Chapter 198: I’d Prefer to Avoid War if Possible
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198: I’d Prefer to Avoid War if Possible
I didn't particularly plan on collecting taxes from them.
They weren't a wealthy group to begin with, and what I needed from them was combat power, not money.
I could squeeze the money out of someone else.
"I don't intend to collect taxes separately. Don't worry about it."
"Is that true? Can we put that in a contract?"
"I can write that for you."
"Hmm. This is the first time I've met a human who doesn't collect taxes."
"Just how hard are you planning to work us if you aren't taking taxes? Are you going to treat us like slaves?"
"No, it's nothing like that."
Their suspicion ran deep.
What exactly did taxes mean to them?
From what I heard, they were taxed on everything from land to a 'birth tax' whenever they had a child.
That’s insane.
Having to pay taxes just for the privilege of breathing... what kind of lives had these people been living?
Just what kind of countries were the Keislan Kingdom and the Catlan Empire?
Why was every rumor I heard about them a total horror story?
"For now, I'll write everything regarding taxes into the contract. I don't need to take money from you. My target customers aren't you anyway; they're Catlan and Keislan. Why would I take your hard-earned blood money when there are two countries overflowing with wealth?"
"You're going to extort money from those wicked bastards?"
If I slapped on tariffs and blocked all goods heading toward the Kingdom and Empire territories, they would be forced to pay.
I managed almost all the goods produced in the Underground City. If I choked off the distribution of these monster materials, it would cause a massive ripple effect.
‘I’ll probably take a big loss in the short term, though.’
From what I’d experienced living in this world, the Keislan Kingdom and the Catlan Empire were structured such that they couldn't even enjoy luxury goods without the Labyrinth City.
Countless monster byproducts produced in the Labyrinth were reprocessed and sold to the Empire and Kingdom.
The nobles of the great powers then used those materials to make shampoo, detergents, clothes, and various daily necessities, earning money and living well through redistribution.
Since this system had been maintained for so long, even the great powers had reached a point where they couldn't survive without the Labyrinth City.
Yes, you could call it the Master-Slave Dialectic.
They had developed bodies that could no longer function without the Labyrinth City.
So, if I openly decided to wreck their economies, they would have no choice but to cry and hand over the money.
Either that, or start a war.
"Extorting money from them... that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all year. It’s not like you’re planning to go to war. Ha."
"I don't like war either. But if they strike first, I'll have no choice but to fight."
"Were you actually considering war?"
For some reason, the Great Chieftain’s face looked delighted, which gave me a momentary chill.
This man seemed to want war.
"No, I'm not saying I'll start a war right now. I'm saying that if they declare war to kill us, we have to respond in kind."
"If you try to squeeze money out of them, those two nations won't just sit still. To begin with, if you arbitrarily block distribution, how do you plan to handle the backlash from the adventurers? Do you actually have a proper plan?"
"Rather than a proper plan, you could say I've gained the confidence to run a monopoly based on pure nerve."
"Confidence?"
The confidence that I could play hardball against Keislan and Catlan.
Of course, I didn't truly intend to fight an all-out war with both nations. This was just a 'what if' scenario.
I wasn't short on money right now, either. Although I disliked the two nations, our relationship was currently stable.
However, there was no guarantee it would stay that way forever. Beastmen and Elves were likely a significant part of the labor force for those two nations. If they all leaked away to the Labyrinth City, would the Keislan Kingdom and the Catlan Empire really just watch?
Even now, those great powers were constantly eyeing the Labyrinth City. We could be invaded by the Kingdom or the Empire at any time, and we had to plan with that always in mind.
We had to prepare for war. Just because I didn't want it didn't mean it wouldn't happen.
They might strike us first. Therefore, I always had to assume a state of war.
If I were just an ordinary adventurer, I wouldn't need to think like this. But now, I held a position of great responsibility in the Labyrinth City, and I had a duty to protect the city from external threats for the sake of the Labyrinth walkthrough.
"I think this is something I should ask in advance. What do you think of those two countries?"
"They're absolute dogs, to put it simply."
"I don't know if I should say this to a human, badmouthing human nations, but honestly, I want to wipe them off the map. Their attitude toward neighboring countries and other races is beyond excessive."
Everyone probably felt the same way.
Keislan and Catlan were strong.
Because they were strong, they acted like thugs with a medieval sensibility.
They had large populations and great power.
They invaded, seized, and extorted the territories of others whenever they felt like it.
The only reason they left the Labyrinth City alone was because it was home to many powerful adventurers, and it would be difficult for them to handle the Platinum Badges if they went on a rampage. Even so, they were currently desperate to extract any profit they could from the city.
If left alone, they would continue to covet our territory and attempt to invade.
The fact that they sent people to the Snake Nest was proof enough.
As long as they could seize it, they would try to take the Labyrinth at any time.
Honestly, looking at what those two countries were doing, it was impossible to feel any goodwill toward them.
"I feel much the same as you two. Most residents of the Labyrinth City probably hate Keislan and Catlan. Even those originally from there tend to despise their own countries."
In fact, the majority of those who flowed into the Labyrinth City were people disillusioned with the Kingdom and the Empire.
They held their homelands in contempt or hatred.
From an adventurer's perspective, it was hard to look kindly on two nations that were constantly causing trouble and acting out.
"Anyway, you asked about war, right?"
"Yes. Things won't go as easily as you think."
"If you start an economic attack, there's a high probability that either the Empire or the Kingdom will declare war. Right now, those bastards consider themselves the strongest."
"No matter how many strong people are in the Labyrinth City, there's no answer if they push in with sheer numbers."
"Even a Platinum Badge has to sleep. Even a superhuman can't handle an army of a hundred thousand or a million. If they push in with numbers and crush the city, the adventurers will eventually scatter and have to fight as insurgents."
"And some of them will switch sides entirely. That's the nature of adventurers, isn't it? Most will flock to whichever side offers more profit."
"Once we lose our home, the Labyrinth City, and scatter... that's the end. If the Labyrinth is taken, the enemy nations will start mass-producing Platinum Badges from then on. Am I wrong?"
"You're right. You're absolutely right."
It was true.
There was no answer if they pushed in with sheer numbers.
Until recently, that is.
"Ultimately, the problem is that their forces are absurdly large. If they attack with their population, the Labyrinth City will be scorched earth. However, I've recently gained confidence. Confidence that we can win."
I realized this after clearing the Snake Nest.
The Empire and the Kingdom relied on their population, but if I made up my mind to mass-produce troops using the monsters from the Snake Nest and unleashed them on their homelands, it would be a hell of a fight.
With the Fruit of Medusa I obtained by killing Medusa, and the Snake's Original Sin that awakened after eating it, I could infinitely summon Labyrinth monsters outside the Labyrinth.
Monsters usually require immense power and specific conditions to regress, but I could bring monster corpses from outside the Labyrinth and perform infinite Serpent summons.
If I produced Nagas, Lamias, and Primitive Lizardmen from the Serpents, and marched forward with summoned Gorgons, Medusas, and Hydras, which country could possibly stop me?
The moment the Snake Nest raid ended, I became certain.
I was no longer afraid of the human nations.
"For now, the tax and money issues won't get serious enough to lead to war. Since we haven't successfully cleared the 7th Floor yet, you can bring your tribes or people here once the 7th Floor is conquered."
"You're a man with more guts than I thought. To be prepared for war..."
"Do you have something to rely on? Adventurers alone won't be able to stop the Catlan Empire's million-man army."
The Catlan Empire had an army of a million?
Was the population really that large?
I knew it was big, but I honestly didn't realize it was that much.
It wasn't that I was particularly afraid or trembling at the thought of a million-man army, but the idea that I could potentially kill a million people with my own hands felt surreal.
"Well, most of them are just uneducated serfs."
"Ah."
Then it would be truly easy. Literally, I could kill all one million of them.
What could a militia with no combat experience do against an army of monsters?
If they put forward a militia of serfs, it would literally be like throwing the Imperial Army to the monsters as food.
Serpents and the monster army could devour almost any organic matter.
In fact, the more they ate, the more eggs they would lay.
For monsters, humans were the ultimate food source.
If a disorganized rabble came attacking, it would actually be a massive benefit for me, the one operating the monster army.
"The adventurers might not even need to step in."
"I sense no falsehood in your words."
"You're saying you're confident in fighting the Empire and the Kingdom. You're a madman."
The Elder and the Great Chieftain nodded, perhaps sensing the conviction in my expression and voice.
The Great Chieftain, who was particularly aggressive, looked extremely satisfied.
"For now, we have no choice but to believe you."
"There's no other answer anyway. Fine. We will help with the Labyrinth raid."
"Great. We'll likely begin the 6th Floor raid soon. Until then, let's strengthen the Beastmen and Elves as much as possible. I'll open the gates to the 5th Floor for you, so you can quickly adapt them to the mana."
After that, we discussed a few more details before parting ways for the time being.
The Great Chieftain would enter the Beastman Autonomous District newly delegated to the Druid Club President, and the Elf Elder decided to bring the Elves to my mansion and the surrounding residential complex.
My forces had grown. I now had non-human soldiers who would follow my orders, rather than just free-spirited adventurers.
‘All that’s left is the 6th Floor raid.’
Once we conquered the 6th Floor and could systematically extract resources, the gates to the 7th Floor would open.
We would be able to move forward once again.