Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: To Avoid Enrolling in the Academy (3)
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I said all that, but truth be told, I was in a pretty dire spot.
If I had enough money and time, I was confident I could pull off some kind of miracle that would shock these people. But all I had left was nine days and about seventeen gold coins.
In that situation, it was next to impossible—not to create some technical marvel like the pulley system I'd just made, but to achieve something that showed my chops as a ruler.
Still, if I gave up now... I'd just get dragged off to the academy without accomplishing a damn thing.
So, to turn this around, I started combing through the vast store of knowledge in my head.
How had historical figures handled situations like this? What did this era really need? What could I actually do?
I mulled it over for hours—no, pushing past ten hours—until I finally found a starting point.
The great rulers and wise emperors who left their names in history went out themselves to hear the voices and needs of the common folk. Ordinary lords just listened to their advisors and did their best in the directions they thought the people needed.
So, once again, I decided to prepare myself to learn about the lives of the commoners living in the Kroitel Barony.
Not some half-assed noble's inspection tour like last time, but to get real, living information on the lives of the 99% who made up the era's masses.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The day after I presented the baron with the well bucket using the compound pulley system, Baldt and I hit the road, disguised as a wandering knight and the young master of a fallen house.
Baldt grumbled in a voice half-worried about me, half-annoyed that we had to go this far.
"Young Master, do we really have to go to these lengths? Even if I don't mind, aren't you the heir to the Kroitel baron's house? And you're seriously thinking of dressing up like this—a wandering knight for me and a down-on-his-luck noble young master for you? Those clothes are total rags!"
In Europe, wandering knights were knights who'd been formally dubbed but had no land, making them poorer than city folk.
Some even ditched their honor to become bandit knights, raiding merchants or serf villages just to scrape by. Their lives were that pathetic.
As a result, wandering knights were often treated worse than fallen yangban from the Joseon era.
And the young master they served? He wouldn't get any better treatment... They were basically commoners.
"If I'm just gonna get sent to the academy without lifting a finger, I'd rather squirm around trying something like this. It'll at least ease the frustration, Baldt."
"Just a few days ago, you were all about noble dignity... This sudden change is hard to get used to."
So, to convince him, I spoke in a serious tone.
"Baldt, sure, I made that well bucket and salvaged some honor... but I can't settle for that. So I'm doing whatever it takes—even this—to get results and reclaim my reputation."
"But..."
"If even this works, it'll be an honorable victory. Come on. From now on, we're a wandering knight and his young master."
With that, I pushed open the door to the inn.
As the door swung wide, a massive cauldron dominated the center of the room, surrounded by rough wooden chairs and tables crammed everywhere.
Oak barrels lined the walls for beer, and at the far end past the door sat the counter and kitchen.
Inside, laborers and village merchants were knocking back drinks and chatting away.
"Listen up, kid. Back in my day, when the grown-ups gave us booze, we'd chug straight from the barrel. You think getting buzzed on that little bit was enough?"
"N-no... I-I'm not... d-drunk..."
"Aigoo, someone's gonna die over there. Hey, Gordon... I get you're excited about the new guy, but ease up."
"If I'd just been five years younger... I'd have pounced on Lina from next door..."
"Even five years younger, you're still thirty! Marrying an eighteen-year-old Lina at that age? Pure bandit scum mentality. Guy can't even get married 'cause his standards for women are sky-high... The way he talks..."
"When I was twenty, the village girls lined up for me! There just wasn't one who caught my eye."
I ignored them and took an empty seat, dragging Baldt along.
Baldt called over a server and ordered.
"Two big beers, jerky, and grilled herring."
"Anything else?"
"That'll do."
While Baldt ordered, I scanned the inn carefully, looking for anyone drowning their sorrows alone.
And there—one guy, nursing his drink in the corner, looking all mopey.
"Hey, buy that man in the corner whatever he wants and ask if he can join us."
The server eyed me up—probably pegged me as some broke noble kid—and replied curtly.
"Right away, young master."
Moments later, the guy I'd summoned plopped down with us, and our snacks plus two beers arrived.
Baldt and I downed the big mugs—nothing like Korean beer, no crispness at all—then turned to the man.
"First time in these parts. Know anything about the area?"
"Booze first. Pay up for the info—ain't free."
"Get this fine gentleman a small keg of beer."
Soon as the keg arrived, he poured a glass and slammed it like a man dying of thirst, then started talking.
"Kroitel Barony's got a decent lord compared to other fiefs. Lower taxes, even lends out farm tools... Yeah, it's livable. So us bottom-feeders can scrape together enough to hit the tavern once a week, if we live near the castle—not every day, but close."
"Near the castle? What do you mean?"
"So, what line of work you in?"
"Me? I haul loads for the trade caravans that come through every morning till night. Any heavy lifting, I'm there. Sometimes escort them as a guard. But what about you, young master?"
Baldt barked loudly at that.
"Even if the young master's from a fallen noble house, that's rude! What's with all the questions?"
"Easy, easy, Baldt."
I reined him in and whipped up a backstory on the spot.
"Lost a land dispute in Romania, been wandering ever since. Looking for a decent spot to settle, ended up here. Hunting for a lord to serve, but haven't found one yet."
The drinking man chuckled.
"Don't try serving here, young master. Lord's a good guy, but some officials under him have sticky fingers."
"What? Lord's decent, but his bureaucrats are corrupt?"
"Been going on a few years now. If the lord can't keep his underlings in check, they see their chance and gorge. I came here from a village run by this Bailiff Mars... Taxes so high..."
The barony had about 100,000 souls.
Even with the baron and his officials watching closely, blind spots were inevitable.
Joseon sent secret royal inspectors to root it out and still couldn't. In a world without even that? Easy pickings.
But reporting budget embezzlement to the baron on just this testimony? I'd probably get laughed out—or worse.
Commoners aren't always saints; some cry embezzlement even on legit taxes.
"What's the name of the place?"
"Windheim."
Putting the pieces together, it was plenty plausible Bailiff Mars was skimming in Windheim.
If I investigated his crimes, reported crystal-clear proof to the baron, and cleared the serfs' grievances... Even a stubborn, education-obsessed baron couldn't claim I lacked ruling talent and force me to the academy.
Once I'd heard that much, I stood, handed a silver coin to the counter server, and said,
"Give that guy whatever booze and snacks he wants."
No time to waste. Had to move fast.
If you don't seize opportunity when it knocks, God won't give you another shot.