A rare magical miracle in the world

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"Is this the fishing village? That sea songstress, does such a person really exist?"

"There are many legends on the sea, like the shooting green lights at sunset, the ephemeral Rainbow Bridge, and the Skull Sea Area filled with death and confusion."

The old man said, "Compared to these, the legend of the sea songstress isn't so miraculous."

The young man, Andy, was visiting the fishing village for the first time, but he had no interest in continuing to be a merchant, so he wasn't interested in ghost stories about the sea.

"But uncle, is what we're doing really okay?"

Andy asked his uncle, "That's the person the nobles want. Aren't you afraid something might go wrong by reporting it?"

"Idiot."

The old man slapped Andy on the head, "The men of the sea are not afraid of storms or sea beasts. Are nobles more frightening than storms?"

"Are you really not afraid? I saw you hesitate for quite a while."

"I, I was just thinking about how best to put it!"

The old man's face turned red; after all, he had just been proven wrong: "You little brat, are you doubting my courage?"

"Yes, yes, you're brave, you've got the biggest guts."

"You might not be afraid, but I am."

Andy said, "And I've never even seen a sea beast before, do they really exist?"

"You'll see them in the future."

The old man didn't elaborate; in truth, he hadn't encountered sea beasts very often either.

It was common sense, after all. If they had encountered a sea beast, how could ordinary people like them possibly make it back alive? They would have died at sea long ago.

"Remember this, Andy."

The old man said, "A man can fear death, but he must not be ungrateful or treacherous. Better to die without regrets than to live in disgrace."

"Uncle, I can barely read a few words, why are you being all literary?"

"Smack!"

"Ouch!"

However, another slap to the back of his head, Andy complained, "I'm already short, if you keep hitting me, I'll never grow taller."

"Eat your dried fish and quit your whining!"

The old man was somewhat helpless with his nephew, but he was the only child in the family, and he had to protect him.

However, he could not ignore past kindness.

Years ago, the old man had encountered a storm while out fishing and had the extremely bad luck of meeting a sea beast as well.

The old man thought he was surely going to die, but the song coming through the storm scared off the sea beast, calmed the storm, and saved his life.

Just as the old man said, the men of the sea fear nothing but their own guilt.

He didn't have to come.

But if he didn't come, the old man feared he would never have peace of conscience again.

"According to the rules, pay the taxes."

At the entrance to the fishing village, the old man ordered the boats to berth, and in front of them, the local fishermen were already waiting with barrels full of marine products.

The old man was in charge of purchasing fish for the island, but he wasn't leading the business, just a small branch within a large team, working for someone else, with no real say in matters.

"Sorry, old friend."

The old man said to Iotina and her father, "The taxes have increased recently, now it's a ninety percent levy."

"Taxes increased again? How can they do this?"

On hearing this, the fishermen expressed their dissatisfaction.

"Damn it."
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"This is no way to treat people, is it?"

"I say, we might as well go to sea and head far away; why put up with such injustice?"

"Run away? Where could we go?"

"Only near the inland is safe. Out there, sea beasts lurk, and one misstep could cost your life."

"But staying here will starve us to death too!"

"We can't go on living like this..."

Unlike the land tax for farmers, the fishermen in the sea mostly had to hand over their catch to the local traders.

But with a ninety percent tax, that is to say, for every 100 fish caught, only 10 go to the fishermen.

Such taxation is simply driving people to desperation.

What's worse, the best fish are selected first, leaving only the leftover 10% for the fishermen.

In other words, only the worthless fish are accounted for, not the expensive ones.

Some might wonder, aren't they afraid of starving people or provoking rebellion?

They're truly not afraid.

Because if people are about to starve, they will come forth themselves, volunteering to become slaves.

A slave is property; give them a bit of food and a place to live, and they'll work themselves to death for you.

But what about free men?

Even if they are obstinate, they are still free men.

What does it matter if they have their own fields, their savings? Do the powerful need people like them?

No, they don't!

All they want are servants, and the more, the better.

As for rebellion, they long for it.

If anyone dares to rebel, the Miracle Troop Type will be deployed. How could mere mortals compete with the army of the gods, wielders of the Miracle Power?

Rebel, and it's a death sentence.

And if the rebellion fails, the outcome is either beheading by the Master of Miracles or a trip to the slave market.

So after going in circles, the outcome is still a life of slavery; what's the point of rebelling?

"Hand over the fish."

Rhode, Iotina's father, let people bring the fish up.

Though their days were hard, there was also good fortune, such as the old man who would not embezzle nor take more than his due.

This was the greatest luck for the fishing village to have come across a good tradesman.

Yet, the old man was ultimately just a small player.

He might not exploit them here, but once back at the Ancient City to join the majority, he still had to pay out of his own pocket to satisfy those above him.

Truth be told, Rhode's fishing village already had it good.

Some fishing villages could hardly turn in enough food, but there would still be regular collections.

What for?

The tax collected did not even cover the cost of transportation and expenses incurred along the way.

But it didn't matter because, after all, it was just some food. Compared to what they really gained, that bit of food was negligible.

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