TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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Sam of Yurdo stared blankly at the campfire, his stomach growling.

As Yurdo's sole blacksmith, Sam had inherited the position after his predecessor died from an infected boil. He'd simply started hammering iron the next day as if nothing had happened.

Blacksmithing wasn't a poorly paid profession. Though working with iron was harsh, blacksmiths rarely went hungry. Until a few weeks ago, Sam had lived without knowing hunger.

But when a beast with pitch-black wings attacked the domain, Sam's daily life shattered. Unbeknownst to him, it was a dragon named Predius.

The dragon burned fields and slaughtered people. Soldiers in plate armor rushed in, only to be incinerated by the black dragon's flames. The Barony of Yurdo was ruined in an instant.

When goblin raiders invaded the devastated domain, Sam fled without looking back. He ran for his life to the Barony of Talian.

Sam's ordeal had continued unabated since then.

"Bread... Do you have any leftover bread?" he'd ask.

"Get lost, you beggar!" was the typical response.

Once a successful blacksmith, in Talian he was just another beggar. The people of Talian were extremely wary of refugees. Sam resented them, but also understood. After all, only priests or monks would be capable of giving alms to the flood of beggars.

'Anything would do... I just want to fill my stomach,' Sam thought as he snapped a rat's bone. He'd already eaten all the animals roaming nearby. After starving for days, he felt like eating even the dirt on the ground.

"Hey, Sam." A refugee from Yurdo village approached Sam discreetly. In truth, there was nothing discreet about it since they were surrounded by beggars' hovels.

"I've got something to tell only you."

"What is it?"

The refugee whispered as if revealing an astonishing secret. "I hear Baron Yurdo is about to make a major decision."

"A major decision?" Sam snickered in disbelief. What kind of major decision could a noble who couldn't stop a dragon and lost his domain make?

But at the refugee's next words, Sam had no choice but to get serious.

"They say the Baron himself is going to open the granary."

Sam's eyes widened. There was only one 'granary' the refugee could be referring to - Baron Talian's warehouse!

"How is that possible..." Sam muttered.

"Don't ask! The important thing is that we need the help of Yurdo people to open the warehouse!"

Sam couldn't help but curse.

Baron Yurdo coveting Baron Talian's warehouse, and the situation requiring help from Yurdo people! The two indicators clearly pointed to one thing: Rebellion. Baron Yurdo intended to seize Talian's food warehouse by force!

"Has Baron Yurdo gone mad? Even so, to rob Talian who took us in...!"

"Watch your mouth! Aren't you from Yurdo?" the refugee hissed.

Sam fell silent.

"We'll all starve to death at this rate anyway!" the refugee continued. "If Baron Talian releases the food, will she feed the Talian people or the Yurdo people? Of course she'll take care of the Talian people!"

The prolonged hunger had made the Yurdo people lose their senses. Die of starvation or die after being driven out, dying was dying. Now that it had come to this, they'd decided to help the Baron's rebellion and at least fill their empty stomachs!

'Sh*t, what should I do,' Sam agonized, his heart wavering.

The refugee's persuasion was far too plausible. Honestly, there was no way Baron Talian would take care of another domain's people right now. On the other hand, if Baron Yurdo succeeded in the rebellion...!

"Come on! Decide quickly!" The refugee urged Sam.

It was right then that another voice called out. "Hey, you fellows! What are you doing here now!"

Sam flinched and turned his head. Had their disloyal plotting been discovered?!

"What's going on?"

"This is no time to be doing this! Hurry! Come this way!"

Confused, Sam followed the other refugee. His jaw dropped at the sight before him.

"What... is that?"

In a wide field, Baron Talian stood in a dress and pointed hat, her subordinates lined up behind her. At the Baron's feet, a werewolf was kneeling.

"A werewolf?!" Sam gasped.

"My God... Heavens above!" someone else exclaimed.

A ferocious monster like a werewolf... kneeling at a noble's feet? It was an unbelievable sight.

What followed was even more shocking. The young wizard standing next to the Baron shouted, his cloak fluttering. "Lord of Talian!"

Wizard Ian pointed his staff at the werewolf. "This werewolf, moved by Heaven's will, has come to offer tribute to you!"

"A werewolf offering tribute!" The crowd murmured in awe.

At Ian's booming voice, not only the refugees but even the people of Talian had trouble coming to their senses. Ian was now well-versed in speeches. The people, mesmerized by the wizard's persuasive voice, stared blankly at Lucy and Lewis.

"Oh! Great Lord of Talian!" As Lewis opened his mouth next, the residents were shocked once again. His voice was unexpectedly melodious for a werewolf.

"Last night, in a dream, the Sky God whispered to me. He told me that I must lend my strength for the suffering people of Talian."

The residents were captivated by Lewis's honey-sweet voice and couldn't snap out of it. As a rule, the same words sound more convincing when spoken by someone with a good voice. To the people's eyes, it really looked like Lewis had received divine revelation and come to Talian.

Of course, this situation was all a setup coordinated with Ian, but still.

"Ian. What was my next line?" Lucy whispered.

"Oh sh-- Just say their sincerity is admirable," Ian muttered back.

Lucy, who had already forgotten her lines, shouted with a bright smile. "Your sincerity is admirable! Werewolf!"

"Baron Talian praised the werewolf!" The crowd cheered.

Lucy spoke in a highly excited voice. "This too must be Heaven's will! I gratefully accept your tribute, acknowledging your efforts!"

"I thank you for your wise decision, Lord of Talian. Heaven will surely rejoice in your decision as well," Lewis replied smoothly.

Lewis snapped his fingers. Then an unbelievable thing happened.

"Wow...!"

"What's all that!"

Dozens of wolves appeared, herding animals as neatly as sheepdogs. They were herds of wild boars and pigs, cattle and sheep, and deer. It was obvious that butchering them would yield an enormous amount of food.

"This is the tribute I offer to you, my lord!" Lewis shouted.

"Waaaaaaah!" Cheers erupted, shaking the ground. Blacksmith Sam was one of the people shouting.

But soon Sam regained his composure. That was tribute offered to Baron Talian personally, not the people's share. How much would fall to the refugees?

As Sam was about to have such thoughts, Lucy raised her hand and declared:

"People, listen! In these times when the evil dragon's breath pollutes the world! Too many have suffered! But Heaven has not abandoned us! Your desperate prayers have reached Heaven! Heaven has extended a hand of encouragement through this werewolf! So in the great name of Heaven! I shall distribute this tribute fairly among you all! For that is the will of Lucy Talian!"

Silence fell for a moment. Then even fiercer cheers erupted from everywhere. This time, blacksmith Sam raised his voice too. Wow! She's going to share the food fairly with us too! She just invoked Heaven's name! Surely she wouldn't lie?

Most refugees thought so. But when someone's voice was heard, Sam snapped to attention.

"Baron Talian! Beware of Baron Yurdo!!!"

'Baron Yurdo!'

Sam belatedly realized how disastrous this situation was for Baron Yurdo. Baron Yurdo was on the verge of rebellion. Having gathered followers and even spread rumors, he had already crossed a river of no return. But a suddenly appearing werewolf had ruined all of Yurdo's plans!

"Huh?" Lucy let out a confused sound at the unexpected name.

At the same time, an armored man appeared from the crowd. "Lies! Baron Talian is a liar!"

"Baron Yurdo!" someone gasped.

Baron Yurdo was already dressed for a life-or-death battle, wearing armor and even carrying a sword. He clearly wasn't dressed to just meet Lucy.

"Baron Talian has deluded a werewolf with evil magic, gathering beasts in a sacrilegious way!" he accused.

At Baron Yurdo's majestic speech, Ian broke out in a cold sweat. That bastard had surprisingly good intuition. The Baron's guess was somewhat true. A werewolf dreaming of the Sky God and bringing tribute? It was all made up. But they couldn't just admit it!

"Shut up! How dare a mere baron flap his lips here!" Ian shouted back.

"M-mere baron?" Baron Yurdo stuttered in shock. He had never heard such an insult in his life!

"To call tribute offered in Heaven's name sacrilegious! You must be out of your mind!" Ian continued.

"No! I know what the truth is! Last night, God appeared in my dream and whispered to me!" Baron Yurdo shouted, pointing at Ian and Lucy. "This is the result of Baron Talian and your evil magic!"

"Dream? Did you just say dream?" Ian was secretly relieved when Baron Yurdo started blabbering about dreams. The fool had no idea what Ian had set up. He was just treating Ian as a black wizard and spouting whatever to justify himself.

Most things in the Middle Ages were like this. Just do something first, then attach some plausible words and it would blow over. Ian didn't know how psychologically cornered Baron Yurdo was. But he knew the man was about to charge in!

"In place of Heaven's will! I shall bring divine punishment upon you..." As Baron Yurdo started laying the groundwork, Ian immediately used magic.

"Darkness!" he incanted.

Ian's dark magic reached level 5. Now he could summon a bit of darkness even in broad daylight. Ian summoned a veil of darkness, concealing himself and Lucy.

This greatly flustered Baron Yurdo. "Such evil magic again!" he cried. How cowardly to hide in the darkness! This made it difficult to kill Baron Talian!

"Archers! Shoot Baron Talian!" Baron Yurdo called for the archers he had hidden in advance. He planned to kill Baron Talian first, then somehow cover it up by claiming the Baron had plotted evil schemes. While also ruling over Talian in the process!

Crossbow-wielding archers aimed in Lucy's general direction. They couldn't see due to the darkness, but figured they'd hit something if they just kept shooting.

However, the archers didn't know who the old man guarding Lucy's side was.

"You bastard!!!" The robust old man, Sword Master Salvador, roared like a lion. It was a perfect posture for a rebuke, as expected of an old man who loves martial arts novels.

"S-shoot!" Baron Yurdo ordered nervously.

The archers fired their crossbows as ordered. Then an amazing thing happened.

"What utterly cowardly and vile creatures!" Salvador shouted. With a series of metallic clangs, he deflected all the incoming arrows with his sword!

"Ian. Are you alright?" Belenka asked.

"Yeah. Thanks, Belenka," Ian replied. In fact, Belenka had performed a similar feat, but it wasn't clearly visible as her body was half-buried in darkness.

"Capture that madman!" Lucy ordered.

"Ugh! Let go! You lowlifes! I am the rightful lord of Yurdo!!!" Baron Yurdo cried as Damon's subordinates seized him, his assassination attempt having failed spectacularly.

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