Chapter 8

At the age of one, I have lost confidence in being a noble... The gazes of the townspeople are too painful. When our carriage passes, everyone in town stops and waves with a smile. However, those smiles pierce my heart.

"Stop looking so gloomy from morning. The vassals are waving with a smile, aren’t they?"

Today, Miki is also hiding and sending me telepathic messages... No matter how well a divine messenger can read hearts, they can’t match the ability to read the air of a modern Japanese person.

"Everyone is putting on a perfect fake smile. Hardly anyone is smiling from the heart."

"You might be paranoid. Fake smiles are too negative."

No matter how negative it may be, I prioritize safety. If I had crossed the bridge without checking, others would have crossed it first many times.

"Leave it alone. If you believe in those smiles too easily, you’ll end up in pain. Also, if you can’t recognize the hidden emotions beneath the smiles, you’ll fail as a lord."

I believe there are the needs of the vassals hidden beneath those negative emotions.

"Then, what about the people in the front? They are all smiling broadly."

The people in the front are officials and wealthy merchants... the upper class.

"That’s flattery and sycophancy. They want to get close to the Akogis to ensure their safety and further their development."

I’m not a hero or a champion of justice, so I have no intention of cracking down on merchants who seek profit. If I did, the economy of the domain would collapse. I won’t accept bribes, but I’ll let them make a lot of money and pay plenty of taxes. However, I’ll make sure to keep the really bad merchants in line... I think it will also increase my popularity among the vassals.

"Then, what about the people in the middle? They won’t meet you directly."

The people in the middle are workers and housewives. They are the commoners I need to care about the most.

"Sadly, what I feel from them is fear and dissatisfaction. The fear is probably because they might be punished for disrespect if they displease the lord’s family. The dissatisfaction is simple. The taxes imposed by the Akogis are too high."

I’ve also felt anger at the taxes written on my paycheck... I’m sure Japanese politicians hate single salarymen.

"Can you read all that from their gazes... Then, what about the people at the back or on the sides?"

The people at the back or on the sides are likely slaves or people from the slums. To put it bluntly, the lower class.

"You should know, right? Resentment, envy, anger... They are the victims of society."

Alan might dislike it, but they are valuable laborers. They will take on jobs that commoners dislike.

"I like it!! I’ll be on your side. So, will the kind lord lower the taxes?"

In other words, it has been a testing period so far.

"If the current tax rate is ridiculously high, I’ll revise it. However, taxes are essential for running the country. As long as you live in the Akogi domain, you will have to pay them properly."

While the popularity of the vassals is important, preparation is even more crucial. Even if I lack confidence as a noble, the demon king and the hero will attack in a dozen years... I have to try hard.

I want to try hard, but the gazes of the vassals pierce my heart... I guess the hearts of nobles must be hairy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to endure these gazes.

---

Tomorrow, we will finally arrive at the Kokatsu domain. In other words, there is a high possibility of an attack. Since Lauren Kokatsu will send reinforcements, I don’t think my life will be in danger.

However, I can’t stop trembling with fear. Even though I’m in a warm bed, my body shakes uncontrollably. I’ve had fights when I was young, but I’ve never seen a life-or-death situation. The only thing I’ve killed is fish I’ve caught.

"What’s wrong? Are you scared?"

"Yeah, I’m scared. If Lauren doesn’t send reinforcements, or if they don’t arrive in time... I can’t stop thinking about these things."

If this were a game, the reinforcements would definitely come to the rescue. But this is a world similar to Kimite, a real world. Anything could happen.

"Don’t worry. In the worst case, I’ll help you. And about the matter you asked me to look into... As you suspected, the ones hiding in the forest are the lower-ranking knights of the Akogis."

According to Miki, they are people whose parents were executed for opposing the tyranny of the Akogis.

"Do they have families?"

No matter how you look at it, they are victims of the Akogis. I want to save them and use them to my advantage.

"Most of them were executed... But some have wives and children, so they accepted Alan’s invitation."

Alan probably chose people who had no one to rely on and were in dire straits.

"I understand. Scary things are scary... But I have to believe."

If things go well, I can give Alan a taste of his own medicine. If I fail, I’m just a one-year-old, so I’ll be forgiven.

---

The carriage suddenly stopped at the midpoint of the forest between the Akogi and Kokatsu domains.

"What happened?"

However, the young knight driving the carriage did not respond to Odette’s question.

"They’re here. There are six perpetrators and four lookouts."

The lookouts are probably also monitoring the lower-ranking knights.

(Here we go...)

I know it’s going to be okay, but I can’t stop trembling with fear.

"We are those who worry about the future of the Akogi family. While the people are in distress, Catherine Akogi and George Akogi indulge in luxury. We will execute them."

The young man’s voice echoed through the forest... Well, a one-year-old can’t indulge in luxury.

"It seems the message from Lord Lauren was correct. Lady Catherine, Lord George, please stay in the carriage... Everyone, let’s go."

Odette smiled gently at Lady Catherine and tried to leave the carriage with the maids.

(I have to stop her... The opponents are not bandits but trained knights. Odette, a maid, can’t match them.)

"Don’t go!"

I clung to Odette, trying to buy time until the soldiers from the Kokatsu domain arrive.

"Lord George, thank you. It might be a little scary, but please bear with it... I’ll silence them soon."

Odette’s tone turned cold. When I tried to cling to her, someone hugged me tightly.

"George, don’t trouble Odette too much. Don’t worry, no matter what happens, I’ll protect you."

Lady Catherine said she would protect me, but her body was trembling.

(She’s only 17. It’s natural to be scared. Yet, she’s hugging me... This person is my mother.)

I won’t call her Lady Catherine anymore.

"Ma, are you okay, Odette?"

"I’m fine. Odette is strong... Look."

Mother showed me the scene outside. Odette and the other maids had somehow produced knives in their hands.

"If you side with the nobles, we won’t spare you."

"Oh, you’re talking so much because you’re not used to bloodshed, cute boy."

Odette smiled and threw the knife in her hand. However, the knight was unharmed...

(No way... She hit the lookout from that distance.)

Odette’s knife pierced deep into the lookout’s neck. Blood gushed out, and the man fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Damn, we still outnumber them. We can win if we fight with all our might."

A perfect losing flag.

"Such a cute boy... Not even realizing that you’re surrounded."

Odette laughed. I must not defy her.

In the next moment, the heads of the lookout men flew into the air, cut off by soldiers who had appeared out of nowhere.

(No way... I saw it all.)

Maybe it was from the relief of the rescue or the shock of seeing someone killed, but I lost consciousness.