Price of Management

* * *

King Erik was having dinner at sunset. I realized I had come too soon, so I decided to wait until I finished eating.

But soon the servant came to me and said,

“Your Majesty, if you don't mind, you asked me to join you for dinner. ”

“Really? Does it look delicious? ”

In my question, the boy's acolyte, who looked like he was in his late teens, smiled and answered.

“Yes, today's seasoned and boiled chicken looks great. ”

That explains a lot.

“Oh, really? Then we should go.”

“Follow me.”

King Eric was having dinner with his family when he came to the restaurant under the guidance of a servant boy.

Queen Siena is naturally a blonde, fair complexion sitting across from King Erik. Next to him, the little boy, about four years old, was Prince Giren.

“There you are! Have a seat. ”

King Erik greets you. I bowed my head and saluted.

“I see you and your downfall. ”

“Oh, it's been a long time. ”

Queen Siena welcomed me with a beautiful smile worthy of her reputation as the best beauty in the kingdom. My heart trembles with her smile. Come on, you evil heart! I have two wives!

However, Prince Giren, who was staring at me blindly, pointed his finger at me and said.

“You're blushing! ”

Ugh, that kid!

I was embarrassed, and Queen Siena, who was more embarrassed than I was, gave Prince Giren a pincup.

“You can't say that! ”

“Heeheehee.”

Prince Giren smiles. It was a cute smile I couldn't hate. You look just like your mother, boy. I bet he'd be handsome when he grows up.

“Hahaha. Oh no. You've noticed, in fact, that I've been in my heart ever since I met you, and I haven't forgotten your downfall. ”

“Hoho, I'm going to the Earl Julia's wife. ”

My four-year-old joke made Queen Siena smile with her mouth shut. King Eric laughs loudly and says a few words.

“You still have such a blasphemous heart, such an impolite servant. ”

We started eating in a warm atmosphere.

“I want to see the Spirit, Spirit! ”

Prince Giren said with a twinkle in his eyes. Queen Siena pinched Prince Ziren, who cut the chicken into pieces.

“When you say that, how do you say it? ”

Prince Jiren, who was a little squinty, smiled and said again.

“Earl ligand, can you show me the spirit? ”

“Well done. ”

Queen Siena stroked him, and he smiled at Prince Giren.

... would be nice. Ugh, what am I thinking?!

I shake my head and sing a song.

- Did you call him?

A gnome on the dining table.

Geez, my little cutie. It's even cuter when you put your face out on a Steamed Chicken.

“It's a spirit!”

Prince Giren is very excited. Yeah, he liked it when he was two years old, showing up at Wounded's.

Norm sliced all sorts of food into small pieces with a clay knife and put it on Prince Giren's plate. Prince Giren eats hard and spills his food while watching the gnome.

Then, this time, I asked Woundee to clean Prince Girene's mouth. Prince Giren laughs alternately between Norm and Wounded. When Queen Siena saw this, she smiled at the application.

“If you're not doing something big, I'd appoint Earl Ligand to babysit Ziren. ”

“You're much more attractive than a treasure trove. Just let me do it now. ”

“Haha, it would be a mistake if you thought it would be your job to take care of our Sirens, Earl Ligand. ”

“Talent should be used in the right place, Your Majesty. What I do best is play with my child. ”

“You're right to use it in the right place. Then let me do what you do best. ”

Hoho?

King Erik commands his acolytes.

“Bring me good red wine. Earl Ligand will do his best. ”

Oh, that was it.

The fun meal was over. Queen Siena dodges her seat with Prince Giren, who is dozing off full.

The two men, King Erik, said, tasting a sip of wine that I had purified by Wounded.

“What brings you here at this late hour to rely on Carl's work? ”

“Earl Antares and Earl Lindell are buying food, necessities, and luxuries. ”

King Erik snorts, I say.

“Are you sure you want to call me Duke now? ”

“Yes, Your Majesty. ”

“As a result of our consultation with Earl Duron yesterday and today, we have found a way to end trade with the Horn Empire. ”

“I was in a hurry to come to that conclusion. ”

“What are you talking about? ”

I spoke to the curious King Erik.

“We didn't even notice that we were buying what two families were buying until the price of all the goods went up. Do you know what this means, Your Majesty? ”

“Well, does that mean they've been secretly preparing for this for a long time? ”

“Yes. Earl Antares may have made a foolish decision, but he is not a complete fool. I think we made a forecast that there might be a ban on trade. ”

I continued to explain to King Erik that I still don't know.

“Your Majesty, they have many merchants who secretly buy things. ”

Through Evan's intel, I found out that only two families can confiscate items.

If he wanted to make a deal to avoid the eyes of others, it meant that he had more than a dozen merchants he could control behind his back. No, their funding might have led dozens of small arms merchants.

But what if they banned trade?

Are the many merchants they're leading just playing with their hands?

“The Underground Economy.”

King Erik groans and says, "Did you understand what I just said?"

Correct.

Many of the secret merchants were created to smuggle when the prohibition fell. Distributed around the Baden River basin, the Kingdom of Ledon and the Kingdom of Orion will act according to the orders of the two families.

“Prohibiting trade with the Horn Empire will have more to do with helping two traitors. The ban on trade will increase prices within the Horn Empire, and the two families will gain more profit from smuggling and increase their economic control. ”

Earl Antares.

He was definitely not to be underestimated. It wasn't until I heard Evan's report that the water was rising that I realized what he was doing.

“In addition, there is another reason not to prohibit trade with the Horn Empire. ”

“Why else would it be? ”

“The Horn Empire is emerging as a new market for commercial enterprises across the continent. There are not a couple of merchants who will do great harm if prohibited trade is issued. It is against our policy to embrace commercial people. Some of them are trying to make money from smuggling. ”

“Hnng... ”

King Erik looks like he's in trouble.

But my point was true.

The fall in grain prices caused heavy damage to the lords who invested heavily in food acquisition. The economy has slowed down as the lords of the Kingdom of Leaden and Orion have been unable to mount due to the financial crisis.

With the lords howling as major trading opponents, merchants had to pioneer new market plots.

In fact, the reason I wanted to repair the northern road was to bring the merchants to the north.

Anyway, the place where the merchants turned their eyes was the Horn Empire.

The security is poor and dangerous, but the price is high, so you can make a big profit if you trade successfully. Moreover, since Emperor Kars won the civil war, the plunder of the nomads has almost disappeared.

If the merchants are told not to trade with the Horn Empire in that state, the merchants will be greatly repulsed. Such economic retaliation is a problem that should not be taken lightly.

Moreover, the ban on trade was the decision to end the imported Horn Empire.

Once the ban on trade is broken, the war against the Horn Empire will be inevitable. At that time, the people of the Horn Empire, who have been deprived of their livelihood by the prohibition of trade, will join the invasion force with weapons. Like starving to death or fighting to death.

So how does a country without food win a war?

There's food.

The Horn Empire is stockpiling supplies for the entire army for a year in case of emergency. Starving to death is the people of the Horn Empire, not the army. It is not because Emperor Kars does not invade immediately, but because he fears that if he goes to war excessively, his economy will collapse.

Kuang!

After hearing my explanation, King Erik was furious and hit the table with his fist.

“So you want me to leave the Horn Empire and the two traitors behind?! Without retaliation! ”

“Your Majesty, the Horn Empire is not a country that needs to fight someday, it's a country that needs to avoid fighting. We have to stop colliding with them. However, the Anthraes and the Lindells must not stand idly by. ”

“Punish me? Then the 100,000 soldiers brought by Emperor Kars will not stand by! ”

King Erik was furious at the betrayal of two men during the siege. Like this time, the royal family was not ignored.

“Your Majesty, secure it. Of course, military retaliation is impossible, but there is no way to retaliate. ”

“How do you mean? ”

“We forbid trade only for two families and only for land trade with the Horn Empire. If we control the Baden River and interact with the Horn Empire by land alone, we will also have more active passage to the northern battlefield to repair. ”

King Erik glances at me, and the bear thinks. A moment later, he said.

“I should consult with the others. Let's continue this story tomorrow. ”

“Yes, Your Majesty. ”