Chapter 248: Gold and Silver
I will make arrangements as soon as I return to Nambonan City.
Roomon is very determined to take care of the sunflower field. He may be trying to make up for his sister's mismanagement, but he should finish what he has to do in New Nellie before returning home.
Are you going back already?”
I'm thinking of going home temporarily. Since I won't be leaving immediately, I will send a letter outlining the main points in advance, but …… I still think it would be more accurate to communicate this matter verbally in person.”
He says he doesn't think he can convey his intentions in writing alone, though he is not very good at …… Explaining why he is building a huge sunflower field, why the nobility is going to the trouble of investing in the port renovation, and why he is demanding a refund from the Orville family, which has neglected the project so far.
I'm not sure that the text alone will convey what I'm trying to do,” He said.
I will return to New Nellie when I have a better idea of what I want to do.
He said he was not going to give up his visit.I was frankly told that I should do as I pleased and take my own advice.
I'll leave it to you. …… Well, since it's my request, I'll tell the knight Belmacan to arrange round-trip transportation.
With Roomon at my side, who was shrinking and expressing his gratitude, I looked at the civil servant. Now the Belmacans will provide us with the means of transportation.
I will report back to you when I am ready to leave New Nellie.” ……..I know I'm a careless sister, but please ……”
Judging from the way they were talking, it seemed that they were going to leave Kohliy in New Nellie City.
If there is anything else you need, I will take care of it.
When you say that, I feel like ordering a lot of things. If I give any orders to Nambonan City, it will be like a game of messages, and my intentions may be maliciously misinterpreted. Be the best way to be sure.
I'd like to know what's going on in the …… Spierzeig territory, and how it's doing.
Various reports on the recent situation of the Spierzeiks are coming in on a daily basis. This is the specialty of those who work for Quardenze, and they are not sloppy.
The most important and reliable information, but I also wanted to know what was going on at the end of the line, the people living in Spiaseik territory.
I was in awe of you. I will gather merchants and peddlers who are familiar with the area of Vojstra and confirm the information.
I have already tried to find out about the territory's geographical strength in terms of business.Roomon seemed to immediately understand what I was looking for, nodded lightly to indicate his understanding and continued to speak.
I'm going to investigate this …… As soon as I get back home. There are a few things that are bothering me.
Things that are bothering you?
Yes. Just the other day, a wagon arrived from Nambonan to deliver a delivery. Among them was a letter addressed to me.
The sender was the Nambonan City Business Association.
Is something wrong?
No, just a status report.
According to Roomon, the trade association voluntarily collects information about the territory of Spiaseik. And they regularly provide information to the commoner-born employees of the Nambonan City Hall.
Originally, roomon was asking various questions from merchants at my request, but after repeating this process, the mayor seemed to realize that he wanted information from the private sector, and before long, the union began to organize the information.
That's a good thing, that he's diligent.
I think they would work better if I praised them like this. Considering why they're going through all that trouble, it's probably to be remembered better by me. I'm sure this reputation will be passed on via room-on.
So, what's the report?”
'The gist of it was not much different from when I was in Nambonan City.
The report was about how the territory of Spierzeig was becoming less attractive to merchants and how the lives of its people were becoming more difficult, which had become standard since the fall of the castle of Raishleif.
'I'm glad to see you're going downhill so well.
Tell me what's bothering you,” Roomon quietly opened his mouth to meet my gaze.
'It was described as an afterthought to the report. …… Recently, there seems to be an increase in payments in gold coins within the territory of Spierzeig.”
Even commoners would at least use gold coins if they were doing large transactions.
You mean gold coins instead of silver coins?
Yes.
In the western part of the continent, in short, the Zinkaan Empire, silver coins are mainly used. The Spiaseik family is, after all, the Dukes of Spiaseik, an imperial noble family, so it is a little strange that gold coins are being used more frequently in their territory.
In the Imperial Domain, there have always been more payments in silver coins than in gold coins. Silver can be obtained in the great field of Alpeo.
In the Alpeo region, which is under the direct control of the emperor of the Jin Khaen Empire, there is a dreamlike field where silver can be taken in large quantities. Far the largest in number, variety, and circulation.
Although the story of Emperor Jin Khaen is often full of tales of spectacular heroism, I personally believe that it was his ability to secure this solid financial foundation that led to his seizure of the western part of the continent.
It is the story of a peddler who visited the city of Nambonan.
The peddler was transporting goods he had purchased in another territory when he stopped at a farming village in Spiaseik territory.He decided to do some light business there and sold some of his cargo to the village, receiving payment in gold coins.
On the day of his departure from the village, the peddler was approached by the village chief asking if he would buy some of the village's products. Thinking that the products would make good merchandise, he agreed and offered gold coins as payment. Was reluctant and asked him to settle the matter in silver coins.
The …… Peddler was alarmed that the village might have grabbed counterfeit gold coins.”
Indeed, considering the flow of transactions, the composition is such that the gold coins go to the peddlers and the silver coins to the village. Silver coins were swapped.
Was it real gold?
Yes, it was. So, they decided that he just wanted to exchange the coins.
The peddler told us that he had such a near-miss episode when he visited Nambonan.
But this was the second time the merchants' association had heard about it.
There was another peddler who had a similar experience in another town, he said.
So I gathered together the merchants who had recently visited or traded in Spiaseik territory and confirmed that there is apparently a trend in some areas to release gold coins and secure silver coins …….”
However, he was unable to obtain enough data to make a definite statement because fewer people are passing through Spierzeig territory than before. Roomon said the conclusion was based on a lot of intuition on the part of the Nambonan merchants over the years.
Is it the same on the part of the lords that the gold settlements have increased?”
'It seems to me that this is only limited to the lords.
It means that it is not the will of the Spierzeik family. Besides, if that side is moving, our people will notice something.
I thought about it briefly, but no answer immediately came to mind.
This is a well-known story in some areas…… Especially among peddlers who travel between the free city clusters in the south and the independent noble families.”
Roomon then took a breath, made a sigh, and announced his conclusion his.
It is said that you should withdraw early from lands where the gold settlement of the people has increased sharply.
This was new news to me. The civil servants in the room also checked with their eyes, but they all said that they did not know.
What is the reason?
The reason?” “Because the lord of the land is likely to be in a very bad position in a foreign war. The people are afraid of having their gold confiscated, and it is said that they are sensitive to the atmosphere in the territory and act accordingly.
The aristocrats are desperate if their destruction is finally in sight, and they will squeeze all the money out of the commoners at once, completely disregarding their reputation.
“I don't understand ……. If you consider the risk of having your property confiscated by the lord's authority, there is not much difference between gold and silver coins. And gold coins are not just thrown away, but the consideration, the actual thing or silver coins, should remain on hand, then they are just taken away instead.
“Yes, but …… Its …….”
Roomon is very reluctant to speak. When I strongly encouraged him to continue, he responded in a grave tone.
It involves the procurement of …… Forbidden equipment.
Forbidden weapons. The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your time in the field is to be prepared for the most difficult times.
He may have decided that since these tools are intended to harm the nobility, they should not be spoken of lightly.
If there is uncertainty about the number of weapons held,” He said, “They will be underestimated by those around them. Think of the former Galliana territory: ……”
For the nobility, securing forbidden vessels is of a certain importance.
The former Galliana family is a good example. It is said that the head of the Galliana family at that time was in financial difficulties and sold off some of the forbidden vessels in secret. Perhaps the Quardenze family thought that since they had switched from the empire to the kingdom, they would no longer be involved in the war. However, Milord, a wealthy merchant who had obtained this information, secretly spread the rumor. The rumor was exaggerated, saying that the Gallinas had sold all forbidden their vessels.
The Gallicans were greatly disturbed by this. Since there were not many followers in the Galliana lands to begin with, the nobles of the surrounding kingdoms began to look down on the Gallinas. This was a major problem for the nobility's dignity.
In such a difficult situation, Milord, a big merchant with an innocent look on his face, appeared in full force and said, “My wealth is widely known. My wealth is widely known. If I were to adopt you into the Galliana family, it would lend credence to the story that you have bought back the forbidden vessels.I could also share my seed with the daughters of the knightly families who serve the House of Galiana.And I will not seek the Lord's wife.In other words, the blood of the ancestor will cease to exist after my generation. The main line of the Galliana family will not change, and this is only an exceptional, temporary adoption to overcome an urgent situation.” ……The head of the Galliana family at that time was strongly attracted by such sweet words and decided to accept the family. This is the birth story of Galiana Milord, a noblewoman of commoner origin.
Before that, the Galliana family had not only financial and forbidden property issues, but also problems with their retinue of soldiers. It was not simply about money as people say. …… Well, that's OK. .”
Not, the reason why Galiana's finances had deteriorated so much was because of the Quardenze family.
The Viscounts of Galiana, a royal noble family, were afraid of the Dukes of Quardenze, an imperial noble family, anyway. If war broke out between the empire and the kingdom, it was obvious that the combined forces of the Quardenze and Spierzeig would attack as the spearhead of an invasion of the kingdom.
Speaking for myself, this is quite frightening. Galiana territory is going to be crushed in an instant. The head of the Galliana family at the time probably thought the same thing, imposing heavy taxes on the territory and investing most of the tax revenue in military spending.
One might think that they should just turn over to the empire, but it is clear from the fire that if they did so, they would be used up in the war with the Aterahan family afterwards. Frankly, I feel a bit sorry for them.
In the end, the worst was averted when the Quardenze family became a member of the kingdom, but the economy of the disorganized territory remained in shambles and never recovered.
But you can buy forbidden vessels with silver coins,” He said.
If you don't have gold coins, why don't you buy them with silver coins?
'There are many areas in the south that are far more unstable than the kingdoms and empires.
I know that, but……
Perhaps because we were talking to a nobleman, Roomon didn't deny me outright.But somehow I felt he was telling me that the mayor doesn't know the real situation in the south.
'It costs a lot of transportation to buy forbidden vessels in the South. If you try to avoid dangerous areas, you will have to take more detours, and if you do that, you will inevitably have more customs passes to pass through. Many regions impose particularly heavy taxes on the movement of forbidden vessels. So, I think it is possible to buy them with silver coins, but you have to be prepared that the price at the end of …… Will probably be several or dozens of times higher than if you procure them in the Kingdom of Levioth.”
The reality that the actual price of the silver is probably several times higher than if it were procured within the kingdom of Levios. But not many aristocratic families have the financial resources to purchase large quantities of forbidden vessels.
It is cheaper to collect gold coins, cast them, and manufacture new ones.
……I see, you mean you need gold instead of gold coins.”
The gold is a substance that transmits magic power very easily.As far as I know, there is no other substance more efficient than gold.One of the tools that make use of this characteristic is a forbidden instrument.
For example, there is a forbidden vessel shaped like a long spear, which, when poked into the body, leaks the internal magic power out of the body. Since magic is manifested by giving a specific movement to the magic inside the body, it becomes difficult to control it if there is any unnecessary movement against one's will. As a result, the magic may be ineffective or not produce the desired effect.
Forbidden devices are not used in battles between followers.It is quicker to settle a battle with magic at the level of a follower than to interfere with magic at the level of a follower.The forbidden device is a tool used to obstruct the overwhelmingly powerful magic of the main ancestor.
Surely, then, silver coins cannot be used as a substitute.
You cannot make a forbidden vessel out of silver.
'And it is simple enough, the more unstable the land, the more the people prefer silver coins.
Instead, weapons against monsters can be made from silver.
Perhaps the principle is similar, but silver is said to be a substance through which the energy of demonic beasts, the sorcerer's power, passes very easily.
Therefore, silver weapons are very effective against demonic beasts. You need to stab them instead of slashing them.
However, silver weapons are effective only for immature demonic beasts. It would be like draining all the water out of a pond with a straw.After all, the only magic that can deal with mature magical beasts is the magic of the ancestors, which can smash an entire pond.
But the most immediate and realistic threat to commoners is immature magical beasts. Especially in rural areas far from cities, it is a matter of life and death.
Whether or not silver coins are actually cast and used as weapons to defeat demons, having silver on hand is said to lead to peace of mind.
In the city of Nanbonan, both gold and silver coins circulate equally, but I have the impression that the residents from the south prefer silver coins.
In the time of the priests, coins called sacred coins circulated on the continent of Eluo. Like ceramics, they were made from clay, and were nominal coins issued on the basis of the control and trustworthiness of the Zethusian Sacred High Society.
However, when the flames of turbulent times swept over the continent, the value of the holy coins fell to the level of dirt. People living in a land of war and devastation desperately sought assets to protect their lives.
The nobles sought gold to oppose the rival nobles, and the commoners sought silver to protect themselves from the immature magical beasts that attacked them. Is related to such history.
I understand the logic behind this, “…… That the land would be in danger if settlement in gold coins increased. If a lord were to forcibly take away the gold coins of his subjects to make up for a shortage of forbidden vessels, it would be at the last minute and in a desperate situation where he would not be able to act as if he were in control. Dangerous to think that the people of the territory have sensed this and started to dispose of the gold coins.
After making sure Roomon nodded, I continued.
'But that's the logic of the southern part of the continent, where they still linger and carry on their silly quarrels.
In today's kingdoms and empires, gold and silver coins are no longer regarded as mere currency, and their value as a material is not that important. Even copper coins are in circulation.
In that sense, it is true that I do not really know the southern part of the continent as Roomon said. My thinking that forbidden items can be bought with silver coins is the thinking of an aristocrat living in the stable region of the Kingdom of Levios .
I want to make it clear that the Spiaseik family has not fallen so far as to have to collect gold coins and mint them. If it were in such a state, your grandfather would have been celebrating his victory in the war in Ocelorian City by now The independent aristocratic families in the southern part of the continent and the Spiaseik family have completely different territory sizes, and in the first place, the occasions in which they use forbidden weapons are limited. Forbidden vessels until the day Spiaseik is destroyed.”
The Quardenze people are simulating that area well because it is a military story. The territory of Spiaseik, which is on the decline but still has a solid financial base, does not need to work hard to secure forbidden vessels.
Yes,” He said. If the Spiaseik family were to start collecting from its citizens, it would be purely for the purpose of funding the army. It would not matter whether they paid in gold or silver. I also think they might ask for food and other supplies.”
Roomon then frankly agreed with my assertion.
The people of Spierzeig should not have the idea of spending the gold coins first.
That is certainly true. In the southern part of the continent, the confiscation of gold coins for the purpose of manufacturing forbidden vessels had been carried out many times in the past, so the local population had acquired a rule of thumb. Imagine a similar phenomenon occurring in the territory of Spierzeig, which has been under stable rule since the establishment of the Kingdom of Vojstra and has never experienced the ravages of war.
……This is getting a little confusing. Then why has settlement in gold increased in Spiaseik territory?”
I'm starting to think that it's just a coincidence and you're just interpreting it as having meaning on your own.
'There is one who has given wisdom.'
Room on assurances me.
'A Spiaseik territorial soldier who was captured during Operation Serpent's Fang and interned in Nambonan City for some time.
That did happen.
There are many merchants in the city who specialize in southern peddling, and there are also not a few mercenaries who came from the south.”
Little by little, the story began to make sense.
Not one or two of the interned POWs have talked about the South,” He said.
The POWs were apparently depressed by the lively city of Nambonan and the lively citizens who lived there. They wondered why these people were so happy while Spierzeig's territory was suffering from higher taxes, and why they were so blessed even though they too had defied and lost to the Kuordenze family.
Perhaps because their depression was so terrible, they could not point fingers and laugh, and there were quite a few people who sympathized and consoled them, saying, “The Spierzeig territory must be tough, but it's even worse in the south.
That's no consolation at all,” They said. If the southern lords were miserable, it doesn't change the fact that the Spiaseik lords are miserable.”
'That is certainly true. And it's a story that ends up praising the city of Nambonan and its mayor.
It is a terrible punchline. Well, it is a good thing that it is a negative campaign against the rule of Spiaseik.
Is that exchange the reason for the increase in gold settlements in Spiasek territory?
Yes. Yes, that is what the report concluded. When a territory is in danger, it is better to dispose of gold coins as soon as possible. …… I think that information was the only thing that left a strong impression among the POWs. It may have been the result of learning only the means and taking them home to practice, without understanding the reasons and objectives.”
It's not impossible……?”
The union members apparently conducted light interviews with those who had interacted with the POWs. According to them, “How should we stand when our local community loses the war? How did it happen in the South?” Spierzeig territory had never been involved in a war before, perhaps the opinions of defeat professionals were sought regarding such a losing gesture. I am not sure if this is a forward-looking or backward-looking story.
The Spiazeks have levied several temporary taxes in the past, but they have never heard of an increase in gold settlements.
The city of Nambonan and the Nambonan merchants have been friends with the Spiaseik family for many years.
I asked a civil official who was waiting in the room.
“Have you checked on what happened to the Spiaseik soldiers who were taken prisoner?
No, not particularly.
The civil affairs officer answered that he was not aware of the placement of the individual soldiers.
'But I have heard that there has been a major turnover in the frontline troops.
It is said that the soldiers whose morale was so low that it could be seen from the Quardenze side have been wiped out. Nobles and knights do not care much about the morale of commoner soldiers, but the fact that they were so unmotivated that they had to be replaced en masse must have been pretty bad. Even the front-line military officer, Quardenze, was a little surprised at the response.
He said, “…… If the demoralized soldiers were identical to the Spierzeig soldiers who had been taken prisoner, would the timing match up?”
It would make sense to assume that former POWs who had returned to their hometowns after completing their military service acted on the basis of what they had heard.
But even if that theory is correct, what good would come of it?”
That is the key point. It is meaningless just to pile up reasoning. Unless you can find some benefit in it, it is nothing more than mental gymnastics.
Roomon then stated that it was only a theory and there was no guarantee that it would be correct, before concluding.
'It might give us an idea of the easy bases to attack in the Spierzeig territory.
At this statement, the gazes of everyone in the room sharpened. Some were interested, some were puzzled, and all were waiting to hear what Roomon had to say.
The increase in gold settlements means that people are pessimistic about the future of Spierzeig as a village or town. And they are looking for means to protect their property…….”
The amount of gold disposed of by each of the two lords is known. The gold settlement will increase only if many people agree with the Spiaseik pessimism or the Kuordentse longing as told by the former POWs and share the manner of their defeat.
The words of a soldier who has actually experienced the great defeat of Spiaseik's army, the fall of Raishleif, and the prosperity of the city of Nambonan in the territory of Kuordentse must be heavy.
I heard about the capture of Raishleif Castle from a Nambonan soldier once.
I agree. I think the lack of nobles on the defensive side was the most important factor, but morale was low. They were shaken by the words of the Nambonan soldiers.
It was interesting to see the Nambonan soldiers yelling at the castle about how it was easier to live in Kuordenze territory than in Spierzeig territory and that taxes were lower. And the soldiers who seemed to be citizens of Spiaseik who were shaken by this were even more amusing. It was literally a cash story, but I remember it being rather effective.
'I hesitate to say this in front of the mayor, but for the …… Lords, it doesn't matter who the lord is as long as they can live in peace.
Well, I have heard similar stories before. He was angry that the Spiaseiks should be defeated quickly. I remember thinking, “That's how it is with lords.
The military and civilian officials in the room were not particularly concerned about the content of Roomon's remarks.
The soldiers who had been taken captive must have thought the same thing. Ruled.
Even in the territory of Kuordenze, there are areas in the outer regions where life is never easy, but I think the POWs only saw the glamorous city of Nambonan in a proper light. The image of a saintly lord who governs well and brings peace to the territory may have swelled in their brains.
They must have thought, not a little. 'They must have thought, in no small part, that they would like their hometowns to be ruled by mayors, too, and that they would like to be rescued from these hard days.'
That's interesting. I am like a liberator from oppression.
That is a convenient interpretation. Even if the Quardenzes were to cut off and rule Spierzeig, there is no guarantee that they would not impose heavy taxes. Well, it is inevitable that people in a weak position expect and seek help from the strong, isn't it 't it?
As the mayor mentioned earlier, they may have also wanted the defeat of the Spierzeik family. So even though they were placed on the front lines, their morale didn't improve.”
At the very least, says Roomon, the experience of a major defeat must have strengthened their feelings of aversion to war.
“When the mayor shows up with his army, are they really going to be content to fight? I can easily imagine that their morale would be even lower than that of the soldiers at Raishleif Castle, even though I am not an expert on warfare.
In some cases, it seems as if they might even abandon the battle itself.
If …… I had gone to the front, the enemy forces might have been upset.”
If there were as many former POWs as I guessed, there might have been a stir. My grandfather would not have missed it, and it would not have been difficult for him to launch a surprise attack and achieve war results. This, one of the military officers asked for permission to speak.
He said, “I have heard that the number of demoralized, delinquent soldiers who were replaced was less than half of the total. If the young master were to go to the front, it would upset them, but it would not be a clue to a breakthrough. The number is large enough for Spierzeig's commanders to be able to rebuild it.
“So that's how it is.”
“Ha. The most important thing to remember is that the bad soldiers will continue to stay on the front line and lower the morale of the other soldiers, but the replacement has been implemented.
If the percentage of delinquents had been higher, Spierzeig's army would have had a hard time leading, the military officer said. Roomon responded to that answer.
'Would you say that an area with a higher percentage of delinquents would be easier to attack?'
The military officer replied, “Because the defense of a territory requires the rapid deployment of troops, we often conscript troops from neighboring areas. It would be difficult to conduct a defensive battle in an area where there are many lazy citizens.
I see, I know what roomon is trying to do.
The military officer continued his statement as he looked at roomon, “But the feelings of the commoners are so changeable, it would be a waste of time to investigate such areas, and most importantly, there is no way to do so. Our first priority should be the knights in command, the squire military officers who could be the commander of the troops.
This idea is probably correct as the thinking of nobles and knights.
I know what you mean. Expecting too much from commoners is a recipe for failure.
For the time being, I will also put up a military officer's face.
After the front line has been breached, I will use it as one of the factors in my decision making when I have to decide which areas to attack.
But, young master, that survey is too sterile. A bad move would cause alarm from the Spierzeig family. It could also have a negative impact on our own intelligence. If that is the case, we should concentrate our efforts only on the intelligence of Spierzeig's army.
That's right. It would be foolish to conduct a survey of the impressions of the lords in enemy territory as it was.
There is no need for a Quardenze man to go into Spierzeig regarding the survey. It's a bad idea, and if it fails, there will be no disadvantage. ……, Right?”
I look at Roomon. He nodded in agreement.
'We'll look into the areas where there are a lot of gold settlements, that's all we need to know.
Those areas can be considered to have given up on the Spiaseik family in a sense. Although they are not expected to be loyal, they are still hesitant to engage in blatant treachery against their lords. A loss means that they must not only be pessimistic about the future of the Spierzeig family, but they must also be quite dissatisfied with it.
There is a world of difference between being dissatisfied and actually acting. The villages and towns that moved to settle the gold coins have crossed the line in their minds. Their morale will not be boosted when the Quardenze army closes in.
'We will hasten the hearing in the city of Nambonan. In some cases, I would consider asking peddlers to trade in certain areas.
To find out about areas where information is scarce, you can send peddlers. The only thing they would have to do is to ask the peddlers to do business and ask them about the type of currency used to settle the accounts.
Do as you please in that regard. And, once again, it's a bad idea. It is quite possible that the guess for the gold settlement is wrong to begin with. No one will blame you if you fail.
I told Roomon this, but my attention was on the military and civilian officials.
But if we hit it right, we will be able to conduct an efficient invasion after the front lines break through.”
My goal right now is to destroy Spierzeig early. There is no need to have a lot of decision-making information.
If we concentrate our guns on the weakened areas, other areas will become demoralized. It would be best if we could attack at once and crush them all at once.
We will do our best.
His reply showed his strong will. Roomon would have wanted to see the Spiaseik family decline. They would not want the city of Nambonan to be invaded again. At the very least, he would want the northern half of the Vojstra Plain to become part of the Kuordentse territory.
After Roomon left the room, I spent some time thinking about the invasion of Spiaseik.
