Traitors Around the Lord

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Once the criticism of the merchants started, it grew louder and louder.

Ferguson shook his head to clear his mind and decided to speak up for the merchants.

"Everyone, although many of them are opportunists, we can't do without them. Without them, where would we buy goods from outside? And who would buy the produce from our own estates?"

"Lord Ferguson makes a good point," said Lord Walter, the host of the banquet, stroking his mustache.

"However, despite this, it is ultimately the farmers who support us all. Land and food are the foundation of our existence and that of everyone on the continent! Those of us here who are of similar age should have experienced famine, haven't we?"

Lord Walter's words reminded everyone of a great famine that occurred in the Kingdom of Aldor decades ago. The younger generation had only heard about it from the elders, but those who were older displayed expressions of fear in their eyes.

It was a truly terrifying era, with dead bodies everywhere. People would suddenly collapse and never get up again while walking on the roads. There were even horrifying rumors of cannibalism. During such a severe famine, even money couldn't buy food. Those with food at home were unwilling to trade it for gold and silver.

"Yes, Lord Walter is right. Food is indeed the basis of our survival."

The crowd praised the host's viewpoint.

Suddenly, someone became indignant, "We work hard in the fields to grow food, but those merchants are undermining us. Has everyone forgotten what happened last year? The lord suddenly proposed a 'Customs Union,' aiming to reduce or even cancel tariffs on goods passing through the territory, including a major part being food. Oh God, this… this… it's truly terrible."

This remark pushed the crowd's emotions to a peak.

"No need to guess! It must be those merchants stirring up trouble!"

"Yes, they must have deceived Lord Grayman."

Eldo, visibly agitated, pounded the table in front of him, looking as if he had been deeply wronged. "This isn't just undermining us; it's undermining Lord Grayman, it's undermining all of Alden!"

Despite the widespread use of agricultural machinery, Alden's food production was still not as advantageous compared to other territories with higher yields, such as the Fraule family's lands. Without tariffs, the consequences would be disastrous, at least in the eyes of these estate owners.

But to those money-obsessed merchants, it meant that the cost of purchasing food from outside would be even lower.

Ah, these heartless parasites, using such despicable methods to harm their fellow Alden residents.

"They must have been whispering poison into Lord Grayman's ear, and he, being inexperienced, unwittingly fell for their schemes."

"What Customs Union? It's just a tool they use to make money."

At this point, the crowd began to express their relief.

"Fortunately, we all united against this at that time! We didn't let the merchants' schemes succeed."

"That's right, I remember it was Lord Walter who led us. Let's raise a toast to Lord Walter!"

"To Lord Walter!"

The host of the banquet, old Lord Walter, accepted the toast with a generous smile.

"There are traitors around Lord Grayman!"

Old Walter drank a full glass, his face reddening, and then said with deep sorrow.

Hearing this, Ferguson became immediately concerned. As a retainer of the Grayman family, he was very concerned about his lord.

Traitors? How could that be? Alden had just won a major battle against the formidable Kent family, gaining great prestige. If there were traitors around the lord, how could they have won the battle?

"What do you mean?"

Lord Walter continued with sorrow, "Think about it, Hansel Abbott is no good! Over the past two years, none of you have escaped his exploitation, right?"

"Lord Grayman's efforts to consolidate farmland were a good policy, but this Southern fellow twisted it!"

Lord Walter's words made everyone recall their experiences of being squeezed by Hansel over the past two years. Most had encroached on public land and had been singled out by Hansel, the head of the Agriculture Department, during land measurement. They either had to return the encroached land and face fines or pay several times the amount to buy back their family's land that had been farmed for generations.

The crowd vented their grievances.

"Abbott, he's just a skinflint! Anyone targeted by him will suffer."

"This traitor must have pocketed all the fines himself!"

"I think those officials from the South are no good!"

Some began to broaden their criticism.

"That chief secretary with the thick eyebrows, the one named Bernard, is probably no good either!"

Someone stood up in righteous indignation and waved their arms, "I saw with my own eyes at Port Frand, a whole carriage full of food! And various other supplies, all shipped south on sailboats!"

"It must be these Southern people transporting it to the capital. They're traitors, and Grayman is supporting them. My subordinate's subordinate is not my subordinate; they should be loyal to Lord Grayman. How can they be loyal beyond their level?"

"Heartless parasites, rats crawling out of the Crystal Glare sewer!"

"They are just a bunch of pests. If left unchecked, they will eventually drain all of Alden."

"Occupying the latrine without doing their job, so many important positions in the government are filled with these Southern pests, causing so many problems."

"Those positions should be filled by our own local people. The Earl… sigh, never mind."

Someone sighed deeply, "Inside there are traitors, outside there are corrupt merchants. I'm afraid Alden…"

Before finishing, they covered their mouth.

But the atmosphere in the hall had already changed. What started as praise for the lord's wisdom had turned into a discussion of Alden's internal and external troubles, about to be overturned by villains.

Even Ferguson was unknowingly influenced by the crowd's emotions.

The Customs Union, he was also opposed to it. He disliked the outsiders holding key positions in the government.

Could there really be traitors around the lord?

He should find time to go back to Alden Town and inquire thoroughly with his old friends.

Lord Walter's remark had struck a chord with him.

"Only we, the local farmers, are the foundation of Lord Grayman and Alden! We must protect the Earl from being deceived by traitors and schemers."

TL Note: there is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance. ~Martin Luther King Jr.

(End of the Chapter)

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