That's Just How Barbarians Are (1)
Fortunately, Aiden’s leg healed quickly.
Whether it was because he had been force-feeding himself protein or simply because it was time for the wound to mend, he couldn't be sure. What mattered was that he could return to work.
“I missed this!”
Aiden, who had arrived at his office in the dim light of dawn before even the roosters crowed, hummed a happy tune as he began to process the backlog of paperwork.
He had an external engagement that morning, so he needed to get through as many documents as possible.
“Hmm?”
As he briskly worked through the reports, Aiden noticed a few unfamiliar documents mixed in—ones that hadn't been there while he was bedridden.
'Is word finally starting to spread?'
There was a trade application from an outside merchant wanting to do business for the first time. An invitation to some sort of sponsorship event held in a neighboring territory. Even a proposal from a group offering to help exterminate monsters in the North, asking for the roads to be opened.
These were documents that immediately signaled that the North—which had clung to the Empire like an isolated island, devoid of any exchange with the surrounding regions—was finally beginning to attract interest, however trivial it might be.
“Hmm.”
Should he be happy about this?
'It’s too early to tell.'
Aiden’s contemplation began.
The territory closest to the North: the Lontes Viscountcy.
Well, even if it was the "closest," the North was such a vast region, and the land bordering it was mostly empty, uninhabited space. In reality, there was almost no sense of being neighbors.
“I hear rumors that the beggars in the North are living a bit better these days.”
“They are merely rumors, my Lord.”
“Even if the barbarians’ lives have improved, what could it amount to? A piece of black bread after starving, nothing more.”
At the Knight Commander’s words, the Lontes Viscount and his vassals burst into raucous laughter.
Even if Aiden had heard them, it would have been ambiguous whether to be angry or not. It was true that they had gone from starving like it was a daily routine to at least eating hard, black bread.
However, that didn't mean someone’s deep-seated poverty was a fitting subject for mockery. Nevertheless, the reason they could laugh like this was that they were the quintessential upper class of the Empire.
“Come to think of it, I sometimes wonder if it was a mistake for the great Founding Emperor to accept those Northern barbarians as subjects of our Empire. In what way do those wretches look like fellow Imperial citizens?”
“Indeed, that is true.”
“You speak the truth, my Lord.”
As the Lontes Viscount stroked his beard and spouted nonsense, his vassals immediately agreed, each tossing in a disparaging remark about the North. At this point, there was no need to discuss whether the water upstream was clear or muddy—it was just a swamp of filth.
“But my Lord. Regardless, we should verify whether their living conditions have truly improved.”
“Correct. Before they were embraced by the Empire, weren't they nomads who wandered around on horseback without any settlements? If this talk of improved living means they’ve eaten everything they had left and are making a desperate last stand, we must be prepared.”
“Are you saying the barbarians might come down?”
“Isn't that a distinct possibility?”
“In fact, pillaging suits the Northern barbarians better. We must prepare, my Lord.”
“Hmm, what shall we do...”
“First, why don't you send someone to verify it?”
“Verify?”
The adjutant, who had been silent until now, spoke up. His attitude was slightly different from the other vassals.
“Yes. If they have truly squandered all their assets to enjoy a final feast and have chosen to betray the Empire’s grace and return to being savages, we cannot simply stand by, can we? However, a new administrative officer was recently appointed from the capital, so there is a possibility that the Northern economy has genuinely recovered. If that is the case, we must work as quickly as possible to make the Northern economy dependent on us...”
“Hahahaha!”
But the adjutant couldn't finish his sentence, drowned out by the Lontes Viscount’s laughter.
“The adjutant hasn't been here from the capital long, so he doesn't know the Northern scum well.”
“Exactly. The Northern economy recovering? That’s absurd. Ha!”
“The caliber of the administrative officers who come to the North is obvious, isn't it?”
“Besides, if the barbarians were the type to change just because one administrative officer arrived, they wouldn't have been called barbarians in the first place. Ho ho.”
As the other vassals chimed in, the adjutant who had spoken was left feeling embarrassed.
“Anyway, I agree that we should verify it.”
He didn't know if life in the North had truly become easier, but it was about time they checked.
“At the very least, if they look like human beings, they won't come begging for grain this winter while crying about their plight, right?”
“True. They have no shame; they say the same thing every year. They must not get tired of it.”
“Hahahaha!”
At those words, the room erupted in laughter once again. Someone’s desperate food shortage was merely a punchline to them.
“Who shall go?”
“I will go and see for myself.”
The Treasurer, who had been leading the charge in disparaging and ignoring the Northern people throughout the meeting, immediately raised his hand.
“I will accompany you.”
The Viscount’s adjutant quickly followed suit. Realizing he was the only one among the Lontes vassals who maintained an objective view of the North, he decided he couldn't just trust the Treasurer’s word.
“Two people should be reliable enough. However, Adjutant. I have heard of your abilities, but the Treasurer has far superior experience regarding the North. Consider him your senior from the academy and assist him well.”
“Yes, my Lord. I will keep that in mind.”
Thus, a party was formed to verify the state of the North. The pretext was decided: they would offer help in exterminating the Northern monsters.
“What do you want to do?”
Aiden asked his two adjutants about the proposal sent from the Lontes Viscountcy.
“Wouldn't it be better to refuse? It certainly isn't a good intention.”
“Correct. It’s definitely espionage. Those wretches have sent people here under such excuses once every year or two to check on us.”
“So this isn't the first time?”
“Yes. Whenever they think we have something decent, they get bloodshot eyes trying to tear it away. They are no different from demons.”
“What did the previous administrative officers do?”
“...Well, they were too busy granting permission and handing everything over...”
Sometimes it was logging, other times it was horse trading, and sometimes it was even people.
“People? What do you mean?”
“To use as mercenaries...”
The previous administrative officers, who had received bribes, let the logging happen for free, sold horses at a pittance, and practically embezzled the people’s ransoms. Even when the Treasurer from that side brazenly claimed, "We fed them, housed them, and sent them back without maiming them, so what’s the problem?" the previous officers were too busy agreeing with them for a few gold coins.
It was staggering to think how many packs of jackals had been clinging to the North, which was already struggling to survive.
Grind.
Jamie gritted his teeth, saying that even now, he would wake up in the middle of the night just thinking about those times.
Though he was becoming a happy muscle-head now, hearing his past stories made it clear he had seen his fair share of hell.
'I suppose that personality is how he survived until now.'
Aiden felt a pang of pity and tried to comfort him, but—
“Someday, I will definitely hang that bastard in the middle of the village!”
CRASH!
Crrrack—
As Jamie slammed his fist down, a crack ran straight through the center of the table.
...Right. You handle the revenge yourself. You can clearly do it on your own, buddy.
“So, refuse?”
“There is no pretext to refuse. According to Imperial law, it is stated that for the sake of public order in a territory without a lord, neighboring lords can raise troops to assist.”
“Why don't we have a lord? We have the Administrative Officer!”
“Don't be unreasonable, Jamie. The Administrative Officer has the status of a deputy lord, but he isn't a lord entrusted with full authority by His Majesty the Emperor. You know this, so why are you like this?”
“...Because I’m angry.”
“Now, now. So it’s settled. Refusal is impossible.”
“Yes.”
“...Yes.”
Jamie’s shoulders slumped, but Aiden pretended not to notice for now.
“Then let’s think about what we can squeeze out of them.”
“...Excuse me?”
“They said they came to help, didn't they? Then we should receive that help.”
At Aiden’s words, the two adjutants’ eyes widened. And they thought:
'Ah, our Administrative Officer has a plan for everything!'
They had trusted him all along!
“But Administrative Officer, there’s no way they would actually help us, is there?”
Kalisa, perhaps having less faith than Jamie, voiced her concern.
“We just have to make it so they have no choice but to help.”
“......?”
“Let’s see, how much can we squeeze out of them?”
Of course, Aiden was always confident. Whether it was friendship or love, he was always full of self-assurance when it came to work.
Ah, but before that.
“We should hide our assets as much as possible, right? If we look too tempting, all sorts of thieves will swarm here.”
You see, until you truly succeed in a big way, you shouldn't go around showing off your money.
“First, prepare to clear out the first floor. It’s about time to open the Administrative Welfare Center, isn't it?”
“Yes, since the finishing touches are being done, we can prepare to move immediately.”
“Good. Let’s hide everything that looks like it’s running well.”
“What should we do about the mail carriage?”
“We have to leave that as is. But cover it with cloth so they can't tell what it is.”
“Yes.”
“Right. Can you find me an outfit?”
“An outfit?”
“Yes. Something flashy, but... how should I put it, not high-class?”
“...Excuse me?”
Kalisa tilted her head. Wasn't it usually the opposite?
“So, you’re looking for something high-class but not flashy?”
“No, something flashy but not high-class. Clothes that make you look like a nouveau riche at a glance.”
“...Are you going to make Jamie wear it?”
“I’m going to wear it.”
“?”
Wait, why is this man who only owns one suit suddenly acting like this?
Some time later, early autumn.
Neighhh!
“Look there, the Lord’s Castle is finally in sight.”
The Treasurer of Lontes, who had been on a long journey for the first time in a while, felt his whole body aching. He wanted to get out of the carriage and lie down on a soft bed.
“It’s my first time in the North, but the castle is quite impressive. It seems focused entirely on defense without any frills...”
“Impressive? What are you talking about? The castle lacks elegance and is quite useless. Adjutant, you need to improve your eye for aesthetics. Ho ho!”
“Ah, yes...”
The adjutant, Roland, found the Treasurer uncomfortable. From the moment they set out, the man would belittle him whenever he said anything; it was truly grating.
“Look, it seems the deputy lord is out to greet us.”
“He seems like a man who knows his manners. Yes, that’s how it should be.”
As Roland changed the subject, the Treasurer’s face brightened immediately. He had hoped the new administrative officer would be someone he could talk to, and it seemed he was in luck.
'It was a good idea to volunteer.'
Seeing the new Northern administrative officer dressed in flashy silk from afar, he felt that things would go smoothly.
'If I take all the weapons those soldiers are holding and give them to our barracks, everyone will be happy, right?'
Of course, Aiden—who was wearing unusually flashy clothes and had slicked his hair back with oil until it looked greasy—was thinking the same thing. In his eyes, the party from Lontes was nothing more than a golden goblin.