NOVEL WEB Ch. 30
Chapter 30
The 'reason why simply killing the thugs is not enough' newly written in the
The content was as follows.
…….
I thought the thugs were simply robbing the kingdom's people of their money or issuing ridiculous rules at will.
But that was not the case. The thugs were, in fact, managing the royal capital's security, collecting taxes, and even running businesses as agents of the nobles—the 'public authority.'
From legal businesses like managing restaurants and merchants' wagons to illegal businesses like gambling dens and brothels.
In other words, the thugs were beings who maintained their own kind of order in the chaotic royal capital.
Without properly investigating that, I killed all the thugs. As a result, many new problems arose in the royal capital, leading to chaos.
Merchants hid and manipulated the tax ledgers they used to submit to the nobles through the thugs, refusing to pay taxes.
Third-rate thugs, who had been unable to use their power because they were afraid of 'Diego,' who had previously ruled the royal capital, rose up, all vying for power.
Murder cases occurred in the gambling dens and brothels. Without missing a single day.
Not only them, but the poor and hungry people of the kingdom began to plunder the entire city.
In particular, the anger of the kingdom's people towards the merchants was terrifying. As they were commoners who had lived well by colluding with the nobles and thugs, they had incurred a lot of hatred from the kingdom's people, so as soon as the thugs were gone, the kingdom's people began to 'execute' the merchants. The enraged populace began to enforce the law themselves.
I understood the people's anger towards the merchants. They, who engaged in usury against the poor, were, in a way, worse trash than the thugs who openly committed crimes.
But even so, I could not let the kingdom's people carry out executions on their own. So, to stop the people's anger and riots, I belatedly arrested the merchants.
The situation was so urgent that I didn't have the time to screen which merchants were good one by one, so I arrested not only the wicked merchants but also the ordinary ones.
However, that too was a mistake. When I arrested all the merchants, this time goods and food did not enter the royal capital. As a result, the people of the royal capital starved even more, which was like pouring oil on the fire of the riots.
That's right. When I blindly uprooted the thugs who had managed the city, the royal capital became a city of chaos itself.
If it had been a country with a proper system, many problems would have been solved just by killing the thugs. However, when I eliminated the thugs, who had been a part of the country's system for a long time, in their entirety, a vacuum was created in public authority.
What should I do now? If I could turn back time, I would have investigated and prepared more thoroughly before rounding up and eliminating all the thugs. I would have made sure to grasp their ledgers, various business interests, and the methods they used to manage them.
―Fwoosh!
―Burn it all!!
―I'm starving to death!! I won't die alone!!
―Aaaah!
Today, another fire broke out somewhere outside the royal capital. Looking at the location, it seemed that the kingdom's people had looted a warehouse and set it on fire.
Today, a report came in from Jereuth. A report that the kingdom's people were gathering weapons near the royal castle and preparing for a riot.
To solve this problem…… I might have to kill people again. But this time, the ones I have to kill are not nobles or thugs.
They are innocent people who are trying to start a riot because their lives have become difficult due to my incompetence.
The bigger problem is that this issue is not only happening in the royal capital. It occurred simultaneously in the six major cities of the kingdom, including the royal capital.
I just wanted to make the kingdom's people live well, so I eliminated all the thugs…… why did things turn out this way?
Suddenly, a phrase I read in a book a long time ago comes to mind. The phrase, ‘A ruler does not need to be good. He must be competent.’
My head was heavy. The path of a ruler was too difficult.
This was the content that was newly written.
And as soon as I read this, my head started to ache again.
‘……It's complicated. Too complicated.’
Before I came to this world, that is, when I was in university, there was something I heard from a professor who taught public administration. The story that 「”Social problems are so complex and complicated that when you solve one problem, another problem arises.”」
At that time, I didn't quite understand what that meant. But now that I was experiencing it myself, I understood it all too well.
‘When I blindly eliminated the thugs, other third-rate thugs rose up to seize power, and ordinary citizens caught and killed the merchants who had lived well as fellow commoners……. And that became a problem, paralyzing the royal capital's economy?’
It was a truly fucked-up, complicated situation.
The only fortunate thing was that I knew about this problem in advance through the
‘If I eliminate the thugs while preparing for those problems, things might go surprisingly well.’
Scribble, scribble—!
I reread the problems mentioned in the
First, when the thugs die, the merchants manipulate the ledgers and refuse to pay taxes.
Second, when Diego, the ruler of the royal capital, disappears, third-rate thugs take the opportunity and rise up.
Finally, third, when the thugs are gone, ordinary citizens begin to plunder the city. In particular, their anger towards the merchants was enormous.
The first two problems are not actually big problems. The merchants who manipulate the ledgers can be punished, and if the thugs act up to seize power, they too can be punished.
The problem is the kingdom's people. Just because they become looters, I cannot eliminate them all.
Turning the entire kingdom's people into enemies is the worst of the worst moves.
‘So, the most important thing here is to prevent the kingdom's people from rioting.’
To prevent the kingdom's people from rioting, I must first punish the merchants, who are the target of their anger. However, I should not punish all merchants as my future self did. I must enforce justice by eliminating only the wicked merchants who colluded with the thugs or nobles, and spare the righteous merchants to maintain the royal capital's economy.
If I eliminate even the righteous merchants, the royal capital's economy will be paralyzed, the kingdom's people will starve even more, and that will become another reason for riots.
‘Then, in the end, what I have to do is eliminate the thugs, but also eliminate the wicked merchants who colluded with them.’
At the same time, the major facilities of the royal capital that were managed by the thugs at their whim must be properly managed by a normal authority, that is, ‘public authority.’ Only then will the kingdom's people trust and support me, their new ruler.
‘……There's a lot to do. Can I handle all of this?’
Honestly, I didn't have the confidence to handle such a difficult task. But just because I don't have the confidence to do it doesn't mean I won't.
Since I have already become a person of power, there is no turning back for me.
‘Yes, this time, while eliminating the thugs, let's show the kingdom's people. That I have become the real power in the kingdom, and that from now on, my common-sense law will be the standard.’
That's right. I will rule the kingdom with a common-sense law. However, my law, while being common-sense, will be swift and harsh.
Because such a strong law is necessary for a chaotic kingdom like this.
Scribble, scribble—.
I began to write down a plan to eliminate the thugs on paper. I would make my own plan and then seek Jereuth's advice.
***
The Head Knight's office on the top floor of the 3rd Knight Order's barracks.
Hoo—.
‘……I'm tired.’
Jereuth let out a deep sigh as he entered his office. He had followed Leonardo's orders, brought ‘Yoanna's’ family—the orphans—back to the royal palace, and left them in Elly's care.
Even for Jereuth, who had gone through all sorts of hardships on numerous battlefields, he couldn't shake the thought of being tired today. In the morning, he had purged the nobles, in the afternoon, he had met the King and had a serious conversation about his master, and in the evening, he had escorted Leonardo and visited the royal capital.
‘Just 10 years ago, I wouldn't have been tired even if I stayed up for two nights…… am I getting old? No, I am old. I'll be 60 next year.’
At the sudden thought, Jereuth felt a little anxious.
‘His Highness has just taken power, but I am too old. How much longer can I assist him by his side.’
The time I can maintain my current military strength will be three years at the shortest, five years at the longest. No matter how hard I train and manage myself, ‘time’ is something that no hero can overcome.
But Leonardo is only a twelve-year-old boy. He has so much life ahead of him as a king. On the other hand, the time he himself could be active was short.
‘Even if I step back from the front line, Hagen will do well for a while. But Hagen is not young either…… I need to think about what comes after that. The problem is that there is no one among the knights who is as good as Hagen.’
If Leonardo grows up healthy and diligently learns exercise and swordsmanship to become a fine ‘knight,’ then Leonardo can lead the 3rd Knight Order himself. Then, the soldiers will naturally develop loyalty to Leonardo.
‘But it will be difficult for His Highness to become a knight. Because his body is too weak.’
If even half of that shining appearance had been physical ability, he could have easily become a knight.
‘Even if His Highness is weak, the knights of the 3rd Knight Order will be loyal to him. Because of the charisma His Highness showed in this Purge. But the loyalty of the soldiers is different. Soldiers are not loyal to a king who cannot fight alongside them.’
Even on the day the Purge was successfully completed, Jereuth couldn't help but have these worries. Because his affection for his master, Leonardo, was great.
Moreover, his master, the Crown Prince, had gone to inspect the lives of the kingdom's people right after the Purge. Leonardo, who had the strongest power of anyone in this kingdom, was working without rest.
Given Jereuth's personality, he couldn't rest when his superior, the Crown Prince, was working so hard.
‘By the way, what are His Highness's plans for ruling the kingdom? Given that he asked at the market if the thugs could be eliminated using the power of the Knight Order, he seemed to have some idea.’
Continuing his thoughts, Jereuth stretched widely, got up from his chair, and headed for the bed. He didn't know when Leonardo would call him, so he intended to get some rest and recover his fatigue before then.
***
How much time had passed like that? A familiar voice called out to Jereuth, who had fallen into a light sleep.
“……Head Knight.”
“……”
“Head Knight.”
It was Vice Head Knight Hagen's voice. At that voice, Jereuth overcame his sleepiness and opened his eyes.
“What is it, Hagen?”
“I am sorry to disturb you while you are resting. His Highness has come to see you.”
“……His Highness?”
“Yes.”
“He came in person?”
“That is correct. His Highness said he would wait until you woke up, Head Knight…… but it seemed you were waiting for too long, so I woke you. I apologize.”
At Hagen's words, Jereuth's sleep completely vanished, and his mind became clear.
“How long has His Highness been waiting?”
“He has been waiting for about two hours.”
“……Why didn't you wake me up sooner!”
“His Highness specifically told me not to wake you. He said you would be tired after all that happened today.”
He probably would have.
—muttering to himself, Jereuth let out a sigh.
‘He could have just woken me up.’
Jereuth hurriedly got out of bed and straightened his hair. His appearance was not fit to meet the Crown Prince, but he couldn't make Leonardo wait any longer.
As Jereuth hastily tidied his appearance, a clock came into his sight.
‘……It's four in the morning? Does that mean His Highness has been contemplating something until this hour and then came to see me?’
For the Crown Prince to be awake and working until this hour on the day the Purge was completed, it was impossible not to respect him.
Creek—!
Jereuth immediately opened the office door and went outside. Leonardo was sitting on a chair outside the office. But Leonardo was alone.
‘Where is that maid? Surely His Highness didn't come alone without an escort? To let His Highness wander around alone at this time of night…… I'll have to have a word with her later. What an incompetent maid.’
As Jereuth inwardly grumbled about Elly, he saluted Leonardo.
Clank!
“I apologize for making you wait, Your Highness. You could have woken me up when you arrived.”
“No. On the contrary, I am sorry. At this late hour.”
Leonardo smiled lightly and asked.
“I have something to discuss, may I come in?”
“Of course.”
Jereuth guided Leonardo into his office.
“Hagen, tea for His Highness—.”
“Ah, tea is fine. You should be resting, and I came by so suddenly.”
“Still—.”
“It's really fine.”
As Leonardo refused again and sat on the reception sofa, Jereuth sat opposite him. It seemed the Crown Prince and the Head of the Knight Order had something to talk about, so Hagen bowed to Leonardo without a word and left the office.
Click.
After Hagen left, Leonardo began to tell Jereuth the reason for his visit in a serious voice.
“Head Knight. Now that we have seized power in the royal palace through the Purge, I think we should let the kingdom's people know that I have taken power.”
“If you are going to let the kingdom's people know that you have taken power…… that is an excellent idea. Are you planning to hold a grand coronation ceremony?”
“Haha, no. I do not like such empty formalities. Even if I become king someday, I plan to have a modest coronation ceremony. There is no need to waste money and effort on such useless things.”
As expected of Leonardo.
“Then how do you plan to let the kingdom's people know of Your Highness's existence and the purge of the nobles?”
“I plan to let them know through war.”
“……Yes?”
Jereuth, without realizing it, asked Leonardo back blankly.
‘……War, what does he mean by that?’
War. It was certainly a means often used by those in power to show off their strength.
In fact, many kings in history had started wars after their accession to show their power or to drive their opponents into war and kill them.
However, Jereuth had never thought that Leonardo would make such a choice. Because now was a very bad time to go to war.
The kingdom was poor, the soldiers had almost no loyalty to the royal family, there was a shortage of commanders to lead the soldiers due to the purge of the nobles and the noble faction knights, and the kingdom was dirt poor due to the extravagance of the nobles, so there was no money for war.
Besides that, there were thousands, tens of thousands of reasons why the Plank Kingdom should not go to war right now. In the first place, there was no enemy country hostile to the Plank Kingdom at present.
‘There's no way His Highness, who is so intelligent, wouldn't know that…… what is he thinking?’
After deep contemplation, Jereuth cautiously asked Leonardo.
“Your Highness. I have many questions about the war…… but first, I would like to ask this. Which kingdom do you plan to go to war with? The Osinus Kingdom to the north? Or across the southern sea—.”
“Ah, I have no intention of going to war with a foreign country. Now, and in the future, I want to avoid such wars as much as possible.”
“But you just said you were going to war, didn't you?”
“Yes. But the one I intend to attack is not another kingdom.”
“Then who do you intend to attack? All the nobles have been purged.”
At Leonardo's incomprehensible words, Jereuth asked back cautiously.
Swoosh—.
Leonardo crossed his legs in the opposite direction and replied.
“I intend to declare a ‘war on crime’.”