Volume 1 Chapter 16 The Most Shocking Ever
"What do you mean by making me wait! Don't you know I am Ashton , the head of the Duke Lecoitenides family of Diamante Kingdom?"
When Rangella and Horace stepped outside, they found a man weighing about 100 kilograms at the front gate.
"That's new to me. So, what do you want?"
"Hmph! You look good, so I decided I could invite you to my mansion as my lovers."
"No, thank you."
"What! Just listen to what I say! You don't know what will happen if you oppose me!"
"You are underestimating heroes. Do you think we would listen to such demands?"
"Hmph! What are you saying, coming from a weak country that only produces cheap metals! This is proof you are afraid of the greatest country in the world, Diamante Kingdom!"
"This country forged the sword that defeated the Demon Lord. It's funny coming from a noble who did nothing to help against the Demon Lord!"
"What! Stop insulting me!"
Ashton was breathing heavily.
But soon he calmed his breath and grinned with a twisted smile.
"Hmph. That stubborn attitude won't last much longer. You're citizens of this country, aren't you? That means... if your nation's leader is forced to repay a debt, the people — you — will have no choice but to help pay it back."
"Wait... you're planning to lend money to Her Highness Princess Lucia? But if she just repays it on the spot... Unless... you're planning to slap on some outrageous condition, like '1000% interest' or something?"
"Sigh, this is why uneducated commoners are frustrating. We're not 'lending' money to Her Highness. The Duke house will purchase her debt — that is, we'll fabricate a transaction in which she owes us 100 million gold coins. Then, we simply assign that same value — 100 million gold — to each and every member of the hero community. That's all there is to it."
"Huh? Wait, are you saying you can prepare 100 million gold coins? But even then, wouldn't it be the same if you just gave it back afterward? Like... there's no real change here, right?"
Rangella did not understand.
No... it was too against her instincts, so she could not imagine it.
"Rangella. That's not it. The Duke house isn't saying they'll lend the gold. They're saying they'll unilaterally declare that Princess Lucia owes them 100 million gold coins. That's the move."
"What!?"
Rangella was shocked by Horace's explanation.
"Is... is that even possible?"
"Well... 'debt' is just a kind of right. If you want to buy it, you can. But if people believe it? That's another thing."
"Oh, it seems that commoner over there is somewhat clever... Hmm? That appearance feature. I see, you were the leader of the commoners working at the castle. Then I will buy that 100 million gold coin debt. You will work all your life doing papers in a tent outside the castle!"
Ashton said with a delighted smile.
"You think 'buying debt' is some great idea, huh?"
"──Sir Ashton! There were rare metals in the storage!"
While Horace was thinking about various things, a man with a twisted smile ran from the direction of the storage.
What he held in his hand was what Horace had brought back from the dungeon earlier.
"What... do you mean by that?"
"The hero community will be my collection. So, everything they have is mine."
"The entrance should have been locked."
"Uh, I broke it."
The man holding the ingots said this without even questioning it.
"...Now that I think about it, Tiaris already finished the papers. There were no guards because no merchants were coming today... How careless."
Rangella held her head, trying to endure the headache.
Seeing the man with the ingots, Horace sighed.
"Hah, to think they support such a hopeless ideology... It's convenient for this country to hold the monopoly on the Great Mine of Gold World (Kinsekai) against the world conference. Is it alright to say you're getting in my way?"
"Getting in your way? A former clerk from a common background shouldn't get so full of themselves!"
"...Anyway, you people are gathering now. Then...!"
Horace released his oppressive aura.
In the next moment, Ashton fell to his knees, as if crushed by pressure from above.
"Ugh, ooh, huff, huff!"
"Kuku, what's wrong? Kneeling to a commoner in public like this?"
"Guh, ooooh..."
Sweat poured down like a waterfall as Ashton knelt to the ground.
He couldn't even look up at Horace's face anymore.
...In the distance, the sound of 'photo magic tools' clicked repeatedly.
Soon, Ashton's kneeling before Horace and Rangella would likely make it into the newspapers.
After taking plenty of pictures, Horace stopped his intimidation.
"Hah, ugh, damn it, I'll make you regret mocking me! I'll use you for paperwork forever! The hero community is my collection! Once I'm tired of them, I'll turn them into my funding source as a hero brōtḥel! Be ready for it!"
Saying this, Ashton crawled away in defeat.
Once he was out of sight, Rangella turned to the man holding the ingot.
She directed her cold killing intent towards him without hesitation.
'Drop that and get out quickly. If you get too cocky, you'll pay with your life.'
"Eek! Whoaaahhhhh!"
He too left, sweating like a waterfall.
"...Hah, who would have thought it would come to this?"
As Rangella let out a deep sigh, Tiaris stepped out from the mansion.
"I felt a strong presence. What happened?"
"Ah, the head of the Duke Lecoitenides family was getting carried away."
"Duke Lecoitenides family? ...Ah, I think I saw that in some documents. If I remember correctly, the head is the chancellor of Diamante Kingdom and oversees diplomacy."
""Wait, huhhhh!?""
Horace and Rangella screamed at the same time.
It was the biggest shock they ever felt... Of course it was.
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