In the Hebron countryside.

Pathways trodden by humans and livestock traverse the woods and fields.

The newly appointed Patrol Officer—Ulm Knight, is leading his team, including ten elite Winged Cavalry and over twenty light cavalry from the City Guard Army, galloping along the rural dirt roads.

The Double-headed Eagle Banner flutters in the wind.

In the suburbs and villages affiliated with Hebron City, the largest scale of combat is often limited to "village chief skirmishes."

Over thirty light and heavy cavalry have already become a formidable armed force.

The once rampant bandits and marauders have long been silent.

During Ulm's tenure, aside from catching a group of bandits who robbed caravans two days ago, his and his knights' swords have no longer tasted blood.

Having been tempered by war, Ulm is no longer keen to display his bright armor and feathers to people; life has become somewhat tedious and difficult.

The group stopped by the roadside, preparing to have lunch.

Ulm complained, "The Count has appointed me as Patrol Officer and granted me the duty to establish rural Circuit Courts, but no one comes forward to lodge complaints at all."

Pepin sighed, "Indeed, I can't even make sense of those laws, which are only understood by priests who graduate from Church School."

Ulm agreed deeply, "Moreover, these villages are inhabited by heretics; who would believe we would uphold justice for them?"

After praying, the group took out bread, softened it with water from their canteens, and chewed it in small bites.

At this moment, a Saracen man suddenly jumped out from the roadside, with a large bruise on his face and a cut on his brow—clearly just beaten.

The cavalrymen dining raised their weapons, aiming at him.

"Who goes there?"

"Stay put!"

The Saracen man immediately halted.

"What's going on!"

Seeing the man unarmed, Ulm breathed a sigh of relief and scolded, "Who's on watch? If it's an enemy, he's right in our faces and you don't even plan to alert? When you head back, claim ten lashes for yourself!"

The cavalryman from the City Guard Army, who had chased out from the woods, immediately looked dejected.

These light cavalrymen are not systematically trained elite forces, their quality varies greatly, but Losa has limited power at hand, could only temporarily make do.

The Saracen man waved both hands to show he meant no harm and called out incessantly.

Ulm shouted, "Senmut, come out and explain what this suddenly emerging heretic is saying."

A cavalryman from the City Guard Army named Senmut answered, "Sir, he said he heard about your plan to establish a Circuit Court and wants to seek your help!"

"This heretic?"

"Seeking my help?"

Ulm and Pepin looked at each other in disbelief.

If not for the Statue of the Throne Angel, they might never think to seek help from a heretic lord or his officials.

"Let him speak."

The Saracen man's face was full of grief, his mouth rapidly saying something.

Senmut listened for a long time before sympathetically reporting, "He said his name is Aziz, living in Abdu Village, the village lord Adnan raped his wife, who couldn't bear the humiliation, and thus committed suicide by jumping into a well."

Adnan?

Ulm pondered for a moment, recalling that this is also a local powerful figure, no less than the likes of Hussein, responsible for the entire tax of Abdu Village.

"You are accusing a respectable man with social status, I can't apprehend Adnan based on your one-sided statement."

Aziz showed despair.

Ulm considered briefly, and decided, "Senmut, tell him, to avoid retaliation, he should return to Hebron with us tonight."

This is a significant matter, he dared not act rashly.

...

Meanwhile, at the Hebron manor.

Model led a group of guards to meet with Losa.

"Sir, we caught a group of poachers placing traps and capturing a lynx and several hares in your private woodland."

Catching poachers is certainly not for ecological protection.

According to law, all land within the Earl's Domain that hasn't been parceled out, leased, or sold, along with its fauna, belongs to the Lord, Losa.

In other words, the word 'poaching' means they're stealing Losa's property.

Losa nodded and said, "Bring them up."

The guards then escorted the offenders over.

Upon seeing Losa, they knelt immediately, weeping bitterly and pleading:

"Sir, we are your tenants who farm for you; we never thought about stealing your property before."

"It's just that old John's wife just gave birth, she can't produce milk just eating oat porridge and cabbage roots every day, and since we've never seen you hunt at the hunting grounds, that's…"

The elder with a face full of wrinkles made the sign of the cross over his chest, pressing his head to the ground, earnestly beseeching, "In the name of the Heavenly Father, please have mercy."

Losa stood and scrutinized the clothing of those present—not shabby clothes, at least patched where torn.

While a little frail, not yet emaciated; generally, their life seemed financially constrained but could barely sustain themselves, befitting a tenant's status.

They probably weren't lying.

He paced for a moment.

The poachers were so tense that their breathing was almost audible.

A benevolent lord might pardon the poachers, but a cruel lord could amputate their limbs as no extraordinary measure.

After a long while, Losa finally spoke:

"Everyone knows that I am a generous lord; I have decided to reduce the rent for all tenants farming on my land to thirty percent."

The poachers looked at each other.

Then they all knelt, thanking Losa for his mercy and generosity.

"But!"

Losa shifted his tone.

"You violated the law and must pay the price."

He waved his hand, signaling the City Guard Army to take them away: "Send them to New Habsburg to build the castle, their conditions can match those of the other castle workers, but it cannot offset their yearly due labor."

The treatment for castle workers wasn't low, and once they truly realized it, they'd know it hardly represented a punishment.

The poachers, as if in mourning, were pushed out by the guards.

Feeling puzzled, Andreas asked, "Sir, why recruit them for castle building if you've decided to pardon these pathetic people? We don't lack manpower according to the conditions you've provided."

Losa explained:

"Andreas, I can pardon them. In fact, I don't consider the 'theft' hunting of wildlife in the domain a big deal."

"But the sanctity of the law must be defended; unless I amend this law, once they've committed a crime, they should face punishment."

Losa's tone paused, adding, "Even if it's only a nominal punishment."

Andreas' expression changed slightly, solemnly saying, "Thank you for your instruction."

Then a messenger from the Winged Cavalry entered the manor, reporting to Losa: "Sir, Madame Jeanne has led troops to conquer Hussein's manor, killing over thirty enemies, capturing Hussein and his three wives, seven sons, and over ten servants alive."

"Madame Jeanne is counting Hussein's household assets, and presiding over the allocation of land to all tenants."

Losa nodded slightly, "Casualties?"

The Winged Cavalry, smiling, said, "No casualties, only one unfortunate man was hit on the toe by the enemy's hammer."

"Good!"

"Very good!"

Losa was very encouraged.

Jeanne's victory was unsurprising, but with no casualties, that was quite remarkable.

Aside from anything else, if Hussein were prepared and had rolling stones and hot oil ready on the courtyard walls, the City Guard Army without siege weapons wouldn't have managed to take it down so easily.

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