Read Novel Full Vol 20 Chapter 5
Vol 20 Chapter 5
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Chapter 5 – The Time of Liberation Has Come
I was so busy organizing the documents that I felt like crying; no, I actually cried, and just when I thought I had finally come to the end of it, Miranda-san, the Master of the Merchant’s Guild, appeared. It was about connecting the Kingdom of Aquamarine and the Kingdom of Brescia through the Castle. Just when I thought I was finally coming to the end of the paperwork, why is this tiresome matter at this time…?
I refuse!
If I tell Miranda-san, who is leisurely drinking tea in front of me, that I refuse, I can get away from this tiresome matter… but if I do, there’s a possibility that the Beastman City that’s currently under construction will collapse.
If that happens, a hell more real than the hell of signing documents will be born.
If I spend 250 billion yen to create a hell on earth… it might become a failure that will be remembered in history.
I’m not that interested in fame, but it’s embarrassing to see it in an economics textbook or something, like how a silly guy named Wataru squandered all his riches for nothing.
Besides, it would be too painful to see the Beastmen, who I have seen working so hard with my own eyes, become unhappy.
In that case, something must be done to prevent the Beastmen City from going bankrupt.
The easiest thing to do is to limit the number of people who can be accepted.
There are already quite a few beastmen here, but if the number doesn’t increase any further, it might be manageable.
But that would mean turning away people who came to the Aquamarine Kingdom with high hopes.
…Still, a ruler has to make tough decisions to protect his country, but fortunately, I’m not a ruler, so I can avoid making tough decisions.
So, no turning away.
If we don’t limit the number of people we accept, we’ll have to find work for the beastmen we do accept.
There are a lot of construction jobs right now, so that’s fine, but on the other hand, we need to have a plan for when those jobs are finished.
Jobs… jobs…
To begin with, I don’t know much about this world, so I don’t even know what kind of jobs there are.
There are quite a few people gathered here, so there will probably be a reasonable number of basic jobs, but I think the beastmen will be able to solve them on their own.
So my job is to make sure that the people left over from the non-basic jobs are well taken care of?
The template for revitalizing a region in Japan would be to make the area attractive and attract immigrants and tourists.
There may be other things, but I don’t know about them, so I won’t think about them. Using social media is impossible because we don’t have social media here.
So, how do you make a place attractive? In Japan, the minimum requirement is good transportation, moderate development, and facilities necessary for living, and the question is how much more you can add on top of that.
As for transportation… we’re importing materials from other countries, so the roads are getting better to some extent because of the transportation of those materials. The port will be finished eventually. Hmm, let’s say we’ve met the requirements, even though we’ve lost quite a bit.
As for the facilities required for living, we’ll use the money to build them, so there’s no problem.
Wait, could it be that the minimum foundation has been completed?
No, that’s not right. I put up the money to build the minimum foundations, so of course, they’ve been built.
The problem is how to deal with the Beastmen, who have gathered here in such large numbers that the minimum is not enough. I guess that means I have to come up with something extra for that.
Basically, this is a piece of land that the government has decided has no value for development.
It’s not suitable for agriculture, so it’s just doing its best to feed the residents. In fact, we’ll have to rely on imports from elsewhere for the time being.
The forests do not look good either, so there is no hope for woodworking, game, or other specialities.
Well, if there are minerals or hot springs hidden in the forest, that might help a little. I’ll ask William-san to investigate later, but what we need now is a clear mission.
Building a theme park like the Dark Elf Island dungeon… not good. I don’t think I can get permission to use the charity budget for that.
Something more cultural and academic, something that would attract people to the area… how about a museum or art gallery?
There are still quite a few things left from the Duke’s castle that could be displayed, as well as things related to dragons… No, it’s likely to attract not only robbers but even agents from other countries.
Besides, since public construction is difficult and even state-sponsored projects can fail, it is risky for amateurs to get involved.
Is it the right policy to attract people when there is a problem with an overflow of beastmen in the first place? I don’t think it’s wrong in terms of attracting tourists who will drop money, but… is that why it’s a luxury liner?
The people who can afford to travel on such a ship are basically rich, so if we can get them to stay in the Beastmen City, the amount of money they drop will be different.
Judging from Miranda-san, I think she’s also thinking about how to attract people from Beastman City to the royal capital, and she seems to be aiming to revitalize the entire Aquamarine Kingdom.
Not good. I’m trying to think of a way that doesn’t rely on the Castle, but I’m inadvertently starting to agree with the Castle’s advantages.
I need to come up with some other ideas.
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, I’ve thought about it a lot, but none of the ideas work.
To begin with, this land is no good. It basically has no appeal.
But I chose it on purpose!
Even the officials asked me why I was developing this place, and if possible, I should have chosen another location. William-san also made a face at me at first, like, “What’s this guy thinking?” and now I’m regretting it more than ever.
But there was nothing I could do about it. I expected there to be some commotion, but I didn’t think it would be so big that it would cause a flat tire.
If I had known this would happen, I would have chosen a better piece of land. But now it’s too late, I’ve already spent the money.
Phew, I can’t think of any solutions.
I have a feeling that the beautiful witch smiling at me would have another solution, but she is the Master of the Merchant’s Guild, so she would welcome the arrival of the Castle, not deny it.
Since she has already suggested a regular shipping route, I don’t think she would tell me about any other plans.
In other words, the regular shipping route for the Castle is becoming a reality.
Until now, I would have thought that I could just leave everything to Camille-san and be at ease.
However, my experience in overcoming the paperwork hell whispered to me that this was definitely a case of paperwork increasing.
If I use the regular shipping route, the paperwork will increase, and if I don’t, the Beastmen City will collapse. I’m left with only two unpleasant choices.
“Have you come up with a plan yet?”
Miranda-san spoke to me, perhaps noticing that my train of thought had come to a halt. She probably understood that I had not come up with any ideas. I could see a hint of a relaxed expression on her face.
She definitely thought to herself that she would be able to get her hands on beauty products on a regular basis. It seemed that she had been gathering information, so maybe she was also considering trying beauty salons and the like.
But I haven’t given up yet.
Even if I can’t think of anything, I have outstanding brains available now. I’m sure Camille-san, Mauro-san, and Donatella-san will come up with a solution that won’t burden me.
“That’s right. I need to consult with Mage-sama, and I also need to talk to the person in charge of the ship. It’s difficult to give a definite answer right now, so please be prepared for the possibility that the regular route may not be opened.”
“That’s right, nothing is certain. However, for now, there is a possibility that the Merchant Guild will not be able to handle the situation. I sincerely hope that the discussions will go well.”
“…I’ll try my best.”
She only mentioned the discussions, not the consultation. I guess she’s pretty sure that I’m the mage.
However, Miranda-san’s wish will not be granted. My brilliant business brain will take care of it somehow.
After hearing my answer, Miranda-san bowed and left the room, apologizing for bothering me when I was busy.
As expected from a merchant, even though she had barged in and piled more work on me after hearing about my situation from William-san, on the surface, she still seemed genuinely sorry.
Her ability to put up a front is extraordinary.
Well then, let’s get this signing over with quickly.
After Miranda-san left, I stopped dead in my tracks as I tried to finish signing.
I wondered if I could really be happy from the bottom of my heart if I finished the signature in my current dark mental state, with the new work I’d been given piling up on top of me.
If I had just finished the signature now, I’m sure I would have felt happy. I’m sure I would feel relieved. But I don’t think I would feel as happy as I did before Miranda-san came.
I can’t allow myself to be in such a disappointing state of mind when I finally get out of hell. I want to experience the happiest feeling of liberation when I come here.
Hmm, I need to clear my mind.
While I was thinking this, William-san’s subordinate returned to replace Miranda-san.
Even though the supervision was as strict as that of a demon in the middle of hell, since there was only a little left, he was also relaxed and gave off a carefree air.
Come to think of it, it’s embarrassing that I’m so happy to see this person. Before Miranda-san came, I didn’t even pay attention to him, but when I calmed down, that was not the case.
“Um, since this is all that’s left, I’ll definitely sign it so you can go home today, you know?”
“Huh, I don’t mind, but since we’re here, I’ll keep you company until it’s over, okay?”
“No, I want to scream with all my might and dance around in a frenzy the moment it’s over, so I’d rather be alone.”
“…Oh.”
I got a look full of pity. If he was going to be so sympathetic, I wanted him to be even nicer to me in the middle of hell.
“Oh, William-san is going to have a banquet when all the work is done, so please join us.”
“What? …Oh, that’s impossible. From the moment I finish signing, I’ll do my best to forget everything and enjoy myself. I’ll probably escape from the Aquamarine Kingdom today, too.”
That’s impossible. Even if it’s the result of my own actions, I can’t have a fun banquet with William-san, who has prepared hell for me. Even I, who’s a wimp when I’m drunk, could be showered with blood.
“Oh, I was looking forward to the party…”
“Please enjoy the party without worrying about me. Oh, please use this to help pay for the party.”
“Wait, isn’t this gold? How much do you want us to spend on the party?”
“If there’s anything left over, please use it to have another party or whatever. Thanks for your hard work.”
I push the confused observer out of the room after giving him the gold coins. I can’t help but feel that the gold coins are a bit much, but I gave them to him in a hurry, so there’s nothing I can do about it.
If I release 250 billion yen, even though it’s not money I can use freely, my sense of money will go crazy, and I’ll be in trouble.
Well, I’ll think about my money sense later.
First, I have to clear my mind. I have to remember the painful days clearly. This thought will bring me the greatest sense of liberation.
Oh, now that I’ve remembered, my hands are shaking, and I feel nauseous.
My heart is sinking.
Okay, now!
I signed each one to confirm the pain, and finally, I signed the last one. It had been a long time. In terms of days, it was less than a single journey, but mentally, it felt incredibly long.
I will be released from this suffering. I sign the last one with all my feelings.
“Yahoo! The work is done!”
It’s party night tonight. I won’t stop today!
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