Chapter 220
Chapter 220. Intimidating Domestic Affairs
“—‘Evaroti Autonomous District’. Don’t you think it’s a strange name?”
I smile at the captives, who have tense expressions on their faces.
“As the term ‘temporary’ suggests, your situation is very unstable. You are being tested. Are you worthy of being accepted as part of the Demon Lord Kingdom’s citizens, or… are you merely livestock fit to be used up?”
Some press their lips together in anxiety while others wear blank expressions, stifling their emotions. I understand the sentiment; they’re clearly on edge, and I could easily snap at my own words.
…I then focus on one of the captives who clearly looks like he has noble ties.
“You there. Yes, you—the old, skinny man with a bit of gray hair. What’s your name?”
The old man seems taken aback by my sudden inquiry.
“I… I am Sebastian.”
“Hmm. Do you have experience in territory management?”
“…A little, yes.”
The old man—Sebastian—nods, looking slightly shaken, as if he can’t believe I figured it out.
He certainly feels like a noble. Probably a butler or a senior servant.
“Well then, that’s good. Hey, Tavo, give that man some documents.”
I instruct Tavo to hand some papers over to Sebastian.
“Here’s the tax that will be imposed on the citizens of your district…”
“What… is this…?!”
Sebastian’s eyes widen as he stares at the documents.
“Fufufu… how is it?”
I lean on the armrest with a smirk.
“Doesn’t it seem lighter than you expected?”
“…”
Sebastian doesn’t respond, seemingly afraid that answering might result in increased tax rates.
Indeed.
The taxes are actually low.
For the first year, it’s almost entirely exempt. After that, the main tax will consist of livestock like cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens, but those numbers are kept reasonable, considering the population and livestock growth of the district.
“Hmm. Did you think nodding might worsen your tax rates? Don’t worry, it won’t change for the next ten years. Moreover, we have already confiscated the documents from the Defteros Kingdom and surrounding countries. We know what tax rates they’ve been imposing.”
In fact, the taxes here are much lighter than those during the middle to end of wars in other countries. Farming is allowed, so the citizens of the district are unlikely to starve… unless there’s an extraordinarily bad harvest.
“What? You look like you’re wondering what I’m planning? Indeed, while the tax itself is light, the treatment isn’t lenient. If, by any chance, you fail to deliver the required number of livestock, two misfortunes will hit you.”
“…”
“First. The shortfall will be compensated by shipping out the citizens of the district as ‘livestock’.”
“Gah!”
“Second. If your capacity to pay taxes is doubted too severely—then the ‘temporary’ in your autonomous district will be revoked. In other words, you’ll be deemed unfit for autonomy, and everyone will either fall into slavery or face extermination.”
“…”
The air in the audience chamber grows cold. Especially for the captives.
“That’s precisely why these rates are manageable. I’m not so free that I’d waste my time enjoying the sight of lowly beings struggling under heavy taxes. Understand that the minimum conditions for you, who once opposed the Demon Lord Kingdom, to even call yourselves citizens are based on this.”
The expressions of the captives are stiff. Almost all of them stare blankly at the carpet, and even Sebastian, who initially astonished by the low tax rate, now sweats profusely.
They understand that with such realistic goals set, failing to achieve them would mean the precariousness of their district’s position could vanish in an instant.
“By the way, did you not wonder about the peculiar focus on livestock taxes? Our Demon Lord Kingdom has a high demand for meat, from cat beastmen to dragons, night elves, and ogres. Therefore, we are particularly hopeful regarding the production capacity of the citizens of the district… so please do your best to add some color to our dining table.”
As I say this playfully, the dark figures around me stifle their laughter.
I’ve given them hints about the food situation. I’ll continue to feed them bits of information. All I can do now is hope that someone like Sebastian realizes the absurdity of the Demon Lord Kingdom.
“Next, you over there. Yes, you—the one exposing yourself to shame under the light gods.”
I address the priest who seems to belong to the Holy Church. By his outfit, he’s still an apprentice. I’ll let his name slide for now; I don’t want him to draw more attention.
“About the faith within the district…”
The haggard-faced priest apprentice goes pale, clearly more nervous than ever before.
If I were to say that the worship of the light gods is prohibited and that all believers are to be executed, he would be left with no escape… I can understand his feelings.
“—Basically, we do not interfere with your individual beliefs. Naturally, if you choose to serve the dark gods, you’ll be welcomed.”
The priest apprentice looks relieved yet somehow anticipates more, as if he’s left a bit bewildered.
“There was debate on whether to spare or exterminate those associated with the Holy Church… but from a sanitary point of view, acts of healing within the district are permitted. Essentially, you’ll have to take care of your own injuries and illnesses.”
He quietly mutters a soft “I see,” looking down.
Hey, don’t be plotting something shady just yet.
“However. All facilities related to the Holy Church will be dismantled. New constructions are forbidden. The creation of religious items like altars, holy marks, and flags is prohibited. Additionally, any festival or event celebrating the light gods is also banned.”
I speak with emphasis, making it clear.
“If you still wish to worship the light gods, do it quietly out of our sight, perhaps by mumbling some verses.”
As I laugh mockingly, the night elves, who despise the light gods, share smirks of agreement. How annoying…
“Ugh…!”
Meanwhile, the priest apprentice grits his teeth in immense frustration, suppressing sobs. The night elves seem to take pleasure in his pitiful state…
Oh?
This apprentice isn’t half bad at acting.
The prohibitions I set are rather lenient from the perspective of the Holy Church. If they want to learn miracles, they simply need to chant in the shadows. Besides, the most important event for the Holy Church is the “Rite of Passage”—it can be done with just a cup imbued with holy attributes and pure water, basking in sunlight.
In other words, the rite to manifest holy attributes—producing heroes and priests—requires neither an altar, holy marks, flags, nor even a church.
Though most of the minors in the district have already fled, if children were to increase in the future, they’d possess no means to oppose the Demon Lord Kingdom at all. Although it appears that the dignity of the Holy Church has been completely trampled, the practical aspects remain virtually untouched.
Yet this apprentice seems to grieve as though everything he believed has been denied.
For what reason? It’s obvious.
To keep the Demon Lord Army complacent… how trustworthy.
“Now, let’s move on to some practical matters. Essentially, the administration of the district will be handled by myself, the governor, alongside a group of officials composed of demons, night elves, and hobgoblins. This includes city planning, tax collection, and other administrative processes, but you’ll also be responsible for maintaining public order and dealing with minor administrative tasks.”
I turn my gaze to an injured soldier. He looks somewhat familiar—he’s a likable guy.
“Form a guards’ unit with former soldiers like yourself and volunteers. Your duties will include maintaining public order and eliminating harmful beasts or external threats. You will also be permitted to arm yourselves for this purpose.”
The captives gasp in surprise; the allowance for arms seemed unexpected. The injured soldier’s mouth moves as if saying “Are you serious?” with a look that questions my sanity.
Hey, don’t get all flustered. But still, while they’re distracted by the allowance for arms, they seem to miss the term “external threats.”
“First, regarding maintaining public order, handle squabbles and crimes such as theft amongst citizens yourselves. However, the incarceration of criminals will fall under the jurisdiction of the official group. Generally, the punishments for crimes will apply laws from the Defteros Kingdom—”
For example, theft would incur forced labor (imprisonment), and murder would lead to execution.
“—For citizens incarcerated in the district, all of their rights will be stripped away. Meaning, they’ll be treated just like common beasts. Fresh humans are always in demand; chances are they won’t make it out alive… so you can consider that almost all crimes are punishable by death.”
The captives show their stiffened faces yet again, for the umpteenth time today.
“…That said, it’s the guards’ duty to capture and present criminals to us. If a dispute can be resolved between the concerned parties without our involvement, we won’t interfere. Conversely, we also won’t unlawfully detain you district citizens. To treat you like citizens means just that.”
There really is a significant gap between citizens and slaves in the Demon Lord Kingdom… It’s only natural yet extremely pronounced when compared to any other allied country.
“If you feel you’re being treated unreasonably by the upper citizens, including demons, you are able to bring that complaint to me, the governor. If I determine that the complaint is valid, appropriate action will be taken.”
…Even saying so, the captives glance at each other, unsure.
Well, it’s hard to take “appropriate action” seriously, as it might simply mean a strict admonition.
“Let’s use a specific example. Imagine if demons from outside entered the district, shouting, ‘Time for a human hunt!’ while injuring you and even abducting a few.”
The captives gasp at such a violent example.
“…Well, you don’t even need to report such an obvious case; it will easily reach my ears. In that scenario, I would hunt those demons down to the ends of the earth and break their horns—not allowing them to recover socially.”
The captives listen intently to my strong tone.
“You are protected to that extent. But do not misunderstand, it’s not because you’re ‘valuable.’ In the end, the district, the citizens living within it, the land, and resources all ultimately belong to the Demon Lord. To touch or harm any of it means sullying the Demon Lord’s dignity.”
With a huff, I lean back against the chair.
“In short, you are the Demon Lord’s pet dog.”
The captive cat beastmen perk their ears up. The cat beastmen soldiers of the Demon Lord Army smirk at this.
“Treating your pet dog poorly is akin to insulting the owner. Therefore, those who dare act arrogantly will be thoroughly punished… Sadly, there are plenty who fail to grasp this reasoning even within the Demon Lord Kingdom. Or there may be those who, seeing the need to protect the Demon Lord’s dignity, provoke me and plot despicable schemes…”
That injured soldier begins to wear an expression as if to say, “What is this guy talking about…?” Meanwhile, the priest apprentice and Sebastian seem to fully understand. For those who don’t get it, ask someone else to explain later. I’ll continue my talk.
“That’s the purpose of the armaments, the purpose of the guards. Eliminating harmful beasts and external threats is part of your duties. Even if demons try to attack you, you’ll be protected as the Demon Lord’s possessions. Similarly, you have the right to resist to ensure that you won’t be harmed.”
Sebastian seems to digest my words, shaking his head slightly.
It must be humiliating…
Yet a faint sense of relief must also be there.
He probably understands that despite everything, they’ve been granted a level of treatment exceeding their expectations, allowing them to survive…
“Evaroti Autonomous District—you’re not slaves, but citizens. However, being treated as citizens is limited to within the district. Most of the people of the Demon Lord Kingdom view you merely as livestock or something similar.”
I gaze at each captive.
At first glance, they wear compliant expressions—
Yet within their eyes lies a spark of unwavering determination.
“…There are strong opposing opinions against recognizing former allied captives as citizens. Especially concerning humans, who, if left unchecked, may cause all sorts of trouble. Allowing them freedom is out of the question. They should be killed or turned into slaves. Such opinions exist.”
Or perhaps—
“Except for exceptional individuals, humans are too weak and unfit to be citizens of the Demon Lord Kingdom. They deserve to be slaves or at best treated like livestock. Such opinions abound.”
The captives remain silent, bearing my exaggerated statements—
“—Now then.”
I recline on the armchair with my elbow propped up and firmly clasp my hands in my lap.
“Let’s get to the main topic.”
…The captives wear puzzled expressions, thinking, “The main topic?”
I smile gently.
Like a benevolent sovereign.
“It’s about none other than your inclination for rebellion.”
