Reed looked towards the source of the noise.
There were people dressed in plain uniforms of commoners, and soldiers donned in armor, facing each other over a pile of carrots.
Two people, standing as representatives of each group, faced each other, with a knight wearing plate armor among the soldiers.
"Due to tax reduction, the financial situation is not good. To balance the budget, we must reduce expenses, so we ask for your cooperation."
"What will we eat if we agree to this? If you take away even the necessary food supplies for winter at such low prices, we'll starve to death. We barely survived last year, and now with this, we'll have nothing left to live on!"
"We'll issue promissory notes. We'll add the promised millet feed before winter, so sell everything."
Despite the knight's words, the peasants seemed distrustful.
"How can the king, who cares for his people, treat the common people outside the castle wall so cruelly!? This is tyranny!"
Upon hearing this, the knight's eyebrows twitched.
As the knight took a step forward, the man took a step back.
It wouldn't be surprising if violence erupted.
The difference in power was clear between a farmer who had only cultivated fields and a knight who had received professional military training.
"We only came here on the king's orders, and we have no choice but to carry them out."
There was no compromise between the two.
A clash between those who said they would starve to death, and those who said they only came to do their job.
'Wise King, Morgan Huper...'
Reed had felt it until the very end of
Just before his evil deeds became known, he died suddenly, and eventually, his young son Morgan II succeeded to the throne.
Now was the time when the wise king was still alive.
And Reed could clearly see what kind of person Morgan Huper was.
'For someone to be happy, someone else must be unhappy.'
To become a wise king, one must become a tyrant to someone.
Morgan Huper chose to trample on the very small, unseen people and stand on top of them.
And he left his name and achievements behind through death.
Ignoring the crying old people and women, the knight spoke to the man.
"We don't know, we just came to execute the order. Aren't there many resources in the forest? Whether hunting or gathering, do something."
"That is not as easy as you say!"
"Well, you'll manage somehow. Load the carrots onto the cart."
The knight no longer argued and ordered the soldiers.
"What on earth is going on!?"
The moment the soldiers who followed were about to load the pile of carrots onto the cart.
Someone approached the cart with large strides.
Rosaria recognized the man and exclaimed
"Ah, Sandwich Uncle!"
He was the owner of the inn.
He looked around with a puzzled expression on his kind face.
"Mark, what's going on?"
"That is..."
The frightened man confessed everything that had happened.
Upon hearing this, the inn owner's face contorted with anger.
"Promissory notes again! Do you think we're banks!?"
"It's issued by the Huper Kingdom. The kingdom's honor guarantees that it will be given."
"We're just simple peasants who worry about our daily meals! It's not even that expensive, so why doesn't the kingdom pay for everything!?"
The middle-aged man crossed his arms and spoke to them.
"Leave now! And tell them that we cannot pass at this price to His Majesty."
"Does a mere commoner dare negotiate with His Majesty!?"
The knight yelled.
However, the middle-aged man did not back off.
Instead, he stood in front and spoke to them.
"I may not be able to read and write like you guys, but I am a person who at least knows what's unfair! Tell them that we can't stand our noses being shaved while our eyes are open!"
Upon hearing this, a fierce aura spread from the knight's face.
Swoosh!
A clear sound as a sword was unsheathed.
At the same time, the knight's sword was already aimed at the middle-aged man's throat.
The speed of a knight of a country was so fast that it could not be caught by the eyes of an ordinary civilian.
A one-eyed rat-like individual who had been watching them three steps away, stepped back with a trembling heart.
"Know your place and shut up! Do you think a mere commoner has a position to speak to His Majesty!?"
But the middle-aged man did not retreat.
"His Majesty is said to be a person who looks after his people, but if he does not listen to the people's words, then he is not a wise king, is he?"
"You dare to speak recklessly with your loose lips!"
"Instead, kill me. Even if I have to lose my life, it is my mission to protect this village!"
The middle-aged man confidently spoke.
Anyone could see that it was a noble soul burning with passion.
However, that flame only signaled the fate of a short-lived fire.
The knight could not bear it any longer.
"This is something you started."
Raising his sword, the knight aimed to strike the middle-aged man's head.
Squeak!
"Aaah!"
The middle-aged man closed his eyes tightly as the farmers screamed in panic.
At a moment when everyone had no doubt about the middle-aged man's death.
Bam!
A distinct explosive sound echoed.
The well-trained soldiers drew their swords and guarded their surroundings.
As they looked around for the source of the explosion, everyone couldn't help but be taken aback.
The sound came from the sword that the knight was holding.
"It, It can't be."
"A sword made by the Imperial Workshop..."
The dream of every knight was a sword made by the Imperial Workshop.
Its hardness was comparable to the toughest metal, Black Iron, and it was said to cleanly cut through even the thick skin of ogres.
It was an impossible occurrence for such a sword to break like sugar candy.
Reed knew why the sword broke.
'Rosaria...'
It was her doing.
She had unintentionally let out a desperate emotion that broke the sword.
'I didn't think she learned any magic to break things like that...'
The genius that emerged from pure desire and aspirations.
She couldn't bear to see the middle-aged man's death and ended up doing such a thing.
It was a terrifying talent, to say the least.
"Who is it? Which one of you dared to break the sword bestowed by His Majesty!"
The knight's anger erupts, and Rosaria's hand gripping Reed's hand tightens.
Rosaria is scared by the knight's voice.
"Papa..."
Rosaria looked up at Reed with a confused face, not knowing what she had done.
Reed tightly held Rosaria's hand and smiled.
That gentle smile reassured her that she had nothing to worry about.
"Rosaria."
"Papa..."
"Just stay behind me. Don't say anything. Got it?"
"Yes..."
"It'll be over soon."
Rosaria nodded and walked behind Reed, taking deep breaths.
Their gaze darted around, catching the chaotic atmosphere.
"Stop."
They focused their attention on themselves.