Published: July 3, 2025
Today, I am posting two chapters.
At 9 PM, I will post "0213 Final Chapter Prologue."
Allied Regent Lord Aubrey was troubled.
The reason was the unexpectedly low number of former citizens of the Duchy of Inberri returning after the Empire's annexation of Inberri.
The primary cause was the deterioration of public safety in the Eastern Kingdom.
During the war, those who fled from the duchy to the kingdom were accepted as refugees by the kingdom.
Most of them initially escaped to the Eastern Kingdom, but by that time, the safety in the Eastern Kingdom was already deteriorating, leading many to continue on to the Northern, Southern, or the central region where the royal capital is located.
For these people, even when the war in Inberri came to an end and they were in a position to return, the poor safety in the Eastern Kingdom made it difficult to go back to their homeland.
"Roughly, it's about 20% of our initial estimate,"
Lord Aubrey sighed softly at the report from his aide, Lumber.
"If I were a refugee, I certainly wouldn't want to pass through that Eastern region to return to Inberri."
"Indeed..."
Both Lord Aubrey and Aide Lumber understood this logically.
However, even so, 20% of the initial estimate was far too low.
"Is all of this just part of the emperor's plan...?"
"Could it be that this is also Rupert's fault?"
"It’s reasonable to think so. At the very least, it's certain that the Empire is pulling strings behind the chaos in the Eastern Kingdom. If that’s preventing the refugees from returning, then it’s only natural to consider that it's within the emperor's expectations, right?"
"But why would the emperor implement a strategy to keep Inberri's refugees within the kingdom?"
"Well..."
Even Lord Aubrey found it difficult to answer Lumber's question immediately.
"Lumber, what do you think is the biggest problem if a flood of refugees were to arrive?"
"That would be... the deterioration of public safety, I suppose."
The increase in refugees leads to a decline in safety.
This is an unavoidable problem, regardless of how well-organized the governing structure is.
Just as it was on Earth, it is the same in Fai.
"However, wouldn't the economy improve with an increase in population? I find it hard to believe that the kingdom would benefit from good economic conditions resulting from that."
Lumber posed such a question.
"Has the kingdom's economy improved since our annexation of Inberri?"
"Not at all... Indeed, there is no sign of such a trend."
"Right? Simply accepting refugees does not improve the country's economy. Unless they are properly incorporated into the country's commerce and taxation mechanisms, the economy will not improve. And with the current governing abilities of the kingdom, it seems unlikely that refugees can be smoothly integrated into the national economy."
Thinking that an increase in the population would automatically lead to an improved economy is foolish.
Only when those who have increased earn, spend money, and pay taxes does their contribution to the national economy begin.
Unless the nation deliberately undertakes that integration, "accepting refugees" will not make anyone happy...
The refugees will merely become cheap economic slaves...
These refugees are people with families as well... They cannot keep accepting such conditions indefinitely.
And if the situation does not improve through legal means... they will resort to illegal methods.
Solutions through violence, represented by riots.
This will further deteriorate public safety.
How many individuals in the government fully understand this...?
Unfortunately, it seems that there are not enough who do in the kingdom.
"Is the emperor's aim simply to create chaos and further worsen public safety in the kingdom...?"
"If that’s the case, then the obvious question arises: for what purpose?"
Lord Aubrey muttered, and Lumber picked up on his words to inquire further.
"We should move the elite unit near the border. So they can be deployed immediately if something happens."
In response to Lord Aubrey's murmur, Lumber simply nodded.