Chapter 147

The day of the meeting with the Bailiffs was scheduled.

I dressed up and headed to the conference room inside the Agnekur Castle.

Upon arriving at the conference room, over 400 Bailiffs were seated, chattering and gossiping among themselves.

“I need to make a good impression on Count Croilet… Do you know anything?”

“…. I don’t know. I’ve just heard that we need to work hard and deliver results. From what I’ve heard, the Count isn’t like other Counts who indulge in women, and as for money… our meager bribes wouldn’t even register with him…”

“Then how about bribing the officials under the Count? We’ve done that before.”

“Don’t speak nonsense… The officials under the Count earn an outrageous salary. It’s no wonder, during the last war, the knights didn’t complain even when they couldn’t capture prisoners. It’s all possible because the Count usually compensates them well. But bribery? We could end up getting reported.”

“…. I guess we’ll have to give up on bribery. Still, we are technically under Count Croilet, right? So there should be some leftovers for us.”

As the old saying goes, “The one who offers rice cakes doesn’t think of it and drinks kimchi soup,” these fellows were already acting like this without me having given any order recognizing their positions as my subordinates.

Moreover, many of those present were complicit with the Duke’s letters or actively supported him…

It’s quite amusing to see even those guys swearing allegiance to me and struggling to be my loyal subjects while having such conversations.

If I just told them straightforwardly that I would cut ties with the Count and align myself with His Majesty the Duke, I could eliminate them right away…

But whether they knew my thoughts or not, as soon as I sat in the prepared chair, a knight around me shouted.

“It is Count SIEL von Croilet! Everyone kneel and show your respect!”

At those words, they all knelt and bowed their heads.

“Raise your heads and sit.”

At my command, the Bailiffs stood up in unison and sat down.

“First of all, thank you for coming all the way here at my call. It comforts me to have capable Bailiffs like you among us.”

Next, I spoke in a tone that seemed to sigh.

“However, the Architel region has yet to fully recover from the scars of war. Therefore, I want to gain the wisdom of those who know this area well. Also, if there are any crises or problems currently facing each region, I hope you will report it to me.”

As soon as I finished speaking, one brave Bailiff stepped forward and asked.

“But there are as many as 400 of us. How do you plan to accept all our opinions and discuss them?”

“Good question. First, I will accept proposals for crises or problems, or policies that would help develop the territory in the form of written documents. Then, the submitted documents will be reviewed by my administrative officers. Among those, I will discuss the effective solutions selected with you, using votes and whatnot.”

After my words, the Bailiffs nodded, seemingly convinced.

“So you are not planning to discuss every policy…”

“But isn’t this a chance for us to express our opinions on the policies? And you never know. In Croilet territory, merit can elevate even serfs to noble status.”

“Oh… you’re talking about the knight Frost and his retainer Mark, whom the bards used to sing about? Well, since it was based on an actual person… perhaps we too might be able to rise.”

“You are quite the admirable lord…”

They might say that outwardly, but in my current situation, I cannot fully trust what they are saying.

Because among them, there are still those who remain loyal to the Architel Duke.

Then, raising my hand to signal the end of this meeting, I said.

“This meeting is adjourned here. All Bailiffs are to remain here and submit the situation of the provinces and any proposed policies by midnight tomorrow. After checking all that, we will meet again in five days.”

**

After concluding the meeting and tasks, as I was about to return to my chamber, I heard Alps’ voice behind me.

“Your Excellency, please wait a moment.”

“What is it, Alps?”

“I have just completed a list categorizing Bailiffs and Village Heads who supported the Architel Duke and those who did not. I thought it urgent for you to see, so I brought it quickly.”

After saying that, Alps handed me the list he had been holding.

I read the list for quite a while and spoke.

“After receiving the letter, 30% of them reported to the espionage unit, 60% did not report, and 10% showed suspicious movements… More of them are following the Duke than I thought.”

To that, Alps replied in a serious voice.

“It is said that when the Duke governed, he allowed them to receive backhanders or turned a blind eye to some misdeeds. And during the last campaign, the Architel Duke did not assign those individuals to the roles held by knights or free citizens, right? Thus, they probably think they can rise in status when the Duke returns.”

On the other hand, while it is acknowledged that nobles are above citizens and serfs in this Count’s territory, we are enforcing strict penalties for abuses of power by nobles as much as possible.

In particular, the most common abuses they commit are when Bailiffs or Village Heads force young orphan girls into becoming concubines under the pretense of protection and then abandon them…

Due to the precedent with Ela, attempting such acts here would result in a sentence ranging from a minimum prison term to maximum execution.

This restriction on social privilege must be making the privileged Bailiffs and Village Heads feel like their authority is being infringed upon.

“Additionally, from their perspective, they must be feeling quite pinched, given they are already impoverished from excessively high taxes due to the war, not to mention they can’t indulge in their previous abuses.”

“Even if they’re not nobles, it’s infuriating to see those living off the taxes of serfs in the territory sit there like that.”

“I agree. But, Your Excellency… then why did you give the Bailiffs yet another chance? Although you haven’t demanded those who received the Duke’s letters confess, telling them to report in case of problems… sounds like you’re implying you know about their secrets.”

To that, I replied in a calm voice.

“There are three reasons why I gave them a final chance to confess.”

“Three reasons?”

“First, if I kill all the Bailiffs, there will be a significant vacancy in the administration of this territory. You know, our territory has grown rapidly, and we are short on the numbers of Bailiffs and inspectors. If we expel too many Bailiffs who surrender, even if we rush to recruit staff, there will be an administrative vacuum during that time. And I don’t know what the Architel Duke might do using that administrative vacuum.”

“If the Duke is meticulous enough to instigate a rebellion… he could do anything using that administrative vacuum.”

“Second, the remaining Bailiffs need to believe that they have all been abandoned by their superiors to the spies of the Architel Duke lurking here. If the Duke believes he has been forsaken by the lower-level administrators, the scope of his future operations will be reduced. He’ll have no collaborators.”

Alps, the inspector, nodded at my words and asked.

“What’s the third reason then?”

“To gain justification to punish those who remain neutral or sided with the Architel Duke. No matter how we communicate with that adversary Duke, I need justification to punish those who did not participate in the rebellion. Especially to persuade those who have been administrators for a long time.”

After discussing that, regarding the level of punishment…

I had intended to behead or execute those attempting to actively partake in the rebellion…

But for the people of our territory, execution might not be as effective as shooting…

Because of their traumatic experiences with guns.

Moreover, those who did not confess would be demoted to serfs on the grounds of disobeying the Lord’s decree and forcibly exiled with their families.

At first glance, it may seem like a lenient decision for those who remained neutral…

But the family of the Bailiff branded with exile will be unable to do anything proper wherever they go, living a miserable life as urban poor.

**

A week later.

I issued a command in front of the assembled Bailiffs in the conference room.

“There are those among you who conspired for rebellion. Arrest all of them.”

As soon as I finished speaking, heavily armed soldiers began pouring into the training ground.