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Chapter 329 – The Truth That Leaks Out
“My lord, Barche-sama has arrived.”
“Hm. Is it the second reception room?”
“Indeed, my lord.”
It was a mansion in Domia, somewhat disproportionately large.
Baron Olan, seated at a desk in one of its rooms, lifted his face at the butler’s voice.
The fact that he had stopped by without using a magic bird meant that he intended to report his results and collect his reward.
Baron Olan made that judgment, grabbed a parchment from a drawer, and headed for the second reception room.
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“My apologies for the sudden visit, Baron Olan.”
“It matters not. More importantly, was the matter resolved without incident?”
“Of course. I met up with Kius in Sanur, and the cargo was safely—”
“Ah, no need to continue.”
The man cut Barche off mid-sentence, then pressed on relentlessly.
“I know nothing of what you did, nor do I care much. Is that correct?”
“…Yes.”
“If it’s resolved, that’s sufficient. Here is the reward for assisting my friend—the item requested.”
As he spoke, the man slid a parchment across the table.
The first thing that caught the eye was a sketch, likely of a horse, that was pletely blacked out.
Beneath it, numerous words were written.
“So this is what was found.”
“Though it’s rather vague. It’s a subspecies of unicorn that inhabits Espesismo, or is it a rare species? That’s what the ‘Source Book’ seems to record.”
“Espesismo… Baron, do you know what region this name refers to?”
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“I recall it from ancient texts. I believe it refers to the Illusory Sea of Trees in the southeastern continent. That’s what I meant by vague.”
“I see. Is it the ‘last forest hiding lost, lost fairies’ from the minstrel’s song? That brought back memories.”
“Hmph. Who knows how true a song of unknown origin really is.”
“Incidentally, what about the main target?”
Upon hearing this question, Baron Olan shook his head.
“If even my connections can’t find any information, then it’s probably beyond the 50th rank. Even if it exists, I doubt it’s the kind of monster that can survive, don’t you think?”
“Well, that’s probably true.”
“I did deliver the payment. It won’t be immediate, but if anything else es up, I’ll send a messenger.”
Just as Baron Olan was about to end the meeting,
The mansion entrance suddenly grew noisy. The head butler appeared at the door, looking flustered, and explained the situation.
“M-my Lord! Kius-sama has requested an urgent audience. What shall we do? He’s quite agitated about the ‘rice’ matter and insists on speaking with you.”
“What?”
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Upon hearing this, Baron Olan turned his gaze to Barche, who also looked puzzled and merely tilted his head.
Since it was about the rice, though, Barche nodded as if he understood something. Reluctantly, Baron Olan summoned Kius into the room.
“Your Excellency, I sincerely apologize for this sudden visit. Wait, Barche was here too?”
“Just dropping by to report and collect my reward.”
“That’s beside the point. Kius, what’s this urgent matter?”
“Oh, right. Your Excellency, ‘dark rice’ of unknown origin has been discovered. It was found at a post station along the Suruis Road leading to the capital. Several warehouses there seem to be used as collection points.”
“What? Wasn’t suspicious activity detected in Morfran?”
“That operation is still in the preparatory phase. They aren’t in a position to move immediately. This newly discovered operation is entirely separate. Rice continues to be transported in from various directions even now.”
“What’s happening? Or rather, where is all this rice suddenly ing from? Haven’t you been managing the surplus rice?”
“That’s correct. I had subordinates investigate the situation. They reported that small quantities, roughly one cartload each, were being transported from multiple directions. However, there are signs of coordinated movement. At this point, we can conservatively estimate that over thirty cartloads have gathered. It’s possible that they’re being distributed simultaneously to the capital or to various locations eastward after passing through.”
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“If each village is contributing one cartload, that means they’ve colluded to scrape it together, evading your watch.”
“That seems to be the only explanation. Individual street vendors selling small quantities would be too subtle to detect. This isn’t the work of a single farmer. It suggests a larger operation.”
“Hmph. In terms of total volume, it doesn’t seem that significant, but…”
At this point, Baron Olan was still feeling confident.
The rice paid as land tax had already been converted to cash.
Even if the market price dropped somewhat due to this influx, only Kius, who had bought at prices assuming high sales, would be troubled. The Baron himself wouldn’t suffer significant losses.
That was his thinking.
However, the volume is sufficient to destabilize the market, and it’s unclear to what extent “black market rice” will proliferate. If the rice market were to collapse from the capital eastward, including the central regions, we would need to reconsider next year’s purchase amounts. Hence, I deemed this urgent and report…”
Upon hearing these words, which were perfectly natural for a merchant, the Baron’s eyebrow twitched.
“Who is leading this effort?”
Although he noticed that Baron Olan’s voice trembled with anger, he couldn’t simply refuse to answer.
Kius wiped the sweat from his brow as he read from the prepared script. Barche, who had been listening silently, also reached out, hoping for a peaceful death.
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“Well, it’s unclear. For now, all we know is that farmers experienced in handling horses are driving carts toward the central region.”
“In recent years, we’ve occasionally seen people from the west e all the way to Sanur for work during the fallow season. The price difference is obvious at a glance. Could they have brought that information back and spread it gradually?”
“Fu, fufu… Kius, Barche. You understand what I’m getting at, don’t you?”
“…”
“Solve this problem. Immediately.”
Realistically, though, Kius is the one most anxious about this situation, as his losses could swell dramatically.
Thinking this, Baron Olan fixed Kius with a stern gaze. Yet, surprisingly, it was Barche, seated beside him, who spoke first.
“I understand the problem, but this time, I’d like you to specify the method.”
“What do you mean?”
“If it were like before, I could just set up my own nets. But on this scale, that won’t work. There are numerous roads stretching from the west to the capital and inns of all sizes. Frankly, even with all the monsters at our disposal, we simply don’t have enough people.”
Even if I used my pany’s people, it would still be difficult. First, there are no skilled fighters among them. I only discovered this by chance this time, and I can’t get involved. They’d be useless in suppression or seizure operations.”
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“Then mercenaries?”
“In this urgent situation, mercenaries are also problematic. While they’ll fight for money, securing enough of them still takes considerable time.”
“That’s true.”
“And regarding the ‘evidence’ point Your Excellency always emphasizes, going through an external organization is likely to cause plications…”
“You wouldn’t be suggesting using the provincial troops here?”
“If we could move pieces under our direct control immediately, that would be ideal.”
“If we could justify it, yes.”
Baron Olan pondered the pretext for a moment, but could find no legitimate justification.
There was nothing wrong with his subjects selling rice—rice that should have been theirs to do with as they pleased after paying their land taxes—to distant markets using their own labor and time.
Using the soldiers he employed with the money from those land taxes to attack his own subjects was outrageous.
Yet this man, born into privilege, could not prehend it.
“Set up checkpoints immediately. Anyone transporting ‘rice’ by cart will be executed as ‘thieves’. Kius, inform the merchants among your associates to halt shipments temporarily if they wish to avoid involvement.”
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“…U-understood.”
“Barche, you go to the capital. Since they’re gathering there, they must be planning to consolidate their forces out of fear of bandits. Since you can travel nonstop using monsters, you should make it in time.”
“Well, that’s…”
“The intersection west of the capital where multiple roads meet is the spot. There’ll be some foot traffic, but since they’re ‘thieves,’ eliminate them under the guise of a bounty. But make sure that ‘rice’… feed it to those disgusting monsters or something. Don’t let it fall into anyone’s hands.”
“…”
This should hold them off for now.
Next, interrogate the captured peasants at the checkpoint. Find out who led this operation and where they were headed.
Put them on the rack and make them talk. The full picture should then bee clear.
Once that information is known, countermeasures can be prepared in advance.
As for the leader, what torment awaits him?
“…Your Excellency, are you truly certain this should proceed?”
“An appropriate number of innocent subjects will die.”
At that moment, neither of them understood why they had said those words.
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Did they grieve for the subjects’ deaths? Or did they perhaps wish to save the Baron, with whom they had a stake?
Or did they want to get one last word in against the boy who wrote this script, telling him that the story wouldn’t end so conveniently?
Regardless, unexpected words of salvation came from both of them.
Had the Baron been calm, he might have sensed something was amiss—words that would never have e from these two under normal circumstances. Their true intent remained unclear.
But Baron Olan was already relieved.
Seeing a glimmer of hope, he believed his money was safe. He had already deluded himself into thinking the problem was solved.
Is that why?
“What are you talking about? Their numbers grow easier than livestock. Even if they die, it’s hard to imagine them feeling anything. No, since they can die for me, isn’t that their heart’s desire?”
These words slipped out naturally.
Anyone present could tell that these were undoubtedly his true feelings.
In that instant.
On the high-quality, three-seater sofa directly in front of him, Kius and Barche should have been sitting side by side.
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—But when he looked, a boy was seated beside them, staring intently at the baron.
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