Chapter 187: The Engagement
This is Gatoren's rear light.”
The maid who peeked through the door turned to me and the female official and said, “I'm Gatoren Rialight.
I remembered that I had been asked to assign a schedule when I entered the city of Nambonan yesterday.
I had told her that I would be at the mayor's mansion before noon, so I wasn't really aware of it.
I looked at the lady officer and she made a diagonal movement to step back. I would like to stay here if I am allowed to be present, but if I am in the way, I will leave the room as I am done talking to you , and I will let you make your own decision …….
Come in.”
I don't know what on earth they came to talk about, but it is probably not something that the top female servants of Nambonan City would be bothered to know.
Since there was no reason to kick the lady out of the room, I allowed her to enter.
The lady took a few steps backward with a graceful movement, and as if she had been waiting for me, she moved her head backward.
And as if waiting for that, the maid invited Rialight into the room at just the right moment.
'…… Rest assured, the sermon is over.'
I said this to Rearight, who entered the room and seemed to be concerned about the fact that the lady-in-waiting remained in the room.
Probably, the other maids must have informed her that I was in sermon time when I visited the mayor's mansion. I guess she must have been pondering how she should behave since she was intercepted and interrupted in the schedule she had just put in.
I apologize for interrupting your busy schedule.
Don't worry about it. I had nothing to do, I had more free time than I thought I would have.
I had planned to do as much work as I could when I got back to Nambonan, but because of the neatness of what I had to do, most of it was done yesterday.
So, the only thing I had to do was to prepare for tomorrow's departure. After that, I was thinking of sowing seeds during the day.
So what do you want? Are you talking about the Nambonan soldiers?
I have a number of things to tell you. There are several things, but I would like to start with you first.
Rearight said that and began to talk about the training menu since I had been away from Nambonan.
But it was just a reiteration of what we had talked about several times before, just a confirmation. To be honest, it was a topic that made me feel sleepy.
I could guess, somehow, that this was not the main topic of conversation.
I've spoken at length with ……, And I'd like to go with the policy of proceeding as planned.”
Realite, apparently sensing my boredom, cut the conversation short.
I think that's good. Is there anything else?”
I asked, trying to get him to agree with me.
Before we do that, I'd like to ask you to let roomon in, if that's all right.
Room on? What, the Nambonan soldiers' budget?
No, it's a personal matter. No, it is a personal matter. I have been asked to consult with you about something I would like to discuss with you.
The roomon was hesitant to ask for a meeting with me because of the short time I would be staying in Nambonan City.
Rialight, who had been consulted by letter shortly before his return from Raishleif Castle, had apparently secured my schedule in place of Roomon's. “You guys aren't doing any correspondence,” Rialight said.
You guys were doing correspondence?
' “'Yes. I wrote to him and asked for his help when we were having trouble procuring supplies after we conquered Raishleif Castle. When it comes to distribution in the outside world, it is most reliable to rely on the contacts of the Nambonan merchants , so I asked Roomon to negotiate and coordinate with the merchants.
So apparently, he worked very well. I guess I was rewarded by having him take over my schedule for me this time.
Roomon took the trouble to meet with me, so he must have something special in mind.
I gave my permission to Realite, who apologized for forcing me to meet with the commoner.
He is waiting in the hallway.
When I gave my permission to enter the room, Realite instructed the maid to open the door with a simple movement of his hand.
The roomon, who must have been waiting in the hallway as he said, showed up and made a polite bow of gratitude and thanked me for the visit before entering the room.
'What's up with Kohary?
When it comes to the business of a sister-loving erect brother, Kohary-related matters are the first thing that comes to mind.
I thought I had hit the crux of the matter, but alas, it was a misstep. Roomon remained one step diagonally behind Rearight, denying that it was different.
Roomon then held out the letter in his hand toward me.
'In fact, I have received such a letter from …….'
The maid who was waiting took the letter and laid it on my desk.
There was only one envelope that was not sealed, and it was placed in an easy-to-access position. I guess she wants me to read it.
As I reached for it to see who the sender might be, a spectacular spoiler came out of the rear light.
It is a marriage proposal. Several knights have approached me with marriage proposals, and since the roomon was having trouble responding, I have intervened.
My outstretched hand stopped.
Marriage?”
I picked up the envelope and checked the seal, returning the question shortly.
Quickly breaking the wax seal with my thumb, I read through the letter inside.
Synchronizing with my reading speed, Roomon declined to say anything before beginning to explain how this letter came to be.
'Actually, it was only this year that I began to receive letters from the city of New Nellie, …… Awe-inspiringly, from several knightly families offering me a good match.
……………..Hmmm.”
A closer look at the opened envelopes on the desk reveals that the senders are all from the same knight family.
While reading through the letter as if skipping between the lines, my ears only turn to Roomon's explanation.
I am very grateful for the offer, but I was unable to determine how to handle it in a way that would not be disrespectful to the other party, so I asked Mr. Rialight to consult with me …… With some rudeness After several rounds of communication, we finally settled on the introduction of a young lady from the Belmacan family. We would like to ask for the mayor's approval. ……
It would be very embarrassing for a commoner to receive offers of marriage from multiple knight families. And from the way they were talking, the senders were all knights. The next time you reject a letter, it might not be a letter, but a blade to cut off your head.
It was probably a safe choice to consult with the realite. The actuality that the actual knight is a follower military officer from the main Gatoren family, the other side can not be treated casually if this is in between them and the commoner.
But even so, he was indeed a member of the ruling class.
The unopened letter was from the knight Belmacan to me.
I skimmed through it and found that it said, “We would like to give our daughter in marriage to Roomon.
But it is very abrupt.
The knight family, the Belmacans, are a slightly special type of knight family.
Ordinary knights are delegated by their lord, the nobility, to rule the land, and they rule on their behalf as a knightly domain.
This is like a highly decentralized municipality. Although it is necessary to follow the guidance and common policies of the central house of Quordenze, as well as military service and tax obligations, as long as these are fulfilled, the knight is basically allowed to govern his own responsibility.
In contrast to such knightly domains, there are fiefdoms directly under the control of the Kuordenze family.
For example, in the case of New Nellie City, the nominal ruler is the Kuordenze family, but several knight families based in New Nellie City are in charge of practical affairs.
These knight families, which do not have fiefdoms, are deeply involved in the administration of the entire Quardenze territory, mainly as acting governors of the fiefdoms under their direct control.
They are, if I had to venture to say so, like local and central knights.
If a knight like the former is a prefectural governor, it would be more accurate to compare the latter to a member of the metropolitan assembly or a member of the Diet. Local knights, who are entrusted with lands by their lord and are responsible for maintaining They tend to be considered of higher family rank.
The Gatorens, for example, are a typical example of the former type of knightly family, and are treated as the first knight of the Quardenze family.
The Belmacans are a knightly family that, together with several other knightly families, is responsible for governing the city of Newnery and the surrounding area.
The family seems to be strong in money matters, and it is said that many civil officers from Belmacan are involved in accounting and taxation.
And there is a department in charge of the finances of the entire Quordenze territory, which is currently headed by a knight Belmacan.
In short, the Belmacans are a family of knights like the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly members who concurrently serve as Minister of Finance.
As was the case in the previous generation in Japan, the department that holds the money is the most powerful. It is safe to say that the Belmacans are the family of knights who form the core of the Quardenze administration.
I am afraid that this matchmaking does not seem so sudden.
As Rearight said, it is a natural course of action for the knightly family of New Nelly.
The lady agreed with Rearight's words her.
She seems to have already understood the meaning of this matchmaking. She is from a knightly family, so she could immediately understand the intentions of the Belmacan family.
Realite, who saw that I was still not fully grasping the situation, began to explain.
The city of Nambonan has been incorporated into the direct jurisdiction, but the policy of governance has been left to the autonomy of the citizens. The knights of New Nelly, including Belmacan, are from families that have made their living by taking charge of the practical affairs of the direct domain, so this should not be a matter of concern to them.
'I suppose it would. I can see it in the men who have been seconded to the city hall here.
In Nambonan's city hall, there are many civil servants who have been transferred from New Nelly. There must have been several civil servants from the Belmacan family.
Presumably, they must have raised various reports on the Nambonan city government to their respective family homes.
The lady officer continues in response to Rearight's words.
The governing structure that the …… Young master is trying to maintain will be something that those from the knightly families have no experience in. I hear that there are excellent civil servants seconded from each of the knight families, and that they are facing unprecedented challenges, and are simply studying hard and performing their daily tasks. However, I cannot say whether they have been able to satisfy Waka-sama with their work in many areas. The work over to room-on and other staff members hired from the public.
Well, it seems that they are having a hard time. Perhaps because it is not a knight-ruled city, the civilian officials are not easy to use at key points…….”
I guess civilian officials who are used to being ruled by knightly families perform poorly under a system of civic autonomy, such as a council. As a result, when I was in Nambonan City, I increasingly asked roomons to do my work.
If they knew that there was a commoner who had emerged at the center of such an unfamiliar system and was being looked upon by the young master, there would be more than a few knightly families who would think twice about how to handle him.
In response to the lady's words, Roomon apologized in a small voice, saying, “I'm sorry.
I see. It seems that the lady's family was one of the knight families that thought about how to treat her. From the way she spoke, it sounded as if she had proposed a marriage proposal that was turned down.
Realite nodded her head in agreement and continued her story.
He continued, “I had a personal relationship with Roomon, so they may have taken it as a sign that Gatoren was approaching me. Each of the knightly families tried to reach out to him in a hurry, so the matchmaking may have overlapped.”
He said, “You are very quick to make a decision. You are so quick to make a decision to give your daughter to a commoner for a wife…….
No matter how promising the prospects are, is it acceptable to let them get married with such a flippant attitude of handing over the child of a dog and cat?
That's the way the daughters of slave ancestors are originally treated.”
Since the knight family is constantly reserched in pregnancy and childbirth in order to increase the number of squires, the number of children they have is recklessly large.
The children of the squires who are the losers in the lottery will have to eat cold rice for the rest of their lives if they do not have any special characteristics. Being born into a ruling class family does not guarantee a future.
On the other hand, women of the Sei Ancestors often marry into the local powerful and wealthy families.
Even if they are slave ancestors, they are still the daughters of the lords. To receive one as a wife would be a status for a commoner. I'll plant the commoner's dirty sperm in the lord's daughter!” I wonder if it would be like that. I would love to have a peek at her wedding night, even if it is just for a little while.
If she is beautiful, she will be promoted to a higher grade of servant to the nobility, and she will not be reduced to a commoner.
What a relatively easy life! If you are born a daughter, even if you are a slave, you will never have to worry about food for the rest of your life.
After all, she would be given to an influential person on the commoner side, so it would be an easy life.
As I shared my thoughts, the lady opened her mouth as if in a panic.
Young master, please listen to what the realite has to say only half of what he has to say. ….. Knight, or at the most, the collateral lineage that is close to the main family. Now that you mention it, I think Realite is using her own sisters as an analogy. The daughters of the main family of .. …. Gatoren are expected to have a certain prestige, even on the commoner side, so they will be treated exceptionally well.
She is a squire, but she is a woman.
She is a squire, but she is a woman.She must have seen a number of marriages in her life with her bad conditions, and as a member of the same sex, she must have some thoughts on the matter.
I gestured that I would accept the lady's correction.
But then, the girl who was chosen to be Roomon's wife was not so lucky. If she was the daughter of the main Belmacan family, there would have been plenty of good matchmaking opportunities in New Nellie.
He said this in an unintentionally offhanded way, but it was a bitter reality for Roomon.
If he had been the son of the heir to a big trading company, there would have been no problem, but now he is a government official. I am sure that I receive enough salary to make a living, but that's about it.
While I was thinking about this, the lady pointed out that I was mistaken.
I thought that the letter you wrote to me said something about sending a wife from the main Belmacan family.
Yes, that is correct.
I replied, fluttering the letter from the knight Belmacan.
The main family, in fact, will adopt a daughter from a branch of the family and then marry her.
Adopting a daughter of a branch family and marrying her as a daughter of the main family.
…… Something that seems to give a bad impression, but this is an honor for the roomon.”
'Lealight is right. It means that the main family wants to have a connection even if they have to adopt a child. In terms of family status, a daughter raised from a lower branch of the family would make the roomon feel a little more comfortable .
Perhaps because I was making a funny face, the two explained the meaning of the act. I'm sure that's what it means, but I can't help but feel that it's a disguised indication.
It's not every day that someone comes up to the main family as an adopted child and marries into it. For a daughter born into a branch family with no magical powers, this would be the best match.
“So, if you go to ……, A decent daughter will be chosen.
The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your money is to be careful what you spend on your money. Beautiful girls are precious.
………………………..I don't think that a daughter with the kind of face and body that the young master likes will probably be chosen. If she has the kind of looks you are looking for, it would definitely be better to take her up to the castle and receive her seed.”
I think a clever, good-natured girl will be chosen.
If a clever, good-natured, ugly girl will be chosen, why not?
Besides, Roomon gave me a lovely, lovely sister, so I have no intention of harassing him.
I want him to be happy. I want him to be happy, and for Kohary to smile.
I looked at Roomon.
I looked at roomon. I'm not going to force you to accept a marriage proposal just because it comes from a knight. I think that when you receive an offer from a knight, there is practically no choice for you, a commoner, to refuse it. You could at least give him some consideration.”
Roomon is old enough to have been married by now, so the timing could be said to be good. If Kohliy can use this as an opportunity to get away from his older brother and rely on me more, then all the better.
However, I don't have a good image of marriage forced upon me from above, so I wanted to make sure I knew how he felt. If he said, “No,” I could only say, “Well, give it up.
I appreciate your consideration.
Roomon said this without any particular enthusiasm, probably because he had made up his mind in the time between receiving the letter of offer and now.
He didn't seem to be trying too hard or telling a lie.
I've never had much experience with women from knightly families, so there is a part of me that feels uneasy about how to deal with them. She is the daughter of a Belmacan family, so I have to make sure there are no rough edges .”
Whether she comes from a branch family or the main family, in the end, it is the family name of the Belmacan knight family that will be extended to Roomon. Although there are some minor differences, the pressure will never go away.
If his wife's family is higher in rank at the status level, he is going to be very careful as a husband.
Then Rearight says confidently, “I don't have a problem with what you say or do.
If it's your words and actions, I don't see any problem. And there's no need to be so uptight. At least, I would never marry a girl who would give you so much trouble.
Is that so?
I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think you're going to choose her as your wife. The girl who is chosen as your wife is expected by the knight Belmacan to play the role of a good wife, and you can not betray this. Even if she were an adopted child from a branch family, she would cause a lot of trouble to her own family if she did anything to tarnish the face of the knight Belmacan. On the other hand, if he could stand well, he would have a position in his own family as well as in the main family. You will be treated as a step above your slave sisters.”
'Supporting you will be for the good of the city of Nambonan. And it will be for the good of Quardenze, which in turn will contribute to the main Belmacan family of your adopted family, and to the family of your birth and upbringing. Is very fortunate to be able to obtain such a role while being born without one. And, as Rearight says, it will give me a greater voice in my family home.”
Well, it is true that marrying into the head of a small local farming village and marrying into a highly respected official in the city of Nambonan, who will be remembered by the next head of the family, will have a completely different ranking within the family Depending on how Roomon's future career progresses, she may have more say than a poor cousin.
That was certainly a good argument, but the sight of a mounting battle between sisters was not something I wanted to imagine.
Think about it from the knight Belmacan's point of view,” He said, “If I destroy you by marrying off your stupid daughter, the young man's impression of the Belmacan family will not be good either. Besides, your sister is favored by the young When she is blessed with a child, she will probably consider adopting her as a child. At that time, it is your words, as her own brother, that will greatly influence Miss Kohary's decision-making. Taken care of more than you know.”
As for me, I don't want my handy roomon to become depressed due to domestic discord. If that happened, I'd have to say something sarcastic to the Belmacans.
That's…… Hard on the knight family, isn't it?”
Having been drummed up by two people from knight families, Roomon seemed relieved.
I'm sure it's not a particularly forced marriage, and I'm going to give my permission for them to leave my sister alone.
I don't mind the marriage. Well, you don't need my permission to marry a commoner in the first place. I'll put my signature on it. I'll also say a few words when I get back to New Nelly .”
The letter from Knight Belmacan included a return envelope. It can be sent as is by writing a one-line signature and handing it to a servant, and I feel the care taken to make it as hassle-free as possible for me.
I heard that there were offers of marriage from several knight families to Roomon, and I guess they wanted to get explicit permission from me so that they would not cause unnecessary trouble with other families.
He said, “Thank you. I will be going to New Nellie City this time for a face-to-face meeting, so it would be very helpful if you could get a word from the mayor.
Since my permission was really just a formality, it seems that Roomon and the Belmacans had already worked out most of the details. He is a very fast worker. I was worried whether I could go ahead with the marriage with a girl whose face I didn't 't even know.
Well, there was a story in Japan that in the old days, it was said that the only time to see each other was at the time of marriage, when the parents decided on the marriage proposal, so this kind of thing may not be unusual in the Eruo continent at this time.
It would be a pity if you went to New Nelly and there was a helpless ugly woman waiting for you …… No, it would be a waste if she was a beautiful woman. Ugly, i'll give her whorehouse money as a congratulatory gift.
'Are you coming to New Nellie's?……Yeah, that's why I just saw Tico's brother,……………Kianes?Or was it?He was packing his bags for him. “
This morning, there was a kid carrying a package in and out of the mayor's mansion.
From the outside it looked like a sneak thief itself, but the civil servants and staff were going through the motions, so I followed suit and didn't pay attention.
I heard that the mayor was going back to New Nellie City with some of the troops stationed in Nambonan, so I'm going to go with him. I intend to stay over there for a while, so I have a little more baggage. . …..
Many of the Quardenze troops stationed in Nambonan City are soldiers who have been drafted from New Nellie City and the interior.Therefore, they are sometimes rotated and returned to their hometowns.
This time, I was scheduled to bring back some of the troops from the New Nellie City area along with me.
Roomon, considering the safety of the journey, seemed to be planning to move to New Nerry City in the form of riding along with those troops.
Although the interior of the Quardenze territory is stable, it is not necessarily free from bandit-like people. If they wanted to travel safely, it would be best to follow the army.
Are you planning to stay that long?”
I have been invited to stay for a few months.
That's a very long stay.
I would like to ask you, how does a commoner marry the daughter of a knightly family?
Rialight answered the question.
If she is the daughter of a squire, she is no different from a commoner if she is just the daughter of a slave. Is held in the husband's hometown with his close relatives. In this case, the roomon would be the husband, so after greeting him in New Nellie City, he would bring his wife to Nambonan City, and then they would have a banquet.”
In the Eluo continent, commoners do not hold a big wedding ceremony, but rather just eat a meal together, depending on the region. If the marriage takes place in the same village, it is said that a small celebration is held at the village meeting place, but this does not apply to this case.
To Realite's answer, the lady added a few words.
But now that Roomon is related to Belmacan, I am sure that there will be an opportunity to introduce him to the civil official of New Neri. I have heard that there are many civil servants who are interested in the Nambonan city government, and I am sure that they will be invited to the house dinners. In addition, since this is a special marriage with the Young Master's permission, I am sure that an audience will be prepared not only with Knight Belmacan but also with other New Nelly-based knights. I can say with certainty that the knight families of Mozarev, Chegoros, Lugon, Emelda, Kranrezze, and Harmesia …… Are in this area.”
The knights listed are all heavy players in the internal affairs of Quordenze. They are a family of important ministers, no less than the Belmacan family. If it were Japan, they would be the ministers of state.
For Rumon, the trip to Newnery will be a stomach-churning experience. He would not feel at ease at all.
He said, “Well, what the hell. Good luck.
Yes, sir. I haven't been to New Nellie since I was a little girl with my father, so I'm hoping to enjoy the sights.
Have you ever been to New Nelly?
Yes, I can count on one hand. But not so many days, so this is my first time to stay for a long period of time like this. …… I imagine it is much more prosperous now than it was when I remember it. And among merchants, the central city of the central part of the continent is no longer Othelloia City, but New Nellie City.”
'The way you put it, you're saying that everyone but the merchants still think that Othellia City is the center of the continent? …… No, I am not accusing you of rudeness. Don't be so frightened I'm not trying to be flattering, I just want to hear what's really going on.”
“…… Yes, I have the impression that among the peasants and citizens who rarely move land, many still perceive the City of Oceloria as being higher up. The same goes for the old-headed nobles and knights. After all , the time when the city was at the top was a long time ago.
Once an image is created, it is difficult to destroy it.
The realist merchants, who put business first, have given up on Othelloa and are now making their way to Nambonan and New Nellie, so it may not be long before they become the norm.
As for Nambonan City, we would like to become the central city of the outer Quordenze territory. Mutually beneficial structure.”
That was an expression that was very considerate of the knights in the interior.
Some knights might frown if you say that the city will surpass New Nerry or that it aims to become the number two city in the territory of Kuordenze.
As a phrase, aiming for the central city of the outer regions is not a bad goal to aim for.
At this point in time, there is no city in the outside world that surpasses the city of Nambonan, but there are still many unstable areas. We hope that Nambonan will do well in terms of solidifying its foothold as a city in the territory of Kuordenze .
Considering the location of Nambonan, I believe that further development is possible.
Eventually they will abolish the toll tax on the outside world, and if that happens, it will be the end of the city of Oceloria. It will no longer have much value as a trade route.
When I mentioned the tax, Roomon gave a faint smile.
I think it is a very happy thing for those of us who are in the business of commerce that both the current lord and the next mayor are carrying on the government of Lord Cassia. The future of the Quardenze territory will surely be bright.”
The two knightly men did not seem to understand the meaning of his words his, and Rialight expressed his doubts his.
What do you mean by the “Government of my predecessor-sama?”
'There are several, but the protection of property and the abolition of tolls are the most significant.
The Quardenze family has a history of about 300 years, and for about half of that time it was a small aristocratic family that only controlled the area around the major city of Newnery. It was only in the last 100 years, when they successfully expanded their territory in the throes of upheaval, that they came to control all the land between the major rivers, as they do today.
However, after the unification of the interior, governance was always in jeopardy.
The knights, soldiers, and people were exhausted, and despite the glamorous results of the war, the internal situation was in shambles.
In fact, the Spierzeig family ……, Then the Voistra family, took advantage of the situation and instigated the Quardenze collateral relatives, which resulted in the division of the interior into five parts.
My grandmother, who was born in such a perilous time, went through twists and turns to unify the interior by force of arms.
After the unification of the five domains, one of the domestic policies that my grandmother implemented was to allow commoners the right to own property as much as necessary. She declared that she would not suddenly take away commoners' property unless there was a reason to do Well, they would rip you by the hairs on your ass if they had a reason to.
Protection of property. Although it was inevitable in the turbulent times, the people were too arrogant to begin with. I think my grandmother's idea was quite natural and correct.
Until then, commoners had been deprived of their freedom, property, and life for no particular reason.
The authority of the Zesu Church's Holy High Council had been shaken, and it was no longer possible to know what to believe. The nobles were squeezing as much as they could from the people in order to survive tomorrow.
However, this made it difficult for the people to live properly, and the lands were declining.
Therefore, my grandmother decided to protect the commoners 'holdings, and she made sure that the knightly families under her control she did the same.
The most significant of these measures was the protection of peddlers.
Until then, the territory of Quardenze had not been stable, and commoners were considered to be squeezed out like other families.
My grandmother improved this situation and decided not to unreasonably deprive peddlers of their cargo, which is a very common practice among people today. The continent, and people and goods began to gather and flourish.
It is said that this was a direct copy of the policies of their arch-enemies, the Spiaseiks. Perhaps my grandmother's strength lies in the fact that she greedily adopts the ideas of her hated enemies when she sees them as useful, even if they are not. I would like to learn from her.
If there was such a decent territory next door, the Quardenze territory would be in decline, rather than ……. It was a wise decision to introduce the protection of ownership.
Of course, no noble could have done this.
The Quardenzes were able to do this because they owned the large city of New Neri, had their allies in the south, the Silopea and Evenapis families, and were in an environment that was easy to protect with the natural barrier of the great inland river.
Ironically, the proximity of the Spiaseik family, a noble family with excellent domestic politics, was the most helpful factor in the development of the Kuordenze family. Family grew up by taking advantage of the good points of the Spierzeig family, which walked ahead of them. Of course, no one talks about it.
Throughout my grandmother's time, the Kuordenze territory succeeded in achieving a life of peace and tranquility.Perhaps this is the underlying reason why my grandmother is still so popular in New Nelly City.
She does not have a bad image as a dictator who reunified the interior by force and purged his relatives.To the citizens of New Nelly, the previous Cassia was a strong and kind female head of state who was concerned about the protection and well -being of her people her.
From the ruler's point of view, this is nothing more than a policy to strengthen the territory and increase tax revenues, but from the commoners' point of view, it is a matter of no concern.
It is more efficient to give the commoners a certain level of affluence than to squeeze them dry.This is something my father learned from watching my mother's back her from an early age, and he continues to follow this policy today.
In fact, my father seems to be accelerating it.
The territory of Quardenze is not a lightly taxed territory even within the Kingdom of Levios, but I have heard that nobles and knights do not infringe on the property and lives of the people of the territory through violence. Of course, this is only a relative low level, and when considered from the perspective of modern people, it is extremely uncivilized, but since the comparison is much worse, the Quordenze territory still looks relatively better.
For example, the nobility does not need to respect the mining rights held by commoner merchants.
It is common sense to think that this land is protected by the nobility and is not invaded by magical beasts, and that it is out of place for a mere commoner to claim rights over it.
It is the nobles and knights who can take away the land that peasants have desperately cultivated by crushing the blisters on their palms and wielding bloodstained hoes, without any sense of guilt.
However, my father tacitly acknowledged these rights.
On the contrary, it is said that after my father's generation, the guarantee of rights after cultivation of farmland became very generous.
Needless to say, it is a policy to encourage the motivation of the farmers and to get the upper hand. It is not that they wish for the happiness of the people of the fiefdom.
It is better to give the people of the territory a moderate amount of vitality and suck their blood behind their backs. This is the kind of political philosophy of the Quardenze family since my grandmother.
It is not so established as to be called a property right, and if it is really inconvenient for the Quordenze family, it is a covenant that can be ignored rather easily, but it is still much better than nothing from the side of the lords.
Viscount Galiana also said that the big merchants should be wary not of their competitors but of their lords.
The territory of Spiaseik was once said to be the most protective of possessions on the continent, but nowadays I hear that its cargoes are often confiscated. It is no wonder that the city of Ocelotia is in decline. Toll tax on the outside world is abolished, the best solution for trade in the central part of the continent will be via the territory of Quardenze. Ocelória City will no longer be attractive.”
Although there is a customs barrier in the interior of the Quordenze territory, its purpose is not to collect taxes but to restrict the movement of bandits and other bandits.
Although taxes are temporarily collected when major road construction is carried out, basically there is no charge for passage.
As a reincarnated from modern Japan, I can guess that this is an economic policy aimed at facilitating the distribution of people and goods by eliminating barriers, but my father once told me that this was a policy born from a misstep.
This is a story of the time when the Quardenze territory was divided by the outburst of the collateral relatives, and of course, there were knight families that followed them.
These knight families were traitors who disdained the main Quardenze family, which was their legitimate lineage, and formed a side line. After the unification of the five domains, my grandmother killed all the wrongdoing knights without question.
However, in order to quickly restore the territories that had been devastated by the war of unification, those knightly families could not be destroyed from the roots.
It would be a very labor-intensive project to bring another knightly family entirely to the land that the knightly family had ruled.
On the other hand, there were a certain number of loyal members who had rebelled against the legitimate lineage and had left their homes to join the main Quardenze family.
Therefore, after purging those responsible for the rebellion, the grandmother allowed the knight family to continue by appointing a military officer whom she trusted as the head of the family.
However, the knightly family itself must be punished.
At that time, the territory of Quardenze had a customs gate for each knight's territory and a toll tax, which was a very common style of taxation seen everywhere on the continent. This was a good source of tax revenue for the knightly families.
My grandmother took notice of this and burned down all the customs posts in the territories of the rebellious knightly families. This was not a figurative expression, but she actually went around on horseback and literally burned them down with fire magic.
No toll tax would be allowed to be taken. Of course, they will not allow the lords to impose the accompanying tax increases on the people. From now on, the Quardenzes will emphasize the protection of their possessions, so they will not be allowed to take cargo or collect unreasonable taxes from the wealthy. He wanted to punish you traitorous knight families in a way that was easy to understand both inside and outside, saying, “You traitorous knight families, try to be frugal and serve the Quordenze and clear your name ……. The burning of the barrier was probably a performance.
However, my grandmother's plan was not successful, and those knightly domains prospered because of the elimination of the customs posts. The economy actually improved because the peddlers' traffic increased, and although tax revenue decreased, the number of people coming and going increased.
My grandmother must have sensed that the toll tax was the bottleneck that was stopping logistics, and she moved to abolish the customs barrier in the territory of Kuordenze.
One would think that my grandmother, who was a fiery and decisive person, would have burned down all the customs posts in the territory the next day, but this project was carried out very carefully, probably because it was a completely new measure that had not even been implemented in Spiasek.
It was only a few years before my grandmother's death when the toll tax was abolished throughout the interior of Kuordenze Territory, so it took around 20 years to slowly spread throughout the territory.
Anyway, because of these circumstances, there is currently no toll tax on travel from the interior to the interior of the territory of Kuordenze.
However, there are still some customs posts in the outer regions where tolls are levied. It is meant to fence off war-weary peasants from fleeing in search of better land.
However, even though the number of barrier fences remains, the number has been greatly reduced. The lands that were originally controlled by several noble families are now controlled by a single Quardenze family. Number of customs offices has been reduced accordingly.
If the restoration process goes well, the day will come when the toll tax will be abolished in the outer territories as well.
If travel within the territory of Kuordenze becomes free of toll taxes, regardless of whether it is within or outside the territory, it will be a very attractive trade route for peddlers. Would be able to travel a considerable distance without paying taxes when crossing the continent from east to west.
Other routes would require a toll tax each time one crosses a knight's territory, which would be unacceptable.
What peddler would not choose to travel through the territory of Kuordenze, where there are no tolls once entered, decades of experience in protecting property, and little risk of having their cargo stolen? It is unlikely. Even if there were, they would be incompetent merchants who could not account for their money.
The more peddlers there are, the richer the Quardenze family becomes, because they are charged a toll tax when they enter Quardenze territory.
The people will work on their own and make my life richer.
If the tax on the passage of goods from the outer regions is eliminated, the city of Nambonan will be filled with even more people and goods than it is now. Of peace continues, I think Nambonan can become a strategic point that serves as a transit point between the east and west sides of the continent.
In order to cross the border between the outer and inner parts of the Quardenze territory, it is necessary to cross the Amelia River. In this case, the port of Nambonan is the most convenient.
The reason why he said he wanted to become the central city of the outer territories is because he has a vision of a city that will be a key point of crossing the river.
Indeed, it is a wonderful future. I can't wait to see how much heat …… This city will be flooded with that day.”
Normally, roomon is calm and cool, except for Kohliy, but this time, perhaps excited by the future I was talking about, he had a very glazed-over look in his eyes.
I guess Roomon is a merchant at heart. Perhaps because of his firsthand understanding of economics, he has a vague idea of the city that will become the hub of continental trade.
If I can get him to work well, he will take my wishes into account and produce more results than I can. I should write a note to the knight Belmacan, not only signing his consent to the marriage, but also asking him to take good care of me.
Now, is that about all you have to say? I'll write you a note before I forget. …… For a pen and paper.”
The maid prepares a set of writing utensils and paper.
The letter is not the kind of letter you would send to a nobleman of another family, so you don't have to think that seriously about the text.
…… Speaking of which, have you talked to Kohliy about it?”
I ask as I flick my brush.
I didn't like the situation where the lady, the realite, and the roomon were silently paying attention to me and watching me write the letter, so I waved the chit-chat off.
'Yes. They were happy about the marriage.
I said, “Yes?”
'Since I told him that, it seems I've been having some troubles.
Roomon gave me permission to ask a question, then continued speaking.
'Um, …… When Anna's child is born, will she still be adopted by some knightly family?
This must be the same kind of pattern as “It's my friend's story” When asking for love advice.
Kohary's concern is probably that she is concerned that her child will be taken away from her as an adopted child when she has a child in the future.
The woman who answered the question was a woman who was well versed in such circumstances.
She answered, “By the time your child is five or six years old, he or she will be adopted. Anna will be escorted by the Evermill family, so in the order of negotiation, the Evermill family would be at the top of the list .
……Is there an option not to adopt?”
The answer to this question was given without a pause by Rialight, who replied, “It is more for the sake of the child than anything else.
The child is not a good thing for him or her.A child with magical powers has to be raised in a way that suits it.A tiger cub learns the sharpness of its fangs by playing with its tiger siblings.
The child of a cousin is strong because of his magical powers from an early age.When they play with ordinary children, they can cause serious injuries to the other in the slightest fight.If they are bad, they can inadvertently kill their mothers. …..Is scary.
To prevent such accidents from happening, Realite insists that squires should have their squire's children raised in a knight's house so that the squires can fight with each other.
Well, as for the know-how on how to raise a squire's child, I think it is best to leave it to the knight family. Ordinary commoners would not know how to raise a child with magical powers.
I don't want Anna or Kohliy to be hurt by a child's tantrum。And it seems that roomon thought the same thing mmmm、and a difficult expression appeared on his facehis.
The same thing happened to Roomon. “Besides, it is the duty of adults to provide a good environment for children when they can easily increase their magical power. They can't learn how to use magic by themselves. If you don't use your natural power properly and effectively, it is nothing but a loss.
If I were to adopt a child from the Evermill family, would it be possible for Anna to accompany me?
Anna would not want to leave Nambonan City too much, but I doubt it. She seems to love children, and I have a feeling that she would follow me to the Ebermill home, not wanting to be separated from her adorable child.
Then I would have to go to Evermill City if I wanted to hold Anna.
I don't want my women to be scattered all over the country. At the very least, I want them all to be in two places, New Nellie City and Nambonan City.
If you make such a request from Lady Anna, I'm sure the Evermill family will take care of it. I think that at the age of five or six, he should be away from his mother at least a little bit, especially if he is a boy. Especially if he is a boy.”
'Just because you put him up for adoption doesn't mean you'll never see him again. All you have to do is come back to Nambonan City a few times a month. I am sure Mistress Anna will never leave Nambonan City.”
Roomon asked further in response to the answer of the lady and the rear light.
─ Isn't it a considerable distance from Evermill City to Nambonan City, and isn't it difficult for her to ride a horse when she is very young? And it would be heartbreaking to have the Evermill family's householder's hands on the horse several times ……”
Horses? Says Rialight.
I'm sure you'll be able to run home. You'll need a boat to cross the big river, but you can run all the way there.
Running to……?”
Then Rearight noticed something, ah …… And let out a voice before continuing.
I don't know about the Evermill family, but in my family, the children of our cousins are made to run around the territory every day. So the children don't suffer so much from running. The distance from Evermill City to Nambonan City can be reached in two or three days, even by the legs of a young child. In the beginning, they will need an adult from the Evermill family to run alongside them for safety, and they will need to learn the route and how to stay at the inn, but once they grow up a little, they should be able to make the round trip on their own.
It was a conversation that fully reflected the difference between the slave and follower's views on distance.
For Roomon, Evermill City is a distant place that would take days to reach by horseback, but for Rialite, it is a place that can be reached by running. Of course, this is based on the premise that the interior is relatively safe and has good roads.
I wonder if the squire can run such a long distance on his own…… Feet.
I have been told that the territory of Quardenze is large, but I am not sure how large it really is.
Maps exist, but I don't know how accurate they are, and more importantly, they are not in the metric system, so I have no idea what they look like.
I had no knowledge of surveying, and I had suddenly jumped into a different world. I can't even tell if this place is the size of Tokyo or not. I don't have a good enough grasp of space to determine the exact size of this place, and I have no idea what it is.
During Operation Snake Fang, it took me almost a day to get from New Nellie City to Nambonan City on a magically enhanced horse. We left in the morning and arrived in the evening.
It was not a straight line, and there were many detours and river crossings that took quite a bit of time, so it was not simply a full day's ride, but it might give you some idea of what it took.
I remember that the horse was going as fast as a car on the highway.
I was processing the calculations in my brain as I moved my brush, which had nothing to back it up.
As a result of the calculation, the distance between New Nelly and Nambonan was about the same as the distance between Tokyo Station and Niigata Station.
…… Quardenze territory, isn't it quite large?
Assuming that the distance between New Neri and Nambonan is Tokyo Station and Niigata Station, and assuming that the map is correct, I think that the inner area of the Kuordenze territory alone is larger than the Kanto metropolis and its six prefectures. How far my brain's map of Japan is correct, but my memory is a little dubious.
If we include the outer regions, it would be about Niigata and Nagano prefectures.
The Quardenze family is indeed a great aristocrat. The unexpected size of the area stopped me in my tracks.
However, my calculations were not always correct.
The speed you experience when driving on the highway by car and by horse will be completely different.
If that were the case, even the area would be much smaller.
In any case, the fact that they could run from Evermill City to Nambonan City, which is not far from New Nellie City, in a couple of days, shows that even children are special.
Is it a training peculiar to the Gatorens that they make their children run?
It is an interesting custom, like a junior high school club activity.
No, it's not so much training as it is a discipline. At first, the purpose is to get used to activating and maintaining the physical enhancement magic, but the children quickly learn it. If anything, it's more about learning the territory.”
Intrigued by this story, I stuck my brush into the brush stand and listened to the rest of the story.
The children of the followers, taking the lead in turn, would run around the territory in all directions. Street, or today they would run across a forest, or they would pass through which village and which village to go where.As you run through the territory each day,you will gradually build a map of the territory in your mind.If something goes wrong in the territory, you will be able to take the most appropriate route and get to it quickly. Bandits appear, I will deal with them on the spot.
Even if there are bandits, they are just a group of commoners without magical powers, and even if there are followers who are mercenaries, it is only one or two at most. With dozens, sometimes even triple-digit numbers, of young boys and girls running around, and with an adult attendant acting as a supervisor, they would win by a comfortable margin.
In Gatoren territory, the squire's children are said to learn how to kill people by using bandits, just as killer whales learn to hunt by playing with seals.
Rialite speaks plainly, but I can see that Roomon is slightly taken back.
He says, “I have the most fun when we raid bandit nests. On the rare occasions when the people ask us for advice, we compete with each other to see who can take the most heads.
The local people, however, seem to appreciate the presence of the knight's children, who are easy to talk to.
When they go around the village, they are sometimes asked to report the appearance of bandits or to help defeat large carnivorous beasts that have acquired a taste for humans.
In this way, they learn how to behave as rulers and what they should do as rulers.
It's a very reasonable education that will be useful in the future.
While letting off some of their abundant energy, the children will become accustomed to the magic that strengthens their bodies, learn about the territory their house rules, learn about the life of the village and its people, and even become patrols. Perfect game for a child of a knightly family.
My father told me a long time ago that running the children was just something another house did and adopted in ours. Perhaps, but I wondered if the Evermill family does something similar. “
The lady nodded lightly, as if she too remembered it.
In my family and in the main family, we did more hunting for magical beasts in the field than running around. Sometimes we would form families and compete with each other to see how many we could kill.
It was a very wild culture. It is said that the more demonic beasts you go into the field and kill, the more you can suppress the occurrence of mature demonic beasts, so this is also a useful education for managing the territory.
'I see. The children of knight families sometimes gather in New Nellie City, so I thought it would be a good idea to build a boarding school,……, And it is interesting to see that kind of family culture emerge .
Children born to squires of knight families come to New Nellie City several times a year.
I was thinking that it would be more efficient to build a school in New Nellie City and have the children go there. An advantage to be able to provide uniform education to the knightly families.
I wanted to create a school rather than ……. To be more specific, I wanted to dress the girls in uniforms. I wanted to enjoy uniform play, an over-technological activity in this era of the Eluo continent.
I wanted to hold real students in a real school, not just cosplayers dressed in uniforms.
Yes, I wanted to have sex with maids dressed as maids, just as I had sex with maids dressed as maids.
However, listening to Learight's memories, I feel that it would be a shame to destroy the individuality that each region has developed.
Besides, I feel that it would be a bad idea to force them to gather in New Nellie, as I feel that it is a very knightly way to raise them, such as learning the geography of the territory. Look for another chance to play in uniform.
However, if we opened a school for commoners, we would not be able to provide them with good uniforms because they are poor.
I'd like to have the girls wear clean blazers or sailor uniforms, hold their hands on the desk, and bang them from the rear.
In the future, I would like to build some kind of school-like facility.
If such a facility is built, I would like to throw Eve into it as well. “What's with these tits, even for a kid, inviting …… Sensei?” No, sir.” “Put your hands on the desk.”
While I was raping Eve in a blazer in my brain, the rear light story was going on.
“……That's why, even if you are adopted, your connection to your birth mother will never be severed. As I said now, you can easily come back to see her. In addition, there is no way that he could forcefully take a child from Mistress Anna, the young master's favorite concubine. Although she said she was adopted, this was more a matter of determining her position and affiliation within the Quordenze territory. Hasn't Mistress Anna already been briefed on that? I think the old lady at Evermil's place told her about that kind of future when she found out she was pregnant.”
Even though she is adopted by a knight family, it is more like a nuance of enrolling in elementary school or becoming an apprentice. To be a freelancer.
Rather than being deprived of a child, it might be most like being thrown into a …… Boarding school, where the child's education is entrusted to him for his growth her.It's also somewhat similar to the way they return to their parents' home from time to time.
The difference between entering the Gatoren dormitory at the Quardenze School, the Evermill dormitory, or the Belmacan dormitory, well, that's about the extent of the difference. Why is it that the Gatoren dormitory somehow seems to be the hardest …… Like the National Defense Academy?
'Are you talking about the future? …… Um, for example, what would life be like roughly if Anna's child were a boy? If she were to be adopted by the Evermill family, that is.”
Realite puts her hand to her chin and thinks for a moment before answering.
'If Miss Anna's child were a boy,…… Yes, he would live in Evermill when he was about five years old. There, under the patronage of the knight Evermill, he would be educated and empowered as a servant of Quordenze, along with the other squire's children. Then, around the age of 15, he would decide on his future standing. He may become a military officer of the Evermill family as it is, or he may become a military officer of the central Quordentse army instead of the army of the Knight's Domain like me, depending on his wishes. Of course, he could also be seconded to New Nelly as a civilian officer. In that case, he could be involved in the Quordentse administration along with your wife's family , the civilian officers of the Belmacan family, etc. If the governance structure of …… Nambonan City continues as it is now, you could be posted to Nambonan City as a military or civilian officer in the Kuordentse military and wish to work in Nambonan. Considering his origins, as long as h e requests it, he will most likely be accepted.
The area was feudalistic after all, and such flexibility was possible to any extent.
What if it was a girl?
If she was a girl, then what would happen to her? If his character is not suited for such a thing, he will probably remain in the Evermill estate and continue to assist in the administration of the estate as a member of the Evermill family. When he is old enough, he should receive an offer of marriage from one of the knight families.
Although there are female civilian and military officials as far as the squires are concerned, there are not many of them. And since there are many squires in the Kuordenze territory, it is unlikely that they will turn a young girl into a knight like some Spierzeig .
Basically, the role of producing squires is expected first and foremost.
So, they work in the territory in the capacity of officials until a suitable partner is found.
Whether it is collecting taxes or mediating a dispute between villages, it is easier to solve the problem if the follower official gives the order than if the slave official handles the problem. Strong male followers. Power is great.
For girls, it is difficult to return to Nambonan City, isn't it?
If Nambonan City survives under its present system, then yes, it would be. Since there are no knightly families, there is nothing to marry into. The civil servants who are on loan will eventually return to New Nellie or to their parents' homes. They won't be in Nambonan for the rest of their lives.”
Is it Kohary's wish Her to raise her child Her in the city of Nambonan?
She is a very quick-tempered girl, even though she is not even pregnant yet. If she wants to have a baby so badly, she can start preparing for it, but what is she going to do?
I don't know what Miss Kohary's concern is, but it can't be that bad. If you don't want to be separated from your child, there is no problem if you go to the adoption center together. Be treated badly.”
I'm not sure what the concern is with that.
The roomon was honest enough to admit it, even though he had prefaced it by saying that it was Anna's story.
Kohary lost his mother when he was born, and his father rarely took care of him, so perhaps he wants to make sure that the child he will give birth to will be well taken care of.It should be a topic that he cares about as a room-on.
…… And as for the adoptive family, you can put my house on the list of candidates. It's a long way from Nambonan City, and there were times when the discipline was so loud that I was heartily disgusted. .. …. Well, I don't think it's that bad of a house.”
'Just because you have a Belmacan wife does n't mean you have to match Master Kohary's child to his adopted familyHis.If you would like,you can contact me as well.I think I can offer you a good deal.”
As a person from a knight's family, it seems that both the realite and the lady are doing some recruiting activities.
I noticed that the maid who was waiting for me looked at me with a sideways glance for a moment.
The room on the room seemed to be flinching at the fact that the battle for Kohliy's child, which has not even been born yet …… And was not even conceived in the first place, was already being waged.
'Come to think of it, Miss Kohary will be accompanying New Nellie this time, won't she? The Belmacans will probably talk about adopting a child, so I think it would be a good idea to have your maid or someone talk to her about that today.”
My hand stopped as I was about to pick up the brush.
Wait a minute. Is Kohary coming to New Nellie City too?
“Didn't you know? Kohliy also said that he wanted to go to New Nerry City, so I consulted with the mansion's staff. So I heard that you were going to accompany the mayor…….”
He turns to look at the female officer.
I am sorry,” She said. I was going to inform you as soon as the carriage was adjusted.”
Apparently, it was true that Kohliy was going to move.
When I told him I was going to New Nellie City, he said he would stay in Nambonan City, but after he learned that the …… Mayor was also returning to New Nellie City, he became concerned. He was following me too.”
Kohary is a very protective and ladylike woman who is very attached to the men who shelter her.
So far, only her brother Her, Roomon, had been certified by Kohliy as her protector Her, but it seems that she has now certified me as well She felt that even if Roomon was not there, she would feel safe with me in Nambonan.
My face broke into a little grin as I realized that she was relying on me.
If both of the men I rely on are going to New Nellie City, I'll go with them.
He says, “…… Kohary's behavior is so cute. I want to protect him.
I really think so.
The words were a murmur that did not require a specific response, but Roomon agreed with me with all his might.
I think the bride would be appalled if I took such a sissy with Kohary included. I hope they don't suddenly get into a marital disagreement or something.
As I wrote the letter, I thought about how to deal with Kohliy.
It pains me to make Kohliy worry.I hope you will explain the adoption to Kohliy tonight.If he has any concerns,he should ask anything.If he doesn't feel comfortable discussing it with you,tell him I'll ask him later .”
When I instructed her to do so, she straightened her posture to indicate her approval of her.
From the looks of things, it seemed that she was going to go directly to him for an explanation.
She said, “Yes, sir. I will do my best to make you feel at ease, Mr. Kohliy.
I was satisfied with this reply, and at the same time I finished writing the letter to the knight Belmacan.
I reviewed the letter once to make sure there were no problems before handing it to the maid.
I've written the letter and my problems are solved.
“Troubles, sir?
No, no, no, don't worry about it.
Yes, I've been troubled since this morning.
The most important thing to remember is that you can't have a good time with your family members.
If I do it with Rave, I should be able to have the best lovemaking without the release of magic power. We had already confirmed our feelings for each other last night.
I am sure we will enjoy the kind of intercourse that will melt our bodies and hearts as we seek each other out.
However, I also wanted to crawl on Kohliy at night, considering that I would be leaving Nambonan tomorrow.I had a strong desire as a man to hold her soft, thin body her strong and satisfy my self-esteem her as her protector her.
But if Kohary was coming to New Nellie City, it was a different story.
There would be plenty of opportunities to hold him during the trip, of course, but also between the time he arrived in New Nellie City and the time he left for King's Landing. If that is the case, we should have Rave tonight, which can only be had now.
It was the only clear answer.
That night, I made love to Rave to the fullest.
