Episode 8: The Hanged Woman (Part 3)
After seeing Second Lieutenant Makaran of the cavalry depart, Lord Humazov invited us to sit. Then he continued.
“First, let me thank you for your consideration. I am pleased that you had those lawless cavalrymen dismount.”
“Not at all. I merely upheld common courtesy.”
It seems Lord Humazov was indeed dissatisfied with the cavalrymen. The way he looked at me was gentle.
“I heard about your exchange from a servant, but is it true you didn’t know about the ‘Kiba Oroshi’ gate?”
He means that low gate, huh.
“Being rather unlearned, I’m afraid I knew nothing of it. I merely inferred it from the ‘Yari Daoshi no Matsu’.”
“On the contrary, I’m impressed. To be able to perceive something without knowing it is something only a true sage can do. By the way, where is this pine tree located?”
It’s in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was a nice place. The scenery and the sake were the best.
Since I couldn’t very well answer with that, I gave a vague reply.
“I have heard it is an anecdote from a distant foreign land.”
“I see. I suppose people, no matter where they live, tend to think in similar ways.”
“That may be so.”
I offered a smile and drank my tea, which was already cooling. Though it was early spring, it was colder here than midwinter near the Imperial Capital.
“Indeed, people are much the same everywhere. However, if the lands they inhabit differ, do not their ways of life also differ?”
I decided to steer the conversation a little.
At that, Lord Humazov gave a small nod.
“Indeed. In the Kavalaf Region, there has long been a custom known as the ‘Bride Dispute’.”
Now there’s an interesting term.
“In this harsh, cold land, if the lord and his people were to feud, they would all perish together. However, there is a hierarchy of status. That is where the women come in.”
Lieutenant Krimine, being a woman, was listening with keen interest. I’m interested too.
“Here, when the people wish to petition their lord, their wives directly appeal to the lord’s wife. Even if some trouble arises there, we men pretend not to know.”
This Empire is a society where men are favored over women, so the class system primarily binds the men. Since a woman’s status can change with marriage, about half of them were placed outside the framework of the class system.
Because men and women operate in separate social spheres, even if women clash with each other, the men can just offer a wry smile and say something like, “My apologies, that’s just my wife for you.”
A bit cunning, you men.
But it is a piece of wisdom for daily life to avoid bloodshed.
Lord Humazov gave a wry smile.
“From our perspective as well, we cannot be rough with unarmed women. After hearing them out, we have them return home courteously. That is the pride of a Kavalaf knight.”
If violence from both sides is curbed in that manner, then perhaps it’s acceptable in its own way. Though, as a reincarnated person, I have my thoughts on it.
However, that leads to something odd.
“Then, Lord Humazov-sama, this peasant revolt that supposedly occurred…”
“It was likely just the usual ‘Bride Dispute,’ in other words, a collective direct appeal. If a true armed rebellion were to occur, it would immediately become a topic of discussion among the lords.”
Saying so, Lord Humazov stroked his beard.
“Word of a ‘Bride Dispute’ that occurred in some domain must have reached the Central authorities, and it was likely deemed problematic. I, too, have received orders that the next time one occurs, it is to be strictly suppressed as a rebellion.”
This “Central” probably refers to the Emperor or his high-ranking vassals.
Lord Humazov stroked his white hair and sighed.
“In the case of my house, for example, the most recent ‘Bride Dispute’ merely involved a request to reduce the annual land tax. That year was indeed a poor harvest, so I reduced it as requested, and for those still short, I had them make up for it with labor during the agricultural off-season. That was about five years ago, I believe.”
Well, that seems like a reasonable course of action. It would be problematic if they abandoned their lands and fled.
I’ll need to make some inquiries later to confirm, but if Lord Humazov’s words are true, then the Battalion Commander’s attitude also makes sense. If they were to execute someone over something of this extent every time, a real rebellion would surely break out.
“So, Lord Humazov-sama, where is the ringleader, Yuo Neville, now?”
When I asked, Lord Humazov replied, looking troubled.
“This is just my speculation, but such a person has never existed anywhere in this world from the very beginning.”
Right. It was written on the memo the Battalion Commander gave me. It seems this man is someone who tells the truth.
Lord Humazov drank his now completely cold tea.
“In a ‘Bride Dispute,’ it’s the women who actually take action, but it’s the men who ask them to do so. Since the ringleader doesn’t show up, we don’t know who it is, and that’s also a good thing about it. It creates neither heroes nor criminals.”
Hmm, this somehow reminds me of the karakasa renpanjō from my previous life.
Lieutenant Krimine timidly picked at a tea cake, something like a biscuit, as she asked a question.
“Then, where did the name Yuo Neville come from?”
“Someone who was ordered to investigate the ringleader must have feared punishment and fabricated a fictitious name. There is no surname Neville in the Kavalaf Region, and ‘Yuo’ is a woman’s name. Anyone from this land would know that immediately.”
“I see.”
Searching for and executing someone who doesn’t exist is impossible, even by imperial decree. I knew that already, so I’ll just get this job done without worrying too much about it.
“In that case, my Ceremonial Battalion must find a person who does not exist in this world and eliminate them from this world. This is quite a predicament.”
“That’s how it is. I, too, am troubled by those cavalrymen’s warhorses. Just arranging for fodder and stables is rather difficult for my house’s financial situation. And to top it off, they’re ungrateful and rude.”
Lord Humazov sighed, his face looking utterly weary.
“Several companies from the Army’s Second Division have already been deployed and are searching for the non-existent ringleader. It probably won’t end unless ‘Yuo Neville’ is executed in front of them.”
They likely have an obligation to confirm and report, and doing it that way will be less troublesome later on.
“There’s also the option of just executing some random person, but of course, you wouldn’t do that, would you?”
I’m just confirming, just in case. Or rather, it’s a reminder: “Don’t you dare do that.” Most nobles view the lives of commoners lightly.
At that, Lord Humazov nodded.
“Of course. I’m not particularly fond of the peasants, but executing an innocent person is, as one would expect, a deviation from the path of humanity. I wasn’t the one who reported a fictitious ringleader, so I have no obligation to go that far.”
Is that really true? Even if he wasn’t the one who reported it, hasn’t that person come crying to him for help or something?
I have a slightly suspicious feeling about it, but he probably wouldn’t answer anyway. I’ll refrain from prying into that.
But with this, I understand why this mission was assigned to me. It’s the kind of thing I’m best at.
“Well then, my battalion will handle this appropriately and skillfully.”
“Can you do it?”
“That’s why you sent a letter to my Battalion Commander, isn’t it? Leave it to me.”
To Lord Humazov, who looked visibly relieved, I said this:
“In that regard, I would like to ask for a little of your cooperation.”
“Oh, please, say whatever you need.”