C30: Vikir Special Law (3)
-Vikir Special Law, Article 1, Clause 1-
-The Subcónsul Vikir Van Baskerville shall immediately pay 100,000,000 gold to the person who pulls out this stake (hereinafter referred to as "stake") according to his discretion-
It was a law created and implemented by the young Subcónsul as soon as he assumed office at the age of 15.
No member of the legislative branch raised any objections to the enactment of this law.
Well, no one could blame them... because no one could understand what the purpose of this law was, what it intended to achieve, or why it was enacted.
The citizens were bewildered.
"What? They're giving away 100 million?"
"Are they kidding? With 100 million gold, ordinary people could live for four years."
"They're giving away 100 million just for pulling out a wooden stake?"
"What kind of show is this?"
People murmured amongst themselves, all looking at Vikir with expressions of incomprehension.
And the officials of the executing agency, including Chihuahua Baskerville, were no different.
Amidst the murmurs, with no one stepping forward, Vikir opened his mouth once again.
"Is there no one?"
No one answered his question.
By then, Vikir picked up his pen and added a few more characters to the notice posted on the bulletin board.
-Vikir Special Law, Article 1, Clause 2-
-The Subcónsul Vikir Van Baskerville shall additionally pay 900,000,000 gold to the person who pulls out this stake (hereinafter referred to as "stake") according to his discretion-
Receiving 100 million gold and an additional 900 million gold.
"To the person who pulls out this stake, 1 billion gold will be paid in cash."
1 billion gold! It's an amount that ordinary people can't even imagine touching in their lifetime.
People started to find it amusing.
"This is ridiculous."
"Are they joking? Who would fall for this?"
"Hey, kid! Stop fooling around and go inside!"
"Isn't this quite funny? Like a stand-up comedy act?"
The people gathered in the square couldn't help but chuckle at this absurd situation.
Some openly treated Vikir as a clown.
But Vikir remained unfazed.
"Is there no one?"
Then, from the surrounding area, laughter-mixed responses like "No way!" and "No one here!" could be heard.
The expressions of the officials from the executing agency, including Chihuahua Baskerville, turned beet red.
"Why is embarrassment our share?"
As the officials standing behind couldn't bear the ridicule from the citizens and were at a loss for words.
Vikir casually picked up his pen.
-Vikir Special Law, Article 1, Clause 3-
-The Subcónsul Vikir Van Baskerville shall additionally pay 9,000,000,000 gold to the person who pulls out this stake (hereinafter referred to as "stake") according to his discretion-
A total of 100 billion.
As soon as this amount was mentioned, the arena fell into silence.
In the midst of a dead silence.
"To the person who pulls out this stake, 10 billion gold will be paid in cash."
Vikir Special Law, Clause 3, has been announced.
The central square, where the gazes and mocking laughter had vanished, fell into a static silence as if nothing existed.
Despite the bustling crowd gathered, the absence of any sound sent shivers down the spines of the onlookers.
All the officials from the executing agency, including Chihuahua Baskerville, were momentarily overwhelmed by this immense scale of silence.
However, Vikir remained calm as ever.
"Is there no one?"
This time, no one could answer the question.
The citizens couldn't laugh or speak and nervously glanced around.
"Well, what is this? What's going on?"
"Do you really think they'll give 10 billion? Should I go out and see?"
"Are they crazy? If you go out, who knows what trouble you'll get into?"
"Look at that sword at their waist. If they're the kind of person who carries a lot of money, they might execute you right away."
It was truly inexplicable.
Why would a newly appointed, young subcónsul engage in such an event?
No one gathered here could guess why anyone would want to burn an enormous sum of 100 billion on a stake that anyone could easily pull out.
"Could it be that the stake is incredibly heavy? So heavy that an ordinary person can't pull it out."
"That can't be true. I saw the officials carrying it casually earlier."
"Hey, don't go out! There must be something fishy going on!"
"In situations like this, it's best not to get involved."
Only faint murmurs could be heard in the quiet square.
"..."
And then, Vikir lifted his pen once again.
Just as he was about to create Article 4 of the Special Law.
"Um... I'll give it a try!"
Amidst the crowd, a small hand rose up.
A girl in shabby attire appeared, holding a basket filled with withered flowers.
She bowed her legs, and her face showed signs of malnutrition.
As she raised her hand and stepped forward, an elderly man next to her rushed over to stop her.
He seemed to be a neighbor.
"Hey, you! Judy! Aren't you Judy? How dare you recklessly come forward in a place like this!"
"Grandfather, I'm fine. Mom is sick, and I have to do something. Lately, the flowers don't sell even in front of the bad guys...."
"Oh, you foolish kid! If you step forward at a time like this, you'll get hit by a sword! You don't understand the ways of the world...."
"Hehe. Just in case something happens to me, please take care of my mom."
Judy avoided the resisting elderly neighbor and came out into the square.
Finally, Vikir looked down at Judy with a cold gaze and spoke.
"Pull it out."
Judy pulled with all her might.
The citizens looked at this small and delicate girl with anxious expressions.
Some sympathized and mocked her, with an intriguing attitude, wondering what would happen to this poor and pitiful young girl in just a few seconds.
On the other hand, Judy was sweating profusely.
"Oh, surely they won't kill her, right? She has become such an obvious source of amusement... They'll at least give her a few coins or something."
How much could a jester who stood before countless people be worth?
"I hope I can at least receive the value of a basket of flowers."
Then she would be able to buy a bowl of meat porridge, which would bring a glimmer of hope to her sick mother.
Under Vikir's cold gaze, Judy reached out her hand.
Her trembling and strange hand grasped the pole.
And then...
...pluck!
The pole was pulled out.
Even with the weak strength of a girl who had barely eaten, the pole was surprisingly light enough for her to pull out.
"...."
Judy was taken aback by how easily the pole came out, even more than she had expected.
The crowd watching, as well as the officials of the execution site, were also astonished.
"She pulled it out."
"She did it."
"She actually pulled it out."
"She pulled it and didn't stop."
The murmurs around grew louder.
Now that the girl had pulled out the pole, what would happen to her?
That was the sole focus of interest, making the gathered crowd sweat in anticipation.
And then...
"...."
Vikir raised his hand.
He reached for his waist and took out a sheath with a hanging knife.
Upon seeing that, Judy tightly shut her eyes.
"Is this the execution?"
The exact crime couldn't be discerned, but it was probably something like noble contempt, sacrilege, or greed. Some vague offense like that.
In that brief moment, Judy thought of the faces of her precious loved ones. If she were to leave like this, who would take care of her mother?
Right at that moment.
"No!"
A scream burst out near the end.
Pushing through the crowd, a skinny woman emerged.
She wore tattered clothes, her body only skin and bones, appearing almost skeletal, but somehow, she had mustered such strength. She embraced Judy and kneeled in front of Vikir.
"Nari! Please, have mercy!"
Judy's mother. She began pleading while prostrating herself at Vikir's feet.
"We, lowly ones, have dared to step forward without understanding the intentions of the esteemed. Please forgive us, just once! She's a good... a good child! After her father's death, she has fed her disabled mother, selling flowers every day on the streets with her ailing body..."
Her mother started wailing.
"Please show mercy... insignificant beings like us don't even have the right to touch the bloodstains on the noble's sword... Please, just close your eyes this one time, please..."
Kneeling on the ground, her forehead pressed against it, the mother begged for her daughter's life.
The crowd became enraged by her weeping.
"She... She spoke well! What did Judy do wrong?"
"There was never another child as sincere and kind in this market!"
"What did those mother and daughter do wrong?"
"If you have power, then show it! Who do you think you are persecuting Judy?"
The atmosphere in the square grew hostile.
Just a moment ago, the crowd had been silent as if dead, but now they began to boil and bubble.
The officials, including Staffordshire, were restless, knowing that a riot could erupt at any moment. They could only nervously pace back and forth.
...At that moment.
Vikir reached out his hand towards Judy.
His hand held a leather pouch that passed through the sheath.
Thump-
Vikir extended the sturdy leather pouch in front of Judy.
Judy alternated her gaze between the pouch and Vikir's face with a blank expression.
Finally, she lifted her trembling hands and received the leather pouch.
As she pulled the strap of this incredibly heavy pouch.
...Rustle!
A bright golden light burst out from within the pouch, almost blindingly bright.
Gold coins. Countless in number.
In an instant, the entire field fell into silence once again.
Judy, her mother, and the countless onlookers who had been watching over this pitiful mother and daughter all closed their mouths simultaneously.
Vikir spoke.
"Receive 10 billion gold."
His words were like a divine oracle.
Judy and her mother could only kneel in awe before a sum of money they had never seen, heard of, or even imagined before.
And everyone witnessing this spectacle was the same.
"...This is the law."
By now, Vikir stood before all the citizens filling the square and made his declaration.
"It will be strictly upheld."
