I Was Reincarnated as a Marquis in Another World

Jacri’s house, where I arrived, was truly empty.

They seemed to have given us the best room, but it only had two beds and a straw mat on the floor.

Ah, the blanket was just a thin piece of cloth hastily sewn from a burlap sack that had probably been used for about ten years, and the pillow…

It was merely a bundle of hay tied together with string.

In one corner of the room were a fireplace and a central stove for cooking, along with a ladle for serving food.

The room was so shabby that for a moment I thought about picking up what I had just said and rather wanting to sleep outdoors.

However, if I couldn’t collect proper information here, I might lose the opportunity I had just grasped.

After all, considering that Jacri, who had tidied up as much as possible in just 30 minutes because I was coming, offered me the best room, it would be better to stay.

As a master’s student of history, I should gather information as if I were capturing the life of the Middle Ages.

While I was gathering my resolve, Jacri brought the food and drinks I had ordered.

What I saw he had brought were thirteen chickens, bread mixed with rye and wheat, soup, boiled beans, and cold beer.

It seemed to be the best food available in this town, looking much better than what I had at the inn.

Perhaps that was why Balt nodded, showing a somewhat satisfied expression.

After Jacri and the coachman set down the food, they handed me some money and said, “Here it is. And here’s your change, four coins.”

“Thanks.”

“Thank you.”

Then I looked at Balt and asked, “So, Balt. Is this enough? If it’s not enough, let me know. I’ll ask for more.”

“It’s sufficient! Young master. By the way, are you really going to share food with that coachman and Jacri?”

Under different circumstances, I wouldn’t need to share with them the food I bought with my own money while staying here.

But now, Balt and I had to establish a close relationship with Jacri and dig up information about Bailiff Mars…

It would be more advantageous to propose that Jacri and the coachman eat with us to achieve our goal.

Right now, achieving our goal was more important than any pretense of dignity.

“Of course. I came all this way to hear their stories, so I can’t discriminate over food. And when you eat in a place like this, it’s tastier when everyone shares.”

Seeing that Balt understood my intention, he nodded with a resigned expression.

“We can’t eat all of that, young master. Understood.”

At those words, Jacri and the coachman began to brighten with unexpected hope at the prospect of enjoying delicious food.

“Hooray!”

“When was the last time I ate meat like this! Thank you, young master!”

“Oh, thank you, young master… to think you would give meat to a lowly peasant woman like me…”

And so, we shared the same food, creating a warm atmosphere, while extracting information from Jacri.

As the alcohol took effect, Balt, beyond resignation, seemed to accept everything and showed a relatively friendly demeanor towards Jacri.

“You’ve really had a tough time. Yes, because of that bailiff… to think you barely managed to eat a bowl of gruel a day… I lived like that when I was a peasant too…”

“Is that so? I had heard the knight who won the tournament was a noble differing from the likes of us.”

“I became a mercenary after my family starved to death, and then by chance I participated in a tournament and won. That’s how I ended up serving you, young master. So I understand the hearts of those who are hungry, like you… So, what is that bailiff doing? I would love to hear a complaint.”

Thus, Balt succeeded in naturally drawing all kinds of information from Jacri.

**

Through Jacri’s stories, I became well aware of the brutal lives of the serfs in this era.

First, in a village of serfs, unless a good harvest happened, about one in a hundred starves to death from food shortages when winter arrives.

Typically, those who die are children or the elderly, and if the household head perishes from hunger due to a poor harvest, the entire family ends up on the streets.

Then, men become beggars or criminals, while women become courtesans and sell their bodies.

Originally, to survive, a peasant family needs at least 500 kilograms of wheat or rye per year, but currently, with the agricultural productivity, a peasant family (about 5-6 people) produces around 800 kilograms.

At first glance, this seems fine, but in reality, due to taxes, 60% of the harvest is paid, meaning they are essentially short by 180 kilograms of food each year.

In other words, even with normal taxation, they have no choice but to starve.

When corruption is thrown into the mix, serfs inevitably face the destiny of starving to death.

Bailiff Mars exploited the serfs more than I anticipated.

First, the miller here collaborated with the bailiff to cheat the serfs, taking 10% of the grain they processed every time they used the mill, using customary law as an excuse.

And although the rental of farming tools was supposed to be free, the illustrious Bailiff here charged a whopping 3% tax.

In addition, our territory levied several miscellaneous taxes based on almost obsolete regulations.

The death tax when a serf died and the marriage tax symbolized by the right of the first night, etc.

This way, the amount of grain each serf could actually consume was limited to about 200 kilograms per household.

Under such circumstances, it makes sense that people like the lower-class workers I met at the inn would try to escape the farmland.

Because if they stayed put, they would die.

Realizing this reality, I kicked a nearby stone for no good reason to relieve some of my anger and said, “Ah, this damn thing. With such circumstances, a survival crisis is on the horizon for the people of the territory, to the point they abandon their homeland and lord!”

Well, anyway, I think I finally understand why the Croilet Count family fell.

Externally, it’s true that they fell alongside the incompetent Count they serve, but internally, they failed to see the corruption of the lower officials and merely handled administration as it flowed.

Such administration yields worse results than not doing anything at all.

However, having identified a corrupt official that the count and other managers failed to notice… I could claim I have acquired some necessary capabilities as a ruler.

If their insincerity became a blessing for me, then now…

“You seem quite miserable kicking stones.”

From the direction of the voice stood Balt.

“Balt, I was given a chance to prove my abilities… but I’m outraged just thinking about how that bailiff could act like this.”

Upon hearing that, Balt chuckled lightly and replied, “But young master, you have succeeded in identifying the bad guys.”

“Who doesn’t know that? The problem is why this was left unchecked. Even if my father or I try to treat the serfs well, it would be pointless if the officials devour everything.”

It’s just like if I were to send my mom 100,000 won through a Korean bank, if I mistyped the account number or something causing the transfer not to go through, my mother wouldn’t receive the money regardless of the circumstances.

Even if the lord reduces taxes and treats them decently, if the officials in between devour it all, it has no meaning.

It’s no different from having done nothing.

“That’s not true. No, think about it from the opposite side.”

“From the opposite side?”

Balt spoke with a serious expression.

“Since you discovered it now, you should not let the bailiffs get away with such actions. You can punish them and prohibit it. Then, there won’t be starving peasants anymore.”

For a moment, I did not understand his words.

How could he speak like that after hearing about those who were exploited and dying from such ridiculous corruption?

“Well, in other territories, they exploit at a similar level, albeit with a difference in degree. In the village I lived in before, they took 80% of our harvest for various reasons.”

Beneath his usual lively demeanor, Balt’s face showed a dark expression.

Yes, it was as if someone who had lost their family in misery recalled a past tragedy.

“Since they take so much, even though we worked day and night, during a poor harvest, my family starved to death. At that time, my mother and father both perished from hunger, except for young me. Damn, it was a day when I thought I was lucky to collect a lot of blackberries and fruits to bring home.”

“….”

“Therefore, please do not be so disheartened, young master. And Jacri is looking for you; he said he made his secret soup for breakfast at home. It seems he wants you to feel comfortable. To think he would serve the same breakfast that serfs eat… I never imagined that.”

“Sounds delicious. Let’s go eat.”

**

The next day, after eating the breakfast prepared by Jacri, I intended to set off right away.

At that moment, Jacri handed me three wooden boxes.

“Young master, this is a gift from me. I don’t know where you are going, but please take it on your way. My wife woke up early to make a packed lunch.”

“Thank you, Jacri.”

Receiving the packed lunch handed by Jacri, I set off on my journey to prove my abilities by unveiling the bailiff’s corruption.

At the same time, harboring my anger toward the bailiff who exploited the people of Windheim, leading them to starvation.

---