Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 74: Despicable

Chapter 74: Despicable

From Marie’s answers and from the intel Alwin was able to gather, it was verified that the collectors arrive at the end of every month to collect "tribute".

Each family has to pay a thousand silver coins to the collectors. It was equal to a hundred gold coins.

Her whole life, even in the past, Arabella only ever personally used platinum and gold coins.

Moreover, she doesn’t even carry around her own money.

The maids or her knights carry it for her and were the ones who paid for whatever purchase she made. Only in places they were not allowed did she try to use gold and platinum.

But, she was at least informed that even silver was hard to earn for those who do not have much.

"I heard even a single silver coin was hard to earn for poor commoners. How can they charge a thousand silver coins from each household? Aren’t they doing it on purpose so the people wouldn’t be able to pay?"

In Valeria, the currency was called valer.

For making coins, Valeria used copper, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum respectively in increasing value.

One copper coin was equal to one valer. Bronze was ten valers. Silver was a hundred valers. Gold was a thousand valers. And, platinum was ten thousand valers.*

Platinum coins were only used by the richest of the rich, mostly the imperial family and the royal families. In other words, mostly by the rulers of each territory.

Gold and silver were usually used by nobles and rich commoners.

Silver, bronze, and copper were usually used by commoners but they also use gold for bigger purchases.

Silver itself was already hard to earn for these commoners who were already suffering from a financial crisis.

A thousand silver pieces were equal to a hundred thousand valers. It was too much for commoners to pay monthly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It was likely a tactic so they could get more of the people as slaves in the guise of working to pay the tribute," Raymond agreed to her suspicions.

"Indeed. The villagers said that if they do not have a thousand silver coins or a hundred gold coins, they have to give something of value to make up for the amount that was missing," Alwin added.

"But what would these suffering people have? And this is the outskirts of Prudencia."

"If they have nothing of value, the collectors would beat them up until they finally agree for someone of the collectors’ choosing to be taken from their household."

’So that was why they were beating up Marie earlier.’

"How cruel," Arabella grimaced.

"According to the villagers, the collectors usually get young men and women in the guise that they would be made to work in the capital of Prudencia until the amount was paid. But all those who were taken never came back," Alwin continued.

Because of course, they were made as slaves and were sold somewhere else. How could they come back? It was only if the master who bought them would free them.

And this whole thing happens in all of Prudencia. The collectors who roam around collect payment for the ’tribute’ and get young men or women from the household of those who cannot pay and make them slaves for greater earns.

’Despicable. How should these villains be punished?’

[Now it was clear where the slaves come from. And judging from the marks on the hands of the slaves we saw in Marquess Gulliver’s room, the slaves were probably sold in other kingdoms where slavery was allowed.] Raymond concluded and Arabella gritted her teeth.

She knew it too once she recalled what that mark was.

It meant there was a buying and selling of slaves going on in Prudencia or at the borders.

There was a kingdom nearby that welcomed slavery. It must be where they were brought.

"Are we sure Count Rowell is not a part of this?" Raymond pointed out something Arabella was also worried about.

From all her plotting in her previous life and the betrayal she experienced, she no longer trusted people so easily so she still doubted event Count Rowell whom Marie and the villagers said to be a kind and merciful lord.

[Even if this was his own county, with the amount of money being collected and the worth of slaves in the slave market, Count Rowell could just abandon this location and move somewhere closer to the capital once he has milked this area. He could have been threatened to cooperate as well in exchange for the life of his children.]

Raymond was thinking of all the possibilities as well.

"I believe not," Alwin differed.

"Why do you sound so sure?" Raymond asked the question she also wanted to ask.

"I spied in the Count’s residence and the collectors were all badmouthing him while they eat at the feasts prepared for them at the dining hall. They were complaining about the food as well."

"Everyone does that to their superior once in a while. Especially since they are dressed like civil servants but they are mercenaries."

[I never badmouthed my lord.] Alwin thought in defense.

"The Count was also grumbling in his study about how all the food could have been for the people in the County instead. There was no allegiance, respect, or fear for him at all on the collectors’ side either. And he paid a higher amount of tribute. It seems nobles were made to pay much more than the commoners. He paid three hundred gold coins to the mercenaries aside from paying for those who cannot pay."

Arabella and Raymond both sighed in relief. At least the Count was not involved.

[Judging from the structures here and the size of his residence, Count Rowell is a less affluent noble. And yet, he had to pay three hundred gold coins. That’s three hundred thousand valers. Marquess Gulliver seems to be earning quite a fortune from this. No wonder only the palace looked so new and well-maintained.]

Arabella fully agreed with Raymond’s thoughts.

[If the Marquess was engaged to the First Princess of Prudencia, it was clear he wanted the Duke’s seat. But what would he gain from a ruined dukedom?]

She was also wondering about that.

If Gulliver wanted to keep making money from Prudencia for a long time, he should at least try to take care of the people a bit so they would be able to make more money for him.

[Prudencia would likely fall in a few years if he keeps doing this. Or does he not care at all? Was he just making this his temporary money-making hub?]

Arabella was wide-eyed at this.

’Right! Gulliver still has his fief. He could just return home once there was nothing to gain from Prudencia anymore.’

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*Note/s:

Valer - currency in Valeria

The value of each coin is 1/10th of the higher denomination.

Copper = 1 valer

Bronze = 10 valers

Silver = 100 valers

Gold = 1,000 valers

Platinum = 10,000 valers

. . .

"Tribute:"

...Commoners: 1000 silver coins = 100 gold coins = 100,000 valers

...Lesser nobles: 300 gold coins = 3000 silver coins = 300,000 valers