Published at 13th of December 2020 02:15:47 PM
Chapter 34
Translated by Lyran1
34-Part 2 . 01 . Elder Brother, stand in the land of fate
A few months after the ceremony to celebrate my 12th birthday, I was in the town of Teneriza, one of the cities under Duke of Alderton .
The city is about 4 hours by horse-drawn carriage from the capital of Kaland, the Royal Capital where I live, in the opposite directions and surrounded by walls . I have read all the documents in advances, but it is a relatively small town in the Duchy of Alderton, without any particular characteristic . Because there is a large city 6 hour ahead, I speculated that the town developed from the necessity of being a transit point between the city and the Capital .
The magistrate was a baron of Teneriza, and I was in the mansion .
[Your excellency, I am honored to meet you . My name is Teneriza and I am acting as governor in this town . Well, you must be tired from the long trip . Please rest your body for today]
The baron who was hired took the trouble to wait at the gate for my arrival, welcoming me with a flat low head . To be honest it seems excessive to me, it is quite famous that my father fired the governor with a slight fault, so it is unavoidable to have such an attitude . I guess he was desperate to not spoil my mood .
It can be seen from his family name . Originally, the family name was important for nobles . However, my father put a terrible condition in hiring the Baron as a local governor .
In other words, the family name was changed . In the case of this baron, he is hired on the condition that he changes his original family name to the name of the town, Teneriza . It’s a condition that a noble who values pride the most would not accept first .
Many of those who accept it have lost their territory for some reason or have fallen into poverty due to their downfall . In other words, the one who is absolutely loyal to himself is no more, and father go as far to break his spirit to appoint him as a governor .
This is a conjecture, but even if a governor is fired many times, the new governor with the same names as the town will appear, so it may be intended to make it difficult for the people of the territories to be aware that the governor has changed .
So of course, he would show the same absolute obedience to me who is father’s representative .
But that would be a problem .
I don’t want to be swept away by my intentions . (TN: 俺の意向に唯々諾々と流されるようでは困るのだ。)
I’ll correct my stance properly . (TN: 俺はきっちりと姿勢を正す。)
[Thank you for welcoming me . Also, I have came here as my father’s representative, but I have no rank or title . I am in the position to ask the baron for instruction to rule the town . Thank you for your guidance]
When I bowed, the baron eyes turned black and white . Hmmm, I think I’ve been doing well for 2 years since I regained my memory of the previous life, but I have not been aware that even the local governor of my own town ha became decent . This is very worrisome to the public’s reputation…… (TN: 俺が頭を下げると、男爵は目を白黒させてしまった。ふむ、前世の記憶を取り戻してからの２年間は品行方正にやってきたつもりなのだが、自領の街の代官にすらまともになった事を認識されていないとは。これは民衆の評判が非常に気になる……。)
After all, this time I’m dealing with the residents of this town .
According to the costum of the Kingdom of Alfetoz, a male noble of the Count or higher, who is 12 years old, is supposed to study the management of his territory in one of the cities in his own territory .
A part of the tax that the city should pay to the lord is managed by the son as a representative of the lord and carries out the policy of thinking about what is necessary for the city .
The deadline is until the entrance of the school, but the approach is varied, some people have taken full-scale management and stayed in the town for a long time, while others have written letters to the local governor to finish all of the activities after their first visit .
I have not yet decided what kind of stance I will take, but I don’t think I will be in this town to that extent because there is also Michelin situation . Though she had grown up and no longer a selfish girl, she still couldn’t help but behave as a daughter of the Duke, there are many scenes that are still misleading because of the impression of the change . (TN: 成長してただの我が儘娘ではなくなったとはいえ、どうしても公爵令嬢という立場故の振る舞いと、釣り目気味な所からもたらされる印象のせいでまだまだ誤解を与えてしまうような場面も多い。)
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I haven’t seen anything that seems to be historical revisionist yet, but I must be prepared to do something at any moment when I fall in the wrong direction . (TN: 歴史の修正力的なものについてはまだそれと思える場面は無いが、いつ何時まずい方向に転がってもなんとか出来るように備えておかなければ。)
That’s why Michelin is a priority, but I’d like to get as good result as possible on the management of this city . At least I must avoid making bad reputation .
The reason is that in one of the original game ending, I and Michelin are killed in this city .
According to my previous life memory, in the game I made fountain squares in various parts of this city and set up a “Golden Marcel Statue” . At that time, tax operation, which shouldn’t be 10% at most, exceed 30% and a special tax was later imposed, the resident of the town suffered a great deal of damage because of the forced expropriation of the land in order to create a square and distribute water to fountain as the highest priority .
His anger was so great after his fall in the game, he thought that he had been adored for some reason and escaped to this city, I even raised Michelin who was with me to the blood festival . (TN: その怒りは凄まじく、ゲーム内では没落した後、何故か慕われていると思いこんでこの街に逃げてきた俺と、一緒に居たミシュリーヌを血祭りに上げた程だ。)
Yes, this town is where I and Michelin meet our unlucky fate in the original game . (TN: そう、この街は原作ゲームにおける俺とミシュリーヌの鬼門なのだ。) Well, I’m not going to be in a situation of downfall or escape in the first place, but I want to be careful and create a base that protects us in the unlikely event of a situation .
But I think that I was also bad in the game . Originally, he created a succession policy called “First alms” that was unnecessary for the residents of the city without thinking about anything . Heavy taxes and forced expropriation of land led to the separation of families and water shortages, although they were not directly contacted, there may have been deaths . The crime is serious .
But I wonder if the baron, who carried out my inordinate instructions in the game, has some responsibility .
I know that it is scary to go against the son of the lord, but it is their original role to teach them not to make a fatal mistake . Moreover, it was the baron who decided to raise the tax because I spent too much tax to make the money to pay to my father . I don’t know what happened to the baron in the game, but it’s not really good at all .
[Baron, first of all, I want to do as much as I can for the people in my training in the management of my territory in Teneriza – at least, I want to avoid suffering any disadvantages . If what I’m trying to do is wrong, please point it out . ]
That’s why I pierced the nail so that I could fulfill my role as a leader firmly . (TN: というわけで、俺はきっちりと指導役を全うしてくれるように釘を刺すのだった。)
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But—
[As a baron I have many fears such His Highness! Please call me Teneriza the name your father has given me! Besides, there is a mistake in the work of the wise Prince! Please guide this city as you wish . The people also want it] (TN: 私ごときに男爵閣下など恐れ多い！ お父上から賜った名であるテネレーツァとお呼びつけください！ それに聡明きわまりない公子閣下の成されることに間違いなどあるものですか！ どうぞ、思うがままにこの街を導いてください。民衆もそれを望んでおりますとも)
That’s no good! If he told in this way in the game, then you’ll have a golden statue of me!
I’m not thinking about anything other than not damaging my mood . Moreover, it seems that he doesn’t know that such an attitude is just bad for one wellbeing…… (TN: 俺の機嫌を損ねない以外の事を考えてないぞ。しかもそういう態度がまさに機嫌を損ねているのが分かっていなさそうだ……。)
[No, Baron i–]
[Yes! Meals will be ready soon! Oh, since his highness is also of age, we can arrange for beautiful girls if you want!]
The baron who says strange thing while rubbing hands .
……I wonder if it is necessary to put an inspection in earnest . (TN: ……本格的に監査を入れる必要があるのではなかろうか。)
Is this town all right? I think that I must put a good heart into the field investigation . There is no slavery in this country, the declaration that I can procure a woman is probably wrong . If he is doing harm to the territory in the position of a governor, then that’s what I have to report to my father and remove him .
I mean, what do you think of me .
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At least, I didn’t do anything bad in sexual sense even before I regained my memory of the previous life…… Ah—I wonder what people in this town think that I came this time . If the initial impression is negative it will be tough .
[For the time being, I will let you carry your luggage to the room, so I’ll give directions . Also, l will prepare for the bath]
Feeling a lot of fatigue other than the carriage journey, the Baron began to give instructions to the maids .
[……Roy, I’m going to rely on you a lot] (TN: ……ロイ、お前に色々と頼ることになりそうだからよろしく頼む)
[Ian-sama gave me some guidance on accounting, but I will do my best]
We talked like that in the hallway leading to the room . (TN: 部屋へと移動する廊下で、そんな事を話した。)
It was the guest room that we were led into .
This was basically designed to be used when my father visited the territory, and it is the most luxurious room for personal use in the building .
When I entered the room, I found that it was well managed . The room is well cleaned, and I don’t smell the odor that comes in if you don’t open the window regularly, although it isn’t every day .
Seeing the unstopped maintenance of this room, for the time being the judging evaluation of the Baron was put on hold . I’m concerned about the treatment of the people of the territory, but if he is loyal to father careless behavior will not benefit the territory .
Motivated to visit the town the next day, I finished bathing and eating and went to bed .