I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 62

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Inheriting a Beautiful Wife and Estate Episode 062

62. Bandit Subjugation

Bandits had appeared.

It seemed that people from the Platys Family or the Leton Mercenary Corps were behind those bandits.

This was the report delivered by a messenger who had come.

“When they see our riders, they’ll tuck their tails and run away on their own. It’s an easy solution.”

Belgimov advised.

At some point, he had taken on the role of Cliff’s strategist. Other Dark Elf Elders, including Mellie, did the same, but none as much as Belgimov.

Cliff closed his eyes upon hearing those words.

‘Elder Belgimov is right.’

There was an easy solution.

Simply showing their power.

This aligned with the plan Cliff had been harboring. They intended to show the Wolf Riders to the world and announce that the Elimis Domain possessed such strength.

‘Normally, I would have ended it at that.’

Cliff turned his head with a stern expression.

“Teobaldt.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“What would happen if our soldiers clashed with those bandits?”

Cliff’s cold inquiry.

Teobaldt’s expression also became serious upon hearing this. Gradually, Teobaldt began to understand Cliff’s intentions.

“We will definitely win.”

And he declared with a confident tone.

Though they still didn’t know the enemy’s strength or their backing, his answer was full of confidence.

Cliff nodded.

Belgimov asked him.

“Will you fight?”

Whether to fight.

From Cliff’s perspective, he became curious. What advice would Belgimov, his strategist, give if he said he would?

“If I were to do so?”

“If you wish to fight, you must first ascertain the enemy’s capabilities. Send the clan’s warriors. They will scout the enemy and report their strength.”

Cliff was well aware of the Dark Elves’ stealth techniques.

Cliff nodded.

“I was thinking of doing that anyway. But… we don’t even know where they are, so can you find them?”

“There is no one who can hide from the Shadow Clan.”

Belgimov showed confidence.

He said.

“Not just us, but attach a few of those detestable wolves as well. We are superior at stealth, but they are more specialized in tracking than us.”

A racial perspective, one might say.

Belgimov still referred to the Shadow Wolves in such a manner. But separate from that hostility, he acknowledged the Shadow Wolves’ competence.

“Let’s do that.”

Cliff nodded, then added with a serious expression.

“Even if you can’t extract information, that’s fine, but tell them absolutely not to get caught. Make sure they don’t notice our presence.”

“My lord… you’re thinking of surprise tactics.”

Belgimov’s eyes gleamed with interest upon hearing Cliff’s words.

Cliff gave a bitter smile.

He said.

“Elder Belgimov.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Sir Anton reported to me that there’s definitely backing behind the bandits. Some force with impure intentions.”

Belgimov had never met Anton or Adolf yet.

He only knew that Anton was Nigel’s acquaintance and Adolf was Vivian’s father.

He quietly listened to Cliff’s words. Cliff spoke to him.

“But I’m certain there’s no backing behind this incident.”

Cliff denied his subordinates’ reports.

Did this mean he doubted Anton and Adolf’s insight or judgment?

Belgimov looked into Cliff’s eyes and thought that wasn’t it. So inferring what Cliff was saying now, it roughly came to this.

“My lord… you want them to be bandits.”

Exactly this part.

This was different from a simple wish.

Cliff wanting them to be bandits wasn’t because he truly wished the opponents were bandits. Rather, it had another meaning.

‘I sense an intention to make them into bandits.’

Cliff had no intention of investigating the opponents’ backing.

Cliff nodded.

“Yes. They are bandits. Do you happen to know the difference between bandits and enemy soldiers in human society?”

“Is that perhaps… related to this surprise operation?”

Cliff nodded.

“Territorial wars must proceed according to established procedures. You have to declare when you’ll attack them. But bandit subjugation is different.”

Simply, bandits had appeared in the territory.

And they just needed to be subjugated.

Troublesome procedures weren’t important. Subjugating bandits fell under the lord’s internal affairs and public order maintenance duties.

So the beginning and procedures were different.

And there was something else different.

“Also, enemy knights or soldiers captured in war are prisoners. They must be treated as prisoners. But bandits are different.”

Bandits were simply bandits.

They were criminals.

The punishment given to criminals was at the lord’s discretion.

They could be spared or killed.

Or they could be made into slaves and sent to desired battlefields.

‘Right. For example, the front lines of battles against goblins.’

Cliff said.

“I want to treat them as criminals, not prisoners.”

Belgimov’s eyes glinted coldly as he listened to Cliff’s words.

“If that’s the case, may I gladly share one thought for my lord?”

Mercenaries and bandits were like two sides of a coin.

Meaning they could flip at any time. Mercenaries could become bandits, and bandits could become mercenaries.

The Leton Mercenary Corps was the same.

“It’s a black commission.”

“What’s the content?”

The commission that Leton, the mercenary captain, had brought.

Rick, who was both a mercenary company officer and his second son, asked about its content.

Rick’s face showed anticipation as he asked.

Rick preferred black commissions that couldn’t be disclosed externally.

‘I hope this time I can plunder to my heart’s content like last time…’

While Rick’s eyes gleamed with desire at that thought, Marcos, the eldest son, was different.

He wasn’t pleased about black commissions.

Especially today, his instincts felt strangely uneasy.

‘I feel like we shouldn’t take this commission…’

However, his father’s eyes looked strange today.

The reason could be understood from the words that came from his father’s mouth.

“Ballard Territory.”

Startled.

The two brothers looked at Reton in surprise.

Both brothers had also been in the Ballard territory when they were young. Especially the eldest son, Marcos, had clearer memories of when he was with the Ballard family.

How their father had been driven out.

His father, Reton. He had been driven out due to the fear of his uncle who had become the heir.

‘Father never once coveted the lord’s position.’

Reton had ability.

He had excellent qualities as a knight. In contrast, the previous Baron Ballard, Reton’s older brother, had ordinary talent in all areas.

Though Reton was the second son, the atmosphere in the territory at that time favored the talented younger brother over the incompetent older one.

Reton didn’t follow that flow, but that’s what caused problems. The previous baron who became the young lord drove Reton out.

‘After such an incident, he was someone who never even mentioned that name once…’

And the Ballard Barony.

He hadn’t mentioned it, but there were recent rumors he’d heard from there.

“Does this have to do with… the new owner of that place?”

Marcos asked Reton carefully.

Reton nodded.

“Yes. It seems there’s someone who doesn’t like that owner.”

When Reton nodded, Rick asked hastily.

“Could it be that we can reclaim the territory?”

At that question, Reton immediately frowned.

“Pathetic fool. How could that be possible? Baron Elimis has Count Platice and Duke Aidren of the homeland behind him.”

“Eh? Then…”

“They just want us to cause a little disturbance.”

After saying this, Reton added.

“If there’s anyone in that territory who remembers my face, they might mistake me for having foolish thoughts.”

But Reton was too old now.

Reton, who was now forgetting even past grudges, had no reason to covet the Ballard territory.

Or so he thought.

‘To think that just hearing that name would make my blood boil like this.’

Reton could guess the other party’s intentions.

He had spent a long time on battlefields.

And he had taken on various dirty jobs without discrimination. Reton had come to realize how cunning nobles could be.

Compared to his brother who had driven him out, nobles were far more rotten inside.

“They want people to think that I… or someone among Count Platice’s retainers who doesn’t favor Baron Elimis is behind this.”

“Then… there’s a real mastermind behind this?”

“Of course. It’s other people. They plan to abandon us.”

Reton said with a frown.

“It might really be one of Platice’s subordinates, but… they didn’t properly reveal their identity to me. They probably plan to abandon us even in the worst situation.”

“Then… what do you plan to do?”

“Well. We’ll carry it out moderately and then withdraw before it’s too late.”

The same way they’d always done things.

Reton said with a confident expression.

“Fortunately, Ballard Village is full of people who can be our eyes and ears.”

Though decades had passed since leaving the Ballard territory, Reton was confident.

That he could hide himself there without being too late.

“When we appear… the lord’s army from the south will definitely show up.”

Whether for subjugation or just to be on guard, the lord would come to Ballard Village leading his army.

This would be impossible to miss.

After hearing all that, Marcos asked.

“Will we leave the territory then?”

Reton raised the corners of his mouth.

“No.”

That firm statement.

Marcos was flustered by that tone.

Rick seemed excited instead.

“Oh. Then we’re going to have a showdown with that new lord? That sounds fun.”

“Foolish talk!”

Reton scolded his younger son.

Rick expressed his dissatisfaction at those words instead.

“Why are you scolding me like that? We’re originally of Ballard family blood, so we have justification, and with father, brother, me, and Gilip, there are four knights here.”

They could definitely fight and win.

“How can you be so confident? The opponent defeated two knights and gained that territory. Also, Adolf is under his command, and there’s said to be a spirit mage there too.”

Of course, Reton was confident he wouldn’t lose in a direct fight.

The knight who overwhelmed Adolf and killed Rowi, and the spirit mage were certainly threatening, but.

‘With my skills, I wouldn’t lose.’

Reton was certain of his victory.

However, there are always variables on the battlefield.

“I’m sick of gaining things through fighting. We will… go to Ballard Village openly. As a mercenary company.”

“What… do you mean by that?”

“Then we’ll say this. That we heard rumors of bandits in the area and came. Also, since the lord received the southern region of Platice, we thought he might hire mercenaries for goblin subjugation there, so we came.”

They would propose in reverse that the lord hire them.

The lord might question whether they were the bandits causing the disturbance, but,

“Though I was driven from the family, I too am of noble blood. Though you became commoners because I couldn’t receive a title, it would be difficult for the lord to insult me as the son of the baron two generations ago, an honorable noble.”

If he did insult him, that would be good in its own way.

Reton said.

“If he insults me… I will challenge him to a sacred knight’s duel.”

And if he won that knight’s duel?

“Then I’ll ask for Ballard Village as my manor. Of course, I too would have to swear loyalty to the young Lord Elimis in return, but the young lord would be satisfied to gain me, you… and the mercenary company we’ve raised.”

Especially since he’d need more forces to fight goblins soon.

Reton said.

“We don’t need to fight that lord.”

Rather, the lord was the sovereign they should serve.

This was sincere.

Since Reton had originally intended to serve his brother as lord, following Cliff who had brought down that traitor’s family instead of his brother who had betrayed him wasn’t particularly difficult.

“So you should keep this in mind too. There’s no need to displease that lord.”

Despite his words, Reton was confident.

With their powerful army… perhaps later they would be the ones controlling the Elimis family.

‘Until then, I can pretend to bow my head as much as needed.’

Some time after causing the disturbance.

“The lord has come to the village. As father predicted, he brought an army.”

Reton raised the corners of his mouth.

“Good. Since it’s late today, we’ll enter Ballard Village first thing tomorrow.”

Boldly.

To be hired by him.

Or to become his knight and receive a manor.

Reton went to sleep comfortably tonight with those thoughts. That was his plan.

“E-enemies!”

“Enemies!”

“Everyone get up!”

So Reton couldn’t understand the current situation.

“Why…?”

How could the lord’s army, which had supposedly just entered the estate, be here?

Moreover, they didn’t give Reton a chance to reveal his identity and speak.

“This is Cliff’s order. Subdue the bandits disrupting the estate!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————