Volume 6 Chapter 33 The Mystery Of The Disappeared Gold
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Is there suspicious cargo?”
With the Sabroa Dukedom rapidly growing into a major logistics hub, unusual goods moving in and out has become a common sight. Our ever-diligent Yakou is on top of it, though sometimes I suspect she’s more motivated by the thrill of catching evildoers than by actual duty. Still, I’m grateful. She’s played a key role in keeping order.
”Copper ingots being shipped from Duke Mineley’s territory to the Totoana Empire? That’s… questionable.”
The Totoana Empire is known for its silver mines, but it also produces a substantial amount of copper. Some of their ores apparently contain both silver and copper. I still need to study refining methods, but thanks to a skill I developed, I can forcibly extract the elements I need.
Even so, it doesn’t make much sense for a copper-rich country to import copper. Actually, I’ve already figured out most of what’s going on here.
The clues basically handed themselves to me, so I decided to investigate directly.
I did wonder whether it was appropriate for the king to get involved in something like this, but lately, the government’s been running so smoothly that I’ve had very little to do. The only major task left is minting mithril coins, but producing too many could cause problems, so I’m holding back.
Thanks to my near-infinite-capacity magic bag and the teleportation gate, I can move vast amounts of goods in an instant. In theory, I could generate endless wealth. But that’s precisely why I need to show restraint. Even the dwarves have placed limits on how they use the teleportation gate to profit.
Developing the country’s infrastructure was a blast. Maybe too much fun—both I and the dwarves went a little overboard. Luckily, the goddess covered for us with a miracle, so the mess was swept under the rug. Still, I’m sure there are some summoned heroes who’ve already figured out my tricks.
At first, I kept things quiet by aligning myself with the Merchant Guild, but as they say, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” It’s best to keep overwhelming power hidden.
From now on, I want to entrust the country’s management to the people of this world. I’ll enjoy a peaceful life with Ms. Ant and Ms. Nina, who will soon be revived. We’ll grow rice together.
As for my next big project, I’m planning to dig hot springs with the dwarves—but that’s strictly a personal venture. I don’t intend to open it to the public.
I used to think people in this world were lazy, but lately, I’m starting to worry they’re working too hard.
After working with dwarves and helping the kids raise carp, I realized that work and play aren’t so different. So I began gamifying work—turning tasks into challenges—and the results have been great.
Back in Japan, I only worked part-time, but I always felt that work should be fun. Same with studying—it should feel engaging. When it becomes unpleasant, it’s often because it’s too hard or the schedule’s too tight. In those cases, it’s better to follow your interests. After all, people grind through tedious quests in games because they want to.
So, I copied the Adventurer Guild system. I ranked tasks by difficulty and posted them like quests. It’s going well.
The herb-gathering quest was something everyone had done since childhood, so people quickly adapted. And thanks to Shea-Shea’s experience at the Adventurer Guild, she’s improved the system even more. Honestly, she might make a better king than me.
”Um, is this the right warehouse?”
The warehouse, purchased by merchants from the Totoana Empire, was tucked away in a back alley. It was a lonely, desolate area with barely any foot traffic. If we’re not careful, shady characters could start gathering here. I’m starting to think the city’s zoning plans need work.
There were too many guards posted outside, so I slipped in through a ceiling vent. The security was tighter than expected.
I don’t know when they hauled in so much cargo, but there was a mountain of copper ingots stacked inside. The building’s foundation looked sturdy, but with this much weight, I was beginning to worry the floor might collapse. This land was originally marsh, after all—its base is fragile.
From the stamps, all the ingots were indeed from Duke Mineley’s territory… but the hue was slightly off.
”It reeks of crime,” I muttered.
Yakou responded with a blissful smile. She lives for lines like that.
Spirits like her don’t care about money, so I reward them with theatrics instead. That said, I still compensate them properly when they complete quests related to public safety. They usually blow it all on snacks and never hold onto a single coin overnight.
In Toyata Village, a lot of residents don’t really use money. Like Yakou, they tend to waste it. That’s why Shea-Shea writes educational plays and arranges for the local troupe to perform them regularly.
Most of the stories feature main characters who fall into trouble after going into debt. They’re supposed to be cautionary tales, but they’re so entertaining that most people just watch them for fun.
According to Yakou, they lack clear “good vs. evil” themes, so the tension is weak—but that’s not the point. This genre thrives on that slightly uneasy atmosphere.
Now, as for this warehouse incident… I should find a way to keep Yakou entertained.
Actually, as soon as I heard the copper came from Duke Mineley’s territory, I had a general idea of what was happening. Something about what Tizzy mentioned earlier caught my attention, so I followed up with Mr. Zenom and the others.
Back in Japan, our copper ore used to contain high amounts of gold and silver. During the Nanban trade era, foreigners refined it and made huge profits. This situation felt similar—if you mix in just a small amount of precious metals, no one notices.
Copper from Duke Mineley’s mines has always yielded a decent amount of gold and silver during refinement. But recently, those precious by-products have mysteriously dwindled, and the Duke’s finances are starting to falter.
Yet, according to Zenom, the quality of the ore hasn’t changed. And dwarves don’t mess around when it comes to mining intel. So what does that mean?
Someone’s been skimming the gold and silver somewhere along the way.
Notes:
• Yakou – A newly created kunoichi spirit with high specs from Mubiel. She pledges loyalty to the Narrator as her ‘Lord Shogun’ and seeks to punish villains.
• Ms. Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Ms. Ant – Level 20 ant soldier, over 2 meters tall in armor. Named by the protagonist due to lack of a previous name. Wields a huge battle axe, large round shield, and throwing axes. Seasoned warrior capable of taking down sub-dragons. Ms. Hóa’s prized secret treasure. Borrowed by the protagonist as a trial during his time in the royal capital
• Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• Mr. Zenom – Tough dwarf blacksmith from Toyoata Village. Repairs weapons, improves accuracy. Charges 100 gold/arrow. Becomes protagonist’s strict master. Assigns hard tasks like pre-dawn cleaning, firewood, water pumping. Owns well-equipped forge. Challenges protagonist to prove ideas.
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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