The Small Town Girl Becomes the Demon King (EP 31): Both the King and the Citizens are in crisis

T/N: Still in the boring slump. If “Good Kings” with OP resources and talents bother you, feel free to skip this and the next.

---

“Demon King, are you certain the tax can be postponed?” another mayor asked.

“I don’t need it right away,” Merle replied, “you don’t have to pay any time soon.”

The mayor couldn’t believe his ears, no matter how many times he heard it. “Is it truly okay that the tax will be postponed?”

“It’s fine, isn’t it?” Merle said. “Just pay me after the town is booming again.”

This mayor governed a mountain-side settlement that suffered many avalanches and disasters that year. They’d lost many fields and homes as a result, the crisis so dire that taxes were difficult to pay. He had petitioned for a temporary reduction but Merle declared no tax until the town had recovered.

“It’ll be a long time for the town to return to life,” the mayor said. “It’s difficult for me to predict how many years it will take.”

“Is it really such a disaster?”

“My town not only suffered property damage but lost citizens as well due to the avalanches. Some of the young people left for the sake of their futures. Our town was already losing population but it was hit by a disaster as well. Taken together, our town is on the verge of ruin.”

“That sounds terrible,” Merle said. “In that case, I’ll send Slime and castle soldiers, so that’ll cover the personnel. And whatever materials are necessary for reconstruction, you can take it from this castle.”

“Truly?” the mayor said, doubting their ears because of the sheer number of assistance. Not only do they have no taxes, but they’ll even have soldiers and resources from the castle. It was unthinkable with the former King.

Even if the town was in tough times, the demands for certain crops were ever-present yet no soldiers would ever be dispatched. Merle’s answer was unexpected, though granted, the mayor believed he would have to pay it back with interest in the future.

“I’m grateful for your consideration, but I don’t have the funds to pay for the soldiers,” the mayor said. “I don’t think my private fortune is large enough to invest.”

“What? What are you going on about?” Merle said. “I won’t charge you anything. It’s fine, it’s for free. It’s free.”

“Huh…?” the mayor asked. “… Are you… truly?”

Merle said as much several times with an irritated look on her face. “Everyone is insisting. Have hope, we’ll fix your town sooner or later. I’ll order the castle stockpile opened, so take what you need from there. Do you require a carriage? Call the soldiers here.”

“At once,” Lucille said as she summoned the Demon King’s soldiers and gathered them in the throne room.

The King may have disappeared but Merle left the soldiers in the caste alone. At first, they were conflicted, but like the mayors of today, Merle’s offers were so ludicrously tilted in their favor that they happily served as the new soldiers of the Demon King’s army.

“This town’s mayor isn’t getting anywhere fast with the reconstruction, please help them out,” Merle said. “Also, get prepare a carriage.”

“Yes, Savior Demon King!” the soldiers cried.

“Don’t call me that, it’s disrespectful!” Merle yelled back.

Unbeknownst to her, she’d become extremely popular among them, and this was their decision after she asked them to be less stiff and proper with her. Still, it shortened the number of words that needed to be said when giving them orders.

“Now then, guide this mayor to the stockpile,” Merle said. “Off you go.”

The mayor left the throne room with the soldiers as escorts. He had the same face as the first mayor, replaying the exchange over and over in his head.