Game World: I Can Share Talents

Chapter 123: Young People Shouldn’t Be Too Arrogant

"Slow down. What exactly is going on? Roy, do you know?"

Westheid comforted the tearful little girl as he questioned the tax officer.

"...As I said, after Qinghui Territory fell, we first fled to the nearby Imperial Pioneer Territories. But the price of establishing ourselves there was more than we could bear."

Roy’s expression was grim, and he lamented with a sigh:

"Most were unwilling to sign indenture contracts, but some of our people... had no other choice."

Westheid immediately understood what had happened and sneered.

"Damn those Pioneer Territories, preying on my people during a crisis. They’re insane with their desperation for official status!"

"That’s exactly right, Brother. You should know how attractive official Imperial recognition is to a Pioneer Territory. They’ll do anything to populate their land for it."

Yolanda spoke up.

"In that case, allow me to perform my first real deed for the people of Qinghui."

Westheid stroked the little girl’s head and picked her up.

"I will bring your family back. And all the Qinghui People scattered abroad as slaves—I will bring them all back. Since you call me your Lord, it is my duty to stand up for you!"

"Yes! Thank you, my Lord!"

With tears shimmering in her eyes, the little girl nodded vigorously and buried her face in Westheid’s shoulder.

CLICK—

Yolanda, quick on the uptake, found the perfect angle and captured the warm, moving scene with her camera. By tomorrow, they could probably launch a publicity campaign about how the Duke Qinghui loves his subjects as if they were his own children.

On this point, Yolanda and Westheid were practically telepathic, their rapport so perfect it was almost frightening.

Westheid was a man of action, swift and decisive, never one to procrastinate. He had just been wondering how to build a grand and righteous image in the eyes of the Qinghui People when this mission fell right into his lap.

There was no reason to hesitate. The initial phase of establishing his base would take some time, so this was the perfect opportunity to handle this affair.

「The next day, Westheid set out for the nearest Imperial Pioneer Territory: White Rock City.」

Pioneer Territories were, in fact, lands that had not yet been formally incorporated into the Imperial domain.

So, did they count as Imperial territory?

Yes, they did.

Commoners who had distinguished themselves in service to the Imperial, or members of a noble family’s branch lineage, could obtain a pioneering charter to develop a new domain in the Borderland.

Only when their development had progressed enough to embed the Celestial God’s Law of "Prosperity" into the soil would the Pioneer Territory be formally recognized as part of the Imperial domain.

The Lords of these Pioneer Territories would, in turn, be elevated to hereditary nobles with official Imperial standing, enjoying the protection of the Imperial and securing generations of wealth and glory for their families.

Aboard a Floating Battleship, the Duke Qinghui quickly reached White Rock City. A visit from a [Branch of Prosperity] would, of course, be granted.

Although it was a Pioneer Territory, the city didn’t seem barbaric or crude. On the contrary, it was quite grand and refined, with an aesthetically pleasing and logical layout. At first glance, it was indistinguishable from a city in one of the Imperial core provinces.

This was not surprising. The only difference between many Pioneer Territories and major Imperial cities was their official status. White Rock City was clearly ambitious, having been built on the scale of a major city from the start.

"This city isn’t half bad. Looking down from the sky just now, I saw it even has its own workshops and agricultural districts."

Westheid remarked, looking out the window as they drove from the Floating Battleship to the City Lord’s Mansion.

In the eyes of a certain [Branch of Prosperity] who knew the future, all the territories near Qinghui Territory were destined to become his sphere of influence... ’And as far as I’m concerned,’ Westheid thought, ’they already are!’

The platinum-blonde young woman sitting opposite the Duke Qinghui spoke calmly.

"White Rock City was established as a Pioneer Territory over thirty years ago. Its founder was from a branch lineage of the Golden Iris Clan in the Imperial Capital. He passed away a few years ago, and his youngest son, Oreos, has now taken his place as City Lord."

Knowing Westheid was clueless about noble genealogies, Yolanda added,

"The Golden Iris Clan is considered quite Prominent in the Imperial Capital. They don’t possess a blessed bloodline or any special inheritance; they secure their position purely through extensive marriage alliances and masterful political maneuvering. As a result, their family is quite large, and they often dispatch members of their branch lineages to various parts of the Imperial."

"Previously, White Rock City took in a large number of refugees from the Qinghui Territory and coerced the Qinghui People into signing slave contracts, which significantly bolstered the city’s population. Those districts you saw earlier were built by exploiting their labor."

Westheid laughed grimly. "So they plan to feed on our flesh and blood to get upgraded to an official Province. Sons of bitches."

"That’s the Imperial nobility for you. They’re too cowardly to overstep any real boundaries, but give them the slightest opportunity, and they’ll claw their way up by any means necessary. They’re no better than vultures!"

Having had her fill of the sycophantic nobles in the Imperial Capital over the past two years, Yolanda’s disdain naturally extended to their relatives. She had no good impression of this branch of the Golden Iris Family in White Rock City either.

The car stopped before the estate of the City Lord’s Mansion. Westheid and Yolanda disembarked and were led by an attendant into the residence. They passed through a vibrant, colorful garden and arrived at the reception hall.

Upon entering, they saw a young man in a magnificent noble’s robe seated in the host’s chair. A faint smile played on his handsome, youthful face. Standing behind him was a maid with her head bowed... or perhaps she was a bodyguard.

"Good day, Duke Qinghui."

The young man leaned on his cane, rising elegantly to bow. "I am Oreos of the Golden Iris, Lord of White Rock City. To welcome a [Branch of Prosperity] to my humble home is a tremendous honor."

Despite being a vibrant young man, his composure and manner were remarkably mature.

"Duke Qinghui, please, have a seat. Marine, serve the tea."

After taking his seat, Westheid offered a polite pleasantry.

"Such talent from one so young. I hear the development of White Rock City has been quite rapid recently. I imagine it won’t be long before it’s upgraded to an official Imperial Province, no? The Golden Iris Clan will have another Prominent branch in the borderlands then."

Oreos smiled. "I am merely benefiting from my father’s legacy, and of course, your ’patronage.’ If not for the ’help’ from the Qinghui Territory, White Rock City would still have a long way to go before its promotion."

’Patronage and help...’ Westheid thought. ’Who the hell does this kid think he’s mocking?!’

Westheid hadn’t expected the delicate-looking young man before him to open with such a thinly veiled taunt.

The Duke Qinghui performed a tactical lean-back, lowering his eyes slightly.

"It seems the White Rock City Lord knows why I’m here. In that case, let’s dispense with the formalities. Two years ago, a group of refugees from the Qinghui Territory became indentured laborers in White Rock City. As the patriarch of the Qinghui, I hope the City Lord will, out of compassion for my people, release all laborers of Qinghui origin."

Oreos had clearly anticipated this request. He widened his eyes slightly, feigning surprise.

"I must say, I never expected the esteemed Duke Qinghui, a [Branch of Prosperity] no less, to make such an unreasonable demand. These Qinghui People signed contracts in black and white to become indentured laborers in service to White Rock City. In other words, they are my property."

"To ask me to simply give up such a large asset... your sense of humor is quite something, Duke Qinghui."

’Oh, good. Very good. So that’s how you want to play this, is it?’

Westheid’s voice turned cold.

"...An indenture contract signed for a piece of bread and a cup of water is hardly convincing, don’t you think?"

"However, objectively speaking, even one meal can be considered a life saved. I will pay a fee for their release. One thousand silver leaves per laborer—enough for you to purchase an equal number of common slaves."

Westheid took a few deep breaths to calm himself. ’Any problem money can solve isn’t worth getting angry over,’ he thought.

’So what if I’m getting extorted? I can always settle the score later.’

Oreos shook his head.

"A pity, but simple laborers are nothing compared to the talented people from the Qinghui Territory. They can serve White Rock City as technicians, soldiers, accountants, and engineers. These skilled professions can’t be filled by crude barbarian slaves. So you must forgive me, but I cannot accept the Duke Qinghui’s ’kind’ offer."

Hearing this, Westheid sized up the delicate-looking young noble before him. He suddenly realized the boy didn’t just want to extort him; he had no intention of releasing the people from the very beginning.

’Damn it,’ he thought. ’These borderlanders are even more Defying the Heavens than the nobles in the Imperial Capital.’

Westheid’s expression turned serious.

"Oreos, I am speaking to you calmly right now. I *must* take the Qinghui People with me. The wisest thing you can do is try to gain my friendship. You’ll thank me for it in the future."

"I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand."

Oreos offered a perfectly dismissive smile. "All I know is that everything I’ve done has been in accordance with the Law. I have not broken any laws. Even if you were to appeal to the Divine Ancestor himself, my conscience would be clear."

The Duke Qinghui sneered and slammed his hand down, cracking the jade tea table.

"As your elder, let me offer you a piece of advice. Don’t be so arrogant, young man!"

"And what’s the point of being young if you can’t be arrogant?!"