So basically,
that speech means we just picked a fight with the Central Nations?
I'm sorry.
As am I.
I, as well.
Not at all.
From what I've heard, the speech was splendid.
It fired up the serfs over their treatment, and they're close
to rebellion against the landowners.
And that is the issue.
Her speech
has drastically changed things in the Southern Nations.
The people desire independence.
And so, the question is
how the royal family should respond.
Chapter 10
So now their plans are finally coming to fruition?
We'll have to free the serfs.
We should stand with the people.
The potatoes have doubled the population we can support.
It's true, we could...
But that would be an act of outright defiance of the Central Nations.
A war would wipe us out.
If I may, I doubt they'd attack immediately.
Should they destroy us,
they'd lose the buffer protecting them from the demons.
Indeed...
And their military force is divided among numerous local lords.
To unite it in one location would take a minimum six months.
This is no good!
What's wrong?
I don't understand this anymore.
What, exactly, do the Central Nations...
Or maybe the church or the king?
...wish to accomplish?
To gather the entire world beneath the banner of the Light Spirit...
Put like that,
it sounds good, but in truth, they covet the world's riches.
And not just riches... Knowledge, respect, power.
By stealing from others within a closed system,
they can create a stratified society, with themselves at the top.
They want that society to last forever.
Isn't that why the whole world will never be prosperous?
What do you mean?
The Lady once told me...
Keeping all the wealth for yourself may make you rich,
but it won't make you prosperous.
You give people money, and they spend it.
True prosperity comes from a free flow of wealth and goods.
But...
So to maintain their wealth,
the church impoverishes everyone else?
Then what do we do?
What must happen for this to improve?
When you're unsure what to do, eat sweets!
I have strawberry pie and pear pie!
There are two, so pick what you like!
The Lakeside Convent did what?
They've formed a church that's separate from the central one.
They call it the True Church of the Light Spirit.
They're making it the national religion.
What's wrong?
I failed to anticipate that.
But that wouldn't be her work.
She would never do something so rash...
The Hero, then?
Chairman...
But it really is brilliant.
Apparently, the Central Church is in chaos.
Naturally, it's unlikely their support for the Central Church will waver.
But what interests me...
The liberation of the serfs?
This isn't parchment.
But unlike papyrus, it's sturdy.
And the letters seemed to have been stamped into it.
Papers identical to these are being widely distributed.
I would estimate nearly three thousand.
Three thousand of these?
To aid the arid regions within the Central Nations,
I've developed a far more effective method than the waterwheel.
As well as something to write on that will replace parchment forever.
So now their plans are finally coming to fruition?
How is the council leaning?
Three back the Central, and two the Southern Triad.
The rest remain neutral.
Locate their assets.
Right.
What's happened to wheat prices?
Up by two points.
The Central Nations' economic recession is raising prices.
If we sell our current stock, we'll make quite a profit.
No, we should buy now.
Buy?
Iron ingots, charcoal, silver... Buy all of those.
How much?
As much as you can without raising suspicion.
Buy wheat at one hundred points until next week,
and up to two hundred and fifty until next month's end.
We'll fill this place up.
I've never heard of anyone buying at those prices.
Buying wheat is not our objective.
It's to sell currency.
Twelve more entered the country yesterday.
This makes two hundred and eighteen.
I thought there'd be more.
A song, then.
Songs can teach even
difficult words to illiterate peasants.
My kingdom is the Bard Country.
If we compensate them for singing of our new teachings...
Um...
Won't the church denounce
anyone who spreads our teachings?
Labeling them liars or demons' servants.
It's the only trick those idiots know.
I think that we shouldn't do this.
Most of their adherents are simple believers in the Light Spirit.
No good will come of involving them in an ugly fight.
Then how should we get more people here?
We explain why they should come.
The southern lands are wild, and it will be difficult,
but there is hope.
There is no serfdom.
Anyone who works hard will be rewarded.
And taxes are very low.
This is the chance given to us by the Spirit.
If the bards spread songs like those,
wouldn't that bring a lot of people?
I thought you were going to say something idealistic,
but it's actually an even appraisal of our situation.
How's the market responding?
The nobles and merchants are responding well, as they have wheat at hand.
Some of them are liquidating.
And the farm owners?
They're becoming nervous,
but few are willing to sell, if offered sufficient money.
I see.
What is that?
I'll call it... Let's see...
A product purchase agreement, I suppose.
A purchase agreement?
For example, this winter I would pay up front
to purchase next year's wheat crop.
So the land owners sell wheat they don't have.
But when summer comes,
they must have the wheat, no matter what.
If wheat prices have risen with a bad harvest,
we can acquire the wheat at lower prices.
So you think the price will rise?
With the Central calling the southern ones heretics,
chances are good it will come to war.
And even if it doesn't, that's fine.
As long as people want to eat it, we create artificial scarcity
to keep prices high.
There's only one real goal.
To keep the Central Nations' nobility thinking of next year's wheat market.
Next summer comes,
and not only isn't there much wheat to sell,
there isn't much to eat, either.
And suppose the prices keep increasing?
There's no need for them to rise in reality.
All we need is for them to worry,
and that fear will make us rich.
We just keep issuing these agreements and handing them money.
And we can move the Alliance's HQ in preparation for the next step.
Out of nowhere?
Well, let's see...
Why not the Lake Country?
It's near the Southern Triad.
And the Lakeside Convent is there.
A fun dance party is about to begin.
Let's let the central nobility enjoy a long, long winter.
Buy, sell, exchange...
Until this waltz's sound fills the entire continent.
Potatoes and salt?
The town's salt supply has run out.
Losing Bright Light Island's rock salt supply hurt us.
Stop complaining,
Sir Cloud Dragon.
The Eastern Fortress General sides with the humans.
Oh, excuse me.
Don't worry, we'll think of something.
General, are you familiar with the Azure Demons?
The ones with blue skin?
They are of the Greater Races, and more Demon Kings descend from them than from any other.
They are the ones who most desire to conquer the Human World.
They worry me, then.
There's a rumor that
they're secretly contacting humans here, in Gate City.
Are you insane?
Eight silver for a bag of wheat?
That's twice the normal price.
Who would buy that?
You've not been shopping for a while, have you?
Hey...
How much for the grade-B wheat?
Six and a half silver.
It has some bugs, and isn't as finely ground,
but it's still good.
Okay, I'll take twenty-five bags.
Are you crazy?
Nowadays, that's cheap.
I'll take the grade-B stuff, too.
Sure thing.
One bag for eight and a half silver.
Wasn't it six and a half?
You did see how much I just sold?
A week ago, it was four silver per bag.
And the rumor is that next week, it will be fifteen.
If I save it instead of selling, I could make more money.
Fine...
Give me two bags!
Wheat prices have begun rising abnormally rapidly.
Sixty-four points over the normal average.
Nine more than last week.
Are the fast horses ready?
Yes.
Now it's a matter of how fast we are.
Focus on selling these wheat purchase agreements
to the larger landholders.
Yes, sir.
The three councilors who support
the Central Church won't agree to any more wheat purchases.
Any ideas?
The Black Hand will keep them out of the action
for two weeks.
Keep it quiet for as long as you can.
And then, we'll go all-out for two weeks.
I shall not let them stop the waltz.
A letter?
I haven't heard from him in ages.
"Hello. How have you been?
Things in the Holy Capital grow strange.
Grain prices, primarily wheat, rapidly rise.
And it's causing a corresponding rise in the price of beans and even chestnuts.
But since the landholders are obligated to sell at low prices,
grain merchants and bakers are closing their doors for fear of bankruptcy.
However, the landowners and nobility save their money.
And in some special way..."
Clearly, someone is behind this!
What are you seeing?
In the Central Nations, prices of everything are rising.
No matter how much money nobles save,
it won't be enough to buy anything.
We'll see prices increases like we've never seen before.
To get what they need, they'll look to the Southern Triad
where prices haven't risen.
If we get involved...
This will destroy our country's economy.
This is a danger greater than we've ever faced.
One wrong step, and we're doomed.
Is there any way we'll be able to deal with it?
Firstly, with tariffs.
We levy a tax on products,
especially wheat, but only when they leave the Southern Triad.
Try to take out wheat or potatoes,
and we'll tax ten gold per wagon.
Ten gold?
That's unheard of.
Without it, the Central Nations will take all our food.
We'll starve in the winter.
Here it is... The summons.
We meet in two weeks.
The commanding general will be the Ashen King, of the Fog Country.
Tell him we'll be there at once.
Yes, sir.
I have plenty of money.
If I buy seven hundred... No, a thousand mercenaries...
More than even the Ashen King retains, the High Priest will remember me.
I could become a count!
Now, then...
How will your Southern Triad respond?
I expect great things.
It warms me right up...
So, what brings you here?
I came to meet you.
How did you find me?
The Hero?
No, this is my own task, so I've kept it secret from my lord.
A passing mage used detection magic to tell me where you were.
I can hear my sense of reality shattering.
Well?
What do you require, Princess?
Salt.
How much?
I don't know.
As much as we need.
That's a rather vague request.
Hence, why I am here.
Only you are able to fulfill it.
In the Demon Realm, salt is a valuable commodity.
I'd like you to spare me some.
It warms me right down to my tail!
It really is a miracle you weren't discovered on your way here.
My tail?
And your horns.
Some were suspicious.
But as soon as I used my charms on them, they all let me go.
The merchants may be the first to find
what cannot be expressed in loss and profit.
You may be that which will lead me to that thing.
I think there's too much we do not know.
About what?
About each other, perhaps.
You're really becoming the Demon King, my master?!
Yeah...
Do you know what that entails?
You'll have to enter the Underworld Palace!
The Demon Kings of old will take over your mind and body.
They don't take it over, just alter it.
If they took it over, there could be a way to undo the process.
But once complete, the alteration cannot be undone.
That's even worse!
No... Even altered, I'm still myself.
The sins I've committed will remain mine until the end.
This all sounds like a bad thing!
Don't worry... The alteration will take time.
So I'll just enter the Underworld Palace a while,
and then I'll leave.
Then you won't get the Demon King's combat prowess.
How will you rule the Demon Realm that way?
I will not use violence.
Then what will you use?
I wish to meet my fate.
Look.
A human boy?
He is the Hero.
One of two living singularities in this world.
In about fifteen years, he'll be amazing.
I want to see him once he becomes the Hero.
He'll try to kill the Demon King!
What's wrong with that?
To meet me, he will come a long, long way.
Of course, his sword may be meant to kill me.
But before that,
I can at least say, "Hello."
And if a miracle occurs,
perhaps he'll let me touch his black hair.
I'm sure it's very fluffy.
Running your hand through it must be pleasing.
You're mad!
I think that this is my only chance.
To witness a future no one has seen.
To read a story not within this library.
To meet my fate.
This is an official declaration of war that arrived this morning.
The church has also sent a letter of excommunication.
That's too fast!
Our tariffs meant that the grains
they relied upon were no longer available.
This declaration of war is the result.
When will the war begin?
The first month of winter, on the fourth day of the rabbit,
upon the northern fields.
In ten days?
Damn it! I don't want to fight!
This can't be what she wanted!
Hero...
This can't be how it ends!
Damn it!
Why is she absent when I need her?!
What's on the other side of the hill?
That's what I want to see.
If it's possible to end the war another way...
Winter King...
If a war begins, how long can we fight without casualties?
I don't want people to die.
Not on our side, or theirs.
I'm not being naïve.
It's absolutely necessary for what must happen.
It will depend on the weather...
Snow?
If we can last four weeks...
If we're fortunate, snow will fall in two weeks.
Can you do that?
I shall accept the task.
I swear it by my name.
Next Chapter:
You're just destroying and killing, without creating anything.