The villagers stood frozen, their previous confidence shaken by Kyle's sharp words.
They had expected an easy mark—a naive noble who would hand over coins with a few well-placed sob stories.
Instead, they found themselves staring at someone dangerous, someone who was not only unimpressed by their tricks but completely uninterested in playing along.
'T-This is not good. We cannot go against an angry noble. S-Should we try and back down now?'
Some of the villagers exchanged nervous glances, clearly trying to figure out how to salvage the situation.
A few of the more desperate ones opened their mouths, perhaps to shift blame or plead innocence, but before they could utter a word—
Clank.
The heavy sound of metal boots against dirt rang out as the Head Knight appeared.
Clad in full armor, her imposing presence silenced the crowd instantly.