Chapter 28 - Episode 28: Stability and Development
"Noein-sama, I have reorganized last month's ledgers in my own way, so please check them. Also, this is the table allocating the order of the villagers' corvée labor. I would like you to see if there are any problems."
"Thank you, Anna. I'll check them right away."
It had been about a week since Anna migrated to the Arqvist territory. In terms of financial management within the territory and the management of the villagers' work, she was demonstrating abilities beyond Noein's expectations.
Within a matter of days, she grasped the contents of her duties, compiled the records of this month's income and expenditures, and was now entering the process of reorganizing past records—which Noein had compiled with amateur work—into a more understandable format.
On top of that, she quickly memorized the faces and names of the primary villagers and had already mastered the shift management for their corvée labor.
"...Yes, both are fine. Especially regarding the ledgers, Anna, you are far more competent than I am."
"Oh, someone like me..."
"No, this is something you should be proud of. I'm glad I welcomed you into this territory."
Noein intended that he had managed things reasonably well for an amateur, but he was no match for Anna, who had a professional merchant as a parent and had handled practical business for years.
"It's a bit early, but if you're willing, I'd like to formally appoint you as a retainer of the Arqvist house. As a member of this territory, I want you to support the future development. What do you think?"
"Noein-sama... thank you very much. I will do my absolute best to be of use to Noein-sama and this territory from now on!"
"I'm glad. I look forward to working with you."
Smiling at the visibly overwhelmed Anna, Noein felt relieved inwardly.
Back when the development had just begun, from the moment he learned that Anna could handle clerical and accounting work, and noticed that she seemed interested in the Arqvist territory, he had made an effort to exchange words with her as much as possible whenever he visited Eliza's shop.
In that way, he told her many times how fun development was and how wonderful the Arqvist territory was (mixing in a bit of exaggeration), guiding her until she, who was already interested in development, truly decided to migrate.
Gradually guiding her shy personality until she reached the major decision of migration. As a result, he was finally able to acquire an excellent talent. If she had said "I've decided against it after all" here, all his efforts would have gone down the drain.
He thought there was a ninety percent chance she would stay, but it wasn't absolute until she explicitly stated she would become a retainer. Hearing Anna's words just now, Noein was finally able to feel completely at ease.
With this, regarding desk work, Noein only needed to perform final checks as the person in charge or tackle matters that he had to judge as the lord. Compared to before, the burden would be overwhelmingly smaller.
Finally liberated from overwork, Noein was heartfully grateful for Anna's existence.
.....
The reason Noein had exchanged as much conversation as possible with the residents every time he went to Retovik was not only to improve his reputation in the neighboring territory, but also for the purpose of making the news that "the Arqvist territory is recruiting villagers" widely known.
For that reason, he had spoken particularly carefully about this to merchants he had connections with, such as Eliza and Benedict, to ensure the rumors spread.
Thanks in part to that, from the latter half of October leading into winter, refugees wishing to migrate began to arrive at the Arqvist territory little by little.
Most of them were farmers who had drifted from villages near the border with the Lancel Kingdom in the southwestern part of the kingdom.
Those who lost their homes after being caught up in the conflict with the Lancel Kingdom, those whose livelihoods collapsed after food and other supplies were requisitioned by the Lordberg Kingdom's army, and those who fled because they could not endure the heavy taxes accompanying the conflict.
The increase in refugees indicated that public order in the western part of the Lordberg Kingdom was gradually deteriorating, but for Noein, it was a golden opportunity to increase his population simply by waiting in his own territory.
Since he had ordered a large number of houses to be built for such immigrants, there were no problems regarding their places to live.
"Let's see, your name is... Russell. And your wife is Admia, and your daughter is Liris, correct?"
"Y-yes. Lord Arqvist."
Noein was currently facing a family that had come wishing to migrate. The location was inside a tent used as a temporary guardhouse, beside the place where the wooden fence surrounding the residential area broke to form an entrance.
Unlike Noein, who faced the migration applicants in a relaxed manner, the refugee family, starting with Russell, had tense expressions.
It was only natural, as the lord of this land was before them, and behind him, a rabbit-person woman with cold eyes—Matilda—and a man with sharp eyes—Pence—were keeping a watchful eye as guards.
"Your original place of origin is the Marquis Galdwin territory in the southwest of the kingdom. It says the reason you became refugees was because you were attacked by the Lancel Kingdom army... is the war situation in the conflict zone so bad that they've penetrated as far as the interior of the Marquis's territory?"
Noein asked while looking at the paper where Pence had summarized information by questioning Russell and the others beforehand.
Then, Russell's eyes began to wander, and greasy sweat started to pour from his forehead.
"T-that is... well..."
"If there are lies in the information after I've accepted you, in the worst case, I'll have to consider expulsion. I want you to tell me honestly."
"...I-I am terribly sorry! The truth is, the Marquis imposed heavy taxes on us, saying supplies were needed for the conflict, and we fled because we could no longer endure it. If we remained in that territory, we would starve to death. Please, I beg you, spare us from being sent back..."
"I see, thank you for telling me honestly. There are no lies in that story, right? Can you swear it to your wife and daughter?"
"Y-yes. I swear it on my life and the lives of my family. This is the truth without any lies..."
To show that this was his true feeling, Russell looked straight at Noein, though he was trembling. Noein looked back at him.
"Understood. I'll believe what you say. I permit your migration. From now on, I want you to work hard as a member of the Arqvist territory."
"Wh-what? Is that truly alright?"
"Of course it's fine. However, please don't speak too openly within the territory about the fact that you are fugitives. It would be troublesome if word leaked outside the territory that there are many fugitives from other lands here."
"Y... yes! I understand! Thank you very much, thank you very much!"
Russell's family, who had feared being sent back to the Marquis Galdwin territory because they were fugitives, were so grateful for Noein's mercy in accepting them so readily that they were on the verge of tears.
Meanwhile, Noein was calculating,
A few fugitives... a large territory like the Marquis Galdwin territory probably wouldn't even bother looking for them. Even if I were stupidly kind enough to report it and have them sent back, I don't think the Marquis would feel indebted to me. Rather than wasting effort on a noble so far away, it's far better to welcome them as my own villagers.
Of course, since he didn't say it out loud, there was no way for Russell's family to know Noein's true intentions.
He would direct love toward those who became his villagers, but until the moment they became such, he moved things while thinking only of the profit and loss for himself and his territory. That was Noein's way.
After giving instructions to Pence to assign the family an empty house and farmland, and once Russell's family had left the tent led by him, Noein let out a sigh.
"Thank you for your hard work, Noein-sama."
"Thank you, Matilda. With this, the number of villagers has increased again."
"Yes. With this, the population of the Arqvist territory has become 49 people. If the next immigrants come, it will exceed 50."
"That's true... it's already a scale that can be called a village. To be able to get this far in the first year of development is a good omen."
"This is all thanks to Noein-sama's wonderful skill."
Matilda praised Noein as she always did.
Until recently, Matilda, who managed the mansion, and Noein, who handled various tasks as the lord, had often been acting separately, but since there was now a surplus of manpower in the territory and he had hired about two young girls from among the villagers as maids, Matilda, liberated from housework, had returned to her position as something of Noein's secretary.
It was a waste to keep Matilda, who could handle basic reading, writing, and calculation as well as Noein's protection, as a substitute maid for the mansion, and the words of total affirmation she gave him felt pleasant. And above all, he wanted his beloved Matilda to always be by his side.
With Matilda back in a state where she could always support him by his side, Noein was satisfied with the current situation.
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