Chapter : 38

‘Huh.’

I blinked at the brilliant notification window.

So what this thing was saying was that the stats of the characters I knew were not all fixed values?

‘Right, it wouldn’t make sense if things only went as they were given.’

Even if it was inside a game, the beings living in this world were real. Isn’t there a saying about seeing someone in a completely new light?

It was right that the beings of this world held the potential to change because of a variable like me.

‘However…. I wonder if this means the future I know will change little by little.’

The Holy See's summons for a crusade to purify the heretics was one such example; things might already be changing faster than I expected.

Of course, it wasn’t that I was terribly frightened by it. In the first place, the game [Pangea Universalise] itself was one where the progression constantly changed with uncertainty in every playthrough.

I was quite used to this kind of change.

‘Still, the global events will proceed as they are, right?’

I tried to erase my anxiety and calmed my heart.

“My, my lord? Is there a problem.”

Just then, as I stood there silently, Chamberlain Hamil must have sensed something was off and spoke.

“Ah-! No. I was just organizing my thoughts for a moment.”

My explanation must have been poor, as Chamberlain Hamil didn't seem to understand.

But what could I do? It’s not like he could question me about it.

“First, I have a task to entrust to you, and to do that, we need to draw up a plan, so I will summon the vassals tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“That is a wise decision. Let us summon them at once.”

“Right. Then we’ll do that, and let’s call it a day. You need to get some rest too.”

I said so and gave him an order to leave. Chamberlain Hamil bowed his head and left the room.

I watched his departing figure for a moment before throwing myself onto the bed.

Too many things had happened in a short period of time.

Fatigue washed over me. In that brief moment, my consciousness faded into the darkness beyond.

* * *

“My lord, my lord. It is time to wake up.”

“Umm, just a little longer….”

“The vassals are all waiting in the assembly hall. Shall I tell them to disperse?”

“Ugh.”

At the attendant's words, I finally sighed and opened my eyes.

Even though I had slept for quite a long time, my body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

As I forced my heavy body to get up and prepare to leave, the sun was already high in the sky.

‘I’m late.’

I chastised myself internally and hurried to the assembly hall.

“The Lord is entering.”

-Welcome, my lord!

As soon as I entered, the vassals rose and shouted.

Feeling embarrassed, I just waved my hand vaguely and headed to my seat.

“It feels good to see everyone gathered together after such a long time.”

“Meeeh~. A lot has happened in the meantime, mer.”

“Hoho, indeed it has.”

“There were truly busy times. Thanks to a certain someone!”

I think a resentful remark was mixed in there, but it must be my imagination, right?

I gave a slight glare to Treasurer Palmer, who was furtively avoiding my gaze and clearing his throat, before opening my mouth again.

“The reason I’ve convened this meeting is because I have a task for you all.”

“A task… you say?”

“Yes. Haven't I recently received an invitation from the Holy See?

I’ll likely have to leave the domain for over half a year, so we need to plan things out in advance.”

At those words, everyone nodded. Everyone except for one person, Treasurer Palmer.

He was a man with very good intuition, probably sensing that due to the nature of such work, most of it would fall on the treasurer.

“Chamberlain Hamil said that we need to create a relay market to connect the north and south. I also agree with him.”

“Meheh?”

People's gazes momentarily turned to Chamberlain Hamil.

It must have seemed strange that a knight who loved war would give advice befitting a merchant.

“Is that true?”

“It is. I suggested it to the lord.”

“Ugh. A relay market is not something that can be made easily…!”

As expected, a complaint came from the mouth of Treasurer Palmer, who had anticipated the workload explosion. I smirked at him.

“It’s not made easily, so we must make an effort. Isn’t that right? Treasurer?”

“Hic. Th-that’s right.”

“Good, then Treasurer Palmer. You will investigate the merchant guilds in the surrounding areas.

Identify the goods they handle, what they need, and the market prices of those goods, and report back.”

“I’ll have to use that chart to make it, won’t I?”

“Why ask the obvious?”

“…I understand.”

I felt a momentary pang of pity for Treasurer Palmer as he lowered his head dejectedly, but it was truly just for a moment.

When I thought of the money that bastard blew while lazing around under Isabella, I knew I had to work him harder still.

“Still, it will be overwhelming to do it alone, so get help from the Markel city council. I’ll write you an order, so you can recruit the necessary personnel from there.”

“Thank you for just the thought.”

“Right. If you’re thankful, then work hard.”

It felt a lot like robbing Peter to pay Paul, but still, getting support was something. I spoke shamelessly.

“Chamberlain Hamil, you will take charge of the domain’s overall affairs while I am heading to the Holy See.”

“Yes.”

“Your job while in charge of the domain is simple. Preserve the troops and stockpile grain.

And to establish the trade hub, you just need to expand the waterways of the Ram and Seine rivers.”

“Understood. Is there anything else you wish me to do?”

“Hmm…. Ah!”

At Chamberlain Hamil’s question, a thought flashed through my mind.

I couldn’t forget this either.

“Build a large granary and keep buying up grain as long as the money allows.”

“Grain, you say?”

“Yes.”

The Great Famine was slowly less than four years away. It was now time to prepare.

Abnormal weather patterns had started to occur even before the Great Famine began, causing grain prices to rise, so I had to keep buying it up now while it was at its cheapest.

“Meeeh~. Then what shall I do, mer!”

“You?”

Hmm, I hadn't really thought of a job for the goat beastman…? In truth, it was best for that troublemaker Bishop Marco to just stay put.

If I gave him a job and he got greedy, embezzling here and there and harassing his subordinates, wouldn't the resentment just circle back to me?

“Meeeh~.”

But as I looked into those sparkling, rectangular pupils staring at me, I found it hard to say, ‘Just don't do anything and rest.’

“Th-there’s that, isn’t there. You have to go to the Holy See with me, so prepare for that.”

“Ooooh! Meeeh~~.”

“You, Bishop Marco, are the one who knows the Holy See best, so you will handle the preparations for the delegation.”

I barely managed to think of a task. Phew. I had originally planned to assign this job to someone else, but it couldn't be helped.

Surely he couldn’t mess this up too?

Thinking so, I cleared my throat for a moment. It was time to make a major announcement.

‘I imagine…. there will be quite a bit of opposition, right?’

Frankly, even though I had thought of it myself, it was an order that would be difficult for the vassals to accept within their current worldview.

But still, it had to be done.

‘I’ve worked hard to oust Isabella and crush the city rebellion, but the interior is still unstable.’

It didn't matter when I was at the center of the domain, but it was a different story if I was away.

I didn't know how the neighboring lords, especially Count Bozen, would move.

He couldn't move last time during Isabella's ousting because of the Holy See's notarization, but this time might be different.

If he joined hands with the feudal vassals while I was absent from the domain, the domain would be split in half in an instant.

‘I need to loosen the leash on the feudal vassals a bit.’

If you push too hard, they're bound to rebel. It was now time to hand out a carrot to the feudal vassals. A carrot so sweet they couldn't ignore it, even if it rotted their teeth.

And so, I dropped a huge bombshell.

“From now on, I will abolish all taxes from the feudal vassals under my command.”

* * *

I will abolish taxes from the feudal lords under my command.

This was, in effect, a declaration that I would recognize the feudal lords under my command as independent lords.

Of course, I wasn't collecting taxes from the feudal lords under my command even now.

It was a kind of custom that had been tacitly carried on since the previous lord's time, as the domain's power had weakened.

But for me to give it up myself was different in meaning from them not paying.

It was only in name, but at least the feudal lords under my command still existed under the margrave's authority.

If I were to release their shackles with my own hands, they would never return to being under the margrave's command.

And this meant that I could lose the title of Margrave, which had been given to the Bellua family for generations.

Besides, hadn’t the domain been growing stronger by the day recently, and hadn't I even received an invitation from the Holy See?

For the vassals who had dreamed of the revival of their glorious family, my words were like a bolt from the blue.

“Meeeeeeeeh-!! What are you saying, mer!”

“My, my lord? You didn’t say anything like that.”

“What is the meaning of this all of a sudden, my lord.”

Chamberlain Hamil, in particular, seemed to have received an exceptional shock. He asked me with a pale face.

“Do, do you know what that means?”

“I know it well. This Margrave. It means I will give up this hollow title.”

Practical gain over justification.

In exchange for giving the sweet dream of independence to the feudal vassals under my command, I would receive something else.

-Murmur, murmur.

It seemed they were once again in shock at my bombshell of a statement.

Everyone in the office wore astonished expressions and whispered amongst themselves.

Only Chamberlain Hamil barely managed to compose himself and ask me.

“You’re not just planning to give it up, are you, my lord? You have something else in mind, don’t you?”

Of course.

I was wondering how to explain, and it was a very timely question.

After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I looked around at the people in the office and slowly opened my mouth.

“If I give something, I must receive something.

I have a total of three conditions for the feudal lords. First, we will abolish tariffs between the parties of the treaty.”

Merchants pay tariffs every time they pass through a domain with their goods.

This is one of the evil practices that makes the price of goods expensive and slows down the movement of merchants.

This must be eliminated to facilitate the flow of logistics.

Moreover, since it is the abolition of tariffs between the treaty parties, it is possible to create an economic bloc.

Therefore, since Count Bozen is not a party to this treaty, it was possible to apply economic pressure.

“Second, we will sign a mutual defense treaty, and if a domain that is party to the treaty is attacked by an outside domain, we will respond jointly.

And the military command will be unified through a consensus body.”

Also, even if I recognized them as independent lords, I couldn't let them completely escape my sphere of influence.

I plan to bind them through a mutual defense treaty, at least as a loose confederation. And the military command.

Although it would be selected through a consensus body, I had no intention of giving it to the lords under my command. I intended to hold it firmly in my own hands.

“Third, we will waive the passage tax for merchant guilds that hold this lord’s certificate.”

Finally, the most important thing.

This third point was one of the keys to expanding my relay market in the future.

There were various taxes collected under the name of passage tax, such as road taxes and gate taxes.

If these were waived, inland merchant guilds would also be able to participate in the relay market that would open in the future.

“This is….”

Chamberlain Hamil, who had been listening quietly, swallowed his saliva.

This content was very similar to that of a certain confederation he had heard rumors of in Markel City.

“Are you perhaps referring to the confederation of cities on the Apennine Peninsula?”

“That’s right.”

As expected, as his rank increased, his insight seemed to be improving as well.

Chamberlain Hamil seemed to have caught on to the meaning of my words.

“I will give them a hollow freedom, and I will take everything from them.”

The abolition of tariffs and the vast amount of goods pouring out of the factories.

I intended to use these to economically subjugate the domains of the feudal vassals.

So that they could never escape.