Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Cruel Tax Collector
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After having the knights disguise themselves as adventurers, Lee Shin went to the territory's guild.
He was there to accept quests that would raise his contribution points for the territory.
“I'd like to accept a quest.”
“Hmm?”
At Lee Shin's words, the receptionist, who had been dozing off, groggily rubbed his eyes and sat up.
He looked Lee Shin up and down a couple of times before asking.
“A new adventurer?”
“I'm not new, but this is my first time in the Ampiri territory.”
“Then you’re new. Simple as that. Go register as an adventurer first.”
“Can I do it right now?”
“If you have the money. The registration fee is 1,000 gold.”
“Here.”
[1,000 gold has been deducted.]
[Registration as an adventurer with the guild is complete. You can now accept territory quests.]
[As your adventurer rank increases, you can accept more difficult quests.]
[Current Rank: D]
“Is there anything I can do right away?”
In response to Lee Shin's question, the receptionist pointed to the wall with an annoyed expression and said.
“Go look over there.”
“……?”
The wall was packed with quests that D-rank adventurers could take.
They were easy enough for anyone to do. As such, the rewards weren't very good.
Lee Shin shook his head and asked.
“Isn't there anything else?”
“What do you mean, ‘anything else’?”
“I want to earn more contribution points…”
“There's nothing I can do about that. Raise your rank first and then come back.”
[Current rank is D.]
[After completing 20 D-rank quests, you can take the promotion test.]
‘Twenty?’
Lee Shin frowned.
That's quite a lot…
Of course, since the quests weren't difficult, he could do them if he had to, but he didn't want to take the long way around if he didn't have to.
“Ahem.”
“??”
“Would this perhaps be of any help?”
After glancing around.
Lee Shin discreetly handed over a pouch of money.
“I can give you more if it's not enough.”
“What is this… Whaaaat!?!??”
The receptionist, who had been looking at Lee Shin with a disdainful expression, gaped when he saw the amount inside.
A wave of shimmering gold!
It was too much money to refuse.
The receptionist immediately changed his tune.
“…Ahem! This is strictly against the rules, but seeing your ‘sincerity,’ I'll make a small adjustment for you.”
“Thank you.”
“It goes without saying, but you can't tell anyone about this!”
“Haha, I know.”
*Ting.*
[Your adventurer rank has increased.]
[Current Rank: A]
[You can now accept most quests available at the guild.]
‘Oh?’
Lee Shin's eyes widened.
Straight to A-rank!
He thought he'd get a rank or two at most, but the bribe was more effective than he'd expected.
He had spent a lot of gold, but it was fine since he could easily take it all back and more if he won the territory war.
[You have bribed the guild receptionist and falsified documents!]
[Warning.]
[If this is discovered, your qualifications will be revoked and you may be imprisoned.]
‘Whatever.’
As long as I don't get caught, it's fine.
No, even if I do get caught, I can probably use my position as a diplomat to get out of it once.
Of course, I'd have to pay bail, but that money would come from the Count's pocket.
Lee Shin casually ignored the stream of warning messages and asked.
“I'd like a recommendation for a high-difficulty quest. Is there anything suitable?”
“Of course. What kind are you looking for?”
“Anything is fine, but… I'd prefer something with high contribution points rather than gold or experience.”
“Just contribution points?”
“Yes.”
“Then I have just the thing. Choose from these.”
“?”
*Ting.*
Territory Quest (B) - Tax Collection
The economy of the Ampiri territory has collapsed due to the lord's incompetence and the corruption of his officials.
As the residents' lives have grown harsher, tax collection has become increasingly difficult.
However, you can always squeeze something out of a seemingly dry rag!
Persuade the residents who refuse to pay taxes and collect the money by any means necessary.
• Taxes to be collected: 0/999,999 gold
• Reward: A large amount of contribution points
Territory Quest (B) - Arresting Wanted Criminals
With a ruined economy and shattered public order, the Ampiri territory has naturally begun to attract numerous criminals and swindlers.
Most of them are petty criminals, but bounties have been placed on those who have committed serious crimes.
For the sake of the territory's security, arrest the wanted criminals.
Occasionally, innocent citizens are wrongfully put on the wanted list, but for the stability of the territory, this is a necessary evil.
• Wanted criminals to arrest: 0/9
• Reward: A large amount of contribution points
Territory Quest (B) - Riot Suppression
Riots often break out in the Ampiri territory.
Suppress the riots to protect the peace of the territory and appease the lord's displeasure.
• Riots to suppress: 0/1
• Reward: A large amount of contribution points
As expected of quests focused on contribution points rather than gold or experience, most of them were related to the territory's public order or administration.
‘None of these are bad.’
That was Lee Shin's assessment after reading through them.
Tax collection was just a matter of squeezing them until they paid…
Suppressing riots or arresting wanted criminals didn't seem easy, but it didn't really matter since he'd have the knights do the hard work anyway.
‘I'll just do them all.’
[You accept all quests.]
***
After leaving the guild, Lee Shin handed equipment to the knights and said.
“For the time being, switch your gear to this.”
“Sir?”
Iron Club
A club made of iron.
It hurts if you get hit hard.
• Attack Power +3
• 5% chance to cause a bruise on hit.
The knights, who received the dull chunks of iron, tilted their heads in confusion and asked.
“…We already have swords that are much better than this?”
“You can't use swords.”
“Sir?”
“Why is that?”
“Looks like I need to explain. From now on, we're going to collect taxes. The clubs are for that.”
If they resisted paying taxes, he had to beat them into submission to get the money, and using swords for that would kill them.
At Lee Shin's words, the knights replied with troubled expressions.
“Tax collection…”
“That's a bit…”
“Do you think they have any taxes to pay?”
The last remark revealed the knights' true feelings.
Even to them, the residents of the Ampiri territory seemed too impoverished.
It seemed less like they wouldn't pay taxes and more like they couldn't…
Was it truly right to squeeze taxes out of such people?
“I'm sorry, but we cannot follow that order.”
“I agree.”
[The command is dishonorable.]
[The knights refuse the command!]
‘As expected.’
The command was refused!
Of course, Lee Shin had anticipated this.
It was only natural for knights who valued honor to feel resistant.
For this exact moment, Lee Shin gave them the answer he had prepared in advance.
“You're looking at it the wrong way.”
“Sir?”
“Look at them. Do you think their lives will improve if we collect a little less tax?”
“That is…”
The knights trailed off.
Just as Lee Shin said, as long as the lord was incompetent and the officials were corrupt, it was obvious the residents' lives wouldn't get any better.
Lee Shin pressed this point.
“Wouldn't it be better for us to thoroughly take over this territory and save them from this wicked lord?”
“……!”
“Of course, as knights, it will be difficult to see them suffer for now…”
But in the long run, this might actually be better.
It wasn't a proposal born from goodwill, but regardless of his intentions, Lee Shin's words were rational in their own way.
The knights conferred among themselves for a moment before replying.
“…You are right.”
“Our thinking was shortsighted.”
[You have persuaded the knights.]
[The knights obey the command.]
“If you understand, grab your tools.”
“We have them.”
“Good. Then, let's start with that house over there. Let's go.”
“Yes, sir!”
***
*Clank.*
“It's locked.”
“Then break it.”
“…Yes, sir.”
*CRASH!*
The knights kicked down the firmly locked door.
It seemed to have been bolted quite securely, but it was no match for a knight's strength, and the entire door was torn from its frame.
“Come out!”
“……”
“Is no one home?”
At the knights' shout, a resident with a grimy face soon came out from inside.
An expression full of wariness.
Lee Shin asked.
“Charles. Is that you?”
“It is, but who are you…?”
“We're here to collect taxes.”
“…Oh, no!”
*Thud!*
“Please, spare my life! *Sob sob*!”
The moment Lee Shin finished speaking, Charles prostrated himself and burst into tears.
A truly pathetic sight!
For a moment, even the knights' gazes wavered.
But Lee Shin was completely unmoved by his plea and replied coldly.
“When did I say I was going to kill you? I said to pay your taxes.”
“Where would I get the money to pay taxes!”
“We'll find out once we search. …Begin.”
“…Y-Yes, sir!”
As Lee Shin spoke, looking over his shoulder, the knights approached Charles with hesitant steps.
“Umm…”
“……”
Expressions revealing their hesitation!
But soon, as if recalling what Lee Shin had said earlier, they bit their lower lips and swung their clubs.
*Thwack! Thwack-thwack!*
“Ack! Aaargh!”
“Hmph!”
“…Aaaaaargh!”
A brutal beating ensued!
Lee Shin, who had been watching silently, interjected at the right moment and asked.
“Do you really have nothing to pay?”
“…Keuk! Didn't I say I have nothing!”
“……Hmm, a shame. It seems you haven't come to your senses yet. Continue.”
“Yes, sir!”
*Thwack! Thwack-thwack!!*
“Ack! Kuaargh!”
“Taxes.”
“I told you, I don't have any!”
“Hmm…”
*THWACK!*
“…Ack! Please, stop…!”
“Well now. I'd love to, but I can't stop until you pay your taxes.”
“What…!?”
“Continue.”
“Yes, sir!”
*THWACK-THWACK-THWACK! THWACK!*
…*Crack!*
“…Ugh! Aaaaaargh!”
“Taxes.”
“*Sob!* I'll pay, I'll pay! So please, just stop…!”
[The resident is overcome with fear.]
[The resident pays the taxes.]
[7,700 gold has been collected.]
The taxes were finally collected!
It was a result born from brutally cornering the resident, so much so that "forcibly extorted from his meager living" was a more accurate description.
But Lee Shin didn't stop there.
“Is this all?”
“Yes…?”
“Hmm, it seems you still haven't come to your senses…”
“…! I-I'll give you more!”
[An additional 1,000 gold has been collected.]
“Good.”
“……”
“If you'd just done this from the start, we could have avoided all this trouble. Don't you think?”
[You have acquired the title, <Cruel Tax Collector>!]
[The residents of the territory now feel extreme hatred and fear towards you.]
[The amount of contribution points earned increases when you exceed the quest objective.]
“*Sob…!*”
Leaving Charles kneeling and crying, Lee Shin said to the knights.
“On to the next one.”
“Yes, sir.”
“From the looks of it, you can hit a little harder. Let's get it done quickly next time. We still have a lot of places to go. Got it?”
“……Yes, sir.”
***
Lee Shin's tax collection was merciless.
If anyone resisted, he had them beaten until they paid up.
He even frequently extorted more than the required amount for extra contribution points.
“Keuk…!”
“This isn't why I became a knight…”
In the process, the knights suffered greatly, torn between self-loathing and guilt, but Lee Shin simply smirked as the quota filled up steadily.
[9,700 gold in taxes collected.]
[10,300 gold in taxes collected.]
[9,900 gold in taxes collected.]
[4,700 gold in taxes collected.]
[…]
[…33,000 gold in additional taxes collected!]
[The residents feel extreme murderous intent and fear towards you.]
“…!”
“That man…”
Before long, rumors about Lee Shin had spread like wildfire among the residents!
As things turned out, there were quite a few cases of people fleeing before Lee Shin even arrived.
“There's no one inside.”
“Is that so?”
“……Are we just going to let it go?”
The knights looked at Lee Shin with expressions that screamed, 'Please let it go!'
But Lee Shin ignored their wishes and shook his head.
“Can't do that. That's all tax money… Let's put a bounty on them.”
“Whaaat!?”
“Just make up a charge. Something like 'Tax evasion and flight risk' should do, don't you think? …Hmm, speaking of which, let's pay a visit to the guard post.”
Lee Shin went straight to the guard post and actually requested a wanted poster.
At first, the guard official refused, saying he couldn't issue a wanted poster without evidence, but…
“A small gift from me.”
“Umm?! …Ahem, this is against regulations, but I'll make a special exception, considering your sincerity.”
Lee Shin handed over a hefty bribe, and the man immediately changed his tune.