126 – Now this tithe is ours (2)
“So what are the conditions offered by Count Rupel?”
“First of all, I will pay off my current debt immediately.”
At my words, the fat treasurer’s expression shook for an instant. Paying back in one shot is possible only for those who have enough money.
“Immediately!? All that money?! Well, then of course this…….”
“This amount includes interest and principal. What would you do if you had to pay the interest?”
The additional condition to enter was also cut off in advance. It might have been considered rude in hindsight, but I decided not to pay any attention to it.
This is petty revenge for cutting me off earlier, dude.
But apart from revenge, it seemed necessary to shut this piglet’s mouth in a different way.
“And this is a small gift from Count Rupel to Treasurer Grundel Trianis.”
When I handed over the small treasure chest, greed filled his eyes. I think it’s a really easy reaction to see that there’s no sign of hiding it at all.
Grundel carefully opens the treasure chest. Then, the beautifully crafted jewelry was reflected in the light and shimmered.
The gold mined in Tiffen Village is carefully crafted by a Dwarf craftsman staying in the village.
At least dozens of gold coins will go out.
“Keuhmm, uhm…… !!”
The treasurer couldn’t take his eyes off the brilliant figure, then cleared his throat and closed the lid of the box.
“Well, since you showed this level of sincerity and said you would pay off all the debts you owed, I think we can compromise on that part.”
“Please take good care of me.”
I shook hands with the fat man with a grin.
Hey bastard.
From noble mtl dot com.
In this world, even 7-year-olds don’t have the calluses that are basically all equipped, so it seems that they have lived a life of goodwill.
“I will speak to my deputy lord of Karahan, kuhmm… …. I didn’t know that, but unlike you, he’s quite a talented person.”
His attitude of contempt for administrators was gone, but he shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the conference room with a treasure chest tucked under his side.
In the end, since this is a problem caused by the logic of money, it can be solved with the logic of money.
Originally, when something irritating happens somewhere, it can be solved roughly by using this method.
However, the deputy lord of the Marquis of Karahan seemed to be much more stupid than I expected.
“Lubern Administrator!! A letter has arrived from the Marquis of Karahan!”
Not long after the treasurer went back, the contents the messenger brought were truly spectacle.
“More interest?”
“What nonsense is this…… !!”
Originally, the annual interest promised was 8% of the principal amount.
That alone was practically close to the maximum interest rate set by Imperial Law of 12%.
Because that 8% was the standard last year when the maximum interest rate was only 10%, it was argued that they should receive more money equal to the newly increased interest rate this year.
Do you know what kind of imperial mint they are?
Among those letters, there was one delivered to me separately from Treasurer Grundel Trianis, whom I sweetly bribed.
It was about feeling sorry for not being able to overcome the stubbornness of the assistant manager, Yeongju, even though he tried hard.
I thought I would just wipe my mouth after eating everything, but it seems that I made an effort in my own way.
However, apart from the pig treasurer’s efforts, the situation has already entered a catastrophe.
How much blood these bastards have sucked so far, are you going to eat more here?
“What should I do now? I guess I have no choice but to go to the highest court of the empire.”
Judge Arthur Tarantino, the de facto leader of the vassals, asked in a mixed voice.
As someone who was in charge of the law, he knew all too well how corrupt the imperial court was.
In fact, the only people who could break this situation were me, the judge, and Edwin Carlton, the treasurer.
The money issue between the territories was something that the magistrates, tribunes, and de facto honorary consuls involved in the lives of the territories could not do anything about.
“I think we’re about to leave anyway, but we don’t need to be treated like gentlemen.”
“That means… ….”
“What are we going to do with the older brothers?”
I smiled leisurely at the two of them and added.
“I was supposed to meet with Princess Lilia of Hebron tomorrow.”
***
Lilia Hebron had been preparing for her outing since early morning.
It was a little earlier than usual, but now, as the sun is getting longer, the morning training time seems to be getting longer, so the maids hurriedly brought armor.
The Lady of Hebron was such a person.
Despite her status as a princess, she is a knight who claims to be the captain of the knights, eats and sleeps with her subordinates, and defeats monsters at the forefront.
“Overnight the tanner had her trimmed.”
The lady-in-waiting brought out armor with a subtle gray sheen, she said.
However, Lilia Hebron put on a puzzled expression for a while.
“Ah…… Well, today is not training…… Going out…….”
She said in a crawling voice.
“Oh, you see! Sorry. Of course I knew you were going out for morning training…… If so, I will prepare the greaves right away.”
What the ladies-in-waiting brought was heavy armor.
Lilia Hebron’s usual street clothes were light armor.
As the captain of the 2nd division of the Wolf Pack Knights, she always went out dressed in her armor even when she went out normally. It was a matter of course that light armor, which was relatively lightweight and flexible, was more active than heavy armor used for training.
That was the moment when the ladies-in-waiting put away their heavy armor and quickly left the room.
“That, that…… No armor needed today. Instead of that…….”
“What do you mean you don’t need armor?”
“Outing clothes, not armor…… Buy something fresh…….”
At the same time, the movements of the maids froze all at once.
Nice street clothes?
The Lady of Grelia Hebron?
The lady-in-waiting doubted her ears at the moment, but jumped up from her seat when she checked the princess’s cheeks, which were starting to turn as red as her eyes.
“Oh, my God! Sorry!! We’ll bring it right now! What, what are you doing! Come on, without starting the lady’s preparations!”
“Yes…… Yes!!”
The ladies-in-waiting began to move urgently.
She never wore her private clothes except when she had to reveal her identity as her princess, so the fact that she prepared to go out separately spread throughout her dukedom in no time. .
“Woo, white dress? Would you like a white dress!?”
“That’s too much…… ! I don’t even know who you’re dating!”
“How many people do you think the young lady would take the time to meet? … ! Never, never! It must be a man who has been showing interest lately!”
For the ladies-in-waiting, whose only gossip was talking about rumors circulating in the duke’s residence and neighboring estates, there couldn’t be a more interesting topic to talk about.
“Same knight? Or the sons of the nobles of the surrounding estates?”
“Then doesn’t the white dress suit you?”
“It may be the first meeting, but it may feel too burdensome…… , First of all, it will suit you best if you look natural, whether or not you are dressed up.”
“Okay! Let’s go to Kuanku!!”
The ladies-in-waiting, with the hearts of warriors going into battle, began to bring clothes and cosmetics that are currently in vogue among nobles in the capital.
“There are 12 types of costumes prepared. Which one do you like the most?”
“Eh, ah, no, there is no need to over-prepare like this—”
“Okay. From here to here, I don’t like it. As expected, the color is too bright, isn’t it?”
The ladies-in-waiting began to dress up the princess in perfect order.
Put on a dress with modest lace and decorations, and tighten the corset.
Like the dresses that were removed a while ago, a color that was too bright could give a promiscuous impression along with the princess’s gray hair, so it was a combination of black and red that gave off a serious yet luxurious feeling.
“Something looks like riding clothes…”
“As expected, young lady, you have eyes to see. It’s a dress that’s trending in the capital these days!!”
Recently, women’s horseback riding has been in vogue in the capital city, so it was an outfit that perfectly jumped on the trend.
If you go into the capital as it is, the social world will surely say, “Oh, are you someone who can play a little?” It was clear that he would receive attention as a person with an excellent fashion sense.
In addition, let’s add vitality to the pale skin and even apply rouge to the lips.
“How are you, young lady?”
“…… Ah.”
Standing in front of the mirror, Lilia Hebron fell into cognitive dissonance.
She is not herself.
I don’t think you dressed up like this the last time you went to a social church in the capital, right?
The moment she realized that, she began to worry that Lubern Alroy might misunderstand her strangely.
But the ladies-in-waiting next to you said that if it were now, even the crown prince would be able to seduce them.
She says that the Duke will be surprised, and that he will fall in love at first sight no matter how good the other person is and that the Duke will come as his son-in-law.
Lilia said she couldn’t say that she felt that her outfit was too overdone…… !!
That’s because the outfit wasn’t weird, it was just awkward.
She was actually very pretty even in her own eyes, although she said this.
Besides, the lady-in-waiting didn’t stop her ladies-in-waiting from running amok, and even poured her oil into the atmosphere while stealing her tears behind her.
“I thought I would have something to write about one day, but I never thought that day would come so quickly… …. It’s so beautiful, princess.”
“Thank you, everyone. You worked hard.”
In the end, she was swept away by the atmosphere and had no choice but to leave the duke’s residence in that state.
“Lillia vs, no, princess…… Are you going to the imperial ball today? But why is the direction heading to Rupel’s estate?”
“Be quiet, Kisaraz.”
“Yes. But you are really pretty…….”
“Ah!! I want you to be quiet—!?”
Of course, it was a bonus to head to Rupel Manor while being teased by the subordinate knights who were entrusted with escort.