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127 A Boastful
Story
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Translator : PolterGlast
▽▽▽ Side: Ermelda ▽▽▽
Having heard of my
father's abdication, I have resolved myself. Until now, I was merely a
substitute for my father and thought that my brother would eventually inherit
the throne. Therefore, all I was focused on was maintaining the country and the
Royal Family. However, from now on, I want to build the country as I envision
it.
"Summon Viscount
Footscythel."
This will be the first
step in showing my resolve. I invited Viscount Footscythel to my office and
served him some tea. He blew on the tea to cool it down before drinking it.
That gesture was so adorable that it warmed my heart.
"Regarding the
priest matter you proposed before..."
"Yes. Have you
made a decision?"
"Yes, I'm thinking
of accepting your kind offer, Viscount Footscythel."
Viscount Footscythel
accepted my decision with a smile.
Our country's
treatment and job changes were completely monopolized by the temples. We could
not hope for any further development in this state. I was unaware of the malice
of Chief Priest Dandelid, whom I thought was treating my father. I cannot
demand that the priests show me their record cards. Even now, that is the case.
If things remain this way, the same thing will happen again.
If we can have priests
as retainers of the Royal Family, the Royal Family can check their record cards
and select people. To do that, we must employ priests in the Royal Family. More
importantly, we must make it possible for people to change jobs to a priest.
"Will land
suffice as compensation?"
Viscount Footscythel
gave a wry smile at my words. His expression said he didn't need any more land.
"You don't want
any land?"
"I don't have
enough people to manage the land if it gets any bigger."
That's a good excuse.
He's probably just thinking it's a hassle. I've also gotten to know Viscount
Footscythel a little better recently. Hehe.
"Then, regarding
the salt in Triange, I will transfer the rights of the Royal Family to
you."
"That would be great."
I immediately had the paperwork
and, in exchange, received the job change conditions for a priest.
Praying for 500 days
straight makes it possible to change jobs. I could have guessed that. But
defeating 100 monsters with bare hands? He also said it's possible to change
jobs by defeating 10 monsters of a higher level than oneself in under 3 hours
while in the Villager job. Does this mean priests are combat-oriented jobs?
They are quite different from the priests I imagined.
"The Footscythel
viscount family has priests who have changed jobs under these conditions,
correct?"
"Most of them
have met the third condition. If you give them some sword training and a
powerful weapon like a magic sword, they can change jobs right away."
"I see... I will
try it immediately."
I must act quickly
before the temples find out. If they find out, they will interfere with our
plans.
When the Royal
Family's retainers can change jobs to priests, if they do so with a priest
belonging to the Footscythel viscount family, the temples shouldn't notice. The
important thing is how many priests we can train before the temples find out.
And I should gather trustworthy nobles and increase the number of priests. I'll
start by talking to Duke Gardland.
"Can you secretly
allow those who can change jobs to priests to do so in the Footscythel viscount
family?"
"Yes, I don't
mind. If you contact my mansion, I'll make the arrangements immediately."
I must choose the
people who will become priests carefully and have them sign a magical contract
so they can't speak of it.
"Also, regarding
Count Parton, I have summoned him to the royal capital. Viscount Footscythel
didn't wish for anything, but I cannot let this go. I will issue a warning to
Count Parton. I hope that the warning will make him behave, but he might try to
harass Viscount Footscythel in another way. The Royal Family will also monitor
Count Parton, so please contact us if anything happens."
Viscount Footscythel
simply said, "Understood." It's as if he's not very interested. He
probably doesn't even have Count Parton in his sights.
After Viscount
Footscythel left, I immediately gathered my most trusted retainers. They were
surprised, but a few of them offered to change jobs to priests. I will give
them good equipment and send them to the dungeon to meet the conditions. With
Barbatos accompanying them, they should be fine.
I reported the priest
matter to my father. My father told me to do as I wished.
"Regarding the
priest matter, that is fine, but, Ermelda. What about your consort?"
My consort. As has
always been the case, choosing my consort has become even more difficult now
that I've decided to become queen.
"Nobles would
have their own political ties. Is there no good person among the summoned
heroes?"
Viscount Footscythel's
face came to mind, but he is not a summoned hero. And he would not wish to be
my consort. The consort of a queen is given a certain amount of power, if not
as much as a king. Their power tends to be greater than that of a king's
consort. That's why I must choose the queen's consort carefully.
"Some of them are
not what I would call heroes, but a few are well-behaved."
"Then choose your
consort from among those well-behaved people. Even if he is not a hero, the
blood of an other-worlder should lead the Royal Family to prosperity."
"Yes. I will do
so."
I cannot choose the
queen's consort based on my own preferences. The most suitable candidate would
be Sir Itsuki Mizusawa, the Hero of the Blue Sea. I've heard that Sir Mizusawa
is leading the heroes and is currently exploring the 7th floor. His cautious
personality has made their progress slower than we expected, but I have never
heard of him or his group suffering any major injuries.
They originally
entered the dungeon with 14 people on a rotating basis, but now they have a
fixed group of 10. The other four apparently were not suited for combat and are
now working as civil officials. Since we were the ones who summoned them, we
have to listen to their requests as much as possible and have them work for us.
There is a limit to
the number of people who can enter a dungeon boss room. Ten is a number that
doesn't trigger that limit. It's not a bad thing that their members are fixed
at 10.
I should have them
investigate the heroes' movements thoroughly, not just the combat jobs but also
the production jobs. Things that are not visible now may become visible later.
Given that Akaba and the others were what they were, I should be extra careful
and have them thoroughly investigated.
▽▽▽ Side: Count Parton ▽▽▽
The Princess has
summoned me. She wants me to come to the royal capital immediately? It must be
a serious matter for her to summon me, a member of a prestigious family since
the founding of the country. If this is a trivial matter, I will not forgive
her.
However, because of
that fool Nishuru, I was recently fined. It's a disgrace to the prestigious
Parton family.
I heard that that
Nishuru fool was sentenced to death. Despite my telling him to be careful, that
idiot couldn't even kill a commoner who rose through the ranks. It's
unthinkable for him to be captured so pathetically. He should have died rather
than be captured.
I wrote a letter to
that commoner who rose through the ranks after Nishuru came crying to me. That
fool, Footscythel, replied that he didn't need people who wouldn't follow his
orders.
How dare he disrespect
my nephew? That commoner should have just listened to what I said.
But what is the
Princess thinking? It's unthinkable for her to give Triange to such a commoner
who rose through the ranks.
That land is the
birthplace of our Valetta clan. Giving
it to such a commoner is nothing short of an insult to us.
The Valetta clan was a royal family that ruled this area
before the Ouda Kingdom was founded. I would have liked to be the head of the
clan, but Marquis Tsukmandes is leading the Valetta clan.
Oh well. If I can get
Triange, the clan head position will be mine.
My plan to eliminate
that commoner who rose through the ranks and take control of that land is
already in motion.
But what is the
Princess going to say, summoning me now? I've already paid the fine for the
Nishuru matter. I have no reason to be summoned. And yet, she gave me a
deadline. No matter how much she is a princess, this is too one-sided. Who does
she think she is?
I entered the castle
immediately upon my arrival in the royal capital. How troublesome. I entered
the Princess's office, but she started speaking without even letting me greet
her. How rude for a woman to make me stand.
"I have not
summoned Count Parton for any other reason. To be blunt, stop manipulating the
price of wheat and apologize to Viscount Footscythel immediately."
What?! How did she
find out? Did that upstart Footscythel go crying to the Royal Family?
"What are you
talking about? I don't understand at all."
Hmph. My prestigious
Parton family name was sullied by that upstart. He deserved to die a thousand
deaths, but I heard he is the Princess's favorite. So I decided to secretly
raise the price of wheat and make a profit. If that upstart came crying to me,
I was going to help him and slowly take over his land. But the information leaked
too quickly.
"We already have
the evidence. You may deny it, but nothing good will come of it for the Parton
family."
What an impertinent
little girl. What kind of evidence could she possibly have? It's probably just
a bluff.
"I have no idea
what you're talking about. Where did you hear such nonsense, Your
Highness?"
It's a bluff. I just
have to be firm and refuse to acknowledge it.
But that Footscythel
fool, to go crying to the Royal Family. I thought he would send a messenger to
my house and bow his head, but he didn't even do that. This is why I hate
people of lowly birth.
"Count Parton,
you have no recollection of unjustly manipulating the price of wheat that
circulates in Viscount Footscythel's territory, Triange?"
"Why would I do
such a thing? I have not done any such thing, Your Highness. Besides, the price
of wheat is decided by the Wheat Wholesalers' Guild. I have no such
authority."
This is an annoying
fact, but the price of wheat is decided by the Wheat Wholesalers' Guild, not
the nobility.
It's unthinkable for a
staple food like wheat to be entrusted to some unknown person. But I've already
placed my people in the Blaughini Wheat Wholesalers' Guild. If I can just deal
with the stubborn guild leader, the Wheat Wholesalers' Guild will be under my
control.
Anyway, that
impertinent Princess. I'll make her apologize for making such accusations
against me. She's getting too arrogant from being called a regent. She needs to
be taught a lesson.
"Count Parton. Do
you know what this is?"
She took out a
letter... It can't be!
"It seems you've
seen this before."
"W-what are you
talking about..."
"This is a letter
from you, Count Parton, to the leader of the Blaughini Wheat Wholesalers'
Guild. An appraisal has confirmed that you are the one who wrote it."
How did she get her
hands on that? I ordered the guild leader to burn it after he read it. Grrr.
"Count Parton.
Will you still deny it after seeing this?"
"I-I certainly
did write that. However, my family only made a request, and we did not
manipulate the price of wheat. Is that a crime?"
Hehehe. I was prepared
for this. It was a request, not an order. Just because she has that letter, she
can't prove I committed a crime. Hahaha!
"Manipulating the
price of wheat is illegal. However, merely making a request does not
necessarily violate the law."
"Then there's no
problem, is there?"
That guild leader, why
did he keep that thing? When I get back to my territory, I'll have his head cut
off. That fool.
"However, this is
a clear act of hostility. The Royal Family cannot stop Viscount Footscythel if
he declares war on Count Parton."
"Hahaha! What
nonsense! A commoner who rose through the ranks declaring war on my family?
Hmph. Let him try if he wants. I will crush him in return!"
What could a commoner
who rose through the ranks do? My Parton family has been a prestigious family
since the founding of the country! If I just say the word, many nobles will
gather under me. I can easily crush a commoner who rose through the ranks!
"In any case,
stop putting pressure on the Wheat Wholesalers' Guild. This is a warning."
Hmph. This little girl
is so arrogant. She got a little more influence in the royal capital and thinks
she's hot stuff.
"That is all. You
may leave."
Someday, I will break
that high-and-mighty nose of hers. I will look forward to seeing her crying
face then.
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