episode_0167

Ferdi doesn’t know his parents’ faces.

I don’t even know what kind of voice it was, let alone its name or age.

What would a child who was abandoned by his parents as soon as he was born remember?

I don’t know anything.

It is impossible to know.

For Ferdi, the world was very small.

All that the child could see, who was just crawling around on all fours, was a small house full of children and some adults he had never seen before.

Ferdi’s whole world began in an orphanage in Chatelaine, and Chatelaine was his whole world.

But even with that narrow field of view, there was enough depth.

“Your name is Ferdi.”

“Perdi?”

“Okay. Ferdi. Just write it like this and read it as Perdi.”

A child who grew up with the help of someone other than his or her parents lived a fairly uneventful life.

After receiving the name Ferdi, I realized that there were similar children around me by the time I stopped crying and started walking on my own two feet.

“Wow, Ferdi, he kicks really well?”

“Ugh! Stop it! We have to stop it!”

“Ugh. I went in.”

“Don’t you win because of Ferdi? We always lost!”

Loneliness without even parents?

There wasn’t.

Loneliness left alone in the world?

That didn’t exist either.

“Hello, mister!”

“Hehe. Wasn’t it Ferdi? Looking at what came out now, it looks like you didn’t do your homework, right?”

“Ugh… I’ll do that later! I have to play with the kids.”

“Isn’t that why you don’t do it?”

“Should I tell the lady?”

“Mister! Is that so?”

─Hahaha!

For Ferdi, this world was not because he was left alone, but because he had the embrace of a warm land called Chatelaine.

I have never been hungry.

The loneliness of not having parents could not be overcome by the friends and adults around them who cared for them.

Even if big things were absent, Ferdi’s world, where he grew up by eating, playing, and learning normally, was never shallow.

Even if I became aware of my parents’ absence through my studies, it would be the same.

However, there was always a dark side.

“It is time for Shatrene to take a leap forward. As you all know, if Chatelaine’s special products, strawberries and grapes, are provided only to nobles, it will grow to an extent that cannot be compared to before.”

“But anyway. What would happen if we kept gathering those orphans in this chattel? Is it okay for such impurities to exist on Noblesse Street where nobles go?”

“Those who want to be kicked out should be kicked out, and it is time to let go of the orphans who are eating up the territory!”

As it is a territory that attracts a lot of attention, stories related to the development of the territory are never missing.

Such words were often mentioned more often by guests who came from outside the estate, and Ferdi, whose brain had grown considerably, was able to understand them all from then on.

“Ugh. The village chief is behaving badly again. Considering the development potential of the territory, it would be a wise decision to immediately kick out those orphans and create Noblesse Street.”

“When are you going to change this place? really. Still, now that we are out of the hands of the imperial family is the best opportunity.”

“If we push it by saying that we are becoming poorer, how can it possibly make sense? He seemed a little worried.”

“Oh. If so…”

“Let’s artificially create a crisis. Only then will the village chief make a clear decision.”

There were already people in this chattel plotting a conspiracy.

All of them were people who had lived in the Shatren Territory for a long time, and some of them were in favor of developing the Shatren Territory by colluding with external forces.

Ferdi, who overheard that conversation, couldn’t stop thinking about it from that day on.

Inside the manor. All over town.

I wonder if there is a force trying to oust them and change Chatrene.

And those concerns came true.

“What happened?”

“Hehe. Of course it was successful. I don’t think everyone noticed?”

“… You mean this is money that came from our land? I can’t believe I’ve been refusing this even though I could receive it.”

“I heard the village chief was so stubborn that he fell for it! All you have to do is get rid of those orphans. Tsk!”

They were already struggling, and crop yields of two specialties, chatelaine strawberries and chatelaine grapes, began to decline.

As the supply decreased, the prices of the two specialties rose dramatically. As a result, commoners and commoners who felt burdened could no longer purchase strawberries and grapes from Chatelaine, and the fruits naturally went to the nobility.

As a result. More money was made in the Chatrene territory.

“I turned it just a little and it was still like this. I could have gotten it at a higher price than the original price.”

“It’s so unfair to think that way?”

Division began to creep in among the residents. At first, they followed the will of the village chief, but once they started to taste money, they did not want to give up this right.

The way to live a richer and more prosperous life was to increase the value of the two specialties.

Thus, the prices of chatelaine strawberries and chatelaine grapes soar day by day. These two crops, which always produced plentiful harvests and could be eaten by people of all ages, have now become food that requires money.

In addition, even within the wealthy fiefdoms, embezzlement was being carried out in completely unknown ways, and profits were made one after another by laundering money by passing it on to other fiefdoms.

After learning all of this, Ferdi had no choice but to make an extreme decision.

“…Shatlaine is already ruined. Guys.”

“What does that mean?”

“We will be kicked out of this territory. By those adults!!”

Shatrene is broken.

It was no longer the warm and generous land he knew.

Their eyes and ears are always on the chatelaine.

then.

“I don’t think we can just suffer like this.”

We have to somehow stop them without being kicked out.

By sabotaging, ruining, and stealing.

I wanted to protect this land called Shatren, which was like the whole world.

“That ungrateful bastard!”

“Not knowing the grace that raised me, I steal!”

“Why did such a troublemaker appear in our territory!”

My heart aches with each word.

A deep dagger stabs in and hits you painfully.

Ingratitude. When I heard that, tears almost started to flow.

Not a complete stranger, but a familiar face.

The people I met in this chattel, a place that was like my whole world.

The words I heard from them made me even more painful and painful.

Still, I had to overcome it.

Even though it was unfair, I had to continue this behavior.

I had to clearly inform them that the place called Chatren Territory was wrong.

Even if you have nowhere to go, even if you hear lamentation from the lady who raised you during this time. Even if you are criticized and told that it is a fatal stain on the territory.

It was nerve-wracking, but I had to work hard to get over it.

The actions of the renegades had to be hindered somehow. Because that was the top priority.

When you’ve been causing problems in Chatelaine for such a long period of time.

“This farming method must not be used!!”

Just one person.

The person who will strike down the condemnation on Shatren has appeared.

The man’s name was Karssein Bagland.

***

I thought this was best.

The reason he was caught was because he stole a request from outside, and it would have been nice to have stolen the ledger with the list and down payment, but he was confident that that alone would be enough to drive them out.

However, you may not know what will happen to your own safety in the process of asking where the request went.

Even if they are children, they can provide evidence that they have been stealing every time, and they know that the problem will increase the moment they are caught, so these guys will definitely try to get rid of them.

‘Still, I don’t regret it.’

If you do this, you will quickly realize that there is an enemy inside.

So, Shatlaine will return to its original state, right?

At least, the world I grew up in won’t be ruined by those people.

‘That’s enough.’

Karssein said:

I will never be kicked out of this Chatrene territory.

Unlike the past when I was kicked out, I will prove everything.

The rest is up to him, but he, who was the only one who tried to solve Chatrene’s problem, will easily solve it.

Ferdi closed his eyes in resignation.

However, after a while, there was a loud crashing sound and a person smashed the piles of boxes and flew into them.

“Stealing… he did it even worse?”

“What nonsense is that!”

“Everyone knows that Ferdi has been openly stealing in this territory. Don’t you know that they stole Ruthmeyer’s peddler’s wagon!”

“On the other hand, that person is not a person who has been stealing. This is the man who worked in our chatelaine for several years, burying his bones!”

Criticism poured in toward Karsein, who kicked a resident in the stomach and blew him away.

When Ferdi heard those words, he raised his head.

Looking at the person who flew away, it turned out to be a renegade from this estate whom Ferdi had been keeping an eye on.

“If you say that, you will be stabbed in the back. You stupid people.”

“What, what?”

“I have held the position of temporary lord of the Shatrene territory in the past. I felt it back then too, do you know that the store he runs is not profitable?”

That was correct.

His store was the one with the most profit and loss, and it survived by receiving subsidies from Chatelaine every year.

but.

‘Bringing that up here…!’

He wanted to prove it here.

Ferdi swallowed his saliva and shouted.

“No! Master!”

I cannot give a detailed explanation.

But doesn’t the future seem so obvious?

Even if the request was used here, that traitor’s store would be at a loss. Proof is said to be impossible.

When I shouted that out of desperation, Karssein smiled and answered.

“Hey. Ferdi.”

“…Yes?”

“You are not a sinner. Dude.”

Karssein said he would prove it from now on.

“Give your opinion as to why the profit and loss are not in line.”

“Isn’t that because this is the store most likely to get robbed by this guy!”

“Ferdi Do you know how many times this guy stole? Even if you put all your fingers and toes together, it’s not enough!”

“And how many times have you interrupted work? People from other territories also come to trade, but the number of people they trade with is not enough every time!”

When the residents unanimously refuted this, Karssein openly laughed at them.

“Put. So, what is the profit/loss amount? How much did you get?”

“Huh. Are you saying you, the temporary lord, didn’t even investigate that?”

“Ugh… I say it myself! The average quarterly loss is 4000 pessels! Are you a thief or something? Why are you doing this to me?”

“4000 pesels? Ahaha. Hahaha!”

At that moment, Ferdi had an intuition.

Why is Karssein smiling so confidently?

‘Can you prove it?’

I asked that question to myself, but the answer was already there.

will prove it Called.

“I… robbed Ruthmeyer’s peddler’s wagon yesterday too. That’s true.”

“You bastard!”

“Why are you talking about that now…!”

“Keep talking. Ferdi.”

“How much is the damage I caused to you by stealing it?!”

“Suddenly what is that…?”

“Yesterday, Ferdi robbed my peddler’s wagon. Then you ask, how much was the loss there? Well, I guess I can answer that easily.”

Amidst the confused residents, Karssein held up one index finger.

“1000… Do you mean pesel?”

“No. 100 pessel. The only thing he stole was food.”

“Food…?”

“Okay. food. Unless it was just something to eat, I barely touched it.”

“Are you saying you only lost that much?”

-Flapping.

“That’s the value I gathered yesterday. If you don’t believe me, would you like to see it for yourself?”

“…”

“Isn’t this really strange? Why did that man’s store incur a huge loss of 4,000 pesels, but the additional peddler’s cart only lost 100 pesels? Do you think it’s because he’s the one organizing the festival? Or is it because you want to rob the people of your territory more than me, who you just met for the first time?”

At those words, the residents looked at the documents that Karssein held out one by one, and then turned their gaze to the man who was very frightened.

“In the documents, there really is only a loss worth 100 pesels…”

“You. Let me explain how this happened.”

“What are you talking about? Are you doubting me now? ”

“Shouldn’t we say where the deficit of 4000 pesels came from?”

One by one, the changed eyes turn into looks of suspicion.

The gaze demanding an explanation was already deeply pierced between the eyes of the traitor who abandoned Shatlaine to enrich himself.

“Of course, Ferdi, that thief…!”

“You mean you stole that amount of stuff?”

“ Doesn’t that make sense!”

“When I think about it, it’s strange. Is it possible to have a deficit of 4000 pesels?”

“Recently, not even festivals have been held…”

“That’s why I said it was theft. That guy is the guy who carried out requests from other territories even when Shatrene was fine.”

Another item from Karssein’s arms.

Folded neatly, it was a request brought from another village.

“What, what! How can that be in your hands!”

“When other territories send such requests, they incur a deficit, make up the remaining amount with subsidies, and then receive the remaining wages. Isn’t it such a shallow tactic?”

“…”

A causal relationship that fits perfectly.

Doubt turns into certainty due to evidence that appears without any time to find fault.

“Yes, you…!”

“You deceived our Shatren like this!!”

“Hurry up and tell the village chief about this…!”

Right then.

Ferdi shouted.

“No! You can solve it right here!”

“Perdi?”

“What does that mean?”

“Old men. The person here is our lord of Chatrene!”

“…!”

okay. Ferdi is right.

Stupid people.

There is a lord right in front of you, so why are you delaying punishment?

Karssein grabbed the traitor’s back as if he had been waiting.

“Hehe, hehe! What kind of happiness is this! Oh, help me! Help me!”

“I was planning on not giving any more orders due to my orders, but I don’t think I can open my eyes and see something like this happening in my territory?”

“Hey, hey! I did nothing wrong! I really don’t know!”

The residents of the territory are whispering.

But they were not confused.

-Tiring!

Looking at the window floating in the air, Karssein smiled with satisfaction.

▶An internal enemy has been eliminated.◀

▶Ferdi becomes a complete ally. 3 dead flags disappeared◀

▶The recognition value of Shatren Territory increases.◀

[Recognition value in Chatren Field: -80 → -65]