Chapter 31
"...War on cri?"
When I declared a 'war on cri,' Jereuth stared at blankly for a mont.
Then he ca to his senses and cautiously asked again.
"When you say 'war on cri' ...... what exactly are you referring to?"
"It's simple. First, we will eliminate the thugs who ran rampant with the backing of the nobles, and we will also eliminate the wicked rchants who sucked the blood of the kingdom's people along with them. We will also uncover and eliminate the entire underground economy where various cris occur, and this will be done not only in the royal capital but also in other cities of the kingdom. That is the 'war on cri'."
"......!"
Jereuth's eyes widened. But since he said nothing, I continued.
"However, this must be based on a thorough investigation. First, we need to secure a list of the thugs and their whereabouts, and the sa goes for the wicked rchants who colluded with them. Also, if we eliminate the thugs, the rchants who paid them tribute or taxes might manipulate their ledgers."
"Ah...... yes."
"Therefore, while eliminating the thugs, we must also confiscate all the rchants' ledgers without missing a single one. Of course, the most important thing is to prevent even a single thug or wicked rchant from escaping."
This was the general plan for the 'war on cri' that I had thought of so far. Unlike the purge of the nobles, the plan for the 'war on cri' was relatively simple, and the reason for that was because, unlike when I purged the nobles, I now had imnse power.
‘There's no need to make a complicated plan when I have strong power. That's the privilege of the strong.’
And above all, what's important now is 'speed'. The sooner I normalize the royal capital, the sooner people can live like human beings.
I continued speaking calmly.
"I plan to entrust the full authority of the 'war on cri' to you and the 3rd Knight Order, Head Knight. However, it will take a lot of ti with only the manpower of the 3rd Knight Order to identify the list of thugs and their whereabouts, or to filter out the wicked rchants."
"That is correct. The number of thugs is not small."
"Yes. So this ti, I'm thinking of having the 'forr nobles'—the officials—do it together. To save ti."
"If you are going to use the forr nobles in this 'war on cri' as well...... Your Highness, of course, I agree with using them to save ti. But for the sake of security, wouldn't it be better to entrust the work only to the 3rd Knight Order, even if it takes a little more ti? Your Highness's operation could be leaked."
That's a valid point. And in a policy like this 'war on cri,' security is paramount.
But I wanted to use this opportunity to practice giving orders to the officials.
Because I will have to implent nurous policies even after this 'war on cri,' and I, Jereuth, and the 3rd Knight Order can't do everything every ti.
'Still, there must be a reason why Jereuth is so concerned...... For now, I've instructed Jereuth about the 'war on cri,' so let's check the to see how the future changes. Let's see if the 'war on cri' really fails due to a security leak.'
Besides that, perhaps the had more cards I could use that I had forgotten about...... wait.
‘Co to think of it, Mage Tower Master Seria was also an important card I could use. But what is Seria doing now? I haven't seen her around lately.’
For now, I answered Jereuth.
"I understand. Then I will think a little more about whether to involve the officials in this 'war on cri' or not. Still, please have the 3rd Knight Order prepare for the 'war on cri' for now."
"Yes."
"By the way, Head Knight, do you happen to know where Lady Seria is? I haven't been able to see her at all since the Purge."
"Seria is...... hmm, still in the middle of 'revenge'."
Still in the middle of 'revenge'?
"When you say 'revenge,' are you talking about revenge on the Mage Corps?"
"That is correct."
"Weren't they all killed already?"
"All the other mages were killed, but she has not yet killed the Head of the Mage Corps, Kasemiru."
"Still?"
"Yes. Hmm...... I don't know how Your Highness has judged Seria as a person, but she is a very ruthless person. She is infinitely friendly to her allies, but on the other hand, she is a very fearso woman to her enemies. Her revenge will not end in a day."
Her revenge won't end in a day...... what a scary woman.
"I see."
"Yes. It's not for nothing that Seria was called the 'red-haired witch that even the demon tribe shudders at' in the war against the demon tribe."
Jereuth didn't tell exactly what Seria was doing. Considering his personality, he would have told directly, but the fact that he didn't suggests that Seria might be carrying out a very scary 'revenge'.
As for , I had no intention of stopping Seria's 'revenge'. That was what I had promised her in the first place.
‘Well…… she'll probably show her face on her own when it's all over.’
Putting aside my thoughts about Seria, I got up from the reception sofa.
"Then I will think a little more about whether to involve the officials in this 'war on cri' or not and let you know again. I apologize for coming at such a late hour."
"Not at all, Your Highness. Please call on anyti."
Jereuth also got up from his chair with and saluted. He had a rather tired face when I first ca, but now Jereuth was showing his usual sharp montum.
***
After eting Jereuth and returning to the palace, the ti was well past five in the morning and approaching six. For reference, I was going to return to my room alone, but Jereuth insisted on assigning knights as escorts.
I said, 「”Who would target in this royal castle?”」—and said I didn't need an escort, but Jereuth firmly assigned the knights.
‘Honestly, escorts are a burden.’
Click.
When I opened the door to my room, I could see the dawn breaking through the window.
Still, it was the Crown Prince's room, so the view from the window was quite good…….
But Elly was in the room.
"Y-Your Highness! Where have you been?!"
As soon as I entered the room, Elly asked in a slightly tearful voice, as if she had been very worried.
"I went to the 3rd Knight Order for a mont to discuss sothing with Head Knight Jereuth."
"Ah…… I see. Then does that an you didn't sleep today either?"
"It's not 'today either'. I slept a little yesterday."
"……."
"By the way, Miss Elly, what are you doing here? It's not wake-up ti yet."
"I ca to see if Your Highness was resting well, but you weren't here…… so I was waiting. The guards also said they didn't know where you went……."
Elly continued to speak as if she had been worried and then bowed her head in apology.
"I am sorry, Your Highness. I lost my senses and failed to assist you even when you were leaving."
"It's alright. It was my fault for going out alone at dawn. I would have called if I needed you."
"Still……."
"It's alright. Then Miss Elly, I have sothing I want to think about alone for a bit, so would you please leave?"
I politely asked Elly to leave, but she did not. Instead, Elly stared at my face for a mont, then took out a rather large mirror from her front pocket and held it out to .
"Your Highness, this is sothing I've been wanting to tell you recently…… would you please look in the mirror?"
"Yes?"
"Please take a look. What do you see?"
Although Elly was saying sothing out of the blue, I decided to look in the mirror for now.
What I saw in the mirror was, of course, the mysteriously beautiful appearance of the guy nad 'Leonardo' that I had already seen countless tis. An appearance that could not be hidden even by hollow cheeks and dark circles.
"I see my face."
"That's not what I'm trying to say. Your Highness, you've been overworking yourself too much lately. Of course, I know it was because of the Purge, but now that the Purge is over, shouldn't you get so rest?"
"Rest…… is it."
I asked myself in a monologue and then shook my head.
"I don't have ti to rest. Because while I rest, soone among the kingdom's people is starving to death."
"……."
"I'll sleep when I'm dead— haha, I won't say such a vain thing. Still, I don't want to rest now. My mind is not at ease after seeing the royal capital with my own eyes."
At my words, Elly's head drooped reluctantly, like a dewy leaf tilting. Along with that, her gaze also dropped slightly as she nodded.
"……I understand, Your Highness. Then if there is anything I can help you with, please call anyti. Should I bring breakfast in about an hour?"
"Yes, please do so then."
Elly put the mirror back in her front pocket and left the room. For so reason, there was little strength in her steps.
It seed she had so worries, but I decided to talk to her slowly later. Now was the ti to check the . Since I had spoken to Jereuth about the 'war on cri,' new content would have been written.
Swish—.
I opened the familiarly. It was the future closest to the present.
…….
Jereuth advised that it would be better to exclude the officials from the 'war on cri'. He said that information could be leaked.
Despite Jereuth's concerns, I involved the officials in the 'war on cri'. Because, without using them, it would take too long to prepare for the 'war on cri'. I wanted to eliminate the thugs and wicked rchants as soon as possible, so I made that choice.
But that was a mistake.
As Jereuth had feared, so officials leaked information about the 'war on cri' to hide their own involvent with the thugs or wicked rchants. They instructed the thugs and wicked rchants to flee the royal capital and dispose of their ledgers before I officially declared the 'war on cri'.
The reason why the officials helped the thugs and wicked rchants was simple. Because it was clear that if the thugs and wicked rchants were caught, their relationship with them would be revealed in detail. The forr nobles—the officials—were afraid that the bla would fall on them if their relationship with the thugs was exposed.
In the end, a significant number of thugs and wicked rchants secretly smuggled out their assets and fled outside the royal capital, and they were absorbed by the bandits who were rampant in various parts of the kingdom's countryside.
Not only the thugs but also the bandits were a major cause of the people's rebellion later on, and their strength had been reinforced.
As the thugs and wicked rchants fled the city, various problems imdiately arose.
Third-rate thugs ford organizations and started power struggles to occupy the vacant positions of the fled thugs, and ordinary citizens suffered because of it.
Not only that, but the kingdom's people began to riot, enraged at and Jereuth for allowing the wicked rchants to escape with all their assets.
―Fwoosh!
―Hurry up and steal! Hurry!
Today, another fire broke out sowhere outside the royal capital. Looking at the location, it seed that the kingdom's people had looted a warehouse and set it on fire.
…….
A report ca in from Jereuth. A report that the kingdom's people were preparing weapons near the royal castle.
Perhaps the kingdom's people are now trying to plunder the royal castle.
Riots are happening before a rebellion can occur.
To solve this problem…… I might have to kill people again. And this ti, it's not the nobles who gnawed at the kingdom to fill their own greed, but the ordinary people who are trying to start a riot because they are hungry and have no hope in life.
Moreover, this problem is not just 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…… why don't they understand my heart?
My head was heavy. The path of a ruler was too difficult.
As I had thought, new content was written in the . But that 'new content' was not in the direction I had hoped for. It was written that my 'war on cri' to eliminate the thugs and wicked rchants would essentially fail.
‘The good thing is that the reason for the failure of the operation is stated.’
It was stated in the . As Jereuth had feared, the officials leaked information about the 'war on cri' to the thugs and wicked rchants, and that was the cause of the failure.
So, if I don't involve them in the operation, the problem will be solved.
‘But there's another problem…… if I don't use the officials, the preparations for the 'war on cri' will take too long.’
If I don't use the officials, it will take too long, and if I use them, the operation will fail. The problem and the solution are in opposition to each other.
‘Still, it would be the right choice to exclude the officials even if it takes a long ti, rather than fail, right? ……Wait, no? Can't I just solve the reason why the officials are leaking information about the 'war on cri'?’
According to the , the reason why the officials were helping the thugs and wicked rchants was because they were worried they would be punished if their relationship was exposed.
So, what if I were to persuade them by saying, 「”I already know everything, so if you confess to information about the thugs and wicked rchants and their evil deeds, I will take it into consideration.”」?
‘From the officials' perspective, they don't care whether the thugs or wicked rchants die. The reason they are trying to save them is to prevent the bla from falling on them if their relationship is exposed. So, if I promise the officials that the ‘bla’ won't fall on them…… I'm sure the officials will all sell out the thugs and wicked rchants to . Because it's an opportunity to have their own sins pardoned.’
This is a technique commonly used by detectives or prosecutors when dealing with criminals. Everyone has probably heard the line in a drama at least once where the detectives say to the criminal during an interrogation, 「”I know everything, so if you confess, I'll go easy on you! So spill it!”」
In fact, that is also what detectives or prosecutors say to criminals. Cooperating with the investigation and confessing before the investigation is also a reason for a reduction in punishnt.
‘Of course, I can't forgive them without any punishnt. Confession is a reason for a reduction in punishnt, not an exemption. For certain cris, a confession or self-report alone can pardon the cri, but that's not the case here.’
Anyway, I ca to a conclusion.
‘First, let's put pressure on the officials. I'm going to have a 'war on cri,' and I already know about your relationship with the thugs and wicked rchants. So if you cooperate, I'll go a little easy on you.’
What if they don't cooperate even after I've offered this much?
‘Then I'll have to do what I have to do. In a slightly more radical way.’
What that 'radical way' would be was only in my head. It was a barbaric thod that my past self wouldn't have even thought of, but in this world, I might have to do it if necessary.
As I finished that thought.
Scribble, scribble, scribble—!
“!”
New content began to be written in the that I had laid open. Content that I had intended, liked, and hoped for.
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