Berserk: The Prophet

"Oh, gentlemen, it's just a child who doesn't know any better! Please spare his life." Charles watched this scene in horror and tried to step forward to stop them, but was pushed aside by the cavalrymen.

Green stood still, the harpoon pressed tightly against the tax collector's throat. Although he was still feeling uneasy and flustered after encountering such a situation for the first time, he could only pretend to be calm. If he stopped now, he would probably be killed by this group without any scruples.

The chainmail cavalry surrounded the courtyard, their gleaming swords pointed at Grin, the atmosphere tense as a taut bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

"Don't come any closer!" Green roared, his voice carrying the immaturity of a young boy, yet filled with an undeniable air of authority.

"You have been oppressing us because of your lord's power. Today I will show you that we are not lambs to be slaughtered!"

Upon hearing this, the cavalrymen merely let out a mocking laugh. The lead knight sneered and stepped forward: "Boy, you think you can fight us with just a harpoon? Stop dreaming of being a hero. Put down your weapon, come with us obediently, and you'll avoid any physical pain."

Suddenly, there was a sound of hurried horse hooves in the distance.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the soldiers were from this village. After being conscripted by the lord, they were lucky enough to become fortress guards in the lord's hall.

"Something's wrong! Where's the village chief? Uncle Edgar... what are you doing?"

The soldier stared in shock at the tense scene unfolding in old Charles's yard, his gaze darting between Green, Charles, the tax collector, and the chainmail knights, utterly bewildered.

"Jack, what brings you back?" Someone in the crowd recognized the sentry and called out his name.

Jack then shifted his gaze from the tense standoff to the person who had spoken, his expression one of extreme anxiety.

"I came back on leave to visit family... Oh, never mind that. Rumor has it that Juda's front in Grant has completely collapsed, and all 2 of his soldiers have died on Grant Island!!"

Upon hearing the astonishing news brought by Jack, everyone was stunned. The tense atmosphere was instantly replaced by shock and unease. The chainmail knights looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief, and their swords involuntarily fell to their sides.

"What did you say? Juda's battle line has collapsed? All 20,000 men are dead?" The leading knight asked in a trembling voice, a hint of fear in his eyes.

He knew that part of Juda's army that went to conquer Grant was led by the lord he served, and even his brother was on the expedition.

If the battle lines truly collapse completely, the lord's power will be severely damaged, and even the lord himself may die in the process, not to mention the sons of these villagers.

The tax collector's face turned ashen, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Impossible! This must be a rumor! How could Juda have failed? Don't spout nonsense!"

"I... My lord hasn't sent any news for over three months. Today, I personally witnessed the envoys sent by the Juda royal family taking over this land with the land deeds and nationalizing it!!"

Upon hearing Jack's words, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

Several women whose children had been taken by the lord fainted on the spot, and a sorrowful atmosphere enveloped the villagers.

"...In other words, this land is currently unclaimed and does not require taxes."

The old man in the village raised an eyebrow, giving a meaningful look to the tax collector who was being held hostage by Green. He was old enough not to have traveled much, but he still knew a thing or two about the rules of the feudal system.

The crowd, which had been immersed in a somber atmosphere, suddenly erupted into a commotion. The villagers whispered among themselves, their faces filled with confusion and anger.

The chainmail cavalrymen also became hesitant. When the lord was away, they patrolled outside the city on time, and after finishing their duties, they went to drink and gamble. They never paid attention to whether the lord had sent back any messages.

The tax collector's face turned pale and then red. He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but found his throat too dry to make a sound.

The confidence he usually had, relying on the lord's power to bully others, vanished instantly upon hearing this news. He knew, of course, that once the land was nationalized, his situation as a lackey bought off by the lord would become extremely dangerous.

The chainmail cavalrymen were completely panicked. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion and fear. The leading knight gritted his teeth, trying to salvage the situation: "Even if the land belongs to the royal family, it's not your place to act so arrogantly! Perhaps a new lord will come to take over soon, and then you'll still have to pay your taxes obediently!"

Green snorted coldly, pressing the harpoon down harder, drawing a shallow line of blood on the tax collector's neck: "At this point, you still want to scare us? Today you must return all the ill-gotten gains!"

With Jack's words, village chief Edgar immediately gained confidence, his one eye gleaming sharply: "Over the years, we have suffered terribly at your hands. Now that there is no lord, the taxes should no longer be paid, and what you have plundered today should be returned!"

The villagers echoed their sentiments, their long-suppressed anger reignited, and they picked up their farm tools and surrounded the chainmail cavalry, knights, and tax collectors.

"Damn you, Stuwin, did you receive news of the lord's death in battle a while ago?"

Stuwin—the tax collector—had a flicker of panic on his face. He tried to get up from the ground but was held down firmly by Green. He still stubbornly argued, "That's not true. Don't make false accusations!"

But his slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner fear.

Seeing the tax collector's disgraceful behavior, Green felt even more disgusted. He shouted, "Don't be fooled by him, everyone! He's taken so much from us, today is the day to get it back!"

As he spoke, he turned to the chainmail cavalry, "Don't even think about protecting him. The lord's fate is unknown. Is it worth risking your lives for him?"

The cavalrymen exchanged glances, speechless for a moment. They knew that the situation had changed drastically, and continuing to be enemies of the villagers would likely end badly.

One of the young knights couldn't help but speak up: "Captain, should we... return the items to them?"

The leading knight's face turned ashen, and he was about to lash out when he saw the burning anger in the villagers' eyes. Looking at the dense crowd of villagers surrounding him, each wielding a farm tool, he realized that he was now in a difficult situation.

If they insist on not returning the goods, and the villagers really start a fight, these few cavalrymen may not be able to escape unscathed.