Chapter 876 Officiating a Wedding

Morris's guard speaks. "My lord, I followed this fellow around the outside of town to a nearby manor."

"He told the guards there to bring the girl out secretly, then prepared to kill her to silence her."

"I had to act fast to save her, so I was a little heavy-handed. I did rather a lot of damage."

Morris glances at the baron's guard, whose arms are twisted grotesquely, then glares at his own man.

The guard, who is at Battle Knight Rank, grins awkwardly and withdraws to stand watch outside the tavern.

Bella then gives an account that matches Sandy's in every detail.

The purchase contract was not lost after all. Bella had hidden it in the house where she had been living.

Following Bella's directions, Gilbert quickly retrieves the purchase contract.

Morris glances over it and passes it to Harry beside him.

Pabos leans over to read it, then addresses Nakala. "Baron, it bears the estate's mark and the town administration's mark. Surely these aren't fake! What else do you have to say?"

Nakala chuckles. "Young general, the marks are genuine, of course. But the document is invalid!"

"Perhaps you don't know this, but under the laws of my fief, I hold half the ownership rights over the serfs."

"A purchase agreement needs my signature, not the estate manager's."

"Naturally, I will punish him severely for selling a serf without permission and defrauding your soldier."

"But ownership of this serf remains in my hands. The kingdom's law protects that right."

Pabos snaps, "You're just playing dirty! Isn't that beneath your dignity?"

The baron replies coolly, "I'm not playing dirty. Those are my rights. I'm entitled to them!"

"Beneath my dignity?"

"Haven't you all humiliated me enough today?"

"Or do you intend to use force to take my property from me?"

Pabos draws a deep breath and studies Nakala. After a moment, he asks, "Baron, there's something I don't understand."

"You seem particularly hostile toward me."

"I'd like to know why. I don't think we've ever met!"

"Did one of your relatives die at the hands of Peace Haven's soldiers in our earlier war?"

"I can feel it. It's me you're hostile toward, more than the Mobile Strike Group!"

The baron frowns. "Is Peace Haven's heir so overbearing? Must I give you a reason just for disliking you?"

Pabos shakes his head. "No. This isn't just dislike. You're treating me as an enemy. I want to know why!"

"And if I don't?"

Pabos rests a hand on his sword hilt. "Then I have to treat you as a threat. I'm away from home. My safety matters."

"I can't let some plot get me killed. Many others would die for it, and the chain of consequences would claim countless innocent lives."

"So if you don't give me a reason today, you'll die here. I can't leave a threat so close at hand."

"That would be failing in my duty to protect my soldiers' lives!"

Nakala can plainly feel the killing intent from Pabos and his guards. If he refuses to speak, they will act.

In the standoff, he turns to Morris. "Commander, are you simply going to let your men slaughter a noble of this kingdom?"

Morris leans back and stretches his neck. "You have your rules. We have ours!"

"I suggest you explain yourself."

"Otherwise, even if you don't die here today, you might die in your sleep tomorrow."

The soldiers' cold stares suddenly push Nakala past his limit. He rises. "This is exactly what I hate about the way Peace Haven behaves!"

"You kill people over a disagreement. The moment you think someone is a threat, you act."

"Just as you build bridges and alter rivers on our land without our permission."

"You don't ask what we think, then act as though you're doing us a favor. I can't stand it!"

Pabos tilts his head and thinks for a moment. "So that's it. Peace Haven's bridges and roads have hurt trade in your fief."

"So you hate Peace Haven simply because your own interests have suffered!"

"But get one thing clear. Peace Haven isn't making a profit from these bridges and waterworks."

"We didn't want to build them in the first place. We're only doing it because the Calamity War requires them."

"The nations asked us to do this work. Do you think our engineering teams have nothing else to do?"

"Hating us over it is pointless. I suggest you direct your hatred at the source."

"King Alex of Ogiro, for example. Your king!"

"He's the one who asked us to build so many projects."

"He even wanted at least five bridges on every river! He was taking advantage of the Calamity War alliance agreement, knowing we were working without profit."

"There would have been even more bridge and waterworks projects if we hadn't turned him down so firmly."

Pabos addresses the head of the local Department of Military Affairs office. "Here's a suggestion for the next time you send military dispatches."

"Forward the baron's complaint to Diversion Bay, so King Alex can hear about his dissatisfaction."

"Better yet, ask His Majesty to write the baron an apology in his own hand. That should soothe his anger!"

The office head gives an awkward smile. "You're joking, General. The baron is only in a bad mood. He still understands how important these works are!"

Pabos ignores him. He rises, walks into the middle of the room, and slowly draws his longsword.

The baron hastily backs away. "What are you doing?"

The office head springs to his feet too. "General, calm down! It's only an argument. There's no need to go this far!"

Pabos keeps walking until he stands before Sandy and Bella.

Frightened though he is, Sandy shields Bella behind him. "General, it's my fault. Bella has nothing to do with it. Kill me!"

Pabos studies them for a moment. "Do you truly wish to take Bella as your wife?"

"She's already my wife!" Sandy says firmly.

"Even if it means dying?"

"I'm not afraid to die!"

Pabos raises his longsword and rests it on Sandy's shoulder. "Kneel!"

Sandy stares, bewildered. A comrade beside him catches on and kicks him behind the knee.

"As commander of the Ninth Warband in the Mobile Strike Group, I now declare that you may take Bella as your wife!" Pabos announces.

He turns to the stunned Bella. "Will you marry him?"

Bella nods hurriedly. "My lord, I will! I will marry Sandy!"

As she speaks, she drops to her knees before Pabos.

Pabos sheathes his sword. "There! You're husband and wife now. Sandy, this is the first wedding I've ever officiated."

"Take good care of Bella. If you're unfaithful and make me lose face, I'll break your legs."

"Even if you serve under Rembrandt, I'll still come and give you a beating!"

Baron Nakala grinds his teeth. "She's still my slave!"

Pabos turns. "Not anymore! Under the alliance agreement, she is now a military dependent of the Mobile Strike Group."

"She is under no country's control and bound by no law. Her slave contract is void, effective immediately!"

"Besides, you hate Peace Haven, don't you?"

"Then let me give you a proper reason. I know you'll take revenge on Bella's foster parents."

"So I am invoking the Peace Haven assistance clause in the alliance agreement to requisition that farm."

"Peace Haven will compensate you at fifty percent above market value. We won't take advantage of you."

"See? When it comes to playing dirty, I'm better at it than you!"

When Pabos had first been about to intervene, Morris had wanted to stop him, but Harry had pressed a hand down on his.

Morris had looked at Harry, who had nodded slightly, amusement in his eyes.

What a ruthless way to teach Pabos, Morris had thought. He could only hope the boy could bear the consequences.