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Vol 01 Chapter 23-2: King Ferme

「Why did they have to flee? It would have been better had they rebelled. Then there’d be no need for me to chase them…」

Ferme said this with a hint of annoyance.

If he found it such a hassle, he didn’t need to go in person. But he was earnest at heart, so he made the effort to go himself.

His decisiveness and serious nature were what made him king.

「Are you really going to kill everyone?」

「Of course. If we show even a little mercy, the same thing will happen again.」

Since it was only thirty people this time, it wouldn’t have a significant impact on taxes. But if it were a hundred or two, it would be a different story.

It was better to nip any possibility of rebellion in the bud.

「Listen. It’s important to do these brutal things once, and thoroughly. Don’t worry, we’re ready to invade King Rosais’ Country. We’ll fill the people’s bellies with the food we get from the invasion.」

「Hmm, is that so? No, I am well aware of the king’s strength. The problem, however, lies with the landowners.」

The landowners, who had conspired with Ferme to overthrow the Aris Family. They now harbored dissatisfaction towards Ferme.

The continued high taxes, the lack of prestigious appointments, and a lifestyle less luxurious than during Ragou Aris time. Their dissatisfaction only continued to grow.

「Hmph, leave those guys be. They’re good for nothing anyway. Even if they ally with King Rosais, it won’t be a significant loss. Rather, it’s a chance to deal with them all at once. The real problem is those who still swear loyalty to Ragou.」

Ragou Aris was hardly what one would call a wise ruler. He made several big blunders. And as it could be inferred from his defeat against Ferme in battle, he wasn’t a great general either. However, he was a kind person, and many soldiers and generals had sworn loyalty to Ragou.

They only superficially accepted Ferme’s rule and were waiting for an opportunity to rebel.

But kindness alone does not fill people’s stomachs. Ultimately, Ragou fell victim to a plot orchestrated by the powerful landowners aligned with Ferme.

「Now, overlooking that damn brat was a mistake.」

「She’s dead. A ten-year-old child wandering alone in the forest couldn’t possibly survive. By now, she’s probably been consumed by wolves.」

His aide reassured him, suggesting he was overthinking.

「My king! We’ve located them.」

「Good work. Where?」

「Just a bit south from here. But…」

The magician paused, hesitating slightly.

「There’s what appears to be a village there. Their scent is coming from there.」

「A village?」

Ferme mused, recalling rumors of a village under Griffon’s protection.

But he had thought it was merely a rumor. He had assumed it was at most a group of children barely managing to survive together. He had presumed the so-called evidence, such as the Griffon feathers, to have naturally fallen from the creature, and that the iron swords were probably scavenged from corpses.

That’s what he had believed.

However, the actual existence of this village altered the entire scenario.

「This is troubling… even we are incapable of defeating the gods.」

「I’ve heard that Griffon doesn’t involve himself in human conflicts. It shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, that guy’s territory is much deeper in. It shouldn’t be a problem.」

Ferme stated this confidently.

Indeed, Griffon had recognized Almus and his group as independent entities and had ceased their support. So, his prediction was correct.

「Right. In the worst case, if the Griffon shows up, we just have to retreat immediately.」

His aide muttered under his breath.

After a while, the view opened up, and the trees thinned out, increasing the number of stumps.

「Is that it? It’s quite a sizable village.」

Ferme murmured, observing the village in the distance. From the number of houses and the extent of the fields, he estimated the village housed about a hundred to a hundred and fifty people. The village had a simple fence and ditch, perhaps as protection against wolves.

「Hmm? Someone’s coming out.」

Approximately forty to fifty villagers emerged, armed and ready, at the village entrance. They were armed with bows and swords.

「Shall we exterminate them?」

「No, there’s no need. They seem to want to talk.」

One man from the group stepped forward. He was riding a horse. The man slowly advanced, stopping about a hundred meters away. The man then raised his voice, shouting,

「What brings you here, King Ferme?」

Ferme, slightly surprised, responded.

「First, identify yourself.」

「I am Almus, the ruler of this village.」

Ferme observed the man who called himself Almus. From his height and the vague appearance of his face, he could tell the man was young.

「I have come here pursuing some peasants from my country who have fled to this village! Hand them over peacefully!」

「We cannot simply allow you to kill people in front of us. We can’t comply.」

He figured out that I was planning to massacre everyone?

Such a terrifying thought would not normally cross a person’s mind. This man must be sharp-witted or experienced in politics.

「Let’s talk then. Come here alone!」

Commanded by Ferme. The young man started walking forward alone, showing considerable courage.

He stopped about ten meters away. Close enough for Ferme to see his face.

The man had gray hair and eyes. His muscular physique was evident even through his clothes, which were of high quality.

「Nice to meet you, King Ferme. Should I come closer?」

「No, that won’t be necessary. It wouldn’t make you comfortable, either.」

Ferme replied.

「So, why won’t you return them?」

「Our village has a small population. If you’re going to kill them, it wouldn’t make a difference whether we accept them or not, right?」

The young man answered without showing any fear of Ferme. He seemed to have a strong resolve.

「I cannot allow that. I have my own dignity to uphold. I need their corpses.」

「Then there’s no problem. I have the remains of bandits who once attacked our village. Only bones, though. They’ve been displayed for a while, but we’ve grown tired of seeing them so you may have them.」

Ferme’s face wrinkled in distaste at those words. The young man seemed decent at first glance, but he was a tricky one.

Even Ferme, known for his ruthlessness, found the idea of displaying skeletons distasteful.

「There are not enough bones.」

「Then supplement them with animal bones. I have some you can use. Also, take their clothes with you. It will add to the credibility.」

Ferme took a moment to ponder. For him, simply having proof that he had “killed” them sufficed. Therefore, accepting the young man’s proposal was an option. He could silence his soldiers if needed.

The enemy numbered forty, one-fifth of his own forces. Victory was certain, but a siege would cause considerable damage. Moreover, considering the refugees and other non-combatants, he preferred to avoid battle. It would be foolish to diminish his forces in such a place.

「Well, fine. But do you have the means to support thirty people?」

Ferme licked his lips.

「I will make your village part of my territory. Is that acceptable?」

「That’s fine. However, I would like a promise of autonomy.」

「No problem, as long as you pay the taxes. Let’s say… I’ll take eighty percent of your village’s harvest.」

Ferme never intended to govern such a village. He would simply take what he could. He didn’t need to show restraint, as these weren’t his own people.

Should they refuse, he would annihilate them. If they offered less than eighty percent, attacking would be more profitable, but more than that, it was better to accept the tribute.

As long as he had the grain, he could sustain his country for a while. After that, he could ignore such a village.

It wasn’t worth sending soldiers for, and it was close to King Rosais’ capital.

If we station troops here, this man will likely refuse. He might even seek help from King Rosais. If that happens, the troops we sent will be annihilated. In such a scenario, there would be no profit whatsoever.

「Right now?」

「Of course. Surely, you haven’t consumed your entire spring harvest already? I’ll warn you, there’s no point in trying to deceive me. Based on your village’s size, I can estimate your harvest capacity.」

If he waited for the payment, Almus would likely call King Rosais’s army. It had to be now.

With a larger army, we could have subdued the village with minimal damage… However, in the end, this village is merely an unforeseen bonus. It can’t be helped.

「Eighty percent? That’s too much. Can’t you accept sixty percent instead? In return, we’ll offer our village’s special products, honey and fur.」

「Oh, honey…」

Honey is very expensive and rarely eaten. Depending on the amount, it wasn’t a bad deal.

「Seventy percent. I’ll settle for that.」

「Understood. I’ll prepare it right away. Please wait a moment.」

After saying this, the young man headed back to the village. After a while, men came with a cart loaded with jars.

「Here you are.」

「That was quick. Were you prepared?」

Upon hearing Ferme’s words, the young man offered a strained smile.

「Well, it’s fine. We’ve obtained an unexpected harvest. Let’s return. Additionally, I must deal with those who leaked information about my arrival.」

Ferme turned his horse around and faced away from the village.