I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 35. labor force

“Along the coast, we will build roads. In the eastern end it probably reached Assos, in the northwest it reached Thebes, and in the southwest it went as far as Lyrnesos.”

Antandros, a city on the north side of Mount Ida.

Assos and Gargara in the west, Aspaneus and Astira in the east.

Coastal cities next to the Aegean Sea, and even inland cities.

At least five or six large cities will be grouped together as a new living area.

“The length of the road network will be 150 to 200 kilometers, or 1,000 stadia (στάδια, about 185 meters).”

“But if you can go to inland cities, do you need to connect roads to cities connected to the coast as well?”

“Of course I do.”

When I first started working, there was no one other than Mr. Skleos who would listen to me and ask questions.

But now, dozens of artisans who run the blacksmith together, even the foremen who gained the right to attend the meeting while supervising the workers.

People in their twenties or thirties are listening to me.

From one person to thirty.

“If you make it easy for the cart to come and go, you can move loads and people quickly, cheaply, and safely.”

“But the roads need manpower to maintain them, don’t they?”

It was Theo who raised his hand this time.

“yes.”

“You have to constantly spend money.”

“That is correct too.”

“Then isn’t the sea better?”

“no. Land roads are better for that very reason.”

Everyone besides Theo looked puzzled, so I kindly explained.

“We will release the money. We will dispel the iron ingots piled up in large quantities.”

I drew lines on the map I had drawn on a plank.

“And people will gather around those iron ingots. Coincidentally, there are many vagrants who recently came in from out of town, or people who work and bandit because farming has failed.

Those same guys will gather around the road and build a village.”

Pause for a moment and observe the reactions around you.

everyone is looking at me

“Again, supplying supplies to those people, collecting the money they gave them per day, building roads again, and people gathering again to form a village…”

People are nodding their heads as if they are starting to see the big picture. Can you see the philosophy behind this business?

I’m going to gather ‘people’ to build the road.

I will extend my influence over the areas connected by roads, bringing ‘cities’ under my control.

When war breaks out, the iron tools they hold become weapons.

Armed with steel weapons that have fallen in price, each city becomes a fortress.

And the solidarity of cities will become a strong bulwark and defend Troy.

…First of all, if trade through the road network is active, iron ingots will flow to the inland market and will not be distributed well to distant Greece.

Unless you just hold on to the enormous iron ingots anyway, you can’t stop the leaking of supplies to Greece little by little.

That Napoleon also ordered the Continental Blockade to wither Britain, but it failed. I don’t think I was better than Napoleon.

Rather, it would be better to increase exchanges in the region and create demand to absorb all the growing supply of iron.

“Do you have any more questions?”

I speak of a blue-eyed young fellow, a slave boy who only follows Skleos around.

And, the questioning hands come up.

“If it’s a land trade route, you’ll have to keep guards up, but the manpower…”

“Hiring those people is key. The guards could also serve as watchdogs for the new towns along the road.”

“What about bandits and monsters?”

“Considering the monsters that Poseidon called after the invasion of Hercules, the land would be safer than the sea. What next?”

“How did allied cities outside Troia’s sphere…”

The more you answer the questions one by one, the more confidence in everyone’s eyes.

The feeling of starting a huge civil engineering project that will not be seen again in this era was thrilling.

***

“Did you hear?”

“Doesn’t Skleos have to get out of this city to do something like that?”

Stories that were told only in whispers, information that only rolled around as rumors.

Stories that would only be passed on as ‘rumors’ until an army of workers carrying shovels and chisels flocked to this city, Antandros.

“How do you see Gieth-sama?”

“Payton seems to have a lot of concerns about this…”

The bright ears gathered among themselves to put their heads together and share their concerns.

The wealthiest commoners and nobles of Antandros congregate and chatter in their gardens.

“How do you see it? If Skleos has already made his choice, what else can I say? The Governor-General will decide.”

“Isn’t it possible to oppose the governor’s decision if the nobles gather and petition together?”

“That’s right. No matter how much Skleos contributes to the city, is he ignoring old customs? This is blasphemy and the seed of tyranny!”

“Shh, beware of blasphemy. If Hephaestus did not spare him, how could he forge such steel?”

“Ah, uhm, sorry. My heart is excited and I say absurd words.”

However, their chatter is not so important. All the really important inner thoughts will be kept hidden and only watched for a while.

“There are even stories of connecting roads to cities outside of Troy’s dominion.”

“Then you would have to get permission for each city too?”

They play their thoughts in their heads.

Imagine what the bizarre business of that prestigious Skleos is for.

***

There is something that many modern people are mistaken about.

When ‘merchants’ go to any ‘market’ and sell ‘commodities’ at the ‘market price’, they receive the proper price in ‘currency’ and ‘save’ the currency.

‘Workers’ hired by ’employers’ receive ‘wages’ and enter into a ‘contract’ to provide ‘labor power’.

It seems like a very obvious sentence, but in this era, nothing is established.

First of all, if there is nothing special, most of the exchanges are composed of barter, and tolerably have a stronger self-sufficient character.

Even in our shepherd’s village, the merchants use money when buying useless toys, and other times silver coins or iron rods are decorations.

In addition, providing labor to someone in this era means serving that person. To use someone’s labor force is to dominate that person.

Those who are dominated cannot recklessly move their seats without the owner’s permission. Those who are not ruled are only citizens who have the right to support the city, and there are not many of them in the first place.

Therefore, those we can mobilize with iron ingots…

“We gathered because we were told to work. Here, we bring all our family members to fifty.”

“Everyone wait there.”

“Did you all hear!! Lie down and wait!”

Only tramps, thieves, those who have scattered, split and fled.

I haven’t gotten a permit or anything from the city yet, but Antandros isn’t a big city, so if you want to get a permit, you’ll be dropped right away.

To save time, once the workforce has been pooled and the city government has issued a permit, road construction should begin immediately.

and before that…

“This is Skleos-sama’s private property.”

“so?”

“It’s a story that the thieves can bury it at any time if they act recklessly.”

“her! It’s really scary.”

You need to ‘clean up’.

“Yes, you should be afraid.”

Theo said coldly, tapping the dirt floor first with a club.

Next to him, dozens of fully armed Mr. Skleos’ employees flocked to him and pulled out their steel swords.

“Do you think we don’t know why your thugs came here all at once? Didn’t you think you could burn the fields here and rob the high-ranking magistrate’s warehouse and villa?”

When Theo speaks strongly, the leader responds, surprised by the already well-armed defense force.

“That, no. We just…”

“Theo, I remember that bastard’s face.”

As I point my finger at one of the tainted faces of the wanderers, older brother Theo cuts off the leader and bows his head to me.

“what?”

“It’s one of those bastards who came into our village and tried to catch me and Ino.”

“That’s right…”

Theo stands up again and draws his sword.

“Are you really innocent?”

“Of course it is…”

“Then throw away all the weapons in your arms and surrender. Then I will give you something to eat, clothes to wear, and a place to sleep.”

“…”

“And, give him that too.”

Theo points at the person I was talking about with his chin.

“If you give him one finger, he’ll let everyone work here…”

When Theo takes off his coat, the shining armor is revealed. A group of ‘job seekers’ are agitated by its brilliance.

“I won’t even kill you.”

A suspiciously male group, something protruding from their clothes.

Theo’s guess was correct. If Paris, an ignorant modern man, was killed by thieves while installing it, Troia would have ended here.

While everyone is at a loss, the designated thief trembles and rushes at Theo with the dagger he had hidden in his arms.

“Uh, uhhhhh!”

once.

The thief stumbled and stumbled to the right when Theo tripped.

twice.

-puck.

Theo kicked him hard in the temple, and the thief went round.

Uh oh, it was probably dead.

“…”

“…”

“Have you all seen it? It was justification. Because these days, the world is so scary. How can a simple shepherd like me live?”

No one can say anything more at the sight of Theo hyung wiping the blood off his feet.

Theo tells the workers to bury the body.

“Put down your weapon and wait.”

No one hesitated any longer.

Soon after collecting the heaps of bronze weapons, Theo ordered the people around him to lead the group of bandits to their lodgings.

The ‘accommodation’ was a concentration camp with a structure where 10 people were divided into a building and housed in a structure that prevented them from escaping through high walls.

labor exploitation? Well, I walked in with my own feet, but I don’t know why it’s called exploitation.

Give free houses, food, clothes, and help to people who ate wild boars and robbed passers-by while starving in the mountains. What kind of a job is this merciful?

Not much has been done At most, they had them walk side by side in line, had everyone do gymnastics in the morning and evening, lined up to mow the grass, had them pave the road first in Mr. Skleos’ estate… and that’s all.

Teach them how to work in an organized manner, and inculcate the habit of obeying orders and keeping schedules.

in other words,

“…Are you even preparing an army?”

“no. Ask Theo.”

When Mr. Skleos turns to look at Theo in absurdity, the older brother shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head.

“I never taught you a great fight. Except for the ‘gymnastics’ for which I don’t know why, at most I just gathered them together and ordered them to do simple things.”

“Be careful. The atmosphere of the citizens of Antandros is unusual.”

“What do you think?”

Uncle Skleos mumbles his mouth, and finally answers with a long sigh.

“There are rumors that I am about to become a dictator.”

***

Blacksmith Skleos has enough steel to make the price of iron circulated throughout the city plummet.

The blacksmith Skleos gathers people in the estate and makes them work.

The blacksmith Skleos and Anoitos, a rich man from the royal capital, become friends.

“Wouldn’t it be gathering troops…?”

“We all know about the virtues of Skleos, right? You are a man of honor. Many of his sons and daughters have married the commoners and nobles of this city.”

“you’re right. There’s no way Skleos-nim would do something ugly.”

There were a lot of people who tried to deny that, but I couldn’t stand the ominous thoughts creeping up on me.

road construction? Was it just an excuse?

Maybe pretending to start a civil engineering project, gathering troops to take over the city in an instant and become the sole power of this Antandros?

Of course, there was nothing I could do about it just because I had such doubts.

Should I stay still? Then, what if the army forged by Skleos invades the yard of the house?

Even just imagining it, terrifying possibilities bloom.

Citizens of the city are making noise.

Commoners and nobles are terrified regardless.

···and,

“As expected, Skleos-sama is dangerous.”

“We must gather the nobles’ consensus and report it to the governor.”

“There is no one rich and prestigious enough to persuade all the nobles except Gieth-sama!”

Even the elders, who have been dedicated to Antandros for generations since the city’s founding, are slowly getting stabbed with suggestions.

One of the dogs, the older Gis, coughed and left. Then, the young and old bow their heads to the city elder with courtesy.

“Is Master Skleos the one who will do something ugly? Even though he is a commoner, his devotion to this city is greater than that of any noble ruler. Why do you make up words like that?”

“Then what can I do to protect this lovely city?”

“that···”

The nobles spent the night and the day in discussion again.

They debated all night, emptied their glasses, and ate pigs and eels.

And, draw conclusions.

***

“Now, how are the workers?”

“Comply. Most of the time, I don’t resist, and I work silently without any complaints.”

…To be honest, I’m not a modern person.

It’s not that Theo didn’t feel guilty when he knocked down the bandit while filming a Hong Kong movie, and it’s not like he didn’t have a sense of reluctance to suddenly arrest people like some kind of 19th-century workhouse.

So I tried my best.

-“Uh…why can’t we beat the workers? Isn’t beating ‘common sense’?”

-“You pay them wages? Wasn’t it taken as a slave? Can’t you just give me a penny to buy a toy?”

. . . once this was blocked.

Of course, no matter how thieves it is, even if it’s a group of nomads, I know that they are boiling with dissatisfaction because they were suddenly kidnapped.

I also know that the atmosphere of a riot is rising.

As the number of prisoners increases, this camp… no, the lodging becomes a village where 100 people live.

Still, there are things that need to be protected.

“For now, we plan to report to Anoitus and the governor. The faster you go, the less damage you will lose.”

Let’s just jump in quickly. And give land and jobs to those nomads and make everyone happy.

If you make it a proper worker…

“Skeleos! It’s a big deal!”

···why? also? What?

“Nobles have come. It seems that Elder Gieth is the representative.”

The servant’s report froze both me and the uncle.

Why are the aristocrats? To private land with no contact?

“Mister, we have to hide the workers first. He said he was suspected of being a dictator right now, but if you show him without directing, you’re just raising a private!”

Actually, that’s right too.

There are all armed groups that run privately for anyone with enough money.

But when rolling in the hundreds, not many will provide steel weapons on top of that.

That appearance is just not at the level of arousing suspicion.

It will give you confidence that we will cause a coup.

The old man knew that, so his expression hardened.

“Which way did you go?”

“Now he is going to visit the workers’ quarters.”

That means you know.

It is ominous that one of Antandros’ powerful men has come to confirm the disturbing rumors with his own eyes. How to interpret this fact…

“I-I have to guide him this way, no, we have to go there in time!”

“okay. Go now.”

Me and Skleos start running fast.

Please, please, before we reach the inn, we must first find Gieth…

“Go left!”

“Okay, go left, mister!!”

At the sound of a cry coming from somewhere, we quickly turn and run. Then, indeed, I see a group of men in colorful clothes from afar.

Surrounded by a scruffy crowd.

“Mmm, give me something to eat!”

“I heard that they will give you food and lodging if you come here! Please have mercy…!!”

An elderly man with sparse brown hair, floundering among the begging poor.

“That is Giess. But what about this crowd…”

“Let’s go over there for now, mister.”

As the uncle and I approach, escorted by servants, the same voice erupts from the crowd again.

“Hey, he’s Skleos, who distributes food to wanderers!”

“Skeleos! Please, give me a job!! The goats raised during the last famine ran away in fear of being slaughtered and beaten by their owners! I will work like a dog!”

“The field split apart and I wandered from the land of Lycia until I came here! If you let me serve you as a master, if you save this child, I can do anything!!”

After breaking through the sudden rush of people, we were finally able to face Giess.

“…Huh, it’s a project to relieve the poor. He does a good job.”

“Oh, ha ha ha, no. Even the gods told us to help the poor.”

“As far as I know, I’ve heard that people who wander are locked up in barracks or something, and then given military training… I guess it’s just a rumor.”

Saying that, Gis blinked one eye.

The meaning was clear.

-I know everything. However, I will tell others ‘just what I saw’.

“What do you want?”

“Skeleos-sama, I will persuade the citizens for the honor of the good and honorable Skleos-sama.”

Gees says.

“I will tell the citizens about the increasing wealth from the overflowing iron ingots, and I will praise the charity that Skleos is performing.

Just give the nobles a chance to participate in road construction. I want to help spread the honor of Skleos to other cities.”

Skleos stroked his beard.

Fine hairs stood out from the cold sweat running down my back.

Those humans weren’t simply swept away by rumors of military training or something.

Clearly you know what it means to clean the roads.

I figured out that the road is a means to control the area.

“Ah, mister…”

“thank you. It is an honor that Gieth-nim understands my will.”

Gieth bowed his head in satisfaction at Skleos’ words.

“Then, now that we’ve come this far, we can’t help but take a look at Skleos-nim’s garden, which was so praised.”

“My servants will guide Gieth. I have to help these poor people… please wait a moment.”

“You’re taking out the wanderers. May Hermes bless you.”

The two of us, relieved, were again surrounded by the poor as Giess followed the servants towards the mansion.

and,

“…”

“…”

The crowd falls silent like a lie.

Suddenly they all have their heads down with their mouths shut.

like worshiping something.

The embarrassed man clears his throat for a while and then continues his conversation.

“What are these things? If you want to get something to eat, you just have to head south, so everyone goes that way…”

“Paris.”

familiar voice.

The cheerful voice that agitated the crowd earlier and pointed us in the direction of Gis.

That voice comes from my left, once.

“This is my little consideration.”

I turned around and this time I heard a voice from the right.

“…apologies for burdening you.”

this time from the front.

[Gather them up.]

And this time… from the back.

When the uncle and I turned around, there was a young man holding a staff with a snake wrapped around it.

[Listen to those wandering the streets.]

Hermes tapped the floor once with his staff, and he was never seen again.