"Phew..."
Me - Jin Fleetberg was sitting in the office chair checking the income and expenditure report form for the quarter.
It's been two years since I became Lord of the Earl of Fleetberg. I was nineteen years old when I graduated from the School of Magic, and it's been a year since I've had an adult. Speaking of which, nobody's celebrating adulthood or anything, or something. I missed you a little bit.
Generally, adults - when they reach the age of twenty - are supposedly celebrating the ritual of adulthood by making a family treat. In fact, I was in Imperial Capital to attend the School of Magic, too, but I remember having Brother Edward's Adult Ritual once I returned home and celebrating with him. Most importantly, it wasn't a big deal when it came to a treat because it was a poor home from then on.
……
Well, let's just say that.
What I should be thinking about right now is this revenue and expenditure report. Of course, the revenue and expenditure are firmly in black, as the reform of the territory is in progress. Skeleton's workforce, spearheaded by Bath's village, is accepted with no problems, and fallow land is in an unlimited state. In comparison to the previous year, some rural areas have grown to triple if the harvest alone. That would be the only proof left that there was a shortage of labour.
And to the cotton that is able to be produced without problems in the village of Yarb, the cotton bought from the Chamber of Commerce also continues to be factory handicrafted (manifacture) in the mansion, and it is also significant that the cotton yarn is exported to neighboring territories. Skeletons can work all day, and they don't complain about a single thing if they just let them keep working. If it's harmful at best, is it depressing to hear the yarn wheel from the hall when I go to sleep, enough?
For one thing, this leaned the Territory's finances pretty much against the black. In generating tax revenues from the countryside, they are knocking out the black, even though they are lowering their tax rates. In the future, even reversing tax rates once income has stabilized a little more will allow rural inhabitants to earn as much as they can live without problems. I see the current low tax rate as laying the foundations for this.
Also as a happy report, I heard that young people have migrated to several villages. You think he's tired of living in the Imperial capital, or he's back from earning money? In the village of Kafkev, I heard that a young man who had returned from earning money had returned with his daughter-in-law and had recently had a child as well.
Overall, it's going well. It's going well for me.
"Oh, my goodness, my dear."
"Oh, Chris. Thanks."
A cup of hot air is offered.
It was Chris, the ancient race of the Art, who offered the cup. She is still our maid of honor today, having become undead due to her excessive tortuosity.
Because they brew like every day, they also raised their arms to brew tea for a long time. From the hot air, the scent of aromatic tea leaves strokes the nasal cavity.
"And then, what, you do?
"Oh... I have something to think about next."
"So far, I have regular flights to all villages... but I was wondering if I could export to my neighboring Andoo and Mocanate territories by waterway"
"Soot?
Chris tilts his neck.
This is one of the reforms I've been thinking about.
On Fleetberg territory, there is a great river called the Kaye River running from north to south. And we're exporting cotton yarn to Mocanate territory in the south and Andou territory in the north, starting this year. Since the Kaye River is a great river that also crosses both territories, can't we export by boat to these two territories - all the time, that's what I've been thinking.
So far, we are unloading crops and cotton yarn to the Norm Chamber of Commerce, the largest Chamber of Commerce in Fleetberg territory. Because of the process of being traded from the Norm Chamber of Commerce to the other Chambers of Commerce, from the other Chambers of Commerce to the retailer, and from the retailer to the manufacturing plant and so on, they really get bought and beaten down cheaply in the first deal.
Therefore, I believe that it would be more profitable if we could do business directly with other territories in terms of cotton yarn. At least only for the amount of haulage the Norm Chamber of Commerce will be putting on. This is the kind of money that doesn't make me look stupid.
I was wondering if I could make skeletons out of fish.
"Weird?
"Oh. If you take the form of pulling a ship in a fish skeleton, it won't cost you labor. I don't know how to order a fish."
"Mei Lei... Kiku?
"I don't know. Let's experiment with that."
Tonight, I think I'll buy some fish at the fresh fish store. So let's make a skeleton.
If this works, exports by waterway...
"Hmm...?
It was small and the door knocker sounded like an apple.
Door knockers that can be heard even if they are properly in the back room are loud enough to hold their ears if they are near the door the moment they are knocked. For that matter, it sounds good and bad even if you're here.
Sounds like a visitor for now, and let's just say I leave.
"Mr. O'Geek?
"Oh. Chris needs to stay here."
"Yes."
Indoors, Chris' long ears remain exposed. Although he wears a hood just when he goes out, he doesn't even hide it in the house.
So, well, I'm the one dealing with the visitors. If an impudent person arrives and realizes the rarity of Chris, who is an art, he is in danger of being caught as he is.
I don't think there are any such uncanny people in this realm...
"Yes, sir."
Apple, and head to the door, still open to the sound of a door knocker.
"Until..."
"Is that Jin?
……
Standing there was a man.
At a back length about two fists lower than me, the width is bigger than me. If I say it gently, I am plump, and if I say it badly, I am a fat man. But his face looked very similar to his late father's sharp eyes, eyes that pierced him.
Dull golden hair aligned about shoulders and scorched tea eyes - that's how close I've been since I was born.
"Edward, brother......?
"Oh... it's been a long time. Gin."
To my brother, the man who made the biggest cause of me being here.
Running off with my bakery daughter, I had to give up my demonic path and become a lord, the eldest brother who caused it.
Edward Fleetberg was there.