Firearms in a Fantasy World

Chapter 36: In the Name of the People

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

The day after reclaiming Port Frand, Paul Grayman ordered the townspeople to gather in the square in front of the church. Here, he intended to hold a public trial and judgment of the pirates.

Soldiers began knocking on doors at dawn to notify everyone, and by mid-morning, the entire town had assembled in the square. They saw four gallows ominously erected there and speculated on how many pirates the Lord intended to hang.

Over two hundred Shark Gang pirates, now prisoners, knelt bound in front of the church steps. The townspeople, having suffered under these ruffians' tyranny in recent months, were emotionally charged.

Now, these pirates, once so threatening, cowered like beaten dogs. People hurled insults and rotten fish at them; some even threw stones. Several unlucky prisoners were left bloodied from the barrage.

Many attempted to breach the guard lines and physically assault the prisoners, but soldiers promptly brandished weapons, forcing them back.

Were it not for the vigilant soldiers, the angry mob might have beaten the pirates to death long ago.

"They stole our life savings!"

"My daughter was violated by these bastards, sob..."

"May the Lord of Light send these demons to hell!"

Such grievances and curses filled the chaotic square.

...

Paul stood on the balcony of the second floor, staring blankly at the scene below.

Suddenly, he spoke, "Did you see that, Schroder?"

The man behind him immediately answered, "Yes, my Lord. It seems the townspeople harbor a deep hatred for the pirates."

Paul continued, "I suddenly wonder, if I had been the one defeated in battle yesterday, if I were the one kneeling down there now, how would these townspeople treat me?"

Schroder fell silent, unsure of how to respond.

Paul murmured, "I suppose it wouldn't be much different from how they treat these pirates. Rotten fish, stones, they would all be hurled at my head."

"How... how could that be, my Lord? You are their Lord," Schroder tried to reassure, though his lack of confidence was evident.

Paul chuckled bitterly, "Yes, indeed. This noble family of mine abandoned them to the pirates for over twenty years, only to come back shamelessly to collect taxes."

The old knight didn't know how to respond and chose silence.

"Did you see how those townspeople looked at me yesterday?" Paul continued. "I could tell, their gaze wasn't much different from how they look at the Shark. It's just that the club in my hand is heavier, and I managed to knock the Shark down, which has earned me some superficial respect. If the Shark had knocked me down, to them, it would just be exchanging one Lord for another, the same tyranny, the same oppression and extortion."

The young Count sighed lightly, "Winning back their hearts and minds will be a long and arduous task. For now, let them vent their anger on these pirates."

...

At ten o'clock in the morning, the public trial began.

Captain Holman's voice was quite loud, so he was chosen to read out the pirates' crimes.

Unfurling the scroll, the captain began reading aloud:

"In the year 1990 of the Holy Calendar, in the name of Lord Paul Grayman, Earl of Alden, a public trial is convened to announce the heinous deeds of the pirate gang known as the Shark Gang. After discussion and summarization, the crimes are as follows..."