Chapter 41 - On our way north, we came across a town

Naofumi: “What? There’s a toll fee?”

The guards stopped us as we were about to enter the town and asked for a toll, so I showed them the note I received from the feudal lord of Forest village…

Guard: “These kinds of things aren’t accepted! Pay quickly!”

Raphtalia: “But-”

The guard didn’t even respond when Raphtalia tried to negotiate, only asking for gold.

Despite all that negotiating, the guard held his ground.

Naofumi: “What a stubborn bastard!”

Even though the guard looked like he was going to rush us, he stood there and just glared at me with hostility.

Hmm… Something must have happened here.

After I started peddling in this world, I learned a few things.

No one would perform such unreasonable extortion unless they had strong backup.

It seems whoever this person works with is powerful.

It seems we have to call this guy’s partner to negotiate, we’ll have to discuss about human relations.

It’ll only work if his partner is not hostile though.

As for why this guy’s partner isn’t here, there are a few reasons…

Naofumi: “The Feudal lord here must be an outrageous bastard.”

I muttered while looking at the town. The guard’s expression changes upon hearing that.

Guard: “Don’t you dare speak ill of the lord! Or else I will punish you!”

Ah I see. So it’s a problem with the top dog. In this case, neither threats nor negotiations will be effective.

The road is closed so I can’t pass. There will be punishment if caught.

Maybe if I make enough of a commotion for the lord to appear.

However, there is little reward for such a risk…

Naofumi: “I understand. You guys have it tough too…”

I hand the amount asked to the guard.

The guard looked a little shocked.

Guard: “Yeah… This is good”

The guard whispered to me.

Guard: “I’m sorry…”

Naofumi: “It can’t be helped.”

Is this in the jurisdiction of that trash king? Or is this country’s feudal lord also rotten.

I intended to sell the food loaded in my carts, but I stopped when they collected tax.

The inn seems to be fairly high class, at least when compared to the neighbourhood.

Everything in this town seems to be taxed: daily necessities, food, weapons, armour, crafted goods and even the hotel fee. Everything is expensive.

Living here must be hard.

The commerce is totally in decline and the markets aren’t lively at all.

The unreasonably heavy taxation must have taken its toll.

Naofumi: “Collect information on the village that’s short on food”

Raphtalia: “Understood”

Firo: “Okay~! Master I want a souvenir~”

Naofumi: “You eat so much food and you still want more?”

This Firo, demanding a souvenir despite the high prices…

We head to the bar with Firo in her human form.

By the way, I changed my shield to the Book Shield.

There, I saw a fellow who I would rather not have encountered.

“Fellow”: “It seems that way”

Although he has a bow, there is also a sword on his waist, his equipments also seems to be of low quality.

Similar to my Book Shield as camouflage, the bow is small and plain.

If this was our first meeting and if he wore a glove, I wouldn’t have known him.

But, his companion was dressed in very conspicuous colours. It looks like he’s trying to hide himself. Probably.

That’s right, the hero of the Bow is having a discussion in the corner of the bar.

He doesn’t seem to have noticed me.

What are they talking about? I’ll get closer and concentrate on listening…

Villager: “The lord here…”

Apparently, they are gathering information about the lord’s notoriety.

According to the story, he fill his own pocket with the raised tax money, accept bribes from merchants and employed bodyguards to severely punish anyone who object

It seems this feudal lord is also trash.

Itsuki: “That’s overboard, I must punish him.”

Whoops!

I almost fell over when I heard Itsuki’s dangerous line.

First off, how am I supposed to respond to that…?

What are you trying to do staying concealed anyway, what kind of shogun are you?

Are you going to leave right after the revolution?

Didn’t I hear some rumours similar to this about the Hero of the Bow?

In hind sight, rumours aren’t really reliable since I am known as the saint of the holy bird. But I am almost known as the nefarious Hero of the Shield.

Because nobody knows my real identity, I can still get by pretending to be a saint.

As for the reason why Itsuki is hiding, I do not know.

For example… Is the country asking him to hide?

I can’t really speculate due to lack of information on Itsuki.

There’s little to nothing on the Hero of the Bow either.

Are you hiding intentionally…?

Itsuki: “Everyone, let’s go.”

Itsuki finished his talk, left the bar, and disappeared into the night.

The next morning, the feudal lord was removed…n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

After making a mess of the feudal lord’s mansion, Itsuki’s subordinates revealed themselves to start preaching.

The trash king heard about it, and in the end, the Lordship was transferred to another person.

I am reminded of dramas about olden times and a journey of revolutions.

Are they retarded…?

This is too troublesome to be involved in.

I returned to the hotel after looking for what I originally came for, information on the village that wants to buy food.

Firo’s souvenir? There’s no way I’ll buy something like that in such an expensive town.

I just read my magic book and ignored Firo who seemed to be complaining to me about something.

I learned another spell.

What the aunty from the magic shop told me about the Hero of the shield being good at using support and healing magic seems to be true…

Next morning.

As I expected, adventurers hired by the country are secretly investigating the town, stories about how the lord lost power are everywhere.

In the middle of the town, I see Itsuki engaging in small talk with a beautiful girl.

Girl: “Really, thank you very much.”

Itsuki: “There is no such thing. Its secret you know.”

That’s a secret my ass.

Yup.

My suspicion has been confirmed.

Now I know why there are no rumours of Itsuki.

This guy is pretending to hide himself and creating the image of being humble.

And rejoices when people “finds out” and confront him about it, what an unpleasant hobby.

That guy’s retarded.

Hiding your true identity to satisfy your “superhero unmasking for the public” desires, truly obnoxious.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t be chatting in such a conspicuous place.

At least I understand the reason she would be indebted to such a guy.

It seems she was almost taken away due to being unable to pay the tax and she has to take care of a bedridden old man.

This is ridiculous. We left the town at a quick pace.

After travelling for half a day, we reached the village bordering a neighbouring country.

It seems that all the food that wasn’t sold yesterday is in high demand. Apparently the entire region is in famine.

However, it looks like there are a lot of guys that aren’t residents of this village.

Their clothes don’t seem to be from this country.

Naofumi: “Hey. You over there…”

It seems they are from the neighbouring country where their tyrant of a king was exterminated.

Are they here to peddle?

After they looked into my carriage, they came to have a talk about business.

They don’t seem to have money so maybe they’ll try to barter. Their medical herbs are good and maybe some lumber for woodworking…

I got off the carriage and asked about their circumstances.

Villager: “Thanks for saving us money”

Even if I am handed string or coal, as long as I acquire enough, it will be useful.

Though I only traded because they had a nice amount of medical herbs.

Villager: “I’m sorry. For a while now, there has been little to sell……”

If I look closely, he resembles a thin twig, seems like he’ll die at any moment.

Naofumi: “…Here’s a little gift. Although it’s not much, eat it sparingly.”

Because it can’t be helped, I borrowed a large pan from the group of villagers.

The village suffering from starvation cooperates willingly.

There’s many things that are about to rot. Give or take 4 days until they go bad.

That’s even after I got the skill Anti-corruption which delays rotting.

Villager: “Thank you very much!”

They hungrily devoured everything I made in the pan.

Meanwhile, I inquired why this is happening.

It seems that regardless of whether or not the king was a tyrant, life was fine.

Taxes weren’t too high, and some people even took it easy.

But it seems that was over soon.

It seems that the known as the Resistance that took over, they increased the taxes.

Naofumi: “What? Didn’t you guys overthrow the evil king?”

Villager: “……Money is required to properly administer a country, hence taxes were raised, and military power was also reduced due to cost.”

Indeed, rather than the king being bad, it is folly to not even keep a minimum amount of military power in order to defend the country.

It is said that it is not a country without its people, but what do you say about a country that cannot protect its people?

It seems only bad rumours of the king were being spread.

I don’t know what the king was thinking but, I feel a strange sense of camaraderie with the king that was labelled as a tyrant.

Something could have been done if the king was negotiated with instead of being exterminated.

As for the trash king in this country, he’s been evil since the beginning.

Villager: “Only the head changed and it’s becoming impossible to live. So we bring what little wealth we have into this Melromarc country and try to live.”

Firo: “I feel sorry for your king~! I wish everyone the best. Anyway, I’m hungry so who do I blame?”

Naofumi: “Shut up you bird! My spirit as the owner will be doubted!”

Firo: “Okay~”

I scolded Firo for opening another’s wounds.

It seems recently she has become unable to read the atmosphere, and has become foul-mouthed.

Raphtalia: “I wonder who she is learning from…”

Raphtalia watched and commented under her breath.

Naofumi:”Did you say something?”

Raphtalia: “Nope, absolutely nothing…”

It seems Itsuki took part in the Resistance. He might have been bad behind it since the beginning.

Anyway, are these people entering this country illegally to buy black-market food?

It seems the prices of food have sky-rocketed in this area. And I can just rake it in.

If I’m not mistaken, Itsuki…Shogun-sama has done some reforms around this area.

Though the after service sucks…

Because his sense of justice was satisfied, he moved on.

Villager: “Although this nation could attack our country as it is weakening, it is simply impossible to live during a famine…”

Naofumi: “Hmm I see…”

The wave may also be influencing famines.

Villager: “This is?”

Naofumi: “This is a remodelled plant that was causing trouble down south of this country, I modified it with a special technique so that it will grow when planted. It will probably be okay, but pay attention to managing it. If it is handled carelessly, it could be dangerous.”

Villager: “O-Okay……”

Naofumi: “I’ll be around this neighbourhood again in the future. You can thank me then.”

Because the three carts were sold completely, I gave two seeds as a bonus.

As for what will happen to the village? That’s a different story.

It seems that my true identity was revealed, but because the small neighbouring country was saved from famine, the residents weren’t bothered by it.

Additionally, due to the large amount of medical herbs acquired here, it seems an epidemic was prevented in the east district after we decided to sell there.