I am in the meeting room of my manor with the third most important person in this town of Mirfield: the Guild Master. The subject is the projected yield of the crops this year. Truly, there was a bit of a drought and some crops are less tolerant to the lack of water than others, but to me, the Baron of Mirfield, it is a bit inconsequential. I am either getting the poll taxes or a workforce of tax slaves next fall anyway. But I cannot ignore the Guild Master, or he might begin causing me trouble finding skilled adventurers.
I am bored to death by the petty talk of this small man. I’d like very much to close this meeting short, and start my dinner earlier. There’s pork tonight. A boar roasted whole, caught south of the town. My mouth salivates just to think that whole boar will be mine.
“And there is a report of a strong monster appearing in the ‘forest of beginning’. We need to take action according to the king’s decree.”
Boring boring boring. Why haven’t those incompetent ruffians of yours killed that thing already? What good are adventurers if not to kill monsters, get strong, kill even stronger monsters then die in a ditch somewhere very far away before they get stronger enough to be a problem? Why must you torture me keeping me apart from my roasted boar?
“It is at least a rank B monster, and we believe it to be a variant. My personal opinion is that it is an A rank mutant. It took a local girl as its bride too.”
Preposterous. Not even this awesome me can touch those town girls as I please, and a monster just goes and takes one? What are the kingdom knights doing? Why must I be surrounded by incompetents?? It is such a bother to get a new girl. I have to send messengers, hire her into the household, then pamper the little harlot until she gives in. Then hand over some sum of money and then she keeps pressing for marriage. I’m already married thank you? Oh, he is waiting for a reply.
“And where may be that girl, Guild Master?” I hope she is dead. Such a tainted thing, I’d like it to be kept away from town.
“We managed to capture her in a joint expedition with the knights. She is in the garrison’s stockades right now.”
For the sake of the forgotten emperor!!! They had the gull to bring her into my town walls!!
“I hope you have a reason to bring that tainted monster bride into town, instead of killing her on the spot.” I am angry, can’t you see? Oh, if he were anyone but the Guild Master, I’d have him flogged in the main square.
“Of course. And one that can raise your status too, my lord.” I am sure he wants to raise his status of all things. Maybe get transferred form this town. And then the Guild will send the second most incompetent Master to this town. My fate is to be surrounded by idiots.
“And what is this?”
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“This girl has a title of [Harvest Princess], it is very rare. We can use an ancient ritual to bless the lands with that mana. It will greatly increase yield for crops!”
“Ancient ritual? You mean you will kill that girl?”
If I am not mistaken, there is a daughter of a merchant that has wheat hair. This merchant is one traveling merchant that decided to settle here to raise his family. Traveling merchants are strong. I need to see if it will be any trouble. Merchants are usually called ‘the fourth power’ by some fools. Was it because most traveling merchants do not pay taxes to me?
“She is no longer a girl. She is a monster bride. The right time for the sacrifice is the equinox night, in a few days. Once embraced by a monster, it is no longer human.”
I don’t care about any of this. And it feels troublesome. But I will let the Guild Master have his way. If he succeeds, it is only because of my guidance, but I will make sure that if he fails, he will take the fall alone.
“And how much profit it will bring, to kill this monster bride in the equinox?”
If it is something that will increase my prestige in the kingdom, it can be only in the shape of money. The only thing the king cares is if the fiefs are paying their tributes in full and the monsters are being managed in the regions.
“About this much, given the state of the crops.” The Guild Master hands me a report.
It is less than what I expected, but it is more than fifty families worth of taxes. I am sure he is pocketing more money than this. I have to get him investigated. And since the girl is in the garrison, I bet the knight captain is getting his share of money too. Oh, why our wise king determined that the knight garrison of each domain would be under his direct command?
“All you need is my permission for enacting this plan of yours, right? Then it is granted. I expect results even greater than what you are showing me. Make sure there are crops to be vitalized when the execution is carried over.”
“Of course. One of the reasons I made the forest off-limits is to push more adventurers into field defense requests. There are lots of rabbit and wolf meat in the market these days. There is an apprentice of mine killing rabbits in a field right now, I’ll make sure to bring the most tender of them for your appreciation, my lord.”
Ass kissing double crossing moron. I need to take the rug off this guy’s feet. I will send some spies to check on his weakness.
“Is it all, Guild Master. If it is so, thanks...”
“Actually, there is a second subject.”
The nerve! My roasted boar will get cold!
“Say it.”
“I took the liberty of arranging for a B rank party, the ‘Shining Blades’ to subjugate this monster that appeared. Of course your seneschal has already approved the funds.”
There is a saying in the capital court, “The adventurer’s nonsense is the lord’s expense.”
“Make sure you get it killed. Even if you have to throw every single adventurer in this town after it.”
It might even be better if he does. How troublesome. I’d like to get promoted to viscount and leave this domain for good.
“Of course. Does my lord has anything else for me?”
“No. You may excuse yourself, Guild Master.”
“By your leave.”
The Guild Master leaves. I’ve never been so glad to see his filthy back as I am now. Such thing as increasing crop yield, how absurd and useless. This town actually has a problem of too healthy people. This year it is expected that even less than the desired amount of people will fail to pay the poll tax. This way our ‘emergency’ stores of food won’t be handed out. What would people do if they had food to go the entire winter?
To hell with all this. I have a sour taste in my mouth from just thinking of the possibilities. One wiseman that served the previous king used to say “A healthy people is the shortest path to a beheaded lord.”
I wonder what he meant with that…