Chapter : 31

Indulgences.

A kind of ticket to heaven, where the Holy See, in the name of God, atones for past sins.

It was a tool often used by the Holy See to make money in actual history, and it was also issued for the same reason in [Pangea Universalise].

However, the thought that came to mind was…

‘Can Bishop Marco do this on his own?’

Didn't he need to get authorization from the Holy See?

What will he do if he gets caught by the Holy See later for acting so arbitrarily?

I don't care if Bishop Marco gets the iron mace, but I'm a little worried that I might get the iron mace along with him as a package deal.

“I think I know what you are worried about, my lord… but he said it is well within the bishop's authority as long as he pays the dues to the Holy See properly.”

“Aha. Is that so?”

“Yes, he said that as long as it's done in moderation, there won't be a major problem.”

“Huuuummm?”

After paying the dues to the Holy See and skimming off all he could, the money that came to me was this much, and that's considered moderation?

Seeing my narrowed eyes, Chamberlain Hamil chuckled.

“Please don't worry too much. I didn't know, but he showed a very bishop-like skill.”

“Oh?”

“He is very, very good at preaching. Not only merchants and ordinary citizens, but even the poor shed tears of emotion when Bishop Marco preaches.”

“Haha. So even a slow worm has its own way of rolling?”

To inspire with sermons and proselytizing and then rake in money with indulgences.

It was a truly profitable business(?). And according to Chamberlain Hamil, there seemed to be no major problems.

“But for a bishop, isn't he a bit too obsessed with money, money, money… Ahem. I'm ashamed to even watch.”

“Isn't that just how he is? Haha.”

“Well, that is true.”

In a way, since he brought in a lot of money, Bishop Marco was a bishop with no flaws.

Besides, the good thing about Bishop Marco's actions wasn't just the money.

It was the infamy.

Every time Bishop Marco went around preaching and serving, the loyalty of the citizens towards me increased and my infamy decreased.

See, look here.

-Tiring!

[Infamy stat decreases.]

Isn't it decreasing in real-time even now?

‘Kyah. So sweet.’

If a problem arose, Bishop Marco could take responsibility for it as his own deviation, and if things went well without any issues, I would be praised for my good governance.

Until now, I had been very worried about what would happen if a sudden, unexpected event befell me due to my high infamy.

But if things continued like this, I would be able to get through it smoothly without any trouble.

‘Hmm, I guess I can rest easy now.’

Thinking so, I nodded my head. I felt a sense of relief, as if a nagging tooth had been pulled out.

So, now that this issue is more or less settled… I had another question, so I asked Chamberlain Hamil.

“Chamberlain Hamil. How is the progress of the factory?”

At that, Chamberlain Hamil said with a bright expression.

“It is almost finished. All that's left is the finishing touches. The people of the slums were already friendly, but after Bishop Marco went to visit them like that, they began to actively help.”

“Oh, is that so?”

It seemed there was a synergy in many ways. It was a moment when my evaluation of Bishop Marco was slightly upgraded once again.

“Are the dwarf artisans adjusting well?”

I had recently hired dwarf architects. This factory construction was also being made by their hands.

“Yes, at first they seemed to be on the outskirts, but now they are actively participating. However…”

“However?”

“As the factory work is nearing its end, they are not coming out, saying they want to conduct a strange experiment. On the contrary, they are audaciously pestering for the people and materials needed for that experiment.”

“Is that so?”

It seems what's to be will be. It appeared that the dwarven technicians' characteristic spirit of experimentation had flared up.

“Well, aren't all dwarves like that? For now, as long as it doesn't interfere with the factory construction, give them the support they want.”

“I understand.”

They would probably work well on their own if I just helped them properly relieve that creative desire. That's just how dwarves were.

I roughly settled the matter like that and wanted to bring up a more important topic.

The matter of disbanding the army.

As for the troops brought by the feudal vassals, I could just give them a proper reward and then disband them with a demobilization order.

But I couldn't easily disband the soldiers I had personally conscripted.

It was because I had conscripted so many soldiers.

Although I had already sent quite a few soldiers back in succession, there were still too many soldiers in the city.

Thanks to that, the surrounding nobles were reacting nervously, and within the city, there were too many soldiers with no productivity to be found, so incidents and accidents were always breaking out.

“Well, can't we just rule them strictly with a whip for things like that?”

At my words, Chamberlain Hamil replied as if it were no big deal. He was looking at me as if he found it strange that I was worrying about such things.

‘I made a mistake.’

I had forgotten that this was the default way of managing soldiers in this era. No, rather, Chamberlain Hamil's way was on the lenient side.

Other commanders and nobles would often just cut off their heads as a punishment.

‘The nobles of this era really don't seem to think about the consequences.’

What if discontent builds up and a rebellion breaks out?

Moreover, my soldiers were not mercenaries like those of other nobles, but conscripts drafted directly from my domain.

“Maintaining military discipline is good, but that's not a fundamental solution, is it? If we keep whipping them like that, there won't be any soldiers left.”

At that, Chamberlain Hamil wrinkled his nose.

“But if we just leave them alone, they will continue to cause trouble. What else would vigorous young men do when confined in a small space but fight and gamble? In fact, they are acting like that because they have it easy.”

“Hmm, that is also true.”

“If you really dislike the idea of whipping them, then why not work them hard? If you work them hard so they don't have any foolish thoughts, well… won't they just fall asleep from exhaustion?”

“Oh-?”

A better idea than I expected came up.

“There have been many reports that there is a shortage of hands for the city's reconstruction recently.

The soldiers are able-bodied men, so let's mobilize them as laborers. Besides that, the trade route roads also need repairs, so we can mobilize them there.”

“Winter is coming soon, though?”

“Haha. Do we not have the Boar Monster?

From what I've been told, it can dig up the frozen winter ground with a hoe just fine.”

Chamberlain Hamil was casually saying things that would make the soldiers foam at the mouth if they heard. But for me, it was a very tempting suggestion.

Conducting military training with the soldiers would provoke the surrounding nobles, and letting them sit idle in the city would just be a waste of money.

If they built roads and buildings like that, it would be very helpful later when building fortresses in the field.

On top of that, it was productive work, so it was truly killing two birds, no, three birds with one stone: training, preventing accidents, and earning money.

“Won't there be a strong backlash from the soldiers? If we use them as laborers.”

“Haha. My lord. You are truly generous and magnanimous.

If they dare to harbor such feelings while receiving money, then rule them with a whip.”

Oh my. It was the all-purpose whip solution. Still, just in case, I told Chamberlain Hamil firmly.

“Still, give them a generous extra wage. So they don't harbor any discontent.”

“Indeed! Do not worry. I will show you.”

* * *

From that day on, Chamberlain Hamil began to move around everywhere with the soldiers.

From the city reconstruction architecture to the road redevelopment project.

The mobilized soldiers were having a hell of a time, but they didn't harbor any discontent. At least for those mobilized for the said work, meals with meat were free.

Although the meat was in a stew that just had a fleeting hint of meaty flavor, it was still something.

The military system of this era was quite harsh on the soldiers, and even if they were conscripted, they had to provide for all their own food, clothing, and shelter.

In such a situation, to be given meals and extra money like this was a godsend in the middle of winter.

Bishop Marco was just as busy. Once he got a taste of money again, he was busy with his missionary(?) work like an unbridled colt.

The city people were slowly starting to notice Bishop Marco's true nature of being obsessed with money, but so far, no one was showing any overtly disrespectful behavior.

Instead, I was worried that his infamy was piling up, but well, it's not my life, is it?

He'll figure it out.

Thinking so, I felt the need to sort out the city's situation as the weather started to get colder.

Now that winter was coming, I had to prepare thoroughly to get through it without any trouble.

The winters of the medieval era were particularly harsh, and if you didn't prepare properly for the winter, it was the perfect season to freeze or starve to death.

This was especially true for a city whose surroundings had been devastated by war like this one. Problems like food supply and firewood.

As I was racking my brain over this problem, Biden came to me with a serious expression.

“My lord. People are being attacked.”

“Hm? Attacked?”

“Yes, my lord. Reports of people being attacked and killed are continuously coming in. Someone is attacking indiscriminately, from ordinary citizens and poor beggars to well-trained soldiers.”

This was no ordinary matter. No, thinking about it, he wouldn't have come to me over just a few murder cases.

“Do you know who the madman is?”

He must have come to me because there was something he couldn't handle.

Perhaps, if even well-trained soldiers were attacked and killed… could it be the work of some veteran mercenary or a mentally unstable wandering knight?

But the words that came out of Biden's mouth were beyond imagination.

“It… doesn't seem to be a he, my lord.”

“???”

“A common thing found on the victims are deep claw marks… Looking at the size of these and the marks that dig into the walls, it seems to be the work of a monster. A pretty big one at that.”

“????????”

Well, shoot.

What is this now?