"Tax collection? What tax?" Norn looked at the tax collector who had come knocking, feigning confusion.
"Baron, you're joking," the tax collector said with a forced smile. "Although you hold the title of baron, you don't have a fiefdom in the kingdom. Therefore, your businesses still need to pay a 30% tax."
"Besides that, you also need to pay..."
"What else do I need to pay?" A Templar Knight appeared behind the tax collector.
The tax collector was startled by the sudden appearance but quickly bowed upon recognizing him.
"Uncle Otto, why are you back so early?" Norn put on his "innocent" smile again.
"There wasn't much to do today, so I came back early," Otto said with a smile, walking up to Norn and affectionately patting his shoulder.
Otto then turned to the tax collector sternly, "Why don't I know about any new decrees from the kingdom or any new taxes?"
"There certainly aren't any," the tax collector wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead. "You just need to pay the usual tax amount, my lord."
Norn handed over a purse, and the tax collector took it without even counting and hurried away as if escaping.
"You've been making quite a stir lately!" Otto said casually, watching the tax collector's retreating back.
"Have I?" Norn scratched his head. "I was just trying to do some good for the Christian pilgrims!"
"The woolen cloth in the market has become much cheaper lately," Norn explained further.
"Forget it, you've always had many schemes, just be careful and stay safe!" Otto waved his hand and turned towards the dining hall.
After a satisfying meal, Norn saw Otto off at the estate's gate.
The moon had just risen, and a gentle cool breeze tousled Otto's hair. He patted Norn on the head, "Let me know if you run into any problems."
"It's just a minor issue, no need to trouble you, Uncle," Norn said, looking at his uncle, a warmth spreading through him.
"Also, be more careful with the servants you hire yourself," Otto meaningfully glanced at the servant girl Sasan behind Norn.
"Got it, Uncle," Norn nodded firmly.
Without another word, Otto mounted his horse and rode away.
Late at night, in a corner outside the estate, a dozen or so ruffians were eyeing the estate.
"Boss, are we really going to do this? There seem to be quite a few guards inside," one of the ruffians hesitated.
The ruffian leader slapped the hesitant one.
"If we don't do it, what are we going to eat?"
The leader stared at the ruffian he had hit and then at the others who were still wavering, deciding to paint them a big picture.
"After this job, everyone will get five silver denarii. And it's dark now. We'll just go in, start a fire, and run. Who will find out?"
Seeing that the ruffians were starting to be swayed, the leader waved his hand to signal the action.
"We're all going in together, don't get separated."
"Um, boss, weren't we 12 people?" one of the ruffians swallowed hard.
"You told me not to drink too much. Where did you get 12 people from?"
"...Isn't there still someone over there?" The ruffian pointed to a dark figure nearby.
A cold wind blew, and the ruffians, looking at the dark figure, felt their hearts turn cold.
At that moment, the dark clouds drifted away, and the moonlight shone on the dark figure, revealing a dark, ghostly face to everyone.
"A ghost!" The ruffians scattered in panic.
The dark figure, seeing this, transformed into a cloud of black mist and lunged at one of the ruffians. It was unclear what happened, but the ruffian fell to the ground unconscious.
Now, the ruffians ran even faster, but they were still caught one by one by the dark figure.
Finally, the ruffian leader, looking at the people lying around him, pulled out a dagger from his waist.
"Don't you dare come any closer," the ruffian leader shouted, holding the dagger tremblingly.
Without any visible movement from the dark figure, the ruffian leader felt a powerful force coming at him, and the dagger flew out of his hand.
Now, without even his last resort, the ruffian leader collapsed to the ground.
"Almighty God, save your faithful servant," the ruffian leader kept praying in his heart.
The dark figure slowly approached, and the ruffian leader's already racing heart seemed to jump into his throat. His body kept struggling to retreat, but he couldn't stop the figure from getting closer.
Just as the ruffian leader thought he was going to be killed by the unknown ghost, a voice as rough as sandstone came through.
"Why have you intruded upon my place of rest?"
The ruffian leader, upon hearing this, immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
"It's not our fault. Some merchants hired us to start a fire. We didn't mean to come here. Please, my lord, spare me!"
The ruffian leader, tears streaming down his face, suddenly went dark and lost control of his body, fainting.
Not long after, Sasan returned to Norn's room.
Norn was sitting in front of a candle, his fingers tapping rhythmically, seemingly calculating something.
"As you predicted, my lord, someone indeed intended to cause trouble tonight," Sasan reported with a bow.
"Are you hurt?" Norn stood up, wanting to check on Sasan.
"Thank you for your concern, my lord. A few petty thieves are not worth worrying about," Sasan quickly replied.
"Good! That's good. Have Captain Hammo send everyone to the civic court in a bit," Norn paused, then continued.
"The merchants are almost at their wit's end. We need to step up our efforts and finish them off completely."
Norn turned and gazed at the dim candlelight, thinking to himself, "What other tricks do you have up your sleeve now?"
The next day, as Norn was contemplating how Haps would retaliate, he heard a report from Sasan.
"Haps is here to apologize?!" Norn said in astonishment.
"What's his game?" Norn paced back and forth. "Forget it, let's meet him and see what he has to say."
In the hall, as soon as Norn opened the door, he saw a mountain of flesh lunging at his feet.
"Lord Norn, have mercy!" Haps knelt at Norn's feet, trying to grab Norn's leg with his chubby hands.
Norn looked at the 200-pound man, whose body was covered in sweat from the desert heat, looking like a piece of sizzling pork belly. His greasy hands kept wiping on his trousers.
Norn felt a chill run down his spine. "Let go!" William and Patrick quickly stepped forward and it took them a while to drag Haps away.
Norn disdainfully patted his trousers and sat down in his seat.
"Mr. Haps, what brings you here?"
Haps still knelt heavily in front of Norn, his head deeply buried in the ground.
"I didn't mean to offend you, my lord. Please forgive me!"
"Oh? How did Mr. Haps offend me?" Norn's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"I didn't know that lady was your sister, my lord. I was too forward. Please forgive me!" Haps still kept his head down.
"Is that all?" Norn picked up his wine glass and swirled the deep red liquid inside.
"Well, that's all I know," Haps replied, still keeping his head down.
Before Norn could ask further, Haps continued, "But I did hear that some small merchants were unhappy that you didn't sell them woolen yarn and wanted to cause you trouble. You should be careful, my lord!"
"Look up!"
Haps hesitantly raised his head, his face full of the fear of a wronged merchant.
Norn stared intently into Haps' eyes, trying to see some clue.
"Two months ago, I was attacked by the Hashashin."
"Such a thing happened! You must be very careful, my lord!" Haps' eyes showed seven parts of flattery and three parts unease, but no sign of being exposed.
Norn looked for a long time but still couldn't see anything different. Angrily, Norn grabbed the wine glass and threw it at Haps. The deep red wine splashed on Haps' head, scaring him into burying his head in the ground again.
"Please calm down, my lord! I really didn't know!"
The huge mass of flesh trembled continuously, as if suddenly entering a cold winter.
"I don't know where else I offended you, but this is the property I've accumulated in the Holy City over the years. Please forgive me, my lord!"
Haps painfully took out and opened a wooden box from his chest, filled with deeds and property titles.
"I also have parents and seven children to support. I'm willing to go back to my hometown right away and stay out of your way!"
Watching Haps, who kept talking about his family, Norn gripped his sword and strode up to him.
The sword blade chopped down, and an innocent stool was split in half.
The loud noise made Haps jump, and he quickly begged for mercy.
"Take your things and get out! Don't let me see you again!" Norn issued his final ultimatum.
"Yes, yes, my lord is wise," Haps was afraid that Norn would change his mind and ran away without even taking the box.
"My lord, he..." Sasan wanted to say something, but Norn interrupted, "He's lost almost all his property and no longer poses a threat to us. Let him live."
"...Understood."
Norn sighed, not knowing if he had done the right thing.
A day later, a long caravan of camels entered an oasis inn.
Haps was very relieved that he had bet right. The young noble was still too soft-hearted and had let him keep some of his property to make a comeback.
"I was hoping to use a princess as a way in, but instead, I lost my family business," Haps sighed and suddenly felt a pain in his stomach.
Haps quickly ran to the toilet with the help of his servant.
At that moment, the steward walked over alone, waved his hand to dismiss the servant, and when no one was around, he opened the door a crack. A dart suddenly appeared in his hand and hit Haps' neck.
Haps, who wanted to shout for help, had his mouth tightly covered by the steward.
Looking at the familiar steward, Haps' eyes were filled with surprise and confusion. But the toxin in the dart gradually paralyzed his body as it spread through his bloodstream.
Watching the struggling Haps, the "steward" took out the dart with his sleeve and pushed the body into the latrine.
"My young master, you're still too soft-hearted," Sasan thought again, but this was also the reason she followed her master.
"Some things in the dark should be done by us, the people of the dark."