used to develop that area.

I needed villages and farmland for the steady trickle of immigrants arriving from the Iberian Kingdom.

“And I’ll speak separately with the Hovion village chief. Make peace as best you can and leave.”

“We will follow your instructions. Forgive us for causing trouble.”

I could not imagine those priests succeeding at missionary work in Hovion anymore.

They had already become the village’s servants.

Better to let them begin again alongside the new settlers in Provence.

Even a minority religion’s church could play an important role in a frontier village.

It would serve as both clinic and community center.

Immediately after dinner, I wrote a letter to the Cardinal of Aachen.

[To my dear Cardinal.]

[The matter we previously discussed did not proceed properly.

If you send another budget, I will personally ensure that it is handled correctly this time.

With respect, Eric Marcel.]

I never imagined this letter would provoke Noah Westfalen.

* * *

A report from a spy reached the Head Butler of Westfalen.

The Head Butler personally carried it to Noah.

“Young Lord, this came from the agent placed near Cardinal Maximilian of Aachen.”

“Give it to me.”

Noah almost snatched the report from his hands.

He quickly read through it.

[Eric to Cardinal Maximilian.]

[Summary: Send another budget for the matter previously discussed. Eric will handle it personally.]

[Cardinal Maximilian to Eric.]

[Summary: The budget will be executed immediately.]

“These bastards!”

Noah tore the report to pieces.

He became furious as if possessed.

“These filthy bastards are planning a rebellion! I’ll kill them! I’ll kill every last one!”

The Head Butler stared at him in confusion.

Nothing in the report even remotely mentioned rebellion.

Young Master Noah has become far too sensitive. Why? Is it because Lady Sophia became pregnant? No. A child is practically a blessing from the gods. Then what is causing this...? Could it be because the former Count praised Young Master Eric?

The former Count of Westfalen had once scolded Noah during dinner.

Eric is spreading his name everywhere.

What are you doing?

Perhaps that incident had made Noah’s hysteria worse.

After venting his anger, Noah asked,

“Is there any way to kill all of them?”

“Please calm down. You have a meeting with merchants soon. People outside may hear you.”

“Damn it! Head Butler! Call the Knight Commander!”

“Young Lord, I will summon him after the meeting. Please.”

Only after the Head Butler practically begged did Noah stop raging.

He breathed heavily while touching the necklace around his neck.

It was a lucky charm gifted by his pregnant wife, Sophia.

“Tch. Let the merchants enter.”

“Yes, Young Lord. I’ll bring refreshments.”

Soon, the door opened.

Five merchants entered.

A maid guided Noah and the merchants toward the tea table.

One merchant bowed deeply and placed a small box on the table.

“Young Lord, please help us this time.”

“Do not worry. Even if Father opposes it, I will replace the Tax Officer and Heraldry Officer.”

“Thank you. It infuriates me that honest merchants like us have suffered because of those men.”

This meeting was simple.

The merchants gave Noah money.

Noah used his power to favor them.

The Tax Officer and Heraldry Officer were among the last truly honest officials remaining in Westfalen.

They had repeatedly restrained merchants who abused the people.

Now Noah planned to remove them because he was accepting bribes.

Noah opened the small box and smiled unpleasantly.

“However, we will need replacements. Will this amount really be enough?”

He was asking for more money.

Instead of becoming angry, the merchants’ eyes shone.

If they installed their own people in those offices, business would become much easier.

They might even influence future territorial policies.

“I will bring a larger box next time.”

“Hehe. Good.”

The atmosphere became warm.

They drank tea while discussing corruption.

Then one foolish merchant placed another box on the table.

“Young Lord, these new tea cups recently arrived. They are so beautiful that I brought them as a gift.”

“That...”

Noah knew exactly what those cups were.

Royal Marcel. Those fucking cups made by Eric...

An identical set had arrived as a gift for his stepfather, Count Michael.

Naturally, Noah had smashed it.

“H, hey. Why did you bring that here?”

Another merchant hurriedly tried to stop his clueless companion.

Too late.

Veins had already risen across Noah’s forehead.

He slowly stood.

Then he approached the guard knight.

“Give me your sword.”

“Yes.”

The guard handed him an arming sword.

Noah drew it.

Then he rushed forward and cut the clueless merchant’s head off with one strike.

“Gaaaaah!”

The remaining merchants screamed.

Some urinated on themselves.

Others collapsed while their hands and feet shook violently.

Noah shouted at them.

“Are you bastards working with him too?!”

“No! Absolutely not!”

“I’ll kill all of you bastards!”

“Gasp...”

The terrified merchants thought he was speaking to them.

They stopped breathing as their lives flashed before their eyes.

Then Noah threw the sword onto the floor.

He kicked open the door and marched toward the knight order’s building.

A short while later, Noah burst into the Knight Commander’s room.

“Sir Cain! I need you to do something immediately!”

Knight Commander Cain stood.

He had grown up poor.

Through talent and effort, he eventually reached the level of Sword Master.

Then he pushed Pierre aside and became Knight Commander.

In pure martial strength, he was the strongest man in Westfalen.

“I greet the Young Lord.”

“Ugh.”

Noah became intimidated by Cain’s calm, heavy presence.

He cleared his throat before continuing.

“Ahem. I have a request.”

“Command anything.”

Through Countess Lorian’s maneuvering, Cain had already sworn loyalty to Noah.

Technically, Noah could issue an order rather than make a request.

“Send knights. Bring me Eric’s head and the head of the Cardinal of Aachen.”

Cain’s eyebrow twitched.

“I apologize, but the Cardinal will be difficult. A few knights are not enough to defeat the Holy Knights protecting him.”

In other words, killing the Cardinal would require preparations for war.

Noah’s expression immediately brightened.

“Then you can kill Eric?”

“If you wish.”

“Hahaha! I should have come to you sooner! In the end, family really is the only thing you can trust!”

Cain’s daughter was already scheduled to become Noah’s second wife.

It was Countess Lorian’s plan.

She wanted to prevent the overwhelmingly powerful Cain from developing independent ambitions.

In return, Cain had reasons of his own for accepting even an absurd assassination request.

He did not want anything interfering with his daughter’s marriage.

He also possessed darker ambitions.

Just let my daughter give birth to a son. I’ll kill this idiot and every other male in the family. Eric too, if necessary. Better to eliminate him now.

Cain’s ambitions were no different from those of Janis Dijon.

Westfalen was a savage place filled with hyenas.

Meanwhile, after laughing alone for a moment, Noah lowered his voice.

“Who will you send?”

“Brock, Raines, Ambrose, and Ziegler. All four are Upper-rank Sword Experts. I will also send Lawrence. He has a personal grudge.”

Lawrence was the Mid-rank senior knight who had once tried to stop Eric and been beaten badly.

The five were Cain’s closest men within the knight order.

“My, my. Eric is already dead.”

Noah’s voice trembled with excitement.

Finally, that bastard Eric! I’ve wanted to kill him for so long! For a very long time... Wait. Since when? Why did I want to kill Eric? When we were young, Eric and I... My memories...

“Ghk!”

A sudden headache struck.

Noah grabbed his head and stumbled.

Cain supported him and guided him toward the door.

“Young Lord, are you all right? I’ll summon a priest.”

Even while groaning from the headache, Noah suddenly felt intense resistance toward the word ‘priest.’

He hurriedly stopped Cain.

“No. I’m fine now. I’ve simply been tired lately.”

“I’ll take you to Lady Sophia.”

“Thank you.”

Cain summoned squires to support Noah.

Eventually, Noah reached his wife Sophia’s room.

He ignored all etiquette and collapsed onto the bed.

“Sophia, I need to rest. My head hurts.”

“...Yes, Young Lord.”

Sophia stared down at him with an expressionless face.

Even as Noah fell asleep, he tightly held the necklace Sophia had given him as a lucky charm.

Sophia Westfalen.

Daughter of Count Dijon.

Wife of Noah Westfalen.

And mother of his unborn child.

The necklace seems to be working perfectly.

The necklace contained several black magic curses.

[Mental Weakening].

[Anger Control Disorder].

And even [Cognitive Collapse].

It was an expensive magic item personally created by the Tower Master of Basra Mage Tower, a famous institution of black magic.

It could even avoid ordinary curse detection magic items.

In less than a month,

Noah was destined to go completely insane and die.

Once my precious child is born, he will immediately become lord. Hehe.

Sophia’s thoughts were simple.

Noah was only twenty-one.

If Noah lived until eighty, Sophia’s child would be nearly sixty before becoming Lord of Westfalen.

At that point, it might be better for a grandson to inherit instead.

But if Noah and Count Michael died, everything changed.

And Sophia had her older brother Janis Dijon.

Her ‘beloved’ brother had promised her.

Once Sophia’s child became Lord of Westfalen, Janis would become the child’s godfather and teacher.

He would also help govern the territory until the child grew up.

Sophia rubbed her stomach.

A weak smile appeared on her face.

She dreamed of a happy future with her ‘real family.’