Another lesson about Tax.

This chapter is actually solid world builder but if any readers only want action, you can just skip the whole chapter.

By the way, Mile used common sense to attack the villagers this time. The villager were screaming in agony.

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Mile Chapter 191: Kamen Girl again 2

 

『…finished』(Mile)

『O, Oh…』(Captain)

 

17 farmers were tied and lined up in front of the soldiers’ eyes.
Because they were loud and noisy, Mile also put cloth on their mouths.
And 11 soldiers were dumbfounded, looking at the scene.
Apparently, 9 of them are general soldiers, one is a commissioner, and the last one is an officer.
Perhaps this is a squad of soldiers, plus a commissioner and an officer.
Well, it was unlikely that the lord would send only general soldiers to the task that require to make important decisions.

 

『So, I have a favor to ask …』(Mile)

『Is it about reward?
Indeed, if you didn’t help us, my subordinates and the farmers might get injured,
No, there might even be dead people if we couldn’t handle it well.
We almost mistook you as their reinforcement, but you were a great help.
Besides, the farmers had tried to resort to force, it was a miracle when there were no injured people on both sides.
Nobody was hurt and there was no 《battle action》, it’s all thanks to the sudden appearance of a mysterious little girl.
So of course, you have the right to receive gratitude and reward from our Lord.
However, there are circumstances we need to report to our lord, so I would like you to accompany us …』(Captain)

 

The captain replied to Mile.
Yes, there certainly wasn’t a battle action.
Actually, the previous one wasn’t something that could be called a《fight》
However, Mile shook her head to the captain.

 

『No, I do not mind accompanying you, but it’s not about reward.
I thought about asking all the farmers that I caught if they were voluntarily dispatching, And somehow … it seems more like a plot…』(Mile)

 

Mile thought it was strange for farmers to argue with the Lord Army and the side to start it.
Even if the tax has risen, or even if the tax is higher than other territory,
Neither their wife nor their kids were harmed, people could still live.
Tax refusal without caring about consequences is unthinkable

 

『…Ah yes, they are still the citizen in our territory.
We can’t just capture and imprison without knowing the details.
If we are doing so, the tax revenues will be reduced and it will not benefit our lord』

 

The captain was somewhat taking this lightly.
Mile didn’t expect this.
Of course, normally it will not be like that.

It’s quite normal to dispose mercilessly those that rebel against the lord, for the sake of avoiding other villages in following. Either this captain or the lord is a good person.

The villagers are now tied, and can’t say anything with their mouth tied.
But unless Mile and the soldiers let them speak, the story will not progress.
The captain decided to speak only with the leader of these farmers, and removed only the cloth in his mouth.
Other farmers were quiet, as they thought that their leaders would talk about what they wanted to say.

 

『Well then, will you speak,
First of all, are you sure that you are the leader of this group and are you the representative of the village?』(Captain)

 

A farmer about 40 years old answered the captain’s question.

 

『Oh, that’s right.
I am the village chief’s son,
Because my father was ill and rested,
I am acting on behalf of the mayor』(Villager)

『So why did you suddenly demand the lord to lower the tax rate?
That kind of thing can’t be accepted』(Captain)

『I will not be deceived!
If the farmers become aggressive, the lord will have no choice but to listen to the farmers’ demand,
I know it real well!』(Villager)

『『Eh?』』(Mile + Captain)

 

The captain and Mile unintentionally leaked their voice to the Villager’s words.
Other soldiers didn’t make a voice, but everyone had a blank face as well.

 

『Now you can see the truth,
Looks like I hit the bull’s-eye (Zuboshi (図星))!』(Villager)

 

The farmer had a smug face as he said that.
But it was not surprising that Mile and the soldiers were surprised, because the farmer never hit the bull’s-eye ( Zuboshi (図星))

 

『Well, what in the world are you talking about, this man …?』(Captain)

『I… I do not understand. Can you tell me what kind of reasons you have to result to that idea?』(Mile)

『Ehee. Okay. Let me tell you about what we know』(Villager)

 

And the leader of the farmers began to talk.

 

『Listen carefully.
The lord lives with the tax collected from us, farmers.
And he used it to pay the tax to the country, pay the wages of all soldiers』(Villager)

 

There are various other commercial-related taxes, toll taxes, etc.
Well, for now, it’s indeed right. The captain and Mile nodded silently.

 

『So, what if we demand the lord to《Lower the tax rate》?』(Villager)

『It won’t be accepted』(Mile)

 

Mile answered immediately.

 

『So, what if we tell the lord《we will not pay tax anymore unless the lord lowers the tax?》』(Villager)

『『Subjugation corps will be dispatched』』(Mile + Captain)

 

Mile and the captain answered at the same time.
In fact, the troops was already dispatched《right here and now》
It was this soldier squad with a commissioner and a captain.
And it seems that this captain is trying to reconcile by persuasion,
when normally, the troops will annihilate the rebellious villagers without asking.

 

『And that is just what you all have thought.
That’s just a mere threat.
If the lord’s army truly capture or kill us, the lord will not get any tax.
But if the lord listens to our demand and lowers the tax rate, he will still get a little profit that is better than zero.
That’s why, isn’t it still better for the lord to accept our demand?
Even back then, the soldiers didn’t really dare to attack us but just tried to threaten us with swords, unless we really attacked them.
Do you get it yet? Now, release us quickly!』(Villager)

『『………………』』(Mile + Captain)

 

Mile, the captain and other soldiers lost their words.

 

『Ah, about that…』(Mile)

 

And, Mile somewhat reluctantly talked to farmers.

 

『Well, if you do such a thing, that rumor will spread and all the villages will demand the same, won’t they?』(Mile)

『Oh, we actually planned to spread it after this』(Villager)

『『…………』』(Mile + Captain)

『Oh, that would mean the tax revenue from all the villages will fall if the lord really did as your demand.
However if the lord captured the villagers who first requested and sold them as criminal slaves, other villages would not dare to ask about it anymore.
Killing you would really lower the tax revenue but selling you as criminal slaves will make a profit…』(Mile)

『Huh…』(Villager)

 

This time, the farmers and the Mayor’s son were surprised.

 

『No, no, I has been listening about it properly, I will not be deceived with this!
Long ago, in the village Robuton, they made such a request.
And the lord lowered the tax rate to zero in the first year.
And after that year, the tax only raised to 30% …』(Villager)

『Village Robuton?』(Captain)

 

The captain didn’t seem to know about it, but somehow Mile was familiar with that name.

 

『Robuton Village… I think I read about it in a book before …』(Mile)

『See! See!』(Villager)

 

The farmer leader had a face just like an Ogre’s head (鬼の首: Oni no kubi).
However, Mile’s story hasn’t ended yet.

 

『There seems to be a village with such a name in other country.
All the men in that village were completely annihilated from infants to old people as a result of requesting an unreasonable tax reduction.
And that village only had the old ladies, wives and girls left.
The wives became widows, girls lost their fathers and brothers while they were still children.
And they must manage the village with only females left…
And because that village was recovering, in the first year, the lord of that land exempted the tax for that village,
Three years after the first year, the lord took the tax rate only at 30%,
And it should have become normal rate after the fourth year.
In other words, the story of the village of Robuton isn’t a story of being able to lower taxes,
It’s the story about the punishment of a village that dare unreasonably ask about tax reduction…』(Mile)

『Huh…………』(Villager)

 

As they heard that, not only the son of the village mayor, but also the other farmers had a blue face.

 

『So, in that story, us soldiers are the military force for that《Kill every men》…』(Captain)

『Eeeeeeeeehhhhh!』(Villager)

『『『『『『Mmhmhmmhmhhmmhmhmhmhm!』』』』』』(Other villagers)

 

As they heard the captain said that, the leader was screaming while other villagers started shaking.

Well, in fact, that’s the hard way, we will do《when the persuasion failed》

But with this lord and soldiers, even in that case, the rebellion villagers only gets sold as criminal slaves rather than being completely annihilated.
If you kill the villagers, you will not get a single coin, but if you sell them as criminal slaves, you will get money.
The lord here is a gentle one, he is doing fine with money…

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