Corbin, annoyed by the slow pace, turned his head and looked behind him.
Not only did he pass out, but Jones, who had instigated this incident, also had his arm broken. Thinking back to that moment and the sound of bones breaking made my hair stand on end.
‘That idiot was acting all arrogant and wild.’
In my heart, I felt more anger towards Jones than towards the Asians.
It was a natural reaction, since my face was a mess because of that braggart.
Then suddenly, I felt like killing him.
‘If it’s now.’
A tyrant, not a friend.
Considering how much I followed him in fear and dread, I think now is the perfect opportunity.
Corbin’s shaking eyes turned to the gun on his waist. But this time.
Jones’ voice pounded against my eardrums.
“I told you… if you hit me in the back of the head… I’ll pay you back dozens of times over….”
“Wh, what. I didn’t do anything. But, is your arm okay?”
The moment I try to move my flailing arm, I feel excruciating pain.
Jones, whose teeth were so sharp that they almost broke, shuddered as he recalled the look in Max’s eyes and expression.
Anger, and the only way out of the swamp of fear and dread etched into his body.
‘I will kill that bastard with these hands.’
But that time had to be pushed back a long time.
It was because of the arm, but also because of the person waiting for Jones in Lecompton.
Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow.
He frowned as he looked at Jones’ condition.
“For now, let’s focus on Pony, where the legislature is convening. And we can’t just leave the governor alone this time.”
“……”
“I’ll get you a competent doctor, so stay out of the way for a while.”
“……All right.”
Jones lowered his head with a dull expression.
*
It had been a week since Lane left Pony before she returned to Lawrence.
In the conference room, Chairman Charles, Holiday, and Max were listening to Lane.
“A man named Tornton, who lives in Pawnee, said that the leader of the town’s founding investors, the governor, owns 1,200 acres in the center.”
“As expected. Our sheriff’s prediction was right.”
Charles and Holiday looked at Max with astonishment.
In fact, land speculation is common during this time.
With the big cities already soaring, it was natural for speculators to turn their attention to the new frontier.
Moreover, it was cheap enough that you could buy 1,200 acres for a thousand dollars, like the governor’s leader, so it was not difficult to diversify investments with small amounts of money.
But no matter how logical the guess, it was not easy to connect the governor’s disappearance with land speculation.
“What’s interesting is that the state capitol is under construction in the heart of Pony and is almost finished. It’s a three-story brick building.”
“Oh, you were preparing that while I was gone.”
“How can a nobleman like the governor do something like that?”
Isn’t it breathtaking just to think about it?
Holiday and Charles clicked their tongues and shook their heads.
“Anyway, as soon as I found out about this, I went to see the governor. What he said was,
He himself said that he had originally tried to make Kansas a free state, not a slave state.”
“Well, that’s not wrong. In fact, there were efforts made at first to prevent election fraud.”
As Chairman Charles said, the governor was initially enthusiastic. He also had a lot of concerns about what would be best for the voter count and fair elections.
But the seizure of the polling place by armed Border Rufians was completely unexpected, and from that incident onwards the governor was reduced to being dragged around by the slave owners.
“The governor himself said it was not because of threats, but because he actively wanted to help Lawrence.”
It’s something that makes you welcome it with open arms just by hearing it.
But the governor’s words these days seem worthless.
“Can you really believe it?”
“I’m worried that I might get stabbed in the back of the head at a crucial moment.”
Lane continued to reassure Holiday and Charles.
“Don’t worry about that. The governor just said something shocking.”
‘What’s shocking now?’
No matter how much he searched through every corner of his memory, Max couldn’t tell what would come out of Lane’s mouth.
“The governor asked for protection for himself. And he specifically mentioned someone he heard it from.”
‘no way.’
Lane nodded at Max.
As if it were a win.
Governor Andrew Leader
‘The governor’s security mission.’
Andrew Horatio Reeder, Governor of Kansas Territory.
If you’re asking for personal protection, it means you know you’re in a tight spot.
‘And seeing him getting so excited about land speculation, I can tell that he’s not an ordinary person.’
I wonder if he really needs to be protected, but he is a necessary figure to make Kansas a free state.
Moreover, the governor, who had been wavering, took the liberal side because of the upcoming convocation of the Pony legislature.
‘Maybe it’s for the better.’
With Lawrence out of the way to protect the governor, the town’s armed forces will have to rush to fill the void.
With that decision made, Max spoke to Lane.
“While protecting the governor, I think we should pre-elect a separate legislature in Lawrence and hasten the gathering of troops.”
“We will gather in the village before you leave. And five of them will support you.”
“Okay, then let’s do that.”
Jayhawkers.
The abolitionists who had been scattered like grassroots activists, and among them those who had put military force first, gathered around Lane.
Their rush to Lawrence was earlier than originally recorded in history. This was the result of Max playing the card of rebellion.
Charles stroked his beard and asked Max.
“When would be a good time to make an announcement?”
The time when Lawrence publicly announced his intention to rebel, or rather to create a separate legislature.
Max said without hesitation.
“There are few days when I get called up from Pony.”
Charles, Lane, and Holiday nodded.
“Everyone seems to think the same. By the way, when will Topeka be able to move?”
Charles asked Holiday this time.
Lawrence is only a temporary location, and their long-cherished goal is to make Topeka the capital.
“The parliament building is in the final stages of construction. It will probably take a little more time to complete the surrounding facilities, but everyone is working hard, so I think it will be finished soon.”
A smile appeared on Max’s lips at Holiday’s words.
‘You really have a lot of affection for Topeka.’
The future of the city created by pouring one’s passion into it.
It probably won’t happen, but Max wanted to tell Holiday about the Topeka he saw in his past life. That he should be proud of it.
*
“Guardian security!? Wow, our sheriff is getting promoted.”
Peach opens her eyes wide in surprise.
Max shrugged, saying it was nothing.
“What’s so special about being the governor?”
“Well, compared to our sheriff, the governor is nothing. But you’re not going to take me, are you?”
“Do you want to go together?”
“No. I have to protect the village.”
Peach said, holding back laughter.
“Have a nice trip. Don’t worry about the village.”
“Why do you seem to like it?”
“no way.”
There is still a smile on his face.
The reason Peach is reacting like this is because of the recent training.
After seeing the kick last time, he said he wanted to learn it too, so I decided to teach him from the basics.
It starts with the leg splits.
– This is the basics of kicking.
– okay?
– First, spread your legs as wide as possible. Okay. Then, press your shoulders. Like this.
– Okay, wait a minute. Aaaah!
After forcibly tearing off his legs like that day after day, I guess he couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Don’t be lazy when I’m not around. Work hard.”
“Yes, yes. It’s the basic kick.”
Although it wasn’t expected, if Peach learns close combat, her spectrum of use for missions will expand. We may also expect her to be active in the Civil War in the future.
‘I might as well raise her as Mata Hari.’
Mata Hari was famous for her espionage activities between Germany and France during World War I.
‘That’s not it.’
He shook his head as he recalled his final moments, when he was executed by firing squad.
Max spoke to Peach, who was just pretending to do the splits while leaning against the wall.
“Call out the militia tomorrow.”
“Are you worried about emptying the village?”
“That too. I have something to tell you.”
“okay.”
“And when will you ever be able to kick me with your legs torn like that? I’ll help you.”
“It’s okay, Sheriff! No trespassing!”
The next day.
Max called up the militia for the first time in a long time.
Ten people to Peach. Max gathered them together and opened his mouth.
“There will be a lot of people coming to Lawrence soon.”
“What, what’s going on now, Sheriff?”
“Who is coming?”
Some of them have obviously tense expressions.
“We are a group of people who gathered to protect the town of Lawrence from slave owners.”
“Oh! Then isn’t that a good thing?”
Why would anyone dislike someone who was protecting the village? But Max felt like making a fuss.
“It’s the militia’s job to protect the village. There’s no need to let the conflict over slavery out of the village. You understand?”
“We’re just ordinary settlers, so what?”
“That’s why. You have to stay like this for now. Take my words to heart.”
“Don’t worry, Sheriff! We are the Lawrence Militia forever!”
Peach shouted, answering with an expression that said, “I know what you’re talking about.”
Then the others nodded along.
On the way to the office after finishing the meeting.
Peach, who was chewing on Max’s words, asked.
“What about those people who are coming?”
“You can think of them as soldiers armed with conviction.”
“Hmm. Then it’s the complete opposite of Border Ruffian.”
“Well, I disagree with your beliefs, but we’ll have to wait and see if the rest of you agree.”
Max’s concern is that the militia will assimilate into the Jayhawks and turn to violence.
This was one of the reasons why he proposed to Lane the creation of a militia and took the initiative.
*
Three days before the Pony legislature convened.
Armed men entered the town of Lawrence.
The number is approximately 50.
Rain led them from the front.
The reactions of Jayhawkers who see Max vary as much as their ages.
Some of those with guns slung over their shoulders spat instead of greeting, while others silently puffed out cigar smoke.
Most of them were soldiers who had fought in the Mexican War or had fought against Indians.
Among them, there may be some who joined the crowd in search of blood.
They were no different from other white people of the time, except for their beliefs about slavery.
“These five will follow you and protect the governor.”
Perhaps out of consideration for Max, the men that Congressman Lane brought were relatively young.
“This is Max Joe.”
“I’ve actually seen a lot of Asians in my life.”
“But how old are you?”
“I’m 19.”
“It’s a pity.”
“They all seem like children.”
“Fuck, we’re different.”
Lane had a stern expression, but didn’t scold or give a hint.
An incomplete organization has no system.
It was too early to take control of them, as they had only gathered under the leadership of Congressman Lane.
Maybe Lane wanted Max to clean up the young Jayhawks at least.
‘It’s something I had to go through anyway.’
From the moment I chose Kansas, meeting the Jayhawks was a given.
Max was plotting to swallow Jayhawks whole.
“Then let’s meet here tomorrow morning.”
Max gave them a quick greeting and returned to his office.
“You didn’t come here to protect the village, you came here to rob it? It looks like there’s a bounty on all of them.”
“I don’t think that’s true. But be careful. Sometimes when you get into trouble, refrain from pulling out your gun.”
“Ha, I suddenly feel like following our sheriff. Aren’t we late?”
“Yes. The carriage has left.”
*
The next day, Max headed to Lecompton with the five men Lane had chosen.
And after a while.
“This is the meeting point.”
“Why are you making a mess by creating a contact point?”
Max looked back.
Their expressions were all equally indifferent. But they didn’t really pick a fight or find fault with each other.
The atmosphere is a little different from yesterday.
While waiting for the governor, the awkward atmosphere continued. Among them, a man named Tucker, who was a year younger than Max, broke the silence and spoke to Max.
“But. Is it true?”
“If you ask me that out of the blue, I will say it is true.”
“….. No, what is that? You said you killed more than ten people?”
Everyone looks at Max at Tucker’s words.
Most of them are from the North, not Kansas.
I didn’t know anything about Max until I heard something from Lane last night.
“No way? Shit, I knew you were lying.”
Max didn’t answer, saying that killing people was nothing to brag about. Then he snorted with a look of, “Well, then.”
‘You little bastards.’
As Max was laughing inwardly, the sound of horse hooves was heard from afar.
One of the three approaching men even waved.
‘I can smell a speculator, or rather a governor, all the way here.’
Before the words even stopped.
A man whose sideburns seemed to reach both sides of his mouth if he grew them out just a little longer said with a smile.
