The Journey to Our Granted Territory, Lanchester (2)
I grumbled to myself, half-joking, now that I was completely alone with no one around. “With everyone staring at me like that, I look like the worst bastard here.”
I could almost hear Epibia’s satisfied little giggle—cookook—echoing in my ear.
The battle continued. But the barbarians, having lost all will to fight, were too busy fleeing in panic. Fewer than ten managed to escape with their lives, and my group chased them to the very end, slaughtering every last one. We weren’t about to leave any future grudges behind.
Around the campsite, the corpses of dead horses and barbarians lay scattered everywhere. The stench of blood stung the nose. The swarms of flies that had been buzzing since dawn went into a frenzy, as if this was their moment.
In the middle of it all, Epibia darted about here and there, declaring she was going to collect any usable iron.
When I looked up at the sky, the pale bluish light of dawn had already vanished, replaced by the sun hanging high overhead. I hadn’t even eaten breakfast before exerting myself, so my stomach was growling like crazy.
In the midst of all this, Mateus glanced around nervously before bringing two young girls tied tightly with ropes before me. They were barbarian girls with filthy, unwashed skin and disheveled hair.
“U-um, these two looked too young, so I took them as prisoners. I couldn’t bring myself to kill them in good conscience. I offer them to you, my lord, as spoils of war.”
“Drink some water first,” Haida said, bringing me a drink. My lips were already parched, so I gulped it down greedily with the two captive girls right in front of me. The water tasted as sweet as honey.
Jane and Kelly were also bustling about, carrying leather water skins to the sweating men.
I wiped my wet lips with the back of my hand and sat down on the chair that Evynee and Peggy had struggled to carry over with their small bodies. The others gathered around the prisoners as well.
I spread my legs wide, sat with dignity, and asked in a cold voice.
“Do you understand our language?”
The two girls, kneeling while bound with rope, simply stared at me with wide, blank eyes.
“Can’t you speak it?”
“……”
In their eyes, I could clearly see resentment and hatred directed at me. And fear mixed in as well. They were staging a silent protest, furious at having been taken captive. Like a trapped beast trembling yet still growling.
Suddenly, from the side came the sharp sring of metal.
It was the sound of Listain drawing his sword.
“Sometimes this works better than words.”
His voice was gentle, yet carried a chilling coldness.
Just as Listain said, the effect was immediate. The two girls turned out to be more like kittens than lion cubs; the moment they saw the blade, their tails tucked between their legs. Thanks to that, we finally got to hear their voices.
The girls clumsily spoke our language and revealed their identities. Their tribe was called the Rock Fist. There was a village where they lived in the nearby mountains. They had happened to spot us camping at dawn and had tried to raid us. From the story, it didn’t seem like they had deliberately tracked us or been sent by anyone.
Feeling relieved, I decided to release them. Killing the two girls didn’t suit my personality, and dragging them around as slaves would only waste food and become extra baggage. So I intended to let them go.
Then Listain gave me a surprised look, stepped closer, and whispered.
“If my lord does not wish to claim them, rather than releasing them, why not bestow them as rewards to your vassals who fought hard for the family? Those who receive such honors will rejoice and swear even greater loyalty in the future.”
His advice brought a shift in perspective to me, who had only recently become the head of the family. I shouldn’t only think about myself. For our family to prosper, our vassals must live well too. If we wanted our house to flourish and gain real power, I couldn’t just fill my own belly—I had to support my vassals so they could enjoy abundant lives as well.
Back when I was with the bandit group, I had felt extreme disgust toward the buying and selling of people. But now it was different. Having adapted somewhat to this world, I actively accepted Listain’s suggestion according to the ruthless rules of survival of the fittest and the law of the jungle that governed this harsh land.
“Very well. I shall bestow these two girls upon our vassals.”
Since this was the first time such a thing had happened, the people began to stir. The sight of me granting slaves to someone was unfamiliar, and besides, none of them—Kelly, Marcus, Pasvachio, Unia, or the rest—had ever owned slaves before. They were all commoners. Who wouldn’t be excited at the prospect of commoners gaining the honor of owning slaves?
But… there were only two prisoners, while there were many vassals. Who should I give them to so that word would spread that I had rewarded them well?
I fell into deep thought for a moment.
It would be right to give priority to those who have been with me the longest. And among them, those who distinguished themselves the most in various battles.
Having made my decision, I raised my head and called out two names.
“Pasvachio, Unia. I shall bestow one prisoner each upon you. Take them and use them as servants in your households.”
For a moment, joy and surprise flashed across Pasvachio’s face.
“Oh! A maid for our house! How marvelous! I feel like a noble already!”
“Honey!” His wife Jane couldn’t hide her smile either, clearly overjoyed. The two embraced and celebrated. They repeatedly thanked me over and over.
Indeed, rewards were effective. Both the giver and the receiver felt happy, and it seemed to strengthen the trust between us. What could be better for raising loyalty?
But Unia’s reaction was different. She wore a bored expression and refused the reward.
“I don’t need a servant or anything like that.”
“You could at least have her clean the house.”
“I’m not some ninety-year-old grandma who can’t even straighten her back. You think I can’t handle that much? I used to be a full-time housewife, you know. Anyway, I’m more interested in something else than a prisoner. Give me something different.”
“Hmm. Then what should I give you?”
“One night with you, my lord.”
“What?”
She said it so boldly that I wondered if I had misheard and doubted my own ears.
“What did you say?”
“Didn’t you hear? I want a hot, steamy night with you as my reward.”
Epibia, who had been quietly watching from the side, absentmindedly pulled out her canteen to drink and sprayed water into the air. Kelly’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open as if she had heard something shocking. Dana quickly dragged over a nearby chair, sat right beside me, and glared at Unia with the haughty dignity of a queen.
“You mean… to play cards all night…?”
“Ugh, are you pretending not to understand on purpose?”
From her bold gaze, I could sense the same feeling she had when she secretly watched Dana and me rubbing our skin together in the forest last night. She had looked on with envy back then… Had that sparked a desire to taste my cock out of curiosity?
I shook my head firmly.
“That kind of request is flatly rejected.”
“Why reject it? I’ve served you diligently all this time. Can’t I receive what I want as a reward for my service?”
“No. No matter how much we started as a free-spirited mercenary group, there must be order. Even as a joke, don’t say such things. We are no longer a disorderly, promiscuous band. We are now an honorable noble house that values dignity. Unia, you will soon receive a formal knighthood from me. Stop talking like a wild mercenary and study chivalry in your free time.”
“I don’t want to. I’m not moving an inch from here until you accept.”
“Where in the world is there a knight who sleeps with her own lord?”
“Right here, duh!”
“Shut up.”
I ruthlessly rejected Unia’s demand, but she—despite being in her forties—suddenly plopped down on the ground and began throwing a tantrum like a child.
“Give it to me! Give me my reward! I want my reward!”
With no other choice, I had Pasvachio and Mateus forcibly drag her away. As she was hauled off, Unia wailed loudly that she hated the lord. Of course, it was fake crying. Her demand for a night together was probably genuine, but the tantrum was all an act. Having spent a long time with her, I had seen her fox-like tricks many times and could see right through her.
Crying wouldn’t make me give in. I made a mental note to be careful when rewarding Unia in the future. I never imagined she would pull something like this. She really was a mischievous prankster. To make sure she never again said something like “a night with the lord” in front of people, I decided that from now on I would deliver her rewards quietly through documents rather than in public.
“Since Unia says she won’t accept it, then the next one is…”
Who else had worked hard after Pasvachio and Unia? Dana, who had been sitting beside me with queenly solemnity, grabbed my arm and shook it gently.
“Hmm? What is it?”
Without a word, she pointed toward Marcus, who was behind the crowd. At the moment, Marcus seemed completely uninterested in what was happening here; he was squatting in the corner playing with Evynee.
I smiled and nodded at Dana.
“Marcus!”
At my call, Marcus turned his head with a puzzled expression and stood up.
“What is it?”
“I’m giving the remaining prisoner to you, Marcus.”
“Hehe, to me?”
He pointed at himself in surprise.
“Is it really okay for me to receive one?”
“Of course. Take her in as a servant and have her attend to you.”
“Well, it would be nice to have someone around to fetch my cane…”
Marcus scratched his head with a dazed look, and the others clapped and congratulated him.
“Gramps, you’re gonna get young again soon! ‘Oh my, so fresh~!’ Isn’t that what you’ll be saying every night while doing it with the girl?”
“Flavio!”
“Oof!”
Flavio, who had been acting up, got elbowed in the side by his older sister Kelly again.
After distributing the prisoners, we hurried to prepare for departure.