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Chapter 45 - 45 Castle Rachard

Mark along with the 15 people that followed him easily sneaked inside the Castle as the guards were quite lax in their duties. Mark thought things were getting easy so he warned everyone with him using some simple sign language he taught the townsfolk since he started training them.

Soon they were able to pass by some guard patrols on the battlements after climbing on a curtain wall in the east side of the castle. Soon they took down guards on towers while darting the ones that are alone with darts.

Mark did not do much for a lethal approach as these people might just be people of this Castle. On the way here Mark had seen the situation of the peasants in the nearby hamlets besides the castle.

All in all the population of the people here including those inside the castle could be roughly counted to about 1,500 plus. Most were farmers and from the information given by Melissa the guards total to a hundred and fifty.

Some were mercenaries but others were just some peasants armed by the local Baron. Only fifty were stationed here as the rest were all around the nearby areas of the castle. So taking them all out only took about 15 minutes or so since the castle was not that big anyways.

Mark could tell the mercenaries from the peasants apart but his people could not so he opted for a silent approach. They have enough darts to tranquilize every guards anyways so they slowly captured team after team.

Mark saw the group carriages parked outside the castle which means the local knights and Low-class nobles under the Baron has gathered here tonight. It seems news has already arrived to this domain but since the speed of how news are received here is similar to the middle ages then nobles would still find time to discuss things out as the Duke was still in the southern side of the Duchy.

Mark felt that striking early was indeed a good choice, not like he has any choice to begin with if he wanted the rewards from the system. But if he arrived a few hours late then some of these nobles would have gotten home and prepared to sneak out. Sure the Baron is the main target but getting all the nobles captured might give some extra points for Mark.

After taking out the fifty or so guards Mark also had his men capture the maids and servants within their quarters. The castle had no moat so there was just walls with battlements, four towers, a guard house, Kitchens, Servants' quarters, a small chapel, stables, a wide bailey with a well on its center and a Keep.

Mark could see that the lights of the Great Hall in the Keep are still lit so he did not douse all the fires. He kept the braziers lit so the outside would not be too dark to make the people inside suspicious. He could hear some clamoring and shouting inside so they must still be arguing about something there.

Mark had his people gather the Guards and had about ten of him men stand guard in the battlements and towers to look out if those outside noticed something. Mark sat in the well at the middle of the bailey as he stared at he Keep that was still lit and boisterous.

"Have you gathered what I asked?" Mark asked as Melissa appeared from the shadows along with two young ladies and a noble woman who Mark could tell should be the wife of a Baronet here in Rachard. Mark had Melissa gather Neferata's spies as well as the documents owned by the nobles here of their land and properties.

"It is done my lord." Melissa kneeled immediately as she handed a stack of leather parchments to Mark. But those behind her did not as they were confused. They thought that they would meet a member of the inner circle of the Lahmian sisters seeing that Countess Melissa has arrived with orders for them.

"What is the meaning of this Countess Melissa?" the Noblewoman hissed as she looked confused why Melissa was bowing towards a Human when she gathered them saying that they are now to follow her. They thought that maybe they were being pulled out of their mission as Melissa said that the Duke is now persecuting the scheming Lords of Mousillon.

"So you haven't told them yet?" Mark stood up as he walked towards the woman who flinched as her instincts were telling her to run. But that would be futile as Melissa was here who was faster than her in terms of speed. She had already seen the bunch of unconscious guards huddled up in the servant's quarters as well as the tied up servants.

"My ladies would you all kindly stand by there as I would like to give you all a show." Mark's kind smile did not ease the vampires as they looked at Melissa who had beckoned them on the side. They were still unsure but they followed Melissa despite the display she gave earlier to them.

Mark saw them go to the Servant's Quarters and sat back down again. He put his sword on his lap to act as a table to read the documents that are now in his hands. Mark was not in a hurry since he had now taken the castle unbeknownst to the people outside and inside. This nonchalant attitude of him is being observed by the four vampires from a window.

"Lady Melissa why have you exposed our identities to a mortal man?" one of the younger ladies who looked like a 18 year old girl asked as she was closest to Melissa amongst the three of them.

"He knows who we are anyways." Melissa answered as she did not want to explain to them yet as she does not even know how to explain. Even if she can she would rather let them see what she had seen, she did not want them to die meaninglessly from her lord's sword. She recalled how Mark sliced a tree cleanly with a single swing, a tree was wide one too which took about three grown men to hug it's truck.

Even in that human body she saw how he lifted the large tree with only his strength, even the Minotaur would find it hard to do that yet her Lord could. She knew even if the hundred knights gather they would just be easily taken down by Mark. That sword he carried could make it so as it was made with very heavy metals.

She just wants to see how her Lord would handle this group of nobles that were still arguing. The three sisters of hers quieted down too as they can see Melissa has no plans on explaining to them what is happening. Her seniority is not something they could refuse anyways so they just stayed silent.

Meanwhile Mark sat on the well with its shade hiding his features. He had put the leather parchments besides him as the well was closed anyways. He pondered over on how to handle the nobles that would come out as Mark could not kill all of them anyways.

He just wanted to put on a show which would be spread out by the nobles that'll witness it. As pretentious as that sounds Mark must make sure his name would make others think twice in offending him. A reputation which he still does not have much, his Sunset Fist title could only be counted as a local nickname which not many others know off.

Mark sat there and calmed his breath as he put his focus on making sure his body is in an optimal state for battle. Soon noise could be heard as the doors of the Great Hall are opened and a group of well-dressed nobles and armored knights came out. They were still talking with themselves until a knight noticed the weird atmosphere.

"Something is wrong." Said the knight which was middle aged dude, he could see the guards in the battlements but the torches in many places were absent as well as the bailey silent with no noises from nearby buildings. Mark was not yet noticed as he stared at the people and read their status as well as affiliations picking out who to kill and who to spare.

"There is indeed a problem here, you guards!! Why are some torches in towers and battlements not lit!?" a tall chubby noble shouted towards the battlements but there was no response which made the knights draw their blades.

"Your armor, you are not my guards!! Who are you?! You dare trespass in my domain!!" Another middle aged dude with a bald spot on his head shouted which made Mark look at him as he was the Baron. Seeing their status made Mark see that there were no one here strong enough to fight him. Soon some observant noble woman with the group noticed Mark.

"There is someone on the well!" The noble woman said which made others look and see Mark's silhouette. And like it was planed the night sky cleared as the moonlight shone upon the open area of the Bailey showing the face of Mark as he slowly stood up.

"Halt!! I don't know who you are but trespassing in my domain is affront to my honor so speak your name before I execute you!!" The Baron of Castle Rachard drew his sword as he saw Mark stand up and felt like this was a noble like them from how Mark walks with a temperament of a high class noble. But his young looks made the Baron underestimate Mark as most Brettonian Nobles are experienced with the sword.

"Your Domain? It seems you traitors still think your titles are still effective, I am sure you should have heard the Duke riding forth with his Knights purging the lands of you traitorous schemers." Mark stood tall whilst holding the hilt of his sword that was pointed to the ground with both his arms.

"By Order of the Duke of Mousillon I have been given the title of Baron and the Castle Rachard and its surrounding lands 50 leagues around it as my fief. Thus the trespasser here is you, former Baron and Traitor of the Duchy so surrender now or be forced to yield by my sword." Mark said in an imposing loud voice which made the 15 people with him raise their bows to point at the group of nobles.