(This atmosphere really give me a great feeling… Looking like this, it seems Sudou’s plan would bear fruits faster…)
He and his colleagues were ordered to perform some mission in the Rozeria Kingdom. Chamberlain could finally feel the result of his hard work.
Gerhardt who was demoted following the aftermath of the civil war was still being treated as a duke by the other aristocrats.
Despite having been transferred from Irachion, a famous green territory, to a remote place in the southern part of the kingdom.
A legitimate t.i.tle was surely important.
Indeed, it was a big hurdle and disgrace for Duke Gerhardt who had his rank demoted to that of a Viscount.
That was why it was natural for the other aristocrats to keep their distances from him after the civil war was over.
However, that situation was only in the past.
The n.o.bles who had lost their job as tax collectors gathered under Gerhardt in the name of interest.
And it was Elliot Chamberlain and his co-workers who had created such a situation.
(Sudou-san this time has given us a really fun job. It really combines hobby and profits. I wish I could share this sensation with him right now…)
Chamberlain thanked Sudou who was currently in the Imperial capital. And at the same time, deeply regretted that he could not share the comedy with his boss.
(Well, Ortomea is currently in a mess, I guess it could not be helped… Well, let’s enjoy the situation for Sudou-san’s share as well…)
It was a pleasure for him to see the citizen of this world hating each others and murder each others.
(Go and kill each others. Struggle more, and hate each others more… Die, die, die, die… Everyone in this world should just die…)
It was the expression of someone who lost a beloved person because of the
people of this world.
Seven years ago, when he was heading towards Wall Street like usual, he was summoned to this world together with his lover Vanessa.
A good looking beautiful businesswoman. It can be said, his situation was very commonly called hero setting.
A hero being summoned with his beloved. And then beautiful ladies from another world trying to enter the fray. That was the cliché scenario that usually happened.
However, the reality was far from that.
Chamberlain was not asked to be a hero, but instead a foot soldiers in a war, Vanessa who was an active model, being beautiful as she was, was made into a rare toy among aristocrats.
It was further bad luck because the one who used Vanessa as a toy had a distorted personality who liked to see women scream. Vanessa was a liberal and also a human right activist.
Thus Vanessa was a crispy prey for them. It made the aristocrats pleased when they heard Vanessa who had modern education screaming about her rights as a person when getting violated forcefully.
It was the sensation that one won’t have by doing it with someone obedient.
As a result of that, Vanessa’s heart who could not withstand the continuous a.s.saults and tortures, and broke into pieces. The light disappeared from her eyes, and drizzle dripped from her half-opened mouth, Vanessa had turned into a broken doll, and the n.o.bles threw such Vanessa back to Chamberlain. They threw her as if she was garbage.
Since they were particularly powerful n.o.bles, they were able to procure as many toys as they wanted.
And Chamberlain who could not do anything because of the spell cast upon him, could only watch as everything happened.
The n.o.bles were also having fun when violating and beating his lover in front of his eyes.
Watching his beloved cry and scream. Every day he was being forced to watch without being able to do anything. Thus it was difficult to imagine how Chamberlain felt during those times.
And from thenl that darkness started to appears inside his heart. It was the result of a good man who lost his sanity.
The thought of not wanting to cause his beloved any more sufferings, this financial businessman ended her life by his own hand.
While swearing that one day, he would kill that n.o.bleman and his families. Chamberlain survived the many harsh battlefields with just that one desire.
He trained his body, he learned magic arts. He just seeks strength.
Such dream was actually inappropriate for Chamberlain who had a slavery curse engraved on him.
Until one day, the organization saved him.
(More, more ! Trample more. Hate each others more. Keep stirring those hatreds…)
Currently, the commoners were indeed suffering the tyranny of the n.o.bles. That was because those n.o.bles had the authority. However, no matter what authority one had, there was a limit to everything.
And everything would collapse if they forced more pressure using their authority…
(You should’ve ma.s.sacred those foolish n.o.bles if you wanted to rebuild the country. Your Majesty the Queen…)
Chamberlain laughed inside his heart. For him who had come from another world, Lupis Rozeria.n.u.s was like that of a ruler from a storybook.
Having burning ideals, loving the people, a high standard of education.
Originally, her reign may have become one of the most excellent ones in this world.
However, Lupis half-hearted naivety ended everything.
Not having Gerhardt’s family purged, and only getting
getting them relocated to another territory, the n.o.bles who revolted must’ve thought they were also not going to die.
While afterwards Lupis’ policy was filled with for-the-people-oriented policy.
For the n.o.bles, they could only think that Lupis was nothing more than a naive woman.
Of course, ruling using fear was never the best way. Too much fear might raise doubt among people, and eventually caused the fruit called resistance to bloom. That was why it was better to make the commoner afraid of underestimating the government.
And the result of that spread in front of Chamberlain’s eyes.
(It was very difficult for me to move the n.o.bles back then, but thanks to her everything went smoothly.)
Most of the n.o.bles were people that were stuck with the idea of elitism. And for them, it was easy to perform this kind of violence. However, only a few of them did it on their territory.
Because government works only when tax revenue existed. It will certainly raise the income of the territory temporarily if one shows off the authority one had, and forced the people to pay more.
But, such method could not be repeated more than once, since the result would decrease every time it was being repeated.
And security would also get worse, while the people’s heart and faith in the government deteriorating.
When that happens, the things that would occur would’ve been either people crushing the government or the government crushing the people in the name of rebellion.
Most n.o.blemen understood such matters sufficiently.
That was why, even when the aristocrats were looking down on the people, they kept the territory while maintaining a suitable balance.
But with a just cause of rebuilding the country, and the result of underestimating Lupis power. It caused the n.o.bles to go mad.
(Furthermore, although some of the n.o.bles being appointed as tax collectors are competent, many of them are third cla.s.s. It was worthwhile to ask Gerhardt to pull some strings to cause those people being appointed. -)
Chamberlain turns a scornful smile towards the back of the tax collector.
The otherworldern used his skillful communication, that he had cultivated as a financial businessman in modern America, to gain his favor. After Chamberlain got his trust, he started to pour poisonous words to him.
(If it is like this, then I think everything would be over in 3 or 4 months… Until then, I need to control everything skillfully… I guess I should end it today here… Although I want to see more of this comedy…)
While glancing at the crawling villagers, Chamberlain moves closer to the tax collector.
He wants the public in the Rozeria Kingdom to raise a rebellion. But the timing was very important. More precisely the timing when the organization would then profit the most from it.
And right now, the organization had not yet given their green light. And if they corner the villagers more than this, it might instigate a revolt now instead…
“Your Excellency, these guys should’ve learned their mistakes. Let’s pull back today…”
“Why ? If we threaten them more here, we can get some money…”
The tax collector tilted his head in response to Chamberlain’s words.
For inside his head, there were only thoughts about the amount of money he would get.
“I know… If we keep it up, they would definitely pay. However, if we threaten them too much here, it might cause them to revolt, which
revolt, which will affect your Excellency. We should pull back here and take this chance to make them feel grateful towards your Excellency…”
Self-protection and greed were fighting inside the tax collector’s mind…
He wanted money, but he didn’t want to be responsible for any chaos that entails.
“Fumu… If you say that much then, fine… Let us pull back for now…”
Soon afterwards, the tax collector agreed to pull back.
(You moron… There is no reason for these people to truly feel grateful towards you just because you pulled back here…)
“Thank you very much, your Excellency. We’re grateful for your mercy…”
Chamberlain was making a fool of the tax collector inside his mind and also felt disgusted with himself that he had to thank him for something…
And when he lowered his head to express his grat.i.tude, something happened.
The sound of arrows splitting the wind entered Chamberlain’s ears.
And the next moment, two arrows penetrated the tax collector’s body.
“Your Excellency ! Your Excellency !”
“Protect his Excellency !”
“Form a circle ! Hurry ! It’s a revolt !”
Escort Knights came running one after another towards the body of the tax collector who was lying on the ground.
With all of this happening around, inside Chamberlain’s mind, he tried to keep his calm. There was no fragment of concerns to the tax collector. He only moved according to the necessity.
(d.a.m.n it ! Instant death, huh ?)
Chamberlain who checked the tax collector’s pulse by placing his hand on the now deceased’s neck clicked his tongue.
Even though the tax collector was just a toy in Chamberlain’s eyes, but if he died prematurely, the organization’s plan might need some big revisions.
(If it comes to this, the question is who and why did they kill him…)
The arrows that pierced the tax collector’s body were something that could be found anywhere. However, there was some kind of black liquid sticking to the arrowhead.
Chamberlain gently wiped it with his fingertips and briefly licked his finger with the tip of his tongue, but immediately he spits it.
(Poison… Now, this has become troublesome…)
The type of poison was unknown, but based on the bitterness that stimulates his tongue, he thought that it was a plant-based poison. And it was a fairly powerful one.
(If they used poison, that means it was not the villagers’ doing… But if that is the case then, who ?)
From the direction of the arrows, it was apparent that it was coming from beyond the village walls.
The problem was, who shot the arrows.
Judging normally, it would be one of the villagers who resented the tax collector. But, for mere villagers to use sophisticated poison, it was nigh to impossible.
Looking at the surroundings, Chamberlain tried to think about the situation.
“Oi, Chamberlain ! What should we do about this ?!”
One of Chamberlain’s colleagues shook his shoulder.
It might be because of fear that his colleague’s hand was shaking.
“Shut your mouth for a bit, I’m thinking right now.”
In the eyes of Chamberlain who raised his face, the visage of the villagers were istantly reflected.
From all of them, whether they were men, women, children, or old people, all of their eyes were filled with murderous intents.
One can see that from the start, they were already prepared for a revolt. Each ofrevolt. Each of their hands was holding agricultural tools such as plow and hoe.
“I see now… So this is the aim of the culprit ?”
Chamberlain muttered those words while sighing.
The tax collector was shot and died. Inside this village.
Thus no matter how much the village’s head tried to explain the situation, they would still be blamed for his death.
For that reason, there was no use for them to appeal. Since in the end, the one who judges would be the n.o.bles…
And for those n.o.bles, they have no reason to listen to the commoners’ argument.
One could already see the conclusion just based on the situation. And the villagers also understood that as well. And with hatred inside their heart, it further fueled their actions.
The villagers now didn’t have the usual calm face. They showed murderous intentions like beasts looking at their prey.
Slowly the villagers closed the circle between them and the knights. Their aim was Chamberlain and the other knights’ life.
“We have six people. While the villagers have more than 100 people with them… This will be hard…”
One knight was said to be as strong as ten people combined. However, that was the case when their mind and body were in perfect condition.
Their opponent was the people of their own country. In the first place, they were on the side who cornered them first. The villagers might think since the end would be the same no matter what they did, they choose to take the knights lives together with theirs.
Under those situation, the knights wouldn’t be able to show their best performance.
“It can’t be helped… Let’s forcibly breakthrough. Follow me if you guys want to survive…”
While speaking to his colleagues who kept whining at him, Chamberlain pulled his sword.
Although they were a knight with magic arts capability, they were just six people. Even if one of them had the strength of ten people, it was not a guarantee that they could avoid the villagers’ fangs in their desperate fight.
For an escorting mission it would be enough, but when this kind of situation happens, it would immediately put them into a disadvantageous situation.
(The situation right now is not accidental… Someone purposely made this timing to instigate a revolt… This is bad, we need to immediately leave this village)
Dissatisfaction and antipathy against the country were already well widespreadl in the Rozeria Kingdom.
Once one put fire on it, it would be hard to put it down.
(No matter how I think about it, it would be impossible to stop the revolt now… The timing of the revolt happens far from what the organization had planned. I can’t imagine the effect of that on the organization’s overall plan… I guess I have no choice… I need to contact my other colleagues and think about the countermeasure.)
After thinking about the next move.
Chamberlain began to get ready by activating his prana.
The rebellion that was about to happen inside the Rozeria Kingdom.
Initially, it was thought to be something that would be crushed easily, but as a result of citizen anxiety and discontent that spread throughout the country, the small fire turned into a wildfire that would burn the entire country.
It was the beginning of the second Rozeria civil war, and later would be regarded as the trigger of the complete destruction of the Rozeria Kingdom.