Chapter 56: Domain Inspection (Part1)
It was 3 days after that when Irudo and Sedam’s party got back.
Though it was one day later than schedule, I didn’t particularly go out to greet them. Since it’s them, I had faith that they’d be fine.
…… It’s a secret that I got a little worried and used [Fly] to look for them up in the sky, alright?
♥♦♣♠
According to Irudo’s report, he successfully managed to get the dwarves to agree to deploy personnel to design both the trade route from Jiiteias Castle to Senpu Village and also the collapsed mountain road.
“The architects who will be involved with repairing the mountain road — members of the Daroun clan — have already begun work. They’ve gone to make living arrangements at Yuule, which they plan on making their base.”
“Ou, though small, you have a pretty nice castle, doncha! You Margils, the lord here? Well, let’s get along from here on!”
From beside Irudo, who came to diligently give his report, a short, brawny person — a dwarf — pops out.
“Indeed, I am the wizard Margils. You are……?”
“Pardon my lateness. This is……”
“Hey, sorry, sorry! I’m one of the architects, Valbo Daroun! With that degree of collapse, we can fix it up bright and shiny within 5 days!”
Apparently, each dwarven clan is in charge of a specific type of industry. The Daroun are the architects.
The fact that dwarves excel at construction and smithing hold true in this world as well. I’ve heard good things about them so far, so I feel that I’m in good hands.
“I wish to build a lasting friendship with you dwarves. Eventually, I plan on paying Senpu Village a visit.”
“Ahh, come, come! You’re the hero who crushed those Shadow Demons, right? We’ll welcome you anytime!”
Then Valbo returns to the construction site while laughing heartily.
With that, one of my burdens has been resolved.
Eventually, I also want to hire him to work on expansion work on the castle. Especially in regards to the baths.
♥♦♣♠
Two days later, I set off for the villages within my domain.
The members of my delegation are, aside from myself, Irudo, Leiha, Torad, Jiruk, Ted, and Fijika.
Claura and the 4 dark elf sisters will be in charge of protecting the castle in my absence.
When I think of how we would have to split up like this every time there is work to be done away from the castle, I can see how important it is to hire some soldiers.
“The three villages within your domain are called Village of the Pool, Village of Medicine, and Inner Village.”
Irudo is briefing me as we are proceeding along the barely visible trail cutting through the dense forest.
Village of the Pool is the largest amongst the three, but its population is still under 200. Almost all of the inhabitants are woodcutters. They make their living by delivering the timber they cut down to Yuule and selling there.
Village of Medicine is, as can be guessed from its name, located close to several locations where medicinal plants grow in abundance. There are generations of experienced herbalists living here, and this is the only village that travelling merchants actually visit.
The last one, Inner Village, is literally the village located deepest within the forest. Most of the residents of that village make their living from hunting.
“Every single village is like a different character, it seems.”
“Sorry?”
“No, it was nothing.”
Fijika has already gone ahead to inform all of the villages that there’s a new feudal lord, but I wonder how this is going to turn out.
Up until recently, this entire area was technically under the rule of bandits. I hope I don’t get chased out with responses like “we’ve been doing fine by ourselves so far, we don’t need no feudal lord”......
♥♦♣♠
It was right before twilight when we arrived at the village closest to Jiiteias Castle, Village of the Pool.
True to its name, the village is backed by a huge pond and surrounded by a crude wooden fence. The buildings are all made of wood, and it looks seedy even when compared to Yuule.
“...... So late.”
Fijika, who is wearing leather armor, was waiting for us by the entrance.
A sun-tanned man in the prime of his life is together with her. He must be the Village Head.
“All of us swear allegiance to our new feudal lord.”
Without any prompting, the Village Head easily comes before me, kneels down, then swears his loyalty. But on his face, there is no relief nor hope — only fear and unease.
“Ahh, I will do my utmost to answer to your loyalty. Did my letter get delivered properly?”
The first half was directed to the Village Head, and the second half to Fijika. If the Village Head had read the letter written by Irudo, then I don’t understand why he looks so scared.
“I delivered, properly.”
“Y-, yes mi’lord. We have read it fully. For not, not collecting tax at present…… every single inhabitant of the village, we all express our deepest thanks!”
“Umu……”
Perhaps they’re suspicious because it sounds too good to be true?
Well, no helping it. They’ll get used to it eventually.
♥♦♣♠
“Magi-...... Wizard-sama.”
“Feudal lord-sama.”
“We swear our allegiance.”
The villagers are all gathered in the square. Upon seeing me, all of them fall prostrate.
It’s great that they’re obedient, but all of them look as scared as the Village Head, so it doesn’t make me feel good at all.
“As I had wrote in my letter to your Village Head, I plan on developing this village alongside Jiiteias Castle. Firstly, I will soon be starting on building a road connecting this village to the castle and the highway. I wish to ask all of you for your help.”
“ “As you command, mi’lord.” ”
After that, the welcome feast began. But just like the villagers’ moods, the tension at the feast remained quite low the entire time.
Both the wine and food being served paled in comparison to what Mora prepares at Jiiteias Castle. I understand that the village itself is poor, so I manage to keep a smile on my face while eating.
For what it’s worth, I did hand the Village Head several tens of gold coins to cover the costs of our visit, but even then, there was a lot more misgiving than gratitude on his face.
♥♦♣♠
That night, I stayed at the Village Head’s house.
Though I say Village Head’s house, it only had 3 rooms, and the smaller room almost seemed to be growing fur. There was no way to fit 7 people inside, so I was given the entirety of the living room, The Village Head and his family slept in the next room, which looked like it was being used as a storehouse.
Irudo and the rest put up tents in the village square. Of course, I originally also suggested sleeping together with them, but the Village Head got upset saying that he couldn’t allow the feudal lord to sleep outside. I had no choice but to take up his offer.
But still, I feel way too apologetic about this. The next village on, let’s set up camp outside the village.
In fact, that would probably be even more comfortable than this bed of straw.
♥♦♣♠
“...... Let’s just sleep.”
The house is immediately encircled by livestock. I close my eyes, hoping to fall asleep as fast as I can and wake up to tomorrow.
(...... Still, I’m the feudal lord now, so I have the responsibility to improve these villagers’ quality of life from now on, don’t I……?)
“My lord.”
“!”
While half awake and half asleep, pondering on my responsibilities as a newly installed feudal lord, I was jolted awake by a sweet, husky voice whispering in my ear.
Within the darkness, I could vaguely make out the body line of a mature lady. I panicked for a brief instant, but judging by the voice and the situation, I understood that it must be Leiha.
“Wh-, what’s going on, Leiha?”
“I’ve captured an assailant.”
“A what?”
With sleepiness still on my eyelids, I throw on my robe and step out the house with lighting the tip of my Wizardry Staff with a spell.
In the square in front of the Village Head’s house, there are three youngsters thoroughly bound up and rolling around, as well as a young girl prostrating herself.
“...... I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! It was all my fault!”
“ “Nn—! Nnnn——!” ”
For some reason that I am failing to comprehend, the young girl — now that I take a better look, isn’t she the Village Head’s daughter? — is bowing repeatedly with tears streaming down her face, while the gagged youngsters are glaring daggers at me while struggling violently.
Irudo and the others who were camping at the same square have already fully woken up and are looking on with amazement.
“What happened here?”
“WHA-, WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED HERE?!”
Flying out of his house later than me by a bit, the Village Head shouts the exact same question as me. Aren’t we getting along just fine.
“These three tried to slip into my lord’s sleeping quarters while holding weapons in their hands, so I captured them. Your daughter was following along behind the 3 of them.”
“WHAT ON EARTH?! KINA! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!”
“But, but, Dad! I…… didn’t want to…… so Kelue and the others, they……”
At Leiha’s explanation, the Village Head grabs his daughter’s collar and yells at her. While listening to her reply……
In summary, the Village Head wanted to win favor with me, so he ordered his daughter to ‘visit’ me in the night. His daughter didn’t want to do it, so she went to her 3 childhood friends to ask for advice, and they recklessly decided to just kill me. I think that’s about the jist of it?
“Ki-, killing is a bit……”
“We only planned on th-, threatening you to give up on Kina……”
“In, in the first place, you’re that bad magician called Jyagul, aren’t you! Like we'd trust you just because you say a few good words!”
A nostalgic name came out from the mouth of one of the young boys that we ungagged.
I can see how isolated from information this village is, being inside the forest and all. They might have heard rumors about me, but I can’t really fault them for confusing me with Jyagul, the previous owner of the castle.
“How do you wish to handle this, Margils-sama?”
“...... Could it be that my decision here would take the place of a trial?”
“This is Margil-sama’s domain, so of course, yes. By the way, for the crime of attempted assassination of the feudal lord, the punishment is of course execution.”
“My lord. As soon as I receive your permission, I will grant them enough pain to make even demons of darkness cry in apology, then execute them.”
Irudo’s common view and Leiha’s extreme view are different in vector, but presenting me the same dilemma.
“...... Kerue, and Sakko, and…... Rai, is it? For the sake of your childhood friend Kina, you wanted to fight against ‘the bad magician,’ right? …… But did you not consider the possibility that you yourselves might get killed?”
“...... Y-, yes we did…… but……”
“Jyagul and the bandits already killed a few of my friends and guys from the village! As long as I can carry out revenge for them, I don’t care if I die……!”
“Ki-, Kina is my important fr-, friend, so……”
“I’m the one in the wrong! Pl-, please ex-, execute me instead……”
The three youngsters and girl are desperately conveying different things, all while the Village Head is merely opening and closing his mouth with an ashen face.
I mildly raise my staff to quiet them all, then turn towards Leiha.
“Leiha.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“...... I entrusted the judgment of your crimes to the courts at Lelis. This time too, I will try them by the law.”
“...... It shall be as you say.”
…… But with that said, me = the law? That’s way too heavy.
Forcefully suppressing my desire to moan out loud, I spin my mind as fast as I can. Emotionally speaking, I don’t feel like punishing them at all.
However, it is true that they tried to assault the feudal lord (depending on the point of view, it could be seen as an attempted assassination even), so I can’t let them off scot free.
In the first place, even if they had no intention to murder, the very fact that violence was the first thing that came to their mind is not good.
“......”
If I myself am to be the law, then I must at least come up with a sentence that everyone can accept.
“You three are being charged with the crime of ‘attempted assault.’ With consideration that I also neglected to resolve the misunderstanding of my identity…… I sentence you three to forced labor at Jiiteias Castle. The period will be 3 years. Your duties will be the harshest position at the castle: being soldiers. Mentally prepare yourselves.”
“We’ll be so-, soldiers at the castle?!”
“...... I’ll do it. Anything aside from being executed, I’ll do it.”
“Th-, thank you so very much……”
They must have interpreted it as forced conscription purely as a punishment. Their expressions are by no means bright, although there is indeed a slight tinge of relief at not having been executed.
The daughter clung to all three while cry-laughing, so I suppose they’re satisfied with that.
The Village Head and other villagers are also patting down their own chests with relief. I personally want to give the Village Head a sentence too, but I suppose I’ll have to be satisfied with watching him later get scolded by Irudo at length.
“I think it was a good decision. Since we do need soldiers familiar with the inside of this forest.”
So whispered Irudo to me. Oh, right, there was that too.
Since our castle is a place that has a real likelihood of fighting against Shadow Demons, I might have inadvertently shortened these three boys’ lives.
When I think about it like that, my heart feels heavy. But I’ve already decided to be the feudal lord, and I know this is part of that.
♥♦♣♠
“Rather than that, there are still 2 more villages, huh. I hope I can at least get a proper night’s sleep in the next one……”
“We have no way of knowing. However, it is the duty of the feudal lord to resolve the problems presented by the population living in his domain.”
So replied Irudo seriously in response to my fed up face.
“Irregardless of who that resolution is for, that is.”
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