Coercion
Translator: Cinder Translations
...
In the dimly lit room, a small cluster of candlelight emitted a faint glow, preventing the space from being completely engulfed in darkness. With the help of this weak light, one could glimpse the walls adorned with countless portraits.
A hand, resembling a withered tree branch, reached for the scissors next to the candle and snipped the wick with a soft snap.
The candle burned brighter, illuminating the face of its owner: an elderly man whose face was covered in wrinkles. His eyelids were sagging and drooping, nearly completely obscuring his eyes, as if he had been keeping them closed all along.
"Ah!"
The old man let out a helpless sigh.
"Child, do you see all these portraits in this room?"
"Yes, grandfather."
A very young voice responded to the elder. The voice's owner stood in the shadows by the wall, tall and upright, as if trained for a long time, standing still like a pine tree.
"Our ancestors are watching over you."
"I can feel their gaze."
The old man nodded in satisfaction.
He approached a wall filled with portraits and noticed that one was covered in dust. He took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped it clean.
As he wiped, he spoke softly:
"Since recorded history, our family has thrived in this village."
"We are rooted in this land; we are the fruit it bears; we… are the children of this land."
"I have always believed that nature has its order, that the world operates under certain rules, and that human ethics are part of this inherent order and laws."
"Thus, our society distinguishes between the noble and the lowly, just as it is natural for the heavens to forever cover the earth."
"And our family…"
His gaze swept across the portraits.
"Without a doubt, belongs to the nobility in this land."
"For hundreds of years, we have protected this land, cultivated it, and governed it…"
"The prosperity of the village cannot be separated from the hard work of our family. Under our management, the people live simply and happily…"
The elder's words made the man by the wall tremble slightly, revealing his inner excitement.
"Grandfather, I have always been proud of my family."
The old man nodded. "And the family is proud to have such an outstanding child as you."
But he quickly shifted his tone, a hint of ferocity creeping into his voice: "Now, however, there are those who want to disrupt the existing perfect order, attempting to plunge this quiet and peaceful village into a chaotic and disorderly future."
"Oh!" The elder sighed in sorrow. "This is a disaster, the collapse of civilization, this… this is a violation of the natural way."
The young man's body began to shake violently, but this time it was not excitement; it was fear. He had already realized what his grandfather was about to say.
"Earl Grayman, our lord…"
The old man's voice choked slightly.
"In our world, he undoubtedly belongs to the nobility, yet he… he wishes to destroy this order."
"How foolish… how foolish…"
The old man repeated these words several times.
"How can he not see that it is the current order that supports the Grayman family's throne? How can he not see that wishing to eliminate order will inevitably lead to backlash from it?"
"My child, do you know? Over a hundred years ago, when the ancestors of the Grayman family arrived at the Northwest Bay, they were nominally appointed lords of Alden, but in reality, they were exiled criminals sent by the kingdom. They were alone and unsupported, ostracized by the neighboring lord families. It was we… it was we, the local families that grew from this land, who helped the Grayman family establish themselves in the Northwest Bay. It was the local families from various villages that forged the Grayman family's lordship."
The old man shook his head repeatedly, his face filled with sorrow.
"The Grayman family has also adhered to the age-old governing methods of the territory, entrusting the villages and towns to us ancient indigenous families. This was merely a small reward for our loyalty. We are also an extension of the lord's power. We have diligently collected taxes for the lord while also resolving various disputes in the villages, ensuring the normal operation of affairs within the territory."
"And now… and now… cough, cough, cough!"
The old man became so agitated that he started coughing violently.
The young man hurriedly came over to pat his back.
"Ah, old age. I never expected to witness such an outrageous lord from the Grayman family in my twilight years. He disregards the loyalty we families have offered for hundreds of years and aims to take away our glory, our status, our wealth, and our prestige in the village."
After listening to the elder's words, the young man fell silent, lowering his eyelids as if engaged in a complex internal struggle.
"This… this… Although I shouldn't speak ill of my lord, Earl Grayman's behavior is nothing short of ingratitude. He has forgotten how his family secured its lordship. He has forgotten how his family's wealth was accumulated. He has forgotten who safeguarded his family's honor."
The elder, in his agitation, trembled all over.
He turned and looked at his grandson with hope.
"My child, your father should have spoken to you by now."
The young man's body shook once more.
"No, I cannot do that. I… I swore loyalty to the lord for life."
His voice trembled just like his body, mixed with fear and struggle.
"Don't push me, don't push me."
Seeing his grandson in such a state, the elder slammed his cane down heavily on the ground, creating a loud noise in the small room.
"Loyalty has its conditions; what is the meaning of one-sided loyalty? Earl Grayman has betrayed us first; to remain loyal to him now is to demean ourselves! A person who demeans himself will not be forgiven, even by a benevolent Father."
The young man's eyes widened in terror, filled with helplessness.
"You are forcing me, you are forcing me!"
"This is not coercion! Remember, you are fighting for the honor of your family. We are born into this family, raised by it. The family nurtured us and made us who we are, and we must fight to protect it."
He approached the young man, gently stroking his back to help him calm down.
"I know this is a difficult choice, but among the families allied with us, only your identity can bear this heavy responsibility."
(End of the Chapter)
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