Kays Translations

Chapter 72: Challenges in the North

“Yoichi, wake up.”

Yoichi’s shoulder was shaken.

Peering into Yoichi’s face were two children.

When he realized it, he was in his old room.

There was nothing in the room but a plain table with a handheld game console and textbooks, and a bed.

“Sister, brother… Sorry, I fell asleep.” 

A boy around the fifth or sixth grade of elementary school pursed his lips.

“It can’t be helped, Yoichi.”

He reached out his right hand to his brother.

A thin, untrained arm with no scars.

It looked just like that of a noble lady.

Instead, what stood out was the pendent on the middle finger.

It looked familiar.

—Ginjo Yoichi

It was me from my previous life.

His heart raced, and he took a deep breath.

“Come on, Yoichi, you must have been tired too. But more importantly, Mom and Dad are waiting downstairs.”

“Mom and Dad?”

Fear and tension reflexively surged through his spine.

His heart was tightly squeezed.

“I will be with you too.”

“Yeah.”

Yoichi was led down the stairs by his sister, his steps heavy.

They headed to the tatami room.

It was a place far from the living room where they usually spent their time.

—No, I hate this.

He hated this place.

It was where his parents disciplined Yoichi and his brother.

As expected, when they slid open the sliding door, their parents were seated at the desk.

A hanging scroll with the family crest, consisting of seven folded leaves, was displayed on the alcove.

Portraits of the former heads of the family hung on the wall, glaring at Yoichi.

And right below the portraits, his father’s eyes, the current head of the family, were demanding him to sit.

Trembling, Yoichi sat down.

His sister sat next to him.

As soon as he sat down, his father raised his voice.

“What’s this!?”

Instinctively, Yoichi flinched at the voice.

Thrown onto the desk by his father was a volume of girls’ manga.

“I borrowed it…”

His father sighed loudly, deliberately.

“Someone with the name of Ginjo shouldn’t be interested in such base things.”

His mother shrank.

“It’s all your fault! That’s why I was against giving them games!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

His mother bowed her head to the tatami mat and apologized.

“And you!? Who did you borrow it from!?”

“…”

Unable to answer immediately, Yoichi fell silent.

—Ow!

Suddenly, pain shot through him.

An ashtray flew towards Yoichi, who remained silent despite the question.

“Answer me, you idiot!”

“I borrowed it from… Hina-chan, from across the street.”

His father glared angrily at the window.

Outside was a high-end residential area.

“That’s why I hate nouveau riche. Originally, this entire area belonged to our Ginjo family. But they came later—”

A childhood friend, a girl who had moved in across the street.

They had first met when she was five and had moved in.

She was his first love.

But his father looked down on her, as he did with all non-aristocrats.

Yoichi couldn’t play with nearby children, and he couldn’t even borrow and lend things among children.

His father was angrily irritated.

His mother cried in embarrassment.

And Yoichi watched them both as if they were strangers.

“Hey, Lucius. What do you really want to do? What do you want to achieve as a noble?”

Suddenly, his sister, sitting next to him, spoke up.

She smiled meaningfully.

—What do I really want to do…

Yoichi closed his eyes and thought.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a guest room made of wood and bricks.

The morning sun filtering through the green leaves poured onto his face.

He lifted his heavy head from the bed and sat on the edge.

He felt terribly sick.

Seeing his former life for the first time in a while felt nothing but uncomfortable.

—It’s strange, I didn’t have a sister in my previous life.

Recalling the dream he had just had, it was almost time to leave the capital.

Before the sun rose completely, he needed to head to the Orleans family’s territory to obtain the magic sword.

Moreover, he had to answer the consultation he received from Lord Strauss yesterday.

—Anyway, I need to think about industry now.

He washed his face and sat down.

“Previous life, huh…”

He hadn’t thought much about it, but in terms of industry, his previous life was much more diverse than this world.

He began to consider if there were any hints.

The first thing that came to mind was food.

However, there were many foods similar to those in his previous life.

Although he had never seen rice, people who appreciated rice would be limited in a place where rice culture was not established.

Noodles like ramen or udon were not common either, for the same reason, they were rejected.

Next were hygiene products such as hair care and soap.

Although surfactants were luxury items, they already existed.

So, he rejected them.

Then, there was paper and printing technology.

These also existed.

Wood and cotton were crushed by magic power to make paper.

Furthermore, there was even the letterpress technology.

These were also rejected.

Many things already had artisans.

Although there might be room for improvement in quality if he looked for it, research and development would be necessary because he didn’t know how to make them from his previous life, so he couldn’t immediately take advantage of his previous life’s advantages.

Other things, akin to machinery.

The principle of motors is simple enough that, if one were inclined, they could create something resembling them.

However, fatally, there is no electricity.

To be precise, there is no fossil fuel to generate electricity.

In this world, not only petroleum but also coal and natural gas cannot be obtained.

――I should have researched more in my previous life.

When pondering this for a while, something suddenly occurred to me.

While I had been considering industries that involve manufacturing, there were many other industries besides that.

――Come to think of it…

Lucius hurried to Lord Strauss’s office.

Hurrying down the hallway, he knocked on the door, and Lord Strauss responded.

“Excuse me.”

“Lucius, it’s early in the morning.”

Although Lord Strauss replied like that, both he and his servants were already busy organizing documents in the office.

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about the industries in the north.”

“Oh, let’s hear it.”

Lord Strauss urged Lucius to sit on the sofa with anticipation.

The surrounding servants also listened intently while continuing their work.

As soon as he sat down, Lucius began his explanation.

“Thank you. First of all, the foundation of industry lies in the beast that are used in magic.”

“I see.”

“Beasts have the ability to carry things while being ridden. Even low-level beasts have much greater strength than horses or oxen. So, by utilizing this, we can hire low-level magicians who cannot go to battle and start a transportation business.”

A hint of expectation faded from Lord Strauss’s eyes.

“A transportation business. Not a bad idea. However, if transported directly, you’ll only earn a labor fee. Valuable magicians cannot be allocated to such an industry.”

“I think so too. That’s why we buy everything.”

“I’ve considered that too. It’s inefficient to go through the north to transport goods from the south, east, or west. Food would spoil.”

Lord Strauss sighed disappointingly.

His servants, conscious of their work again, began to focus on their tasks.

It seemed that their expectations had vanished.

“Instead, it would be best to transport directly from the place of origin to the place of consumption. It’s essential to own and distribute everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Transportation isn’t the main focus. It’s important to buy rights instead of goods, so that you can purchase commitments in advance.”

“Purchase commitments? I don’t understand. The price of wheat and tea varies depending on the harvest volume.”

“That’s fine. That’s why you specify the price when you buy in advance.”

Lord Strauss looked puzzled.

“…What do you mean?”

“For example, when wheat is abundant, the price goes down, and when it’s scarce, the price goes up. For the buyer, if you buy at a low price when it’s scarce, you’ll make a profit. Conversely, if the price drops below the purchase price, you’ll lose. But if you buy at a reasonable price where a fair business can be conducted, you’ll make a profit overall. It’s easier to plan for business.”

A small fire lit up in Lord Strauss’s eyes.

“I see, that’s true for the buyer. But what’s the benefit for the seller? Wouldn’t they want to sell at a high price if they can?”

“Income fluctuates depending on the harvest volume, which is unstable for producers. They don’t live only for the harvest season. Even if they know the autumn harvest is poor and they won’t survive the winter, they don’t have time to deal with it. Having foresight is important for anything you do. That’s why Norris-Windsor encourages all intermediaries. Both parties exchange certificates.”

It’s what’s called futures trading.

In other words, Lucius proposed finance to the north.

One of the most prosperous industries in his previous life.

It’s also the foundation of every other industry.

If one person uses one material to make and sell things, there’s no problem with the market price.

But many industries source multiple raw materials and employ people for production.

If one material skyrockets and they end up with surplus materials or personnel, they’ll suffer a loss.

Having a plan for the whole year or multiple years is crucial for business, not just during the harvest season.

Although the order of things was reversed, the household noticed the innovation in this idea.

Among them, only Lord Strauss remained skeptical.

“…There seems to be something more… to it.”

“Yes, there is one good thing that can happen if this system is implemented.”

“What is it?”

Everyone held their breath and listened intently.

“Economic scale will no longer be limited by the amount of gold and silver mined. These certificates themselves will become currency. You can even buy other things with certificates that can be received as goods.”

Everyone tilted their heads in confusion for a moment. But a moment later, they understood the meaning and grimaced.

The currency of this country is gold and silver.

The reason is that if melted and sold, it can be sold as precious metal as it is.

When currency is traded, it’s traded at a slightly higher value than when it’s melted and sold. This difference in value acts as credit to the country.

Therefore, currency falls under the jurisdiction of the royal family and is absolutely inviolable.

However, this comes with a disadvantage in exchange for asset security.

The size of the economy, in short, depends on the total circulation of currency.

The current economy depends not on the content of industries but on the supply of precious metals, or in other words, the amount of mining.

Replacing this with certificates.

In other words, Lucius proposed that the north control the national currency economy.

If misunderstood, it could be interpreted as treason against the royal family, or even the state.

The household gathered here are all talented individuals gathered from the states.

It didn’t take long for them to understand the essence of Lucius’s proposal.

The only one who listened to the proposal with a solemn expression was Lord Strauss.

In his eyes, you could definitely see fear.

“How did you come up with this?”

“…It’s not something I came up with myself. That’s why sooner or later, someone will do it. If this industry is run by malicious people, it will corrupt many people and lead to ruin. So, shouldn’t it be done by someone with aspirations?”

Lord Strauss’s breathing became rough.

And something akin to cold sweat ran down his forehead.

“Lucius… Since seeing the evil dragon at the edge of the forest for the first time, I’ve felt fear for the second time. No, to be honest… it might be even more terrifying than back then.”

For nobles responsible for managing their territories, military force is just one aspect of power.

In addition to that, many abilities are required to enrich the economy and daily lives of the subjects.

It’s obvious to anyone that Lucius possesses vast magic power, top-tier spells, and overwhelming military strength. Moreover, he has shown qualities befitting a lord.

“When considering the development and growth of industries, there is no other choice but to increase the economic scale.”

“…There are risks too. This method carries the danger of expanding beyond the real economy… Human desires and distrust have no limits.”

Lord Strauss fell silent.

A silence filled the room, and the eyes of the servants focused on Lord Strauss.

After some hesitation, he spoke up.

“First of all, there are two challenges.”

“Challenges?”

“One. There are techniques to disguise oneself as others. Therefore, the legitimacy of certificates must be guaranteed. If the certificate itself holds value beyond gold coins, counterfeiters will inevitably appear.”

“…Is there no way to discern the genuine from the fake, like appraisal techniques?”

“There are techniques to examine materials, but the essence of the certificate lies in identifying the issuer, not the materials. Without a mechanism to prevent counterfeiting, it’s difficult.”

“If it’s about materials, can’t special dyes be used?”

“If you can silence the mouths of every person in the world, perhaps.”

If one person leaks the formula for ink or paper, it can easily spread.

“Two. There is no credibility in the north.”

“Credibility…?”

“Yes. If certificates hold value greater than currency, corresponding credibility is required. In simple terms, it’s the gold or silver that serves as a guarantee in times of need.”

“Gold and silver…?”

To circulate transactions beyond currency, ordinary currency isn’t sufficient. It requires something with high liquidity, durability, and portability.

In other words, assets that have been used since ancient times, gold and silver.

“Gold and silver mining falls under the jurisdiction of the west. There’s no way to increase it.”

Lucius let out a disappointed sigh.

“…I see. It sounded like a good idea. Reality is indeed complicated.”

“Setting aside gold and silver, the first challenge isn’t without hope.”

Lord Strauss slowly opened the drawer of his desk.

He took out a blank sheet of paper from it and handed it to Lucius.

“Shine a light on it.”

As instructed, when light was shone on it, a painting of a noblewoman standing by a lakeside appeared. By adjusting the angle, it turned into a mountain landscape.

“A watermark and latent image, right?”

“…You knew, as expected. But that’s not all.”

Only the fruit of a tree by the lakeside is slightly raised.

“I’ve even made it embossed. With this, can’t counterfeiting be prevented?”

“It’s probably possible, but we can’t make it ourselves.”

“We can’t?”

“Yeah, I bought this paper from a traveling merchant. He said he got it from the land managed by Orleans and obtained it from dwarves.”

“Dwarves. Then let’s get their cooperation.”

“That’s difficult.”

“Why is that?”

Lord Strauss grimaced as if he had bitten into a bitter bug.

He might not want to verbalize it.

“Unfortunately, dwarves and humans have long been hostile to each other.”

“I see…”

Reflecting on these unsettling words, Lucius had no choice but to leave the office.

Before the sun rose high, Lucius and Crane departed from the state capital, Barondia, escorted by Lord Strauss and the Knights.

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