371 7.99 Sheriffs Men?! The Hell With You... (1/2)

”It is I, Robin, the leader of this fine team called The Band of Vagabonds. Welcome to Camp Salvation, and who might you fine gentlemen be?” I asked as I knew who they are, but pretending to be courteous at the same time.

”We are the ambassadors from the Sheriff of Nottingham in Nottingham itself, we had travelled through the town portals to reach here and we wish to find out some matters with the team members of your band.”

”Oh, what could there be any matters with our team members of this fine band. Did we commit any kind of crimes or had stepped on the Sheriff's tail that he had to send you as ambassadors to inquire in our Band?”

”Oh, just the normal matters that interest the Sheriff. How many moons have you been in this spot? Do you have any kind of permit to set up your own hearth here?”

Sensing what these men are actually after, I just played along with them and see how far they'd go and how much information I could squeeze from them.

”We had been here close to two months now and was thinking of moving upwards towards Cawood, Wetherby or Eccup. We'd be in our way by end of next month and by then this hearth and garden could be used by any adventurers.”

”Come, have a seat here and bring your two officers with you. Will, could you prepare sine refreshments and whatever dinner that we had left for our fine gentlemen here who had travelled so far from Nottingham.”

I stood up and gestured my arms towards where the captains and I were seated and Will.I.Am immediately served up strawberry tea while the two support girls heat up the balance supper and served to the men at arms soon after.

”So, what can we do for you gentlemen? Please... Enjoy your meals as we discuss matters at heart shall we?” I casually said when supper was served and the three men at arms sat down and had theirs.

”How many members of the band do you have right now?”

”We have 10 classes that made up of 15 men and women each and equals to 154 including the 3 captains and myself.”

”Very interesting, living close to a battleground that annihilated more than 500 over armies just 30 minutes from here. Do you know about the battles that took place?”

”Yes, the Cardinal Company passed here a few evenings ago and told us about it. They never got back and their band had been removed from the board of participants in the party raids. It's a pity, don't you think?”

”Oh, you had met with the Cardinal Company then. Yes, it's a pity no one made out alive. That's one of the reasons why we are here too.”

”Firstly, you had been around in this little camp of yours for more than a month and the Sheriff wanted to know if you are Englishmen since you had taken a portion of land for your own private use.”

”Secondly, the Sheriff commands you, the leader of this band to pay the monthly taxes of those men under you, at a gold coin per month, so we would like to see 154 gold coins to be paid upfront and another 154 gold coins for the following month.”

Hearing that they are after the money, I quickly bring up my interface and set aside 308 gold coins from my personal stash and places them in a pouch where I retrieve it from my storage bag. I jiggled the coin pouch filled with gold coins and places it on the table.

The coin pouch bulged with coins and I purposely didn't tie the pouch and some of the coins spilt out on the table, making the three men at arms swallowed their food, making their Adam apples bobbed up and down.

One of the men reached forward to grab it when I swiftly took my sword with its scabbard and places it between the men and the coin pouch as I said, ”Just... Hang... On... A... Minute... Here...”

”How... The... Hell... I... Would... Know... You... Are... The... Sheriffs... Men...?” I asked as I looked down but stared at them from the top of my head as I slowly say out my sentence to them.

”Of course, we are the men at arms from Sheriff's, do we need to lie to you and announce them even if we aren't? It's impersonating an officer and its a chargeable offence by 100 lashes.”

”What if I hand you this pouch and in the next few days another group of men announces that they are the ambassadors of Sheriff of Nottingham, and demands another 308 gold coins from us?”

”Eeehhhh... We won't do that, this is governmental work that we do, there's no two way about it and no other people would be coming here to collect more taxes than they do, unless you, Robin, is a very generous young leader...”

”Is there any kind of Decree to notify us that we need to pay taxes? Sheriff of Nottingham does not pay a single copper to build up this place, he didn't pay a single copper to build farmland out from this piece of land and he didn't even pay a single copper to contribute for our cause... So why do we need to pay taxes for? ”

”Did he come here and wipe everyone's ass after they take a shit? No right...? So why we should be paying taxes for? For breathing the air that the Lord provides? Tell me, what are those personal taxes for?”

”Look, Robin... We came here also to inform you that you are the lucky one to be selected to go against the demons encampment just 30 minutes away from here.”

”There's no Decree that you had mentioned and our instructions are clear as a bell. Pay your taxes or we would take necessary actions.”

”Look, Mister... No Decree, no money... See... 308 gold coins in front of you right now but since there is no decree, you can kiss this goodbye. Look, Mister... You are three and we are 150 of us here, you want to threaten us with words... Hmm, tell me, Mister... Would you like your lips to be kissing your arse right now?”

By this time, I had a murderous intent look in my eyes and it shines fiery red as the energy that gathered belonged to Kamehameha's. The sword on the table did rattle a bit and it emitted a red glow as well and can be seen clearly near the hilt of the sword.