In the mountains north of Grey Castle Territory, there is a rugged mountain path leading to the outside world, but a landslide in one of the small valleys has blocked this path.
It was not yet fully light at this time. (Middle-aged Man) Henry, with the thin little boy, is trying to climb over the falling rocks to reach Grey Castle Territory on the other side.
" Uncle Henry, will the lord take us back? I heard the punishment is severe if we are caught."
The little boy was trying hard to climb up, but his frequent glances back indicated that he was very nervous.
" Ian, don't be afraid, he can't catch us. Look, we're about to climb to the other side."
Yes, they have climbed to the top of the rockfall. The rockfall has been blocking the area for two years and is now quite stable. In some places, small trees have even grown there, so it's no problem for people to climb up.
Actually, both of them were relieved by now. They had sneaked out, and if they had been caught and brought back, they would have been doomed.
"Let's go, Ian. There's nothing left to remember us by. We had nothing to begin with."
The thin Ian nodded; Uncle Henry was his only remaining family.
So the two began climbing down toward Grey Castle Territory. What they didn't know was that what they thought was a secret escape was actually known to everyone in the village.
Inside the same mud house as yesterday, "Village Chief, those two idiots, Henry and his nephew, have headed south. They're probably trying to sneak off to Grey Castle Territory to die. If the lord finds out, we might all be in trouble. Should we go after them and bring them back?"
"Well, never mind. They'll probably die before they get there. If the lord asks, just say they fell off a cliff while poaching in the mountains."
"What two idiots! They could have just endured it, but they insisted on going to their deaths."
Meanwhile, inside a strategically located stone castle, the esteemed Lord Blas was holding a meeting in the main hall.
"I want to know, can we still go into our salt mine to dig for salt?" Blas looked a bit fat, which made him stand out among the generally thin people.
Of course, it wasn't just his physique that was eye-catching, but also his rather exquisitely made clothes. But what was most striking was his head. Everyone knows how hot it is in summer, so Blas had to forgo his hat, allowing his large bald head to stay cool.
"Yes, my Lord, you need not worry at all. Our neighbors are thinking with their asses, daring to steal your things. Your warriors have already driven them back to their homeland."
A middle-aged man who appeared to be a warrior leader answered Lord Blas.
"Good, very good. Prepare a generous reward for our valiant warriors." Blas was delighted; the salt mine was his treasure trove. Losing it would mean his quality of life would drop several notches.
"Yes, my Lord, your warriors are truly valiant. I will make the arrangements immediately."
This time, the person who answered Lord Blas was a middle-aged man who looked like a butler.
"By the way, have any of those penniless guys from Grey Castle Territory come to buy salt lately?"
Blas suddenly remembered another neighbor to the south of their territory.
"It seems not, my Lord. I heard from the tax collectors that the only path over there is blocked by fallen rocks," the middle-aged man, who looked like a steward, replied.
"Hmm, ignore them. That godforsaken place is useless. But we should increase the taxes on the villages near them."
Blas is robbing another neighbor's Copper Mine; he needs more food and cannon fodder. The side with the heaviest taxes is the more fertile land.
They were separated by only one mountain; on one side was a desolate, uninhabited place, and on the other side was a good place where birds often pooped.
In the Kingdom of Lothar now, as long as you have the power, you can do whatever you want. The aging Old King is no longer capable of managing things.
"Yes, my Lord, there is one more thing I need to tell you. Yesterday I heard from a merchant that a lord far to the west wants to buy a lot of salt and iron."
"Yes, we'll sell anything that has Silver Coin."