Chapter 114 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [5] (1/2)

114. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [5]

Lao village.

Located in the central part of the Sunny Land, Dagrio, it’s a calm and peaceful village with an idyllic atmosphere.

But, that is a story from a long time ago.

Now, it was suffering under the tyranny and heavy taxes of the Black Organization. Villagers were afflicted with poverty and famine, and just living hellish days of being exploited.

Tax collection is once a month – and today was that day.

Under a simple tent in the center of Lao village, the village chief, who was approaching the age of 80 – was prostrating, his forehead against the mud.

「Please… Please accept this and let us go.」

He offered the food scraped together from the entire village.

Potatoes, rice, and a small quantity of meat.

The reality of the situation is, this was the maximum amount that can be offered by this village.

And then,

「Haa…」

Zam Hashfeld sighed loudly – a member of the Black Organization who was entrusted with tax collection in Lao village.

「Hey, village chief. Aren’t you underestimating us a little? You can tell with a glance… that this amount is insufficient.」

「……」

The village chief, who had hit a nerve, could only keep silent.

The Black Organization’s monthly tax is『300 kilograms of food』.

Crops, meat, and milk – only 300 kilograms are collected each month, regardless of the type.

At first, there was still no problem.

300 kilograms of food – in Dagrio, which was famous for its agriculture, that was a trifling amount.

However, the situation has changed greatly since.

Ever since the Black Organization took control of Dagrio, the downpour of rain never stopped.

It was not a normal heavy rain which lasts about three to ten days.

It has been raining for years now.

The two young men, who were behind the village chief, also bowed their heads while gritting their teeth.

(Damn it… cursed Black Organization…)

(These guys… They keep making it rain somehow… To torment us…)

The fertile soil flowed into the sea due to the endless rain.

The thick clouds that covered the sky blocked the sun’s rays.

In such a poor condition, there is no way that crops can be produced as before.

They’ve managed to keep paying taxes by indoor cultivation utilizing indoor lighting, but…

This month – they’ve finally reached the limit.

The village chief frantically pleaded with his forehead rubbing against the mud.

「I am fully aware that we don’t have enough food for 300 kilograms… but!」

He raised his thin face, looked around at the village, and complained of it’s plight.

「In such a poor environment, we can’t grow enough crops…! Food is already running out, and there is an epidemic in the village…! 100 kilograms of food is the maximum we could bring together… Wouldn’t you please accept this?!」the village chief pleaded, bowing his head deeply.

When Zam saw that, he put his hand on the village chief’s shoulder with a gentle smile on his face.

「Hey, do you know? All we need is the spirit ores that can be mined on this island. Do you understand what that means?」

「What do you mean…?」

「Fuu, it’s actually very simple. We don’t care whether you die or not, whether you pay taxes or not…!」

Saying that, Zam quickly pulled out the sword fastened at his waist – cutting down the village chief in one stroke.

「Ga, ha…」

「V-Village chief!?」

「Y-You…! Why did you!?」

The two young men screamed in rage.

Zam frowned, hearing the loud voices mixed with anger.

「Tch, don’t shout, it’s annoying… I have a bad headache because of a hangover…」

He was suffering from a headache due to downing the sake he had collected just yesterday.

「Haa, it’s too much trouble to collect tax from each and every village… And above all, I’m sick of this soggy country dominated by that『Rain Man』… Haa, I’m just going to kill you all.」

When Zam uttered so, more than fifty swordsmen – who had been standing behind him – unsheathed their swords all at once.

「Shit…!」

The young men, who had followed the village chief to this place, took a wooden whistle out of their pockets and blew it, alerting the villagers of danger.

「Like. I. Said… I have a bloody headache!」Zam said, and quickly swung his sword twice.

「Gua…!」

「Ga, ha…」

The two were cut down as they blew the loud whistle.

This is how the tragedy of Lao village began.

■

When the sound of danger sounded through the whole village.

At the Garish house at the southern end of Lao village, Maria Garish, and Millie Garish, who had just celebrated her fifth birthday, turned pale.

「The sound of this whistle!?」

「Mama…」

Maria hugged her daughter, who was looking up at her with a fearful expression.

「I-It’s okay, Millie! Mama is with you! No matter what happens, I will definitely protect you!」

I will protect Millie no matter what, that was the last promise she made to her husband, who died of an epidemic a few years ago.

「O-Okay…」

After calming down her daughter, Maria opened a small window and checked the situation outside.

What she saw was,

「Wh-What is this…」

The figure of villagers laying sprawled in the center of the village.

「Village chief, Rama, Dresta…」

She immediately calmed herself down as blood rushed to her head, and grabbed Millie’s shoulder.

「Mi, Millie, let’s escape!」

「Eh, uh, okay…」

Maria led Millie by the hand and tried to sneak out of the back door of the house.

However,.

「Oi, oi… Where are you two going sneakily?」

They came across Zam Hashfeld, a member of the Black Organization who cut down the village chief and the two men.

「……」

「Ma, Mama…」

Tension ran on their faces.

「Kukuku, that face… It’s so good! It’s the best!」

Zam liked『hunting』.

Rather than killing the strong who bravely faced him, he loved killing the weak who desperately ran for their lives.

So he ran to the southern end of the village soon after he cut down the village chief.

If you go south of Lao village, you will reach the place where the Holy Knights are stationed.

He was sure that women and children will cling on to that small hope and try to escape.

And now, Zam has discovered two prey as he had expected.

「……Millie, escape.」

「B-But…」

「Mama will be fine. So just run south. Don’t look back no matter what.」

Maria pushed Millie’s back.

「No, no, I don’t want to… Let’s go together mama…!」

Millie shook her head sideways, while dawdling.

「It’s okay, mama will catch up with you soon. And you promised to papa in heaven, didn’t you? That you will be a strong girl?」

「……Okay, I understand.」

As soon as Millie nodded, there was a harsh laugh.

「Kukuku, how sad… My eyes are getting teary! Of course, I’ll still kill you in the end, though…」

At the same time Zam pulled out his sword, with a heinous smile.

「I am not going to let you through here even if it means my death!」

Maria pulled out a shabby sword that was dangling from her hips, with an awkward movement.

「Ho… You were a swordsman.」

Zam’s face stiffened for a moment, but… immediately returned to his original smile.