Chapter 40.2

To be honest, Glenn did not want to ransack the farming villages in the hills. There was a huge difference between dragging people to the territory by force and accepting people who had come of their own will. And this was not just because it went against his morals. As if able to read his thoughts, Nadia commented on the same point.

“However, Sir Giscard, forcefully taking serfs who have settled elsewhere from their homes could ruin the Lord Marquis’s reputation.”

For Nadia’s big picture to be brought to fruition, no flaw, not even a single speck of dirt, could be allowed to stain the good reputation of the Marquis of Winterfell.

However, the big plan only existed in Nadia’s head. As the others could not read her mind, there was bound to be an objection.

“Madam is right too. But……”

Giscard continued to speak in a courteous manner.

“Don’t we have to start farming soon? If the tax rate for the serfs we currently have this harvest season and the next, the Lord Marquis sincerity will definitely spread far and wide. However, that will only happen a long time after the farming season. Should we choose to suffer a loss instead of taking the faster way?”

“I agree with your last sentence.”

It would not be long before the civil war broke out. Winterfell would have to quickly strengthen its troops in order to prepare for the civil war. There was not much time to spare.

“I have a good idea. Would you like to hear it?”

“………”

All eyes turned to Nadia. What method had this whip-smart Madam come up with this time?

Nadia pointed to the waist of Glenn’s trousers and said.

“Could you lend me your sword for a few days, Lord Marquis? If you do so, I will be able to solve this.”

“What?”

What she was pointing at was the sword used by only the Winterfell family heads, and which had been passed down for generations. It was valuable enough to be considered an heirloom, but setting that aside, they all wondered what she needed a sword for.

“A sword? Are you sure that will be sufficient?”

“Yes, just a sword will be enough.”

“Hmmm……”

She was always able to solve their problems using methods they had never thought of, but this time, they really could not fathom what in the world she was going to do.

Looking at Glenn who had a quizzical look on his face, Nadia continued .

“All the tenants of the territory are currently worrying about the change of ownership. They must be worried that they will again be exploited by another master even more wicked than Count Altair.”

“How dare they compare our Lord Marquis with someone like Count Altair?”

Giscard clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

“But it must be scary for them. Anyway, will you lend it to me, Glenn? Just for a few days.”

He could not guess at what she was thinking, but he had no reason to hesitate.

Glenn removed the sword that was hanging at his waist, and then gave it to Fabian.

“……Glenn?”

Nadia, who had extended her hand to receive the sword from him, now looked at him, confused. Her eyes were asking why he had given it to someone else when she was the one who had asked for the sword.

“It is very heavy. It will be very hard for you to lift it with your slender arms. If you have something to do with the sword, ask Fabian to do it. If there is anything he is good at, it is using his muscles.”

“I am not such a weakling……”

“But you look weak to me. By the way, what in the world will you use the sword for? I can’t imagine what you could possibly need it for.”

“Ah, about that.”

Nadia smiled as she began explaining.

_____________________________________________

The vicious lord, Count Altair, had been removed and a new lord had come.

Wherever three, no even just two people were gathered, discussion of what kind of lord the new master was could be heard.

“All nobles are devils, every single one. How do you know he won’t be worse than the previous one?

“Come to think of it, the new lord was not on good terms with the former lord…… he won’t make things unbearable for us commoners too, right?”

In fact, very few of them were happy that the wicked Count Altair had been ousted. Most felt that there was a possibility they would suffer more than they had before. The farmers were too weary to have any hope, after all they had suffered.

But the days flow despite the pains and anxieties people suffer. Before they knew it, a few days had passed since the flag fluttering at the top of the castle tower had been changed.

One morning, a decree was hung in front of the main castle gates[4].

“The Lord has made a decree?”

“Really? Where? Let’s go see!”

The people had been restless all the while, worrying over what the new lord would do. At this moment they rushed at once to the gate where the decree was hung.

They didn’t expect the taxes to be reduced; if only it wasn’t raised yet again……

But the contents of the decree said nothing about the taxes, nor did they say anything about how many days of compulsory labor they had to do. Instead, the decree that had been pasted in the lord;s name contained things completely foreign to them.

Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only

“What exactly does it say? Is there no one here who can read?”

Notes:

[4] Decree: 포고문; Naver defines this as declaration or decree. I am not sure if a marquis can make a decree (probably only royalty can do so), but I will leave it as ‘decree’.