Neighborhood Visitor (9)

The root of evil was gone.

I didn’t plan to spend much time on those guys, so it was a swift conclusion.

After that, I reformed the tax system.

I drastically reformed the vicious tax system that Count Dedran had established.

However, it wasn’t possible to implement a modern tax system in this era, so I implemented an appropriate system within my knowledge.

A relative tax system based on production volume.

It’s much more reasonable than having a fixed absolute amount.

In addition, I announced several policy improvements. In fact, other officials could have done this much all along.

The reason they couldn’t do it was simple.

They couldn’t because of Rieden’s interference.

Of course, there are still many rotten issues remaining.

As for the so-called underground organizations, they were dropped into the middle of the orc tribe in the northern lands to reap what they had sown.

However, those with proper social status couldn’t be dealt with that way. They had to be given proper punishment according to the law, not disguised as disappearances.

“Rurin, are you asleep?”

“I’m not sleepy now.”

“Really…?”

I was currently in the courtroom of Dedran City. It’s a bit old-fashioned, but there is a civil and criminal court presided over by the lord. Of course, it had never functioned properly in Dedran City.

“Then I’ll get to work, so stay back and watch.”

“Can’t I stay by your side?”

“Whether here or there, it’s not far. And you promised not to disturb me while I work.”

“I was just asking. I know!”

Rurin reluctantly stepped back. After confirming she was sitting quietly on a nearby chair, I started the trial.

The first subject was Ricardo.

“The defendant is sentenced to death. The crime of attempting to kill an official is extremely heinous, and the number of civilians killed because they displeased him is also in the dozens…”

The nature of his crimes is beyond description.

As Berna described him as creepy in her childhood, he was a man who did many creepy things.

Retribution.

In the same words as Rieden.

It is a punishment according to just law.

And of course, all others related to Rieden were also sentenced to death.

Death according to Imperial Law.

Strictly speaking, it was also meant to rectify the disturbed discipline in Dedran City.

They were parasites that had been lurking in Dedran City all this time.

“It seems you need to come for a moment, My Lord.”

The newly appointed chamberlain came running urgently, despite other trials still remaining.

Because I planned to rectify the legal system of the territory by judging not only vicious criminals but also civil cases that had not been properly handled so far.

But since someone had come from the capital, there was no choice.

Did the Emperor send someone?

“Rurin, I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Got it. Go ahead.”

Surprisingly, Rurin didn’t insist on coming along and just nodded quietly.

In that situation, the chamberlain was urging me urgently.

At that moment, I was not El but Baron Ivolk, so I couldn’t afford to be too relaxed when the Emperor’s messenger arrived. Considering the public’s gaze, I had no choice but to move.

As El disappeared, Rurin began to giggle.

She stood up from her chair and confidently sat in the judge’s seat where El had been giving verdicts.

Perhaps all of this piqued Rurin’s curiosity.

Although Rurin is generally uninterested in all human affairs, there are very rare occasions when she shows interest.

Even in modern times, she suddenly became fascinated by subway turnstiles and cards.

Now it was this courtroom.

Giving judgment to humans. It was truly amusing.

That was Rurin’s thought.

As a dragon, the thought of giving judgment to humans was very natural.

The newly appointed lord.

Not long after El started working properly, rumors began to spread in Dedran City that something was changing, and today the rumor that anyone could participate in the trial spread even more, so the outside of the courtroom was filled with people who had unresolved issues.

Bustling.

The noise was like the middle of a market.

Everyone cheered and applauded Ricardo’s death sentence.

There were countless parents whose daughters had been mistreated by him. Therefore, the death sentence was very satisfying to the commoners.

The grandfather he beat to death.

The father he beat to death.

The husband he beat to death.

And so on, people who had been ruined by him applauded as they watched the trial.

Executions were carried out by guillotine.

Punishments under Imperial Law were simple. There was corporal punishment and the highest punishment, death.

And as Rurin sat in the judge’s seat, the soldiers cautiously asked.

“Will you continue the trial?”

They thought of her as the lord’s wife and saw her sitting in the judge’s seat. Besides, since El had spoken with Rurin before leaving, they naturally interpreted it as her taking over his duties and asked for her intentions while rubbing their hands together.

“Yes, I will. Hehe.”

But there was a problem.

Rurin had learned only one thing from watching.

It was the phrase ‘sentenced to death’.

Since El kept giving that verdict, Rurin had no intention of giving a different one.

The only thing she knew was the death sentence, so naturally, the only words from Rurin’s mouth were death sentences.

Rurin still had no regard for human common sense.

“I will do it like El. Hehe.”

Bang, bang, bang!

Rurin struck the gavel hard.

The soldiers started moving quickly, bowing and scraping.

Rurin’s interest might fade, ending it all, but for now, her eyes were still sparkling with curiosity.

But the verdicts for the parasites to be sentenced to death were already done.

Now, the one brought in was a thief caught in the act.

“We present the criminal here.”

“Hmm, I see. Fine! Death sentence.”

Rurin banged the gavel just as El did.

Bang, bang, bang!

A death sentence for theft? Naturally, the man dragged to the judgment seat, Garintal, shouted in protest.

“What? No, I haven’t even heard the charges yet. A death sentence for theft doesn’t make sense!”

Garintal had been caught for theft five times and committed countless crimes in the dark Dedran City ruled by Rieden, but he certainly wasn’t someone who deserved the death penalty.

“Why not? Everyone has been sentenced to death so far. So you are too. What’s the problem?”

“That’s ridiculous! I did break into an empty house in Samgori, but I’ve never killed anyone. Imperial Law doesn’t sentence people to death for anything less than murder. Why?”

Garintal kept shouting as he was dragged away by the soldiers.

“Are you admitting your crime?”

Next to the central judge’s seat.

The sub-judge, or rather the official Mohen, who was originally responsible for judging on behalf of the lord, asked Garintal.

“Yes! I did break into Samgori! But I’ve never killed anyone!”

“Oh, making him confess his crime, that’s amazing, Baroness!”

“Baroness? Are you talking about me?”

“Yes, Baroness!”

Mohen bowed deeply, emphasizing “Baroness”. Rurin began to giggle, a somewhat sinister laugh.

“Is that so? I have always been amazing.”

“Yes, that’s right. Since he confessed, about ten years of hard labor should be appropriate in this case.”

“Hehehe.”

But Rurin was no longer listening.

She was nodding her head while giggling to herself, so Mohen interpreted it as approval and sent Garintal away.

Next, two men and a woman were brought in by the soldiers.

A middle-aged man, a young man, and a middle-aged woman.

“The young man has accused the middle-aged man of being a tyrannical employer who has made him work and beaten him since childhood.”

Mohen told Rurin. Still smiling, Rurin now looked at the two with a slightly annoyed expression. She continued to savor the word “Baroness” while twisting her head.

“Making someone work only is wrong! You must also hug them!”

Rurin was indignant at the part about making him work only. Of course, people around were whispering about what ‘hugging’ meant.

Coming back to her senses, Rurin repeated El’s verdict.

That’s all she knew.

“So, you are sentenced to death too!”

Bang, bang, bang!

As Rurin pointed to the middle-aged man and declared the death sentence, the middle-aged woman next to him began to beg and plead on her knees.

“No, no, we raised an orphan… He may not express it well, but we were strict only to pass the shop onto him. He started hanging out with bad friends…”

“Huh?”

Rurin’s brows furrowed naturally. She didn’t care about human circumstances. El said death sentence, so it’s a death sentence.

“Then that guy is also sentenced to death. Happy now?”

Annoyed, Rurin declared the same for the young man, causing the middle-aged woman to faint.

“But in this case, the death sentence is absurd…”

Mohen stood up, flustered, and tried to speak to Rurin. But he couldn’t finish because the middle-aged man sentenced to death first started to plead with his head on the ground.

“No, please, just kill me and let him go. He still has his whole life ahead of him. A death sentence is absurd! I’m the one at fault!”

At the middle-aged man’s plea, the young man’s rebellious expression darkened quickly.

“Yes. So, it’s a death sentence! I’ve been saying death sentences!”

As Rurin declared strongly again, the soldiers rushed to the middle-aged man.

Mohen thought this wasn’t right and tried to speak directly. But this time, the young man banged his head on the ground and shouted.

“No! He’s not at fault. Dying for something like this is ridiculous! I know he worked day and night to pass the shop onto me. I know it was a burden… A burden… No! I’ll die! Judge, he’s innocent. Kill me!”

“Ughhhhh!”

Rurin stood up with a shout.

She was annoyed to death and they kept babbling about things she didn’t care about.

To a dragon, the issue of human life and death is worth less than the dirt under their nails.

But amidst all that, Mohen bowed with a very moved expression.

“Baroness! You are indeed wise. I am moved. To make them reconcile in this way!”

Mohen called her “Baroness” again. And, seriously misunderstanding, he began to look at her with admiration.

Then the other citizens waiting outside for the trial began to applaud.

“Huh? What, what is this…”

Rurin was rather taken aback and opened her eyes wide.

And then her nape was grabbed.

“What are you doing? Oh my…”

“You? When did you come!”

The one who appeared was El, who had returned from handling his work.

“You came just in time. Something is strange here!”

“You’re the strangest one, you know?”

“Ahhh, it hurts!”

El placed his hand on Rurin’s temple. Screams began to echo.