Breaking the Cycle (1)
"You accepted the gift, so wouldn't this be a violation of business ethics?"
Perhaps he wasn't a complete fool, as Jenkin realized the situation wasn't a protest demanding more bribes.
"If you felt my sincerity was lacking, you could have just said so. Why go through the trouble of preparing something like this?"
However, a man whose dream, talent, and true calling is to be a civil servant is not easily swayed by such petty envelopes of cash.
Even in his past life, Aiden was an exemplary civil servant who had received the Public Service Integrity Award from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.
"Ah. Are you looking to contribute more to the Northern Development Fund?"
"The Northern... what?"
"The Northern Development Fund."
"What is that?"
Jenkin's eyes darted around in anxiety.
"You said it yourself earlier. That it was a show of sincerity for someone working for the North."
Aiden looked at him nonchalantly, picking at his ear.
"You know that donations are non-refundable, right?"
He had clearly stated it earlier.
That it would be used for a good cause.
Aiden looked up at the sky, his conscience completely clear.
"Um, Administrative Officer."
"Yes?"
"Is it really okay to do this?"
"What do you mean?"
Jenkin, who had been shouting that such a thing was impossible, was chased out by the hands of Brikal, the head chef.
While there were bodyguards and mercenaries from the merchant guild, the servants working in the Lord's Castle were pure-blooded Northerners.
In other words, their bone structure was different. Their bone structure.
In the face of overwhelming physical prowess, weapons and whatnot are usually unnecessary.
However, the adjutant seemed worried about the aftermath.
"It's not like we let those merchants get away with their tyranny because we liked them, sir. We've been bowing our heads because, as frustrating as it was, we could at least put food on the table thanks to them..."
"And that’s exactly why things ended up like this."
"Pardon?"
"Do you think there’s such a thing as a 'necessary evil' in this world?"
"But...!"
"No matter what label you slap on it, evil is just evil."
The adjutant wanted to refute Aiden's words, but he couldn't find the right thing to say.
"Adjutant, or rather, Jamie."
"...Yes, Administrative Officer."
"Let’s be honest. You know how much those guys have been fleecing the North until now, don't you?"
Jamie, the adjutant, bit his lip.
"Do you know why that was possible?"
"...I don't know."
"It’s because we handed them the handle of the knife."
Aiden shrugged.
He added the thought, 'Not that it’s your fault, though.'
What power could an adjutant have when he was being ignored even by low-level merchants?
The problem was the previous administrative officers who didn't do their jobs and only had other things on their minds.
"Handing them the handle of the knife...?"
"It means we were too desperate over a few sacks of grain."
"But we had no choice!"
Jamie protested.
"Right now...!"
"Because it was a matter of survival?"
Having had his words stolen, Jamie was left speechless, unable to finish his sentence.
"Because it’s a matter of survival, you should never have taken a submissive stance."
Once you show all the cards you have in your hand? The only thing left to do is rely on their mercy.
And as everyone knows, the plea of 'We're all going to die, so please show mercy just this once' only gives one realization to the majority of merchants whose eyes are blinded by gold.
For instance:
- Oh, so you guys can't do anything even if I do something terrible to you?
"Still, the residents will starve right now."
"That won't happen."
"Administrative Officer!"
"Why do you think this trade is only important to us?"
Aiden, who hadn't let go of his pen even during the conversation, set it down and stared straight at the adjutant.
"There is no such thing as a trade that only one side wants, Jamie."
Clatter.
Aiden pulled a few more new documents from his desk drawer.
Jamie wondered when on earth he had made those, too.
If you look closely, doesn't his new superior live as if his days are twice as long as everyone else's?
"Where are the other merchants?"
"I sent people to each village, so they should all be gathered at the Lord's Castle within a few days."
"Good."
"But is it really okay to leave Jenkin like that? He has the largest influence among the fur-trading guilds..."
"That’s exactly why I cut him off as an example."
"He’s not the type to just give up and leave the North."
"Then that’s even better. What are you worried about?"
Aiden looked as if he were actually hoping Jenkin would struggle.
"Anyway, don't ignore the smaller guilds. Treat them all the same. If the government gives special treatment to a few companies from the start, it always causes problems later on. You know what I mean, right?"
Jamie had the words 'No, I don't' stuck in his throat, but he brushed it off with a vague smile.
Aiden wasn't really looking for an answer, so he didn't blame him.
"Oh my, the work here is endless, truly endless. Ah! What about the map I asked for?"
"I'll bring it to you right away."
"Good. I went around to do the census myself this time, and the roads are such a mess that I couldn't grasp the topography at all. What about the farmland ledger?"
"Ah, that is still..."
"The vegetation survey table?"
"Th-that is also currently being drafted..."
"Eh? I gave you a week, so why?"
"That is..."
"What about the monster habitat classification?"
"That also needs a bit more time..."
"Surely you’ve finished the Lord's Castle inventory ledger, at least?"
"......"
"That’s strange. You seemed to be working hard, so why haven't you finished everything yet?"
"I apologize."
"Working hard is good, but working well is also important, okay?"
"...Yes."
Jamie, an ordinary person who couldn't live his days as if they were 48 hours long, felt a bit aggrieved.
'Looks like I'm working overtime tonight, too.'
Still, if the boss says jump, you jump. What else could he do?
With a slightly gloomy heart, Jamie had to return to his office with his arms full of work.
However, in one corner of his heart, a warm breeze seemed to be blowing.
It had been five years since he became an official with the sole determination to work for the North, his hometown where he was born and raised.
He had served three superiors until now, but he had never seen any proper work being done.
The only orders his previous superiors gave were things like, 'Go find me some liquor,' or 'Taxes are short, go find more,' and that was it.
Just as Jamie’s heart was slowly wearing down, he met his fourth superior, Aiden.
He was definitely a strange person, but...
'...Compared to my previous superiors...'
His current superior was someone who awakened a feeling Jamie had never felt before.
He didn't know how to define that feeling, but...
'Time to get to work!'
One thing was certain: it was different from the past, when he was crushed by a sense of defeat.
"Thank you for coming such a long way."
A few days later.
It was a day in April when the weather had warmed up quite a bit, as if spring were truly approaching.
"Haha. Th-thank you for welcoming us like this."
"Thanks to you, we’ve recovered from our fatigue, Administrative Officer."
The Lord's Castle was bustling with guests for the first time in a while.
They were all merchants who had come for fur trading in the North.
'He looks quite young.'
'So that greenhorn of an administrative officer really kicked Jenkin out?'
'A trade permit? Does he think he’s actually the Lord just because he came as a deputy?'
Some merchants scanned Aiden from head to toe, making no effort to hide their displeasure at the new procedures.
However,
'The fact that Jenkin’s bribe didn't work... Could this perhaps be an opportunity for our guild?'
'I’m not asking for much! I just hope we can secure more than last year!'
The guild leaders of some other groups secretly held expectations, as the situation had changed from previous years.
After all, opportunities are meant to bloom in the midst of crises.
"Now, now. Please, sit down. You should eat since it’s morning."
At Aiden’s words, the merchants took their seats one by one.
Food began to be served on the long table as if they had been waiting.
In truth, it was pathetic for a meal prepared by a deputy lord of a region, but everyone at the table knew that wasn't the point, so no one pointed it out to ruin the mood.
'They haven't paid a single cent in taxes yet, so why should I put effort into treating them?'
Of course, if he wanted to prepare, he could have provided a decent spread.
But Aiden had no intention of spending blood-earned tax money on outsiders who hadn't even contributed a single sack of flour to his storehouse.
'Originally, uh, the meal expense for a public official is 30,000 won per person.'
Clink, clink.
After a while, only the sound of cutlery hitting plates was intermittently heard in the awkward atmosphere.
"As I notified you in advance, starting this year, guilds without a Trade Permit will not be able to conduct business in the North."
"*Cough, cough!*"
One shouldn't even bother a dog while it’s eating, but Aiden wasn't the type of person with enough consideration to care about such things.
"You are all busy people, so let’s keep it brief."
Aiden set down his fork and met the eyes of everyone at the table one by one.
"There will be no compromises. No negotiations. If you don't like it, you can leave."
"But, Administrative Officer!"
"If you’re thinking of threatening us with food, you’d better drop it."
"......"
At Aiden’s firm words, the budding 'Jenkin 2.0s' who were preparing to wield food as a weapon were left speechless.
"Are you going to tell the residents of the North to endure suffering just to tame the merchants?"
At that moment, the only woman at the table spoke up.
"I am Kalisa."
She, with her cold gaze, was the merchant Aiden had been keeping an eye on from the start.
She was the only person who had shown interest, rather than annoyance, when he handed over the documents to apply for the trade permit.
"The residents of the North will not suffer."
Aiden asserted.
"Even if we gather all the villages scattered here and there, the population of the North is not even three thousand."
Some merchants wondered why he was reminding them of the North’s weaknesses himself, but the answer came soon.
"This Lord's Castle, it actually has quite a deep history, so I found there are things that would sell if I sold them."
"...Pardon?"
"Taxidermy, paintings, sculptures, weapons, furniture, horses, and carriages... If I take them all apart and sell them, I think I could secure enough food to feed the three thousand residents for at least two months."
Aiden picked up his fork again and cut a mouthful of gamey bear meat, putting it into his mouth.
"As you can see, here in the North, quality doesn't matter as long as we can fill our stomachs."
Chew, chew.
The bear meat still had a strong gamey smell, but—
Gulp.
Aiden swallowed the meat without even flinching.
"However, if you don't secure even a single fox pelt in this fur trade, you all..."
Aiden, having chewed and swallowed the bear meat, said with a vivid smile.
"I don't think things will be very pleasant for you."
The hand Aiden was counting on.
The North needs food to eat right now.
In other words, if they can somehow endure just the two months of the spring famine,
'The handle of the knife will be in our hands.'