Chapter 144 - Commoners 3
The rebellion was dealt with over a period of two weeks.
First of all, as promised, the trial was redone.
According to the customary law of King Rosyth’s country, rape of a virgin is amputation of the dominant hand.
Because the dominant hand of the son of the powerful family was the left arm, he was told to amputate his left arm.
In addition, the territory of the powerful family who filed a complaint against the trial was confiscated.
Their sins are the following three.
One, was to create an opportunity to cause unnecessary chaos.
Two, going back on my promise to lower the taxation.
Third, assaulting innocent people using their private soldiers.
From the above, I told him to return their land because they were not suitable for governing the territory.
Because I didn’t leave the territory for a long time, I surrounded the mansion with the army and threatened it.
When I did that, they obeyed my word without any resistance.
However, at this rate, the entire family of the powerful clan would end.
It was pitiful, so I didn’t take away their fortune.
Therefore, their estate and slaves remain the same.
They will be able to live a fairly wealthy life.
Of course, we also took measures against the rebels.
The commoners who participated in the rebellion were fined and banned from military service.
The fine is not a big amount.
For one year, they would eat one less side dish.
It seems that the most enduring for the commoners was the suspension of military service.
Because it is an honor to go to war and play an active part in the Adernia Peninsula.
Of course, everyone hates being detained on the battlefield for a month. This is because the farmland cannot be cultivated.
However, the country of the Adernia Peninsula has a small land area.
Therefore, you can usually come back in about a week.
Unless there was a catastrophic defeat, there would not be many deaths in the war, so there is little awareness of fear and dislike of the war.
Rather, there are cases where you can make money by looting or distributing loot.
Well, even if I say indefinite ban, it does not mean that they will be banned forever.
It’s just that there is no deadline.
Therefore, depending on your reflection, you can always return.
I intend to keep it for two years.
And the mastermind is…
“Your Majesty. The interrogation of the mastermind is over.”
“Lulu? How was it?”
Lulu gives a small bow.
“The man is 42 years old. He is a Cretian Adernian. He seems to have no wife or children. He seems to have a business of mediating between Adernian merchants and Cretian merchants. This rebellion seems to be his own idea. Originally It seems that he was a worshipper of democracy. ”
…………
In other words, was he just a fool?
However, Lulu added after saying “It’s just…”.
“It seems that he was supported by a Cretian merchant. At that time, some of the rebels were lended weapons from the merchants. It seems that the operation was to fuel the class consciousness of the commoners and to have them fight with His Majesty for a long time. And it seems that he was planning to have Lezzad act as an intermediary at the right time. ”
In other words, Lezzad was behind this.
“Did the names of city-states other than Lezzad come out? What about Gehenna and Nemes?”
“No, the others’ names haven’t come out. It’s quick to conclude, but maybe it’s the action of Lezzad alone.”
Is it Lezzad…
Well, there is no true friendship between countries.
The country is a merchant country in the first place, reaching out to any country depending on profits, and in some cases going back on their words.
I didn’t trust them originally, but…
“By the way… Isn’t the mastermind trying to fight me by himself? There must be other guys. Make him confess.”
“When it comes to that, he stops talking.”
Hmm…
Did you even try to torture him?
However, the accuracy of the information is doubtful in torture.
“Call Julia.”
“What? Almus. It seems that you called me for a job this time?”
“I want you to make someone confess. I’m sure the Kingdom of Rozel has put the confession agent into practical use? You heard the magic technique of the Kingdom of Rozel from that Gaul magician?”
“Yeah… well, I did hear it…”
Julia had a troubled expression for some reason.
“What happened?”
“That person has been calling me ‘older sister’ since then. And she’s being clingy to me. Should I say that there’s a crisis for my chastity…”
Apparently my torture has caused considerable psychological damage to Lydia.
“Then, why don’t you do it with Tetra? In case of an emergency, you can have Tetra protect you.”
Tetra looks so strong.
After all, her wand has iron inside it.
If she hits with that blunt wand, most humans would faint.
Rather, they will die depending on where it hits.
“…That’s right. With Tetra… Yeah, maybe it’s okay.”
“By the way, how is the magical technology of the Kingdom of Rozel? Is it progressing after all?”
Julia shook her head many times.
“Yeah. It’s amazing. It feels like it’s about 30 years ahead of us. Maybe it’s 50 years depending on the department? But my herbs were better than theirs!”
Julia shows her big breasts.
Sure, Julia has her breasts above Merlin.
Doesn’t it matter?
“How soon will you catch up?”
“Hmm… I think it will take about 10 years to catch up completely?”
Is it ten years?
Well, it is enough if thirty years shrink to ten years.
“So, how long will it take you to complete the confession agent?”
“The technology required for confessions is medicinal herbs and mental interference, and the technology is sufficient for the medicinal herbs. The problem is mental interference. But if I brute force it, I can do it right now.”
“Then, brute force with your stupid magic power this time.”
“I understand. Also, calling it stupid is excessive.”
Should I say as expected of Julia?
I heard the names of more than 10 people in a day.
I immediately sent out people with fast horses to the borders.
I ordered the people that were named to be detained.
Also, I asked the domestic merchants if he or she knows any of them, and if they can identify their whereabouts.
I made Ron detain those.
After that, I called Ains and asked him.
“They testify that they were supported by Lezzad, what does this mean?”
To my question, Ains’ face turns blue and he shakes his head.
“No… this is new to me. At least it wasn’t based on a congressional decision.”
“Let’s talk about the entire situation of Lezzad then. For our continued friendship.”
Ains had a hesitant look for a moment, but…
He immediately started talking after resigning himself up.
“There are two factions in Lezzad, the pro-Rosyth faction and the anti-Rosyth faction. The anti-Rosyth faction… has similar friendship and military alliances, but before that it was a faction that tried to eliminate King Almus and make Rosyth a puppet nation of Lezzad… Originally they were equal. However, partly due to the conquest of Persis by Rosyth, the pro-Rosyth faction became dominant. It may be that the anti-Rosyth faction, which became a minority faction, went out of control. ”
In other words, is it the sole discretion of a specific member of the congress?
In my words, is it something like a powerful family conspiring against another country without permission?
“I would like to ask you to act like this never happened in the future.”
“I’ll do my best”
It would be a mistake to blame Ains for the radical behavior of other factions.
For now, let’s just protest.
And…
“Actually, I think I can get a big tree soon. I can export it in a month at the latest.”
“Is that true?”
Ains leaned forward.
The development of the forest that Gram is in charge of has already begun.
We have just built three villages.
“I wanted to ask for you to give priority to selling to Lezzad, who has a long friendship with your country, but… Is it possible to treat a country with a certain number of people who dislike your country specially?”
“Haha… you’re right. That… if you give priority to selling to my country as well, I’d consider it.”
“Thank you. I want to continue to live in harmony with your country.”
As long as it makes a profit.
“And one more”
“What is it?”
Ains showed caution.
He may have wondered if I was going to find more fault with him.
Because there was nothing to find fault with him, it was just a business talk though.
“Can you sell a large ship?”
“…The country of King Rosyth is a landlocked country, right? You bought a riverboat before though…”
Ains had a confused expression on his face.
The small boat that I bought from Lezzad before was very useful, and I can now build it in my country.
What I want this time is a bigger ship.
“Isn’t a bigger one more convenient to carry a big tree? I also have a personal interest in it.”
Maybe the bottom of the ship is too deep and it may not be possible to move the large ships of Lezzad via river.
However, at that time, we can remodel it to make the bottom of the ship shallower.
Even my country’s craftsmen can do that much.
“…Well, if it’s water transportation, it’s okay. How many ships do you need?”
“Five ships are enough.”
After that, we can research it and produce it in our own country.
Fortunately, we have more lumber than we can possibly use.
“For now, that’s all for this matter… Please stay overnight for today. Even though it’s just a countryside dish, we should be able to serve decent food.”
“Thank you. The alcohol of King Rosyth’s country is delicious. I’m looking forward to it.”
About a week later.
Silver payment was made from the Kingdom of Rozel.
Exchange of 1,000 Tarlants with the prisoners of war.
And the payment of compensation of 300 Tarlants.
I managed to get 1,300 Tarlants safely.
“For the time being, give 300 Taranto as a reward to the powerful tribes… Let’s give 130 Tarlants to the soldiers who participated in the war, 70 Tarlants to those who died, and to those who were injured for the rest of their lives.”
How much would this be per person…
For common owner farmers, 5 months worth of living expenses for 9 family members (2 grandparents, 2 parents, 3 children, 2 slaves).
For Japanese money, it’s 1 million yen.
The guarantee for the dead is about 10 times that, about 10 million yen.
In this world, it’s a fairly expensive assurance.
“Do you distribute silver to commoners? Why?”
I answered Raymond’s question with my fingers raised one by one.
“One, to raise the morale of the commoners for the war. Two, to lower the dissatisfaction of the commoners.”
‘The king monopolizes the loot!’
That is a common reason for a rebellion.
“What is your true intention?”
“Popularity”
Scattering loot is not a commendable act as a monarch.
The reason is that if you continue to scatter it, it will become a matter of course, and as soon as you stop distributing it, the commoner’s dissatisfaction will turn to the monarch.
But…
This is not just scattering.
Distribution of loot.
I think it is better to give some money to the soldiers who participated in the war.
It also prevents looting and raises morale.
And the anxiety about the income lost in the war disappears.
Every time something happened, if you give gold to the commoners, the gratitude would be diminished with each time.
When there is a good reason, it is best to give out a lot of money.
“What about the remaining 800?”
“That’s right… 200 will be used to expand the armaments. 200 will be for the construction cost of the city, 50 will be for the construction of infrastructure and temples in each area, 100 will be for the development of forests, and 100 will be for the expansion of domestic agricultural land, hydraulic control, and irrigation.”
The remaining 150 are stored in the national treasury.
It’s just in case.
“If such a large amount of silver flows into the country at once… Our country’s sales tax will jump up.”
“I hope it circulates well. I hope it doesn’t all get absorbed by the Cretians.”
Well, the commoner’s use of money is limited.
Buy good rice, refurbish armor, weapons and farming tools, rebuild the house, buy beautiful clothes, give accessories to your lover…
Is it around here at best?
All can be bought from domestic merchants.
No farmer would buy Cretian goldsmithings or Persis glasswork.
“For the time being, when handing it out, let’s say,’Use it for new slaves, farm horses, farm tools, weapons and armor.'”
The economy turns around no matter what it is used for, but I want you to buy something useful if possible.