bookpower Chapter 452: Barbarian Revolution (1)
Chapter 452: Barbarian Revolution (1)
There are various special stats in [Dungeon and Stone], and among them are hidden stats that don’t affect the Total Combat Power.
A prime example is the Fame stat.
‘Well, calling it a ‘stat’ is a bit of a stretch...’
Higher Fame means more people recognize you, which increases the chances of triggering special events like hidden quests. It also gives you a base affinity bonus when talking to NPCs you meet for the first time.
Just by looking at this, it seems like a useful stat.
But...
‘It’s more like a numerical representation of your reputation.’
The cause and effect are reversed.
You don’t gain those effects because your Fame is high.
It’s because you’re famous enough to trigger those effects that your Fame stat is high.
If you created a status window for a famous celebrity, their Fame stat would be incredibly high, and the effects would be similar.
Anyway, ‘Approval Rating’ was also that kind of stat.
Increased control within the tribe.
Reduced opposition.
Increased policy success rate and order completion rate.
It was a useless stat for ordinary explorers, but it became incredibly important once you entered the management aspect of the game.
Well, barbarians are an exception.
「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1.」
「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1.」
「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1...」
「....」
「....」
Barbarians have an incredibly high Approval Rating from the start, as long as they become chieftain through the proper channels.
It’s a legitimate right.
Warriors respect the chieftain’s authority and obey their orders.
‘The problem is that unlike other races, a high Approval Rating doesn’t guarantee a permanent rule.’
The chieftain can be challenged at any time.
But that’s not a big deal.
Or rather, it’s a good thing.
It means I won’t be removed from my position, no matter what I do.
As long as I don’t lose.
‘...But I should still try to increase it. The tribe will get depressed if it’s too low.’
As I was thinking that, Ainar, who was cleaning the large tent I was going to move into, spoke to me.
“Bjorn...! Why are you just standing there?!”
It was a foolish question, coming from Ainar.
“Because I’m the chieftain.”
“...B-but it’s unfair that I have to do all the work—!”
“And Ainar, you’re an elder now.”
“............An elder? Me...?”
Ainar was dumbfounded.
She hadn’t expected this sudden promotion.
“Of course! Who else can I trust more than you?”
“W-well...!”
“You’re Ainar, the second daughter of the Storm Sword, one of the Seven Strengths! I can’t understand why the previous elders and chieftain treated you like an ordinary warrior!” Ȓa₦ỒbƐⱾ
“Uh... I’m not that great...”
She lacked confidence.
“These are the words of Bjorn, son of Yandel, Baron of Lafdonia and Chieftain of the Barbarians! So believe me!”
If you pressure them with your authority, they’ll just assume you’re right.
「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1.」
It didn’t take long for Ainar to be convinced.
“R-really?”
“Yes.”
“I-I see! I’m an elder now!!”
“Can you finish the cleaning? I have chieftain duties to attend to, and it’s your role as an elder to assist me.”
“Of course! I’m good at assisting!”
She happily returned to her cleaning duties, and I closed my eyes.
Not because I was sleepy, but because I had a lot to think about.
‘It’s worse than I expected...’
I had received a brief report from the former chieftain, and the tribe’s situation was dire.
From finances to population, welfare, and infrastructure...
Everything was a problem.
I was surprised that the tribe had even managed to survive this long, and I didn’t know where to start.
But...
‘I’ve been through worse.’
I categorized the tasks as ‘Tribal Quests’ and prioritized them based on difficulty.
The first quest was clear.
1. Restructure the Cabinet.
It was the first quest I had to complete as the chieftain.
But I wasn’t sure if it could even be called ‘restructuring’.
“Um... Bjorn?”
Ainar cautiously tapped my shoulder.
“Call me Chieftain in the sanctuary.”
“Uh... C-chieftain...?”
“Good. What is it?”
“I’ve been thinking... It’s unfair that I have to do all the chores!”
Tsk, educated people...
They know the meaning of ‘unfair’ because they read books.
“Find another warrior or do it yourself! Or... order another elder to do it! I hate cleaning!”
I chuckled at her bold declaration.
“Alright. You can stop cleaning.”
“...Are you going to find another elder?”
“No. And besides, you’re the only elder.”
“...Huh? What do you mean?”
Ah, she doesn’t know.
I explained the situation to the 1st Elder.
“The previous elders retired with the former chieftain.”
“What?! Those old geezers?! Did they leave because they couldn’t accept you?!”
“Calm down. That’s not it.”
At first, I thought they had staged a boycott because they didn’t trust me, a noble...
But that wasn’t the case.
[You’re going to keep exploring the labyrinth, even though you’re the chieftain? Haha! Good luck! And try not to die this time!]
Like crows collecting shiny objects.
I couldn’t change their nature, even with my authority as chieftain.
But...
“B-but it’s not a bad thing! It’s a form of saving!”
Ainar’s desperate defense gave me an idea.
“...Saving?”
“Y-yes! If we become famous, our equipment will be worth even more! It’s an investment!”
“...Investment?”
“Ah, w-well, I’m not like that! Really. I-I have a few pieces, but... they’re all different! I need them for different purposes—”
“Ainar, are you a genius?”
Her words gave me a brilliant idea.
“...?”
She didn’t seem to realize what she had done, but...
‘This is a revolution.’
There was no other way to describe it.
______________________
I summoned all the barbarians before the visitors from the festival returned to the city.
There was no need for a lengthy introduction.
“I have something to tell you!”
I began my speech.
Or rather, it was an announcement of my first policy as chieftain.
“Warriors of the tribe! I’m different from the previous chieftains! I’m going to give you an opportunity!”
Their eyes sparkled as soon as I used the word ‘give’, even though they had been dozing off a moment ago.
“Opportunity...?”
“Sounds good...”
Okay, I had their attention.
I quickly continued before they lost interest.
The plan I had come up with thanks to Ainar.
A plan that would not only educate the barbarians about economics, but also fill the tribe’s empty coffers.
“I’m going to give you the opportunity to buy land in the sanctuary!”
“...Land?”
“You’re giving it to us? We have to buy it? With money?”
They looked confused.
Well, I hadn’t expected them to understand right away.
I explained it to them in simple terms.
“Do you have a house in the city? No, you don’t. Even if you do, the land doesn’t belong to you! Commoners can’t own land in this kingdom!”
I’m going to give you a privilege that only nobles have.
“But the land in the sanctuary is different! If I give you permission, you can buy it! And once you buy it, it’s yours! Forever!!”
Of course, there would be property taxes...
“You can carve your name on it, build a statue, anything you want! It’s your freedom!!”
“...Freedom?”
“Yes, freedom! Do you want to build a house? Build it! Not a flimsy tent that collapses when it rains, but a real house, like the ones in the city! A house that your descendants can live in forever!”
Build whatever you want.
I won’t even tax the windows.
“That... sounds good.”
Some of the barbarians, who were easily swayed, started to show interest.
But there were also those who were skeptical.
“But buying land...”
“It must be expensive!”
“Isn’t land a bit... useless? Wouldn’t it be better to buy weapons...?”
They instinctively sensed that something was off.
It was time for my trump card.
“Think about it, warriors!”
“...?”
“Weapons rust, but land doesn’t. It’s yours forever, and you can pass it down to your children!”
It was a concept that the barbarians, who lived for the present, couldn’t grasp.
But...
“And if you buy land, you don’t have to pay for lodging anymore! You, and your children, and your grandchildren! Forever!”
Their eyes widened as they realized the true value of land.
“...I see!”
“It’s true...! If we have land, we can just sleep in the sanctuary!”
“But it’s more convenient to live in the city... It’s closer to the labyrinth...”
There were a few who still had doubts, but they were a minority.
I made a mental note of their faces.
If they were good fighters, I would promote them to elders.
Anyway, it was time for the final blow.
“And most importantly...!”
I trailed off, and the barbarians all fell silent, their ears perked up.
I didn’t have to shout this time.
“The land in the sanctuary will become more expensive!”
Money.
The ultimate motivator, regardless of race.
“And the longer you wait, the more expensive it’ll get! Until you can’t even afford it anymore!”
“...?”
“It’s obvious! Once someone buys a piece of land, it’s theirs forever! And once all the land is sold, there won’t be any left to buy!”
“...!”
“If you still want land after that, you’ll have to beg! Beg the other warriors to sell it to you, even if it costs a fortune!”
The simple principle of supply and demand.
“Well, even then, it’ll be difficult to buy. Who would sell such a valuable asset? Land that will allow their descendants to live in the city without having to pay for lodging?”
“...!!”
“Ah, of course, your great-grandchildren will be living in tents and cursing your name!”
“...?”
“‘Why didn’t you buy land back then?!’ they’ll say!”
“!!!!!!!!!!!”
Their eyes widened in horror as they realized the gravity of the situation.
There was no need for further explanation.
“Warriors! I’ll say this one last time!”
I declared, like a true politician.
“A warrior never misses an opportunity!”
The answer is real estate.