Chapter 252:

Chapter 252:

The small town of Butuya was the capital of Count Baylding’s domain. In September of the previous year, Count Ganard, the ruler of Baylding, faced a rebellion by his vassals. However, the lord’s sworn brother, Count Grayman of Alda, personally led his troops and decisively crushed the ambitions of the four rebellious vassals. The battle took place just outside Butuya, with many hearing the thunderous sounds, and soon after, Butuya changed hands.

Since then, Alda’s army had taken control of the city. The two allied lords reached an agreement for Alda’s Administration Council to oversee the governance of both territories.

Some might think that Baylding was annexed by Alda, but initially, most Baylding residents didn’t feel adversely about this change. After all, their lives of toiling and paying taxes remained the same regardless of who their lord was.

However, gradually, more and more people began to feel that Baylding was changing.

Firstly, a group of administrative officials from Lakeheart Town was dispatched. In collaboration with the stationed Alda troops, they conducted a ‘crackdown’, arresting numerous thugs and ruffians and sending them to work in the mines.

Subsequently, a plethora of exorbitant taxes and levies were abolished. The official statement claimed these taxes were illicitly imposed by Angelo, the former chief administrator of Baylding and one of the rebellious vassals, without Count Ganard’s knowledge, deceiving both the Count and his late father.

This was great news for the residents of Butuya. Previously, they had to pay taxes for everything – from marriages to funerals, carrying extra goods through the city gates, and even for having a longer beard. Although each tax was not ruinous by itself, their sheer number was overwhelming. Now, finally, they had some financial breathing room.

After the new administrative system was established, numerous merchants and wealthy families flocked to the lord’s mansion. The word was that there were plans to revitalize commerce and trade, significantly developing it.

Soon, job postings for a new factory were put up, offering attractive salaries and drawing many eager applicants.

The Ganard family’s iron and coal mines also expanded their production scale, absorbing a large workforce.

Thanks to the tax reforms, Butuya began to attract merchants from other regions. They brought a variety of foreign goods and took local products like canned food and paper in return. These items were not exclusive to Baylding, as neighboring Alda also produced them, but apparently, Alda couldn’t meet the demands of these foreign merchants.

With the influx of foreign goods, the competition among similar items led to a drop in prices, enhancing the living standards of Butuya’s residents.

Overall, these changes were welcomed by the populace.

The news of renewed conflict in the Bay of the Northwest unsettled him, following his perceived failure during Angelo’s rebellion.

Thus, the Baron bid farewell to the princess and set off with his Baylding soldiers to return home.

Upon his return, Andrew discovered that Paul Grayman had done more than just help his sworn brother quash the rebellion...

...

Malron and Andrew ate in silence, both men of few words, keeping the atmosphere in the hall somber.

“Count!”

Andrew suddenly looked up at his lord.

“What is it?”

“Since my return, I’ve noticed many things that don’t seem right.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

Andrew paused, then said, “Allowing Alda’s Administration Council to govern both territories is highly inappropriate. Forgive my bluntness, Count, but how is this situation any different from us becoming vassals of the Grayman family?”

“Anything else?”

“Also, our defense. How can you sleep at night knowing soldiers from another domain are guarding our land?”

As he spoke, Andrew’s eyes widened in disbelief.