Chapter 62 Don'T Do It Together
As Elza led the way, Pollux couldn't hide his surprise at the sight of the farmers in the village reaping the rye.
"I didn't think they'd agree to harvest it so easily. I thought they'd give us a harder time."
"Why did you think that?"
"I sent a messenger last night to instruct the tax collector in charge of this area to tell the farmers to reap the rye. Of course, I also included compensation for their work."
Pollux looked at Elza and the others with a puzzled expression.
"I was told that when they were informed this morning, they stubbornly refused to reap the wheat, saying they didn't need the money."
"That is strange. I'd like to hear more about it. Can you call the tax collector here?"
"Understood."
Since Marquis and Robert were going to inspect the surrounding fields with Jade (the farmer) as their guide, Sara and Rebecca decided to sit down at the tent that served as the bureaucrats' base. The tax collector from this region, accompanied by Pollux, arrived soon after.
"Miss Sara, this is Tax Collector Ain."
Ain bowed to Sara.
"I apologize for calling you. May I have a word with you?"
"Yes, Miss Sara."
"When you instructed the farmers to reap the wheat, I heard they resisted. What was the situation like?"
Ain's expression turned stern as he began to explain the situation.
"I went to Jade's house, the representative of this village, early in the morning and ordered him to gather the nearby farmers. Then, I told them, 'Reap all the rye you have. We'll compensate you for your work.'"
"Didn't you explain the reason for reaping?"
"I didn't give any explanation."
"Weren't they asking for an explanation?"
"It's a waste of time to explain things to them."
'Huh? What are you saying?'
"In other words, Mr. Ain, you're saying you ordered them to harvest their wheat without giving a reason or explanation, right?"
"Yes."
Sara turned to look at Pollux.
"Mr. Pollux, didn't you explain about the ergot fungus to the villagers?"
"Of course I did. The rye crops in this region are infected with a disease. Since the lord will compensate for the crop damage, I instructed the farmers to harvest the rye early in the morning."
Sara covered her face.
"That's not a sufficient explanation. It's not just about the disease's name, but also about how it can infect other crops, what happens if people eat the infected crops, and how the soil will be contaminated, making it impossible to plant crops next year. You should have explained all that clearly."
"Ah, I apologize."
"And, Mr. Ain, wasn't it your fault for not providing clear instructions? At the very least, shouldn't you have told them that the crops are infected with a disease?"
Then Ain looked at Sara with a condescending gaze.
"It may be difficult for someone as young as Miss Sara to understand, but farmer are different from us. They're uneducated, and explaining the disease to them would be pointless."
"Hmm."
"We have to give them instructions, or they won't be able to grow crops properly. And to think they would recklessly cut down the crops, increasing our workload. It's unbearable. But I suppose it's pointless to say such things to a lady like yourself."
Ain's words made Pollux's face pale. The reason was that, from Pollux's perspective, Marquis and Robert, who had finished their inspection, were visible in the surroundings. Robert's expression suggested that he had heard Ain's entire statement.
"Mr. Ain, I may not understand, but why do you think you're different from the farmers?"
"My grandfather is a Baron. Of course, I graduated from the Academy, and I'm different from those uneducated people from birth."
"You may know that my grandfather holds the title of Marquis. However, my social status is that of a commoner. I don't have the qualifications to enter the Academy. That's why I can't understand what you're saying, Mr. Ain."
Just then, Marquis intervened.
"There's no need to understand what people like him say."
"Totally ridiculous."
'Ah, Grandfather's really angry, isn't he? And Uncle's not angry at all?'
"That tax collector over there. I heard what you said, but what's with the nonsense?"
However, Ain didn't understand what was wrong at all.
"I was asked by Miss Sara, and I explained that the farmers were initially resistant. But since Your Excellency the Marquis came, they reluctantly followed the instructions, it seems."
"Mr. Ain, the reason they're reaping the wheat is because Grandfather explained the situation properly and they understood it."
"That's not all, Ain. Sara explained how the wheat fungus would spread to Jade and Elza, and what would happen if they ate the poisoned wheat. That's why they're reaping it so enthusiastically."
'Yeah, that makes sense. If someone forced them to do something they didn't understand, anyone would resist.'
"But isn't it impossible for the farmers to understand something so difficult, Miss Sara?"
"The ladies of the farming households understood, didn't they? Those 'uneducated farmers'--the women who are family-oriented--judged it necessary to protect their families, so they're reaping the wheat they raised with care."
When Sara countered, Ain faltered. Then Robert chimed in.
"Ain, they have feelings too. If they were told to reap the wheat they raised with all their might without any explanation, it's natural they'd resist. It's not like they'd be okay with it just because they'd be compensated."
Robert walked over to Sara with quick steps and suddenly lifted her up.
"Why are you carrying me, Uncle?!"
"Your neck looked like it hurt or something?"
"I'm fine, so please put me down."
"No way. I want to carry you too, just like Father used to!"
'What's with this... I feel like I'm being treated like a small animal...'
"Ain, was it?"
"Yes, Your Excellency the Marquis."
"The one who first pointed out this disease was Sara, who was being held by that foolish man. He himself received the report, but he didn't notice a thing. Even that bureaucrat in charge of agriculture over there..."
"Huh?"
"Sara was the only person to notice the anomaly in the wheat among the multiple reports we receive daily. She immediately called in an alchemist and a pharmacist, and had them confirm that the wheat was infected with a fungus, and then instructed them to take swift action. It's amazing that a young woman, who didn't even attend the Academy, was able to prevent a huge disaster."
Ain had a puzzled expression on his face.
"By the way, I'm a 'commoner' too."
"But, Miss Sara, I have noble blood in me!"
"That doesn't have anything to do with individual abilities, does it?"
"I graduated from the Academy."
"Of course, I'm not denying your excellence, Mr. Ain, who graduated from the Academy. But, if the farmers who are sweating over their work in the fields were given the same opportunities to learn as you did from a young age, wouldn't that be something?"
"That's..."
Sara turned to face the Marquis.
"Grandfather, are all bureaucrats like this?"
"Well, more or less, they're similar. They just have a lot of pride."
"I think their way of carrying themselves is wrong."
"Don't say that. They have their own reasons too."
Behind them, Pollux muttered to himself.
"I'm a bureaucrat too, but I don't have biases like that. Don't lump me in with them!"
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