Chapter 260 - 29: Second Institutional Construction (Part 2)
Chapter 260: Chapter 29: Second Institutional Construction (Part 2)
"Hmm... This Magic is certainly interesting. How did you come up with the idea to put these things into tables for calculation?" What Valentino had produced was an arithmetic table.
What Valentino called "magic" was, in fact, an arithmetic table. It was a product born from combining the arithmetic knowledge Robson brought from his past life with Mage Falan’s own understanding.
When Robson first arrived, he discovered how people in this world did arithmetic. They used the common language, representing numbers with characters. They would list a series of characters to derive a new one, then use the magical understanding that everyone possessed to interpret the new character’s meaning.
Robson had first recognized Falan’s immense value precisely because of his arithmetic knowledge.
While Falan’s knowledge wasn’t systematized like the knowledge from Robson’s past life, Robson saw the potential in him. This numerical table was the result of combining Robson’s guidance with Falan’s knowledge.
Surprisingly, the Female Mages who had previously come from Tilia’s domain also participated in its creation.
"It was all the work of a Mage. I merely provided some guidance..."
"Guidance... So others made the other things. But not these two, right?"
"What are these?" Valentino pointed to two other charts at her side.
Robson took a sip of tea.
’What’s coming will come.’
The two charts Valentino was pointing to detailed Robson’s self-created system of military merit ranks and a corresponding system for local fief officials.
Robson was no fool, and he knew Valentino wouldn’t be easily fooled either.
Any mature politician is especially sensitive to systemic changes.
This was why Robson had brought Valentino to tour the barracks today. They were husband and wife; sooner or later, they would learn each other’s secrets. If Robson wanted to implement these systems, it was only a matter of time before Valentino found out.
Better to explain things now than to let it become a problem later.
Moreover, Robson wanted to use Valentino as a test. He wanted to see just how perceptive the nobles of this world were and whether she could spot the massive landmine hidden within his system.
Valentino was certainly a political figure in the Frank Kingdom, but her cunning and foresight weren’t top-tier. She was no match for old foxes like Oscillate or Louis III. In Robson’s eyes, with more experience, she might one day reach the level of a new-generation noble like Marquis George.
This wasn’t to say Oscillate was inherently superior to Valentino; many of these skills were simply acquired through experience.
For example, Earl Uman, whom Robson had met before, was, in Robson’s eyes, playing his cards completely blind. He thought himself clever, but his intentions were transparent to everyone. That was a perfect example of someone whose acquired Inner Strength wasn’t up to par.
"Valentino, have I ever told you what I used to do?" Robson asked.
Since he was daring enough to present these documents, he naturally had an explanation prepared.
"The Little Knight of Sunset Fortress?" Valentino teased.
"What? A Knight who becomes a Count... sounds like something out of a storybook, doesn’t it?"
Robson ignored her teasing and continued speaking.
"Not exactly. You probably don’t know, but even that Knight title was granted to me later.
"To be honest, I’m actually just the second son of an ordinary Baron. When I was young, I even helped look after the farm..."
The time Robson spoke of was during the Frank Kingdom’s reconstruction of the north. The southern nobility had contributed so much money and manpower that they were left relatively poor. Normally, the second son of a Baron would never have to perform such strenuous labor.
"So? That just makes it more exciting?"
To be honest, Robson was starting to miss the gentler, shyer Valentino of the past. Though they still hadn’t done anything, after spending a few months together, Valentino had clearly grown very comfortable with him.
He was usually the one who used such words to tease her; now the tables had turned.
"Stop teasing, I’m being serious.
"Tell me honestly, why do you think we’re in this situation?" Robson asked, lowering his voice to look at Valentino.
"What ’this situation’? What are you referring to specifically?"
"The current situation in the Fengman Clan. You are the rightful head of the family, so why do those Household Servants dare to commit insubordination and stir up trouble?
"Where do you think the problem lies?"
Valentino frowned at the question and sank into thought.
"Because... my father? He passed away too suddenly?"
Robson shook his head.
"That’s not it."
"Is it a moral failing? Did these Household Servants not honor their obligations?"
Robson still shook his head.
"It’s neither of those. The reason is dependency. More precisely, it’s the system itself. The Household Servant system is fundamentally flawed.
"This system places responsibility for most affairs onto a single person. If the domain loses that person, it can no longer function properly.
"It’s a systemic problem, Valentino. Do you understand? The fact that a problem like this can even occur is the most important takeaway.
"And that’s not all. Entrusting most matters to Household Servants makes it difficult to prevent the waste of political resources, and even more so, economic resources."
"It’s not just the Household Servant system.
"I used to stay in the villages of my family’s domain, and I saw how those tax collectors collected taxes.
"Let’s say one acre of land can produce 50 Snow Mountain Roots a year. If a village has five hundred acres, why do we only collect a few thousand roots?" Robson asked.
This wasn’t just idle talk from Robson. The taxes of this era were astonishingly high. The Peasants had virtually no private property. Nearly all crops from the fields were collected by the lord and then rationed back out.
The peasants’ motivation? No one ever considered it. The noble lords simply set a minimum quota. Fail to meet it, and you’d feel the sting of the whip.
Valentino’s brow furrowed. She had a good idea of where Robson was going with this.
"So, you plan to use your Soldiers as a different kind of Household Servant? How is that any different from before?" Valentino wondered aloud, though she could already faintly sense that this system was different.
"They’re different. A Household Servant is a Household Servant, and a Soldier is a Soldier... Let’s think about it more simply. In a village, you have a Household Servant, someone appointed to represent the lord and manage the village."
Robson, guiding her patiently, continued to speak.
"So the difference is, these officials aren’t irreplaceable, but they are extremely useful," Valentino nodded.
"With these people, we can reduce some resource waste?
"So, you’ve set your sights on the Soldiers in the army. You think Soldiers will be more loyal?"
Robson nodded.
"At least, for as long as I am in charge, that will be the case.
"The fief I chose is in Clichy County, which borders the Beastman Empire. I fear the old model simply won’t work there," Robson said.
After hearing Robson’s words, Valentino nodded.
To be honest, Valentino herself was now a little tempted.
Lately, she had been at her wit’s end dealing with her clan’s Household Servants.
Although she was slowly reclaiming her authority, the amount of time and energy it required was immense.
But Valentino also understood that although this system was good, it wasn’t necessarily applicable to all families.
The reason Robson dared to do this was based on a premise that could not be ignored.
Namely, Robson was a pioneering lord with formidable personal military strength, and he commanded a powerful, loyal army. Both conditions were essential; it wouldn’t work with even one missing!
"Quite interesting. It’s worth a try," Valentino nodded.
Robson observed her for a long moment, even using the Divine Sense of a Sixth-rank Mage to confirm she wasn’t having any thoughts that would undermine their unity. He silently breathed a sigh of relief.
’Putting everything else aside, it’s enough that Valentino herself can’t see the hidden implications.’
Just as the two were about to continue their conversation, a blood-stained griffin suddenly appeared in the sky above Fengman City. The griffin was crying out with a long screech, as if searching for something.