CHAPTER 19
Maverick Parked sighed as he read the report about Bob. He was indeed a warrior and he seemed to be someone with brains and layout. They had noted how he had created companies and how the stronger and wiser people under him kept growing stronger in their own area. They were indeed the most handsome and pretty women and he had seen records where they showed strength higher than human normal human limits. He should have used the pill and other methods to make his subordinates strong. Maverick sighed as if they were not his subordinates, he should have surely hired them. He knew that if someone wise as Bob had made his subordinates stronger, they were surely under his control.
He shook his head as the country lost many talents. But he could ask Bob if he needed their help. Subordinates were nothing more than subordinates. No matter how strong they are, they have no right to decide for themselves. Just like how the councilors under the lord has to follow the orders of their lord even if their lord was wrong, all of them should have to listen to Bob.
Three weeks had passed since Bob had come under him. He had passed the theoretical test that needed a year of training for any bureaucrat who were the most talented among the whole nation. Bob seemed to have become something beyond human. He had seen Bob learn for two weeks straight without eating or sleeping.
So the only thing left was a practical test. Usually a practical test is still a mission given with low level of risk. Even the failure of the mission should not cause much harm to the nation.
Maverick kept reading through the possible list of missions as he wanted to find a good mission fit for Bob to let him make a good record for his first mission. After a long time, Maverick found the right one.
The mission was to go to the town named Wallux town in the Northern province. Although the nation had a proper form of government, it was not unseen of certain tribes still following the older forms of self-governance. That was the problem with Wallux town which was a small rural town surrounded by many villages. The problem came up from the fact that Sebastian, the leader of Landow village who was the leader of the village and Alexander, the leader of Blackburn village now had a feud.
Both had a private army and fought with each other. The problem remained that the neither side was willing to stop fighting and in the last fight, they had even bought some illegal weapons. Usually fights among villages or such groups in cities (gangsters) does not include any mortal injuries to either side. Although gangsters can be arrested and gangs could be destroyed, the same could not be done with the people of such villages as they were all relatives to each other and had family. Catching all men who fought would paralyze the village.
So such fights were tolerated as long as they did not break the rules and both sides did not call the police. Once they did, arrest was needed. But now both sides have started getting weapons such as guns. Even all the villagers who fought holding sticks have started holding knives and homemade swords for fighting. They were warned and kept in control but some intervention was needed.
So he called Bob and gave him the selected mission. He kept speaking, "The real reason for the mortal fight is because Alexander fell in love with the sister of Sebastian but Sebastian does not want his sister to marry someone from the village and wants her to go to the city. But his sister plans to marry Alexander. The fight escalated when Alexander accidentally broke the leg of the uncle of Sebastian."
Bob smiled and said, "Is there any other serious problem letting this fight continue?"
Maverick shook his head and said, "No. We could only detain the leaders of either side for 14 days and assign some constable there to keep people from either side in line. I am afraid that if we do not keep them in control, we will have another case similar to Tarnstead Ville case where both villagers fought using knife over river water causing 49 deaths and 77 disabilities. The biggest problem is that we cannot arrest them all and could only fine them and sent each family away under forced conscription."
Maverick sipped some water and said, "The police cannot intervene as if they arrest someone, they will have to arrest everyone. They do not have the right to work beyond the protocol other than arresting everyone or just trying to deal the problem through mild conversations as they are allowed to use force only while arresting or driving away mob. So a bureaucrat with power and authority is needed to be present there to manage both sides and even use force as such bureaucrats have the right to use force and can order the police temporarily under them to attack as long as no disability is caused."
Bob shook his head and said, "I am sure to take care of this issue. I am not going to hide my identity as a warrior so I may use such techniques."
Maverick nodded. Although IB has absolute right to do without any supervision, since he was not IB yet, as per protocol, he had to ask the plan of this young man and had to keep tab of him. So he asked, "What are your plans?"
Bob smiled and said, "Enter the town with the identity as IB. Show my power of as a warrior threatening both sides in a casual and unofficial manner. Let my identity as a warrior and healer spread among both villages. Then let Alexander pay a lot of money to let me heal the uncle of Sebastian. If so, the core issue of the escalation of the fight can be stopped. As for the love between Sebastian and that women, what should I do. I can indeed arrange a job for Sebastian in a city but the problem remains that if I do so and the news spread, I doubt if other villages will act to let some among them get a job in the city. As for the things related to the heart, I am not sure of it. Do you have any suggestion sir?"
Maverick smiled and said, "The society works the way it works due to inertia of life. When they think about the next leader needed for succession, they naturally think about the son of the king rather than the wise prime minister. We just need to create a new inertia. Just contact the local media outlet to write some stories of how women from the villages are cheat in the cities. You can even find such women who has no choice but to live harshly in the city and wants to prefer to live in a village but cannot return to her own village. You can then buy her some land and cattle and ask her to stay in the village and let her speak out about her life. There are many who would prefer such a life rather than living in the city while doing menial jobs. The only reason they have not gone to a village is because they do not have money to invest in land and other necessary things to survive in a village."
Bob asked in doubt, "That might be harsh on the women as men from the cities can accept non-virgin women as long as she is not a prostitute and has not been with much men. But the men in such backward villages should be traditional expecting their women to be virgin. She might not be able to get married in the village when there is a possibility of her getting married and living a happy life."
Maverick smiled and said, "When you are a leader, you job is to manage the masses and develop the society, not the individual. You should only develop the individual if not doing so will affect the society in a bad manner or doing so will affect the society in a good manner. As for the your concerns, they are not necessary. The idea of women needing to be virgins is only applicable to rich and the noble. Even among them, there are cases of women not being virgins and the men having to marry her, either due to her power or due to the money she holds. I am not looking down on the commoners but you should understand that before we had democracy, the very same commoners whom you expect to be traditional marry their sister-in-laws when their brothers die. There are also cases of men marrying their aunts when their uncle related to them through blood dies. In those times, there were two possible cases for the value of women. Either women were valuable and hence such women could not be allowed to return when her family was paid the bride-price. If it were those times when women were not valuable, to ensure the survival of the widow and their children, men of the family has to marry her and take care of her children."
"The first case of women being valuable were during the peaceful times. Nobles and rich likes prostitutes and many family sell their daughters. There were records of even husbands selling their wives as in those times, men had the legal righto of custody over their wives. Many rich and nbles would also like to hire tens of concubines and hundreds of maids to take care of the house. Maids were the best option for the lustful as maids were no different from slaves. They had deeds and the one holding the deed could even beat them to death. In such times when the master could just sleep with the maid even if she was married and had children forcibly, do you think that men care about her virginity."
"As for women being less valuable, it is during the times of war. There are cases of war that reduces the male population by 30% or more. Such men will work hard and the talented during these times have higher chances of climbing higher. Widows no longer have value of remarriage and hence could only live a harsh life. It is during these times, even the government forces men to get married denying them the option of remaining single. The men are even asked to marry multiple women even when it is hard for them to just live."
"So men in villages do not care for such things as virginity of their bride. Even if they care, it is not often possible to ensure it. The current era was the time when such possibility could be ensured as the law is too strict to let go of any rape cases and do not legally allow the women to be sold off. No prostitution is allowed. Due to the current equality of men and women and the fact that women can live by themselves as long as they are educated, many women just have boyfriends before they get married. There are even many couples who never get married but live together for life. So even though the current government ensured a good possible situation, both men and women broke the chance of having a sacred married life where both husband and wife shall remain with each other. Men goes into debauchery and women follows men to do the same. Rich men sleep with many women and angry rich women created host clubs where they could sleep with many men. The only thing I can say is, this situation is barely controllable in the bureaucratic circle. As for the rich circle, it is too filthy. The rich has many concubines whether they are men or women. I hope you maintain a good and proper view about relationship just like me and other bureaucrats. Your family should be a good role model for you."
Bob nodded. What Maverick said was right? He smiled and said, "I will take care of this issue. Will I be given the authority to claim the identity of IB."
Maverick nodded and said, "Yes. You have 4 chances of failure. You can only undergo 7 tests and you need to get at least 3 success among the 7 tests. "
Bob asked, "What rights do I have?"
Maverick smiled and said, "None. An IB is allowed to have the right to command as per the mission given to him. During other times, the right is given as per his rank and he has to ask other bureaucrats in the system and they will listen to you as per your rank and authority as per your merits. As for right to gain intelligence from internal service or secret service, you will only gain it when you get the position of an IB. For now, you can get the needed information through me.. So for now, you will be allowed to command over the captain there. You may leave"
Bob nodded and left seeing the conversation was over.