Incompatible Interspecies Wives

Chapter 179: An Approaching Crisis (3)

I was wrapping things up.

A couple from the human race, who had received our help, approached us to express their gratitude.

"Lord Reiker...! Thank you so much...! We never imagined you would come in person to assist us..."

They were part of the Humans that had settled in our territory after I became a noble.

Shaking my head, I responded to them.

"No need to thank me. If any problems arise in the future, just let me know. Take care."

Their gratitude made me somewhat uncomfortable.

We were merely lucky this time, and there was no guarantee we could help next time.

As the lord, the task of continually ensuring the lives under my care was a heavy burden.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to look at the captured bandits.

We had killed five and captured fourteen.

It was a rather large group of bandits.

I approached Burns, patting him on the shoulder for his hard work, and said,

"Burns, are you really okay?"

"I'm fine. Not a scratch on me."

Nodding at his response, I then walked over to the man who seemed to be the leader of the bandits.

As soon as he saw my face, he bowed his head to the ground and pleaded.

"Lord... Lord Berg Reiker... Please, spare me."

"...."

"I... I made a mistake. We had no way to survive, so we did this. I promise it won't happen again."

It was the same story I heard every time we caught bandits.

Clicking my tongue, I asked him,

"Where are you from?"

"Wh... what?"

Terrified, he belatedly answered my question.

"Ah... Th- the Torian region."

"Why did a mercenary from the Torian region come all the way here?"

"I... I didn't know this was Lord Reiker's territory... We were just trying to find a way to survive..."

"...."

The Torian region was quite a distance to the northwest from here.

The fact that they had traveled all the way here was not good news.

If mercenaries from Torian could appear here, who else might show up?

I sighed and said to him,

"Do you know what happens if you're caught banditry in Stockpin?"

"...Lord Reiker... please... please..."

"At least you didn't commit murder or rape. If you had, you'd already be dead."

I stood up and looked at Baran, then nodded.

The members of the Red Flames began moving in unison.

"Ah...! No!!"

The bandits started screaming.

There's one thing I've learned while managing the territory.

In the past, I showed a lot of mercy and sometimes even allowed bandits into the territory.