379 8.7 sPost Its Sticker Smiley Bandits (1/2)

”WHAT do you mean by not getting any favourable results? And what happened to your suit of Armour?” asked the Sheriff in bewilderment as the three men at arms that he had sent hobbled in a few days later after making a trip to the encampment near Spottiswood.

”Sheriff, we were presented with a pouch that was filled with good coins for the 154 adventurers there and the leader of the band said that he is willing to pay 2 months upfront. However, things got ugly when he asked for a notice or a Decree from us to present to the leader to proof we are your men and are there to collect the monthly taxes.”

”Everyone in this land knows that they have to pay monthly taxes of 1 shilling per villager and 1 gold coins for adventurers. The adventurers sure have a way to collect their loot after their so-called grinding with the monsters. As for the villagers, they are merely plebs and have no other variable income, unlike the others.”

”Why is there a need for us to present a Decree whenever you go round to collect the taxes? Or are they simply trying to be ignorant and are Poking at a yellowjackets hive to see the reaction?”

”Moreover, that leader was quite brazen to announce 'No Decree, No Money' some sort like that and if we are not happy at what he did to us, we would go and sent our force to get him then.”

”Then, what are you waiting for? Go get him and bring his head over here...!”

”The thing is that Sheriff, he merely shouted at us and we received hammering and crushing to our armour and the pressure we received was excruciating. We had no other choice but to remove our armour due to the immense pressure. It was crumpled beyond recognition and repair.”

”Yes, and the force of that shout was deafening and our armour was crumpled like it was paper. It looked like it was trampled by a herd of elephants!”

”Is there such an adventurer who is that powerful now? What else did he say about thedemons encampment?”

”He just said he is not interested, that's all. Maybe he had discovered the demise of the 2 Undisputed Champions that went in and then were snuffed out within minutes and has decided not to go against them. He's afraid, I think.”

”Heh, afraid of demons but not afraid of my men at arms? They are camped just 30 minutes away...!!”

”Sheriff, do you want us to gather up some more men and get the taxes by sheer numbers? Could we have a notice from you so that we could collect the taxes peacefully and be on our way?”

”The notice is a small thing, but what matters most of the gold mine that was standing there and the demons were hoarding it. The longer the demons are dominating there, who knows he might bring his whole family there his parents, grandparents, relatives, cousin and so on?”

”Who knows there might even be a Damn settlement over there deep inside the mines right now... ”the Sheriff was saying this with exasperation exactly that depicts himself as a demon hoarding the mine as he himself was hoarding all the taxes.

”I'd go and gather up some more men in this case and once the notice is ready, we'd get those taxes from you right away. And yes, he also demands a receipt for the payment of taxes...”

”You mean every single one of them? Do they know how much paper would that be? Does he think that paper comes from a paper mill or something? Damn that leader of the band.”

”It is one way or the other, Sheriff. We won't want to waste our time going there and getting nothing in return. We hope that with your notice in our hands, it would make substantial proof to them that we are genuinely collecting the taxes for you.”

”Yes, Sheriff. He did mention about him paying us and then a group of other men comes in the next few days and starts collecting taxes again using your name.”

”Alright, alright... I'd prepare the notice right away and you go and assemble some men and tell that leader to go and chase away that damnation off that mineshaft once and for all.” the Sheriff waved his hands off as he entered his study to prepare the notice of demand.

”That leader seems to have brains after all. He seems to be careful of whom he pays the taxes to.” the Sheriff thought to himself.

As for his men at arms, they were gathering those vagrant adventurers in Nottingham to assist them to 'persuade' Robin and his members to eradicate the demons that were domineering in Spottiswood once and for all.

...

Meanwhile back in Fenton...

”WHO KNOCKED YOU OUT?!?” asked the High Priest to his subordinates as the latter was rubbing to the bump that he had received when he entered the kitchen to ran a bite to eat.

”I have no idea, Sir. I was entering the kitchen, I then saw a black-clad figure bending over on the floor and was petting our cat when suddenly everything went black. The moment I came to, I raised the alarm of an intruder in our midst.” replied the Monk with the bump on his head.