Episode 234
“Well… In fact, it is impossible to increase the troops any further than this in the Esperanza territory, Your Majesty.”
“The same goes for the McLane estate, Logan.”
The swordsman slightly furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing Padric’s tone, but he did not bother to interfere.
The urgent problem right now is the limitations of the military forces mentioned above.
McLane territory with 25,000 regular troops, excluding vigilantes, and Esperanza territory, with 15,000 regular troops without vigilantes.
Even excluding special classes such as wizards and knights, the number of troops in the two territories was already excessive compared to the population, or productivity.
Dwayne, who was listening to the swordsman and Padric next to him, also added his words.
“If we increase the troops of the two fiefdoms further than they are now, the financial burden will increase exponentially. And if it exceeds a certain limit, the fiefdoms will eventually…” “
Go bankrupt?”
“yes.”
“Even though there is ‘that’ in our territory?”
Dwayne, who had been carefully observing the swordsman’s eyes at the word ‘that’, quickly nodded when he saw him not moving.
“…Still, it’s clear that it’s an inefficient waste. Even that has its limits.”
“Then we need to raise the troops of other territories?”
“…That could end up giving too much power to the nobles.”
“Yeah. That’s why it’s so difficult.”
Logan sighed at the words of Knight Commander deGrom.
“Then, I just started a territory war and absorbed the surrounding territory… I’m sorry.”
Henderson, who mustered up the courage, lowered his head as he was met with glares from those around him.
At that moment, Eilen’s voice came out over the heavy silence that fell in Daejeon.
“…What about the royal territories?”
“hmm?”
“At the time of the king’s death in the pre-war period, the troops of the royal territory were actually divided between the 1st and 2nd princely factions. All that is left in the palace now is only a part of the royal guard captured in the last round. There will be room in the direct territory to increase troops. I think so.”
Logan’s eyes lit up at those words.
“Sure… But if McLane and Esperanza are 30% of the kingdom’s strength, then the direct territory would have to raise an army equivalent to at least 20% of the army for it to go as I envisioned. Is that possible? And that too in a short period of time.”
At those words, the eyes of everyone in the entourage widened.
“Do you really mean that much?”
“The influence just now is overwhelming enough…!”
“Overwhelming influence alone is not enough. We need a force so strong that other nobles cannot even think of opposing it. We can suppress it without even making a single noise.”
At Logan’s assertion, a cold aura filled the room for a moment.
“If our power alone exceeds half of the entire kingdom’s power, then everything in the kingdom will move according to my will.”
Despite the concerned expressions of his aides, Logan added that.
‘Since I have chosen to become king, I must be as efficient as possible in this position.’
Logan knew that his brain was not at the level where he could come up with groundbreaking policies that would enrich the kingdom, but fortunately he already had a blueprint.
Because there was an empire as an example.
‘It is definitely possible if I can get 20% more military power into my hands in the future.’
So he had no intention of backing down.
“Within a year if possible.”
“Hmm…”
At those words, a series of groans erupted from those around them.
Logan also knew that it was an unreasonable order.
But it had to be done.
‘Assuming the war breaks out at the same time, the remaining time is only three years and a few months. ‘I can’t afford to go slow.’
As Logan looked around with a stern expression, Heinkel stepped forward with a cautious expression.
“Then it seems that money is the problem in the end. You will need to have enough money to pay for salaries, equipment, training facilities, etc. all at once. If it is 20% of the kingdom’s total troops, it means approximately 40,000 to 50,000 elite soldiers in numbers, and if the given time is one year, in reality, “We have to recruit them all at once and train them. Can the royal family finances afford this?”
Dwayne shook his head with a heavy face and responded to Heinkel’s words.
However, there were also those who actively defended Logan’s opinions.
“What if McLane contributes and Esperanza also helps with finances?”
It was a swordsmith.
However, Dwayne’s face did not straighten despite his words.
“If that happens, there will be a serious blow to the operation of Esperanza and McLane’s territory. We can’t just cut back on existing forces to create new soldiers, right?”
“Hmm…”
“Selling royal treasures…”
“There are not many treasures that can be easily sold. And it is not a problem that can be solved by selling just a few treasures.”
The moment even the second opinion he had the courage to express was ignored, Henderson was crushed into a corner.
As everyone’s expressions darkened, Logan had no choice but to come up with the simplest solution.
“In the end, we will have no choice but to squeeze out the nobles.”
“yes?”
“I will double the taxes I pay to the royal family. It is harvest time soon.”
Everyone in the room froze at those words.
And soon.
“There will be a huge backlash, Your Majesty!”
“The nobles who supported us will also fall away….”
“This is an unreasonable number!”
“No matter how much we have 30% of the kingdom’s power, the remaining 70% will be against it.”
“There could be a revolt!”
Noisy voices erupted at once.
Since it was a natural reaction, Logan smiled instead of getting angry and continued.
“You just have to put conditions on it. We have to win in a short period of time anyway.”
The confused aides were able to nod their heads only after hearing Logan’s explanation. However, the worries on their faces were not completely erased.
* * * The grand palace of the royal palace ahead of the harvest season.
The Daejeon meeting, held for the first time since the coronation ceremony for the establishment of the new dynasty, was quite crowded unlike before. The seats were filled with lords from all over the country and their representatives.
Usually, local small and medium-sized nobles did not even send representatives due to their low status and geographical location, but this time, almost all nobles attended the meeting because the king personally invited them to attend.
Of course, since it was the beginning of a new dynasty, there were expectations that some special policy might come out.
“Will it be similar to before?”
“I guess it’s a little different.”
“There must be a reason why we were called here.”
When the nobles were whispering and sharing their opinions.
– Listen, Your Majesty!
With a loud shout, the door to the main hall opened and Logan appeared.
Soon, the eyes of the nobles who saw him entering Daejeon suddenly wavered.
Instead of the silk robe and fancy cape that people usually think of when they think of a king, there was a young knight wearing shining silver armor and carrying a sword.
The only thing suitable for a king’s attire is a luxurious-looking red cape and crown.
It felt burdensome to the nobles, as it seemed to show the combative side of the new king who ascended to the throne through blood.
Logan, who walked hurriedly amidst those wavering gazes, got straight to the point without any extravagant greetings, just as his attire suggested.
“Thank you all for your hard work. I don’t plan on taking too long, so I will immediately announce the most important agenda, the first policy of the new dynasty.”
The nobles’ eyes are shaking once again at the extremely unconventional announcement of the start of the meeting.
“In order to stabilize the kingdom that has suffered from successive civil wars, we will increase the tax levied by the royal family on nobles from the existing 30% to 60%!”
The head table where all eyes were focused.
Logan exploded a bomb that would truly go down in history during the first historic war meeting of the Kingdom of McLane.
For a moment, Daejeon became quiet, but only for a moment.
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Double it all at once!”
“There is no nobleman anywhere who can accept that.”
The reaction to the new king’s unconventional policy announcement was immediate.
The fear of the king who ascended to the throne with blood after going through a civil war disappeared at that moment thanks to the voices they poured out to each other.
The nobles’ voices became louder as they unintentionally confirmed that they were all in the same position.
“All the nobles in the kingdom will revolt. Please reconsider!”
“Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
Nobles prostrating and shouting one after another.
The nobles who had acted as if they would follow anything they said suddenly changed their attitude.
If you look at them one by one, they are weak forces that cannot even resist. Moreover, many of them belonged to the so-called ‘McLaine faction’, which supported MacLaine.
When they were grouped into the position of ‘the entire nobility’, their positions suddenly changed.
“How dare you…”
A low voice that only Logan can hear. When the eyebrows of the teacher standing nearby twitched.
Logan’s eyebrows, as he watched this, couldn’t help but frown slightly.
‘We must take control of the kingdom to the extent that such people cannot be seen.’
Only then will you be able to start planning properly.
Logan internally gritted his teeth and remembered those who had particularly loud voices.
Among them, the one who stands out the most is:
“If the king ignores old customs and laws and doubles taxes on his own authority, the kingdom will not be stabilized, but will become chaotic.”
He was an older man with brown hair and a strict look.
“Count Juan is right.”
“There will be chaos in the kingdom.”
“Please reconsider!”
Many nobles were seen moving in agreement with him.
‘Juan… Ah, that Count Jacques Juan.’
Although he belatedly declared his support at the end of the civil war, he was quite impressive in providing direct support by donating troops and resources.
Moreover, he used to send me letters full of flattery.
However, his attitude now was just strong, unlike the contents of the letter that seemed like he would save his liver.
‘He is an opportunist who is sensitive to his own gain…’
Nevertheless, seeing the nobles move around him, it seemed like he had some resourcefulness.
Logan looked at the guy and said something in a low voice that would dismiss the commotion in Daejeon.
“This year. It’s only one year. Next year, we will normalize taxes and instead reduce them to 20% for the next three years. What do you think? In the long run, I don’t think there will be much loss to you.”
As Logan spoke, voices rising here and there began to die down.
“1 year? 1 year….”
“20% from 2 years?”
“Isn’t that bad enough?”
Not all nobles were so empty-headed that a tax rate cut a few years from now would be in the same line as a doubling of the tax rate now.
However, the king, who started a new dynasty by causing a bloody storm, seemed to take a step back, because the political burden was too great to come out again.
The moment when the nobles look at each other again.
Jacques Juan took a step forward and lowered his head.
“I deeply sympathize with the stabilization of the kingdom that Your Majesty spoke of, and I will follow your ‘suggestion’.”
proposal?
“The king’s word is like gold, so I believe that he will keep his promise.”
Ha…
the corner of Logan’s mouth twitched slightly.
But I can’t afford to leave the fishing ground here when I got what I wanted.
“good. But is Count Jacques Juan the only one who agrees?”
The moment Logan nods his head to indicate acceptance of the Count’s words and asks back.
“I will follow your orders!”
“I will follow
your majesty’s will!” “I am in ruins. ”
With loud answers coming from all over, the tax improvement plan was actually accepted, and the first Daejeon conference of the new dynasty ended without incident.
And on the way back.
“I will meet this guy named Jacques Juan in private. How can you already be thinking of creating a faction…”
“No, Master. Just leave it alone.”
“Yes?”
“Some things are easier to deal with if they come together.”
Logan smiled cruelly, remembering Jacques Juan’s strict impression.
