Volume 6 Chapter 91 Kingdom Of Ayub
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ms. Nina’s hometown, the Kingdom of Ayub, was a mountainous country. Although smaller in total area than the former Duke Mineley Territory, the entire region formed a basin, making the villages spread wide and large in scale. Its population was several times that of the Duke’s territory.
In this world, it’s generally safe to equate population with national strength. Our country, which began as a simple village, welcomed many immigrants and quickly grew into a nation on the scale of a great power.
If we don’t consider the future, the short-term benefits of immigration policy seem significant. As long as the country keeps growing, it feels like things will somehow manage themselves.
However, no country can grow forever. I fear the day we’ll hit a ceiling and might burst all at once under the costs of rapid expansion.
The life of a nation is surprisingly short. Among the many countries that don’t last even a hundred years after their founding, the Kingdom of Ayub, which has lasted several generations, has done quite well.
Currently, it is a vassal state of the Totoana Empire, but if we don’t make any mistakes, we might outlive Totoana itself. After all, it’s a remote area without much strategic importance.
The Kingdom of Ayub had a teleportation gate installed in the basement of a dilapidated castle on a small hill.
Standing on the crumbling watchtower, you could see Ayub Castle in the distance. It would take a leisurely few hours to walk there.
I had previously sent Tizzy, Miss Floria, and Uno as envoys, and appointments were arranged. Tizzy was a cousin of the King of Ayub, Miss Floria had been Princess Auroora’s tutor, and the dragon Uno held a status equal to the emperor’s.
Using a dragon like that seemed a bit over the top since I wasn’t even an emperor, but since he wanted to do it, I couldn’t really refuse. Thanks to that, I no longer worried about being looked down upon as an upstart king.
Seeing her hometown’s scenery, Ms. Nina’s spirits soared. She tried to maintain a poker face, but she was quite easy to read.
Rather, it was Tizzy whose ever-changing expressions left me baffled—I couldn’t figure out what she was really thinking.
Should I also learn to play the long game? The ultimate pattern would be to appear a dimwit while secretly being a master strategist, but that seemed too difficult.
Well, I figured it might be happier to live without such games.
With the resolve of someone about to bungee jump from Kiyomizu Temple, I tried proposing to Ms. Nina. Though I didn’t get a clear YES, I wasn’t rejected either. Since she seemed to be enjoying herself, I figured it was safe to assume it was okay, right?
According to Tizzy, well-bred princesses tend to be reserved and often affirm with silence. When it was Tizzy’s turn, she was more proactive—but that might have been because my status wasn’t sufficient.
* * *
Since it was Ms. Nina’s family home, Princess Auroora was naturally there as well. I was sure she disliked me, so I worried about what would happen if I were rejected.
Fortunately, Miss Floria seemed to have received a favorable response from King Ayub. Perhaps my worries had been unnecessary.
”It seems the finances are in dire straits. That child really has no talent for domestic affairs,” Miss Floria said sharply, her voice laced with disappointment.
Princess Auroora was talented, but she apparently lacked a sense for financial matters.
Indeed, Ms. Nina had her shortcomings in that area as well. If Shea-Shea and Tizzy were domestic affairs SS, then Ms. Nina might be at best a domestic affairs B? People all have their strengths and weaknesses.
There’s the ten-thousand-hour rule—practice something for ten thousand hours and you can become a master. But even that isn’t always enough to reach the ultra-elite level.
Princess Auroora was a good commander, but being a straight-A student made her easy to trap in schemes. I thought she could transform if paired with an excellent strategist.
Her brother, the current King Ayub, was rumored to be quite dull. I’d heard that was why Princess Auroora hadn’t married yet. He should delegate to capable subordinates, but perhaps he just wasn’t blessed with talent.
* * *
Approaching the castle while viewing the surroundings through the lens of a small nation on the brink of bankruptcy, I found it surprising that the people seemed happy. As long as there’s wall barley, they won’t go hungry.
”There are quite a lot of cows, aren’t there?” Ms. Shirakaba said with a complicated expression. Speaking of which, her family used to raise cows, didn’t they? Animals are cute, but they require a lot of care, as her brother, Fubuki, had mentioned.
”Our country has a small population, so we allow one cow per household,” Ms. Nina said proudly. Was this… a boast about our country?
The mysterious rule against raising livestock is clearly a measure against the empty whales. Essentially, it’s about animal husbandry density. Whether it’s quail or humans, if they multiply too much, they get culled by that thing.
As long as there’s wall barley, the creatures that eat it will continue to increase. To make this world sustainable, they’re regulated by the empty whales. It’s definitely a matter involving a divine being.
If you understand the rules, countermeasures are possible. You just need to keep breeding density within an appropriate range. By examining past records, you should be able to determine the danger levels.
Given the population density of the Kingdom of Ayub, it seems manageable to have one cow per household. If a cow and a chicken count the same, then cows, which provide more meat, seem like a better deal.
No, if it’s for meat, raising fast-growing chickens on a high cycle might be the way to go, right? Pigs grow quickly too. If you turn everything into ham except for breeding pigs in the fall, you can keep livestock numbers down.
”Ah, if we could get milk, it would expand our cooking options,” Ms. Nina mused thoughtfully.
We do bring in a lot of dairy products from Earth, but like cola and chips, they’re limited. If they could be supplied in this world, it would be the best thing ever.
”Sounds good, desserts,” Ms. Shirakaba smiled.
”Strawberry shortcake is the ultimate!” Tizzy added eagerly.
Ah, strawberries. The little seeds on strawberries are all seeds, so if you plant them, they’ll sprout. If I give them to Ms. Hóa, she’ll probably grow them.
Even in this world, as long as you have money, you can easily obtain cherries and sugar-coated fruits. They can’t replace fresh strawberries, but they look somewhat similar.
After all, isn’t strawberry shortcake still delicious even without the strawberries? Is that a bad idea?
If it’s chestnuts, I can get plenty of those. I also really love Mont Blanc.
”Dairy products are quite expensive in the capital city. They should make it a specialty of the Kingdom of Ayub,” Ms. Nina suggested.
”But there’s no way to transport them. Peddlers will always go for more profitable goods,” Ms. Shirakaba countered.
”If you’re going to carry butter, it’s better to carry copper ore; it’s more valuable and doesn’t spoil,” I chimed in.
Metals are definitely good goods to carry slowly, but there’s the danger of thieves.
”Hey Tizzy, do you think peddlers would be able to sell butter if it didn’t spoil?” Ms. Shirakaba asked, frowning with slight doubt.
”If it didn’t spoil, yeah. Do you have that kind of butter?” I replied, curious.
”It’s not that it doesn’t spoil, but there are ways to preserve it. You could freeze the butter. As for cheese, maybe you could smoke it or pickle it in miso?” she explained, her voice taking on a practical tone.
If you can control the temperature and humidity properly, cheese can last for years, but if you mess up, it’ll get moldy right away.
”Smoked cheese is delicious, right? Do you have any?” Ms. Nina asked eagerly.
”I do have some,” I nodded.
Ms. Shirakaba asked me to distribute some smoked cheese as a snack. The expiration date on the package was surprisingly short. It seemed more like it was meant to add flavor than for preservation.
”Delicious,” Ms. Nina said, eyes lighting up.
”So good, so good,” Ms. Shirakaba agreed, chewing happily.
”This would go so well with some alcohol, wouldn’t it?” Miss Floria added with a grin.
Miss Floria is actually a heavy drinker. It seems knowing a lot about alcohol is important for nobles.
”This will solve the country’s financial issues too,” Ms. Shirakaba said hopefully.
”Do you think it will go that smoothly? That child can be quite stubborn and conservative,” Ms. Nina responded with a skeptical tone.
In Ms. Nina’s view, the country’s king, her younger brother, was quite a disappointing figure. But it’s also true that a person’s position shapes them. After being king for years, he must have grown a bit. You know, they say that if you don’t see a man for three days, you’d be surprised by how much he changes.
That’s what I thought, but the young man sitting on the throne was a surprisingly disappointing handsome guy.
* * *
”I, I am Ayub the 13th,” he managed to say, then fell silent. Well, kings can just sit there, and their vassals will do whatever they need to do for them.
This time, I have to act as a fellow king. Miss Floria had been teaching me all the necessary details beforehand.
”I am Sabroa the First. How do you do?” I said, taking a more casual approach.
Some of the older people were shocked, but Princess Auroora, standing nearby, didn’t seem to mind.
Ayub the 13th was a handsome man with a feminine face, similar to Ms. Nina and Princess Auroora. If he just sat quietly on the throne, he would look rather regal. But his eyes lacked ambition, and his wandering gaze resembled that of a small animal. What exactly is he afraid of?
Maybe I have a biased view of him because Ms. Nina often tells me what a hopeless younger brother he is. Hmm, yeah, no matter how you look at it, he seems like a hopeless person.
He’s said to resemble me, but even I think I have a bit more presence, or charisma? Something like that.
On the other hand, Princess Auroora is truly amazing. The charisma that radiates from her is not inferior to Tizzy’s.
I wonder why she doesn’t become queen?
Also, to be precise, she’s not a princess but the royal sister, Your/Her/His Highness. I wonder if she still wants to be called a princess as a woman?
* * *
After the greeting according to protocol, we were guided to the dining hall for a traditional banquet.
It seems that the number of people on both sides had to be the same, so there was some trouble over how to handle Ms. Nina, but since Uno started acting a bit… Lyra-ish, we decided not to worry about the details.
At the dinner table, perhaps because the number of elderly attendants was reduced to two, King Ayub’s complexion improved a little.
What’s concerning is that the young king’s gaze was directed only at Ms. Nina and Princess Auroora.
Is it some kind of “older sister complex”? Maybe it’s understandable when the opponent is a beauty like Princess Auroora.
Apparently, a few years ago, there was talk of a marriage arrangement between this king and Tizzy. It’s not uncommon for nobles to marry their cousins. Sibling marriages aren’t taboo, but it’s well-known that it can be dangerous if the bloodline gets too concentrated.
Since polygamy is not an issue in their culture, it’s normal for adult royalty to have multiple partners. Yet, both King Ayub and Princess Auroora are still single.
I’m not oblivious or insensitive, so I can tell. They must be involved with each other.
* * *
”Ah, truly, it’s a joyous occasion. As they’ve always said, if you have status, the age difference doesn’t matter…” one of the elder statesmen murmured, feigning drunkenness with a sly grin.
He said it so bluntly that I wondered if it was intentional, or simply something common in this world.
Still, the effects of alcohol were amazing. Just by offering whiskey, the old men grew noticeably more friendly. Easy.
It would be quite a cheat item in diplomatic negotiations. No wonder the cardinals want it.
”Is this alcohol the source of Your Majesty Sabroa’s funds?” Princess Auroora asked, tilting her head curiously as she sat across from me. She looked adorable, sharing the same face as Ms. Nina. The adult Ms. Nina was also quite charming.
The dark navy blue dress suited her very well. A beauty looks good in anything. Upon closer inspection, it was a little different from what she wore earlier—a change of outfit, perhaps?
When a woman wears new clothes, it’s common courtesy to compliment her. But I needed to answer the question asked.
This was one of those situations where choosing the wrong response could lower my favorability.
Since I wasn’t here to flirt with Princess Auroora, I answered plainly.
”Indeed, specialty products provide a stable income, but it’s more profitable to focus on trade rather than manufacturing,” I said, trying to sound kingly, though I worried it came off a bit odd.
”If it’s a specialty product, wouldn’t the producer have a stronger position than the merchant?” she inquired, smartly. As expected—she was Ms. Nina’s original after all.
”If the state can monopolize sales, it can trade with merchants on equal terms, but individual artisans lack the negotiation strength,” I explained.
”Isn’t that what guilds are for?” she challenged.
”Originally, yes. But now the guild is exploiting the craftsmen,” I replied carefully.
”So, Your Majesty plans to fight the guild?” she pressed.
”No way. Our goal is coexistence and mutual prosperity,” I said firmly.
”Instead of fighting over the same pie, we’ll add a new one and share it. Eventually, the old pie might lose its value, but that’s not my concern,” I elaborated, hoping the metaphor landed.
”So that’s how it connects to road improvements. Do you think we could do it in our country?” she asked thoughtfully.
”Ah, the traffic is too sparse, so it’s running at a loss,” I replied with a sigh.
”If the roads improve, wouldn’t the number of travelers increase?” she countered.
”It’s not just this country… Look at this… take a look,” I said, moving the fruit basket aside and spreading out the map.
”Wow! What a detailed map!” she exclaimed.
”You went as far as preparing something like this! So you really do intend to invade our country!” the old men exclaimed in alarm.
They were flustered, probably the first time they had seen an accurate map. It was amusing how they all seemed to experience a bit of a “culture shock.”
”Don’t panic, you fools! It’s just an ancient map!” Uno scolded, cutting through their fuss.
Uno probably just wanted to try using the “old man” language, but she carried the dignity of an ancient dragon, so it worked.
”Ancient wisdom… the value of this map is immeasurable, even militarily,” she added gravely.
Ah, Princess Auroora’s face now took on the look of a soldier.
”Indeed, with a sloppy map, it’s a struggle just to move troops. But seeing Princess Auroora lead such a large army to Duke Mineley Territory, we can truly appreciate her excellence,” Uno praised.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t manage it. Even with the magic pouch making resupplies easier, I couldn’t organize 50 men, let alone a hundred.
I just needed someone capable of leading a hundred men.
”If we’d had this map back then… No, that’s impossible. We shouldn’t have even invaded. The supply lines would have been a nightmare,” they muttered.
Looking at the map made it clear: the march for the invasion of Kasgar was a reckless adventure in itself.
I had been proud of defending against the army, but all I did was harass an opponent already stretched thin just trying to move. No wonder I won so easily.
Princess Auroora wasn’t trying to wage a war of conquest either. If the suzerain nation orders it, even a foolish command must be followed—such is the sorrow of being a vassal.
”I see, a sniper shot from long range all by yourself. So that’s the kind of battle you fought,” Ms. Nina said, full of interest as she listened to Tizzy recount the battle’s outcome.
Now that I thought about it, she liked military history. If she’d been born in Japan, she might have been a prominent military enthusiast.
”You can’t call someone cowardly for taking on an entire army alone. In the end, our army was just a great supporting act,” Tizzy said.
Princess Auroora looked genuinely regretful.
”For this country, losing to a hero was probably for the best. If we had won, Totoana would have been on high alert,” she reasoned.
Ms. Nina’s perspective was sharp. Indeed, it wasn’t amusing for the empire if its vassal states gained too much strength.
”Because of the mines, our territory was invaded. If we lack the strength to resist the great powers, it would be better not to have wealth or even half-hearted military strength,” Princess Auroora glared at Tizzy.
”Are you saying that our country’s poverty is rather a blessing?” she asked.
”If it has been so until now, then we should be able to endure it in the future, right?” Tizzy replied.
With Tizzy’s participation, the conversation was becoming increasingly difficult.
Words criticizing the Totoana Empire flew around, and the old men grew flustered and panicked.
To go against the empire was probably taboo, even just to think about it. Discussing it was out of the question.
As for my younger brother, it was unclear whether he understood or not; he listened in silence.
He seemed to be executing the handsome rule that staying silent made one look wise. For the Totoana Empire, a decorative king would be ideal.
If it turned out that he was actually capable while pretending to be just a figurehead, that would be thrilling. Like a capable hawk hiding its claws?
If he continued to hide his claws for a lifetime, was he the same as being incompetent? No, incompetence that fits the time and place surpasses a capable person who can’t read the room. Humans have a desire for self-assertion, so it’s not something one can do without considerable self-restraint.
”What does Your Majesty think, Saburou?” Princess Auroora asked.
For a moment, I thought Ms. Nina had called me. Their voices were so similar.
Everyone was silent, staring at me. Huh? Was I being expected to say something profound?
”If being poor means not being robbed, then we should just become rich while remaining poor,” I replied, confused by my own words.
I didn’t understand the complicated stuff, but essentially, it seemed like it was bad news if Totoana had its eyes on us, right?
”Being poor yet rich? Is that referring to richness of the heart?” Princess Auroora asked rather coldly. It seemed my answer didn’t please her.
Indeed, it did sound like a detached sermon from a religious figure. There were practical aspects similar to Ms. Nina.
”Ah, ahem. In other words, it means a richness that won’t be taken away by the empire. Like wells or hot springs,” I clarified quickly.
I searched underground with the Radar Scan upgrade. The surrounding underground water veins were abundant. Although a bit deep, it seemed possible to dig some hot springs.
I also stumbled upon a cobalt vein, but it was too risky, so I pretended I didn’t see it.
There were environmental assessment issues, but it should be fine as long as it only slightly raised the living standards of the local residents.
”Are hot springs going to spring up?” she asked skeptically.
”In the Sabroa Dukedom, having water supply and drainage is a given. Commoners also regularly use public baths,” Tizzy said with a smug look.
”It’s just like an ancient capital, isn’t it? However, there is a concern that if it goes that far, it might become a directly governed territory of the empire,” Princess Auroora observed.
Ah, that possibility existed too. If it became a resort for the imperial nobility, it might indeed become prosperous in its own way. The royal family and citizens might be completely replaced, though.
For the locals, it was paradise, but for outsiders, the infrastructure made it uninviting.
It wasn’t something that came to mind immediately, but it did sound interesting.
As the conversation heated up, we moved to the conference room after dinner, and Miss Floria joined us to refine our plans.
The old man and the younger brother got bored halfway through and wandered off somewhere. It seemed they had no interest in domestic affairs. Were they all just incompetent?
Miss Floria quickly scrutinized the documents haphazardly piled on the shelf and found a considerable amount of debt.
Most of it seemed borrowed from the Totoana merchants during the war. It cost a lot just to move the army. If you win, you can plunder as much as you want; you can’t wage war on ideals alone.
It seemed like the princess was going to end up marrying a merchant to pay off the debt, but that younger brother alone couldn’t run the country.
If I could pay off the debt with the betrothal gift I give, it would be a grand finale. Of course, she wouldn’t frown at marrying Ms. Nina.
”No, you shouldn’t pay off all the debt at once. This country is poor, so that would be too unnatural. You need to gauge the tightrope and pay it back little by little. You also have to be careful about the currency you give,” Miss Floria advised.
She made it sound easy, but wasn’t it difficult to gauge that tightrope?
To avoid raising suspicions about the source of the money, it would be best to give them well-worn old Totoana silver coins. I’d take care of that part.
”From everything, Your Majesty will become quite formidable,” Miss Floria said approvingly.
”If you’re concerned, shall I share some cheese and butter? This is a secret, but I’m the magic’s bag carrier. I should visit this country regularly,” I joked.
The combination of the teleportation gate and the magic bag was too much of a cheat. You could never have too many dairy products.
”Well, can you come to our country? If so, then I have no worries,” Princess Auroora said with a smile I’d never seen before.
In this moment, she really didn’t seem any different from Ms. Nina.
With the pressure of carrying the country on her shoulders, she probably didn’t have the luxury to smile.
Ah, Shea-Shea!! As soon as I get back, I should bake cream puffs and bring them as a treat.
Above all, I need to make this a country where Shea-Shea can take a proper vacation.
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• Miss Floria – Elegant, silver-haired noblewoman in her 40s, referred to as an ‘older sister’. Judge of the Supreme Court and Baroness. Former tutor of Princess Auroora. Initially stern but warms up, showing a playful side. Close with Ms. Nina (Princess Auroora’s doll copy), treating her like a sister. Trustworthy and explains legal matters clearly.
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills. MC and Ms. Shirakaba lover.
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• Shirakaba – A paladin who seems to be a skilled fighter. He’s introduced as someone with a strong defense and healing abilities.
• Fubuki – Male. Ms. Shirakaba’s younger brother. Handsome and around the same age as the protagonist. Not attending school recently. Lives in a mountain-top pension. Has an older sister named Yukina.
• Kasgar – The capital of Duke Mineley Territory. Located in a mining region, it is known for its acetylene lamps and mica windows. The city is bustling, with taverns and merchants, but it lacks the exotic charm of the royal capital.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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