Chapter 128: Morning in Rome (4)
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The verdict was made according to what Parsi and I discussed beforehand.
“The fact that you were neglectful when neighboring villages were showing signs of revolting and the fact that you guys acted arbitrarily without reporting to me first are sizable crimes. However, your action of taking care of the traitors hastily has made it clear that you all have no intentions to conspire against me. Therefore, I shall place a prohibition on the three village chiefs. Additionally, I will be seizing their assets.”
I confiscated the three village chiefs’ assets. I didn’t take the tribute that the villages had prepared. The villagers praised my verdict for being so magnanimous.
From the perspective of the villagers, it must seem like the village chiefs had sacrificed themselves for the villages. It’s almost obvious where most of the tribute I’m returning to them is probably going to go. It’d be like burying your head in the sand. Thanks to this, the village chiefs and I should be able to save face.
I sent a group of goblins to the remaining villages.
Three days later, envoys from the villages arrived at my Demon Lord Castle. They prostrated at the entrance of my dungeon and begged. They pleaded for me to forgive them.
They had a taste of ‘a life where monsters don’t attack’. They were able to focus purely on farming while not having to worry about anything else. They didn’t even need to make a militia. They desperately didn’t want to return to how things were before.
“There will be a 70% tax rate.”