Chapter 62: The First Purge

“There are few places where money comes in, but it seems to go out everywhere.”

“…Ahem. I am sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for? It is just the way things are.”

Leaving the Administrative Officers feeling unnecessarily guilty, I finished reviewing all the documents.

‘This is bad.’

A Spiritual Land runs on its budget and ends with its budget.

In this world, where financial technology was not well-developed, one had to manage the annual budget very carefully to get through the year.

Borrowing money on the scale of a Spiritual Land was difficult in itself.

Consequently, it was not uncommon to see territories go bankrupt because they failed to manage their funds properly and could not secure enough revenue.

‘The profit is barely holding on.’

The Spiritual Land’s income came from four main sources: commercial revenue from Ofern Castle and the Holy City, income from large-scale farms centered around serfs and commoners, and revenue from the remains of monsters hunted in the North.

Finally, there was the Ofern Merchant Group, which House Ofern managed by appointing a single-generation noble.

‘If it weren’t for the merchant group, there wouldn’t be any spare funds at all. How is it so perfectly balanced?’

Excluding the merchant group’s profits, House Ofern’s annual income was around 1.7 to 1.8 million.

Last year, the revenue had increased slightly because of the profit from selling the scoundrels into slavery and capturing the pack of Letmen.

Even so, it was only around 2 million.

Under these circumstances, the amount of money going out in a year…

‘It’s all going right back out.’

At least 1.8 million was being spent.

Most of it was capital required for the soldiers.

‘The money spent on soldiers can’t be helped since there are enemies everywhere, but…’

Beyond that, the money going to the administrators and nobles for the operation of the Spiritual Land was also substantial.

“It wouldn’t have been strange for us to go bankrupt if it weren’t for the merchant group’s profits.”

“There were many times when even that was barely enough. Repairing the castle alone took several years.”

“Ha… Hahat. Really?”

“Yes. We are trying, but the revenue simply does not increase. We often have to hastily ask the merchant group for help.”

“…I see.”

The more I heard from the Chief Administrative Officer, Esty, who was there to assist me, the more appalling it became.

‘I’m in a position where I have to prevent the Spiritual Land from going bankrupt before I can even execute any plans. Though, seeing as how it somehow keeps running…’

I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

The situation was a mess.

And in such a mess…

‘Why are there so many people skimming off the top? I can see why Father wrestled with the paperwork every day.’

The situation was also crawling with leeches.

“Esty.”

“Yes!”

“Do you know how to catch a leech?”

“A—a leech? Ah… you mean the things that suck blood. Well… shouldn’t you just pull them off?”

“Usually, pulling them off is enough. But these leeches stick back on even after you remove them.”

Leeches are persistent.

It does not end just by pulling them off.

“Then, by killing them…”

“If you cut them in half, they become two separate creatures and keep moving. That is a leech.”

Dealing with leeches that multiply in number is always a difficult task.

To deal with them…

“Then what should be done?”

“You have to shred them. Into tiny pieces.”

“Hmm…”

They had to be chopped very finely.

So finely that they wouldn’t even dream of regenerating.

‘It seems those damn things are sticking together quite well.’

I could see the issues even just by looking at the documents.

I wondered how many leeches were hiding behind the paperwork, sucking the blood of the Spiritual Land.

“So, you should get ready.”

“Yes! I will move whenever you give the command.”

The leeches of the Spiritual Land had to be shredded.

Since there were so many things sucking blood, the Spiritual Land couldn’t grow fat.

“Yes. You should… but Esty.”

“Yes?”

Esty, who was about to return to his seat, turned back to look at me.

“It seems there are such leeches even within this office.”

“T—that can’t be.”

Esty’s voice trembled slightly.

He was a man who had risen to the position of Chief Administrative Officer as a commoner.

He was a genius, certainly not a fool.

‘He is someone Father assigned to me, but… he can’t be clean on his own.’

Even if he had loyalty toward my father, he couldn’t stay clean by himself.

Even if he tried to be clean, those around him wouldn’t leave him alone.

By nature, leeches that suck a Spiritual Land dry are filthy, and they want others to be filthy as well.

“Just remember that if you let go now, I will grant a certain degree of leniency. That goes for the others as well, not just you.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

“Make sure everyone in the administrative office knows.”

This was a type of warning.

A warning that since I had been appointed as both the Inspector and the Territory Administrator, I would wash away everything dirty before starting.

Esty bowed his head deeply.

“At the very least, you may consider me not to be a leech. I am merely a blind man who kept his eyes closed.”

“I’ll believe those words.”

“…Thank you.”

When Esty raised his head, his eyes were shining as if he had made a decision.

‘He’ll do well, won’t he?’

After giving me one final look, he offered a greeting and returned to his seat.

And from a few days later…

‘It’s noisy.’

The administrative office became quite busy, even though I hadn’t assigned any more tasks.

‘There are many of them…’

I had my own sources of information.

I gathered intelligence using Reton’s organization.

When it came to illegal activities, no one could match an underworld organization.

From those who embezzled money using their administrative authority, to those who created and collected non-existent taxes, and even those who took bribes by finding petty faults.

Normally, this was information that would be difficult to obtain.

“Bring it.”

“It will take only one day.”

At a single word, Reton faithfully gathered the materials and brought them to me.

‘From where to where should I cut? Hmm…’

Those who took the initiative to manipulate money would definitely be cut.

For the others, a gradual replacement would have to be carried out.

If I cut everyone right now, the administration of the Spiritual Land might become paralyzed.

‘If I fix all the administrators and make them clean, that’ll be the foundation. And using that foundation… hm?’

While I was organizing my plans, I sensed a presence.

Looking up, I saw Esty with a grim expression.

His clothes were wrinkled as if he hadn’t slept at all in the meantime.

He looked haggard.

“What is it?”

“I’ve spent the night thinking a lot.”

“Three days is quite a long time.”

“Yes. it was long. Long enough that I think it was the longest three days of my life.”

As soon as he received the order, Esty moved faithfully.

He clearly conveyed my intentions to the administrators in the office.

I was satisfied with that, but he seemingly was not.

“So, what were you thinking?”

“Please help me.”

“With what?”

Why was he suddenly asking for help?

He looked desperate.

“You probably don’t know, Young Master. For commoners like us, there are times when we must do things even if we don’t want to.”

Times when you have to work even if you don’t want to.

‘I know that very well.’

I knew it from long experience.

However, I didn’t answer and simply stared at Esty.

He was nervous.

He swallowed hard and opened his mouth again.

“There are quite a few who did not move on their own. Please exclude only them. If you are willing to help with that…”

“If I help?”

“I will do whatever it takes.”

“Hmm…”

To think Esty would come out like this.

‘Should I say his sense of loyalty is impressive? This is interesting.’

Most of the administrators were of commoner origin.

Those who occupied the key administrative positions generation after generation were nobles who received single-generation titles.

Though they were single-generation, their titles were continued unless there was a specific reason for disqualification.

Excluding those key positions, the majority of the work was performed by commoner administrators.

This meant they started from the bottom.

And when you roll around at the bottom…

‘You have to do what you’re told.’

As Esty said, there are times when one must get their hands dirty with all sorts of sordid work, even if it isn’t by their own will.

There are many reasons.

To maintain their position as an administrator.

For the livelihood of their family.

Or for their own advancement.

Actually, the reason didn’t matter.

Naturally, if the top is rotten, the bottom rots as well.

“I can roughly guess what you mean by things you do even if you don’t want to. Isn’t it obvious?”

“Yes. If you could just exclude those people somehow… I will bring the list. You can start by digging into that.”

“Ho.”

To think there was a list of such people.

‘Isn’t that the most reliable information?’

Although I obtained information through the underworld, there was no informant more reliable than someone on the inside.

He had come to find me on his own.

“Don’t you think I might just take the list by force?”

“The Territory Administrator I saw didn’t seem like the type to do that.”

“Even though you’ve only seen me for a few days?”

“…”

“…If I saw wrong, then my eyes must be failing me. And wouldn’t the price for that be my life? If you don’t help me, Young Master… I will die.”

They say one’s true nature comes out when pushed to the edge.

The way Esty showed his guts didn’t look too bad.

‘He might be quite useful. A gem was hidden here.’

Because the well-coordinated Myuron had become the Agriculture Official, I was short-handed.

It seemed Esty would be a good limb to replace him.

“You speak of death quite easily.”

“I say it because it feels like something that could actually happen.”

The list.

Evidence of those who wielded power through the commoner administrators.

Esty had that.

The moment that fact spread, if I didn’t protect him…

‘He’ll die. He won’t be able to escape it.’

He would certainly lose his life.

However, I…

“This is fun. Truly fun.”

“It may be fun for the Territory Administrator, but for me, it is a matter of life and death. I have come here risking my life.”

Esty, speaking as if snapping at me, remained serious throughout.

“I know. That’s why it’s fun. Someone I want has come to me on his own.”

“…”

He looked me straight in the eye.

They were good eyes.

“Esty. I’ll help you. I was planning to uproot everything anyway. But since you’ve come, it’ll be faster.”

“Ah! I will serve you with all my heart!”

There was sincerity in Esty’s bow.

The image of him moving around me while worrying a few days ago had long since vanished.

“Now then, where should we raid first?”

“Starting with Follen Castle.”

“Follen…”

The first place you reach after leaving Ofern Castle.

It was one of the castles under my father’s Direct Dominion.

Many of those related to this place were on the list Reton had handed over.

When I first read Reton’s information, I thought it would be enough to start by raiding the administrators at the bottom and work my way up.

But seeing Esty, there was no need for that.

‘Things have become interesting.’

I could skip several steps.

It seemed I would be able to catch all the rotten leeches.

Clack.

I lifted my backside from the chair where I had been sitting restlessly.

“Are you going right now?”

“Is there any need to delay? I have a lot to do, despite appearances.”

The meager finances of the Spiritual Land had to be normalized.

There were many things to be done with that money.

“It will be full spring soon. Before Myuron, who has become a full-fledged farmer, sows seeds in the fields, shouldn’t we sow some decent seeds as well? While killing the leeches.”

“I will prepare immediately!”

When I left the office, Esty followed, fully prepared.

He carried a thick stack of paper documents, as if he had been keeping the list on him.

In the meantime, I mobilized the knights and soldiers.

It was my authority not as an administrator, but as an inspector.

“Let’s go raid it all.”

It was time to run wild while wielding my authority.