Knights, Let’s Smash Them

125 – Now this tithe is ours (1)

When I opened my eyes, I was on my bed. After washing Petra, who fell asleep from exhaustion, she cautiously returned to sleep in case the other knights would find out.

Originally, it would have been irrelevant if she just collapsed in Petra’s room, but if she was caught sleeping naked with Petra, it would become quite complicated.

It was almost certain that I would not be able to see Cianne’s face or Lucy’s face properly.

Even though it’s not adultery, it’s trash.

‘So what should I do in the end?’

Petra’s voice, which had been whispering the words “I love you” Lingered. At the time, I couldn’t answer properly because I wasn’t in a hurry, but since I did, I wonder if we should go out…… ?

If I didn’t go out here, even I thought it would be trash.

No matter how much Petra attacked first, in the end, it wasn’t enough that he ate the juniors at the company, so he ended up eating them?

However, that worry did not last long.

“Good lunch, Commissioner Luberne Alroy. I slept without knowing much about the world. Did you sleep late last night?”

It was because vice-captain Emain Lua suddenly burst into the room.

“Lunch? What time is it by any chance?”

“It’s three in the afternoon. The sun rises in the middle of the sky and slowly sets.”

“I’m going crazy.”

No matter how tired you are, sleeping in until 3pm. This was the first time ever.

“By the way, the expression is quite…… You look emaciated.”

Emain Rua said looking at my face. As little as possible, I blamed it on drinking too much yesterday.

“Uh hmm~ Drinking too much. That’s right. You said you visited Count Marco Florence’s brewery.”

“Yeah, that was great. The vice-captain must have been there too, right?”

“Of course. To think that such an illusory paradise would enter Rupel’s estate…… I want to live with gratitude for the rest of my life.”

She smirked at her red hair. It was also a reaction like a lover.

I hear that a large brewery has opened in the neighborhood right next door.

“But did you really only drink alcohol?”

“Yes?”

“No…… The administrator I know didn’t become like this just because he drank a little.”

Emain Lua asked with a mysterious expression.

Huh, are you saying that alcohol is weaker than I thought right now?

I have no choice but to take this as a challenge.

But there was no need to go for provocation. It’s just that I’m just attaching useless sajok for no reason.

“hahahaha…… Aren’t you sick? Still, since I’ve been sober for five weeks, it’s only natural that my alcohol is weakening.”

“Sheesh, it goes well.”

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing~.”

Emain Lua said that and shrugged her shoulders. What? What is this complicated feeling of being insecure for some reason and yet receiving a king?

“Oh, and even if it’s a bit difficult, you have to come to the count’s house by 5 o’clock. He said he had something to discuss about the new parish.”

“I have to get up now…… You slept too long.”

As I stood up and stretched her, Emain gave her eyes a glance and added,

“Sure, Administrator Petra Bastion is on sick leave today. Not in good shape.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I said I was too ‘excessive’ last night… ….”

“Kheup, kek…… !”

As soon as the story of Petra came up, her breath stopped. She didn’t even drink water, but she coughed deeply because she felt sick.

It may have been said for the purpose of imparting information without malicious intent, but it was unavoidable that it was nerve-wracking.

“Then I have delivered all the news. I’m done!”

Emain murmured his last words as he ran out of the room. Did you even break into the room of someone who just woke up to say this?

…… But it’s not good

I thought I should take a look at it.

Because I still have vivid memories of last night.

***

“Gwa, it’s okay, I…… It’s really okay, so you can go to work.”

She went to meet her, but Petra wouldn’t open the door. Instead, he spoke in a half-drowned voice.

The voice…… She just had to sleep.

It was such an intense night that I had to forcefully cover my mouth with a pillow.

In general, it was Petra who made the loudest noise.

“That, Petra…… If… ….”

“It’s really okay. We’ll talk later, bro.”

There’s no need to drag out and meet someone who talks like that.

In the end, I failed to interview Petra and had no choice but to go to the count’s residence.

From noble mtl dot com.

Even in my absence, the task of creating an exclusive parish for Count Rupel was progressing steadily.

Above all, Saint Catherine decided to visit the manor and stay until the situation was over.

It was because there weren’t many people who could disagree with her opinion, which was nothing short of the living meaning of the Imperial Court.

As a guide for the newly arrived priests, Decart, a former wandering priest of the Knights, who had completed his adaptation to Rupel’s territory, was in charge.

The first parish church was decided to be established in Tiffen Village.

It was also an area that was directly attacked by the Blue Cross Society, and Catherine was very moved by the fact that goblins, who were mere monsters, gave their lives to protect the villagers.

“Sure, these goblins deserve the admiration of our Emperor’s Office. This Tiffen Village will become a symbol of the goodness of the Lord who has come to transcend races…… !!”

However, problems always pop up when you are most careless.

“I can’t do that! If you want to argue, make a formal protest to the Imperial Court that made the decision!!”

“Are you going to come out like this after all? If this is truly the will of Count Rupel, just know that the Marquis will not stand by!”

As soon as I arrived at the Count’s residence, I realized that the thing I was worried about had finally exploded.

Is that why you urgently sent an SOS?

“Whoa… ….”

I took a deep breath and entered the small conference room of the mansion where the voices were heard.

Then two people who were almost on the verge of grabbing the collar and fighting came in front of me.

“Lu, Lubern Magistrate!”

One was Treasurer Edwin Carleton, who could be considered completely on my side of the vassals, and the other was a fat man who looked like two or so treasurers put together.

“Huh? Ah, is that the Luvern Alroy of Rupel Manor?”

The treasurer of the Marquis of Karahan, a neighboring province.

I only knew the name, but did you say ‘Grundel Trianis’?

“Nice to meet you, I am Luverne Alroy, Administrator of the Snow Leopard Knights.”

Although I feel like I understand why they came, I should treat them as if they were guests.

However, if you bow your head politely, all that comes back is a thick word that touches a person’s pride.

“Enough with the greetings, explain the establishment of the parish in charge right away!”

f*ck, what are you doing to explain?

Why are you yelling at us for making such a decision at the Imperial Office?

Annoyance bubbled up from his throat.

Instead of casting a scolding letter, I carved three letters that I endured.

Even if it’s the same treasurer, it would look bad in many ways to see an administrative officer giving a damn to the treasurer of the marquis’s territory.

If you don’t, there’s a risk that Count Rupel’s prestige will be undermined. Are you not properly managing your vassals? With the same feeling.

“hahahaha, Treasurer Grundel Trianis, there seems to be a misunderstanding between us. The establishment of the parish in charge was not requested by us, but decided by the Hwanghwangcheong… ….”

“Isn’t the Emperor’s Office also moved because you all agreed!”

I bit my lip at the rude attitude that interrupted me and came in.

Yeah, I can’t afford it, and I’m a local baron, so I’ll forgive you.

But will our treasurer forgive me?

“What kind of habit is that! If you can’t even argue with the Imperial Court, don’t even bark!”

“What, what…… Howl, howl!? This is just about to go out!!”

“Iiik!!”

In the end, Edwin Carlton, treasurer, was grabbed by the collar, and the small meeting room quickly became a mess.

If it hadn’t been for the guards who heard the commotion and ran to it, we would have gone to a real fistfight.

Since there was a risk of a simple quarrel leading to a political fight between Youngji and Youngji, I should have stepped in before that…….

The scheduled meeting was urgently canceled.

I went and confronted Count Dionaos Rupel, who was suffering from this problem.

“What should I do?”

“Is there anything else the Imperial Office says?”

“I can’t intervene in disputes between territories, so the only answer was to resolve it yourself.”

It’s difficult.

Due to a decree originating from the very First Lateran Council, the Imperial Court declared complete separation from the imperial family—and furthermore, from aristocratic society.

If you sided with our territory here, you would be breaking the law.

“To officially and cleanly resolve disputes between territories, you will have to go to the highest court of the Empire.”

In the Volibert Empire, territory warfare has been officially banned.

In the past, it was common for all disputes that could have caused a territory war to be resolved by oneself without military mobilization, or to be mediated by the highest court by submitting a petition directly to the imperial family.

However, as in modern times, the problem was that the courts in this era were not always fair.

It is the highest court described as a representative central power along with the imperial family.

Therefore, judges in the courts were often not interested in local power, and naturally, in these disputes, they tended to prefer the side that enriched them more.

Of course, even in the highest court, there were no wise and conscientious judges who judged within the established law.

There were also those who did not.

If you dare to compare the ratio between real judges and corrupt judges…….

No, there is no need to ask.

It was obvious what the outcome would be without any calculations.

“If it were the Marquis of Karahan, it would surely do tricks. It would be embarrassing to take it all the way to the courthouse and get caught at least about the establishment of a parish in charge.”

“That worries me too… ….”

The Rupel Manor was just developing.

Inevitably, they will be pushed back in a power struggle with the Marquis of Karahan, which has established a strong link with the central side through the export of rock salt, a specialty product, for decades.

“Originally, it wasn’t that kind of territory… ….”

Count Rupel shook his head slowly as if he did not understand.

“Did something happen all of a sudden?”

“Last year, Sir Jexsen Karahan, originally the lord of the Marquis of Karahan, passed away due to a chronic illness. From then until now, his own son, Farneri Carahan, has assumed the position of acting lord.”

He continued to explain.

“However, it seems that the current deputy lord is not receiving good reviews from the locals. Despite bringing in great wealth through the export of rock salt, the villagers are struggling in poverty.”

What is it? You were just an ordinary aristocrat.

Actually, Count Dionaos Rupel is unusual, but most of the aristocrats I’ve met felt that way.

Is there any comfort for the common people?

Whether or not Young Ji-min starves to death, the people who want to pile up another gold bar in their safe and put another mouthful of fatty meat in my stomach.

“Perhaps the reason why they vote extremely against the establishment of a single parish is because it is obvious that the income that goes back to them will definitely decrease.”

“You can tell just by looking at it.”

“Money matters are sensitive. Furthermore…… Our territory owes a little ‘debt’ to Karahan…….”

I nodded.

I’ll say it again, the Rupel estate was on the brink of collapse until I came.

A time when the knights were only five, and the entire county had to depend on the mining town of Zaheed and the Baron Kirten due to the poor taxation of the territories.

That’s why, when I just took office, there were quite a few fans borrowed from neighboring estates.

Of course, there were also debts to the neighboring Marquis.

The Count seemed quite troubled.

For the development of the territory, a single parish had to be established.

However, it is also true that the pressure of the Marquis is also difficult to handle right now.

“…… Great. Then let’s try this.”

“Is there a way!”

Earl Rupel’s eyes twinkled.

Looking at it with such pure eyes, it was almost cognitive dissonance, because it was built like Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings.

“First of all, assuming that all debts are paid off, if the other side continues to pressurize us after that, we should also mobilize our personal connections.”

“Networking means… ….”

I added, snapping my fingers.

“Through the duchy of Hebron, the colossus Count Marco Florence, and most importantly, Saint Catherine.”