Chapter 391 391-The Melancholy Howard
Kaido was known for his brashness and lack of foresight, which is precisely why Howard sought him out, thinking Kaido might not overthink and genuinely engage in a sword duel.
However, despite his political naivety and clumsiness in managing his subordinates, Kaido's constant pursuit of business opportunities and indulgence in corruption did not make him as straightforward as Howard had hoped.
Kaido made a semblance of effort, joining Howard in a fencing match with fine swords equipped with gold wristguards.
Both slightly bent at the waist, their feet positioned one in front of the other, they exploded with lively bursts of energy.
It was like a coiled spring, storing power then suddenly thrusting forward in a strike, a contest of who had more explosive power, who was quicker to react.
But before Howard could break into a sweat and exclaim in exhilaration, Kaido gradually became listless.
Howard chastised him, "What's the matter? Didn't eat enough? Why are your sword grips so limp?"
Kaido, with an unspoken misery, could only respond, "Sorry, before I left, my wife fed me some cheese, but it seems it wasn't clean. I've got diarrhea."
After saying this, Kaido pretended to clutch his stomach.
Howard, unsure of the truth, waved him off in disappointment, "Go on then, it seems none of you dare to fight me with real effort."
Kaido didn't reply, instead, he ran off, relieved.
The fencing area was almost always occupied by Howard alone.
This space was reserved for the king, and ordinary people couldn't enter.
Howard felt some warmth but was far from the sweat-drenched state he longed for.
As a king, Howard was never short of people flocking around him, from the maids in the palace to the guards outside the palace walls, and even dukes and other nobility behaved submissively in his presence, like children who had just learned to tie their own ties.
Gradually, Howard began to lose sight of what his goal was.
Normally, this is something an ordinary person would never tire of in a lifetime because there are always too many thoughts, too many desires, and material wealth seems endless.
In the New World, gold, mahogany, pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and more, Howard amassed wealth in all forms.
Along with large numbers of indigenous peoples from the New World, Howard gained much, with the nation enjoying abundant manpower and financial resources every day.
With these assurances, Howard could rapidly complete conscription, recruiting from wherever there was a need.
If no one in a particular place was willing to serve, he would use the same price to recruit from the New World.
His army's ranks were always filled, ensuring no gaps in personnel.
Whether in negotiations with Venice or in dealings with the Sirei region, Howard's personnel could always afford to be lenient with fiscal policies and taxes, firmly grasping the most crucial aspects of governance post-merger: administrative authority, administrative systems, military personnel, and military systems.
He firmly held the expansion of his territory in his own hands, all backed by the confidence that came from never lacking money.
For instance, having recently acquired the Fran Kingdom region, investigations among the populace and reviews of municipal records revealed that Edward's taxation and trade tariffs on the people of Fran Kingdom were excessively high.
There were even policies that, while ostensibly protecting Edward himself, deliberately sabotaged the entire market.
For example, Fran Kingdom, having absorbed several kingdoms, naturally had many cities where trade flourished, and the market should have been prosperous.
However, Edward, due to a shortage of funds for equipping his army with new gear, heeded poor advice and established a Fran Kingdom exclusive merchants' group.
Normally, business dealings are based solely on the merit of the commercial venture itself, a principle where money talks, fostering a healthy business environment.
Yet, under Edward's policy, this exclusive group of merchants was allowed to purchase any item on the market at prices below market value.
This resulted in many merchants, already operating on slim margins, being unable to conduct business within Fran Kingdom.
And since the goal of a merchant is to make a profit, if they could avoid such oppressive price controls by moving elsewhere, they did.
Consequently, Fran Kingdom's overall commercial sector became chaotic, with numerous small to medium-sized business associations and individual merchants withdrawing.
Sitting in his palace in Fran Kingdom, Edward remained oblivious to these developments.
He simply indulged in the sensation of pearls slipping through his fingers, a gesture that seemed affluent but was essentially short-sighted, harming the overall economy of Fran Kingdom.
The more he engaged in such practices, the more financially strapped Edward became.
Faced with financial shortfalls, Edward didn't personally venture into the slums or stroll the ordinary streets, nor did he disguise himself to blend with the common folk in a tavern to listen to the people's grievances.
Instead, he merely acknowledged the lack of funds and informed his Treasurer, who, corrupt as he was, would suggest another shortsighted scheme for quick cash.
This pattern became a vicious cycle.
Eventually, not only the silk and jewel trades and all things commercial suffered, but even consumer goods, coarse cloth garments, cotton, and even the munitions manufacturing that Edward so valued were impacted.
One day, when Edward inspected the heavily financed order of finished goods—some metal armors and steel swords—only to find them of appallingly low quality, he angrily drew his finely crafted sword, demanding an explanation from the head of the blacksmiths' guild.
The guild head, well into his seventies, with a beard as white as snow even if one disregarded his hair, explained to Edward: "My king, the iron ingots and raw steel our military industry relies on come at a cost, supplied by others."
"We had a mature system of buying and selling, ensuring a steady supply of materials."
"However, since the decree last year that allowed the king's exclusive merchants' group to purchase iron ingots and raw steel at 20% below market price, our suppliers have been scared off, fleeing Fran Kingdom."
"Without materials, how can we forge quality military goods?"
In a fit of rage, Edward struck a metal armor with his sword, producing a resounding clang of metal on metal.
Edward asked, "What about the blacksmiths? Weren't the blacksmiths here said to be the best in the northern imperial territories?"
"Weren't they reputed to have the ability to turn decay into magic?"
"How then, do they present me with such an outcome?"
Leaning on his cane, the guild leader replied with a desolate tone, "My king, take a look back. Our blacksmiths' guild used to be bustling, crowded with people coming and going. Blacksmiths from all over the empire sought employment here, from apprentices to master craftsmen, all were in high demand."
"But since you, my king, decreed six months ago that they must surrender 30% of their annual income to you, they have left here, fleeing to foreign lands."
Edward, furious, struck the metal armor with his sword again, eliciting another clang of metal.
Despite his anger, Edward was powerless as the nation's economy had already spiraled into chaos.
And so, having been conquered by Howard, time returns to the present.
Thus, with Howard's efforts to open up new lands, there was an inexhaustible supply of manpower and resources, ensuring he never had to resort to desperate measures out of anger.
In the empty fencing arena, Howard sat on the steps, sheltered by an overhang from the building above.
Gazing at the deserted grounds, he felt an overwhelming sense of solitude.
Yet, this was irrational, for a retinue always trailed behind him.
To draw a comparison, it was as if he was lonely in terms of friends, while those seeking favors were abundant.
Suddenly, Howard was seized by an urgent desire to escape, to reinvigorate his life with adventure, much like someone who had once left him behind.
However, entrusting the vast kingdom to someone was a dilemma.
While Howard pondered in his study, he seemed to hallucinate the river monster he had once seen, now grown even larger.
...
Laurent knocked on the study door, announcing, "Your Majesty, the banquet is ready. The high-ranking officials from the recently annexed regions have arrived, including an envoy from Phrus..."
After a long silence and no response, Laurent, puzzled, pushed open the door.
"Your Majesty?"
The study was empty, though a maid mentioned Howard was there just moments ago, having ordered a coffee.
Where could he have gone?
Summoning a guard, Laurent ordered a search.
Just as he was about to leave, Laurent noticed a letter on the desk, conspicuously placed as if meant to be found.
He picked it up to read.
By the time he finished, a chill ran down his spine.
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