SWNOVELS Chapter 163: Refugees 3
TL: Etude
Inside the lord’s castle of Lakeheart Town, a meeting was underway, attended by various members of the Administration Council and the military’s high command.
“Count, this trip to the south has been quite fruitful!” Hansel reported proudly. He had returned to Lakeheart Town a few days ago and immediately got to work, tirelessly beginning the recruitment of new personnel and the resettlement of refugees.
“In addition to the refugees, we’ve also recruited 56 individuals of various professions, including blacksmiths, teachers, alchemists, and doctors…” Before he could finish, Paul started clapping enthusiastically.
“Well done, Hansel. I didn’t expect you to find so many willing to come to the northwest. I thought people in the south believed our region was nothing but barren and harsh.”
Hansel smiled and said, “Count, if one searches with dedication, one will always find what they are looking for. There are always those whose lives aren’t going as planned, those who wish to try their luck…”
“Alright, alright, let’s leave the assignment of these people’s positions to Steward Ford. Let’s talk about the refugees now.”
Paul interrupted Hansel’s introduction, musing that those willing to come seemed like outcasts of their own industries. Well, he didn’t need any master-level talents for now; anyone who could work would do.
“How many refugees have arrived in our territory by now?”
Hansel quickly calculated in his mind and responded, “According to the latest statistics, a total of 421 refugees have arrived in Alda.”
“Will there be more coming?”
“Of course, Count. And there will be many. The 500-plus figure I mentioned was just the latest number before I left, but the several shelters we’ve set up are still receiving refugees. They will keep coming to the northwest bay.”
“I’m curious, aren’t the kingdom’s army and the rebels facing off near Thorn Fortress? How are these refugees getting through?”
This time, Schroeder answered his question.
“My Lord, Thorn Fortress is not meant to completely block north-south traffic. It’s easy for refugees to bypass it.”
“Then what’s the point of building such a fortress? Can’t the enemy just easily circumvent it as well?”
“Many fortresses on the plains are not meant to completely cut off traffic. Take Thorn Fortress, for example. It can house a staggering 50,000 troops and store enough provisions for them for a year. There are many roads near the fortress connecting the north and south, but all within the reach of its garrison. Armies are not like refugees; to keep soldiers focused on fighting, their food and drink supplies must not be interrupted. If an army rashly bypasses it to attack the fortress from behind, they risk having their supply lines cut at any time.”
Paul had an epiphany. “I see.”contemporary romance
He continued to inquire about the refugees with Hansel. “Have those who’ve already arrived been settled?”
Hansel, with a smirk, replied, “You can rest assured, my Lord. They have been accommodated in temporary official residences to the south of the town, comfortably enough to get through the winter. After such a long period of hardship, they feel like they’ve arrived in paradise. Everyone is singing praises of your grace. In a nutshell, the entire refugee resettlement process is proceeding efficiently and peacefully.”
Paul was about to nod in agreement when a discordant voice chimed in, albeit a pleasant-sounding one.
“Efficiently and peacefully? Baron Abbott, it might be efficient, but the word ‘peacefully’ really doesn’t fit.”
The speaker was Miss Betty Dias, a female advisor, who was now looking at Hansel with a sarcastic expression.
Paul, confused, asked, “What happened?”
Could it be that Hansel had offended this young lady?
Hansel immediately responded, “Nothing happened, Count. As I just mentioned, the entire process of resettling the refugees is proceeding both efficiently and peacefully.”
However, his response lacked a certain conviction.
The advisor, Miss Dias, stood up abruptly, her tone harsh:
“Count Grayman, do you know how your agricultural director has been treating the refugees?”
“How so?”
Eileen, visibly annoyed, said, “The information I have is that the staff in charge of the refugees have been quite rough in their treatment. Not only are they verbally and physically abusive, but they also carelessly discard or destroy the refugees’ belongings. These people have fled their homes and barely survived the war. They come here seeking refuge only to face more hardship. Baron Abbott’s actions are inexcusable.”
Hansel immediately defended himself. “Miss Dias, these refugees, to use a phrase once said by the Count himself, are ‘unorganized and undisciplined.’ When we were conducting their medical examinations, they were noisy and chaotic. In order to expedite the process and settle them quickly – which is for their own good – the militia had to step in to maintain order and teach them how to queue. It’s inevitable and understandable that some unpleasant incidents occurred during this time.”
“As for their belongings, oh my Lord, what possessions did they have? Nothing but ragged clothes that fell apart upon washing, which we had to discard. Besides, haven’t we provided them with new clothes, far better than what they originally had?”
Miss Dias was clearly unsatisfied with his explanation, and a heated argument ensued between the two.
“Both of you, please!”
Paul, overwhelmed, gestured for them to stop.
Once the argument had subsided, Paul said, “Miss Dias makes a good point. These refugees are already suffering enough; we shouldn’t add to their misery. Hansel—”
Hansel immediately stood up. “Yes, my Lord. Your instructions?”
Paul, adopting a bureaucratic tone, said, “From now on, we must not treat those who will become our subjects harshly. Instead, they should feel the warmth of a home and the care of siblings. Understand?”
However, when Miss Dias’s attention was elsewhere, he subtly winked at Hansel.
Hansel internally rejoiced: Count Grayman supports me — at least implicitly. Besides, his tone was mild and noncommittal.
He promptly responded, “Yes, Count. I will notify the officers in charge of the resettlement operations to be mindful of their demeanor in future tasks.”
Eileen’s face lit up with a victorious smile, giving Paul a sweet smile that made his heart flutter.
In truth, Eileen’s dissatisfaction with Hansel stemmed not only from her compassion but also from a deeper reason.
She believed that these refugees were displaced due to the war between the royal family and the rebels. As a member of the royal establishment, she wanted to do her utmost to improve their lives, in part to alleviate her own guilt.
Of course, this was a reason she could not openly express at the moment.
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