Chapter 299

Chapter 299 - Regional Management

The place where the Moving Castle revealed itself was Southern Britannia.

Sniff sniff.

Inhale.

As soon as the castle gates opened, everyone's noses reacted first. The unique smell and humidity of the west coast oceanic climate. The sensation of a rapidly changing environment hitting right after transmission was always new.

"The sky is gloomy whenever we come here. I was thinking of letting the sheep out."

"Let them loose with peace of mind. It won't rain today."

A Dwarf replied to a tribal warrior's grumbling. Their feelers were as sensitive to atmospheric pressure changes as an arthritis patient's knees.

Homi didn't seem to like it much either. Britannia originally had frequent rain, but this period transitioning from winter to spring was the worst. No matter how much she brushed her proud tail, it didn't flow neatly.

Coming to the island nation after staying in sunny Barcia and Southern Roman, everyone seemed to be feeling down. So Eugene decided to motivate them.

"Do you have complaints about my territory? If it's not good here, shall we all go on a vacation to the jungle? Huh?"

"No! It's warm even in winter, so it's really nice!"

"I missed the cod dishes here!"

The subordinates ran away in a hurry. Marbas approached the sullen-faced Eugene.

"Are you planning to spend this winter in Britannia?"

"I've been wandering outside too much lately. It's about time I manage my regional district."

It was a word he had never heard before, but Marbas understood it perfectly and moved on. This young monarch often used words that communicated the meaning but gave a profound feeling.

"For your level, you are on the better side. There are quite a few nobles who aren't in their territories even for 1 year out of 10."

They were mostly nobles of the knight class who went around selling their swords. Because the yield from their small territories couldn't cover their consumption.

While indulging in luxuries just like other nobles, the maintenance costs for warhorses, equipment, and subordinates they led also went out. It was inevitable for a petty territory to run a deficit.

"While traveling around the world, I observed various customary laws, systems, and the lives of peasants. Having many examples, the things I want to change and need to change became increasingly visible."

"So that was the reason why you meticulously observed the villages wherever you landed the castle."

Since Eugene emphasized supply so much, everyone assumed he just wanted to inspect the condition of goods directly.

"I don't think the advantages of the Moving Castle are only for military purposes. It's also a great advantage to obtain numerous cases to refer to when a monarch implements a policy."

Eugene showed Marbas a large book he received from a clerk.

"What is this?"

"Records of asking questions to the peasants in the villages we passed through. I put everything in it: successful policies, failed policies, policies that succeeded but had large side effects, and other problem areas."

"There must have been many who spoke maliciously about things where they suffered a loss."

"Of course, taking that into consideration, I cross-surveyed."

Marbas was satisfied with Eugene's solid preparation. As a summoner, he valued the soul more than the human body.

In his eyes, there wasn't much difference in the value of the soul between a noble or a serf. His heart always ached when he saw the people living painfully.

"Diligently governing a territory is something to be blessed for. However, keep in mind that the results might fall short compared to the effort. Governing a large territory is a long-term battle looking decades ahead. There will be many interferences too."

Territory management meant everything was sluggish. It was different from a war where thousands moved as commanded and results and rewards were immediate.

Until now, problems were resolved if Eugene swung his sword once. However, in governance, it was inevitable to suffer headaches for years over trivial matters.

Marbas hoped this young reformer wouldn't pursue too great an ideal from the start. Lest he get dispirited by poor results and give up.

"I know what you're worried about, old man. It must feel like blowing on a ship the size of Haven with 50,000 people to sail it."

"Don't forget that several ships blown by 10,000 to a few thousand people are also following behind."

Currently, the population belonging to Eugene's direct territory in Britannia was estimated to be at least 120,000.

A situation where Britannia's hegemony completely shifted to the South starting with the civil war. Vagrants seeking better food, security, and jobs continued to flow in.

This 120,000 was a figure including men, women, and children of all ages. In the distant past, only strong men who paid taxes and provided corvee labor were included in the population. But after polytheism settled, the climate changed to counting everyone.

The reason was simple; because there were also gods worshiped in the form of the elderly or maidens. Counting only young men as the population was called blasphemy.

"Don't worry too much. I'm not aiming for grandiose results. I never even thought about drastically increasing taxes or yields from the start. If you touch those things incorrectly, the territory's economy breaks down."

"Then what are you going to improve?"

Marbas asked in a panic. To deny the primary goal of managing a territory from the start.

"Quality of life. I'm going to try to change that for the better. One by one, starting from small things."

If life improves, the population naturally increases as well. If you take good care of those two things, the rest will fall into place on its own. That was Eugene's conviction as a statesman.

* * *

The highest bell tower in the city of Haven. Two men with cloth stuffed in their ears vigorously rang the bells.

"The Count has returned!"

"It's the West Gate! Gather at the West Gate!"

"Damn it! Call all the guys off-duty in the military band!"

An emergency was declared for the people of the Lord's manor, including the guards. Because for a great lord of Eugene's level, splendid protocols followed whAAether he went out or came in.

Normally, advance notice would come whAAether he arrived by land or ship. However, Eugene flashed in the east and flashed in the west, resembling a surprise operation. It was enough to drive those serving him crazy.

A moment later, knights holding flags arrived at the West Gate of Haven. The loud beating of drums and trumpets of welcome poured down on their master.

"Long live His Excellency the Count!"

"Conqueror Meyer!"

"The true master of Britannia!"

The citizens' reactions were even more passionate.

"Why do they like me this much?"

To the point where Eugene himself was bewildered.

He did sweep away criminal organizations, overhauled the system, and left behind competent bureaucrats. Thanks to that, the city ran smoothly even during the monarch's absence. But even considering these things, it was too excessive of praise.

"They say the best monarch for the people is a monarch who isn't there during peacetime."

"Ah."

At Valda's laughing words, Eugene understood immediately.

"Come to think of it, since I was appointed, I've never mobilized people for corvee or conscription. Not to mention after I left."

"Would it only be that? While Britannia's entire territory was swept by plunder and destruction, only the South remained intact. Besides, you heard on the way here, right? Peasant rebellions are breaking out everywhere in other regions."

Nobles' perception of the people was close to livestock that offered grain and spat out copper coins when the time came. Since there were overflowing illiterate lords, systematic territory management was impossible...

The land was already a mess due to the civil war, but the lords had to pay off debts and cover losses. Maintaining heavy taxes and corvee on the exhausted peasants was why rebellions broke out.

"The masses always want a strong leader. Especially in turbulent times like now."

Valda raised her fists and arms as if flexing her biceps.

"You smash all invaders and taxes are low. The food situation has also improved thanks to the corn you introduced from the New Continent. So isn't it natural to be loved? The expectations for the trade goods and spoils of war you will release into the market must also be great."

Valda held a benevolent smile and waved her hand at the cheering masses.

"You respond quickly too. Things like this are most beautiful when a couple does it togAAether."

"It's all good, but 'master of Britannia' seems a bit excessive."

"That just shows how high the Southerners' pride pierces the sky."

Even among Southerners, Roman and Britannia were worlds apart. It certainly warmed the heart much more than looking at exhausted people.

* * *

After entering his office in Haven, the first thing Eugene touched upon was the serfs. They accounted for over 60% of the population in his direct territory and were legally Eugene's property. Therefore, reform proposals could be applied immediately.

"From now on, the pasture tax is abolished for the serfs in my direct territory. I will also open my hunting grounds, not to mention the confirmed safe forests. The serfs may freely release and feed the pigs and sheep they own. Money will not be collected."

Objections from the clerks came in immediately.

"Your Excellency! How could you let such lowly things into the hunting grounds?"

"Your merciful heart is excellent, but other nobles will see Your Excellency's authority..."

The clerk, bringing out textbook arguments, became speechless.

"Authority what?"

"Uh, that, well..."

He couldn't possibly bring himself to say 'They will look down on Your Excellency's authority!' Because the myth Eugene had built on the battlefield was so immense. It absolutely wasn't on a level where others could act up just because he gave up a few rights.

"It's a waste to let that vast hunting ground sit idle. Tasteless mushrooms, acorns, moss, various root vegetables, and even bugs. They have no commercial value anyway, so if the pigs eat to their heart's content and give birth to young well, isn't that all my wealth?"

The knight nobles staying in the court also opposed it. As the same privileged class, they felt their rights shrinking as much as the use of the hunting ground was permitted.

This era was intertwined with various class interests and a sense of privilege over even a single small right. If you tried to change anything, opposition came from everywhere.

"I dare say, hunting grounds are an important extension of politics. Your Excellency leading the nobles to hold a hunting competition. Winning valuable and abundant prey. All of this will elevate Your Excellency's glory."

"Sir Paulson is right. If lowly things go in and out indiscriminately, even precious prey will flee deep into the forest."

Precious game like silver deer or fire-tailed pheasants lived in Eugene's hunting ground.

-It's a silver deer!

-Are you crazy? Lower your bow quickly!

-But to just let that go... Fine. I understand.

These were prey that knights staying as guests had released out of fear of Eugene's authority, despite coveting them.

"WhAAether it's a social gathering with vassals or a personal hobby, it will be an interference when Your Excellency goes out hunting."

It was perfect logic, but the opponent was Eugene.

"To me, hunting means catching medium-sized monsters."

"..."

"Anything else to say?"

It was ignorant logic, but it was impossible for those who lived as knights to refute it.

Eugene pushed ahead just like that.

* * *

"Merlin. Oquistro. Hesta."

"Yes. Count."

High-ranking tax officials were summoned and bowed to Eugene.

"It's time to execute what we discussed before."

"The plan is completed here."

The title of the document Eugene received was 'Unification of Serf Tributes'.

Serfs obligatorily offered unpaid corvee labor to the lord for 3 days every week. And invested the remaining 3~4 days in farming and livestock. Eugene considered this inefficient.

"Regular unpaid corvee is abolished. The serfs must invest their time entirely in cultivating their own fields. I will collect a uniform tax from the harvest obtained there. When corvee labor is needed, I will recruit separate professional laborers."

"No matter what field, efficiency is best when focusing on one thing. Once the serfs adapt, productivity will rise too."

Hesta, who was favorable to Eugene's reforms from the start, nodded.

Just traveling to and from the lord's corvee location wasted several hours. If they focused entirely on one thing without such interference, the yield would increase.

"The marriage tax will be paid by proxy through corvee and changed to a post-mortem reporting system. However, the right to choose which crops to cultivate is denied. Maintain the existing method for this."

Several major rights, including the freedom of residence, were still restricted. However, making a living would change to be closer to that of free citizens.

Of course, there were those who expressed anxiety about this method.

"There will be backlash from the nobles."

The unpaid corvee of serfs was one of the powerful vested interests of the nobles. Just touching this wouldn't sit well with them.

It was the same reason as not opening the hunting grounds. It was a symbol solidifying the class gap between serfs and nobles.

"Even if it's implemented only in Your Excellency's direct territory, other nobles will also be slightly affected."

"I suppose so. There might be escapees among the envious serfs, and they'll be displeased with the unsettled atmosphere itself."

Eugene had also expected the side effects.

"Would that dissatisfaction be enough to point a sword at me?"

"That wouldn't be the case."

"Even if they point one, not everyone would join in. If that happens, wouldn't I become a Britannia version of Gaius?"

"How could you compare Your Excellency to such a tyrant? I was wrong. Please retract your words."

Eugene soothed the flustered tax officials and continued speaking.

"I know what you're worried about. But if we miss this moment, there will be no chance to execute it. The nobles' power has drained due to the chaotic civil war, and my authority is at its peak. Only now is the right time."

If it settled properly, the lives of the serfs would improve, yields would rise, and tax revenues would increase.

"I'll increase the tax personnel, so exert some effort."

It was an era where the monetary economy hadn't settled into the realm of serfs. Serfs paid taxes with grain, eggs, chickens, chicks, piglets, slaughtered animal meat, etc.

If unified into taxes without corvee, the difficulty of management would greatly increase in the early stages.

"How about minting copper coins in large quantities?"

"It's too dangerous to implement recklessly. There will be several guys trying to melt them down and sell them."

There was also an opinion to anchor currency more deeply this time, but Eugene dismissed it.

"Then I think using iron coins would be good. They are easy to make and distribute, and there won't be guys trying to melt and sell them."

"No. We will receive in-kind tributes for at least 3 years and watch the trend. Even if it's inefficient, let's go safely."

Eugene knew that countless attempts to settle iron coins had only resulted in side effects and ended in failure. He had no intention of following in those footsteps.

* * *

The next place he visited was the Blacksmith Guild. The research Eugene had ordered before leaving for Roman had already been completed half a year ago. It wasn't a very difficult order.

"We simplified the structure as much as possible. It doesn't break easily even if used roughly, and the price is cheap. Is it to your liking?"

The extremely tense blacksmiths stood at attention in front of Eugene.

Hoe. Sickle. Hand axe.

Three essential items for farmers were lined up. They didn't use good iron, and the structure was simple. Compared to high-quality farming tools, they were lacking in many ways.

However, they were perfect for mass-producing and distributing.

"Did you test them?"

"Yes. We distributed them to 100 households to use, and the response was very good."

"I bet. Because they call a piece of wood with a slight piece of iron attached to the end a farming tool and use it."

If they had even a small piece of iron embedded, they were somewhat well-off serfs. A significant number used much poorer wooden farming tools, and there were commonly those who didn't even have that and touched the soil barehanded.

If they injured their hands or feet and infection set in, they had to groan in pain in a house reeking of livestock dung. And if they were unlucky, they died.

"Good. Start mass production. I will pay the costs annually."

"Thank you!"

"We will implement it immediately!"

With a large-scale fixed delivery concluded, the blacksmiths smiled broadly.

Eugene's third serf reform was a farming tool rental business. A system where basic iron farming tools were distributed and then recovered in installments from taxes.

Giving high-quality farming tools to those who dig the earth for a living wasn't charity but an investment.

He wanted to expand it to plows as well, but gave up due to costs and the difficulty of structural simplification. If you try to satisfy everything from the start, things go wrong.

Preparation is long.

Execution is like lightning.

Valda was also excited by the reforms pushed through before nobles from other territories could even react.

"I didn't know you were this serious about the lives of serfs."

"I want my people to live a life, not just survive. Only suffering until they die, collapsing in a field and closing their eyes..."

Eugene paused for a moment.

"Isn't that fate too cruel?"

The expression Eugene showed at that moment. Seeing that, Valda's heart ached for some reason.

"I will deal with those who come to protest against you."

She hugged her husband tightly to her chest. Very tightly.

"Countless serfs must have disappeared like that from before the 1st Era until now. I will cut that off at my line. Let's start with the easy things first. There are also many things I want to look into for the free citizens as well."

* * *

After about a week, rumors of the opening of the hunting grounds and the abolition of unpaid corvee spread, and nobles flocked from all over the South.

-Your Excellency! Please reconsider!

-You cannot flip a tradition maintained for over a thousand years like flipping the palm of your hand!

It was mostly a procession of people protesting. The reason they reacted like this, even though it wasn't implemented in their own territories, was because they feared a precedent would be set.

If Eugene were a countryside lord, the reaction would have been 'Nice try. Tsk tsk.' However, if the Great Lord mentioned as the hegemon of Britannia did this, the aftermath was huge.

"Everyone. Please calm down. The Gods have said that there is no treasure more precious than mercy for the weak."

"Fighting on the battlefield isn't the only way to prove loyalty. Adding strength to Your Excellency's bold decision is also the duty of a vassal."

Priests who flocked from all over passionately stood on Eugene's side, balancing things out somewhat.

Eugene had no intention of backing down either. Because he didn't do it solely out of sympathy for the serfs or aiming for a long-term increase in tax revenue. There was one more true reward.

Shing.

Silence fell when Eugene, who had been quiet on his throne, drew Last Autumn.

"..."

The nobles who came unarmed for an audience gasped for air.

"...Y-Your Excellency. Why a sword..."

Even the priests defending Eugene were greatly flustered. Surely he wouldn't swing that, but drawing a sword in such a place was an irrational act in itself.

"Does everyone know what trial by combat is?"

And the words Eugene brought up were somewhat out of left field.

"It is judging guilt by fighting fair and square before the Gods."

"The heavens will grant victory to the truly innocent."

The nobles answered calmly. It was the rule existing at the absolute top of all customary laws, so there was no one who didn't know it.

"Yes. It's the most certain means to encounter the will of God. A duel is just a means, and victory is also just a byproduct. The important thing is that you can see God's answer with your eyes."

The nobles still couldn't understand what Eugene wanted to say.

"The Goddess visited me in a dream and whispered. The punishment of evil is sufficient, so now rise with tolerance."

"Who would dare doubt Your Excellency's devotion? However, you must not carelessly speak of God's will when implementing policies."

A plump noble rebutted. Because there were countless monarchs who pushed through what they wanted to do using God as an excuse. There were also enough countermeasures for that...

Kwaaaah!

A holy radiance erupted explosively from the silver blade of Last Autumn.

"God is good."

Eugene's momentum, backed by the authority of God. The nobles stepped back involuntarily, and the priests crossed themselves, expressing supreme respect.

"The path I pursue to change the lives of the serfs. God responded to that. With an even more intense flame of purification."

The blazing light of the Smite. It burned more fiercely than when Eugene executed Gaius.

Banas is not a god of war. When Eugene, her representative, gifts a better life to the powerless serfs, her divinity also rises to a higher tier.

"God doesn't only descend in the form of a duel. If you truly wish to persuade me, don't just bring the language of politics. Try to persuade me with the language of faith as well."

None of the nobles opened their mouths. Logic encompassing politics and faith while withstanding the momentum of a champion. There were no nobles with such things in this place.