CHAPTER 71: SILENCED [BONUS CHAPTER]

Marie explained that Count Clement only had five knights. All the other knights were recruited to the capital or the borders.

One knight each was assigned to guard the entry and exit points of the county in the north, south, east, and west. The people have apparently been thinking of blocking the other entry points due to the lack of knights but it would make escaping in case of an emergency difficult.

The only one left of the knights serving the Count remains on the lookout for when the collectors arrive. He stays at the highest floor of the bell tower. In that manner, he can also guard the Count against danger.

Once the collectors were spotted, the knight in the bell tower would ring it so the people could prepare the money for the tribute and hide the children and young people.

Only the husbands, the heads of families, get out of the house to avoid attracting attention. Because, it happened in several instances that if the collectors had taken a liking to a woman, they would take her with them making up all sorts of reasons or just resorting to force.

Marie’s husband had headed to another territory along with other men from the county to purchase food supplies on the count’s orders.

They were supposed to be back before the end of the month when the collectors come, but the collectors suddenly came today. Marie had no choice but to step up since the collectors would forcefully open the door if no one opens it when they knock.

Marie had instructed the children to hide but her son couldn’t help but get out upon hearing his mother’s cries of pain which led to the incident.

Further, the Count’s cooks and maids also have to hurry up and prepare meals for the collectors, or else their dissatisfaction would be directed to the common folks.

"All of these are clearly excessive and abusive. Did the Count not report this to the capital?"

"He did, Your Majesty. Several times since we kept asking for his help. But he never got a response to his letters. Upon writing to relatives and friends, everyone soon learned this is happening everywhere else in Prudencia. Our lord only received a letter from the capital when he dared to send a letter outside Prudencia," Marie trembled as she continued.

Marie told them that when Count Rowell sent a letter to a friend outside Prudencia to ask for help, Count Rowell received a warning letter with no signatory whom it was from, saying that if he dared to send a letter outside Prudencia again, he will never see his sons in the capital ever again. And if he does anything much worse, all of his children would be killed. His children also sent letters telling him not to do anything else or their household would be in danger.

’How cunning and evil of you Gulliver,’ Arabella grimaced.

The Marquess used the Count’s children to stop him from taking action. The people cannot betray their lord either since if Count Rowell’s household will fall, they will also lose their protection. Someone else would occupy the county if Count Rowell and his sons were killed. And they had been good lords to the people, who knows how the next lord would treat them?

’This must be how he controlled and silenced even the nobles in the capital of Prudencia. For noble households, losing their heirs meant the fall of the household. Even if the people are suffering, the nobles also cannot give up on their precious children.’

Arabella grimaced. She was the Empress of Valeria again, but if she was ever made to choose, she would always choose Fermin’s life and happiness over other people she did not know. She knew it was hypocrisy after she had decided to atone for her sins, but she simply cannot lose Fermin ever again. She would truly just go insane this time.

After all, how could she ever sacrifice or give up on her beloved son?

Arabella clenched her fist when Marie confirmed that the collectors earlier wanted to get her daughter as compensation for her son punching one of the collectors’ groin and the tribute they cannot pay.

’This has to end as soon as possible.’

They have a month at most to gather evidence before the collectors roam around again. This was the farthest part of Prudencia so it was the last one they collect tribute from. After all, they did not encounter other men in the other counties.

Alwin and Raymond questioned Marie next and they learned that Count Clement was kind to the people and makes up for those who cannot afford to pay for the tribute.

The Count was also using his own money to help with the shortage of food and he helped the family members of those who perished because of the flood.

But even the Count cannot always help forever since he also had to pay the hefty taxes. The poor harvest last year and the failed crops this year in addition to the flood also affected his coffers. If this goes on much longer, even Count Rowell’s coffers would be emptied.

"We will do our best to stop this from happening again. But we will need your help. In order to condemn these men and whoever their master was, we need proof and witnesses. Will you be willing to be one of the witnesses?" Raymond asked Marie before they leave and the latter froze in fear.

From her thoughts, Arabella heard Marie was worried about her children.

"Worry not, we will protect you and your children," Arabella assured the mother.

"Our goal is not only to stop this from happening in the county but the entirety of Prudencia. We need witnesses from various territories in Prudencia to pluck this down from the source," Raymond further explained until they were able to convince Marie to agree.

Arabella asked Alwin to leave a protection spell around Marie’s house so the collectors would not be able to harm the family when they pass by later on.

While waiting for the collectors to leave, Arabella and her companions went back to the forest and had some tea to calm their nerves since all of them had gotten too irked due to what they had just witnessed. They all needed to calm down to think more objectively and logically.