Episode 80: The State of the Territory I Wish I Hadn’t Seen
That’s what I wanted to shout, but I was no match for Barbatos and Beatrice’s strength, and they dragged me along. Iserina-san escaped.
Of course, we weren’t going to the capital, but to the town hall of this Town of Solva. It seemed they had already moved most of the functions from the capital here. Their ability to act is amazing.
“Eight percent from the farmers? What kind of tax system is that? There’s no way you can collect that much.”
“Well, that’s… so we tried to collect as much as possible by raising the tax rate…”
“Y-yes, that’s right. We don’t actually collect eight percent accurately.”
“If you can’t collect it accurately, then abolish the tax system.”
Are you guys stupid?
“And why are slave traders getting preferential tax treatment? And big merchants too. Take taxes from those who have money. You won’t get anything from those who don’t. Take more taxes from big merchants, slave traders, and high-ranked Adventurers. From the farmers, a maximum of fifty percent.”
I don’t really want to take that much from the farmers, but if I lower it too much, some farmers will start slacking off. If we buy up the surplus crops even after lowering the tax rate, the production volume shouldn’t drop drastically.
“I-if we do that, the merchants won’t come anymore!?”
“We don’t need that many merchants from outside. We have a lot of farmland and we raise sheep.”
Maybe it’s because the tax system for farmers has been so harsh, but the farmers have been expanding their land like crazy. They must be thinking that if the tax rate is high, they should increase their harvest. The same goes for sheep and cattle herders. They’re raising as many as they can. Frankly, I think we could get by just within the territory if we didn’t live extravagantly.
Well, it’s the slaves who are supporting that, though.
“And take taxes from the slaves. Slaves are the property of their masters, so take the tax from the masters.”
“T-that’s…”
“However, such an idea…”
“In the first place, there’s no budget to implement those things.”
“It’ll decrease payments, so there’s no problem.”
” ” “Decrease?” ” “
Of course, it will decrease.
“Because the money paid to the nobles who aren’t working will decrease.”
” ” “Eh!?” ” “
There are a lot of nobles who can’t get involved in the territory’s administration. There’s no money to pay those guys.
“I-if we do that, the nobles will disappear from the territory!”
“Do we even need them in the first place? What are the nobles in this country even doing?”
In Brostwill, the nobles were in charge of dealing with Monsters and Dungeons, and taking measures against criminals. They organized Knights Orders and legions, and carried out the maintenance of public order and the protection of humanity.
The Lord himself and his family members led the patrols of the Knights Orders and legions, and many nobles were quite actively hunting Monsters.
Not all of them, but a considerable number of nobles are doing their job seriously.
“That’s, well… taking measures against Monsters and wars.”
“Have you ever seen a noble fighting Monsters? I’ve only seen Adventurers doing it. And I heard there are mercenary groups in wars.”
These nobles just look like good-for-nothings.
“I’m not going to do anything to the people who are currently here trying to get involved in national politics or the local nobles who are properly submitting petitions. I’m simply saying that there’s no money to pay to houses that aren’t working or can’t work.”
No matter how you look at it, the payments to the nobles are the highest and the most wasteful. I’m not going to say that we don’t need to pay them at all, but what are we supposed to pay to the two houses that are confirmed to be unable to participate in national politics and the houses that are closely related to them, and the houses that are currently not participating in national politics at all? He who does not work shall not eat.
“Why are the local nobles more serious and the nobles close to the Lord less serious?”
“That’s simply because the local nobles have to earn their own living, and it’s dangerous if they don’t do it seriously.”
“Huh?”
“Compared to the capital and large cities with thriving trade, the local areas have less tax revenue. So the nobles have to work harder. But if they impose unreasonable oppression, they could be killed by the people. The distance between the local nobles and the people is surprisingly close.”
I didn’t expect to get an answer back.
“So they send petitions for problems that they can’t handle in their own towns and villages?”
“That’s right. But I don’t think they expect to get a response back either.”
“For Monster and criminal countermeasures, we move the Knights Order… we have one, right? A Knights Order.”
“Of course, we do. But it’s made up of the second or third sons of nobles, so…”
Oh, those guys.
“Beatrice!”
In times like these, I can just leave it to her.
“Lead the Knights Order and get rid of the Monsters and criminals that are being petitioned about! Anyone who doesn’t obey the order can be treated as an accomplice of the Thief. Capture them all and warn the houses they belong to.”
“Understood! May I borrow two warriors?”
“Permission granted. Go around in order of the most severe.”
She is a daughter of the Sandfelds House and a Knight. She’s used to dealing with nobles. Furthermore, her skills are quite high. There shouldn’t be any problems leaving it to her.
“And also weapons…”
“You can use the SB Lance and Slug TCC-07. Explosives are rejected.”
“That’s so mean!”
“They’re dangerous!”
I have them train at a dedicated shooting range, but I’m still afraid to let them use them in places where I can’t keep an eye on them. Beatrice is especially scary.
By the way, there’s a similar type of guy among the warriors. He’s good friends with Beatrice, which is scary.
“Criminals in the Knights Order, is it?”
“From the perspective of maintaining public order, human criminals are often more troublesome than Monster damage.”
Criminals with intelligence are often more vicious than Monsters who just attack people.
“Maintaining public order… with the Knights Order.”
“A Knight is someone who protects.”
“…That’s right. The new Lord is knowledgeable.”
“A Knight who doesn’t protect isn’t a Knight. And who are you, who’s been participating in the conversation since earlier?”
“Jake Hyatt… no, just Jake. New Lord-sama. I’m impressed by your insight, even though you’re young.”
“You should be the Lord… if you can understand what I’m saying, you can do it, right?”
“You jest. In this territory, ordinary nobles can no longer govern. After all, the Highground family is great.”
“Huh?”
What did you say?
“If it is an instruction from Count Cladfield Highground, we will obey. That’s the story.”
Jake said, bowing his head.
I moved my neck with a creak.
Barbatos averted her gaze with a flutter.
“What does that mean, Barbatos-san?”
“W-well, I needed a last name, so…”
“Why did you choose that one of all things?”
“Well, there’s actually a castle.”
“Without permission! The last name of a ruined country! You can’t just use it!”
“W-wasn’t it our master who was usurped?”
“Be quiet!”
And don’t you guys get excited about the word “usurped”!