AWDC Chapter 75

## Chapter 75: Post-War Processing

A little over a year had passed since the death of King Michael, and the tyranny of the Bawa Roma believer, Waomou, had raged.

The capital had finally regained its peace, but the post-war chaos continued. How to rebuild it was the most pressing issue.

At the request of Lord Midland, I was to attend a reconstruction conference in the capital.

The participants were only powerful nobles of the Flandre Kingdom, such as the two major ducal houses, five marquises, and ten count families.

Families below the rank of viscount were not allowed to attend this conference. In other words, baronial families like our Robertson family would not have been invited.

Furthermore, nobles who had raised the banner of rebellion against the late King Michael, such as Marquis Miranda and Earl Milona, as well as nobles whose finances were strained by the Bawa Roma Order’s arson attacks, were not participating.

The summons from Duke Gregg, the proclamation, clearly stated that participants would be required to bear a proportionate burden for the reconstruction of the capital. In other words, anyone seeking to join this conference had to be prepared to be ordered to shoulder a considerable burden.

Some powerful nobles were so preoccupied with the reconstruction of their own territories that they were unable to attend the conference.

As a result, only three marquises and five counts gathered, making a total of eleven people including me.

Some of them had participated in King Michael’s inspection of Toriholi Village, but I only recognized them by name and face.

There were even four people I was meeting for the first time.

Among them, Duke Gregg seated me next to him without introducing me to anyone.

In such a high-ranking noble conference, the elder of the two dukes would serve as chairman, occupying the central seat, and the lower-ranking families would be seated in order from there.

And naturally, Lord Midland was sitting next to the chairman, across from me.

(So, does that mean my seat is third in line? Hey, Elliott, stop playing pranks on me.)

See? Marquis Solveny across from me is turning red in the face. There were even people who were openly expressing their anger as to why someone like me was participating in the conference.

Well, I suppose so. Even if they had met me in Toriholi Village, I was only seen as a mere retainer. The nobles who didn’t know me must have wanted to kick me out of the seat.

“Now then, let’s begin the conference. I’ll say this at the outset, this conference is to decide the reconstruction of the country. Your efforts are needed to start the reconstruction work as soon as possible.

Frankly speaking, I want you to pour your energy into the country’s reconstruction with the resolve to bankrupt your own households. Absolutely no holding back.”

Duke Gregg said something outrageous from the start. He said to do as much as it takes, even if it means bankrupting your house for the sake of the country. I could tell from his expression that he was serious.

“First, we must secure the maintenance of public order in the capital and ensure the necessary supplies for the residents, especially food. Deciding how to allocate that is the most important thing,” Lord Midland said casually, following up on that.

Although the number had decreased, the population of the capital was still over 60,000. If we didn’t distribute food to them for almost half a year, we didn’t know when another arson incident would occur.

That one statement silenced the conference. In addition to my participation in the conference, Lord Midland’s words silenced even the somewhat noisy conference after Duke Gregg’s opening remarks. If they carelessly spoke, they would naturally have to offer a large contribution.

Duke Gregg said to lend your strength with the resolve to bankrupt your house. It wasn’t a joke.

With the royal army almost completely destroyed, a large number of security forces had to be deployed in the capital for a long period of time.

In order to send the necessary goods to the capital, it was necessary to gather a lot of people and materials, as well as ships and carriages. The security of the roads wasn’t good either. That escort would also be necessary.

And distributing food to 60,000 starving residents of the capital was an amount that the coffers of ordinary nobles couldn’t afford.

Only the Grand Ducal houses should be able to bear this burden.

“My place will take charge of security,” Duke Gregg said.

(As expected, Elliott, you’re very generous.) I listened with admiration.

“Then, I will arrange for the transportation and distribution of necessary supplies. Toma, you will provide wheat.”

(Whoa, Richter, you’re already giving me an unreasonable order.) I had no choice but to quickly calculate.

“Then, the Robertson family will prepare 20,000 bags of wheat.”

It was clear that the reason I was summoned and seated in this seat was to get me to say this.

Give bread to the residents of the capital and suppress their discontent. This was the most effective measure for the residents who were about to explode from starvation.

And the only one who could supply wheat was our Robertson family. The two duchies near the north of the country were not suitable for wheat production. Looking around the country, only Toriholi Village had a surplus of wheat.

I had no choice but to brace myself and show the maximum number. This was the third time I had used wheat to break the ice. It could be said to be a gamble with both horses and deer, but there was no other way to do it. Anyway, looking at the devastation of the capital, I had no choice but to make a bold decision.

“Haha. I’m amazed. 20,000 bags, eh? Then we can distribute it to the starving residents for even half a year,” Duke Gregg said with satisfaction.

(Don’t mess with me. This is something you and Richter have arranged. The reason you made me stand out by seating me in such a high position was to get me to say this.)

If it weren’t for this kind of occasion, I would have wanted to say a complaint or two.

But the burden on the two of them was no different from that on Toriholi Village. There was no point in me complaining alone.

For the most part, the main agenda of the conference was over. The shares of the other families were one digit less than ours.

Even so, they offered as much burden as they could, hearing that the Robertson family would contribute 20,000 bags of wheat.

The nobles’ vanity was well displayed even in this conference.

“Who will be the next king?”

It was Marquis Arkdel who said that.

“If Prince Raphael wasn’t a subject, there wouldn’t be any problem.”

Prince Raphael had been made a subject by King Michael. According to convention, a person who had become a subject was not allowed to enter the royal family again.

With no promising new king, the conference ended with a sigh.

After that, I caught up with Richter and Elliott.

Of course, I was still in the mood to complain about being forced to say 20,000 bags of wheat, but there was something else I wanted to confirm.

“Didn’t King Michael have an heir?”

Until this time, I had been ignorant of the royal family. Honestly, I only thought that it would be good if Toriholi Village was peaceful and prosperous, no matter who became king.

“His Majesty has an heir, Prince Tareem, who is nine years old,” Richter said simply.

“Then, why wasn’t that person mentioned?” The prince was not mentioned at all in the conference.

“Well, if the prince is normal…” Elliott’s one word made me refrain from saying anything more. I guessed so.

“Are there any other surviving brothers of King Michael besides Prince Raphael?”

“Many people died in this chaos. The Bawa Roma believers were hostile to the royal family and the Orthodox Church. Only those who are now adults and who have become subjects and escaped the chaos in the countryside are alive. All the others who are alive are not yet adults.”

“The only other surviving member of King Michael’s bloodline is still only three years old. Prince Tareem is safe because the guards protected him without regard for their own lives. It was a miraculous stroke of luck.”

The two said it very calmly, but I felt a dark future for the fate of this kingdom.