Chapter 237
Episode 237
After the first Grand Hall Meeting, nobles who had been busy raising tax rates and collecting revenues couldn't help but frown at the military recruitment notices posted in the royal demesne.
"Stabilizing the kingdom by raising taxes to fund an army?"
"Is the king out of his mind?"
"More importantly, what does he plan to do with such a massive force? The existing military strength of MacLaine and Esperanza alone is already terrifying..."
Such unease drove many of them to gather in one place.
"Thank you for the invitation, Count."
"Ah, Baron Hamel. Welcome."
Jacques Juan smiled warmly at the noble who greeted him before quickly turning his attention elsewhere.
Though the gathering had been prompted by serious circumstances, he couldn't help but feel pleased.
The king's repeated missteps had left the nobility searching for a unifying figure—and that figure had become him.
'The king is a fool. It's almost baffling how he ever earned the title of hero.'
If he had held the combined might of Esperanza and MacLaine, he would have coaxed and appeased the surrounding nobles, gradually turning them into loyalists. Within a few years, the entire kingdom would have been the king's devoted followers.
'Taxes, armies—tsk, tsk. What a series of foolish moves. Well, it works in my favor.'
The absolute authority of the new king was steadily declining, and he stood at the center of the nobles opposing him.
The dream that once made his heart race was unfolding before his eyes.
In the current kingdom, where most dukes and marquises had vanished—save for the two families that served as the king's arms—the title of count wielded influence far beyond its rank.
Of course, the biggest reason for that was his own maneuvering.
"Ah! Count Ivan! It's been too long."
"Haha, didn't we just see each other at the Grand Hall Meeting? Your presence there was deeply impressive."
"Haha, think nothing of it. It was merely our duty to defend the rightful privileges of the nobility."
Even Ivan Claude, a fellow count, bowed his head to him. It felt as though the seat of power he had once only imagined was now within his grasp.
"Now, now, esteemed guests. Thank you for responding to my humble invitation. Given the troubling state of affairs, we blue-blooded nobles must unite our strength to overcome this crisis. May today's gathering serve as the cornerstone for that long voyage."
As Jacques Juan finished speaking, applause erupted from all sides.
But the moment the ovation ended, a sharp voice poured cold water over the convivial atmosphere.
"The king is sharpening his blade against us. Let's skip the formalities and get straight to the point—what's our countermeasure? Do you have one, Count Jacques?"
Count Mike Teroda.
One of the few remaining counts in the kingdom voiced his displeasure without restraint.
Harboring ambitions similar to Jacques', he was displeased that the nobles had gathered at Juan's estate rather than his own.
Though aware of Mike's feelings, Jacques Juan merely smiled.
But his next words rendered Mike's earlier remark insignificant.
"Haha. There's no need for such grave concern, Count Mike."
"What?"
Mike's face twisted, and the expressions of the other nobles shifted to bewilderment.
"The king, who already commands overwhelming military strength, is raising tens of thousands more troops—and you say there's nothing to worry about? Knights are already abandoning their territories to enlist in his army! Do you think we gathered here for idle banter?"
Mike's outburst drew agreement from many nobles.
Even those originally classified as pro-MacLaine were uneasy—the king's recent actions had been nothing short of radical.
And yet Jacques claimed there was nothing to fear?
Despite the weight of their gazes, Jacques' gentle smile remained unshaken.
"You must look beneath the surface."
"Beneath the surface?"
"Where do you think the funds for such a massive army are coming from?"
"From the taxes he's extorting from us, of course! Who doesn't know that—?!"
"And those taxes are temporary."
"What...?!"
At those words, Mike and several other nobles' eyes flickered with realization.
"By my calculations, the taxes collected this time won't even sustain an army of that size for half a year. Even if MacLaine and Esperanza provide financial support, it'll be like pouring water into a bottomless jar. The king's army will drain the kingdom's two strongest families until they collapse."
Jacques Juan circulated a document containing his calculations.
Detailing the kingdom's total tax revenue and the projected financial contributions from MacLaine and Esperanza, it was something any noble with even a passing knowledge of finances would nod along to.
Even Mike Teroda, after scanning the document with trembling eyes, had no choice but to acknowledge the logic.
But he wasn't ready to concede so easily.
"So you're saying the king acted recklessly without forethought? Surely you don't take Logan MacLaine for a fool?"
Logan MacLaine.
The weight of that name instantly hardened the expressions of every noble present.
Jacques Juan himself flinched momentarily before catching himself and speaking with renewed conviction.
"He is young and hot-blooded. A war hero, a Transcendent who proved his strength through battle. But he is inexperienced."
"You underestimate him too much. You might regret it."
"Think about it, Count Mike. The moment he ascended the throne, he doubled taxes and began mass-producing troops. Does that sound like the action of a wise ruler?"
"..."
"Anyone can see it's a foolish policy with inevitable repercussions. No matter his past achievements, the present reality is what it is. History has shown time and again that heroes who become kings often turn into tyrants."
"It's not that simple."
Mike remained skeptical, but—
"Wasn't the previous king also rumored to be a prodigy? Yet look how he changed after taking the throne. Our own experiences and history prove that the throne has a way of corrupting."
Most nobles were already swayed by Jacques' words.
Sensing the shift in the room's atmosphere, Jacques delivered the final blow.
"And even if the king has some hidden scheme, the visible consequences of his misrule will linger. And if they don't—we'll make sure they do."
We.
The nobles flinched at that word.
"What is there to fear if we stand united? The rapid-fire crossbows that once symbolized MacLaine's dominance are now widespread across the kingdom. Transcendent forces? The era when a handful of elites dictated the battlefield is over—the king himself proved that."
A murmur spread through the room.
Coordinating nobles across the nation was no easy task, and Jacques hadn't presented a definitive counter to Transcendent forces.
Yet he could already sense the momentum shifting in his favor, even if his arguments contained some exaggeration.
"The times are changing. And we stand at the center of it. While the king stumbles from one misstep to another, we must unite to usher in a new era. So trust in me. I will represent you all and safeguard the status and authority of our nobility—the very heart of this kingdom!"
His confident voice rang out, and the gathered nobles began applauding, one by one.
Jacques Juan watched them with a satisfied smile.
"Somehow, we can make the budget work. Even if we raise an army of 50,000 as planned, with support from MacLaine and Esperanza, we can manage—tightly, but manage. After all, we have that."
Despite the dark circles under his eyes, Dwain maintained a forced smile.
'We've hit rock bottom in this hellish budget crisis. Somehow, we pulled it off!'
He wanted to pat himself on the back.
But his lord, who seemed to know only how to spend money, once again flipped his world upside down with an outrageous statement.
"We'll need to allocate the magic stones elsewhere for a few months."
"...Hahaha, don't joke like that. Hahaha... hah..."
Dwain tried to laugh it off, but the crimson eyes staring back at him were deadly serious.
"...Damn it."
The fury boiling inside him surged past its limit, turning his face red before exploding out of his mouth.
"You're really trying to kill me, aren't you?! Huh?! Just stab me in the gut instead!! It's impossible! No! Absolutely not!"
His desperate resistance was met with indifference.
"And let's pull some more funds to develop the wasteland west of the royal ridge. The one cut off by the mountain range where the Tenon River doesn't reach."
"Y-You can't mean—"
"Let's build another dam there. And we should try the Majeong Water farming method in the royal demesne and Esperanza territory too. Let's tighten our belts for just one more month, Dwain. Okay?"
"Again?! Why now?! How many projects do you plan to start while ignoring the budget?! Did becoming king make you lose your mind?!"
When his desperate pleas fell on deaf ears, the enraged administrator crossed the line.
But the king, fully aware of how unreasonable his demands were, only smiled bitterly and didn't rebuke his vassal.
Instead—
"Our territory proved it this year. Majeong Water farming lasts ten years. If we endure just a few more months with the dam construction, we'll have enough food to feed the army and surplus by the next harvest."
He spoke calmly, trying to persuade his vassal.
"Ugh..."
But Dwain's expression showed no signs of calming.
Still, Logan pressed on with detached resolve.
"Only we and the dwarves know about the magic stone mine. If we want to secure complete control over the kingdom within a year, this is the best way. Three months—that's all we need. Let's do it."
"Our territory..."
"Hm?"
"Our territory—MacLaine Territory—has no intention of raising taxes on its people further, even with this tax hike. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, I know."
Just as Logan was about to credit the Majeong Water farming for that, Dwain's next words froze his expression.
"If we follow Your Majesty's plan, MacLaine Territory will have to raise taxes and burden its people like the other territories. Diverting the magic stone mine's output for three months means exactly that. Do you understand what that implies, Your Majesty?"
"..."
"Even now, the people of your homeland still revere you. But this will make them curse you and turn their backs on you. Is that truly necessary?"
The words choked him.
Though he had expected opposition, Dwain's appeal—not based on financial reports but on the people's sentiments—left Logan momentarily speechless.
But—
After a brief hesitation, he spoke again, his face twisted in anguish.
"...One year. That's all we need. Before winter comes after the next harvest, everything will be back on track."
Dwain could only nod weakly, his face clouded with resignation.