Oh no! After I Reincarnated, My Moms Became Son-cons! - Volume 11 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

This group of anthropoids was the exact same as humans, except that they resembled beasts more with their furry bodies .

The children hid behind their mothers . Their mothers quietly tried to calm their children down, covering their mouths so that they wouldn’t cry, acting as though I would eat the child who cried the loudest .

I looked at them . They were a group of innocent citizens . They didn’t participate in the war or the previous attack . Perhaps that was Leah’s accomplishment . She told them not to participate in this war . Morally speaking, I shouldn’t harm them .

I could still remember how my people met their end . I could still remember that stench of blood that clogged the air and those eyes filled with despair focused on me . I could still remember the way they looked at me . I still often saw the scene of them dead in my dreams . It was as though I could see all of their face as I stood in that darkness every night underneath the swaying candle . I could see their faces clearly .

I took in a deep breath . I couldn’t harm the people in front of me at this point in time . If I killed them, the remaining anthropoids wouldn’t surrender to me . I couldn’t let that happen . We were currently the victor, but if I showed no mercy, they’d fight me to the death . That would just be wasting my soldiers’ lives and Leah’s efforts . I couldn’t put the horse before the cart .

I looked at Ling Yue and said, “Ladies and gentlemen . ”

Not all anthropoids know the elven language . Only the high anthropoids know it, since they interacted with the Queen . The lower anthropoids didn’t get the opportunity to interact with her, so I needed Ling Yue to translate for me .

Ling Yue looked at me and translated for the people .

“I didn’t come to kill you or punish you . I know that this war has very little to do with you . You’re not the people who killed our humans . It’s just that we belong to different camps . The ones who destroyed our relationship are the higher tribes, so I won’t be rude to you . ”

Ling Yue translated what I said . They seemed to relax a little, but they continued to watch me vigilantly, nonetheless . That was normal, though, since there was a group of people with blades behind them . That holds true when you don’t trust the peace and friendship they speak of .

I continued, “Of course, that doesn’t mean that I won’t do anything to you . I am the victor of this war, which means that I have the authority to rule over you . You are now my spoil of war . You will be ruled, so you must obey my commands . I now stipulate that everyone is to give me gold in order to be free citizens . Otherwise, I will sell you off as slaves . ”

“Everybody is required to pay a hundred gold coins each or something of equal value . Now then, start . Those who can’t give me either of them will become slaves, and I will determine what happens to slaves . Quartermaster, begin counting . ”

I sat down to the side and looked at their exclamations of despair .

Normally, an ordinary citizen couldn’t possibly pay a hundred gold coins even if they didn’t drink and eat, and just worked in the fields for fifty years . Ling Yue was the one who told me the number . She said that only officials and successful merchants would have that amount . Consequently, the group was bound to become my slaves .

Only a few went home . The others sat on the ground in despair as they looked at me, hugging their wife and child . They didn’t take out any money, as it was impossible .

After some time, a few bags were placed in front of me . It seemed those few individuals were wealthy merchants or local officials . It appeared the officials were all corrupt . I didn’t know where they got the bag of equal in value gold from, but I was quite satisfied .

“I guess that means nobody else can satisfy my demand, then . ”

I stood up and threw the bags into the quartermaster’s box . I went on, “So, as we initially said, you’re now my slaves, which means I can do with you as I please . You won’t have any complaints, because I gave you a chance, but you didn’t pay enough for your freedom . I could reduce the demand, but is your freedom worth that little?”

I couldn’t help but laugh in my mind, as I thought that their despair was because they considered their freedom to be cheap .

I cleared my throat, and then said, “Now then, here are my arrangements . Your land, homes and all of your assets belong to me, for you are slaves, and thus, don’t need those things . ”

I looked at their faces of despair . I felt an ecstatic feeling of conquest, but I didn’t smile or laugh .

“However, I don’t need your land and homes . I can’t bring these things with me to war, so you can continue to live in your homes and continue farming . But, the climate in the North will soon change . When it changes, you must plant whatever crops I provide you with . You must punctually pay the taxes I assign, as well . I will not allow you to be behind in payments . Remember, you’re now my slaves . I gave you your homes out of benevolence, and the fields you are farming on are fields I bestowed you with . If you have any corrupt thoughts or complaints, I can kill you whenever I want, take your wife and kids, and take back your home and land, as they are mine to begin with . ”

That was my variation of Freya’s original method that she employed at Troy City . I thought it’d work very well with the group . I’d throw them into despair first, taking everything from them, making them think that they’d lost everything . Then I’d return their stuff to them as though I was bestowing them with a gift, and have them respectfully and reverently accept said gifts .

‘I feel as though I’m starting to crave this feeling a little . ’

They looked as though they were on the brink of crying . They all looked at me as if they saw God . I snatched their property, but then I returned it all to them .

If I wanted to rule the North, I had to deal with the people . I couldn’t kill them . I could kill the low anthropoids and the people from the four tribes, but I couldn’t kill the people who would serve me .

At least… not now .