Chapter 83 Industry

Translator: Isekai Shousetsu

At present, our country has paper and salt for industry.

We can also add to this the seized Garnet stones from the previous war.

Thanks to these three, our present public finance is profiting.

However, money is something you need in as much quantity as possible.

From hereon, the construction of the capital, the road project, and flood control project will begin.

At anyrate, well need money for the other things too such as the propagation of iron tool production, horses, and cows.

Moreover, I want to quickly finish the propagation of a monetary economy throughout the country. To achieve that, I think other industries are also necessary.

The country is producing paper, iron, and garnet stones while monopolizing their means of production.

With that, although the countrys income is increasing, the peoples incomes are not.

Furthermore, paper is not something the people are using. Even garnet is something that only some landowners buy.

While acquisition of foreign currency is important, increasing domestic demand is also important.

Even the common people of the Rosyth Kingdom need goods they can buy and splurge on a little.

For the time being, what Ive roughly thought about is recommending the production of liquor varieties such as whiskey, vodka, grappa, and the like.

I only understand the structure of continuous stills so Ill pass this task on to a craftsman.

He should be able to manage and create something similar to it. Its fine if they could only create one with a performance not worse than the existing stills. Its just a matter of improving it as the years pass by.

As for wine, its being made by farm villages everywhere.

Next, itll be good if we now let those we put for export to properly mature. This, however, would make the maturity period into three years and above.

Grappas, on the other hand, mature in around six months to become alcohol so we should proactively make them.

As for beer, Im not recommending we make it.

I dont understand much but it seems the Adernians and Cretians dont like beer that much.

In the first place, wine, for them, is something that is drunk diluted with water.

Something drunk excessively and on its own without being diluted, like beer, is something theyd consider uncivilized.

In the first place, barley is largely known as livestock feed, so the people kind of look down on it.

Thats why theyd probably hate beer.

Vodka is also made from barley but its probably safe to recommend since it can be drunk diluted with water. Its also something not drunk excessively.

Well, therell always be someone whod be drinking it like a fish anyway.

Im also recommending the cultivation of flax and hemp. Im wondering about what to do with hemp, however.

What should we do with hemp?

I try asking Julia and Tetra.

This really is common knowledge, but hemp is something that can be turned into narcotics.

Naturally, if I recommended its cultivation, therell always be someone who would be cultivating it only for recreational use.

Cracking down on it would be a herculean task.

In the first place, there are already a lot of farm villages cultivating hemp in this country, so it wasnt prohibited. Itll be like snatching away livelihoods after all with the added bonus of creating a shortage in domestic textile supplies.

However, in the end, cannabis is a narcotic.

While you often hear that the toxicity of cannabis is lower than tobacco, from my point of view as someone who has never done both (that goes without saying), theyre just unnecessary things.

If its not popular then itd be better if it stays that way.

Itll only corrupt public order after all, and greatly increase medical expenses.

Itll also feed organized crime.

At this present level of popularity, if we wanted to put it out of fashion then we should be able to.

If it grows into a custom, then even something like this would become inextinguishable.

That said, clothes can be made from hemp.

We obtained large quantities of wool from the Equus tribe so were still satisfying demand.

However, once we unify the Adernia Peninsula, theres a high chance that demand would overtake supply.

Since we are propagating, via sorcerers, the sterilization processes from making distilled spirits, we are also reducing fatalities from postpartum infections.

Crop rotation is also slowly propagating therefore greatly increasing food production.

With these developments, future demand of clothing is sure to increase.

Should we monopolize the production and sale of hemp and ward off the popularity of narcotics?

Or should we recommend the cultivation of hemp in order to satisfy clothing demands?

We should monopolize it. For textiles, rather than hemp, we should be recommending flax. Unnecessary things are unnecessary. Medicine that makes a fool of people should be regulated.

Tetra first gives her opinion.

Linen, from flax, is an extremely popular textile in the west.

My clothes are also made from linen.

Its softer than hemp after all. It also feels better to the touch.

Well, certainly flax itself is enough, huh. Recommending hemp is probably unnecessary.

Hmm, I think its better if we recommend it, you know. We wont be able to monocrop flax, right? In contrast, we could introduce hemp through crop rotation, so we should be able to produce them in great quantities. Besides, even if we regulate hemp, itll still enter the country, right? The Cretians and the like are hooked on it after all.

Come to think of it, there are lots of Cretians addicted to cannabis, huh

If those guys enter the country, then naturally cannabis follows.

Cretians would be like Dude, this things crazy yo. And Adernians would be like Seriously? Let me try dude!!

Crazy Cretians. Dont pull my pure innocent Adernians into the dark side.

If we are to ban its use as a narcotic then we should also ban its trade with other countries. Otherwise, wouldnt it be better if we just make a virtue out of necessity?

Hmm, what to do.

Then I guess well suspend recommending hemp for the meantime while only recommending the cultivation of flax.

Lets also stop recommending its cultivation on a national level. Well just recommend it when demand increases and supply fails to satisfy.

In the end, we choose a compromise.

Nee, Almis. Youre recommending raising cows, pigs, and horses, right? However, youre not quite recommending raising sheep, yes? Can I know why?

Its because the Equus tribe is raising sheep. Im avoiding trade friction. They are strong militarily after all.

The reason the Equus tribe and the Rosyth Kingdom hasnt gone into conflictis is the Alva Mountain Range.

Horses cant cross mountains easily.

Besides, the Equus tribe doesnt seem to have much interest in what lies beyond the mountain range.

However, because of the alliance, the circumstances have changed a little.

There is an extremely high possibility that they would come to a decision to invade the affluent Rosyth Kingdom.

Therefore, I will destroy, as much as possible, any seed that will lead to conflict. Its better for neighbors to be on good terms.

With that point in mind, we could see that we wont have competitors in cows and pigs.

Cows can be used for labor after all and can be harvested for milk.

Pigs, on the other hand, grows fat quickly so its optimum for meat consumption.

While we do procure horses from the Equus tribe

Its difficult to say their horses are suitable for farmwork even though they are suitable for warfare.

Thus, its better to raise our own horses for farmwork while still procuring horses for warfare from them.

I like freshwater fish more than pork.

I, on the otherhand, like fruit more than meat.

While its good and all that your preferences are healthy, its because of those preferences that the two of you are so little, you know

By the way, by the way

Julia lowers her voice.

You said that youd unify the Adernia peninsula butdo you have any plans in the near future?

Its about war, huh.

I dont have any plans for the meantime. Ive just become king after all. I want to focus more on the countrys domestic governance.

Right now, we are pumping manpower into construction projects.

If we went to war, then we would have to interrupt those projects.

At the very least, we would start after we have trained a standing army.

Hows the training going?

I call Ron, Roswald, and Gram to ask them.

Ron, Roswald, and Gram oversee the hoplites, cavalry, and bowmen plus javelineers respectively.

Ron is the first to speak.

Theres a difference in skill between the new recruits and the soldiers from the Ars Territory but theyre doing well for the most part. Give it a month and we should be able to send them to a real war.

Theres no problem with the hoplites training.

Next is Gram, huh.

From the very beginning, we would need technology in archery. The people we recruited for our standing army were career bowmen and hunters, so theyre quite capable by themselves. Howevertheir skills are quite different from what Im aiming for.? Theyre also not used to handling long bows. They are, however, ready to be sent to actual battle.

In other words, the bowmen too have no problems.

Last isRoswald, huh.

Come to think of it, whats blondie doing? Is he still a soldier?

That guy, he seemed to have bought himself freedom from slavery.

Virgar, yes? That guy, it seems he lost all his money to prostitutes. Thats why hes gone back to soldiering. It seems the other former slaves too have similar stories. The rest, on the otherhand, are still soldiering for more moneyor so they say.

Oh? Thats good.

Itll be bad without the Germanis after all. Our strength would fall.

The skill difference between the old timers and the new recruits is too big. Its out of the question Furthermore, the only ones who could match the Equus tribesmen are the former Germanis slaves. Itll simply be difficult to send them into real battle

Difficult, huh.

Well, cavalry training is difficult after all. Oh, Ive got an ideawhy dont we buy more from Ains?

But relying on foreigners is bad huhI guess youll just have to do your best one way or another. Its not like we need to train them up to the level of Equus tribesmen. It would be fine if they could just hold their own squarely.

Its unreasonable to expect winning against the Equus tribe in terms of cavalry.

Those people are cavalrymen by birth.

Will we be having a war soon?

Ron asks me.

No, right now, I dont have any intention of starting a war. Howevertheres a slight chance a war may be pushed on to us.

The Rosyth Kingdom had suddenly grown in power.

Were already breaking past 200,000 people in population.

The Belvedere Kingdom on the south and the Eville Kingdom on the west only have around 100,000 people. It wouldnt be strange if they would consider us as threats.

The nail that sticks out gets hammered in.

Theres enough danger that wed be pushed into an anti-Nobunaga coalition-like situation.

Thats why the standing army is important. To be able to immediately mobilizedwith no permissions necessary from the great clansmen. Ill be relying on you.

Understood!!

Now then, I now know the standing army has no problems.

Itll be peaceful for a while, huh.

Come to think of it, you guys, when are you going to get married?

The three turn red and avert their faces.

Still undecided, huh. Hurry up and get it over with, guys.

Bartolo. How is it with the De Morgal Kingdom?

Lets see. They seem to be embroiled in disputes regarding the succession problem.

Im having Bartolo conduct espionage against the De Morgal Kingdom.

Im also conducting my own operations but, as expected, Bartolo, with a territory directly neighboring the target, should be more informed.

Why do you ask, milord?

Itll be bad if we get pitted against a coalition of the De Morgal Kingdom, Eville Kingdom, Belvedere Kingdom and the Equus tribe, after all.

Were allied with the Equus Kingdom so theres little worry about them double crossing us but

In the world, nothing is certain.

Lets seeThe De Morgal Kingdom and the Equus tribe doesnt have any intention to invade our country. We dont have to worry about that. De Morgal doesnt have the leeway to do that anyway plus Equus is, even though provisionally, allied with us. The problems are Eville and Belvedere. However, I believe we could rest easy regarding the Eville Kingdom.

And your reason is?

King Eville is a prudent person, you see. Hes not the type of person to do something so easily. Because De Morgal and Equus dont have the intention to invade our country, itll be difficult to pit us against a coalition. Eville wont be able to move.

Conversely, if De Morgal were to settle down and Equus would have a change of heart, then the coalition becomes a possibility.

How about Belvedere?

UnfortunatelyI have no idea. However, that king has a tendency to dislike a country that overtakes his. It was also him who supported the independence of King Ferrum. Therefore, the possibility ((of conflict)) is there. ?HoweverI dont think theyd make a move if the other three countries wont show interest.

I seein other words, there are no problems at this point in time.

Is that so? By the way, what do you think about having an alliance with the several Cretian city-states?

Hmm, isnt it fine? It wont put us in a disadvantage, yes? However, do we even have some feelers?

From Ains. He said theyre talks from Lezzad.

In other words, theyre just feelers/testing the waters.

Ains was probably the one who pushed for it. He probably intends to expand his influence over Lezzad on the coattails of my power.

An alliance with Lezzad would be a check against Belvedere, too.

If you are so inclined, then how about you go there and try it out?

N?

Im talking about your honeymoon, milord. Why dont you visit Lezzad, Gehenna, and Nemes for it?

Thatsprobably a great idea.