Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Proclaiming Feudalism
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A heavy silence descended over the entire village.
The faces of people who had been brimming with anticipation just moments ago turned blank.
Their eyes all reflected the same emotion.
'Crazy bastard.'
I nearly burst out laughing.
Well, of course they would.
A monarchy to people from the 21st century?
It had to feel utterly absurd.
But how long would that sentiment last?
I continued speaking, ignoring the looks in their eyes.
"In case anyone doubts it, let me make it crystal clear. What I want is the restoration of the monarchy. Well, with how small our territory is now, it might be more accurate to say we're establishing a feudal state."
"...."
"Pioneers will become knights and ministers, Commoners will be laborers and farmers. And naturally, at the top will be me, the ruler."
"Crazy bastard."
Someone finally voiced their thought aloud.
As eyes turned to him, the man realized his mistake too late.
He hurriedly covered his mouth, but the damage was done.
Yet I just smiled calmly, even after identifying him.
"Yeah, it sounds insane, right? A feudal system in the 21st century? But do you know something?"
I scanned the crowd and shouted.
"Who the hell would protect people for free? Is this the South Korean army? Do you think we're still in a world where orders get followed blindly?"
No one gives orders, and no one blindly obeys them.
Even faction leaders are just representatives, not absolute commanders.
In a way, it's a world where everyone is equal—for better or worse.
"Without people willing to follow orders, you need personal motivation. But no matter how I think about it, there's none! Why should we risk our lives for you people?"
"...!"
"You don't put in any effort even if we help! You don't do anything for us! When we talk to you sometimes, all we get is complaints! To be blunt, our tolerance is wearing thin!"
The Pioneers almost applauded at my outburst but hesitated.
Some even patted their chests in relief, as if I'd said what they'd always wanted to.
In contrast, the Commoners glared at me with twisted expressions.
If I weren't the strongest Pioneer, curses would have flown from all directions.
Unfortunately for them, my speech wasn't over yet.
"But I don't like the current situation either. We're supposed to cooperate, but if conflicts like this grow, we'll collapse from within. That's why I've come up with a radical solution."
"...."
"A universal fix to make Pioneers want to protect Commoners voluntarily. It's hierarchy—and the respect that comes with it!"
I clenched my fist like a dictator, pouring genuine conviction into it.
This was truly the only answer.
"Look up to us who fight with our lives on the line! Kneel and bow in respect! Pay taxes to fatten up the Pioneers and be grateful for your safe life without fighting!"
"You crazy fuck!"
"Are you joking right now!?"
"Cut the bullshit!"
Finally, curses erupted from those whose patience had run out.
They looked ready to charge at any moment.
If not for the safe zone's protection—or my own strength—they might have.
I let the insults pour over me before speaking.
"So what do you suggest? That we protect you for free, treat non-fighters like you equally without any compensation, and take your abuse while doing it?"
My gaze shifted to the Pioneers.
"Anyone want that?"
"...."
"...."
No Pioneer raised an objection.
Even Seo Chang-woo seemed speechless this time.
Surprisingly, with no pushback, the Commoners now looked flustered.
"I'm not suggesting this lightly. In exchange for respect, we'll protect you thoroughly. No arbitrary violence, no oppression. It's about creating a noble system with noblesse oblige."
"Bullshit! You're packaging classism so nicely!"
"Then do you have any other way?"
I stared down a Commoner who still hadn't backed down.
He flinched under my gaze but gritted his teeth defiantly.
"Way? Of course! If you didn't try to lord over everyone to begin with!
Just do what each of us can...!"
"Why shouldn't we lord over others?"
"W-what?"
"Why refuse the chance to rule? If you were in my shoes, would you turn down becoming CEO and stay a lowly employee?"
The very attempt to dominate is evil?
That's nonsense on stilts.
No one refuses power when it's offered.
Even those who gain it with far less effort feel no guilt.
So why would someone exposed to more danger reject it?
"No one will refuse the ruler's seat anyway. But what if that ruler harbors massive resentment toward Commoners? What if it's legal for Pioneers to beat, enslave, or kill you?"
"...!"
"I'm saying we divide things up before that happens. You think I'm pushing classes for no reason? It's to legally ban mistreatment in exchange for boosting Pioneer pride and giving us some pocket money."
If all Pioneers' dissatisfaction explodes, even a leader can't stop it.
No matter how much authority they have, without allies to fend off invasions, they're helpless.
To keep their position, they'd have to side with Pioneers.
And the greater the Pioneers' grievances, the bigger the shift.
"Let me say it again. I'm implementing a class system. Vote for whoever, but it's wise to respect Pioneers no matter who leads."
Unless you want crazed folks breaking into your home with knives someday.
No Commoner responded to my words.
And the resentment lingering in the corners of their eyes never faded.
No sooner had our speeches ended than Aaron began preparing the vote.
He offered to postpone if desired, but no one wanted that.
The system-handled vote, from start to tally, took less than ten minutes.
The results were as expected.
"Pioneer Seo Chang-woo has been elected as the first leader."
Choi Seung-hyuk ground his teeth, but I just shrugged it off.
If a few words from me could change it, it would've changed long ago.
My speech was just a preemptive warning.
If they ignored it and stuck to their guns, that was on them.
The newly elected leader Seo Chang-woo stepped forward and spoke.
"As I said before, nothing changes. Everything remains the same. No taxes, no oppression using this authority. However!"
"...?"
"As you've seen, the system—and the NPCs—discriminate between Pioneers and Commoners. And this discrimination will continue."
As the heavy topic everyone had avoided surfaced, faces grew somber.
Seo Chang-woo gauged the mood before emphasizing again.
"The only way to eliminate this fundamental discrimination is for everyone to strive to become Pioneers. I'm sure you've all felt it today. Those who want to level up, come to me—I'll help as much as I can."
His voice brimmed with confidence.
He must have sensed crisis from my speech and Choi Seung-hyuk's actions.
Thus, he was shedding his previous lukewarm attitude for proactive leadership.
"...."
"...."
But the reaction remained lukewarm.
No agreement—instead, people deliberately looked away.
In the ensuing awkward silence, Seo Chang-woo and his faction's Pioneers looked baffled.
"Y-you're probably still in shock. Rest well today, and come to me starting tomorrow."
He tacked on words despite the missed expectation, but I doubted it.
Tomorrow wouldn't change much.
Choi Seung-hyuk turned on his heel and left with his faction.
I had no reason to stay either, so I gathered my comrades to head home.
Whether sparked by me and Choi Seung-hyuk, people began trickling away.
Aaron approached the dazed Seo Chang-woo.
"Congratulations on your election as leader. If you have questions about governing the territory, feel free to ask me anytime."
"...Understood."
I smirked at the reluctant voice from behind.
He must be disoriented by the mismatch with his expectations.
But in my view, it hadn't even started yet.
How long would he last?
"Take this!"
Thud!
"Kiek...!"
With Park Sang-gu's shout, his iron mace shattered the gnoll's chest.
The gnoll flipped backward, twitched a few times, and went limp.
I clapped at the caved-in chest.
"Not bad? At first, you could only kill them with a headshot in one go."
"Aw, come on, that's old news. This is basic now."
Swoosh, thud!
An arrow whistled between grinning Park Sang-gu and me.
It pierced the head of a charging gnoll.
A perfect eye shot, bypassing the hard skull.
The gnoll collapsed without even a death cry, dead instantly.
"My level's risen a lot in this week. Combat feels natural now."
"The problem is you won't hit 20 from 19!"
Slash!
As if answering Yoon Ho-chan, Min Jae-yoon yelled and swung his sword left.
The blade sliced through hide, nearly severing the gnoll's neck.
Blood sprayed onto it; Min Jae-yoon flicked the sword to shake it off.
"Looks like grinding's the only way. Same as with hobgoblins."
"Should we move hunting grounds? We're pretty familiar with gnoll territory now."
"No, that's too risky."
I cut off Yoon Ho-chan's confident tone.
"For safety, at least three of us should hit 20 first. We struggled coming here with three at level 10."
"But with you here, hyung, we can handle it, right?"
"That's just survival odds. If I handle it, you get less EXP. It might yield less than farming here."
Especially if hunting speed drops more than EXP gains from tougher foes.
Unfamiliar enemies turning out stronger could make it inefficient.
Farming gnolls like now might be better.
They all nodded in agreement.
"That Seo Chang-woo guy got elected leader but hasn't changed a thing."
"He said he wouldn't from the start, but it's been a week already."
Seo Chang-woo had faithfully kept his first pledge as leader.
Nothing touched, no authority used.
Just maintaining the previous order rigidly.
But to me, even that status quo was a ticking time bomb.
"It's not that he won't change—it’s that he can't."
"Pardon?"
"He said it from the beginning. He wants to show everyone the taste of money and turn them into Pioneers. Bluntly, the most efficient way is taxing us and distributing Magic Stones to Commoners."
Tax Pioneers, redistribute Magic Stones to Commoners.
Commoners taste profit, want to become Pioneers—loan them gear.
One success opens their eyes to far better rewards than labor quests; they'll hunt eagerly.
Brutal, but the fastest and most effective.
"Other Pioneers wouldn't stand for it. That's why he's barely maintaining the status quo."
Using authority to force compliance is easy.
The issue is when bottled-up resentment explodes.
Pioneers still hold the strongest force.
Crushing dissent could backfire catastrophically.
"He could play tyrant, suppress everyone, and try anyway. But Seo Chang-woo's personality doesn't fit."
If he could, he wouldn't spout such idealism.
Either way, he can't solve this alone.
With or without leader powers, Commoner cooperation is key.
And annoyingly for him, people hadn't changed either.
"Still no one stepping up to become Pioneers?"
"A couple tried, but family talked them out of it."
"No one else. They just take the Magic Stones."
"They barely touch the new labor quests either."
I figured as much.
Word was, even skepticism was growing in Seo Chang-woo's faction.
Better to use the stones themselves than waste on this.
Even Choi Seung-hyuk's group was mocking him now.
"At least no Pioneer infighting post-election. That's his one achievement."
"Why? Because of potential war later?"
"Yeah. Facing unknown enemies, we have to unite, like it or not."
"Speaking of, are there really other safe zones nearby? I can't spot any no matter how I look."
"There are. That's certain."
World Rebuild aimed for nation-building ultimately.
It wouldn't let us stay small-scale forever.
Voluntary merger or forced annexation—it'd scale us up.
"Once you hit 20, we'll scout. Find level 20 spots and other safe zones..."
-Fuck! What the hell is this!
-Just die, you bastards!
We froze at the distant screams laced with curses.
From the opposite direction of our team's safe zone.
If another faction came from a safe zone, they'd have run into us.
Since the screams came from farther away, only one answer.
They came straight from the opposite safe zone to gnoll territory.
I jumped up.
"Grab your weapons. We're going now."