Read Novel Full Vol 20 Chapter 3
Vol 20 Chapter 3
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Chapter 3 – I See, I Can’t Escape
I arrived at the village that was supposed to be the base for the construction of the beastmen’s city, but it was a chaotic scene with hastily built tenement houses lined up and overflowing with beastmen. I understood the situation after hearing from Luke, the guild master of the Adventurers’ Guild, who had been sent from the royal capital, but I also felt a little anxious at the thought that the plan seemed to be getting out of control. I was also afraid of William-san, who was smiling in front of me after being stopped by the guildmaster’s trap.
“Wi-William-san, it’s been a while.”
The basis of human relations is greeting. Here, if you greet someone with a friendly smile, they will understand and respond in kind.
“Yes, it really has been a while.”
Hmm? What is it? William-san smiles, too, but I can’t help but feel that there is a hint of a thorn in his words.
“Yes, it’s been a long time. As you’ve seen, we’ve been backed into a corner far beyond what was originally planned, thanks to someone somewhere who’s been stirring up the merchants with a lot of money. And yet the person in question hasn’t shown up at the scene, so we’re all wondering what we’re going to do about it.”
I wanted to think it was my imagination, but it wasn’t. William-san should be smiling, but his eyes aren’t smiling, and a vein protrudes from his temple. If I choose the wrong words, he’ll get really angry.
“Well, I’ve been away for a while, so I’m sorry I couldn’t come by.”
In a situation like this, the only option is to apologize.
Excuses like “I left everything up to William-san, so you can do whatever you want” will only add fuel to the fire.
I could have been forceful and said that I am the one who pays for it, but I would have to have a very thick skin to choose that option.
“I see. You travel around the world by ship, so I understand that it is not easy for you to come here.”
I think my honest apology worked, and William-san showed understanding. I’m sure he had a lot to say, but I think he swallowed it all. He’s an adult.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“No, it can’t be helped. So I can’t waste this opportunity. Originally, I wanted to let you deal with the accumulated documents and approvals, but let’s also consider and prepare for any problems that may arise in the future. Well, Wataru-san, the documents have been taken to the room at the guild. Let’s start with them first.”
Have I dug my own grave? Or perhaps, in addition to the work that has piled up, he is also planning to anticipate and deal with problems that may arise in the future?
“What do you mean by documents in a room at the guild?”
“I heard you were coming, so I brought them over. We can’t waste any time. You’ll be staying at the guild for a while. Oh, don’t worry, we’ve prepared rooms for the guards as well. You can’t get a room in this village right now.”
Everything is ready! No, this isn’t right. I’ll be packed here like sardines. Stop, don’t push me.
“Isn’t this too much?”
Despite my protests, I was led into a room filled with so much paperwork that I felt nauseous.
“This is just a fraction of it. More will be brought in as they are processed.”
“No, how can there be so much paperwork? There’s nothing to write down, is there?”
Isn’t it ridiculous? These are the documents that reach the people in charge, right? What? Do you document the use of every single resource?
“The documents being delivered here now are for the expansion of the city, which has become necessary due to the increase in the number of beastmen beyond expectations, as well as documents to guarantee the identity of these increased numbers of beastmen and to submit an application to the government.”
…Even though construction had only just begun, the expansion was decided before the city was completed.
It’s a bit depressing, but when you see a group of tenements like this, it’s hard to say that there’s no need for expansion. But identity checks and government applications?
“Excuse me, William-san, but do I really have to do the identity verification and applications? I plan to let the Kingdom run this city, so wouldn’t it make more sense for the Kingdom to run it? Or are there no plans for any help from the Kingdom?”
You know, I hate to say this because it sounds like I’m nouveau riche, but as a result of me paying for this, the Aquamarine Kingdom has become richer, the population has increased, the national strength has increased, and the taxes for the future will increase, so isn’t it a bit much to ask for a little more cooperation?
Why don’t they send some officials to help with the paperwork!
“It’s a big project, so they sent people from the Kingdom as well. However, the beastmen gathered here are being treated as refugees who have come to rely on you, Wataru-san. Normally, it would be difficult for them to even enter the country and live a normal life, but thanks to the large amount of money you have invested in the country, they are being overlooked.”
I see, so they’re treated like refugees. When I think of it, I remember hearing something similar the last time, but I guess I was too busy with the paperwork to pay attention.
In other words, I’m supposed to process all these beastmen’s applications? I don’t want to do that.
“Refugees are a sensitive issue for both the refugees themselves and the Kingdom, so shouldn’t the Kingdom be the one to handle them, not me? Besides, couldn’t the beasts apply individually?”
The refugee problem was becoming more serious on Earth as well. Even though I was the one who started this difficult problem, I didn’t want to be the one to handle it.
“Even if refugees from other countries apply individually, it’s not as easy as you think to get permission. It’s because you, Wataru-san, apply as the person in charge that permission is granted. The government will take care of the rest.”
I see, so because I’m investing a lot of money, the application is somewhat guaranteed. Fufu, the power of money is amazing. But I don’t understand why I’m being cornered.
“Don’t worry. We haven’t had time to check the background, but we’ve tied it to a contract with the God of Commerce-sama, so there’s nothing against Wataru-san, the beastmen, or the Kingdom. Well, it cost us a lot of money.”
The God of Commerce-sama is very popular. But a contract facilitated by a god makes everyone feel safe, so it’s worth the trouble and expense.
I see, the refugee applications… I can’t escape. But I want to escape.
“I understand the reason, but… isn’t it still too much?”
Since I’m not going to escape, can’t we at least make it a little more efficient?
“Don’t worry. We weren’t just fooling around until you came, so we’ve prepared everything so that there’s no problem with just signing the beastmen’s applications. If you trust us, you don’t even need to check the contents, right?”
Whether I trust them or not, I can’t go through all these documents all the time. If I end up getting cheated out of all my money, that’s fine with me. I’ll even sign a blank check.
Well, I can say that because I have a contract with William-san and the others through the God of Commerce-sama… but still… I think I’m going to get tendonitis just from signing.
“Well, it looks like Wataru has work to do, and it’s safe inside the guild, so we’ll stay outside so as not to get in the way. Good luck, Wataru.”
“Master, I’m in the way too, right? Right? Well, I’ll wait with Alessia and the others. Come on, Felicia, you go too.”
“Eh? I can help with the paperwork, you know?”
“The guys who are watching over Master will do that kind of thing on their own. We’re just in the way, so if we relax, we’ll get caught up in it.”
My slaves and guards say what they have to say and quickly leave the room. Something is terribly wrong. Or rather, Ines, you said you would get caught up in it, didn’t you?
When I am free, I will definitely take revenge. I’m going to do this and that and all sorts of naughty things to you until you say you’re sorry… Fuhehehehe.
“Well then, Wataru-san, shall we begin?”
Ah, yes. I’ll do my best…
＊＊＊
“…Wow, there are so many people here.”
After a few days of sorting through the documents, when I couldn’t even remember how many days I had been signing things, I broke down and cried to William-san and the others.
I cried and cried, complaining that my eyes, hands, and back hurt and that I didn’t want to be stuck in a room surrounded by documents anymore.
I didn’t care about appearances, like how it’s not good for a grown man to cry.
Maybe William-san and the others felt sorry for me, but they prepared a new job for me, which was to inspect the beastmen’s city that was under construction.
Still, I couldn’t help but think, “This isn’t a vacation, this is work!” But my spirits were high after being out for a while, so it didn’t matter.
So I came to inspect the beastmen’s city in a good mood, but to be honest, I was taken aback. My rapidly rising tension suddenly dropped, and I was so astonished that I settled down to a below-normal level.
For the scene in front of my eyes was on the same scale as the construction of the pyramids in ancient Egypt, as I had seen in a TV special.
I don’t know anything about pyramid building, but the workers here are happy because they are well-paid, so there is no sense of tragedy. However, the scale is several levels larger than I had imagined from the documents.
Even though I’m being thrown in at the deep end, am I really in charge of construction on this scale?
“The people working over there are digging the moat. Over there, the waterway is being prepared, and the area at the back is being leveled. The rocks they’re carrying are for the city walls.”
I can’t get William-san’s explanation into my head.
“Hey, Master, isn’t this going a bit too far?”
Ines pulls my sleeve to talk to me, and I agree. This is not something an individual should do. Anyone who does this on their own is a fool.
“William-san, is the budget okay for this scale of construction?”
“Is the budget okay, you ask? Isn’t it Wataru-san who came up with such a ridiculous budget? The problem is not the budget, but the work being done at the same time to create jobs. There aren’t enough people to manage it all.”
I was the idiot.
I understand. With a budget of 250 billion yen in Japanese yen and low prices and labor costs, it’s easy to do construction on that scale. But it seems like there aren’t enough people in charge.
“…Please make sure there aren’t any accidents. I don’t really know who’s in charge, so I’ll have to ask William to do something about it.
I don’t know anyone who can take charge, so I guess I can’t just leave everything to him.
Hah, I came here to look around and relax, but now I’m even more stuck. I can’t just leave all these workers and their families to fend for themselves.
I was happy to have found an easy place to invest the charity funds, but even though the investment was easy, the responsibility was extremely heavy.
Let’s do our best. I may complain, but let’s not give up and keep trying until the end.
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