The Labyrinth Kingdom

Chaptre 54. Jeanne D'Hedwig 2

Matrimonial issues are not what Jeanne is concerned about at the moment.

But the biggest problem he is thinking about is the tax rates the two kingdoms are asking for on their people.

The amount they were asking for was too large and unreasonable.

Although at present, it is difficult to say whether the nominal tax applied by the Kingdom of Liberas will not burden its people.

But, at least it was still within reach that was acceptable to people.

Every citizen of the kingdom of Liberas can still enjoy their lives in peace, despite financial limitations.

They could at least still fill their stomachs until they were full and would not die from starvation.

However, bad luck will befall his people, if they apply the tax rates demanded by both kingdoms.

There is no doubt that it will cause a mass famine.

In addition, the citizens may begin to blame the government and there will be great chaos throughout the kingdom of Liberas, because of the problem of hunger.

Not only that, if the Kingdom of Liberas proposes a departure on this matter.

Most likely, the two kingdoms would regard their refusal as an act of rebellion and would suppress them using military force.

The worst outcome that would happen to the kingdom of Liberas if this case were to happen was that most of its subjects as well as nobles, would probably end up as slaves.

There have been many small kingdoms that have suffered this sad fate.

That's a famous fact.

Perhaps because the expansion of the work of the Macbs and the Kingdom of Slovakia was too fast and rushed, they lacked many slave soldiers that could be used as disposable soldiers in the war field.

So, the possibility of being enslaved by both kingdoms was very high, if they dared to reject the terms that had been stated in the agreement.

After reading the contents of the letter many times, Jeanne was able to conclude that the reason behind the tax rate was unreasonable that the two kingdoms asked for, he said, it was most likely to incite the kingdom of Liberas into resistance instead of just absorbing them.

From the beginning, both aimed to turn the citizens of the kingdom of Liberas into slaves.

Although the work of the Macbians and Slovians was strong, it did not mean that they could at will turn the citizens of other kingdoms into slaves.

There are strict laws governing this matter and all kingdoms must abide by it.

This rule was made by a magic kingdom that from the beginning opposed the system of slavery.

Until now, every kingdom still obeys this rule or at least no kingdom has blatantly violated it.

"is there no other option...?" jeanne's mumbling

Jeanne was at a loss to choose whether to accept or reject their request.

because every choice given leads it to a bad ending, there is no happy ending in each option.

Previously, there were several small countries such as: Nordus Republic, Monterno Kingdom, Krosov Kingdom, Demi-Human Marurus kingdom and City-state ages, respectively, the allied together to reject the proposal that the Macbian Empire offered and challenge it to battle.

The content of the treaty that the Macbian kingdom offered was almost the same as they currently offered to the kingdom of Liberas.

Those small countries certainly did not accept it, they decided to form an alliance and try to fight back.

The Macbians, who saw their refusal, became furious and began to mobilize their troops to the borders of each country to attack.

Throughout the spring of that year, there was a great war between the two sides known as the 'Bloody Spring War'.

And the result of the war was a crushing defeat for the alliance of small countries, the fighting power they had could not keep up with the military power of the kingdom of Macbia.

At that time, the kingdom of Macbia sent the Knights Wyvern and the Black Iron Division which was its strongest army to earth the charred Kingdom of Marurus, City-state ages and the Kingdom of Krosov which directly borders with it.

Annex them and turn those small countries into rubble.

While other countries are still left from the small country alliance, decided to surrender after seeing their friends destroyed without a fight.

Citizens and nobles in every conquered country were enslaved.

Some were forced to work in mines, some were made into disposable soldiers and most noble women were sold as slaves s*x.

This tragic fate also befell the small nations who dared to oppose the Slovak kingdom.

Only the kingdom of Corion and the kingdom of Ephes currently do not dare to both attack.

In fact, long before the two kingdoms intended to take over the kingdom of Liberas, Jeanne had already asked her father to establish a cooperative relationship with the kingdom of Ephes.

Although the cooperation plan he proposed at that time was indeed unfavorable for the kingdom, but his real intention was to get protection from the Ephesian kingdom, not to seek profit.

As long as the cooperation between the two countries is established, at least the Macbian and Slovak kingdoms will not attack recklessly.

But sadly, his words were not uttered in the slightest by government officials.

Instead he has come under fire from officials and the plans he has made are expected to result in huge losses for the kingdom and will lead to an economic crisis.

This was not the first time he had gotten such a stern rejection from the nobles.

He also knew the reason behind their refusal.

This is not about right or wrong, but it is caused by Gender issues.

Most countries on the continent do not allow women to participate in politics.

That was why after that incident, he could only give casual advice to his father, the king.

Unfortunately, his father also ignored all his suggestions and reprimanded him, but he did not give up so easily.

But, like this in the end, he was isolated in a small town on the edge of the kingdom because it was considered too much to mess with political problems.

"just free.... " He scolded himself weakly.

He had been thinking of a solution to get out of this problem for days but still had not found the answer.

As he began to feel despair, he suddenly remembered the words of his friend in the past.

“Quiet, I need to calm down. Although the current situation is the worst, I should not stop thinking, There must be a way out of this problem.” Jeanne said while cheering herself on.

In the past, he had met the young prince of the Magic Kingdom at one of the events organized by the Magic kingdom.

He even spent a lot of time with her and still vividly remembered the words she used to say back then.

[Even if you almost lose though, as long as you don't leave the game, you still have the possibility to win. Do not give up, every problem has its own way out.' ]

These words had been the source of his motivation all along.

"Macbia and Slovia .. I need something that can attract the attention of these two kingdoms ..." He muttered.

“Daughter, Lady Ingrid has returned. " A servant announced.

While Jeanne was thinking about the plan she should do next, she suddenly heard the voice of the servant shouting from outside her room.

"Ingrid's? Let him in..." Jeanne tilted her head to one side, looking puzzled.

'Why is he back? Did something important happen? '

Previously, he had also briefly planned to send a group of reliable knights to gather information throughout the kingdom while disguising himself as adventurers.

But, his father did not approve of this plan, so he could only do it secretly.

Because he did not have much money, he was forced to send only a few personal guards to carry out his plan.

Ingrid is one of them.

"If I don't remember wrongly, he should be one of the members of an adventurer Party named [Sword Valkyrie] right now?. "

Ingrid is not the type of person who is negligent when carrying out his duties.

Since he came back before getting the order, he should have something important to report directly.

After a while of waiting, a female knight walked into the princess's room.

"my Princess .." greet the knight while kneeling.

Jeanne looks happy to see her knight of trust has returned.

“During not meeting Ingrid! But, what happened to you? You look so pale! Are you all right? ” Excite Jeanne with worry.

Ingrid Usually had a serious and resolute expression, he looked ever vigilant at all times.

But somehow this blue-eyed female knight who usually did not show much emotion now looked pale and frightened.

"T, thank you for worrying about me, but I'm fine princess. Rather than that, I have something important to report …" ingrid said as he looked at the eyes of the master he served with all his heart.

"...."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, before starting to speak in a stern voice as if he was not afraid of being killed.

"What I'm going to say now is the truth. Although it sounds absurd, I hope the princess can trust me. ”

“…. . Uu, I get it. Tell me . " The princess ordered.

After hearing the response from his master,

Ingrid began to recount all the experiences he had gone through with her.

About the monstrous knights who had [Sword Valkyrie] opponents, and the Underground Labyrinth that was filled with treasures.

He told me everything, with nothing to hide.

After hearing the whole story from Ingrid, Jeanne was shocked to hear the name of the ruler who governed the labyrinth.

“Aaron ?! Alice !? Are you sure she introduced herself by that name !? ” He demands.

"Eh? Y-Yeah! I believe the man introduced himself by that name. “ Ingrid stuttered after seeing the response from his master.

The princess of the Kingdom of Liberas muttered while holding the jewel that was on her chest.

"You are alive …. ”

After thinking for a while, Jeanne raised her head.

"Assuming that they are really still alive...No, why were they there from the beginning?" The princess muttered.

Right now, he was talking to himself and ignoring the female knight that was in front of him.

"Eh, Princess. . ? ” Ingrid asked hesitantly after seeing his master's strange behavior.

"Ingrid, How do I get to the Underground Labyrinth? ” Jeanne asked.

The female knight had an unpleasant expression on her face when she heard these words.

He had just escaped from the death hole, but his master instead wanted to send him back there.