Episode 71 18. Sweetheart, Debt Eats #3(4)
That was the problem.
The reason why Rockefeller unnecessarily pays off the lord’s debt, and also wants the lord’s daughter and his younger brother to marry.
“So, even if we have this land as collateral, it means that we cannot easily claim it because of the imperial law.”
“But isn’t the story over in front of the church members already?”
“That’s right. So, if it gets complicated, we can claim the right of the land. The problem is the process.”
Rockefeller continued.
“In order for us to claim the right to this land, we have to suddenly visit His Majesty and find the right to this land. But will the Majesty and the other nobles appreciate it? It happened because of my debt to Banco.”
Deprived of land because of debt to Banco?
There was no way the other lords or emperors would like this.
So their reaction is to be expected.
That’s why Rockefeller didn’t like the complicated process, so he thought of this.
“exactly… … I wouldn’t like it. Other lords will be wary of this, and your Majesty will not want to bother having another master sit here.”
“you’re right. But that doesn’t mean we can’t ignore us, who took this land as collateral.”
“That’s it… … Because God is watching.”
“Yes, that’s right. Since the pledge of collateral has already been signed in front of the church members, the Lord is in a position where he cannot properly exercise the right of this land. So what I mean is that this land has become very ambiguous. It means that no one can properly claim the rights of this land.”
A land where no one can claim any rights.
In fact, it’s like dead land, isn’t it?
Rockefeller continued.
“Of course, if we go through a lot of hard work, for example, if we finance the imperial family who are struggling financially, or if high-ranking bureaucrats with a strong voice or opposing aristocrats buy it with money, then that’s the problem. There is enough, but we can solve it.”
In the end, it was all about money.
“But in the end, it’s all about money, so it doesn’t seem to me to be doing that.”
By this point in the conversation, Stella could see what Rockefeller really wanted.
Rockefeller wanted to solve the troublesome process of making Montefeltro his own land through an agreement with the lord to some extent.
In return, the lord pays off debt.
And marrying himself to the Los Medici family as a promise and collateral for this.
That seemed to be what Rockefeller really wanted.
“So, I hope that we can reach an agreement among ourselves, so that we have the actual rights to this land, but have not reported it to His Majesty yet. And we are also a bit nervous about such a verbal contract, so we are thinking of welcoming you as a member of our family as a promise. If that happens, the lord will have only one child, so he won’t be able to say anything else later.”
After listening to him, Stella also realized that he was worth it.
The land that the emperor had bestowed upon the lord was more complicated than expected.
“What do I gain by doing that?”
“Of course, it is debt settlement. We will be responsible for all that debt. Instead, we have all the actual rights to the Montefeltro estate.”
Something she didn’t like, she showed an uncomfortable look.
“I am coming here to marry, it is for my father. Debt settlement is, of course, important. But I can’t trouble my father like that. Giving up everything because of debt… … .”
what she cares about.
Even Rockefeller didn’t know.
“Of course, to the lord, I will leave the castle and the surrounding land as it is. You have your face as a lord, but if you lose all that, how can you listen to the lord here? Shouldn’t the place where the lord lives at least belong to the lord?”
“What do you mean?”
The land will soon be lord.
The lord will soon land.
Rockefeller changed that idea.
‘I’ve been thinking about becoming a lord here too. The land is annoying, but since I have it in the form of collateral, I thought that I would be able to purchase the right to this land from the imperial family with a certain amount of money.’
So what was the problem?
‘But he was a little skeptical about the responsibilities and duties that he had to gain by becoming a lord. What I wanted was the power of the lord, not the job.’
The lord also had his own responsibilities and duties.
In the end, this was reluctant.
“What you said is true. The Lord will continue to be the Lord of this place in the future. Instead, we own the rights to this land, so of course we will have to pay taxes as well.”
Stella strongly questioned whether it was understood.
“That’s… … Is it possible?”
“Available. If they agree well with each other.”
“It’s not that, but if my father doesn’t collect taxes here, what kind of money are you going to use to run the estate?”
“Instead of paying taxes, we plan to take full responsibility for all the money we need to run the estate. From the shea’s salary to the maintenance of the estate and all the money used for defense. And it means that we are responsible for everything such as maintenance of dignity and salaries necessary for the activities of the Lord.”
In other words, it was said that the lord would be given control over the territory, but the finances of the territory would be separated and made into a half lord.
“Doesn’t that mean that no matter what your father does, he has to come to an agreement with you?”
“Exactly, you have to ask for my permission.”
Rockefeller continued.
“You won’t get any financial aid without me allowing you to do it.”
As Stella still looked uncomfortable, Rockefeller continued to speak in a very serious tone, as if he could not make concessions here.
“You must know clearly that the lord is entirely responsible for the debt problem of the lord, who inadvertently abused the loan. Only when we reach that level of agreement can we pay off all the debt the Lord owes. There is no other way.”
“… … .”
Stella continued to think.
Will you accept Rockefeller’s offer now?
Or will he find another way to solve his father’s debt problem?
‘Another way… … no. All I can do is accept that offer.’
If there was another way, she would have refused here without even thinking about it.
Because that’s right.
But nothing could be achieved without sacrifice.
After much deliberation, Stella began to shake her head.
“If you continue to acknowledge my father’s status until my father’s death, I have no intention of turning down the offer. There is no other way to pay off my father’s debts.”
At this point, even Rockefeller was able to show a pleasant smile.
“My proposal would not be such a bad one. Of course, from the lord’s point of view, it would be a bad thing, but if the young lady comes here to marry, the lord will understand.”
Stella continued, with the person most likely to object to this in mind.
“My father is probably against it, but I will try to convince him. So don’t worry too much about your father.”
“If you do that, we are just grateful. So, now that we’ve talked to each other well, let’s fill our stomachs. I just kept talking and I was hungry.”
When he finished speaking, Rockefeller confirmed what he was thinking.
‘What I hoped for was not the throne after all.’
A power that controls such a seat without knowing it or not.
They were what Rockefeller really wanted to be.
‘All I wanted was the power to achieve everything and true freedom to be forever freed from interference from others.’
strength and freedom.
What can you call a person who has it all?
Rockefeller thought so.
‘God. In a way.’
While Rockefeller was thinking about that for a while, Stella, who was about to eat again, suddenly asked what she was curious about.
“But how are you going to solve the debt problem?”
debt problem.
The debt the lord owed was not a penny or two.
Of course, the gold coins that Carter Banco had would solve the problem to some extent, but the amount was not small, so when she expressed concern, Rockefeller responded with a smile.
“Are you curious?”
“Yes, I am curious. It wouldn’t be a penny or two.”
Rockefeller decided not to explain himself and turned his gaze to Joshua, who was nearby.
Then Joshua noticed this and started to speak to Stella, who was only looking at Rockefeller.
“The debt problem is actually simple.”
As Joshua opened his mouth, Stella’s gaze naturally turned to Joshua.
“how? Wouldn’t it be such a simple matter?”
“The problem now is the Gold IOU that Youngji-min has, right? Everything that was issued as collateral was no different than a piece of tissue paper.”
“Yes.”
“It’s about bringing it back to life. Then it will all be over.”
“It… … Are you going to bring them back to life?”
As she tilted her head, not understanding, Joshua smiled like a Rockefeller.
“If you are curious, you can just keep an eye on it. How we solve the Lord’s debt problem.”
* * *
In the market square where you can see Yeongju Castle in the distance.
Youngji people who had heard the rumors had gathered and had come.
They came from the morning to the sound of solving the lord’s debt problem on this day, and there was an uproar, but the parties had not yet appeared.
“What are you talking about? Banco solves our IOU problem.”
“I came here after hearing the rumor. How are you going to solve it? Isn’t this already a piece of tissue paper?”
“That’s it.”
“In what way?”
“Let’s wait for a moment. Because I said there was an important announcement here.”
“What should I have done to the real bastard of that lord!”
“What the lord! Is that bastard a lord? You’re just a debtor.”
When the market is very cluttered with crowds of water.
There was a lord who appeared with the seers.
At the same time as the haggard lord appeared, the young people gathered in the market all booed and started shouting.
Most of them became beggars overnight due to the debtor lord.
woo woo
“Where are you crawling? Don’t get out of the castle right now!”
“You are pretending to be a lord in front of whom! I’ve never had a lord like you, so get rid of it!”
“You have to get hit by a guest to come to your senses! How the hell did you come out of the castle with the guts!”
“Do we look like hogu because we are still?”
“I want you to pay me back now!”
“Pay back the money on this IOU!”
Since the old castle, which I hate to hear from outside the castle every day, is getting so close, the lord’s head is pounding and he wants to turn the reins right away.
But the reason I couldn’t do it was because today is the day I am being saved.
In the market square where we arrived, there was something like a podium prepared in advance.
As far as the lord remembers, there was a memory of getting up there in the past and informing the ignorant Youngjimin about the totem war that took place outside the territory.
At that time, Youngji people praised themselves as the great lord and could not even make eye contact easily, but now they have to wash their eyes to find it.
‘How did I end up like this? Being scorned or scorned by such things and being ignored.’
Without a group of Shea escorting him, he was caught by angry Youngji-min on the way and killed without even knowing the mouse or bird.
Atmosphere that will cause a riot at any moment.
In such an atmosphere, the Overseer voiced the lord who had arrived at the center of the square.
“Come on the podium. You will be here soon.”