Chapter 577 - Chapter 3: The Duchy of Germania
The Duchy of Germania is to the east of Sertogne. It's a duchy that made a small peninsula and its base its territory compared to Sertogne, and there's a large port at the tip of the peninsula. We were invited to that tip, which seems to be the capital of the duchy. Since this is naturally close to Sertogne, they are also using the magic water sent to Sertogne. Thanks to that, they apparently have some leeway. However, since the Engrio soldiers, who are the biggest problem, are on the east side of the peninsula, Edward-sama, who commanded the new model, is apparently transporting magic water.
Heading southeast from the coast of the wetlands while riding the ocean current, we saw an inlet beyond a series of rugged cliffs as we headed east while keeping the large bay between the peninsula that became the Duchy of Sertogne and the peninsula that became the Duchy of Germania on our right. The port is deep inside.
「That fortress visible deep in the port seems to be the location for this meeting.」
In the direction the captain is pointing, there is a port town, and beyond it is a low hill. It's on top of that hill. A large building and a tower are built there. Apparently, the view from the tower is very good and it's Theresia-sama's favorite place.
The important isolation facility seems to be toward the eastern cape. The policy is apparently to build an isolation ward inside the fortress on the cape surrounded by rugged rocky shores and use it to house and treat various plague patients. That way, the port isn't so far either. If you go up the rivers on both sides of the peninsula, you can even reach the inland. In fact, half of the magic water currently transported from the wetlands is apparently reloaded onto small ships and transported inland up the river. The Sertogne Navy, which has many fast flat-bottomed boats, is also apparently active.
By the way, if you go further east from the eastern base of the peninsula, there is apparently a large river, and its estuary is also the territory of the Duchy of Germania. To my surprise, if you go up that river, you apparently reach the West Liber Capital. I understood the reason why East Liber wanted this peninsula even though Roland seemed like it would be more profitable. Of course, if the war is resumed, it will be the first target for West Liber.
As we entered the port, many people were gathered on the wharf. There were also people crowded on the balconies of the buildings lining the street. Everyone was smiling and waving to us. When I waved back, they raised their voices and waved both hands high. Some were even jumping. In the front, there were also people who looked like priests. They must be the local church people.
「They are welcoming us.」
Pointing to the flags of the Western Church fluttering, the captain told me. In this war, Primordia mainly focused on the operation of hospital ships. Especially in this port, which became a battlefield, they ran around to rescue the wounded. The attitude of rescuing regardless of friend or foe was highly evaluated by the surrounding residents. Moreover, since the truce started, general soldiers who didn't need ransom were released. Winners don't do stingy things. They treated the wounded prisoners and sent them back in good health. Those who lost hands or legs were given prosthetic limbs. Before and after that, they've also been delivering magic water and doing plague countermeasures. They are apparently welcomed warmly every time they enter the port.
「Everything was done under King Seldic's request to our country. So, when it was decided that Theresia-sama of East Liber, not Engrio, would be the lord of the duchy, a rebellion almost occurred.」
It's already precarious, isn't it?
「But Theresia-sama is also quite a person. As soon as she arrived at this port by ship, she promised to halve the taxes for this year and next, and to continue the plague countermeasures just as King Seldic had done.」
In reality, after giving a speech here, she apparently did the same at the remaining two ports on the same day, sent messengers inland, and in less than a week, she proclaimed it almost throughout the land. The fact that King Seldic targeted the nobles dispatched from the West Liber Royal Palace also had an effect. As a result, most of the local small lords survived and swore fealty to Theresia-sama. In short, the contrast was clear between the West Liber lords, who couldn't use magic water well, and King Seldic and Theresia-sama, who had prepared sufficiently before the war and provided generous protection to the wounded soldiers and local residents. Honestly, it's undeniable that West Liber is at a disadvantage. But the result has already come out.
「Speaking of East Liber, there was a reputation that they were doing quite terrible things by annexing small countries in the east, but maybe that's not the case.」
The captain is saying so admiringly. Well, judging from her way of speaking when I first met Theresia-sama, it must be the result of Anri-sama's education. And she's beautiful too.
That Theresia-sama came in two carriages as if she had timed it with the ship's arrival at the wharf.
When two knights acting as heralds came on horseback and announced the arrival of the Duchess of Germania in a loud voice, the cheers became even louder, and at the same time, they moved away from the wharf to clear a path for the carriages.
The carriage escorted by four knights stopped, the door opened, and a man who seemed to be an attendant came out and placed a box to serve as a step in front of the door. After that, she's wearing a ring on her head... called a circlet... and a tunic-like thing embroidered with the emblem of East Liber over her chain mail. Her long blonde hair is fluttering, and she has a sword with a gold and silver decorated scabbard at her waist. She's quite dashing.
As she stepped onto the box, the knights shouted "Long live Theresia-sama!" and incited the crowd. Perhaps there were plants in the crowd too, as several people clapped and chanted loudly. Then, as if drawn in, the crowd started clapping. Some were even chanting "Long live!". It's quite a setup. It might be my imagination, though.
Refusing the hand held out by the attendant, Theresia-sama raised her right hand high to respond to the crowd's cheers and came out of the carriage to enter the midst of the crowd. She's talking with the spectators just like that. Of course, she's surrounded by knights, but it's not something just anyone can do. Simultaneously, children are gathering around the three ladies-in-waiting who came out of the second carriage in order. The ladies-in-waiting started taking sweets out of the baskets they held and distributing them to the children. One of the ladies-in-waiting, along with an attendant holding a wooden box, went to the people who were gathered at a distance from the crowd. There were people who looked quite dirty gathered there. They are likely a gathering of poor people. The lady-in-waiting started giving bread from the wooden box to each person. She's adding sweets for the children. The people who received them must be saying thanks, as they are bowing many times and backing away as if retreating.
「Is that also Anri-sama's suggestion?」
「Which one?」
「The behavior of the ladies-in-waiting.」
「No, I don't know. Haven't they been doing that since long ago?」
Hmm. She's quite a kind person.
For some reason, I was pushed to the front and got off the ship, and Theresia-sama, who was waiting with her arms wide open, welcomed me and hugged me when I got close.
「Bishop Jeanne. You have truly come.」
「Thank you for having us. You look magnificent.」
She's no longer a patient. She's a beautifully dressed lord.
「Thank you very much.」
Saying so, as soon as she stood to my right, she turned toward the crowd.
「Everyone! Listen well. This person is Bishop Jeanne of Sertoria, who made the medicine that works against the plague!」
The crowd stirred for a moment, and then they all erupted at once. I wish she'd spare me.
Sianya, who came after me, patted my shoulder. Since she's a princess, shouldn't she normally be the first to get off?
At that moment, suddenly there was a sound like wood breaking and a scream, and the handrail of a balcony of a building fell. People shouldn't have, but as a result of too many people gathering, they pressed against the handrail, and it probably couldn't withstand the weight. Two or three people also fell. Fortunately, most people didn't fall because other people reached out. Two people were hanging, but since it's the second floor, it should be fine even if they jump. The problem was that several people who were receiving bread just now were under it. Because the handrail made of wood and iron fell from directly above along with the people, some people who couldn't dodge were hit and are lying down.
「Theresia-sama!」
「Yes, let's go!」
「Sianya, come with me!」
「Yes!」
When I started running in a hurry, I was overtaken by Theresia-sama, who was wearing armor. Fortunately, the effect of the cat's stone can be exhibited, and I overtook her back.
「S-So fast!」
I can hear Theresia-sama's voice, but this is no time for that. I rushed there just like that.
When I rushed over, because they were in the front of the group, several children and one person who seemed to be a mother are lying down. They seem to have been hit directly by the handrail, and some children are bleeding from their heads. The person who fell also has their arm held, perhaps having broken a bone, and is groaning.
「Move! We will examine them!」
Language doesn't matter. In an emergency, it's about spirit. I had the mothers who were screaming move back to clear the space.
When I took the children's pulses, they weren't dead. However, it's dangerous at this rate.
「Jeanne. Let's separate those who need magic from those who don't.」
It's Sianya. However, magic cannot be used.
「We'll put them on a ship. If we row toward the White Island for half an hour on a fast ship, Jeanne will be able to use low-level magic.」
I see. That's certainly true. Theresia-sama, the lord, is also here. It should be fine.
「Theresia-sama! Arrange for a fast ship! We'll transport them to where magic can be used.」
「Yes. I'll arrange it.」
Theresia-sama, at Sianya's voice, replied in a loud voice and ran immediately. By then, Harris-sama, Bishop Phillips, and Hughes-sama, now Hermit, also came. Cadogan-sama is coming, pulling Anri-sama's hand.
「Honestly, what fools. Even though they are semi-slaves, they come out just because they want bread. Bishop, your hands will get dirty, so it's fine to leave them alone.」
One of the people in the crowd who was watching was laughing. He's probably a sailor or something. He has a mumble-like accent and is a bit hard to hear, but he's using the language of the White Island.
「What are you saying! You're living in the same town!」
I got angry, so I shouted back at him. Even if you get injured, I won't help you!
The man, whose collar was grabbed by a knight who rushed over, had a knee put into his solar plexus and is being punched.
It's the captain from before. He has already pulled out a knife.
「This person, of all things, defied Bishop Jeanne? Let's kill him right here now.」
Since he got on top of him and put the blade to his neck, I hurriedly went to stop him.
There were five people who were injured. Because there was a sound from above, they reflexively ducked and protected their heads, so their heads and neck bones were somehow safe. However, there were two children who broke their arm or finger bones, one child who suffered a laceration to the head, one person who broke an arm when they fell, and another mother who covered a child to protect them and as a result had an iron bar from part of the handrail that fell along with the people pierce her back. It's an emergency. High-level or higher Heal is necessary.
Fortunately, everyone, including Hughes-sama, is good at first aid. They took various things out of their bags and started treating them skillfully. However, only the mother who was pierced by the iron bar remained face down.
「Jeanne! The ship is ready!」
Theresia-sama brought the carriage around.
「Let's transport everyone just like this. Leave the bar that pierced this person as it is. If you pull it out, she'll lose blood.」
Under Hughes-sama's command, we put the injured people in the carriage and transported them to the ship. It's a ship like a river boat, but the number of oars is large. Looking at the flag, it was the flag of Sertogne. It must be fast.
Once magic became usable, everyone became energetic. Of course, for the mother who was pierced by the iron bar, at the same time as pulling out the bar, Bishop Phillips and I repeatedly used low-level Heal at full power while applying cloth, and the wound finally closed. We continued north and treated the children, and by the time we could use mid-level magic and then high-level magic and the treatment was finished, we were quite close to the White Island.
The mother is prostrating herself and saying thanks. It's no wonder, the lord Theresia-sama herself commanded and saved them. Even so, according to what Hughes-sama interpreted, she's quite humble.
「Someone called you semi-slaves, but what does that mean?」
The mother, who trembled, prostrated herself.
「Please, forgive me.」
「What should I forgive?」
I asked again, but she didn't answer.
「Won't you say? If you don't, I'll arrest you and put you in prison.」
It's the captain attendant. His words are harsh, but his tone is kind.
「P-Please forgive...」
「Then, won't you say? Theresia-sama is a kind person. If you tell everything, she won't treat you badly.」
「Y-Yes...」
Threatening and coaxing, she finally spoke.
In short, they are serfs. However, the lord died in the war. In other words, the lord who was dispatched. They fled to the town in the confusion of the defeat. They've been living in the town just like that, or rather, they've settled in the town.
「Is there work?」
「I do the washing of the sailors' clothes. Only when there aren't enough people, though.」
「What about your husband?」
「He's helping a farmer. One of the free farmers. Currently, it's only during threshing, though...」
Without magic, threshing takes time. Because they can't thresh, they can't increase the fields. Children also naturally help when they reach about five years old. This time, lining up to get bread and sweets was also a job to earn their keep in a sense.
On the way back to the port, I heard various things and found out that there are more than twenty people who fled from various places in the port town alone. They are all serfs. Of course, since the lord who was their master is dead, I don't know what the contract situation is.
「If they aren't found out for a year or two, they can become free citizens from serfs. Everyone in the town knows that, so even though they call them semi-slaves, they are protecting these guys in one way or another. The owners of bars and diners give them leftovers. Everyone knows that the life of a serf is hard.」
The person who fell from the second floor and broke an arm said so.
「We have to do something.」
Theresia-sama says so, but it'll be difficult without a place to work like a factory. Measures for the poor are something Sertoria is also struggling with.
「Theresia-sama, what happens to the land whose lord is gone?」
It was Anri-sama. He's Theresia-sama's part-time advisor.
「King Seldic confiscated it, but it will be my direct territory.」
「Why don't you try the three-field or four-field rotation system they're doing on the White Island? The drawback of that farming method is that it requires wide land, but it'll be possible if you confiscate the lord's territory as it is.」
「I was thinking of that. However, will the income of the poor increase with that? Unless you make everyone free citizens, never mind serfs, their lives won't improve.」
Apparently, it's not easy to deny the class system because of other local lords.
「You change the method of tax collection.」
Anri-sama said that normal serfs are tilling not just the land they borrowed from the lord but also the lord's own land. That labor is the tax. In other words, the harvest from the lord's land all belongs to the lord. Instead of that, you lease the farmland and collect a certain amount of the harvest or equivalent money as land rent. In other words, the more the harvest increases, the more the serf's income increases. Eventually, they can save money and buy land, and furthermore, they can even buy their status and become free farmers. Of course, once they become free farmers, they'll pay a corresponding tax, but since they have a goal, it'll surely be worth working hard.
「A new farming method and a new tax collection method. Since you are creating a new country, why don't you try new things?」
At Anri-sama's words, Theresia-sama's eyes sparkled.