The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Strongest in Our Neighborhood (18)
“Thirty percent is already more than generous! You brigand! Listen here!”
“Yes, Baron.”
“I’m going to the training grounds. Bring me a sword.”
“Yes.”
Baron Jabedra left his office for the training grounds, as though he needed to swing a blade to cool his temper.
“Baron, Baron.”
As he walked, one of the guards came running toward him.
“What is it?”
“Baron, our commander has been taken hostage by brigands and they’re heading this way.”
“What? Out of nowhere? Krudawan has become a hostage?”
The baron’s face went slack with disbelief. Krudawan and the escort commander Morson were both Expert-level intermediate Knights representing the martial strength of the barony. That such men should be taken captive seemed impossible.
“This morning the commander heard that the Maximus Mercenary Corps was ambushed by brigands, so he led fifty guards out to—”
As Jabedra listened to the report, his face crumpled like discarded paper.
“—and hurried back to report to you, Baron.”
“Hell. My head’s already pounding, and now this? The Maximus Mercenary Corps—I’ve heard of them a few times myself—they were beaten by just two brigands?”
“Yes.”
“And Krudawan fell to them and was taken hostage… Don’t tell me these brigands are Expert-level advanced?”
“Advanced, or possibly even higher.”
“If it’s higher than that, it’s the highest rank! Are you saying this brigand is on the same level as Dimitrion, one of the Home Kingdom’s Ten Swords?”
“I didn’t see it myself, but according to my subordinate’s report, Commander Krudawan couldn’t block even one move from the brigand. If it were merely one move’s difference, he would have been able to defend against at least several.”
“This is unbelievable. What could a master of the highest rank possibly want in this small frontier barony?”
“……”
“So where is this brigand now?”
“The Maximus Mercenary Corps and the inner castle aren’t far from each other, so they should arrive soon.”
“Understood. Morson.”
At the baron’s call, escort commander Morson stepped forward.
“Yes, Baron.”
“Gather every Knight and soldier in the inner castle at once.”
“Understood.”
Moments later, as Morson issued orders to his men, about nine Knights and fifty-some soldiers assembled within five minutes.
Rumble, rumble……
Just as all the Knights and soldiers had gathered, a carriage appeared beyond the castle gates, carrying Jang Ga-in astride a Saber Tiger, the guards’ commander Krudawan, captured guards and mercenaries, and several Dvergs.
“Gasp! A, a Saber Tiger! That someone rides a Saber Tiger! Baron, what do we do?”
Escort commander Morson, standing beside the baron on the rampart looking out, asked in alarm. The baron pondered for a moment before answering.
“The guard didn’t mention anything about someone riding a Saber Tiger earlier.”
“……”
“So the one on that Saber Tiger must be the brigand who defeated Krudawan?”
“It would seem so.”
As the baron’s counterpart drew near, Jabedra called out loudly.
“I am Graes Jabedra, Baron of Hailong. Are you the one who subdued Commander Krudawan?”
“I am. I subdued him.”
During the journey here, Jang Ga-in had carefully assessed the soldiers and Knights and decided it was best to adopt a forceful stance toward the lord.
“For what reason do you cause such disturbance in this place?”
“Your men started it. But tell me—how long must I keep looking up at you like this? This hardly seems like proper hospitality to a guest.”
“A guest? You reduced our guard commander Krudawan to that state, and now you expect to be treated as a guest?”
“I had my reasons for handling the guard commander. And even if we’re enemies, isn’t it rather poor form to conduct a conversation like this, from such different vantage points?”
“Form or not, you’re too dangerous to allow into the castle.”
Jang Ga-in gazed at the countless arrows trained on him from the rampart.
There were many arrows, but he felt no fear. He could scale these walls without difficulty.
Since he needed to break the baron’s spirit from the outset, he intended to display his abilities early.
“Do you truly believe these castle walls and your soldiers can protect you?”
“What do you mean?”
Jang Ga-in leaped down from the Saber Tiger’s back and walked toward a position from which he could easily vault up the rampart.
Whoooosh……
As he walked, wind generated by his Inner Energy began swirling around his body.
“I happen to value form. And proper conversation must take place at equal eye level.”
“What are you trying to—”
Thump.
As Jang Ga-in stamped his foot, a whirlwind erupted around him and his body shot upward.
“Insane, insane! Fire the arrows!”
The Baron’s escort commander, Morson, rushed to give the order, and archers unleashed a volley of arrows at Jang Ga-in in unison.
Whistle-whistle-whistle….
* * *
Tsk, tsk.
The security captain watching Jang Ga-in’s movements from behind shook his head and let out a heavy sigh at the sight of dozens of arrows raining down like a storm.
‘That monster is no creature to be dealt with by mere arrows.’
The future unfolded in his mind of its own accord. And that picture became reality exactly as he’d imagined.
Jang Ga-in twisted the path of every arrow with a powerful Whirlwind, vaulted atop the castle wall in a single bound, reached the Baron Jabedra, and kicked the escort commander Morson, who tried to raise his sword in alarm.
Boom.
A mere kick produced a thunderous crash, and Morson flew backward, tangling with soldiers as they all collapsed.
The Baron’s guard belatedly drew their blades, but with Jang Ga-in’s sword already at the Baron’s throat, they dared not press forward.
Baron Jabedra sat stunned for a moment at what had unfolded in an instant, then slowly opened his mouth after a time.
“K-Krudawan couldn’t last even one exchange, as they said…… Truly, it was well-founded!”
“Proper conversation should be held face to face like this. Now we can actually talk.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Jang Ga-in. My forest friends call me Kain, so you call me Kain too.”
“Jang Kain! A name I’ve never heard before—are you of House Kain?”
“My family name is Jang, so House Jang.”
“House Jang? There is no such house in the Home Kingdom, nor have I heard of any Jang house in the Empire or the Allied Kingdoms. Which kingdom do you hail from?”
“Not a kingdom—the Church Kingdom. But I didn’t come here to investigate each other’s circumstances.”
“R-right. I am Gras Jabedra, Baron of Hailong, the lord of this land.”
“I know. Many people call you Baron, so I’ll call you that too.”
“Very well. But why have you come here causing such trouble?”
“The teacher and children of the Dvergs living in the Crellarion Mountain Range were abducted by the Maximus Mercenary Corps. I’ve come to rescue them.”
…….
“And as I was bringing them back, the security captain blocked my path and tried to stop me, so I subdued him and came to confront you, his superior.”
“What complaint do you have?”
“You’re asking what the complaint is when you don’t know?”
…….
“From now on, anyone who kidnaps the minority tribes living in the Crellarion Mountain Range and enslaves them will face my judgment. And if anyone tries to stop me like today during that process, I won’t come to confront you again—I’ll simply kill them all.”
“Even with such threats from you, the security captain will remain devoted to his duty. That is the duty of a Knight who has sworn loyalty.”
“What? A Knight’s duty? Then what’s your duty? To faithfully follow foolish orders and send your subordinates to their deaths? Should I lop off your head right now instead of theirs? Do you think your men’s lives are worthless as flies while yours is precious? Is that the mistake you’re making?”
In that moment, Jang Ga-in’s aura shifted, and looking as though he might draw his blade and sever the Baron’s neck on the spot, the Baron’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“W-wait! Are you saying you’ll kill a nobleman like me? No matter how strong you are, can you really survive if you make an enemy of an entire kingdom?”
Scoff.
Jang Ga-in let out a contemptuous laugh.
“Would an entire kingdom’s army mobilize over one Baron’s death in a tiny fief? At most they’d send a punitive force and poke around the forest a bit, then be done with it.”
“G-good point. I’ll convey your intention to all the Knights and soldiers not only of the guard but throughout the castle. So please, lower your blade first.”
“I’ll lower the blade once I’ve said all I have to say.”
…….
“From the start, pass a law forbidding mercenaries and hunters from entering the forest and kidnapping minority tribes.”
“That’s too much to ask. When mercenaries and hunters capture forest tribes and profit from them, one could argue it’s part of their livelihood. How could I possibly forbid it by law?”
“What? Part of their livelihood? You mean kidnapping forest tribes and selling them to slave traders is part of their livelihood?”
“According to the law of the Home Kingdom decreed by the King, anyone who fails to pay taxes may be made into a slave. Following that law, capturing minority tribes or other races to enslave them or sell them to slave merchants is something I, a mere Baron, cannot prevent.”
“Hmph! I thought you might be reasonable, but clearly you’re not. By that logic, I could also take the children of this castle and enslave them in the forest as punishment, couldn’t I? The people of your castle don’t pay taxes to the forest tribes.”
“Th-that’s absurd reasoning! There’s a difference between the forest tribes hiding in the wilderness and the Home Kingdom as vast as heaven and earth.”
“Is there? But isn’t there also a difference between you and me as vast as heaven and earth? In the end, might makes right, doesn’t it?”
“You can hold a blade to my throat now, but ultimately you cannot escape the blade of the King’s punitive forces.”
“Perhaps, but if the Smed Kingdom wants to kill me, they’d better be prepared for the same cost.”
…….
“Since our opinions don’t align, we have no choice but to become enemies. Enemies must naturally be killed. Since you’re the lord of this place, I’ll at least grant you the chance to leave a final word. Speak what you wish before you die.”
As Jang Ga-in’s indifferent gaze swept across the Knights and soldiers surrounding him, Baron Jabedra swallowed hard.
‘This man truly intends to kill me!’
He couldn’t fathom how a Knight could harbor thoughts of killing a nobleman, but continuing to resist seemed certain death, so he had no choice but to seek a way to survive.
“Ahem! A-agreed. I will establish a law within my fief preventing anyone—mercenaries, hunters, or anyone else—from hunting forest tribes or other races. However, even if such a law is established, since a lord’s arbitrary fief ordinance is subordinate to royal law, I cannot guarantee it will be fully upheld.”
“If it’s not upheld, the words I spoke just now will be carried out. And your head will fly as well.”
“I-this….”
“Why? Angry and bitter? You must experience it yourself to truly understand the victim’s position.”
Slice.
As Jang Ga-in moved his blade, skin split and blood began to trickle down, soaking through the fabric of his opponent’s clothes.
“Cut straight through the throat in one motion, and he’d be dead before he even knew it. But slice slowly like this, and even after his breath stops…….”
“I understand. I’ll draft the decree at once and announce it. Anyone who fails to obey the law will face severe punishment.”
“Why? You didn’t bat an eye when your subordinates died. So you want to live?”
…….
When the marquis said nothing and remained still, Jang Ga-in withdrew the blade from his throat.
“I came only to warn you today, so I’ll leave it at this. Remember well — if the promise isn’t kept, you will be the first one I kill.”
…….
After Jang Ga-in sheathed his sword and retreated, leaping down from the castle wall to return to where the carriage waited, the Marquis Jabedra turned and walked away, grinding his teeth so hard they creaked audibly.
“This humiliation — I swear I will repay it somehow!”

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