Chapter 68 The Gaze That Hurts
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
――Free Alliance of Yugan Cities――
――State Capital Livonia――
In the massive Assembly Hall of the Imperial Court—large enough to fit an entire soccer field—Sanai Ayumu sat through the meeting, silently writhing in his mind. Not in any sort of lewd way… more like torment than pleasure, agonizing over what was happening.
It all began when a bureaucrat, identity unknown, addressed Emperor Rai:
”Your Majesty, due to flooding, the western inland regions face a shortage of wheat. Meanwhile, the villages along the eastern coast have harvested more than usual. The famine in the west is becoming severe. How shall we respond?”
Emperor Rai blinked for a moment, then asked the clerk who seemed like an administrative officer, “Would it not suffice to leave this to each lord to handle individually, Inspector?”
The officer hesitated. “This issue spans the territories of multiple lords, Your Majesty. Without your intervention, the greedy merchant-turned-lords will quarrel endlessly, and the problem will never be resolved. Your guidance is required.”
Emperor Rai looked around, flustered, before finally locking eyes on Ayumu.
”What do you think should be done, Sanai?”
Inside, Ayumu screamed in terror. Wait! You… Emperor! Remember, I’m one of the heroes summoned by that despised Evil Goddess Viness from the Demi-human Continent! I’m an outsider with no ties to this nation—why are you asking me?! And everyone’s staring at me like, ‘Who is this random kid meddling in state affairs?’ My eyes hurt from their glare!
Since the Crown Prince Aare incident, Ayumu had been frequently dragged into advising Emperor Rai on domestic matters. Yet the nobles clearly found him an irritating presence. The Counts and Marquises present glared with furrowed brows, silently judging him: Who is this guy…?
Ayumu’s deepest fear crystallized. If I’m not careful, someone here might… try to kill me, just like Rasputin from my old world.
He carefully framed his advice to appear as Emperor Rai’s own thoughts, but he knew the deception couldn’t hold forever. Some attendees were already suspecting the truth.
With a deep breath, Ayumu stood and spoke boldly, commanding attention:
”Noble lords, I humbly ask your indulgence. Allow me, though inexperienced, to share my thoughts.”
He resolved there was no point hiding further and laid out his plan with unwavering resolve.
”First, Yugan City is a mercantile hub. By leveraging civilian power, we can solve this crisis. We must enact a new tax law, requiring each region to contribute equal portions of wheat.”
”What? You insolent fool! Have you been listening? Forcing the western regions to provide wheat during a famine—are you mad?!” some nobles exploded in anger, but Ayumu continued undeterred.
”This problem arose because wheat prices are unstable, despite being a trade city! I suspect the merchants are hoarding stock to inflate prices, putting the people at risk. Starvation is inevitable if this continues!”
Some nobles nodded thoughtfully, while others exchanged worried glances as their profits threatened to be cut. Those unfamiliar with commerce stared in astonishment, anger, and disbelief.
”Thus, Your Majesty, under your command, wheat from across the empire should be collected. By proportionally adjusting based on current market value, the state can redistribute eastern harvests to the west. This will stabilize prices and aid those with money in the west—but the truly impoverished still won’t be saved by this alone.”
Emperor Rai looked surprised. “It seems sufficient… is it not?”
Ayumu forced a polite smile. “With respect, Your Majesty, those truly in need will starve under such a measure. We must also distribute the stored wheat from last year’s reserves for free. By replenishing the reserves, you provide new stock for wartime and show your citizens great mercy. Additionally, western farmers who’ve consumed all their seed wheat must be given new seeds, or they will face starvation next year.”
Only by implementing these measures could the people prepare for the next season.
Ayumu’s advice, while obvious, would avoid applause or fanfare, unlike in his old world’s anime or manga. The plan simply adjusted taxes to stabilize prices; local bureaucrats could handle the execution. Even those from another world could manage it.
Unfortunately, some nobles—still unversed in welfare—objected: “Ridiculous! Why feed a useless vagabond?!” “Yes! This cuts into our profits!”
Terrified, Ayumu shrugged. “I merely offered my advice… Ultimately, Your Majesty will make the final decision,” and quickly passed responsibility back to Emperor Rai, making a swift escape.
”Then, follow Lord Sanai’s recommendations. Other matters pile up; I do not wish to dwell further on this issue,” Emperor Rai said, allowing the bureaucrats to bow and return to their stations.
Though he had earned some resentment, Ayumu hoped his measures would save many lives. Quietly, he left the Assembly Hall, careful not to be burdened with further imperial troubles.
Notes:
• Viness – Goddess in the Holy Kingdom of Alyurein.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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