C241: Home Bad Home (Part 2)

Chapter 241: Home Bad Home (Part 2)

Sarah's perspective

After visiting the elementary school, I went to Stansa castle immediately. The road was faster than I expected it to be. However, I kept the hood on my head during the travel till this time. Because if I showed my face, there would be a chance that the people would beat me... so I had to hide.

Alright... this time is 8:39 AM. And I'm standing before Stansa castle's entrance, the gate is closed. From my view, two Stansa guards are standing on both sides of the entrance, guarding the place.

I dismount from my horse Sanra and later drag her with me on the path. The guards see me coming to them. However, they keep guarding with their spears erected still, no further movement. Maybe... they're waiting till I get close to them.

"Ummm... excuse me". - I approached the gate silently, later spoke up to a guard

"Hmm?". - That guard glanced at me, he kept glancing at every part of my body

"Hmmm... are you an adventurer?". - Maybe he was suspecting me by the weapons I brought with me

According to the Kingdom's current laws, carrying weapons is banned. In the effect with the commoners and aristocrats. However, the Royal members will be an exception to the laws. 

"I am... I am... ummm". - I tried to find the Warsaw crest in my handbag.  "Ah, here". - Then I showed it to him

"I'm sorry for the previous attitude". - Again... two guards bowed to me to apologize

"What's your purpose for coming here, Lady?".

"I want to speak with my friend... she's the Lord here". - Then I looked at the gate which was being opened slightly.  "Is she here?".

"The Lord's in the workroom". - Then two guards raised their hands to the opened gate, showing me a wide path.  "Please come inside".

I later nod to the Stansa guards, and step forward on the wide path. Immediately, my feet reached the front yard of my old house. Looking at it, I see there's not much difference. Or maybe I'm wrong... there are just guardsmen, not like my previous Stansa government.

No Stansa guardswomen at all, I only see men. The Silver Eagle symbol and the blue cover of Stansa flag are also changed in their armors. Flags are placed on the castle as well, the heraldic is another red cover. The Silver Eagle symbol has been changed to be a Golden Claw of a bear.

"I'll take care of her well, Lady". - A horse keeper guardsman approached me and asked me to give my horse to be in his care

I give him the rope. The guard shortly takes my horse away, leading her to the horse's keephouse. Now I'm standing alone, nearby the front doors. Then I step till I get to the castle's front doors. One of the two guards who are guarding the doors, later approaches me.

"My apologies...". - He lowered his head while talking to me.  "Do you want to speak with the Lord directly? Or let us arrange for the meeting?".

"I want to speak with her right now". - I glanced at the door while speaking to the guardsman

"Your name, Lady?".

"Ummm...". - Maybe I should not say it fully.  "Sarah".

"Understood". - Then he looked at the Stansa guard behind him.  "Report".

"Yes, Sir". - That guard shortly headed inside the castle

"Lady, now you need to follow some instructions before you meet the Lord". - The guard that stayed outside, spoke to me while gazing at me.  "You must show your face, and let your weapons kept by me".

Alright... I can only keep my hood on outside. This is the basic law, the condition if someone wants to speak with the ruler of the land. Alright... I later pull down my hood, despite its dangerousness to my life when I do that.

Right after he has seen my face, that Stansa guard's face starts changing. He starts grumbling slowly, with his eyes showing me his different looking on me. However, I try to calm down and ease.

Not just this man, other guards around the yard who see my face... also have the same expression. Without saying a word, the guard before I later reaches his hands on me. He's about to confiscate my weapons.

I stand still, and raise my hand widely toward both sides to let him check. The man crouches down and checks my waist. He grabs my sword and my bayonet away. However, he picks up the flintlock pistol and is bewildered. Maybe he doesn't know what "firearms" are.

"Alright, turn around". - He ordered me to turn around while his hand threw my pistol behind, to the wall

I immediately turn around to let him check. Letting him check on me, I glance at the scene before me and notice something odd is happening. Some guards are leaving their positions. They drop their weapons in their working areas, and approach me... some are holding daggers.

"Ahhh! What are you doing?!". - I was shocked when the guard who was checking on me, suddenly squeezed my breasts from behind.  "Let me off now! Stop now!".  "Urrrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!!". - Asked him to stop but he didn't, I tried to resist

"Such a slutty body you have!". - That man whispered to my ears, as if to threaten me.  "You think you can stop us, bitch?! Pay your gratitude for the Goddess when she kept you alive!". - Then the man forcefully tried to crush me on the ground

"This is my revenge!". - He yelled.  "For my comrades! You'll be suffered!!!!!".

"Stop now!!!!!". - I could see that he was tearing my clothes.  "Bites!!!!". - Then I managed to bite his finger

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!".

"Bitch!".  "Punch!". - All of sudden, someone punched my right cheek, and made my mouth bleeding

"Urrrghhh!".  "Oh, fuck!". - They managed to crush me on the ground

"Stay calm, Sarah!".  "Help is on the way!". - Immediately to me right now, SA!

"Stop now!!!!". - All of sudden, a yell came out and the guards suddenly stopped harming me

"My Lord?!". - All of them immediately got away from me, being afraid of someone

I look in the direction they're looking at. That's my former Lord's Advisor - Litra, now she's Stansa's current Lord. My good friend approaches me and lifts me up, tapping my back a hit. She looks around and puts me behind her, protecting me.

"All of those who attacked her earlier... get out of my sight". - She coldly spoke to the guards.  "I'll dismiss all of you...". - I later tried to calm down and picked up my old weapons.  "But you... the one who committed it first... you'll be specially punished". - While taking my last weapon - my flintlock pistol, I looked up to see Litra

"My Lord?". - Turned out the guard who harassed my body was the one to be punished

"You...". - Litra pointed to him.  "Will go exile with your family till the end of your life...".  "No village will take you, no city will take you as well... live by yourselves". - Litra later raised her open palm above

All of sudden, more than 20 Stansa guards coming out from the castle's front doors. They start forming their spear lines toward the previous guards, threatening them to leave.

"Here". - Litra pulled out a brown bag.  "Splashes!". - The bag was thrown at them, money coins kept flying out.  "Your salary, now get out".

"This way, my Lord". - Then Litra grabbed my shoulder.  "That moment must be rough for you". - We walked inside the castle slowly

After getting inside the castle, Litra keeps getting her hand on my shoulder. I look around the workroom, and see it doesn't change at all. Looking around for a short while, I unconsciously approach the worktable to see the papers.

"What is this...?". - I picked up a random task paper on a pile of unfinished paperwork

Looking at its contents for a while, I notice this is a... help letter to the Lord. It was sent by someone, who seemed to be a homeless, or a poor. Besides this help letter, other ones with similar concepts are on the table. Did Litra leave these papers unsolved?

"I'm sorry for letting you suffer, my Lord". - Litra apologized to me.  "This way, I'll stop my job for a bit to speak with you..". - Then she turned me into the Lord's zone, as if to go in there

"Litra, I came here today with another purpose". - When we were heading to the Lord's zone door, I talked to her.  "Listen to me". - She kept walking till both of us got inside the Lord's zone

"We'll talk later, my Lord". - Litra asked me to be patience

I try to be patient and stop speaking. Both of us shortly head to the living room, and she sits on a couch on the left. Despite being unpleasant, I try to keep calm. Slowly, I take a seat on a couch opposite Litra, to speak with her.

"I'm sorry for not welcoming your arrival properly". - She bowed to me, apologizing.  "About the guards that harmed you previously... I'll dismiss all of 'em". - She looked at me straightly

"I won't mind the previous thing, Litra...". - I know those people hated me because of a misunderstanding, so I understood their feelings.  "The reason why I came here today... at first was to visit you and others...". - Then I glanced outside of a window.  "But now I came here with ano-". - While speaking, suddenly a shadow cover my body

I look up, realizing that's a maid who is above me, lowering her body. She's putting down the teacups placed on a wooden plate she's carrying in her hand. Looking closer to the maid... later I realize that's the one who I used to know... Paula.

She's my former private maid when I was ruling Stansa. Now she's standing here, serving me the tea. Putting down the teacups on the wide table, Litra notices that I'm gazing at her without blinking... but she stays silent.

Paula bows to me while lowering her body. After doing that, she turns around and silently approaches the room's door, and stands there. She stands at the door's frame, covering the doorway as if to guard. I keep my eyes away from Paula to look at Litra - who's gazing at me.

"I hope you enjoy the tea, my Lord". - She pointed to the table, showing me a hot teacup before my eyes

"Thanks for the tea... but...". - Maybe I should get straight to the point from the beginning

"Litra, I'll be clear". - Then I confronted her a bit closer.  "What happened to this place? I don't mean about the people who chase at me... but its situation". - Then I pointed my hand to the window.  "Please tell me!". - I was a bit mad, but I held back my tone.  "I handed you the chair! And you promised me that you would be a good ruler!".  "Urrrrrgggghh...". - Then I stopped my voice.  "Sorry... I was a bit mad". - Later I put my hands down, putting them on my knees

"Please understand me, my Lord...".  "There were so many problems when you stepped down from your chair". - Litra lowered her head

I try to calm down, trying to stop getting mad. Maybe... Litra's right. I must listen to her before judging anything. Then I slowly get up, later head to Litra and sit beside her on the right. The living room is now so silent.

"I'm sorry". - I tapped on her shoulder, trying to understand her circumstance.  "Tell me... what happened?".

"Right from the start, my Lord". - Litra didn't look at me, she kept lowering her face.  "When you left us to go head to Veta... people started hating you". - What?

"They thought you left them... running away and left them be on their own". - Then she looked at me, tiredly.  "I tried to explain but they didn't listen to me at all".

"But... I left for their safety". - I got up from the couch, still shocked.  "In other lands, men were forced to head to the Army, but I didn't do that".  "I just... wanted them to be together, wanted to see no families get separated".  "B-".

"They just thought that you ran away, my Lord". - Litra's explanation made me shocked

"They also hated you when you brought enemy dead bodies with their families...". - She lowered her head once again, putting her hands up to cover her face.  "Many things happened when you left".  "And...". - She later looked at a space, thinking.  "People have many reasons to hate you...".

"After the war, we had to rebuild everything... many people gathered here, this very place". - Litra grabbed the teacup on her seat, looking at the tea's surface.  "They're families... they lost their members in the war, losing everything".  "They got here... hoping that I would help them... but".

"I'm sorry, my Lord". - Litra apologized to me once again.  "Please stay here and enjoy the tea".  "Books are over there, read them if you like". - She pointed her finger to a tall bookshelf.  "It's not the time for me to excuse... please forgive me". - She headed to the door

"Wait a bit, Litra". - I followed Litra when Paula opened the door for her to step out

"I'm quite busy right now... I'll come back when I finish". - Litra later stepped out of the room right in front of me

Litra goes away, I'm left with Paula in the room. Maybe I should not disturb Litra.

At least my servant still shows me that she's a responsible leader of the region. But she cannot rule well... Litra needs help to solve those problems. 

The way Litra said to me, maybe she lacks money to rebuild the land. Even though that's not what I always want to think about, but my sis may be able to help me with this. Later, I head back to my seat and sit down.

No... I cannot ask someone to help me for that long. I must do something to help Stansa to return to its previous state. Too much thinking in my mind, I unconsciously get up and head to the door without any hesitation.

"Open the door, Paula".

Paula nods and opens the door of the living room to let me get out. I step outside, immediately get out of the Lord's zone to meet Litra. Then... I come to the workroom. Litra can be seen sitting in there, solving the daily paperwork of the land.

"My Lord?". - She was a bit confused when she saw me approaching her

"I cannot let people out there live in poverty anymore...". - Then I took her seat, she automatically got out as I approached her.  "Give me the finished papers, I'll re-modify them all till I see they're fit". - Then I took the pen, later glanced at each paper on the worktable's surface

"Report lists, where?". - I asked her where were the weekly report lists.  "Here?". - She pointed to a drawer on the right, and I pulled it out

After checking each task paper before my eyes for a while, I realize something. Except for the current task papers, the report lists I found in the drawer... seemed very different. So much suspicious.

It's very unusual to me, according to the statistics written on the list. On each week's report paper, the taxes can be proved to have been collected regularly, on date.

However... the last weeks' taxes somehow seem to have been used up, more than half of them. It's very suspicious... because the uses of those taxes are not written anywhere... as if they had been used for private things.

"Here, my Lord". - Then Litra put a pile of task papers down, right in front of me

That's the pile of finished task papers... I look at them slowly and carefully. Many help reports can be seen sent from the people living on the streets. However, these reports are left unsolved. Somehow... the elementary school's upgrade suggestions are also being left like the help reports. I have... a nervous feeling with Litra right now, not good at all.

I must not judge her too soon, I must find more proof before doing that. Telling my mind to stay calm, so I check on more task papers and weekly report lists. Alright... I found something new over here.

This is a weekly report list from the past. It shows me the money spent on re-modifying Stansa military. Of course, I know that it's a normal report. When a person becomes a land ruler, that person will think about changing old things.

However... this military re-modify plan seemed to be... very wasteful. Many taxes had been poured into this plan to reform Stansa military. From soldiers to guardsmen for the castle, 300.000 Gel coins had been wasted just to... print the new insignias to their armors and create new heraldic flags.

Women military personnel were fired a lot. Many more taxes had also been wasted to pay for their job ends.

Not good at all...

After a few minutes of rechecking the task papers and weekly report lists, I finally have my own conclusion. Alright... I must discuss with Litra about this problem, must solve 'em too.

"Litra". - I called her, showing her the list of the military re-modify plan.  "What is this? You could've spent the taxes to do other things instead". - Then I gave her the list

"I'm sorry, my Lord". - Litra lowered the list, she cowered for no reason

"Not yet, more". - I showed her other task papers, about the help reports and the elementary school upgrade suggestions which were left unsolved months ago to recent papers

Despite how much I talk to her, Litra keeps silent while listening to me. I'm quite mad when she doesn't speak up. However, I try to calm down once again. Hmmm... maybe I should ask her about the lost collected taxes from months ago, on weekly report lists.

"What were these taxes used for? Which purposes?". - Then I slid a report list to her eyes, gazing at her and asked her

However, Litra just keeps silent as usual. A moment later, she grabs a chair nearby and sits beside me, dulling while gazing at the report list.

"I wish I could be a Lord...". - Huh? What did she say?

"What do you mean?". - I looked at Litra, asking her in my surprise.  "Tell me... who wrote and proceeded to pass down these new things?". - Then I pointed to the task papers and report lists on the worktable

"It's me". - Her replies couldn't lead me to a proper answer

Getting pissed off Litra for a moment, I realize something odd after that. From the moment I come into the castle till this time, I only see Litra be a ruler but no one else.

According to Warsaw's laws, a land owned by a Lord needs him and an Advisor to run the region properly. However... I haven't seen this castle's Advisor yet, and it's odd. Hmmm... maybe Litra doesn't need an Advisor. Maybe she thinks that she can run the region herself without any struggles... it makes sense.

My Advisor is very confident in her work. Maybe that's why she doesn't recruit an Advisor to aid her to run the region when she become a Lord. However... I'm still suspecting my conclusion. Hmmm... she said "I wish I could be a Lord".

That answer is very unusual, as if she was saying to me that she isn't the Lord of Stansa, but someone else. After a short time of thinking... her words make sense a little bit. Because I appointed her to be the new Lord. But that time I appointed her without having any documents, but by words.

Also... to receive a land, a meeting will be held, with the appearance of Lords, officials and the King. They'll discuss and choose the most potential candidate to become the land's ruler... by voting. However... despite having many votes, His Majesty is still the last to decide the result.

To say about this... right after the war, there was a feast in the Palace. It was about voting for the new ruler of Stansa or something, but I didn't join the feast that day. However, I had lettered His Majesty that I chose Litra to be the next ruler. Hmmmm... seems like His Majesty did not accept my decision.

But... I must ask Litra for the righteous answer. If she isn't a Lord, then I'll understand why she cannot manage things in this region alone.

The Advisor has the duty to go around the land for surveillance. After the surveillance, the Advisor must write out reports and send them back to the land's Lord. The Lord will have to solve the land's problems. Such as building more buildings, upgrading the military, building schools and others.

"Answer me this question, Litra". - I looked at her straightly.  "Who is the Lord's Advisor of Stansa?".

"I am". - I got it now

When the Lord has problems that make him have little time to solve the paperwork, the Lord's Advisor will solve it instead. However, the Advisor only has the right to solve paper parts which their Lord approves them to do. I understand why Litra cannot do anything now.

"Who is the Lord?".

"My husband".

"Where is he right now?".

"Not here...". - Litra lowered her face while replying to me

"My Lord!". - When we were talking to each other, a guard suddenly came inside

He walked here through the castle's front doors. That Stansa guard comes before us, as if he comes to report.

"Your husband's returned, my Lord". - That guard said in his confused tone

"Alright, you can go now". - Litra ordered him to go away.  "My Lord... please hide". - Huh? Why did she whisper to me like that?

I later look at the front doors, spotting that the guard has gone out. I'm still wondering why Litra asked me to hide. However, my mind's still thinking, and she suddenly drags me down.

"What are you doing?". - Now Litra was trying to stuff me on the wide gap side, in the middle and under the worktable

"Please do what I say, my Lord". - Litra kept pushing me in that site, her face showed me her nervousness.  "Paula, remember not to let her out". - Then she turned to look at Paula, the maid got to me before she ended her words

"But for what?!". - I complained, trying to know why she decided to hide me

"This is for your safety...".

Done stuffing me inside the gap of the worktable, Litra gets out of there. Meanwhile, Paula stays still at the table, doing a pose as if she's standing there, to wait for next commands of the owner. I sit inside that gap, feeling quite hot... cramped and suffocated a bit.

My breath keeps going out hot and heavy, my sweat starts draining out. I try to get used to sitting in this space. Meanwhile, my ears hear noises coming out from the castle's doors. For the better experience, I use my brainwave to order my SA, to let me "eavesdrop".

"Dear... welcome home". - I heard Litra running forward, later stopping as if she was hugging someone.  "Are you tired...? Please move slowly". - Her footsteps moved slowly, as if she was aiding someone to walk.  "Ehhh...?". - Later she stopped moving, her tone seemed to be nervous

"Where the fuck is my son?!!!". - A man's roar suddenly appeared.  "Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!". - A hard push suddenly sounded

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!". - Litra fell to the worktable, she managed to grab the chair

"What are you...". - She later shut her mouth off, as if she was enduring.  "Our son's at school right now, dear...". - She got her hand off the chair, moving forward carefully

"School?!". - That man's voice grumbled.  "That black shit?! How's about my daughter?!".  "Arrrrrggghhhhh!".  "Cracks!". - Later I heard a cracking sound on the floor, as if that man had thrown something made of glass down.  "Tell me!". - Glasses could be heard shattering alongside the man's roar

"I told you, dear... we don't have any daughter". - Litra seemed to be very afraid.  "You're mistaken... that little girl is from another house...".

"Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!". - Then I heard that man running toward Litra

"Please please please please!". - Litra ran around, later she walked around the workable.  "Please dear, hear me, p-".

"Shut the fuck up!!!". - That man yelled at Litra.  "Why couldn't you bear me a white son, huh?! Tell me! Argh!". - Then he stood in the middle of the worktable, he smashed its surface with his hand.  "Ahhh! I know!". - I could see this man very well since he was standing in a position where I could see him clearly.  "You have other men outside, right?! A black one, right?!". - He pointed to Litra, scolding her heavily.  "You bitch!!!". - Then he pulled out a piece of broken glass, pointing it to his wife

"Get out, bitch!". - Paula suddenly resisted the man.  "Get out! I must kill that bitch! Get out!". - He kept yelling, wanting to rush to Litra

"Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!!". - Then the man crushed Paula, he grabbed her neck and put her on the table's surface

"Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!". - He pulled her down

Papers, pens and working tools fall from the wooden worktable terribly. Seeing the scene, I think about crawling outside. Then I crawl, leaning my head out of the gap of the table to see the situation.

"Paula!". - I searched around and later found Paula

I make a fast check on her body, and am so glad that she's safe. Paula is slightly injured, she doesn't bleed but has some light bruises, good. Then I lift Paula, pulling her to a safe corner. When we reach the right side corner of the worktable, I put the maid there, hoping that she's fine.

"Get out! Get out now!!!". - Litra's husband was now struggling with the guards

I came out from the table, and saw that scene. Litra's being protected by those Stansa guards, she tries to step out of the front doors or something. Meanwhile, the husband is surrounded by 5 to 6 guardsmen. Needless to say, he's very mad at them.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, hah?!". - He yelled at a guard's face.  "That bitch! Why don't you stop her?!". - While being surrounded, he kept trying to point at Litra, trying to scold her

"Please calm down, my Lord! Calm down!". - Those guards begged him, trying to resist the man from harming his wife

I silently approach the man from behind, trying to think a way to get rid of him. Using violence is not a good way... however, talking to a drunk man is also hopeless, to me. Despite having no plan, I still try to get to him. Raising my bare hands on, I approach the drunk man till I reach him.

"Hey!". - I said loudly, catching his attention

"Hah?!". - Being surrounded by the guards, that drunk man later turned to me

"Punches!". - I threw a punch in his face, but accidentally missed and hit his nose

"Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!".  "You're dead, bitch!". - Then he tried to reach his hands to me painfully.  "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!". - He howled, resisting to get out of the surrounding guards

"Get him on the ground!". - I ordered the guards.  "Disarm him, quick!". - I rushed to the man, risking a little bit to get the broken piece of glass out of his hand for safety

"Urgh...". - My index finger's head accidentally hit the sharp piece.  "Now, c'mon!". - I managed to pull the piece of glass out, and I threw it to the floor.  "Do it now!". - I neglected my bleeding finger

"We can't, Lady!". - Those guards were struggling to crush the man on the floor

"You, you there!". - I pointed to the two Stansa guards who were guarding the front doors.  "Open the doors now!". - I commanded them, and they got confused

"Drag him out!". - Later I joined the guards to hold off Litra's husband

Although we can't crush him to the floor, we can move him to the front doors. The man's slowly being pulled to the front doors, he cannot resist us since we're too many.

A short time later, we finally reach the doors which are now open. The Stansa guards who are guarding outside, immediately stay away to let us throw the man. Then we push him out, seeing him fall. Litra's husband later gets up after getting rolled, his clothes are full of dust and dirt, as well as his hands.

"Bitch!". - He got up, yelling at me while pointing at me.  "Why do you keep standing there?! Go get her, quick!". - He turned his head, yelling and commanding the guards around him.  "What the fuck?! Y'all... dare to against me!". - No one heard him or did what he commanded, he went mad

"Remember, bitch! I'll come back! I'll come back!". - He kept pointing at me, yelling.  "You too! You dare to throw me out like this!". - Then he scolded his wife, but hopeless when he had no allies around

"Ahhh, no!". - I noticed that he was running to my horse, as if he was attempting to steal her from me

"Urrrrrgggghh!". - However, he fell from horseback as he mounted on my horse

"I'll report this to His Majesty! All of you, dared to against your Lord!". - He ran away, but kept scolding us.  "You're the rebels! He'll help me! Troops will come here and crush down all of you!". - Then just like that, he kept running till he got out of the castle's entrance

"He's gone away, you're safe now, Litra". - I looked back to see Litra

However, she still seems to be nervous and afraid of something. Maybe she's thinking about the sin she committed previously, by throwing her husband away. However... I cannot stand it when I see my friend being abused by her husband, especially when he's a brute.

"Oh". - I forgot that Paula still needs help.  "We need a healer!". - I pointed to Paula, asking the guards to escort her to the healer

Hearing my order, the Stansa guards later head to Paula and carry her. Despite having hesitation in obeying my orders, somehow these men did not complain about anything. They carry Paula. Then escort her to the Servants' zone, purposing to find a healer.

I hope Paula will be safe and well-healed. Now I intend to stay in this region for a bit longer, I must do something. Everything seems to be my fault when I left the land to be run by my Advisor.

"Hey... don't worry". - I approached Litra, hugging her softly.  "You don't need to tolerate, the kind of husband like him is very bad".

Honestly, I know Litra has a child and has been married, but she told me very little about her family. From this day, when I saw her husband right in front of me, I felt bad for her when she married a wrong man... a very bad man.

While comforting Litra, I look around the floor and spot some pieces of glass. Those pieces come from a bottle, which seems to be a kind of wine. Hmmm... I got it a little bit now. Litra's husband must be an alcoholic, he doesn't seem to have worked on running the region although he is a Lord.

Instead, he pulls all the paperwork work to his wife's hands... asking her to run the land while he goes to drink and drink. About the used up collected taxes from the weekly report lists. Maybe her husband had wasted those collected taxes for drinking. Not good at all.

To run a land, there must be a responsible leader. I cannot let that irresponsible man run Stansa for any longer... people will be surely miserable.

Then I return to see Litra. She's now bandaging my finger whose part is bleeding due to be being cut by a piece of glass. I smile at her, trying to tell her that everything will be alright. However... Litra's still very nervous, isn't she?

"Don't be so worried, Litra". - I tapped her shoulder lightly.  "You shouldn't stay with your husband anymore... you should... divorce him". - Maybe this decision will be hard for her.  "Think about your son... do you want to see him live in that bad environment till he grows up?". - She didn't answer anything, as if she was avoiding answering me

"Tonight he will come back... with troops". - Litra answered me with a scary tone... as if she was very terrified.  "Please hide before he returns, my Lord... get away from here, as far as possible". - She gazed at me, begging me to hide from her husband

"Hmmm... don't worry, I'll letter to the King". - I tapped her shoulder more 3 times.  "Everything will be okay".

I'll send a letter to His Majesty, will ask him to open another vote meeting. This region will be unstable, as long as Litra's husband is still in power.

After a short time thinking, finally I decide to stay here for a bit longer. At first, I must solve the unfinished papers, and also have to resolve the finished papers.