BXBX NOVEL Chapter 092: Written pledge
Within the mansion where the leaders gather at the northern central region of the capital Ienith, I attended a meeting with the representatives of the 8 races.
The fox beastman representative Forens acted as the chairperson of the meeting.
“Well then, we shall begin this representatives meeting. Firstly, allow me to present the various earnings of the Merchant’s Guild.”
Forens-dono summarised the reports of the net incomes and expenditures of the state-owned shops and the Merchant’s Guild.
He reported in detail what was sold last month and how it was sold along with the income.
I stayed silent for the time being as the dragonewt and tiger beastmen did not speak out during this report.
“That is all. Please raise your hand if you have any questions, if not we will proceed on to our next agenda … there doesn’t seem to be any so the next agenda would be the progress of the respective fields, Olga-dono please start.”
“Yes. Regarding this month’s harvest … ”
He explained about the harvested spices, the spices that can be obtained next month, and the presence or absence of disease.
Next, the rabbit beastman Ririaldo-dono reported on the extension of the fields and the presence or absence of monsters.
The dog beastman Sebec-dono proceeded to report on the fields that they have cultivated.
“Next, regarding security, it has always been managed by Jack-dono until now but from now on it will be managed by Kyasral-dono.”
“Four days ago the bear beastmen transformed but other than that there were no other remarkable incidents.”
It was eye-catching … alright.
“Regarding that incident, I handed over the honey I possessed so I apologize. I sometimes use it in cooking but the other day when Souther-dono accompanied me, the bear beastman Brian-dono requested for me to import honey and I judged that it was impossible to achieve immediately so …”
“There’s no helping it if you gave them honey.”
Souther-dono said as he spoke from above.
“Then moving on, Souther-dono, any updates on the monitoring of the skies?”
“No problems.”
Souther-dono answered.
“Okay. Well then, do the 8 races have anything … I apologize. Including Luciel-dono, please raise your hand if you wish to suggest anything.”
Nobody raised their hands. I guess this happens normally.
Are they planning to ignore the work they promised to do just like this?
There was a need to ask about that and the meeting would be totally meaningless if it ended like this.
Since that’s the case, I’ll have to use the report I received well.
I thought until that point and raised my hand.
” … So, Luciel-dono.”
There was a momentary pause but I’ll ignore that.
For the domestic affairs that I plan to gradually advance, even if they originally do not have the motivation to do it, as long as I convince them then there wouldn’t be any problems.
“Since yesterday, I have something that I’ve been bothered with but rather than a report it’s more of a question. Firstly, who is supposed to drive the plans for the healing district? In addition, how about the structure of that plot of land and the relocation of the people living there? Who is responsible for the budget and to acquire the manpower required to construct it?”
I asked and the room became dead silent.
I imagine they did not think that I would ask about the healing district.
I can also somewhat understand that it would not proceed at all if nothing is done.
However, I will not allow them to disregard their verbal promises.
“What’s the matter? If it has not been decided upon, is it alright if we distribute the responsibilities here? I think that there is no reason for us to scrap the decision to make the healing district that was made during the representative meeting.”
I said and laughed.
” … Regarding that, we are currently deciding on the allocation of budget.”
“I see. What is the progress status? Is the budgeting team made up of only Forens-dono?”
“No, I plan to carry it out together with the dragonewts.”
“I see. Well then Jack-dono, swear to the dragon and tell me about the progress status?”
” … It’s the first time I’ve heard of this.”
He looked like he just received a bolt from the blue.
Normally they would dodge the question but since I’ve been told that they would not lie to me because I possess the blessing of a dragon, it was the natural outcome.
“I see. Well then Forens-dono? What is the meaning of this?”
“Well everybody will forget about conversations sometimes.”
Olga-dono said and cut into the conversation.
“I see. That is true. I trust that everything will be put in place by next month’s report. Including the construction period, personnel, and budget.”
” … Yes. I understand.”
He nodded.
“Second, of the 6154 residents living in Ienith, 1600 are children. Leaving those 1600 people out from the calculation for the payment of workers, there should be quite a sum of money floating but is it left floating somewhere?”
“That should not be the case, please wait a moment.”
Forens-dono tossed out his facilitator role and went to collect the ledger.
“Did I anger him? Ah, that’s right Souther-dono, I wish to ask something, I heard that there was a brave bird beastman who drew a map of the blank area to the left of Ienith, is it true?”
” … I have heard of such rumours but I did not hear about who it was.”
“I see. Then, could you help me find out by next month’s meeting? It’s for the sake of attracting adventurers so please report even if he doesn’t exist. Because I’ll have to think of other strategies to attract them.”
” … Understood. It seemed like he was an adventurer so I’m sorry if there really isn’t such a person …”
“No worries. I’ll entrust it to you.”
I answered with a smile and this time I spoke to the tiger beastmen’s representative.
He should be Shaza’s substitute but I could not establish a good impression of him. Maybe it’s because he is a tiger beastman?
“Within the report just now, there was the talk about the day that the bear beastmen transformed, but apparently the people from the tiger beastmen race have been applying pressure on Brian-dono, have you heard about this as the representative of the tiger beastmen?”
After I said that, Souther-dono reacted before the tiger beastman could.
“What! I’ve already told them to lay low after the incident with Shaza, what are they thinking.”
Under that intimidation, the tiger beastman opened his mouth in a hurry.
“Pl, please let me verify the facts. It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”
I don’t know if he was panicking because he really didn’t know about it or because Brian-dono talked about it but I felt that the atmosphere was gradually getting chaotic.
The representative’s office term is 2 years.
Moreover, this time, it was only for a year and there wasn’t any policy about it.
For the healing district case as well, I felt that all of them were not well-informed about the wages and payment for each of the races.
The representatives were most likely just figureheads.
Which was why it was fine as long as they did not cause harm to their own races.
“There’s one other point regarding that question. Who is the person who pays the workers’ using the national treasury?”
” … The representative in office.”
Olga-dono showed an expression of serious thought.
“I see … that’s right. Well then, I also have something to report regarding the school and slums district. I’ll start with the progress, the slums district is expected to be dismantled 3 months later. Next, the school and houses meant to attract the adventurers are expected to be constructed on the vacant lot within 3 months to half a year.”
“That’s wonderful. Nevertheless, you did well to erect a plan to eliminate the half beastmen.”
Ririaldo-dono said that so he agrees to eliminate the half beastmen.
“I did not eliminate them. I moved them to a place that matches them.”
I gave a grin.
“That’s amazing.”
The dog beastman Sebec-dono, cat beastman Kyasral-dono, and the quarreling bird beastman Souther-dono and Shaza’s substitute all gave a smile.
The wolf beastman Olga-dono and the dragonewt Jack-dono gave anxious and sorrowful expressions.
“And so, the construction cost and the magic stones cost a total of 30 white gold coins but naturally the country would bear the cost right?”
I said with a smile and the replies were all as expected.
“Ienith’s economy would go bankrupt.”
“You should know that we can’t draw out such an amount.”
“Didn’t you mention in the previous meeting that you would not apply material costs?”
“No, I only specified the logs taken from the undeveloped forest. I said that I would not draw funds from the national treasury for directing adventurers to the undeveloped land but I did not say a word about everything being free?”
“No, I’m pretty sure you said that you would not claim for anything apart from manpower costs.”
Ririaldo-dono said so but it was completely his own assumptions.
“Hahaha. That’s wrong? The person who said that was Ririaldo-dono. I only said to leave the slums district to me? Please recall why I became the representative for this city even though it does not benefit me.”
I rejected his claims.
“Luciel-dono, thank you for waiting.”
“Oh, Forens-dono. And so, what did you find?”
” …… As what you said, the accounting does not tally.”
“Meaning?”
“Seems like there’s corruption happening somewhere. Thanks to that, it would be difficult to extract the funds that you requested for earlier.”
“The plan is already advancing so 5 white gold coin has already been used?”
” … That …”
” … Surely you don’t intend for me to invest all of my personal funds for the sake of Ienith right?”
I scanned each of the representatives and all of them averted their line of sight.
“So I’ve been treated as a fool … If so then I’ll throw out the exchange conditions. Firstly, I wish to purchase the entire area of the current slums district of Ienith.”
Rather than objecting to that, they all had puzzled expressions.
“Next, I will construct the school and all of the adventurers houses but the rights will belong to the Healer’s Guild.”
“What about the entrance requirements for the school?”
Seems like Olga-dono wants Shiela-chan to attend the school by all means.
“I’ve mentioned it previously but for children, it is basically free of charge. Forens-dono, is it the country that buys the herbs from the Herbalist Guild? Or is it the Merchant’s Guild?”
“The Merchant’s Guild handles it.”
“I see. If that’s the case, then if the church makes something for sale, I wish to have the authorization to sell the items without paying intermediary fees. Those are my 3 requests.”
“Purchasing the slums district, buildings and rights, and authorization to sell products without intermediary fees …… Usually, it would be allowed given it is individual assets, but I can’t grant it to a person from Saint Schull’s Allied Nations. The second request can be allowed with conditions attached. I can acknowledge the third request.”
“What are the conditions for the second?”
“To comply when Ienith requests to purchase it.”
” …… That’s fine. Finally, I’ll say this, I don’t want to go into dispute for claims that I did not say it. All the various race’s representatives here acknowledged it. Also, I would like your signatures on this written pledge.”
I took out a parchment and wrote down the words I said just now.
Then, after the others all certified it, I channelled magical power into the written pledge and dedicated it to the Chief God Kuraiya. (TL: Ooo so that’s how it works)
It was recorded that one would lose their right as the representative if their own race broke their promise so there were some who paused for a moment but eventually they all signed.
It was decided that 3 written pledge copies would be made, one would be kept by me, another kept in the leader’s mansion and the last one stored for safe keeping in the Adventurer’s Guild.
The reason why it was kept in the Adventurer’s Guild because there was the content about attracting adventurers so the suggestion was accepted smoothly.
“This will end the meeting today. Please circulate the information to your respective race. Let us construct the school and the housing for the adventurers. Also, I sincerely request for the cooperation of the Adventurer’s Guild and healing district to make it such that the adventurers have a peace of mind when earning a living.”
“From now, I’ll have the dragonewts, tiger beastmen, and bear beastmen begin work to gradually expand the city to make land for the healing district. I’ll talk to the residents to adjust for the move. The bird beastmen shall closely communicate with the Adventurer’s Guild to explore the matter about the monsters. The other races please continue to do your best for the fields.”
Forens-dono gave out instructions to each race.
Forens-dono’s eyes were bloodshot from confirming that there was fraud occurring so nobody could stop him now with that atmosphere.
Thus, the monthly meeting of representative ended.
As I was walking back, I thought to myself that it was the crucial period from now on.
Originally, I thought that I had to be more cunning.
To obtain full authority for the slums district and to keep the current factory operation in the Healer’s Guild a secret.
However, a single person’s oral pledge would not be binding so there was a need to put forth a written pledge that binds the whole race like I did this time.
I’ve been in this world for too long and had gotten the bad habit of relying on pledges that were not writing down on paper.
It was thanks to Forens-san that I noticed that.
As I was deep in thought, Lionel laughingly told me.
“This time, the target on your life would be delayed for 3 months.”
” … Yeah. Somehow, but …”
“This time, Luciel-sama’s word were slightly dangerous nya. It wouldn’t be strange if the conversation somehow fell apart nya.”
“Ugh, sorry.”
It’s been a long time since I had business negotiations so my words were all over the place and the sequence of talks was totally wrong.
“If you can’t learn to emit a stronger personality, you would not be able to establish what you want to establish nya.”
“That’s the thing, Cathy. Luciel-sama is still 20 years old, there’s still plenty of time.”
Lionel said with a smile but I am actually 35 years old with a 5 years gap where I was not working so I don’t really have any excuses.
“To be honest, without Cathy’s intelligence, we would not have been able to pull Forens-dono into our alliance. Thank you.”
“I was the one who passed on the information but Luciel-sama was the one who thought of a way to make him an ally nya.”
Forens-dono’s wife was in a condition that she could not see with her eyes.
Yesterday I received that report and went to Forens-dono’s house to treat his wife.
That was it.
To be able to investigate the reticent Forens-dono, Cathy and Kefin’s group’s work led to the success of this time’s meeting.
Thinking about what will come in the future, I decided in my heart to properly role-play the situations for events such as meetings that I know about ahead of time.
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading.
An author who hopes for a miracle going into the busy world of the busy season.