Chapter 452: Barbarian Revolution (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 452: Barbarian Revolution (1)
There were several special stats in Dungeon and Stone, some of which were hidden and didn't affect your General Combat Power. A prime example was the Reputation stat.
Though calling it a stat is a bit of a stretch.
If your Reputation stat was high, people around you began to take notice, which in turn increased your probability of experiencing special events, such as unexpected quests. In other words, this stat raised your base likeability with NPCs you were talking to or meeting for the first time. However, it was more window dressing than anything else.
Honestly, it's nothing more than a measure of your progress.
Essentially, you could say that cause and effect were reversed in this case. It wasn't that the player benefitted from being given the stat, but rather that the player was given the stat because they were already well-known and influential. Celebrities didn't get more famous and well-liked because their Fame stat went up. No, they were simply famous to begin with.
That was, in effect, how the Approval Rating stat worked as well. It raised your influence within your race while decreasing how often fellow members disagreed with you. Because of that, things like the success rate of your policies and the execution rate of your orders increased. The stat was generally useless when you were going down a regular adventurer route, but it became incredibly important if you were pursuing a leadership role.
Well, unless you were a barbarian.
[Your Approval Rating has increased by +1.]
[Your Approval Rating has increased by +1.]
[Your Approval Rating has increased by +1.]
[Your Approval Rating...]
[Your Approval Rating...]
As long as you followed the typical route to becoming the barbarian chieftain, your Approval Rating stat was extremely high from the jump. After all, you had to earn it the good old-fashioned way. Warriors held a great deal of respect for the chieftain's authority and followed their instructions without question.
The problem is that unlike other races, where you can keep your position indefinitely by maintaining a high Approval Rating, no guarantee will last forever here.
Anyone could challenge me for the position of chieftain at any moment. Even so, that wouldn't be a major issue for me. It actually worked to my advantage because it meant that no matter what mistakes I made, I'd never lose my position as chieftain so long as nobody could defeat me in combat.
...Still, I should work to keep my Approval Rating high. If it gets too low, these kids will all get depressed.
I sat there lost in thought while Ainar cleaned out the tent I'd be moving into as the new chieftain. After a while, she came over to me and said, "Bjorn! Why are you just standing there?!"
What an uncharacteristically foolish question coming from her. "Because I'm the chieftain."
"B-But... it's not fair to make me do it alone!"
"And Ainar, you are now an elder."
"...Elder? Me?" The news of her promotion smacked Ainar upside the head, leaving her dazed. Hm, was it really that unexpected?
"Of course you are! Where else would I possibly find a more reliable warrior than you, Ainar?"
She choked on her own spittle.
"Aren't you Ainar, second daughter of Fenelin?! One of the Seven Powerful, the Wild Sword?! I should instead be asking why the former elders and chieftain have been treating you like an ordinary warrior this whole time!"
"Well... I don't know about that, but..."
What was with her sudden lack of confidence?
"I am Bjorn, son of Yandel! Chieftain of the Barbarians! A baron of the kingdom of Rafdonia! So heed my words!"
When you wanted someone to hear you out, the best thing to do was put your status front and center.
[Your Approval Rating has increased by +1.]
In the end, Ainar didn't take much convincing. "I-Is that so?"
"Yes."
"A-All right! Then I'm an elder now!"
"Then can I ask you to finish cleaning? As the chieftain, I have other work I need to take care of. It's only natural that an elder would assist me."
"Of course! I'm happy to help out too!"
Ainar went back to cleaning without another word of complaint. I sat in my chair and closed my eyes. Not because I was sleepy, but because I had something to think through.
It's a lot worse than I thought...
The former chieftain had briefed me on the tribe's current situation, and things were somehow even worse than I'd imagined. There were issues with its finances, population size, general welfare, infrastructure... Listing out what wasn't a problem might be an easier task. It was a miracle that the tribe was functioning at all, and I wasn't sure where to start.
I guess I should have known there were going to be some complications.
After classifying the problems in order of urgency and difficulty, it became clear to me what I needed to do before anything else.
First up: Cabinet Reorganization.
This was the first quest I'd have to tackle as the new chieftain, though I wouldn't exactly call it anything as formal as a "reorganization."
"Hey... Bjorn?" Shortly after I'd closed my eyes, Ainar came over and carefully shook me on the shoulder.
"When we're in the holy land, call me Chieftain."
"Oh, then... Chieftain...?"
"Good. What is it?"
"I've been thinking, and... don't you think it's a little unfair for me, an elder, to do all these chores?!"
Tsk. This is the problem with kids who study...
She'd gotten a bit sharper about things like these after reading all those books.
"If you don't want to do it yourself, get another warrior to do it! Or go get another elder to do it! I... I hate cleaning!"
I laughed at her bold, self-interested declaration. "Fine, then stop cleaning."
"...Are you going to make another elder do it?"
"No. There are no other elders anyway, just you."
"...Huh? What do you mean?"
So she didn't know. I launched into my intro into what typically happened when a new chieftain took power. "All the original elders retired with the former chieftain."
"What?! Don't tell me those old timers all left because they didn't want to recognize you as our leader!"
"Calm down. That's not what happened."
At first, I'd also thought they were quitting because they were unhappy that a noble was becoming the chieftain, but it turned out something else was at play.
"Well... I don't know about that, but..."
What was with her sudden lack of confidence?
"I am Bjorn, son of Yandel! Chieftain of the Barbarians! A baron of the kingdom of Rafdonia! So heed my words!"
When you wanted someone to hear you out, the best thing to do was put your status front and center.
[Your Approval Rating has increased by +1.]
In the end, Ainar didn't take much convincing. "I-Is that so?"
"Yes."
"A-All right! Then I'm an elder now!"
"Then can I ask you to finish cleaning? As the chieftain, I have other work I need to take care of. It's only natural that an elder would assist me."
"Of course! I'm happy to help out too!"
Ainar went back to cleaning without another word of complaint. I sat in my chair and closed my eyes. Not because I was sleepy, but because I had something to think through.
It's a lot worse than I thought...
The former chieftain had briefed me on the tribe's current situation, and things were somehow even worse than I'd imagined. There were issues with its finances, population size, general welfare, infrastructure... Listing out what wasn't a problem might be an easier task. It was a miracle that the tribe was functioning at all, and I wasn't sure where to start.
I guess I should have known there were going to be some complications.
After classifying the problems in order of urgency and difficulty, it became clear to me what I needed to do before anything else.
First up: Cabinet Reorganization.
This was the first quest I'd have to tackle as the new chieftain, though I wouldn't exactly call it anything as formal as a "reorganization."
"Hey... Bjorn?" Shortly after I'd closed my eyes, Ainar came over and carefully shook me on the shoulder.
"When we're in the holy land, call me Chieftain."
"Oh, then... Chieftain...?"
"Good. What is it?"
"I've been thinking, and... don't you think it's a little unfair for me, an elder, to do all these chores?!"
Tsk. This is the problem with kids who study...
She'd gotten a bit sharper about things like these after reading all those books.
"If you don't want to do it yourself, get another warrior to do it! Or go get another elder to do it! I... I hate cleaning!"
I laughed at her bold, self-interested declaration. "Fine, then stop cleaning."
"...Are you going to make another elder do it?"
"No. There are no other elders anyway, just you."
"...Huh? What do you mean?"
So she didn't know. I launched into my intro into what typically happened when a new chieftain took power. "All the original elders retired with the former chieftain."
"What?! Don't tell me those old timers all left because they didn't want to recognize you as our leader!"
"Calm down. That's not what happened."
At first, I'd also thought they were quitting because they were unhappy that a noble was becoming the chieftain, but it turned out something else was at play.
"You're the chieftain, yet you're going back into the labyrinth? Haha! Do your best, then! Don't die like last time!"
The elders had been taken aback by my declaration that I wasn't going to quit being an adventurer, but they didn't seem to care that I was a noble at all. They were honestly just happy that they could finally retire.
"Kahaha, you're in for a rough time. I guess young warriors enjoy taking the hard road these days."
"Do your best! And if there's something you don't know, don't bother coming to me! I'm not going to do math anymore!"
It turned out all the former elders were warriors who had fought alongside the former chieftain and reluctantly took up their positions after he begged them to. The miserable old warriors had been complaining every day for years that they wanted to quit, yet somehow, the chieftain had managed to convince them to take up the pen as their weapon of choice.
"So don't hate them too much for trying to save a potion."
"...Hm?"
"I checked, and we really don't have any money left in this tribe."
Ainar had complained about and bad-mouthed the elders for not wanting to use a potion on the former chieftain and refusing to give the young warriors better weapons or shoes at their coming-of-age ceremony, but...
"Th-that was...!" She now looked like a young girl who just found out her parents were secretly working part-time jobs through the night to put her through school.
"Anyway, if there are any other warriors who are worthy of the elder role, recommend them to me. You'll probably know better than I do."
"That's... definitely true! After all, Bjorn, you are—"
"Chieftain."
"...Chieftain, you are busy taking care of the clan."
I sighed, grateful that she was at least willing to do that much for me. Ainar recommended a few warriors, but her voice trailed off as she scratched her head, deep in thought.
"Ainar, what's that expression for?" I probed, noticing something was wrong. "You look unsure about something."
Her shoulders sagged at my question. "I've only been listing my close friends that are good at fighting... but I'm not sure they will live up to your expectations..."
"What do you think I'm expecting?"
"Well... none of them can read."
"Oh, don't worry about that."
"Huh? Really?"
"Of course." I never expected to find anyone who could read to begin with. Apparently, the former elders only began to learn how to read and write after becoming elders. Plus... "I don't plan to entrust administrative duties to the elders like before."
How did they all think the barbarians ended up in this situation in the first place? We were never the type of people to read, count, or do admin work.
"I only need the elders to teach our young warriors how to fight and take care of each other."
"Huh? Then who is going to do everything else? No matter how smart you are, that'll be too much for you to do on your own."
I chuckled. "The answer lies inside the castle's walls. I plan to hire humans."
I was going to hire others to do the work for me. In other words, the barbarians were outsourcing.
***
"You're the chieftain, yet you're going back into the labyrinth? Haha! Do your best, then! Don't die like last time!"
The elders had been taken aback by my declaration that I wasn't going to quit being an adventurer, but they didn't seem to care that I was a noble at all. They were honestly just happy that they could finally retire.
"Kahaha, you're in for a rough time. I guess young warriors enjoy taking the hard road these days."
"Do your best! And if there's something you don't know, don't bother coming to me! I'm not going to do math anymore!"
It turned out all the former elders were warriors who had fought alongside the former chieftain and reluctantly took up their positions after he begged them to. The miserable old warriors had been complaining every day for years that they wanted to quit, yet somehow, the chieftain had managed to convince them to take up the pen as their weapon of choice.
"So don't hate them too much for trying to save a potion."
"...Hm?"
"I checked, and we really don't have any money left in this tribe."
Ainar had complained about and bad-mouthed the elders for not wanting to use a potion on the former chieftain and refusing to give the young warriors better weapons or shoes at their coming-of-age ceremony, but...
"Th-that was...!" She now looked like a young girl who just found out her parents were secretly working part-time jobs through the night to put her through school.
"Anyway, if there are any other warriors who are worthy of the elder role, recommend them to me. You'll probably know better than I do."
"That's... definitely true! After all, Bjorn, you are—"
"Chieftain."
"...Chieftain, you are busy taking care of the clan."
I sighed, grateful that she was at least willing to do that much for me. Ainar recommended a few warriors, but her voice trailed off as she scratched her head, deep in thought.
"Ainar, what's that expression for?" I probed, noticing something was wrong. "You look unsure about something."
Her shoulders sagged at my question. "I've only been listing my close friends that are good at fighting... but I'm not sure they will live up to your expectations..."
"What do you think I'm expecting?"
"Well... none of them can read."
"Oh, don't worry about that."
"Huh? Really?"
"Of course." I never expected to find anyone who could read to begin with. Apparently, the former elders only began to learn how to read and write after becoming elders. Plus... "I don't plan to entrust administrative duties to the elders like before."
How did they all think the barbarians ended up in this situation in the first place? We were never the type of people to read, count, or do admin work.
"I only need the elders to teach our young warriors how to fight and take care of each other."
"Huh? Then who is going to do everything else? No matter how smart you are, that'll be too much for you to do on your own."
I chuckled. "The answer lies inside the castle's walls. I plan to hire humans."
I was going to hire others to do the work for me. In other words, the barbarians were outsourcing.
***
I needed an office worker who was skilled in administrative affairs, and there was one person who fit the bill perfectly: Shavin Emoor, a rank-seven administrative official who just so happened to be a friend of mine.
I heard from Ragna that she was promoted to rank six recently but was fired soon after for some reason.
Of course, my chances of recruiting her weren't all that high. As far as I could tell, she'd refused Ragna's offer of work for the sake of preserving their friendship, which meant that she might reject my offer for a similar reason.
At the very least, I'll be able to get the names of a few good candidates from her.
That was all I needed right now, anyway. Finding talented individuals was great and all, but before that, I needed to pull together the funds to hire them.
What to do about the funds...
That was yet another problem without a solution. The tribe's savings were nearly at rock bottom. We barely had enough to pay for the weapons at the various coming-of-age ceremonies and meals for the underage warriors.
...First, I need to find a new source of income.
Instead of giving fish to a hungry man, you should teach him how to fish. To change the barbarians, I needed to completely rethink how the tribe made money. It didn't make sense to expect the warriors who were active in the labyrinth to make donations or leave their estates to the tribe if they died just because we were of the same race.
Money, huh?
No ideas stood out to me. For one, the barbarians had lived on their small plot of land for thousands of years, so there was surely no iron ore left to mine.
And I don't like the idea of metalwork either.
We might be able to produce high-quality metal by using our muscles to pound the iron, but that was about it. The blacksmiths in the city made armor of a much higher quality than we ever could, so changing our ways to become blacksmiths wasn't feasible in the first place. It would take time we didn't have, and our efforts would never allow us to surpass the dwarves.
...Is there really nothing we can do aside from fighting in the labyrinth? Damn, what the hell are barbarians, anyway?
After cursing the situation, something suddenly occurred to me. Why were the barbarians lacking funds when we were all capable of becoming adventurers? Adventurers earned a decent living and then some. Not only that, our warriors were taught from a young age to pay their taxes on time to help the tribe.
"Ainar."
Since I couldn't figure it out, I decided to ask a real barbarian for advice, but her response was surprising. "That's probably because... we are poor."
"No, I'm saying I can't understand the reason why you're poor. Aren't you all making decent money?"
"No way, that's just you! After we buy our equipment, drinks, and food, we barely have anything left!"
It was a passable excuse at first glance, but as an expert in all things barbarian, I interpreted her claim in a different light. The problem wasn't their income, but their spending. They spent overly large sums on themselves and invested mere leftover change into the tribe. That was why we were financially destitute.
"I, um... I promise you we're not stealing anything."
"I'm not saying you are. Just tell me where the money you spend goes."
"...You can't tell the other warriors I told you."
"I got it. Hurry up and say it."
"Well, the other warriors don't like selling their old equipment even after buying new stuff."
I needed an office worker who was skilled in administrative affairs, and there was one person who fit the bill perfectly: Shavin Emoor, a rank-seven administrative official who just so happened to be a friend of mine.
I heard from Ragna that she was promoted to rank six recently but was fired soon after for some reason.
Of course, my chances of recruiting her weren't all that high. As far as I could tell, she'd refused Ragna's offer of work for the sake of preserving their friendship, which meant that she might reject my offer for a similar reason.
At the very least, I'll be able to get the names of a few good candidates from her.
That was all I needed right now, anyway. Finding talented individuals was great and all, but before that, I needed to pull together the funds to hire them.
What to do about the funds...
That was yet another problem without a solution. The tribe's savings were nearly at rock bottom. We barely had enough to pay for the weapons at the various coming-of-age ceremonies and meals for the underage warriors.
...First, I need to find a new source of income.
Instead of giving fish to a hungry man, you should teach him how to fish. To change the barbarians, I needed to completely rethink how the tribe made money. It didn't make sense to expect the warriors who were active in the labyrinth to make donations or leave their estates to the tribe if they died just because we were of the same race.
Money, huh?
No ideas stood out to me. For one, the barbarians had lived on their small plot of land for thousands of years, so there was surely no iron ore left to mine.
And I don't like the idea of metalwork either.
We might be able to produce high-quality metal by using our muscles to pound the iron, but that was about it. The blacksmiths in the city made armor of a much higher quality than we ever could, so changing our ways to become blacksmiths wasn't feasible in the first place. It would take time we didn't have, and our efforts would never allow us to surpass the dwarves.
...Is there really nothing we can do aside from fighting in the labyrinth? Damn, what the hell are barbarians, anyway?
After cursing the situation, something suddenly occurred to me. Why were the barbarians lacking funds when we were all capable of becoming adventurers? Adventurers earned a decent living and then some. Not only that, our warriors were taught from a young age to pay their taxes on time to help the tribe.
"Ainar."
Since I couldn't figure it out, I decided to ask a real barbarian for advice, but her response was surprising. "That's probably because... we are poor."
"No, I'm saying I can't understand the reason why you're poor. Aren't you all making decent money?"
"No way, that's just you! After we buy our equipment, drinks, and food, we barely have anything left!"
It was a passable excuse at first glance, but as an expert in all things barbarian, I interpreted her claim in a different light. The problem wasn't their income, but their spending. They spent overly large sums on themselves and invested mere leftover change into the tribe. That was why we were financially destitute.
"I, um... I promise you we're not stealing anything."
"I'm not saying you are. Just tell me where the money you spend goes."
"...You can't tell the other warriors I told you."
"I got it. Hurry up and say it."
"Well, the other warriors don't like selling their old equipment even after buying new stuff."
"...What?"
"It makes sense, right? After using a piece of equipment for so long, you become attached to it... and some warriors even like to hand them down to their children!"
I was rendered speechless.
That was the reason why the tribe had no money. It was completely ridiculous, but there was nothing I could do to fix the issue right away. Collecting equipment had become a barbarian habit, just like how crows collected shiny objects. Even the chieftain wouldn't have enough sway to change something that was hardwired into their barbarian DNA.
But still.
"I-It's not all bad, though! I-Isn't collecting equipment kind of like saving?!"
Ainar's excuse hit me like a lightning bolt. "...Saving?"
"Y-Yeah! If we become famous later, then we can sell it for more! It's an investment, but just in a different way!"
"...Investment?"
"But o-of course, I'm not like that! I have a few pieces, but... I made sure that none were the same! They're all different kinds of equipment, so I can use them whenever I need them and—"
"Ainar! Are you a genius?"
Her rambling had given me a great idea, though Ainar didn't seem to realize what she had just done.
Yes, this will be revolutionary.
There was no better word for it.
***
Thanks to the festival, all the barbarians who lived outside the tribe had returned to the holy land. Under the bright sun, I launched right into my spiel, no introduction needed.
"Everyone, I have something to tell you!" As soon as everyone was assembled, I began my speech, or should I say the announcement of my very first policy. "Brave warriors! I am not like the previous chieftains! Instead, I have decided to give you all an opportunity!"
The warriors' eyes lit up at the word "give." They were all listening intently, curious as to what I was about to offer.
"An opportunity...?"
"I don't know what it is, but it sounds like a good thing...?"
All right, I'd succeeded in piquing their curiosity. I had to move quickly before they got distracted, as was the barbarian way. Thanks to Ainar, I was able to come up with a plan that should educate the barbarians on economics while also restoring our funds.
"I am giving you the opportunity to buy land here in the holy land!"
"...Land?"
"He just said he was going to give us something, though? But now he wants us to buy something? With money?"
The barbarians seemed confused about what I was saying. Yeah, I figured they wouldn't get it at first. I had to start from the beginning and keep things simple for their sake.
"Do you have a house in the city? Probably not, right? No, even if you do, it's not really yours because the land isn't yours. Because you are commoners, you can never really own land in the kingdom!" Only nobles had that privilege. "But here in the holy land, things are different. If you buy land here, I will make sure it remains yours, forever."
With a small property tax, of course.
"Do whatever you want with the land. Write your name in the dirt, build a massive monument or statue—the choice is yours."
"...Anything we want?"
"Yes! Complete freedom! Do you want to build a house? Go ahead! You no longer need to sleep in a flimsy tent that'll collapse in the rain! You no longer need to buy a house in the city that will never be yours! Now, you can build your own, so that even your children's children can live in it forever!"
I'll let them build as much as they want. I won't even bother implementing a window tax.
"Th-that sounds like a good thing?" The barbarians slowly started coming around to the idea after hearing that their descendants would be able to keep the land to live on.
However, some only tilted their heads in hesitation.
"But to buy land..."
"I don't know how much it will be, but that must be expensive!"
"Is land all that valuable? I'd rather buy a weapon I can use..."
A few of the warriors instinctively sensed that something was off, so before the tides could turn, it was time for me to pull out my trump card. "Think about it, warriors! One day, those weapons you buy will rust. But the land you buy is different. It will last forever, and can one day be passed down to your children."
Of course, that argument would not sway the hearts of the barbarians, whose motto was to live for today.
"Plus, if you buy land, you no longer have to pay to live in an inn or for any other accommodations! Not only you but your children as well! Forever!"
However, said barbarians were also forced to spend a decent amount of money on accommodations every month. Their eyes widened in realization.
"...I-I see!"
"It makes sense! If you have land, you can just sleep here in the holy land!"
They had finally realized the value of owning land.
"But it would be more convenient to live in the city near the labyrinth..."
A select few still expressed reasonable concerns, but they were only a small fraction of the population. I took a moment to memorize their faces. Alongside our tribe's best fighters, these warriors might prove to be good elders in the future.
It was time to move on to the next phase.
"And more importantly..." I smiled big and wide as the barbarians all listened silently, waiting for the big reveal. Thanks to that, I didn't have to shout to be heard. "Soon, the land here in the holy land will become expensive!"
Money was a universal motivator that traversed racial boundaries.
"It will become even more expensive as time passes. So even if you decide you want to buy the land later on, you will no longer be able to! Isn't it obvious?! Once someone buys land, it will be theirs forever! And once all the land has been sold, there will be nothing left for others to live on! So, if you want land, you are going to have to beg others to sell theirs! You will have to pay a hefty price and hope another warrior will sell to you!"
It was the very simple principle of supply and demand.
"Buying land will be difficult then. Who would ever want to sell a valuable piece of land where even their children's children can continue to live? They will no longer have to spend money on living in the city ever again. Oh, and if you don't buy land, your children's children will be angry with you about being forced to sleep in a tent. They'll say, 'Why didn't my ancestors buy land back then?'"
I could see the panic in the warriors' eyes as they pictured their future grandchildren scolding them. Now that I had taken their offspring hostage, there was no need for further explanation.
"Warriors! I will say this one last time!"
I decided to conclude things like a modern politician: as loudly as I could.
"A warrior never passes up an opportunity that's right in front of them!"
The answer to our problems was real estate.
"...What?"
"It makes sense, right? After using a piece of equipment for so long, you become attached to it... and some warriors even like to hand them down to their children!"
I was rendered speechless.
That was the reason why the tribe had no money. It was completely ridiculous, but there was nothing I could do to fix the issue right away. Collecting equipment had become a barbarian habit, just like how crows collected shiny objects. Even the chieftain wouldn't have enough sway to change something that was hardwired into their barbarian DNA.
But still.
"I-It's not all bad, though! I-Isn't collecting equipment kind of like saving?!"
Ainar's excuse hit me like a lightning bolt. "...Saving?"
"Y-Yeah! If we become famous later, then we can sell it for more! It's an investment, but just in a different way!"
"...Investment?"
"But o-of course, I'm not like that! I have a few pieces, but... I made sure that none were the same! They're all different kinds of equipment, so I can use them whenever I need them and—"
"Ainar! Are you a genius?"
Her rambling had given me a great idea, though Ainar didn't seem to realize what she had just done.
Yes, this will be revolutionary.
There was no better word for it.
***
Thanks to the festival, all the barbarians who lived outside the tribe had returned to the holy land. Under the bright sun, I launched right into my spiel, no introduction needed.
"Everyone, I have something to tell you!" As soon as everyone was assembled, I began my speech, or should I say the announcement of my very first policy. "Brave warriors! I am not like the previous chieftains! Instead, I have decided to give you all an opportunity!"
The warriors' eyes lit up at the word "give." They were all listening intently, curious as to what I was about to offer.
"An opportunity...?"
"I don't know what it is, but it sounds like a good thing...?"
All right, I'd succeeded in piquing their curiosity. I had to move quickly before they got distracted, as was the barbarian way. Thanks to Ainar, I was able to come up with a plan that should educate the barbarians on economics while also restoring our funds.
"I am giving you the opportunity to buy land here in the holy land!"
"...Land?"
"He just said he was going to give us something, though? But now he wants us to buy something? With money?"
The barbarians seemed confused about what I was saying. Yeah, I figured they wouldn't get it at first. I had to start from the beginning and keep things simple for their sake.
"Do you have a house in the city? Probably not, right? No, even if you do, it's not really yours because the land isn't yours. Because you are commoners, you can never really own land in the kingdom!" Only nobles had that privilege. "But here in the holy land, things are different. If you buy land here, I will make sure it remains yours, forever."
With a small property tax, of course.
"Do whatever you want with the land. Write your name in the dirt, build a massive monument or statue—the choice is yours."
"...Anything we want?"
"Yes! Complete freedom! Do you want to build a house? Go ahead! You no longer need to sleep in a flimsy tent that'll collapse in the rain! You no longer need to buy a house in the city that will never be yours! Now, you can build your own, so that even your children's children can live in it forever!"
I'll let them build as much as they want. I won't even bother implementing a window tax.
"Th-that sounds like a good thing?" The barbarians slowly started coming around to the idea after hearing that their descendants would be able to keep the land to live on.
However, some only tilted their heads in hesitation.
"But to buy land..."
"I don't know how much it will be, but that must be expensive!"
"Is land all that valuable? I'd rather buy a weapon I can use..."
A few of the warriors instinctively sensed that something was off, so before the tides could turn, it was time for me to pull out my trump card. "Think about it, warriors! One day, those weapons you buy will rust. But the land you buy is different. It will last forever, and can one day be passed down to your children."
Of course, that argument would not sway the hearts of the barbarians, whose motto was to live for today.
"Plus, if you buy land, you no longer have to pay to live in an inn or for any other accommodations! Not only you but your children as well! Forever!"
However, said barbarians were also forced to spend a decent amount of money on accommodations every month. Their eyes widened in realization.
"...I-I see!"
"It makes sense! If you have land, you can just sleep here in the holy land!"
They had finally realized the value of owning land.
"But it would be more convenient to live in the city near the labyrinth..."
A select few still expressed reasonable concerns, but they were only a small fraction of the population. I took a moment to memorize their faces. Alongside our tribe's best fighters, these warriors might prove to be good elders in the future.
It was time to move on to the next phase.
"And more importantly..." I smiled big and wide as the barbarians all listened silently, waiting for the big reveal. Thanks to that, I didn't have to shout to be heard. "Soon, the land here in the holy land will become expensive!"
Money was a universal motivator that traversed racial boundaries.
"It will become even more expensive as time passes. So even if you decide you want to buy the land later on, you will no longer be able to! Isn't it obvious?! Once someone buys land, it will be theirs forever! And once all the land has been sold, there will be nothing left for others to live on! So, if you want land, you are going to have to beg others to sell theirs! You will have to pay a hefty price and hope another warrior will sell to you!"
It was the very simple principle of supply and demand.
"Buying land will be difficult then. Who would ever want to sell a valuable piece of land where even their children's children can continue to live? They will no longer have to spend money on living in the city ever again. Oh, and if you don't buy land, your children's children will be angry with you about being forced to sleep in a tent. They'll say, 'Why didn't my ancestors buy land back then?'"
I could see the panic in the warriors' eyes as they pictured their future grandchildren scolding them. Now that I had taken their offspring hostage, there was no need for further explanation.
"Warriors! I will say this one last time!"
I decided to conclude things like a modern politician: as loudly as I could.
"A warrior never passes up an opportunity that's right in front of them!"
The answer to our problems was real estate.