"Of course, we made a promise in the church."
"A promise made is legally binding. His Majesty will surely recognize this point. You, as the lord, should know this better than I do, right?"
"Of course. But the thing you're hoping for also happens under the premise that I don't repay my debt."
Lord Chester openly smiled.
"But when did I say I wouldn't repay my debt and interest? I intend to repay it."
Lord Chester took out a bundle of debt certificates with his seal from the drawer of his desk.
"And I plan to repay today as well. I'll substitute the interest with these, alright?"
Lacking in education, Lord Chester was utterly captivated by the power of the 'money created out of thin air,' relying solely on his own strength.
He believed that with this bundle of debt certificates bearing his seal, he could issue new debt certificates in his name whenever and wherever, and deceive the Carter Bank into repaying his debts.
"Now, tell me. How much do you need for the interest? I'll write the necessary amount right here."
He was truly arrogant and ignorant.
'Perhaps it's because he spent his whole life on the battlefield that his thinking is rather simple?'
Rockefeller decided not to forget the perverted smile Lord Chester wore at that time.
"You, my lord, will one day regret this."
It was the best provocation a commoner could make towards a lord.
Despite being taken aback, Lord Chester instead smirked at the audacity.
'He's young and fearless. How dare he talk like this in front of someone like me?'
"Regret? If there's any regret, it's on you for not taking this."
Lord Chester, smirking, provoked Rockefeller as if to say, try it if you dare.
After all, he believed he would be the winner.
"You are nothing more than a commoner in my territory. A pitiful commoner who lives and pays taxes on my land."
Lord Chester continued, as if mocking.
"Do you remember what I said before?"
Rockefeller protested with silence, and Lord Chester sent the next words with a thick smile.
"A person, you see, must know their place."
What would come next?
Rockefeller knew for sure.
"Peasants must be like peasants, commoners like commoners. And nobles must live elegantly as themselves."
His words were not yet over.
"Always live with manners and within your bounds. How dare a rascal, who's nothing more than an assistant at the despised Carter Bank, come to a lord like the heavens and demand debt repayment? You should know your place before demanding debt repayment."
Having said all he had to, Lord Chester dismissively sent Rockefeller away.
"All I have to say is that. If you have more to say, come back with Carter. After all, even if you come back, I won't give you gold coins, but these debt certificates."
Lord Chester's smile still did not fade.
"I might even make you kneel down first, depending on my mood."
This was the limit of a powerless creditor.
And the natural confidence of a powerful debtor.
"You must have known, right? Even if you lend money while standing, you must naturally receive it while kneeling. Isn't that the sorrow of a banker like you, who plays with interest? If you understand, quietly go back. Come back with Carter next time."
That was the last memory Lord Chester had.
'The matter ended like that, but did they suddenly act on their own? Why don't they exchange the commoner's debt certificates for gold coins?'
At this point, Lord Chester believed that the primary issue with this matter was with Carter Bank, not himself.
He thought it was the bank's responsibility to exchange the commoner's debt certificates for gold coins.
'Or did my harsh words twist their stomachs? Well, I'm being so bold, they can't help but be bold too. Human greed is the same, after all.'
Thinking so, Lord Chester began to ponder how to punish Carter Bank.
It was only natural for him to think that the issue of Carter Bank not conducting proper business should be corrected.
'Either I should raise the bank tax this time, or give them a stern punishment. That should alleviate the commoners' complaints.'
Late at night.
Unaware that the commotion that began at Carter Bank would soon come back to him, Lord Chester headed to his bedroom to rest.
He planned to calmly resolve the issue with Carter Bank when he woke up the next day.
However, a group stood in Lord Chester's way, and they were people who should not have been there.
"You...."
Lord Chester trailed off as he looked at the group of overseers that had gathered.
"Why are you here?"
The overseer, who had brought the excited overseers to find Lord Chester, stepped forward and handed him a bundle of debt certificates he had received as salary.
"We came here because of this."
"What is that?"
"Take a look. We all came here because of it."
It was the gold debt certificates of Carter Bank, which had been used as money within the territory since some time ago.
Not knowing the reason, Lord Chester took the gold debt certificates from the overseer and asked in confusion.
"Why are you showing this to me?"
At his words, the expressions of all the overseers, including the overseer, hardened at once.
"Do you really not know anything about why we came here so late at night?"
Although he was the lord of the territory, he did not know the details of the internal affairs of the territory as he was more interested in the defense and battlefield of the territory.
"Isn't this the new debt certificate issued by Carter Bank a while ago?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then why did you bring it to me?"
"Do you not know anything about this debt certificate?"
"Don't know? Isn't this just a debt certificate from Carter Bank?"
"Not knowing... Please take a closer look at the debt certificate. Then you will understand why we came."
Lord Chester, with a puzzled expression, examined the debt certificate he had received from the overseer, as he had been told.
Clearly written there were the words he had casually read before and thoughtlessly dismissed.
The words stated that this debt certificate was issued based on the ones he had previously granted.
Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. Access 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dalants Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support me' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading!
Good Chapter!!!
ReplyDeleteWasn't the lord illiterate? How is he reading something now? Guess author decided to forget this detail.
ReplyDeleteIIRC the lord learned just enough to be able to read and write. So, he is dumb, but not completely illiterate
Delete