Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

~ Duke of Voldek's Perspective ~

"Explain it! What, this price increase! The market for wheat has jumped nearly ten times!? That's not just the territory of the Duke of Forandier, which was supposed to be used! In all four major cities of the Empire."

An office in the Duke's house in imperial territory, the usually calmly settled Duke of Voldek was screaming. On hand, we have a dossier summarizing the situation in the territory.

Even though it was a war in less than a month, I never collected food for the expedition so I checked with the rep and he answered that the food was not progressing because of the rising prices.

Then I had to look into the reasons for the price increase.

Reasons for not gathering food include the theft of military stockpiles or the sidelining of soldiers, which is trivial compared to this extreme price increase.

The hands with the materials of the three barons who had come to report in the realm were trembling.

The Duke of Voldek is one of the four great dukes of the Empire, a great nobleman who absorbs the territory of the Duke of Forandier, who lost his legs in the battle against the elves, and governs two of the four great cities of the Empire.

A man in his forties who took a closer look, combining rigour and intelligence, but whose expression was distorted by haste.

"That's what everything in the Empire is being bought up and brought up in neighboring villages. It seems that more and more merchants are making price increases because they sell to put on any high price. And as a result of massive commodities being brought outside, there is also a huge shortage of supplies throughout the Empire, starting with food."

"Supplies are being bought up by the villagers outside? Impossible. You can't have that kind of money, can you? You're not trying to deceive me, are you?

In Voldek's perception, all around here are poor villages under the control of the Empire, with the exception of the pig "Oak" tribe village. If I can afford it, I'm rooting it out, squeezing it up with taxes.

If I had extra money, I would try not to. Or, if you make it too harsh, you will have a revolt. It was the Duke of Voldek's creed to squeeze it to the point where it was only alive.

Even so, prices in all four major cities of the Empire have been bought up enough? That was absolutely impossible. That is impossible even in the prestigious commercial city of Erin.

"It's not a lie, Lord Voldek. For some reason, use from poor villages is using massive amounts of banknotes and buying up food and jewellery?

"Banknotes?

"Yes! It is a banknote without using gold coins, etc."

"No way? Is there a fake banknote out there?

The Duke of Voldek conceives.

Notes issued on the assumption that they will be exchanged for gold coins. This was originally conceived to legally squeeze money out of the people in an attempt to use the territory of the old Forandier they had received.

However, it has a history of its convenience being recognized and spread throughout the empire.

Easy to carry without being lightly clammy. More importantly, the banknote that the total amount of gold present in the Empire could be increased ”by sight” at any time was a groundbreaking invention, and the Duke of Voldek was immediately praised by the Emperor and seen with envy by the remaining four Grand Dukes.

The banknotes have made the Duke of Voldek more powerful in his voice within the four Grand Dukes and, furthermore, he has benefited immensely by leaving this cause at his disposal.

At the same time, the Duke of Voldek understood the dangers of banknotes. The price of the notes is no less than the credibility that an empire can undoubtedly convert them into gold coins. That's why when credit is lost, banknotes become scraps of paper.

"It's hard to think of it as fake. We both saw quite a few banknotes on the market. They're all similar to what we produce in our territory."

"If that's what you guys look like, then so be it."

The fatal thing about credit for banknotes is that fakes come out. If a counterfeit is made and more banknotes appear than the Empire holds, it will be impossible to exchange banknotes and gold coins.

That is why the Duke of Voldek imposes countless measures and forbids the production of banknotes outside his own controlled workshop.

Watermark, specially formulated ink, and detailed printing techniques. None of them should be able to be built outside their own workshop with the world's most advanced technical capabilities.

"I'm going on an inspection. I want to go check on the city. We need to accompany the most skilled craftsmen in the banknote factory. Make arrangements immediately."

"Yes, I did. I also have preparations. What about next week, etc."

When Voldek hears the words, he throws the glass he had at hand at his subordinate's head, unable to stop the anger that floods him from within.

I heard a blunt noise and bled out of my men's foreheads.

My men groan and tremble.

"You idiot! Do you know how many emergencies this is!? This is a situation where you have to hit your hand as fast as you can for a second!? What about that in a week!? Next time, say something sleepy like that! I'll kill you."

My men sit in the ground and apologize over and over again.

But seeing that doesn't go down the Duke of Voldek's hoarding.

Because this subordinate only has fear for the wrath of the Duke of Voldek and does not understand how bad this situation is.

Toothpicks. I want more men.

With that said, that elf leader. That was good. Sweetness, but I was following my own thoughts. That man could be his own right arm. It's a shame to kill you in the war. The golden and silver fire foxes that brought the tea were wonderful too. Let's pet that without turning it into a demon stone. I'm talking about getting it alive.

"At a time like this, the Savior said, where did Ashno go?"

"... because the seal on Erna is very unstable, we are on our way to repair the seal"

"Seal it."

Voldek thinks. Indeed, one of the seals of Elna, which has eight places in the world, should have been near the village of Elf. I guess that's where we headed.

For one thing, if we break the seal, shouldn't it be as easy as overflowing demons and destroying elves? Originally the seal is about to break. Now, it would be easy to break.

No, what are you thinking? Once the seal is unsealed in one place, all seals are unsealed in chain. Then the world will perish. Maybe that's how tired I am.

◇

The Duke of Voldek came down to his own territory, not the territory of the former Duke of Folandier, which he did not mind crushing. He was wearing a silly coat to hide his identity, forcing it on his escorts and his men.

My subordinates' reports and my own predictions predict how dangerous it is to expose your face in today's territory.

The situation in the city was tragic. Begging and selling your self are everywhere.

The territory of the former Duke of Forandier before the introduction of the banknote was also terrible, but it was terrible with a ring to it.

"Impossible"

The Duke of Voldek has a deep sigh of relief in his own territory, which he cherished above all else.

And I was convinced. ”We have to move fast." What a easy level to get past, that it's ”already too late.”

What the hell is going on? Too handy. Who did all this?

Step toward your destination while you do that.

"Thank you for coming today. Lord Voldek."

The Duke of Voldek had entered the store where his breath had been. For merchants knew better than so many of their own men that they could see reality.

I felt uncomfortable the moment I entered the store. Yes, not usually, a mercenary-like armed man stood at the entrance.

"Can you bring me a note that the pig" Oak "tribe paid in large quantities? And I want to know what's going on in the city right now"

"Yes, I did. Let's get it ready right away. And I'll answer anything I know."

"Sorry, store owner."

"No, if it's for the Duke of Voldek"

The shopkeeper smiles and greets Voldek through the guest room, even though he says it's a sudden visit.

"What do you say? How do you see that note?"

"This guy, right? This note... looks real"

The Duke of Voldek shows fake bills and thoughts to some of the best blacksmiths in the workshop.

"Do I look real?

"Yeah, we've cleared all the watermarks, the special ink formula, the hidden carvings, that's what I said, the criteria for distinguishing between fake and authentic"

"But it's fake, isn't it?

"Yeah, this guy is too good to do it. All of this is perfect printing without even a single brace. Even what we make makes a few errors. Let me assure you. This is not what we made. Someone with more skill than us made it, more fake than real."

Voldek heard the words and a cold sweat erupted.

More than Imperial printing technology with cutting-edge technology? There is no way there is such a thing. Even though I say that I created a banknote on the assumption that there is no way I can make more than this outside of the Empire. The premise is broken.

What the hell country is setting this up? If the kingdom of Corinne, which wears the commercial city Erin, or is it possible?

Or, no way, there's that inexperienced elf?

"Hey! What do you mean you can't sell it with notes!

As I was thinking, I heard yelling from the entrance to the store.

Apparently, the imperial people are being turned down by the clerk in an attempt to exchange notes and goods.

"No, no, no. We only accept the payment of coins"

"I'll pay you double, sell me with notes, even triple!

"No. A bag of wheat with three gold coins. Never give in there."

"There's no way you can pay three for gold coins, is there? I'll pay you ten pieces of gold in notes! So so!"

"If you don't have any money, go home!

And the clerk got rid of the man.

Voldek covers his eyes with his hands. This is like a nightmare.

"Store owner, what's this all about?

"That's right.... It's hard to say to the Duke of Voldek that there have been rumours within the merchants that banknotes will not be exchanged for gold coins next year. The nosy merchants have stopped trading outside of coins. The rationale is that there are too many notes in the city for the Empire to pay this amount of gold next year."

"... a prediction that there is no way we can exchange it? I would be able to answer that question. You want me to answer that question?

"No, you don't have to. The total amount of gold in an empire can be imagined if you are also a full merchant. No longer, it's useless to ask if you can pay for everything. All we can do is ask them to at least exchange the banknotes they have for gold. If you can make that promise, we'll work with you on whatever it takes."

Voldek laughs thinly. Exactly a merchant. At a profit.

This man will survive this commotion well, too.

"For your information, some merchants predict that the amount of banknotes on the market today is many times the amount of gold held by the Empire."

"Zaka, about twenty times. That's all the fakes out there. This is a pretty close number to reality, isn't it? And goods worth twenty times the value of the Empire's holdings have already gone out of the country. There's nothing left in the Empire."

If you realize that, there's no way you can sell a product with a note.

It's too late. The notes are not worth it.

All the Empire can do next year is kill them to exchange gold coins, so much so that they don't respond to the exchange because it's fake against the citizens.

Loss of authority, riots, that would be a hell of a sight.

"Duke of Voldek, this is my advice to you. You're worried ahead now. But it's not that sweet, is it? I suggest you take a look at the cash changers exchanging notes and gold coins. Well, I said such a great thing, but we merchants, too, were too late to notice. Floating on the convenience of banknotes, he expanded his business, and without realizing it was fake, he rose when he could sell as many things as he wanted, exchanging important products for pieces of paper. What's left of us is a pile of garbage."

A merchant laughs dry.

The merchant's eyes were like deep darkness everywhere.

◇

As advised by the merchant, head to the cash changer.

Then the doors are closed, and the inhabitants beat the farm tools, the chairs, and all sorts of things.

"Come out! Exchange notes and gold coins! Right away!

"You can't buy anything with such a piece of paper! Give it back, give us back our money!

It's like a riot.

The people flocked to the money exchange to give it back.

Until a while ago, he said, "There will be more gold coins next year. Besides, I can shop as a banknote," he said, crowding people trying to exchange gold coins for banknotes.

When the number of notes issued was insufficient, he said he had received reports from his subordinates.

And finally, the door is kicked through.

The inhabitants break into it like rage.

There was no one there, the sound of running away echoed around.

The people who came out of the money exchange had gold eyes for each of them.

The Duke of Voldek had to laugh. The people who flat out attack the country's facilities. If you look closely, the soldiers who are supposed to stop them are together and raiding.

Furthermore, the people who waited outside attacked the people who came out of inside and began to take the golden-eyed ones.

I already screwed up.

"Pork pig, like" Oak "! The pig" Oak "is here!

"Medicine for salvation. No, medicine for salvation."

"Hihaha, well, I have money. I can buy medicine. Forgive my father for selling you. Ange."

"Hehe, my God, I sold my house for salvation pills."

When the five or so benign pig Orcs come, the inhabitants flock there.

In the meantime, one big pig, the "Oak" clan, raises its voice.

"Arrange! There are tons of pills. Payment is for gold only, one tablet, one gold coin."

Voldek is stunned. Speaking of a piece of gold (worth 60,000 yen), it's a lot of money.

Banknotes have lost value and become more valuable than their nominal value.

Nonetheless, one by one, residents line up and pay the gold coin in a pleasant manner, expressing their gratitude for selling it to the dirty pig Oak.

And not those who can afford money. They are poor looking, cheeky, and can see that they are having trouble eating.

Occasionally, something appears that forces you to try to take the medicine away from the pig pig tribe, but the inflexible pig Oak doesn't have teeth, and one of the pig pig Oak jokes about it.

"Oh, he attacked me again. I can't do business in such a dangerous place, why don't we stop coming here to sell drugs?"

"Well, we're a weak pig, the Orcs."

That's just what I said.

"You bastard! What are you doing to the pig" Oak "?

"Yes, Master Oak, a pig pig, is an angel who gives medicine for salvation!

"Around this punishment! Death and redemption!

"" "Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!

and the inhabitants slap the traitors. Surrounded by dozens, he continued to beat me, and finally the man who attacked the pig pig tribe ran out. Nobody cares about that.

After a while, the queue goes off.

The people who bought the medication, wary of being taken away by the others, drink up immediately on the spot they bought it, smile trance and laugh high.

The guys who couldn't buy the pills that were watching it far-flung away, squeaking away.

"I need to get you some money to buy your next pill."

I don't have anything to sell anymore.

"If I don't take it, I need to take it from the guy who has it"

"Gold, not banknotes, gold."

There will be a riot soon. The Duke of Voldek was convinced of that.

At the same time, there has been a slight interest in medicines that captivate people that far.

Speak to your neighbour's men.

"What are those pills?"

"Yes, that, recently, medication called sausage, which is popular in the city, is that you forget to be anxious to just take anything, feel fun, eat, … about the evening, everything, is incredibly enjoyable. The nobles also have a lot of enthusiasts."

Speaking of which, some of the people who bought medicine from the orcs were powerful noble servants.

"No side effects?

"Yes, it's just that it's such a great drug that you want to get whatever you do. He said he wanted money to buy drugs, too."

"... well. Is it such a wonderful drug?"

Forget anxiety. Voldek had an intolerable appeal to that one word.

I haven't slept properly lately due to anxiety and frustration. Even for a moment, if you can forget that pain, it's not a bad idea to rely on medication. A piece of gold is cheap for me.

"Follow the pig Orc tribe and capture them as soon as they're outside the territory. And find out the truth about the fake bills. … and as for the medicine, after asking if there are any side effects, if there are no problems, come to me"

Voldek ordered his men to do so and decided to end today's inspection.

Voldek was mistaken. Orcs are selling drugs because they're making a dime.... That's actually the sweet poison the elves sprinkled to break the empire.