The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 54 The Shackles of Servility
"Those bastards fled yesterday to avoid punishment for failing to protect the manor!"
Knowing he's a villain and still believing him, I think you're incredibly foolish!

Huss gave a cold, mocking laugh, but secretly he was pondering the strangeness of the situation.

He realized that the situation was seriously out of his control, and a strong sense of unease welled up inside him.

"This this……"

Old David never expected that the truth would be like this.

Was Father Lynn deliberately trying to intimidate them?

Could it be that I've really been fooled by that scoundrel?
Even when the orcs raided the town, Lord Huss was able to put up a strong defense and resist.

"Do we still need to leave the town...?"

"There's still mist in the forest, so it's not really safe...right?"

"The lords still need our rent and taxes; they have an obligation to protect us! They can't just abandon us..."

The wolf, who had been standing silently behind Huss, finally couldn't help but mutter under his breath:

"Damn it, these guys who serve the nobles are even more boastful than the dwarves."

Huss saw that his people were hesitant and indecisive, clearly not fully believing his words.

But unlike before, they didn't share a common hatred of the enemy; instead, they seemed ready to rise up and rebel at the slightest disagreement.

It doesn't matter; he doesn't expect to gain the trust of these lowly people.

Because he knows these people very well.

Always so opportunistic, timid, and numb...

If they fail to unite as one, even the slightest wavering is enough to destroy their confidence.

But just as he was about to take a deep breath and ponder the reasons behind the whole thing, the next moment...

A gentle female voice rang in everyone's ears:

"Excuse me, could you please let me pass?"

They noticed the owner of the voice.

That was Catherine, the Morning and Evening Flower, carrying her packed luggage and holding the hand of the little girl Anbi.

Huss's eyes widened slightly.

The feeling of unease intensified.

As the most beautiful sight in town, Catherine always receives special treatment.

Otherwise, the townspeople would have driven this girl who was raising wild animals out of town long ago.

At this moment, the men spontaneously made way for her, allowing her to lead the anxious Ambi closer to Melard.

Someone couldn't help but advise:
"It's no use, Catherine. Do you see Lord Huss? He's guarding the town's exit with his soldiers; he won't let anyone leave—"

Besides, the town doesn't seem as dangerous as the priest said, so we don't need to..."

Catherine did not answer the other party.

He simply took a slow, deep breath, releasing all the tension in his heart, and then looked at the slightly pleased Merad behind Huss, bowing slightly in apology:

"I apologize, young master. There are quite a few supplies needed for the journey, and it took some time to pack them. Please forgive my lateness."

Melard's reaction was somewhat slow.

I still haven't grasped the meaning behind Catherine's words.

But just as he was about to respond, Huss preemptively stepped forward and shouted angrily:
"shut up!"

Catherine paused slightly, feigning hesitation, and said:
"Didn't you tell me to meet up in an hour and leave Xingmei Town together?"

"Shut up!"

Huss reached out and grabbed her by the throat.

"Watch out or I'll scratch you!"

Ambi's fingernails suddenly extended, transforming into wolf-like claws, leaving Hus stunned in place.

There's nothing to be afraid of in a little girl, but the potential curse she carries always makes people hesitate.

But there's no doubt that Catherine shouldn't be here.

It shouldn't have happened at this time—

She was handpicked by the young master, the only commoner he wanted to take away.

It is also the culprit that has delayed things until now.

If the initial assumption was simply that the woman wanted to take too much with her, causing the packing delay...

Huss has no doubt that she deliberately appeared in front of people.

Just so that his lies could be exposed in front of these ordinary people—

"What?! They're actually going to take Catherine away with them?!"

It was like a pebble falling into a still lake.

Ripples spread out and began to gradually extend into the crowd:

"Why is she packing her bags? Does she never plan to return to town?"

"But her tavern is right here, and her mother is buried under the oak tree... Why did she leave Starplum Town?"

"Most importantly... why did the young master, who went to 'welcome the reinforcements,' take her with him when he left?"

This almost confirms only one fact—"She knew the town was doomed!"

As this thought flashed through their minds.

The ripples on the lake surface had transformed into towering waves.

"No, that's not fair!"

"Why should Catherine have the right to know, while we are kept in the dark?!"

"So, you've hooked up with Long Jincheng's young master, is that it? So he plans to take you away from town and leave us here to die!?"

"What about the beast beside her? Could it be that it also ran away with her?"

Hus gritted his teeth, unable to maintain his usual composure any longer. A surge of anger welled up in his heart, causing his face to flush red.

"Shut up, daughter of the beach! Who gave you permission to pour your filthy black water on the lord who has been so lenient with you!?"

"Young Master never said he was leaving, much less that he would take you with him. What are your intentions in slandering him like this!"

In a word.

Just a simple sentence, yet it's like an invincible sword.

We must expose his carefully crafted lies.

He showed his ugliest side to these damned bastards!
Now that things have come to this, how could Huss not have guessed it?

Lynn, the dwarf, the tripwire, Catherine...

Their successive appearances constitute an obvious trap!

First, that damned, revered old priest spread the news of the 'orc raids,' causing panic among the people.

By further exploiting the dwarf's identity as a "villain," they reinforced the impression of the "nobles fleeing," forcing the fearful people to abandon any hope and decide to leave their homes.

Meanwhile, they disguised themselves as mercenaries and set up tripwires to hinder the young master's escape, delaying it until the townspeople gathered at the town's exit.

Finally, Catherine, who had some connection with the young master, stepped forward.

By 'self-defilement,' we expose the explanations and lies he has woven!

She pretended to be clueless and casually mentioned the 'preferential treatment' she had received.

This is undoubtedly self-destructive, as she has voluntarily broken away from the people's camp.

To become, in their words, that damned, privileged—exception.

As Ambion listened to the whispers and grumbling around her, including the inevitable filthy curses, she couldn't help but clutch her sister's sleeve tightly.

Catherine gently patted the back of her hand, indicating that she could withstand the foul language.

Compared to the accusations, she was actually more surprised by Tang Qi's precognitive abilities—

"You know what? For many people, the most hateful people in this world are not necessarily the nobles who exploit them."

Because they knew that nobles were always unattainable.

So much so that they had long become accustomed to the oppression of these nobles... and after becoming numb, they took it all for granted.

Her ears involuntarily echoed Tang Qi's explanation of the plan not long ago.
"So when a disaster struck, they were abandoned in the wilderness by the nobles and their Achilles tendons were ripped."

They might not be thinking, 'Why should I be the one to take the fall for these damned nobles?'

Instead, they numbly lamented, "This is indeed the fate of us lowly people."

Because they accepted the rules of this world—

Nobles are 'noble', while I am 'lowly'.

This makes most people neither able nor daring to criticize the nobles' mistakes, because 'as nobles, isn't it only natural to be treated favorably?'
But if this preferential treatment were bestowed upon the 'outcasts' who were equal to them, everything would be completely different.

Just like those whose Achilles tendons have been punctured, they might resent those who run ahead of them—

Why is it me who gets exposed, and not them?
Why is he allowed to escape while I'm left here to die?
Having this kind of thought does not necessarily mean he is a bad person.

But jealousy inevitably brings out the darkness hidden deep in one's heart.

This is servility.

In his recollection, Tang Qi finally revealed his true purpose.

"No one in this world is a fool. A lord will not endlessly exploit the common people, nor will the common people rebel against the lord without cause—"

Like a spring, it retains its elasticity as long as it stays within its tolerance limit.

The common people's discontent with the nobles alone cannot incite them to take outrageous actions.

That's why we need to increase the investment.

We need to tell them the truth step by step.

Then use your 'privilege' to unleash their true grievances.

Strive to break through the spring's threshold and shatter the shackles of servility.

Now, the noise has completely drowned out the sound of the wind.

The accumulated firewood in my heart piled up into a high tower.

But Catherine understood.

Huss and the nobility still have room for explanation.

Right now, only one final spark is needed.

(End of this chapter)