zChapter 45 - Arc 2, Crescent Moon (1/2)

It was the fifth day. All twenty-six people looked tired.

But, they still let out a detailed stream of complaints.

“Snow is something that falls from the sky. You guys didn’t make it, or anything. So why do you want us to pay you for it?”

“Because even a small amount of money is crucial for Maine Village.”

“We can’t live if we don’t have water. You guys might not know this, but it doesn’t snow over in Eitt Village. Even if we want to gather water from the forest, the Weiss forest is too dangerous to enter in the winter when all of our young people are gone.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with us. Besides, if there’s water in the forest, why don’t you just make it flow toward your village? Use your heads and use your bodies to help yourselves.”

“Just how are we supposed to do that without any tools… Are you telling us to dig from Weiss Forest to our village using our hands?”

“If you need money to buy tools, then how about I lend you some? Since we’re both people who live in Meissen, I can give you a special, discounted interest rate… It won’t be anything like the enormous interest that Maine Village over there had been fooled into taking.”

“…What did you say? So we really were tricked after all?! Those damn Lux merchants!”

“No, aren’t you going a bit too far? I don’t particularly think that it was an unfair amount…”

“Hah! That’s why you lot aren’t good at conducting business. Don’t you know of the phrase ‘small profits and quick returns’? You Folea merchants.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. In the first place, isn’t ‘small profits and quick returns’ only used when talking about buying and selling!? Can you really use it to refer to lending money?”

“Moneylending is also a fine business. Rather than overcharging one person with an enormous interest rate, it is better to charge a small interest to a large group of people, don’t you think? If you force a huge interest rate on someone, then they’ll eventually run away… But then, it isn’t as if Folea has any money to spare for lending to peasants.”

“…Kuh! …But the whole reason why things are like this was because you guys stuck your noses into our business with Linz fief, isn’t it!? Saiquani was supposed to handle business with the Caprix fief of Lux Kingdom. Business with Linz fief was supposed to be ours…”

“Who ever decided that? If someone wants to do business somewhere, then as long as they have the status of a merchant, nothing else matters.”

“Who decided it… that’s just how it’s been ever since long ago.”

“Huumm. How idiotic. If it was written down anywhere, then show me the evidence. Can you pull out a contract, or anything of the sort? Come on, bring it over.”

“Damn you! I’m telling you, our ancestors have operated business this way for generations!”

“I’m. Telling. You. Evidence. Show me some proof.”

Ernst could hear the Folea merchant grind his teeth. The peasantfolk snickered as they watched the merchants argue with each other.

On that day, as well, Ernst didn’t speak a single word. All he did was watch.

The sixth day. The weariness on their expressions grew more visible.

Even though they didn’t look as if they had the energy to speak anymore, they still grumbled out a stream of complaints.

However, whenever someone interjected with a sarcastic comment, it seemed that no one had the energy to respond as alertly as they had before.

There was no longer a need to keep Targes and Ganche around.

After determining this, Ernst let the two stand down.

The seventh day. They continued to let out their dissatisfaction on this day, too.

Each and every one of them began to passionately complain about the individual hardships they suffered in each of their situations.

Just earlier, they grew angry whenever another person mocked their village or town, but now they quarreled over which of Meissen’s villages or towns forced people to live the most miserable and suffering lives.

And then, as if remembering Ernst, they turned back to look at him like they were asking him to support their claims.

Hey, the way we’re forced to live is absolutely terrible, right? We have to endure more than anyone else, right?

When they asked him to agree with them like that, Ernst merely closed his eyes, not providing them with a single response.

The eighth day. As expected, they continued to boast over their misfortune.

Whenever someone talked about the woes they suffered, someone else jumped in to shout about how they had been through something much worse.

Bit by bit, as if they were regaining energy, people started shouting at whoever cut in while someone else was speaking.

You shut up! A number of times, Ernst witnessed the scene of people shouting these words.

The ninth day.

When it came to bragging over their hardships, Yakiya Village was out of the running. No matter how they thought about it, they were the wealthiest village in Meissen. They might even be better off than Saiquani Town.

But even so, Yakiya Village scraped together the ills they suffered and joined in the war.