ALL NOVEL Chapter 43. To the frozen land (3) Well, I don't have to worry about money right now.
Originally, the financial power is on the side, so there is no reason for the foundation to be shaken right away.
In the first place, my main source of income is business.
It is still being sold steadily, so there is no need for money.
At least I can keep someone from starving to death just by sitting here.
“Let’s start with what to do first.”
My pride won't allow me to just settle down.
First of all, the command of the military forces here was basically ordered to be controlled by Asha and Seina.
Unless I am the kingdom, I am the lord of this place, the highest person.
My escort knight, the female knight, is my closest aide, so she is qualified to lead.
In addition, I trained my skills myself, so no one will be dissatisfied.
If not, prove it by force.
I don't have the talent for that.
When I called the person in charge of this place, an old knight came out.
Rather than being a competent person, I feel like I spent a long time here and commanded it.
He handed over command to the two female knights without complaint.
Kinai's sister?
I'm sorry, but for the time being, I don't plan to entrust the work.
If you do something wrong, you might see the Templar barracks here disintegrate in one day.
Basically, the real power will be left to the two female knights.
They don't have the personality to betray me, and they have hints just in case, so it's okay to trust them.
“Leave it to us.”
Asha looked broken as she checked the takeover documents one by one.
Yasa is basically sincere, and Seina has also worked here.
From what I can see, he seems to be acquainted with the existing commander here.
“...Seina Garil!?”
“It’s been a while. former captain.”
Seeing that he couldn't hide his surprise when he met Seina, he must have never expected that they would reunite like this again.
“Do you know each other?”
When I asked, Seina stiffly nodded as if a bit embarrassed.
“I am the captain of the unit I was in before.”
“...I don't know what to do with the world.”
He muttered in a strangely emotional voice.
“I thought I had an accident and came back.”
“…Really too much.”
At those words, Seina also smiled slightly.
But now, Seina is the boss.
As soon as the atmosphere of the reunion ended, he immediately became polite to Seina.
Then, he took the takeover seriously.
The distinction between public and private is strict.
When my former successor moved out and returned years later, he became my boss.
Normally, he wouldn't be able to adapt easily to situations like this, but he doesn't seem to have any complaints.
You are a good person by nature.
Well, if it wasn't that much, I wouldn't be able to do something like troop management in such an extreme region.
In any case, the two female knights would be able to lead without any problems, assuming that no serious problems would arise.
now what to do next
“Now I have to meet the real power holders here.”
I smirked as I checked the list of villagers here.
If the lord is incompetent, who will actually command the territories?
Of course they are the only ones.
“Summon all the village chiefs. Don't miss out on a single person.
You have to come by yourself, okay?”
I asked the messengers to be sent to each village.
A new lord has come.
If so, wouldn't it be prudent to come to say hello?
First of all, I have to stamp my face on them.
what? Are you busy eating and living and don't have time to come?
then i will call you
I am a kind lord
You can show kindness by sending invitations.
Proxy attendance is not tolerated.
Even for the sake of the future, I have no intention of loosening up the current order.
* * *
A few days later. 12 village chiefs came to greet me.
More precisely, it should be called forced summoning.
I personally sent an invitation, but there seems to be no one who won't come.
As expected, the village chiefs were all elderly people.
However, as befits a tribe that lives by hunting in such a cold region, he is an old man, but his physique is strong and his eyes are still full of energy.
I think I could strangle one or two wolves on the spot.
“The small men will greet the lord.”
Twelve village chiefs entered the audience room and bowed down on their faces.
I sat arrogantly in my chair and accepted their greetings with only a hand gesture.
“This is Arell Ernesia. Please remember. I hope to become a lord who will remain in your memory.”
I said it with a wry smile, half-joking on purpose.
Although I have just passed the coming-of-age ceremony, from their point of view, I am just a child with power.
I'm sure you're breathing a sigh right now.
So it can never be taken lightly.
“By the way, I see a pretty young village chief too.”
Among the 12 village chiefs, I noticed a man in his early thirties lying on his stomach, and I looked at him.
Actually, I already know from checking the documents.
“Until last year, my father was serving as the village chief, but he passed away earlier this year. So now I am taking over.”
He answered in a slightly trembling voice.
It's probably because I threatened to come on my own.
I'm not saying this to be particularly grumpy.
Just testing their attitude.
I hold the power.
I intend to make this as clear as possible.
In fact, depending on the lord, there are those who treat the lives of the residents as lightly as getting rid of flies.
I don't want to be a tyrant to that extent, but at least I hope you don't take me lightly.
“First of all, I think the story will be long.
It must have been a cold road to come.”
When I said this, they all started chorus saying, “No.”
You know it's cold
He screamed while opening the window to ventilate himself in his sleep this morning.
....well, I have nothing to say about being cold.
“For now, why don’t we talk while eating?”
Let's eat rice first.
I was the first to come up with that suggestion.
The first order I gave to the village chiefs.
It is to eat together.
They are making dumbfounded faces, probably not expecting me to say such a thing.
Even so, did you think I would say go back because I said hello?
If you come, you should feed me some rice.
That is the basis of social life.
Do I even have that kind of recognition?
* * *
Do you know what the lower ones hate the most in this world?
That is to eat with a high-ranking person.
Dinner with the boss right away!
Especially when you have a meal with a guy like me, it becomes a place where you don't know whether the rice goes into your mouth or the alcohol goes into your ears.
I'm sure it will be the worst dinner party.
For that reason, the countenance of the village chiefs is truly cold.
It's the right atmosphere sitting on a cushion of thorns, isn't it?
“Are you more comfortable?”
I spoke in a slightly lighter tone than before.
It's the first time I say hello, but I'm tired of setting the mood all the time.
Let's eat comfortably.
Then you get caught?
And to be honest, I know best that seriousness doesn't suit my face right now.
Actually, before meeting the village chief, I practiced a bit to set the mood, and the female knights praised him for being cool, but Kania noona burst into tears when she saw that, and was hurt.
“I think the story will be a bit long anyway. That's why I want to eat warm rice. Wasn't it a bit?”
“No way. It doesn't matter.”
The village chiefs hurriedly replied, not wanting to offend me.
Soon after, the ladies-in-waiting brought out a meal.
After a while, grilled animal meat caught here, warm bread, and hot honey wine came out in turn.
“Actually, I want to treat you to something better. Please bear with me for now.”
“no! I am fully grateful for the grace of the lord.”
They say it's not enough just to say something to meet.
Well... Actually, I admit that it's a simple meal.
But I didn't come here because I didn't have money, right?
“???? salt?”
The young village chief who had bitten off the meat muttered involuntarily.
Yes, the meat was pickled with salt.
I know very well that salt is precious here.
Such a cheap meal, but in fact, I was considerate of you guys!
“...” is a joke, and I deliberately served the same meal because I needed a little intimacy.
Even though I am the lord, I needed a sense of camaraderie that I was thinking of you.
And you can't feed them something delicious from the beginning.
First of all, after finishing the meal, waiting for their stomachs to warm up to some extent, I spoke quietly.
“It seems like the previous lord gave you a hard time like this.”
This is the conclusion I came to after researching it once.
The village chiefs do not agree with my words, but they seem to agree in silence.
unreasonable management.
Investment without measures, as if chasing the ideal without a future.
In the end, it is the residents here who are suffering.
I don't think I was forced to pay taxes, but there are many other traces of suffering.
Even though they don't say anything, I vaguely sense that there is still a sense of distrust towards me.
“Are you guys going to be okay like this?”
I ask them in a rush.
Also no answer
“From my point of view, if the current policy is maintained like this for about ten years, this place will completely collapse.”
It is a conclusion that I have calculated and calculated.
“I somehow survive by hunting, but how long will that last?”
Apparently, the birth rate here is also declining.
And the old seasoned youngsters are getting older as well.
They won't even know.
But admitting it won't have the power to change it.
In general, it is too much for ordinary people to look only at the present.
Seeing the future... would be too much of a statement—because that's an idealism without a countermeasure.
“In the future, I will be instructing several things. Sometimes there are things you can't understand. So I'll tell you in advance.”
I took a moment to breathe and spoke at intervals.
“Trust me unconditionally.”
Arell is right.
Arell is justice
Long live Arel.
Great Arel...
...I don't want the same zeal as a fanatic.
If the day comes when you are dissatisfied with my instructions, that will be difficult.
“Then I will at least allow the residents to have a meal like this.”
I know very well what they eat now.
Even what they just ate is quite a luxury for them.
“Of course, it would be hard to believe just by saying it.”
I shrugged my shoulders and said, and the village chiefs denied it, saying, “That's not so.”
No, I know what, but what.
The old village chiefs hide it well, but it's hard to see the distrust in the eyes of the young guy over there.
But pretending not to see is my mercy.
You can make me believe in the future.