Chapter 256: The Monsters Have Been Defeated, but the Commotion Continues
Having completed all the necessary tasks in the village, Rest decided to return to the Royal Capital the following day.
The results were more than satisfactory. By coming to this fishing village, he felt he had gained insight into the character of the Queen Dowager… Shoko Sanada. Although she had led her grandson, Rodel Aiwood, astray and scattered numerous sparks of conflict throughout the kingdom, to Rest, she was not just a stranger. He hesitated to label her a simple villain. Many had suffered because of her actions, yet Rest felt justified in calling her a friend and mourning her.
(This fishing village was quite nice… Perhaps next time I should bring Viola, Primula, and Yuri along as well…)
He imagined that he might once again be treated like a deity, but he was certain it would be a delightful trip. He could already envision the future where they would storm the hot springs, filled with excitement and nervousness… but surely, they would be able to share those moments as fond memories.
Thus, with a heart full of various thoughts, Rest departed from the fishing village.
“Noble sir! Noble sir! Please, come here for a moment!”
Such a call was hardly expected. On the day of his departure, a girl who had initially sought his help came rushing to the inn where Rest was staying.
“What is it… so early in the morning…”
Rest rubbed his sleepy eyes and responded to the girl.
“Um, a scary person has come to the village! They’re yelling at the village chief, and everyone is in trouble!”
“A scary person…”
“What’s going on?”
Having caught wind of the commotion, Celestine also arrived. Unlike Rest, she had already dressed neatly and was ready for the day.
“Is it a dispute?”
“Let’s go take a look.”
Rest took Celestine with him as they headed toward the village square. Upon arrival, they found a man shouting loudly.
“Enough! I’m telling you to pay up quickly!”
“No, that money was a donation…”
At the center of the uproar was the village chief, standing against a well-dressed man. The man was middle-aged, portly, and had a beard. Surrounding him were soldiers who appeared to be his guards, suggesting he was likely a noble.
“Could that be…?”
“Most likely, he is the lord governing this land.”
This village was part of a certain barony, and naturally, there was a lord overseeing it. It seemed that despite the village suffering from monster attacks, the lord had remained passive and merely observed.
“I know this village has earned a significant income from the materials of the monsters! Pay your taxes at once!”
“No… that monster was not caught by us. It wasn’t obtained through fishing, so we shouldn’t be taxed…”
“Since it was caught in the sea, you must pay! Just hand over the money!”
“Ugh… so that’s the issue…”
It was not a pleasant conversation. The nobleman’s objective was the proceeds from the sale of the Sea Serpent, which Rest had donated for the village’s reconstruction. In this fishing village, it seemed that taxes applied to the money earned from selling caught fish. The village chief argued that it was a donation and thus not subject to tax, while the lord insisted on payment.
“Ah… Celestine, what happens in a situation like this?”
“Taxes on farmers typically apply to the harvest of crops like wheat, but in villages where fishing is prominent, it is exceptionally recognized to tax the sale price of fish. However… since the Sea Serpent was caught by you, Rest, the tax should not apply.”
Celestine answered Rest’s question.
“Even so, if a villager who received the Sea Serpent sold it directly to a merchant, there could be grounds for taxation… but to avoid complications, the merchant should have sold it under my name. Since it was a donation for reconstruction support, there should be no tax liability.”
“So it’s not just gray; it’s completely black, then.”
If the taxation were lawful, even a count like Rest would have no right to intervene. However, if it were against the law, the situation would be different. It would weigh heavily on his conscience to abandon villagers oppressed by a corrupt lord.
“Then it’s fine to intervene, right?”
“Yes, please do.”
With Celestine’s endorsement, Rest stepped forward into the heart of the commotion.