I Regressed to My Ruined Family – 38

 #I returned, and my family was ruined (39)

Hans opened his eyes to the morning sunlight and looked around his room.

The room assigned to him by Count Cheyman was one of the rooms reserved for distinguished guests.

“My body feels so comfortable.”

After enduring torture at the hands of Lawrence, he received divine healing from a priest with the large sum of money given to him by the count.

Although his teeth had not grown back, the healing was enough to restore his battered body.

After that, he spent a month in the viscount’s domain and passed on various pieces of information to Count Cheyman.

Thanks to that, Count Cheiman was the first among the collateral branches to hear the news about the Grand Duke.

That was why his trust in himself grew rapidly.

“It’s about time for the Grand Duke to make his move.”

Lawrence’s words about forming an information network were not empty talk.

He wondered when he had planted the spy, as the servant working for the count always provided him with the latest information from the viscount’s domain.

The most recent news was that

the Grand Duke had returned to the domain of Viscount Karagas.

“He said he would attack the Romenton viscount’s domain soon.”

After quickly washing up, Hans went to the count’s office.

“Are you here?”

“Yes, my lord. I have some news to report.”

“What is it?”

“The Grand Duke has returned.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I just received the news this morning.”

The corners of Cheiman’s mouth quietly turned upward. In order not to miss any news about the Grand Duke, he even contacted Hans, who was in communication with the inner circle, and passed him the message.

It seemed that the effect was already beginning to show.

“I heard that the Grand Duke was very busy this morning. I think he will make his move soon.”

“Are you sure he will attack the Romenton family?”

“Yes. I obtained various information while he was away. After compiling it, I believe that the Grand Duke’s next destination is definitely the Romenton family.”

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Cheiman nodded at Hans’ words. While the Grand Duke was away, he had many conflicts with Irdan.

“The traitor.”

That was the phrase he had heard most often from Irdan recently.

“Let’s see how you act.”

If the Romenton South House collapses, he will inevitably end up in conflict with the Grand Duke. He has said so himself.

“That’s why you shouldn’t mess with people.”

That was why he had been so careful, even when accused of being a bat.

“Hans.”

“Yes, Count.”

“If the Grand Duke’s next destination is indeed there, I will make sure you are treated much better than you are now.”

The mere fact that Hans could guess the Grand Duke’s destination was enough to make him valuable.

Hans bowed his head at the count’s words. He was becoming more and more deeply entrenched in the count’s household.

* *

The carriage continued to race away from the Baron of Karagas’s territory. Six hours had passed since they had left the border.

A village came into view.

“That’s the village of Polaris.”

It was one of the villages belonging to the Baron of Romenton. The carriage entered the village. The residents’ eyes widened when they saw the old-fashioned carriage.

It was a carriage that looked like it was carrying someone of high rank.

Soon, the village chief and several villagers hurriedly came out.

Two people got out of the stopped carriage. One was a nobleman dressed in old-fashioned clothes, and the other was his attendant.

“They don’t seem to be members of the Romenton family…”

Starting with the lord of the manor, Baron Zifron, and continuing with his sons.

The village chief knew all of their faces by heart.

However, none of the faces of those who got out of the carriage matched his memory.

He bowed his head, unable to ask who they were.

The young man took out a round object.

When the village head and the villagers saw it, their eyes widened.

It was a badge of identity.

It was a badge of identity with a clear pattern that proved his noble status.

“Ah… It is the Grand Duke of the Ardan family!”

“We are honored to meet the Grand Duke!”

Everyone hurriedly knelt down.

The Ardan family was the only noble family that received the same treatment as royalty.

There was no room for even the slightest mistake. The Grand Duke spoke to the village chief.

“I have something to ask you.”

“Yes. Please tell me anything.”

“First, can you gather all the people in the village?”

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“Yes, of course! If you give me about thirty minutes…”

“Very well.”

The village chief signaled to the villagers. Who would dare refuse his order?

Everyone rushed off in all directions.

Only the village chief remained.

Grand Duke Ethan.

He just looked around the village quietly. There was silence, but it wasn’t awkward. Rather, it was a very natural silence.

The village chief preferred it this way.

If he talked to someone of high rank for too long, he might make a mistake without realizing it.

It didn’t take long for everyone in the village to gather.

Ethan looked around at the villagers. The children stood out in particular.

They looked as if they hadn’t eaten properly, their bones sticking out.

His gaze fell on the hands of the villagers.

They were cracked and rough. It was clear that these were not lazy people.

He recalled his past life.

A long time ago, when he had lived his previous life.

He had once inspected the entire duchy with his father.

At that time, the serfs’ faces were similarly dirty, but at least they weren’t all so emaciated.

It was impossible to completely eliminate the gap between the rich and the poor.

Ethan did not deny that.

However.

Isn’t it problematic that there are people in the domain who cannot even eat a proper meal despite working hard?

That was tantamount to failing to fulfill the basic duties of a ruler.

Providing the minimum necessities of life.

That was the duty of a lord who ruled over a region.

“Scum.”

Romenton’s southern branch.

These guys were no different from the Karagas family.

“Let me ask you one thing.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Ethan.

“Do you think this way of life is normal?”

The words of the grand duke reminded the people of the past.

When the previous duke was alive, they hardly ever had to worry about food.

The duke’s domain was a good place to live.

But what about now?

Every day was so terrible that it was impossible to remember the past.

“As descendants of the duke, we punished Viscount Helmut. It was because he was engaging in excessive exploitation.”

The villagers nodded. They had heard the news that something terrible had happened in the Carcas viscount’s domain.

The baron who had been extorting the people had been beheaded with a single stroke of the sword.

Could it be…

The eyes of some of the villagers lit up.

Meanwhile, Ethan continued.

“It was hell. There was no food, children starved to death, and those who survived became beggars, wandering the back alleys. Let me ask you, is it the same here?”

At his words, the villagers rolled their eyes.

Taxes were one of the most sensitive issues for both commoners and nobles.

If they said the wrong thing here, they could be punished by Viscount Zifron.

“Take a look at this.”

Ethan took out a letter. It was an old-fashioned letter with a seal stamped on it. Some villagers began to murmur.

“That’s…”

“Could it be… the royal crest?”

“Is there anyone who can read?”

The village chief raised his hand in response to Ethan’s question. He took the letter and read it aloud.

“This is…”

“His Majesty has ordered that the matters of the duchy be handled by me and my relatives. If Baron Zifron has imposed harsh taxes on you, as former Baron Helmut did, I will punish him in my own way.”

No one needed to ask what that way was.

He had already heard what had happened to the baron of the neighboring domain.

The residents who had gathered around remained silent.

They instinctively realized that this situation could be a major turning point in their miserable lives.

Gulp.

Everyone swallowed hard.

The Romenton barony was as difficult a place to live as the neighboring Caragas barony.

It was a place where murderous taxes and exploitation were commonplace.

What if the owner of the barony changed?

“We might not have to go hungry anymore…”

Some of the residents’ eyes lit up.

“That’s right! That bastard Zifron is collecting excessive taxes! Everyone knows it! Isn’t that right?”

One villager spoke out angrily.

As soon as one person started talking, complaints poured out.

“Village chief. Is what he said true?”

The village chief hesitated for a moment at Ethan’s words, then closed his eyes tightly. Things had already come to this point, so there was no point in hiding anything anymore.

He was just telling the truth anyway.

“…Yes, it’s true.”

“Do you have the ledger with the village’s tax revenue?”

“Yes… I do.”

“Hand it over, and I will replace your lord in the near future.”

The village chief’s eyes widened.

He had already heard the news from the neighboring domain.

Since the Grand Prince began ruling the domain of Baron Karagas, the people of Karagas had been living like human beings.

The descendant of the great hero was truly a different person.

Hearing those rumors, how desperately they had wanted to be saved!

This could be their chance.

The village chief closed his eyes tightly and replied.

“I will give it to you!”

“Thank you.”

Ethan immediately took out a few gold coins.

“Good news will come soon, so enjoy the festival for a few days. Buy some food for the children.”

“…Thank you, Grand Duke.”

The village chief finally shed tears.

Now, the only one he could trust was the Grand Duke.

After handing over the gold coins,

Ethan and Silvia boarded the carriage.

“Did you say there were six villages along the way?”

“Yes. We have already planted the wind breakers. So you should be able to obtain the ledgers without any trouble.”

“Was that villager a wind breaker?”

“Yes. It wasn’t difficult to buy him off. He was one of those who had reached the limit of his dissatisfaction with Baron Zifron.”

Ethan nodded in satisfaction. The timing of the villager’s interruption earlier was perfect.

If he hadn’t voiced his dissatisfaction with the baron first, it would have taken quite a while for the village chief to make up his mind to hand over the ledger.

“Did you use the information group you said you set up last time?”

“Yes.”

“Keep it up. Let me know if you need any financial support.”

If they could achieve this much in less than two months since its establishment, they would be able to produce even more satisfactory results in the future.

Silvia bowed her head at his words.

“Thank you.”

Baron Zifron.

The road leading to his location.

The carriage stopped exactly six times, and he was able to obtain six ledgers.

* * *

The carriage passed through the village and gradually approached the city.

The small town of Ulldon.

A large outer wall surrounding the city came into view. This was the location of the Romenton Viscount’s residence and the capital of the viscount’s domain.

The carriage stopped in front of the city gate, and soon a search began.

“Who are you…?”

A hand reached through the carriage window. The knight’s eyes widened when he saw the identity card in the hand.

Two months ago.

The news that he had destroyed the Caragas estate spread like wildfire throughout the surrounding territories.

[Ethan Ardan]

The knight swallowed hard when he saw the name highlighted in gold on the identity card.

“…I have come to see the Grand Duke.”

“Will you be allowed to pass?”

“…Of course.”

There was no reason to stop him. Especially not for a mere knight like himself.

As soon as the carriage entered, the knight hurriedly activated the communication device.

―What is going on?

The knight spoke urgently to the commander reflected in the device.

“The… The Grand Duke has just entered the outer castle! He is heading toward the inner castle!”

―…What?

The knight commander, who had been staring blankly, asked again and began rushing toward the office of Baron Jipron.

He had to relay the news that bombs were entering the castle as quickly as possible.

He was so flustered that he hadn’t even turned off the communication device.