I Was Reincarnated as a Marquis in Another World

Even in the medieval era, it had been strictly prohibited for anyone other than a ruler or an authorized agent to arbitrarily kill a ‘noble’ commoner.

This is because a society that allows individuals to kill others at their whim becomes uncontrollable.

If this were to be permitted, nobles would exploit commoners by using ‘deprivation of life’ to perpetrate unimaginable levels of exploitation.

For example, when the Belgians governed the Congo, there are records of how the mad emperor Leopold pondered how to legally exploit the residents of Congo.

As a result, this so-called good Leopold imposed absurd quotas, instilling fear by promising to cut off arms and legs or heads for failure to meet them.

And due to this, Congo offered a truly enormous amount of wealth to Leopold.

If the deprivation of life were legalized in this manner, that kind of exploitation would become possible at any time.

Thus, in most cases, it is arranged that ‘even a noble can prosecute a commoner in court’ to facilitate the deprivation of life of serfs or citizens.

Therefore, as the heir, my intention to strike down the Bailiff without the processes of report, trial, or approval is an action that disregards this implicit governance order.

At first, I intended to report to Count Croilet and send an ‘inspector’ to investigate the incident.

After which, the Bailiff would have surely lost his head.

However, this territory only has a few years left until its expiration, and meanwhile, that corrupt official was planning to toss a serf girl owned by Count Croilet to me as a plaything.

Moreover, since Ella’s brother was committing the mad act of making her work harshly to the point of death…

I could put that kid to death under the pretext that I was given a serf owned by the Count as a plaything, tarnishing the honor of nobility.

At the same time, showing such determination would prevent the Count from telling me to go to the Academy from now on.

Purging corruption is a tremendous achievement.

Ah, but if the Count suspects my intentions due to procedural disregard, I could be politically purged.

However, if the Count from my remaining memories is anything to go by, he wouldn’t purify me over such issues.

I had gathered the serfs from the surrounding villages in front of the Bailiff’s house.

And I simply said one thing to them.

No, the memories and emotions of my original owner surged within me.

His regrets, obsessions, grudges, and helplessness.

Did I feel his gratitude sent to me for freeing him from such shackles, or was it just my imagination?

I set those feelings aside and spoke quietly.

“I, Siel von Croilet, as the legitimate heir to the territory, while inspecting the land, learned from a serf named Zackri that this village’s Bailiff has unjustly confiscated the property of the serfs. Therefore, I just checked whether that was true at the Bailiff’s house.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the serfs began to murmur.

After raising my hand to calm the noise, I spoke again.

“As a result, I found out that the grains and valuable livestock, which are the fruits of your labor, have been embezzled by that guy.”

As I finished that statement, a lively atmosphere began to circulate among the serfs, who had been tense just moments ago.

Their expressions of anxiety about what I, the son of the Lord, would do transformed into expressions of expectation.

After giving a brief pause to make them anticipate my next words, I said:

“Though I am a noble with blue blood, my nobility exists because of the contract to protect you. This contract must be upheld, and thus the Bailiff, who has broken this promise, will be purged. You will have your unjustly taken grains and livestock returned.”

As soon as I finished speaking, silence fell among the serfs.

One among them raised his hand.

“Um, young master.”

“Uh, yes, speak up.”

The man who raised his hand hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Will you truly return everything?”

“Not a single item will be left behind. That is what Siel von Croilet must do.”

Once those words were spoken, a moment of silence passed, and then the serfs erupted with joy.

“Long live!!”

“I don’t know how much grain and livestock will return, but this is a miracle!!”

“Long live Count Croilet, long live young master!”

The sight of the farmers rejoicing filled me with pride.

When I first came to this village, I had reluctantly come to find a way out of attending the Academy.

But during that process, I saw the tragic suffering of the serfs exploited by the corrupt Bailiff, and now I intend to wield the blade against corruption that I can control.

And I found the pure joy of the serfs to be truly beautiful.

And the fact that all this is the result of my own thoughts and actions fills me with pure joy and pride in my chest.

Ella watched me with sparkling eyes.

I wonder if I appear to her as an object of admiration, a noble who acts for people like herself who have been exploited?

Would it be an exaggeration to think I might look like a prince from a fairy tale?

Then I turned to the serfs in front of me and shouted loudly.

“Follow me, and you will reclaim your stolen possessions!”

***

As soon as we arrived at the Bailiff’s house, the serfs quickly smashed down the front door.

Then, they dragged the Bailiff and his family into his yard.

The Bailiff, who had been living luxuriously with the ill-gotten gains until just recently, began to tremble like a drenched duck in front of me.

His daughter and wife, standing next to him, looked at the Bailiff and me, sending silent signals of ‘Please spare us, we will do anything.’

Of course, I ignored that and spoke.

“Ella, go with Balt and search the places where the Bailiff might have hidden things. The serfs will split in half; half will stay here and the other half will find the location of the storehouse and report back.”

Hearing those words, the Bailiff seemed to realize his fate and simply lowered his head, starting to stare at the ground.

Whether he was regretting what he had done or feeling wronged, he began to cry and apologize in front of the suffering serfs.

It was quite amusing, resembling a courtier taken to his death in a historical drama, shouting, ‘Your Majesty, please spare me!!’

A little while later, Ella, Balt, and the serfs I had sent to find the storehouse returned.

Ella and Balt came back with a bundle of documents that the Bailiff had hidden.

The documents contained truly incredible information.

It recorded how he sold widows and orphans who couldn’t pay a non-existent death tax to mercenary groups as playthings or openly extorted bribes from several nobles.

Moreover, he created debts intentionally, turning some into slaves of their own homes, making them cultivate the lord’s direct lands and embezzling 30% of the harvest from there.

And under the pretext of the lord’s orders, he collected one chicken per serf every year…

Simply lending agricultural tools, allowing access to the mill, and embezzling grain would be a small crime compared to these offenses.

Under normal circumstances, I would have ordered Balt to kill him with a sword, but not this time. Such trash deserved a painful death.

Having done such deeds, he should suffer as much as possible to pay for his sins.

However, that was that, and what I should do now is first return the property to the serfs.

“Everyone’s attention please.”

At my words, all the serfs turned their gaze towards me, wearing expressions of anticipation.

“I have discovered that 90% of the wealth possessed by Bailiff Mars was unjustly expropriated from you. This wealth belongs to you, and consequently, it shall be returned to you. Additionally, the sin of exploiting others using the authority of my father, the lord, is indeed grave. Therefore, Bailiff Mars…”

I paused momentarily.

Even though he was a scoundrel that needed to die, I had never killed a single person with my own hands while living in Korea.

Thus, saying ‘kill that guy’ brought about significant hesitation, or rather, a huge reluctance.

Nevertheless, I was someone who had to live here going forward, and this command was a process I inevitably needed to pass through.

Therefore, I spoke in the most solemn tone.

“He will be executed here by stoning. And his wife Bess and daughter Bella will be thoroughly investigated by the court of the Count to reveal their sins and punished by the orders of his Excellency the Count. Does everyone have any objections?”

There was no response from the serfs.

Instead, they quietly picked up the stones at their feet as a form of expressing that they had no objections.

“Bind Bailiff Mars to that post and stone him to death.”

The serfs quickly grabbed Mars’ legs and dragged him, binding him to the post.

After a moment of silence after he was bound, no one dared to throw a stone.

It was likely because they also felt a repulsion towards the act of killing someone by stoning.

Therefore, I should make the start to allow them to begin, while at the same time, I must throw the first stone as a responsibility I need to bear to live in this world.

Just as I was about to throw the stone, I saw a stone flying from behind me.

It didn’t hit hard, but it flew towards the Bailiff’s forehead, hit, and fell down.

Looking towards where the stone had come from, I saw Ella, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Zack!! Because of you, Zack is dead! You bad…”

This time, another stone was thrown.

I looked back, and it appeared to be an older man, who looked to be around sixty.

“Because of you, Bailiff Mars, because of you!! My son is dead! My son worked so hard to harvest wheat and you took it all away, leaving him to starve to death!”

And like a dam bursting, stones began to rain down upon the Bailiff.

With every stone that hit him, he shouted, “Please spare me! I’m sorry! Young master!”

But no one paid him any attention.

The stones simply flew and struck him as everyone wished for him to pay for his wrongs with his life.

After thirty minutes of throwing stones, the Bailiff reacted to the incoming stones no longer.

I reached out and touched his nose with my finger, confirming he was barely breathing.

I splashed cold water on the Bailiff’s face to wake him up.

He trembled in front of me as if he wanted to live, but of course, he couldn’t be spared.

I would just wake him up to suffer as much as possible until his death.

Just as I was about to signal them to throw stones again, Balt approached me and said.

“Young master, he will die soon. However, punishing the corrupt official who disturbed His Excellency the Count’s territory in the end must be done by a ‘noble.’ So, young master.”

Balt handed me the sword he was carrying.

I drew the sword, hesitated briefly, but quickly steeled myself.

Yes, for the sake of survival, there’s no avoiding this. I think of it as killing human trash who is a serious criminal and human trafficker…

I raised the heavy sword that felt like a mountain.

And with one stroke, I severed the Bailiff’s neck from his shoulder.

An enormous amount of blood gushed from Bailiff Mars’ neck, soaking my face and clothes.

The blood of the wicked man, who had been alive just moments ago, was much hotter than I had expected.

Yes, it was hot as if it would burn me, and could this warm heat represent this man’s will to live?

I could never know the answer, as he was already dead.

***

The next day, I announced to the serfs that I would return the property they had been robbed of, and immediately returned to the Count’s mansion.

On the way back, many thoughts crossed my mind.

I was scared of being scolded by the Count upon my return, and I felt lost about how to adapt to this world going forward.

Sometimes, the ethical consciousness I felt in modern times would tug at me, making this time quite agonizing.

Why?

Because it felt like another version of myself was constantly tormenting me, asking, “What qualifications do you have to take someone’s life?” and “Then isn’t it legal for anyone to take your life as well?”

Nevertheless, I finished the seemingly long yet short ordeal and returned to the mansion.

Upon returning, the Count’s steward presented me with a letter.

The letter contained only one line.

[Report to the office early tomorrow afternoon.]

Though it was a plain sentence, it felt laden with significant meaning.

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