Medieval Knight System: Building the Strongest Empire Ever!

A small crack like this only widens with time. The migrants didn’t simply take it lying down, and quarrels broke out at the tavern again and again until they turned into brawls. For a while there, Hans practically lived at the tavern.

The ringleaders were thrown in jail or sentenced to the pillory, their heads and hands locked into the frame in the plaza and put on display all day long, unable to move. Even so, the violence never let up.

That’s why some of the migrants were hired as guards and set to patrol the trouble spots. Only then did the violence finally taper off somewhat. Another problem was that the migrants had no standing to bring charges over the villagers’ unjust violence.

If the Boeven migrants were driven out of here too, where were they supposed to go?

Chief Wentner had conferred with Hans and worked to resolve these problems. Naturally, no report ever went up to the baroness. It was, after all, strictly a matter between villagers.

One of the Feuzen representatives, who had been glaring at Münegger, finally spoke up.

He was one of the middling farmers who owned a livestock barn.

"My ring has gone missing too. Those Boeven bastards stole it, I’m sure of it."

"That’s outrageous nonsense! Why are you smearing us as petty thieves?!"

"Beggars with nothing to their names would steal without a second thought!"

"Are you quite finished?! We may have lost everything and migrated to Feuzen, but I say with pride that we never abandoned our conscience! If you slander us like this, we will formally demand a trial!"

"What?! Thieves like you, demanding a trial?!"

Their voices suddenly rising, the two representatives shot to their feet and jabbed fingers at each other. Then the others jumped in, each taking a side, and in an instant the meeting hall descended into bedlam.

Amid the storm of inflamed tempers, Hans roared.

"How dare you raise a ruckus in his lordship’s presence! Sit down this instant!"

Only after the guards pulled the two men apart did the commotion die down. But their anger apparently unspent, the representatives glared at one another, grinding their teeth. Good grief, the rift runs deeper than I thought.

"Hans, do you know about the stolen ring?"

"We investigated after the report was filed, but the ring was never found."

The man may simply have lost it, or there could be a thief among the Feuzen villagers. But the representative whose ring was stolen firmly believed a Boeven migrant was the culprit. His mindset showed as much.

"We who settled in Feuzen would never cause such trouble! Please believe us! From the very beginning, we Boeven folk tried to get along with the people of Feuzen! We are not thieves!"

The bricklayer of Boeven protested their innocence.

His mindset, too, told the truth.

"An investigation will be conducted into the stolen ring. But refrain from insulting one another over unproven matters. If you cause another disturbance, I will treat it as contempt for your lord and punish you accordingly."

The representatives of both sides swallowed hard.

It was a calm warning, but I am a man of my word.

As I listened quietly, I had grown angry enough to nearly let my fist fly, but I held back. Ruler of this land though I may be, solving everything with my fists is no good.

What is needed is the patience to lend an ear to their voices. Governance is not something driven by violence. It is a sophisticated political art, one that rules through institutions and fairness.

Thanks to that approach, I was able to draw all manner of grievances out of the representatives.

They admitted frankly that they felt cheated: land that had originally been new clearing ground for Feuzen’s farmers had been turned into orchards and handed to the migrants, who were even granted a five-year tax exemption on top of that.

"Every plot of land here belongs to the Streit family, and grumbling over the right to distribute it will not be tolerated. Moreover, the migrants are people who were driven out of Boeven with nothing. Isn’t a tax exemption only natural, so that they can safely take root in the place where they’ve settled?"

"Th-that’s true, my lord, but..."

"You were simply galled that the migrants enjoyed benefits without any particular effort."

"..."

"Human beings tend to grow narrow-minded when greed and profit are on the line. It’s not incomprehensible. But this benefit doesn’t apply only to the Boeven migrants. To put it the other way around, if you wished to settle in another part of Rosenheim, the same benefit would be granted to you. Is there anyone here, by chance, who’d like to move to the Hungarian settlers’ village?"

The Hungarian settlers’ village?

The Feuzen representatives, thoroughly flustered, looked around at one another. At present, Barosi and Herto are touring the western reaches of Rosenheim with Ivan, and it looks like they’ll choose the area west of Feuzen as the site.

"M-my lord. This Hungarian settlers’ village..."

"You’re aware there are former Hungarian mercenaries among the Gale Knights, yes? I’ve permitted them to settle in Rosenheim. Before long, Feuzen may find itself with a neighboring village."

Predictably, all of the representatives were rattled and began whispering among themselves. They already had headaches enough with the migrants, and having Hungarian settlers as neighbors felt like a burden.

But in Rosenheim, I can do whatever I please.

Building a Hungarian settlement is no different.

Besides, the only issue with the Hungarians is that they don’t speak the language. They are, without question, people of a Christian nation. It’s not as if I were bringing in Tatar nomads to settle, so there is no great problem with them putting down roots in Beren.

"Münegger, in return for the tax exemption you’ve been granted, it would be good for your people to make some concessions to the people of Feuzen. Selling your bricks at a low price, for instance. The same goes for the other craftsmen, of course."

"B-but the kiln hasn’t been built yet."

"I’ll fund that. Well? For the duration of the tax exemption, you can concede that much, can’t you?"

"U-understood. We will lower our prices as much as we can."

"The carpenters will be thrilled with your decision."

In truth, Feuzen’s carpenters had been overjoyed that a bricklayer was settling in the village. Wood and brick were essential for construction, and getting hold of brick had been a real ordeal.

That’s because the carpenters handle the building work as well.

Once the migrants agreed to make concessions, I turned my gaze to the Feuzen representatives.

"Now then. If discrimination or violence against the migrants continues even after matters have been settled to this extent, that would amount to spitting on the authority of this land’s ruler, wouldn’t it? You will educate your people thoroughly, by whatever means necessary, so that no villager ever attacks a migrant."

Otherwise, a recommendation becomes an order.

And when that time comes, blood truly will be spilled.

"W-we will keep it engraved in our hearts! With your lordship taking such pains over this, who would be reckless enough to torment the migrants? We will treat them not as outsiders, but as fellow Feuzen folk."

"Good. Feuzen is a special place to me, so I would very much prefer you didn’t disappoint me."

Fortunately, it seems to have been resolved amicably. None of them could have wanted what began as a petty prank to swell to this scale. Like a snowball rolling down a mountainside, it must have grown beyond all control.

"That was amazing, Wolf! You worked it all out with nothing but words!"

"Nothing but words? You’re not harboring some strange misunderstanding, are you?"

"Do you know how on edge I was, thinking you’d lose your temper halfway through and settle it with your fists?"

"..."

I did nearly throw a punch halfway through. But with my pregnant wife at my side, violence was out of the question. It’s terrible for prenatal care too, so it’s best to resolve things as peacefully as possible.

"Um, my lord. There is one more problem."

One of the Feuzen representatives cautiously raised his hand.

He had been quiet throughout the meeting, and now he suddenly spoke up about another matter.

"There is also a rumor that an extremely lewd woman lives among the Boeven migrants."

"A lewd woman? As far as I know, there are no prostitutes among the migrants."

"It’s uncomfortable even to speak of, but they say the woman has lured many men into her bed. And because of a peculiar smell about her, there are some who believe she is a witch."

A witch? What is this now?

The faces of the Feuzen representatives turned ashen.

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