22. Unhappy

Tristan thought he could forget about those farmers and merchant once they came to his palace.

He didn't expect Carlos Madigan to comment on what he had done. The old man should have focused on himself and believed that his son could lead this kingdom.

"I know the impact it will have if the farmers sell their plantation lands, dad." Tristan nodded. He wouldn't tell Carlos Madigan that he knew that after Leonardo told him.

"I'm just giving them advice, the decision is all in their hands. If they are determined not to sell their plantation lands, they don't have to. After all, the merchant didn't force them, the proof is that he has not carried out violence or intimidation over the past year against the farmers." Tristan said it casually.

"You appear to be forcing them. You told the farmers to use the proceeds from the sale of their plantation lands to start new businesses," stated Carlos Madigan. He trusted his secretary, who would never lie to him.

"Yes, it is true. I said that." Tristan nodded. "I just explained to them why I advised them to sell the plantation lands to that merchant. All decisions are in their hands."

"They are very valuable to our kingdom. Without them, we would have to import vegetables and fruit from other kingdoms," said Carlos Madigan.

"Why don't you advise the merchant to buy empty land? There is a lot of empty land in this kingdom that he can buy and that is suitable for lodging." Carlos Madigan knows more about that case than Tristan imagined.

"The merchant certainly knows that there is a lot of empty land in this kingdom. We don't know why he chose plantation lands owned by these farmers, which is difficult for him to get." Tristan shrugged his shoulders.

"Why are you confused? Of course, the merchant was drawn to the vista there. The plantation is on a hill. This location is appropriate for an inn since visitors will want to experience living there," remarked Carlos Madigan.

Tristan certainly knew about that. He was also interested in living in the countryside, every day he would see rice fields, hills and mountains. It was something he had never felt in his previous life.

"Honestly, I regret getting involved in their problems. I should send dozens of soldiers to monitor their negotiation process so that it runs peacefully without violence or intimidation." Tristan told the truth to Carlos Madigan. "I will make this a valuable lesson."

"The farmers ask for your help; they certainly hope you are on their side, but as king, you cannot take sides; you must be neutral because the farmers and merchant are your people." Carlos Madigan shows his wisdom. His dissatisfaction with Tristan had disappeared.

"I understand, Dad." Tristan nodded. "I admit I was guilty. Because I gave advice to the farmers to sell their plantation lands, they and the people definitely thought I was on the side of the merchant."

Tristan lied. He didn't regret giving such advice, he regretted that he didn't ignore the farmers according to the task given by the system. If he obeyed the system's orders, the farmers and merchant would not come to his palace.

They just made Tristan's head spin.

***

"Ah, so tired."

Tristan sat in the single chair in his room, looking at the sun, which was slowly setting, and the sky was losing color. The light of the moon and stars cannot replace the bright rays of the sun.

"Today I am very busy. I met a lot of people."

Usually, he spent his time reading dozens of rolls of the paper from his people and documents from ministers, or meeting with ministers or meeting with nobles.

Today was different from normal; he met farmers, merchant, and merchant subordinate. He was so emotional talking to them and Carlos Madigan that it depleted his energy.

"Agreement letter."

Tristan took the small black box out of his pocket. He hadn't changed clothes because he was too lazy to take a shower. In this world, he had to bathe twice a day.

"I am free to stay at his inn for the rest of my life."

It was quite a useful gift if the merchant could actually build the inn.

"There will be all kinds of alcohol and women."

These two things were really liked by men. The merchant indirectly announced that his inn would only accept male customers.

"Do only men need entertainment? Do only men have money?"

Tristan shook his head.

"At the inn, I will notice a significant difference. Men sought pleasure, and women served men to make money."

Tristan was a man. He wasn't interested in women like that. He desired to have a lover, empress, and concubine who had never been touched by a man.

"A woman who is still a virgin." Tristan would not remember his memories of the past. There was no need to talk about whether he had ever had sex with his girlfriend or other women.

"If Carlos Madigan finds out that I received a gift from that merchant, he will definitely ask me to return it, and he will accuse me of siding with that merchant."

Tristan didn't like Carlos Madigan. The elderly man, who couldn't move his body, interfered too much, as if he wasn't satisfied with being king yet, and he seemed to want to show his son how to be a good and real king.

"I wonder if he wasn't paralyzed, would he hand over the royal throne to his 18-year-old son?"

Tristan assumed Carlos Madigan would be king until people asked him to resign if he wasn't ill.

"There are no set regulations governing how long a king will serve. A person can be king until they are 100 years old. Kings and presidents are entirely different."

Tristan tilted his head, staring at the ceiling. "How long will I be king?" He could never imagine the future.

"Eh?" Tristan was shocked when a transparent blue screen floated in front of him. "Oh, my gosh, I forgot to check the reward from the system."

Tristan hurriedly put the small black box in his drawer. If the gift from the merchant was lost, it meant that it was taken by the maids who were cleaning up his room.

He looked at the transparent blue screen again.

It was the second time he had received the rewards. He was nervous and tense.

However, he got this reward differently from the previous reward. He didn't know why the system gave him a reward.

"Is it because I gave advice to farmers to sell their plantation lands?"

It didn't seem like that was why. He dug through his memories until his brows knitted together.

The system announced he got the reward after he told the merchant that he received the reward from him and that he would not interfere with the merchant and the farmers' problems.

"Okay, I'm ready to receive your reward, system." Tristan said it excitedly.

Then he turned towards the door. He hoped that the maids who were waiting for him to open the door to let them prepare warm water and the clothes he was going to wear didn't hear him.

"I want to know my reward." Tristan didn't know whether those words were understood by the system.

[Congratulations on getting the reward.]

[The god of judgment is impressed by what you have done. You took the initiative to accept the gift from the merchant.]

[Therefore, the God of Judgment gifted you with the skill to scare the opponent.]

[With that skill, you will make your opponents fear you.]

Tristan frowned, and his jaw dropped. He was surprised by three things.

"God of judgment? I got a gift because I received a gift from that merchant? Skill to scare the opponent?"

Tristan had recovered from his shock.

"God of judgment." Tristan had never heard the name of that god in his previous life or in Tristan Madigan's memories.

"Skill to scare the opponent. The opponent will be afraid of me." Tristan placed his elbow on the arm of the chair. "I don't need that skill. Everyone is already terrified of me. I am the king."

He then noticed something strange. "What does 'opponent' mean? Interlocutor or opponent in battle?"