episode_0053

Unexpected meeting (2)

Yuno, who had been shaking Mayer by the shoulder, let him go with an apologetic expression when he became dizzy.

“No, Mayer, what are you doing here?”

“My hometown is around here. Baron Teshida was originally my hometown, but I must have received a lot of bounties during this war. I wanted to stop doing dangerous work, so I came here to Kiese Castle with the idea of opening a store”

“Yes. Have you found a place where you can do business?”

“I couldn’t find it, so I’m wandering around like this. By the way, why did His Highness come to this country?”

“This is Count Tessidanikana, who I decided to take up here. I received this territory for my achievements in the last war”

“Hmph! Then?”

“Shhh!! I’m just making an inspection before taking office in earnest, so please be quiet”

Yuno covered Mayer’s mouth and looked around. Fortunately, after seeing that the owner who was supposed to be guarding the blacksmith shop was away, Yuno released Mayer’s mouth.

“Eight hehehe why are you suddenly covering your mouth?”

“Don’t even use any honorifics, just call me Yuno”

“….You’re not going to find fault and hit your head later, right?”

“If I were that kind of person, would I have made you a corps commander?”

Mayer nodded as if it made sense. And when Yuno heard the owner coming back, he cleared his throat and continued speaking.

“Hmm, Uncle Mayer, what brings you to the blacksmith shop?”

“Ah~ There was a note posted in front of the door saying that a store had been opened, so I came here to ask how much it would be to take over the place. Hahaha”

It was an extremely awkward performance between the two, but the blacksmith owner opened his mouth bluntly without any suspicion.

“Are you both foreigners?

“Yes. I studied in the former capital, but was sent here as an additional official when Nikana territory was promoted to county status. I am acquainted with Uncle Mayer here in the capital.”

“Please take care of me. My name is Mayer. I came down here from Chiese Castle to think about opening a butcher shop. He originally served as a guard captain in Teshida Territory, so he’s not really an outsider. Hahaha”

“Ah~ It’s Mr. Mayer, who was the guard captain at Tesida Territory until the year before last. Nice to meet you. But why did you come here instead of going to Tesida?”

“I thought it would be a bit difficult in such a small place since all the dry goods that could be sold had one place. Still, if it’s Chiese Castle, it’s quite big and there are a lot of residents, so wouldn’t there be some business?”

“Kkekekekeul It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so you don’t know much about the situation here? Do you think I gave up the store for no reason? Well, it’s not difficult to vacate the store, but first, please come with the administrator tomorrow morning. I don’t know, but I think I’ll have to give a gold coin or two to get a business permit, so I’ll have to bring some with me”

After hearing what the blacksmith owner said, Yuno intervened.

“Hmm? What do you mean, man? Under imperial law, didn’t anyone who wanted to start a trade or business just have to report it to the lord of the territory or his agent? Taxes are paid at the beginning of every year”

“Clicking and clicking, he looks like a kid who studies quite well… The law is far, but the fist is close. If you want to make a living in a country like this, you have to look good to those in power right above you rather than to the people high up in the sky”

He grumbled that the new guys this time were particularly polarizing and that he was also dirty, so he was giving up his business.

Hearing the blacksmith shop owner’s words, Yuno and Mayer took a step back and looked around a few more stores to inquire about the situation, but they only heard similar stories about not being able to do anything without permission from the guard captain or administrator.

“Holy shit… I don’t need to find out more. I have to start by killing that guard captain and the administrator”

Yuno was excited and tried to storm into the lord’s residence, but Mayer held his hand and stopped him.

“What is it? Mayer”

“Ehey~ Your Majesty the Prince. You can’t do that. I beat him to death like that, but what are you going to do if there is no evidence? Then you just become a murderer”

“Do you think they would dare charge the prince with murder? It would be enough if they accused me of insulting the royal family”

“…Even if that is possible, you shouldn’t do that if you want to rule the territory. What if, as soon as you take office as a lord, you kill the manor’s guard and administrator? Will the residents of the territory follow suit?”

“No? They seem like a nuisance, but wouldn’t Youngjimin like them?”

“That is a very simple thought from high-ranking people. No matter how much they bully them, they are just Young Ji-min who usually live together. This is a closed area where outsiders do not come and go. So, whether the people who live here like it or not, they all have one thing in common”

“….”

When Yuno could not answer, Mayer continued speaking excitedly.

“And let’s say you beat them to death like that. Then, we need to appoint a security commander or administrator to do that work, right? So wouldn’t they commit fraud using similar methods? You were already clearly watching your predecessor get his share?”

“Then what are you asking me to do? Are we just going to watch them make illegal gains?”

“A~ Would you like me to say that? I will secure evidence that they cannot steal. Instead….”

“Instead?”

“If I handle this well, I will get a silver award…hahaha”

“Good. If you can secure enough evidence, I will give you a very satisfying reward”

Mayer whispered his plan into Yuno’s ear and requested the necessary items.

Although Yuno was skeptical, he agreed to his plan and gave May the items he had requested, and he took action as soon as he received them.

First, he dressed up in the most fashionable clothes he had, went to the house of Guard Captain Gerard, whom he had identified in advance, and knocked on the door. Then a servant came out and asked what was going on. He said he needed to find Gerard urgently and asked to be called.

Immediately afterwards, a large man in pajamas came to the door, stretched out, and spoke.

“Keuuu~~ Something happening this time of night? If it’s not urgent, come back tomorrow”

‘Wow, that one size is enormous. I guess it’s almost the same level as His Highness the Third Prince?’

Mayer himself had a sturdy physique as he was a former baronial guard and a centurion in the imperial army, and was quite confident in martial arts, but Gerard’s body was so large that he flinched for a moment.

“Hello. I am said to be Mayer, sent down by His Highness the Third Prince from the former capital, Adria. I came here urgently to see Gerard”

Gerard’s eyes, which had been filled with sleepiness, began to shine sharply when he heard that the Third Prince had sent him.

Although they did not inform the residents, the magistrate and he already knew through a telegram that the third prince was coming here with the title of Earl of Tessidanicana, and they had already made a plan to persuade the third prince to enjoy his current power. .

“Ho? okay? Come in for a moment. We can’t welcome the envoy sent by His Highness the Prince at the door like this”

Gerard took Meyer inside the house, sat him down on the sofa, and gave him a drink.

” Hey~ I have been to quite a few noble houses in the capital on errands, but it has been a long time since I came across a family so elegant.”

“Hehehe, thank you for the compliment. After working hard and devotedly, Viscount Nikana went to the capital and left a lot of wealth”

‘What a mess… how much embezzlement and extortion must have taken place for the security chief to live in a house like this?’

“But… why did His Highness the Third Prince send you to me?”

“Actually… His Majesty the Third Prince does not want to come down to a country like this. His Majesty, who has just become an adult, wants to enjoy a luxurious life in the palace of the capital, so what can there be to enjoy in a country like this?”

“Hahaha If you know this Nikana territory, it’s a good town… but compared to Adria, it’s like a crescent moon in front of the moon, so it’s worth saying. So?”

“So… Your Majesty wishes to have his own representative govern the territory of Teshidanikana. There is no problem legally”

“But the fact that you came to visit me…?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t it be better for the person who becomes the acting lord of the territory to know this territory well? That way, the people of the territory will also follow suit. So, I came to see if Gerard could take the position of acting count”

Gerard looked at Mayer’s face and thought about the validity of the offer.

‘It’s not a completely empty story. In fact, I heard that some lords were living in the capital, sending only their agents. And the young prince deserves it. ‘No one likes to live in the countryside after living in a fancy capital city…’

“Hmm… But is there any evidence? Since it is a sensitive issue…”

“Ah! Of course! Here is the letter of appointment as lord representative with the seal of His Highness the Third Prince and the seal symbolizing Count Tessidanicana”

Only after seeing the two items that Mayer held out did Gerard’s doubts disappear and he was filled with joy.

‘If I become the Count’s representative, I will be able to extort much more money than I can now. Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk twit There’s no need to worry about something like Boras!’

“But….”

“Hmm? What’s going on?”

“Yes. From what I heard, there is another person besides Gerard who is highly regarded in Nikada Province. Bora…I heard he was an administrator…”

When Gerard heard those words, his face suddenly darkened.

“Hmm…. There’s no need to worry about her! As for the Count, I can do it all by myself. I guarantee that I will manage it well so as not to disgrace His Royal Highness!”

“Of course, I trust Gerard, but Boras is already on the recommendation network… Is there any evidence that Boras has done something wrong? Otherwise, there is a possibility that an administrator who is familiar with management will serve as the permanent representative…”

Then Gerard’s eyes returned.

“There it is! Boras, that guy pretends to run the territory well on the outside, but behind the scenes he is a very disloyal person who sucks the blood of the people of the territory!! I was planning to deal with him sooner or later”

“Hmm~ Then, could you bring the evidence to the official residence by noon tomorrow? If the evidence is clear, I will punish Boras and appoint Gerard as the acting lord”

“Good!! I’ll make sure to get it!”

Gerard walked Mayer to the inn and assured him that he would do it.

Then, Maier pretended to enter the inn and went to Boras and made the same offer as he had made to Gerard, and assured that Boras would also fall for Maier’s offer and find evidence of Gerard’s corruption.

*Illustrated by Vladimir Mayer