The Fall of Viscount Rebion (3)
Most territories had a designated place for executions.
While the exact location varied depending on the lord's temperament, they usually favored the central square, where the blood could be easily washed away.
The Rebion Viscounty was no exception.
The square was neatly paved with stone, but the area directly in front of the fountain reeked of a grim, metallic stench.
This was where the execution, ordered by Jeron, would take place.
The commoners of the territory swarmed the square, clutching pieces of bread.
It was a cultural practice that Jeron still found impossible to comprehend, but the locals genuinely believed that dipping their bread in a criminal's blood and eating it would grant them good health.
Once Jeron gave the nod, Garcia bellowed in a booming voice.
"Bring out the prisoner!"
A moment later, Viscount Rebion was dragged out, his hair disheveled and wild.
Because of the viscount's immense bulk, it took four soldiers straining together just to haul him forward.
Traditionally, the path to the executioner's block was a thorny one, and the crowd's reaction usually depended on the severity of the crime.
However, since the man being dragged out was their former lord, the commoners hesitated to throw stones.
This wouldn't do. For the sake of the territory's unity, a clear message had to be sent.
At Jeron's subtle gesture, plant agents hidden in the crowd began to shout and hurl stones.
"You greedy pig! Our lives were ruined because of you!"
"Death to the traitor!"
"A traitor?"
Whispers broke out. The murmurs quickly swelled into a roar.
If their lord was a traitor, the situation was entirely different.
Thud! Crack!
Stones pelted Rebion, splitting his forehead open. Filth and garbage rained down upon his face and body.
"Read the charges!"
"My Lord! The traitor Rebion failed to honor the contract decreed by His Majesty the King, and harbored treasonous intent, defiling the honor of the royal family. This is a capital offense of high treason, deserving of immediate execution!"
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
At the word 'traitor,' Viscount Rebion thrashed wildly.
But a man who had spent his entire life avoiding physical exertion stood no chance of escaping the iron grip of the soldiers.
In this medieval world, once a man was branded with a single crime, any number of charges could be piled on top of it.
The anger of the populace boiled over as additional charges of extortion, tax evasion, and conspiracy to commit murder were read aloud.
The sentence was delivered calmly.
"Execute him!"
Clack!
The heavy blade of the guillotine dropped from on high, severing Rebion's head in a single clean stroke.
He was not given a single chance to speak in his defense.
Since Viscount Rebion was a nobleman, allowing him to speak risked swaying the public's sentiment with unnecessary excuses.
Blood gushed from the headless torso, soaking the stone floor.
"The traitor is dead!"
"Hooray!"
The crowd surged forward in a frenzy.
The man executed today was no ordinary criminal. He had been branded with the ultimate crime of treason.
The commoners believed that the greater the criminal, the more potent the blood. Dipping their bread in it would cleanse their sins and grant them vitality.
Naturally, the competition to reach the body was fierce.
It was a gruesome sight, but Jeron's hardened mind registered the scene without a hint of discomfort.
Having overseen the execution, Garcia jogged back to Jeron's side.
"My Lord! The execution is complete!"
"Good. Once the square is cleared, we will hold a council. Order the vassals of the viscounty to attend as well."
"Yes, My Lord!"
There were still crucial procedures left to handle.
The lord's castle of the Rebion Viscounty was incredibly lavish, befitting a family that had amassed wealth from silver mines for generations.
Expensive ornaments, polished marble floors, and grand chandeliers displayed a level of extravagance that made the Farrow territory look impoverished by comparison.
The great hall of the castle was even more magnificent.
It was vast and opulent.
Positioned on a high dais was the lord's throne, crafted from ivory imported from the East.
Just how much money did they pour into this place?
The thought crossed the minds of Jeron and his vassals alike.
Having lived in a desperately poor territory, seeing the pinnacle of vanity and luxury made them shake their heads in disbelief.
Jeron took his seat on the ivory throne and looked down at the hall. For a moment, he felt like a king.
The vassals of the Farrow territory stood on the left, while the vassals of the Rebion Viscounty stood on the right.
The Rebion vassals outnumbered his own by about half.
"I am well aware that you were the vassals of a traitor, but were forced to comply due to Viscount Rebion's tyranny."
"..."
The tense, grim expressions of the Rebion vassals softened slightly.
Jeron had not immediately declared his intention to punish them.
"However, those who acted as corrupt officials will not be spared."
"Corrupt... officials?"
Confusion rippled through the crowd.
The term referred to those who squeezed the lifeblood out of the commoners to line their own pockets, but they couldn't understand how Jeron planned to distinguish them.
Jeron smirked and pulled out a document.
The Dark Moon had been investigating the northern nobles for a long time, and they knew exactly who was who.
They possessed detailed records of every crime committed by these nobles, a fact the Rebion vassals could never have anticipated.
At Jeron's nod, Sharlen stepped forward and spoke in a clear, cold voice.
"Baronet Atil is charged with tax evasion, embezzlement, and extortion. Furthermore, he is accused of conspiracy to commit murder and actively enslaving free citizens. He is sentenced to death."
"No! That is a lie!"
"Drag him away!"
"Damn it! I said it's a lie...!"
The purging of corrupt officials continued systematically.
Like master, like servant. Since Viscount Rebion himself had been a piece of trash, his vassals were hardly any better.
Out of the twenty vassals present, twelve were dragged out in short order.
Only eight remained in the hall.
The survivors stood in stunned silence, their jaws practically dropping to the floor.
How does he have such detailed records of our misdeeds?
What terrifying intelligence network... He even knows things we kept hidden from each other.
The remaining eight were men who had at least attempted to implement policies for the people or had not hesitated to offer harsh, honest advice to the late viscount.
Jeron had no intention of executing them. Capable administrative talent was difficult to cultivate.
"You have proven yourselves to be relatively clean, so I will give you a choice. Pass a loyalty test and join the Farrow family, or you may leave. However, if you choose to leave, you must forfeit a portion of your wealth before you go."
Thud!
The survivors fell to their knees and bowed their heads.
This was an incredibly generous offer. Normally, when a territory was annexed through war, the opposing vassals were purged entirely.
As the former Rebion vassals quickly filed out, Jeron was finally left alone with his own men.
"You have all worked hard."
"It is you who worked the hardest, My Lord! We did very little."
"Indeed. Thanks to your brilliance, My Lord, we have restored a portion of our family's past glory."
The veteran knight, Sir Jenald, even had tears welling in his eyes.
Who wouldn't want to restore their family's honor? It had been the dream of every lord and vassal of the Farrow family for generations.
"Now, now, we are not finished yet. Knights, begin integrating the knights and soldiers of the Rebion family into our ranks. If any are completely unusable, cut them loose, but try to absorb as many as possible to bolster our numbers."
"Yes, My Lord!"
"The knights may dismiss. I will handle the administrative matters with the officials."
The knights filed out of the great hall.
Their task was to seize control of the Rebion military. The viscounty had possessed a force of about two thousand, and the goal was to absorb at least half of them.
If successful, the Farrow family's private army would instantly swell to two thousand.
Given the expanded territory, they needed to maintain a force of at least three thousand. Since the common soldiers' loyalty to the late viscount was weak at best, they would be easily integrated.
Jeron then turned his gaze to the administrative officials.
"Sir Lakius!"
"Yes, My Lord!"
"You will lead the effort to take control of the Rebion administration. Additionally, I want an exact audit of the Rebion family's assets."
"Leave it to me!"
Sir Lakius replied with a booming voice.
Since the Rebion family owned silver mines, a thorough search would undoubtedly yield a massive amount of hidden wealth.
Jeron would use those funds to enrich his territory.
Although it was essentially an annexation, it was a far cleaner transition than taking the land through a bloody war of conquest. Because Viscount Rebion had been so despised, the commoners offered no resistance.
The military officers also seemed to have disliked the late viscount, making them easy to win over.
The administrative work continued late into the night.
***
After handling the most urgent matters, Jeron opened the door to the bedchamber previously used by Viscount Rebion.
He was genuinely astonished.
He hadn't expected anyone to live in such luxury in this primitive world.
The bedding had already been replaced, and the room was spotlessly clean.
Since the maids were innocent, he hadn't dismissed them. They bowed gratefully every time they saw Jeron, not forgetting to quietly curse their former master.
Jeron threw himself onto the plush bed.
"The territory has expanded incredibly fast."
The success of the operation was entirely due to the power of bribery. If he hadn't used the goods from Earth to win over the kingdom's high-ranking officials, he might have been the one facing ruin.
Politics was not a place where people were judged by their character.
Just as Count Renkai had said, Jeron had now established himself as an influential noble of the north. To grow his power further, he had to govern this territory effectively.
With the expanded borders, establishing a self-sufficient system was of paramount importance.
Since they had plenty of silver, they could import food during lean seasons, but for the territory to truly prosper, it needed a stable foundation that could withstand any crisis.
To achieve that, importing various crops from Earth, in addition to the Ofrin seeds, was essential.
Having recovered some of his energy, Jeron prepared to cross over to Earth.
His goal for today was to map out a route to enter the city ruins.