"I expect that you've handled the situation, right?" Alex asked.
Elder Ryan nodded.
"Rather than stop the bandits, we've let them fester in the Central County, leading to more desperate people rising up to banditry," the old man began.
Alex's eyebrows furrowed, but he remained silent, listening.
Elder Ryan's eyes flashed imperceptibly before he quickly continued.
"With the situation worsening, we had our assets and agents spread misinformation, blaming the spread of banditry on the inaction of the Earl instead of the Barons. After all, the Earl did restrict how large a military force the Barons could muster. Even a farmer's militia was capped," he reported.
"It's misinformation, not false news," Alex commented.
The old man gave the young noble a look but continued anyway.
