15 Plight of The People (2/2)

”Oh.. a costumer? Do you need anything?” she said while holding her head lazily without glancing at me fully.

”This…” I glance at the surroundings and realize this was a material store.

”What? You came without any plan to buy anything? Get out if you just here to hinder me.” She starts fuming irritatingly. Then as she moves her head and gazes at me, she realizes that the clothes I wear were fancy and begins to size me up apologetically, ”I'm sorry for being rude, what does young sir here want?”

'Interesting, despite just seeing my clothes, her attitude change 180o' I begin stroking my chin in ponder before I said,

”I am a traveling merchant from the neighboring territory, could you please explain the situation and prize of common goods in this County? Of course, I will be paying” Then I show her a few gold coins from my pocket.

Seeing a genuine gold coin, her eyes began to shine in greed before she nods and starts describing the situation in the fief.

As she explains the situation and causes of the current bad atmosphere in the city, I realize that my guess is right, 'No wonder the people in the territory have quite a gloom atmosphere.' I recalled what she just said.

Although the Count's territory was in a tradeline and connected to the main road to the Capital of the Kingdom. The Count was displeased by the measly amount of tax that he got from his people. Then, As the Count resolve to attack my territory, he uses that as a pretext to increase the tax percentage as well as adding new kind of tax to his people and also taking their good.

After gathering the information, I pay the woman with gold and inspect the goods before finding nothing that interests me.

Just as I get out of the store, I see a young boy was running while hugging a loaf of black bread in his chest. A middle-aged man was chasing him while shouting,

”Come back here! You little thief! Just wait until I catch you!” He was swinging some kind of rolling pin in the air while shouting.

The child was running desperately without minding much what's in front of him, making him crash into me and he falls to the ground since I have a knight apprentice constitution, I was fine.

”Finally caught you, little thief.” The man lifts the boy in the air while grinning maliciously.

”Hey, stop what you are doing! Take this and let the boy go.” I implored to the man, as I give him two silver to compensate him.

Then, he swiftly snatches the silvers I gave with greed and smiled, ”You're lucky this time boy, remember that there is no next time!”

The boy then bows his head to me before left hurriedly, as if being chased by something.

”Well, whatever. I was planning to solve the city's problem anyway.” I said with a smirk, as if the city were already officially mine.

As the golds seem already been piled in the city hall, I set to check that out first. Since the officials monitor the movement of gold, the worker didn't dare to take even one gold.

Then, I got to the inside of the city hall and find Magistrate Bryant,

”Magistrate Bryant, I want you to buy grain with this gold and distribute what we have right now to the people, 10 kg for each person,” I decreed firmly.

”Yes, I will do that immediately!” The magistrate dismissively replied.

”Also prioritize people in the slums and in poverty one!” Remembering the boy that was carrying a loaf of black bread before.

”Yes, as you commanded!” Then, he bows and left to instruct personnel to start distributing grain.

After that, I go back to the Manor to rest and wait for the robot's full occupation of the County, as well as waiting for the officials from Moonmoor to arrive.

***

In a certain town in Sanchez County, the people in town were busy doing their daily job. Although the town also had a quite gloomy atmosphere, the people were still desperate to exert to meet their daily needs.

On the outskirt of the town, six transport troop helicopters were approaching. Bringing within them robots with obvious intent.

As they reach above the town, the robots start descending and occupy the town swiftly and easily as the guards that were supposed to guard the town mostly being conscripted by the Count.

The people also just accept their town being occupied, as they just got inside the house and pray for not being killed by the golem they see.

As the robots finish occupying the town, they left 10 or so robots to defend the place before leaving to occupy other towns and villages. This was also happening at the other two towns and 14 villages consecutively. The Sanchez County had been fully occupied.