Chapter 136 : Chapter 136
Chapter 136. The Disappeared Territory Tax
Peaceful days continued for a few days.
Radel spent time taking care of the backlog of work at the 8th Prince’s Palace or going over to the training ground to tame the Griffin.
“Shall we start today too.”
Radel put down the meat he was carrying on his back onto the floor.
Before he knew it, even a furnace was prepared in one corner of the training ground, and Radel took out a frying pan hanging on the wall and placed it on the furnace.
And started the work.
Sizzle!
Smoke rose from the frying pan.
- Kieeeek!
Just then, a familiar sound was heard from afar.
The Griffin, which had been receiving grilled meat from Radel for a few days, had smelled the scent.
“It will arrive soon. Let’s see…….”
As Radel was counting, the sound of the Griffin was heard through the gap in the waterfall.
- Kieeeeeek!
The speed was different from when he used to call the Griffin by sticking his fist out of the waterfall before.
The reaction was twice as fast compared to when he just used raw meat.
Definitely, after grilling the meat, the Griffin’s attitude changed.
- Kiek!
The Griffin cried briefly outside the waterfall.
It meant hand over the meat quickly.
“If someone saw, they would think I owed you something.”
Until yesterday, Radel just threw it to let it know the taste of grilled meat, but from today, he had no intention of doing so.
Radel picked up the grilled meat and walked to the side of the waterfall.
- Kieeeek!
As Radel approached holding the meat, the waiting Griffin cried long.
Translated literally, it seemed to be something like, what are you doing not bringing it quickly, human!
The Griffin stretched its beak in the air to snatch the meat.
Swish!
Then Radel quickly moved the meat away to where the Griffin couldn't reach.
The sharp beak cut through the empty air without any gain.
- Kiek?!
The Griffin glared at Radel with an angry expression.
Radel also looked at the Griffin and opened his mouth slowly.
“Looking like that won’t work. I will give it when I say it’s okay. You need to learn to wait.”
Today, he planned to practice ‘wait’.
* * *
“Prince, there is something you need to check for a moment.”
It was when Radel was passing through the hallway of the 8th Prince’s Palace.
The Chief Attendant stopped Radel with a slightly hurried look. It was an appearance unlike the usually calm Chief Attendant.
Radel intuitively felt that something had happened.
“What is it?”
When Radel asked, the Chief Attendant guided him to the study.
And brought out a recently written ledger.
“Please take a look here.”
Radel had looked at the ledgers for several years while reorganizing the 8th Prince’s Palace last time.
He could know at once what the Chief Attendant was pointing at.
The items for territory tax and land rent, which were being paid until early this year, were empty. It meant that Raviedel, Radel’s territory, had not sent the taxes yet.
It was a place that had consistently sent territory taxes every year even when Radel didn't know about Raviedel’s existence.
For it to suddenly stop like this. Something must have happened.
“Something happened in the territory. Right?”
“Yes. I also thought it was strange and looked into it but…….”
According to the Chief Attendant, Raviedel was not a place with smooth exchanges with the outside.
When sending taxes, an internal contact usually came out, but news with that contact had been cut off.
“I plan to send more people soon to find out. Before that, I thought the Prince should be aware of this situation. Since it is the Prince’s territory.”
Radel felt grateful to the Chief Attendant for looking into it on his behalf.
And thought he should properly check the situation even starting from now.
‘I need to find out for sure.’
The Chief Attendant was right.
It was his territory, not anyone else’s. However, there were still many things he didn't know well about the territory.
Who the contact was, what cities were nearby, how to get there fast, etc., in fact, it was no different from knowing nothing.
Radel unfolded the Imperial Map and fixed it on the wall.
When he looked for Raviedel on the map last time, he only knew it was a small city on the coast.
Looking at it now, Raviedel was surrounded by rugged mountain ranges except for the side facing the sea.
To go to another city, one had to cross a large mountain range, so no matter how you looked at it, exchanges with the outside didn't seem easy.
“……Without the sea, it would be perfect for isolation.”
But wasn't there the sea.
If they went out by boat through the coast, there didn't seem to be a big problem.
Then, the Chief Attendant watching Radel’s actions said a word.
“It is presumptuous to tell the Prince, but boats cannot be launched.”
“What does that mean?”
“The vortexes are severe. If you even fall into the sea, you won't be able to find even a corpse. This coast is all like that.”
The explanation was that due to the flow of mana swirling below the sea level, even fishing boats couldn't be launched in the sea nearby.
Radel intuitively felt that this problem would not be easier than he thought.
* * *
The person sent by the Chief Attendant returned.
Fortunately, there was a large city with a gate stone installed near Raviedel, so he could go over there and hear the full story.
Although he couldn't enter inside Raviedel, he said he had found out about the situation of the territory.
“Then you mean the road is blocked?”
“Yes, Prince. They say there is only one road to Raviedel. To pass there now, you have to fight Lizardmen.”
Lizardmen.
As one of the races often seen in the Empire, they were strong lizard beastmen to the extent that there was a saying they were descendants of dragons.
They were a community group gathered by tribes, but they had no significant exchanges with the Empire for a long time. Because each tribe had a different character, such as tribes hostile to the Empire and tribes actively interacting.
Still, recently, it was said that tribes trying to interact with the Empire were on the rise.
“So Raviedel got caught by a hostile tribe.”
Radel realized how the situation had turned out.
It was something that happened because Radel’s territory and the Lizardmen’s territory overlapped.
Of all places, they said the sacred mountain of the Lizardmen was in the mountain range surrounding the territory.
The Lizardman tribe living there seemed aggressive towards the Empire's people.
If the Lizardmen blocked the road, there was virtually nothing a powerless territory could do.
“It seems they requested help from the neighboring city at first, but even if they drove the Lizardmen away, it was only for that moment…….”
It meant they hid using the rugged mountain range and then reappeared to block the road again.
Even if they helped temporarily, there was a limit.
Radel nodded.
“Well, what can be done. Originally, one must solve one’s own problems.”
Now it was the turn for the owner of the territory to step up.
* * *
“What? Radel isn't here?!”
Inette was surprised after visiting the 8th Prince’s Palace.
She naturally thought Radel would be there, but to be absent.
Well, hadn't she also been enjoying life in the capital with her mom until now.
Shopping in Marcellent was also unique and nice, but the capital had its own splendor. So she thought Radel might have also gone to the downtown area to play.
“Bring out a cup of tea. Since I’ll have to wait until Radel comes.”
Inette sat in the reception room and naturally ordered the attendants around.
Certainly, as they said it was newly refurbished, the Prince’s Palace seemed somewhat decent to look at.
When the Chief Attendant personally brought out tea, Inette asked.
“So when is he coming?”
The Chief Attendant answered Inette.
“The Prince has left for his territory, so he will not be present for the time being.”
“What does that mean? Radel had a territory?”
Inette asked back with an absurd expression.
“Yes, it is the territory inherited from the 5th Imperial Consort. It is a place called Raviedel.”
“Raviedel? First time hearing it. Where is it?”
“It is a small city by the seaside, so you might not know.”
By the seaside?
It didn't take long for Inette’s expression to change from absurdity to anger.
If it’s a small city by the seaside, what else could it be but a vacation spot!
First time hearing that he has a territory, but to go there alone to play again, how cheeky.
‘So he went without telling me, huh?’
Inette felt betrayed and jumped up from her seat.
She felt like her anger wouldn't be resolved unless she chased after him right now.
“When did he leave?”
“It hasn't been long since he departed.”
Hearing the Chief Attendant’s words, Inette immediately called her attendants and prepared to leave.
“You guys go first and pack luggage. Prepare the fastest carriage!”
At such Inette’s appearance, the Chief Attendant asked.
“Princess, are you also going to Raviedel?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Since they say it’s Radel’s territory, I should go see. Oh right, thanks for the tea.”
Inette answered quickly and left the 8th Prince’s Palace without looking back.
The attendants of the 8th Prince’s Palace were surprised by the actions of the 7th Princess, who was famous for being fastidious.
Coming to play at the Prince’s Palace was one thing, but they hadn't expected her to say she would follow him all the way to the territory like that.
“She must be very close with our Prince.”
“Eh, surely not. Unless she’s following to torment him perhaps…….”
At someone’s logical words, the attendants nodded and agreed.
The image of the 7th Princess dominating Radel and tormenting him was naturally associated.
“Oh dear, somehow our Prince is the same age as the 7th Princess…….”
“The Prince is enduring it because he has a good personality.”
It was a remark Inette would feel unjust about if she heard it.
* * *
“……Is this really the road?”
Inette stopped the carriage in front of the mountain path.
It was definitely fine until she came to the neighboring city of Raviedel through the gate stone.
But from here on, it was too rugged, excessively so.
Mountains as high as the Marcellent mountain range spread in all directions, and there was barely a path where just about one carriage could enter.
On top of that, how many stones there were.
“Princess, we need to maintain the carriage for a moment. Perhaps because the road is so rugged, a strange sound is coming from one of the wheels.”
“Really? You guys follow after maintenance. Since I’ll go ahead first.”
“What? No, how can we……!”
“Don’t you trust my skills?”
Whoosh!
Inette took off her gloves and showed flames to the attendants.
The attendants, knowing Inette’s personality, had no choice but to let her go.
“I don’t have time to dawdle here.”
Inette grumbled and climbed the mountain path.
Although there were many stones and it was rugged, she had climbed mountains so much during Cryptozoology class that it wasn't that hard. Thinking of Radel’s speed flying during the Cryptozoology lecture, he would have already crossed this much and more.
“I have to chase quickly……. Come to think of it, when I said I was going to Raviedel earlier, the reaction was somewhat strange.”
She recalled the reaction people showed when she asked for the way to Raviedel upon arriving at the neighboring city.
They seemed surprised asking why go there now, but Inette didn't pay attention and departed immediately, so she didn't hear the following words.
“It seems they also said something comes out on the road.”
Even if something comes out, what else would there be but monsters.
Inette was confident she wouldn't blink an eye at most monsters.
“Well, I just have to sweep them away.”
When Inette muttered like that and moved her steps, something really appeared in front of her.
To Inette, it was a being worse than a monster.
“Why are you coming out from here?!”
Standing on the road was Gusto Zebro, whom she didn't want to see even in her dreams.