Chapter 43
(Kyle Calendar
Year 504: Age 11)
Operation at
the Teigun Settlement ④
Translator : PolterGlast
"Father,
Mother!" X2
"The Iron Cavalry
Corps has now returned from their frontier exercises!"
"The inspection
team has now returned from the Teigun settlement!"
On the day my brother
and I, and everyone else, safely returned to the town of Est, the regular
meeting and report session were held that same day.
First, my brother
began.
＜Iron Cavalry Corps Exercise Report＞
"This time, I led
50 iron cavalrymen in exercises in the Demon Realm, and we were able to confirm
the results.
Combat experience with
monsters, which is close to real combat, is different from training and I
believe it was a valuable experience for the soldiers.
Although there were
some minor injuries, everyone returned safely, and while it involves risks, I
am considering conducting regular training in the future.
The injured were also
healed by the holy mages who joined us along the way, and I would like you to
consider having holy mages accompany us as a recovery unit in the future."
Hmm, the accompaniment
of holy mages.
I wasn't planning on
allowing that yet. I wanted to keep Rosa and Mia in reserve.
I wanted to reach a
compromise by saying that the recovery base (Teigun) was nearby.
Perhaps it was
necessary to find new holy mages from the list...
I was pondering such
things.
"How about
Takuhir's side? Does Teigun look promising?"
Oops! I had been
absentmindedly pondering until Father asked me.
＜Teigun Inspection Team Report＞
"We were able to
fully confirm the potential of Teigun as a settlement.
We secured a spring
water source on the upper side of the flat area of Mount Teigun, and we also
confirmed that it is possible to secure water from underground aquifers through
wells. Utilizing this, the earth mages and local settlers are currently
considering the development of water and sewage systems first.
In the future, we plan
to build a town on the scale of the town of Est, and we plan to install
checkpoints at both narrow passes to make it a safe base.
Regarding the
challenge of achieving self-sufficiency in food production, we plan to create
an experimental farm and try several approaches. In addition, we are already
conducting preliminary cultivation trials for some crops (potatoes), and the
seedlings have taken root and are growing well, so we are observing their
progress.
We would like to
implement the town construction work that can be handled immediately, and we
would like to deploy several mages to the site to proceed with the
groundwork."
"Raymond, as the
one who manages the barony's finances, I would like to hear your opinion.
From my perspective,
given its location in the far frontier, the transportation of goods will be
extremely difficult, and I can't help but feel that the development costs alone
will bankrupt the baronial family..."
"Yes, with the
current state of the baronial family, I think it would be difficult to cover
the enormous development costs of this scale.
However, it is also
necessary to invest in domestic affairs in the future and prepare to become a
viscountcy.
In the Estol
territory, if we do not develop the territory more than we have in the past,
our plans for the next five to ten years will not be sustainable."
As he said this,
Raymond-san looked at me with a smile.
"Furthermore,
Takuhir-sama seems to have a proposal regarding the development costs of the
settlement."
As expected. While
agreeing with Father's opinion, he was using what Father had been told by
Margrave Hastburg as his backing, providing covering fire for me.
"Thank you,
Raymond-san. I have a further proposal and four requests regarding it."
Ah, Father immediately
stiffened his expression and braced himself.
He must have thought
that he would be further squeezed for gold coins as a budget.
"As a major
premise, we plan to minimize the use of the Solis baronial family's budget for
the development of Teigun."
Father's face seemed
to relax slightly.
"As for me, I
intend to receive the development costs from the very person who recommended
the elevation in rank."
The color slightly
drained from my parents' faces.
They seemed to have
realized what I was implying.
I deliberately stated
the conclusion first.
"I will have
Margrave Hastburg invest in the development costs. I have found suitable
collateral for that."
Here, I seemed to have
my usual villainous look again.
"As a proposal:
We discovered an iron
ore deposit in Mount Teigun during this inspection. How about proposing an
investment in the town's development costs using this mine as collateral?
I think it would be
reasonable to repay the invested amount, including interest, over the next 10
years."
Everyone had a
difficult look on their faces. Probably wondering who would handle the
negotiations.
"Regarding the
negotiation method:
I would like to
accompany the delivery of the ordered crossbows and conduct the negotiations
then.
To facilitate the
negotiations, I plan to bring a separate gift to create an opportunity to begin
the talks.
For that purpose, I am
also considering presenting the Estol bow, but may I have your
permission?"
Perhaps one more push
was needed.
"Given that the
Margrave offered to cooperate as much as possible in elevating us to a
viscountcy, I believe there is a high possibility that he will cooperate with a
legitimate investment.
The key to these
negotiations is to propose it as an equal investment, not just a request.
And when I take on the
task of these negotiations, there are several other permissions I would like to
receive."
There it is! Father's
expression hardened.
"The permissions
I would like to receive are:
To present the Estol
bow to the Margrave and make the investment proposal.
And what I would like
you to promise is:
That the mine's
profits will be used for repayment and the settlement's development costs, and
that I will own the mine and the Teigun settlement.
These arrangements are
conditional upon the successful conclusion of the negotiations and the
acquisition of investment from the Margrave.
How does that
sound?"
Father crossed his
arms and pondered deeply.
Frankly, I didn't want
to place any further financial burden on Father.
Therefore, instead of
incurring costs, I wanted to be given free rein regarding the development of
Teigun.
If we continued the
system of receiving a budget from the baronial family as before, what I wanted
to do in the future would inevitably come to a standstill.
For that reason, it
was absolutely necessary to obtain approval.
"Lord Daren,
Takuhir-sama's proposal, utilizing a new source of income separate from the
current budget, I believe there are many points worth considering."
Raymond-san, thank you
for always backing me up.
"What is it that
you don't like about not burdening the baronial family? Or is it that you
regret the mine that this child found?"
"It's not that,
it's not that..."
This time, unusually,
Father did not yield to Mother's words.
"Takuhir, are you
confident in the negotiations?"
"Yes, reasonably
so. If, by any chance, I incur the Margrave's displeasure, please punish me as
if I acted on my own authority."
"Takuhir, are you
confident in repaying the investment?
If, by any chance,
repayment becomes impossible, our reputation will be ruined, and we will lose
another promising mine."
"Based on the
knowledge in the old books, the mine is promising. If we keep an eye on the
town's investment, repayment will not be a problem."
"Hmm, then I
promise that if you successfully conclude the negotiations, I will agree to all
the arrangements you mentioned."
"Thank you very
much."
"However! It
would be unfair if it were just your arrangements. This time, I will also make
arrangements."
Father said with the
villainous look I always had.
"As a
prerequisite for these negotiations:
First, you must secure
an investment of at least 10,000 gold coins from the Margrave.
The town of Teigun
must bear the responsibility of mobilizing 60 troops in five years and 100
troops in ten years.
The repayment must be
made without delay, including the Margrave's profit.
The compensation for
new mages will be capped at the current level, but all future mages will be
recognized as belonging to Teigun, and their salaries will also be borne by
Teigun.
Can you promise these
things?"
And Father continued
with a smile.
"As arrangements
in case you cannot fulfill these promises:
The territory and mine
of Teigun, and the affiliation of the mages, will be reconsidered (taken away).
Your acceptance of
these arrangements is the condition for allowing the proposal to be
implemented."
Father was smiling
smugly.
"As you command,
Father."
Calmly, I just said
that and bowed.
Father was still a
businessman after all.
Well, except for the
troop mobilization issue, those were things I had originally intended to
suggest anyway.
It would be good to
keep Father in a good mood, even if just a little.
The investment of
10,000 gold coins was equal to the amount I had in mind.
With the scale of the
town I was currently envisioning, I actually thought that much budget was
necessary to do what I wanted.
Even so, 100 mobilized
troops... that would require 2,000 citizens in terms of commoners, and even if
we pushed ourselves considerably, we would need a population of 1,000!
Seriously, Father is
merciless.
Well, I had no choice
but to somehow manage it.
But I didn't want to
back down like this either.
"Father, if there
is a next military campaign, I will also serve as one of the mobilized troops,
following your command.
Please ensure that
this promise is kept."
"What!"
Father, who had been
thinking he had the upper hand, was taken aback and speechless by his son's
unexpected counterattack.
Now it was my turn to
smile with a villainous look.
Upon hearing my last
words, Mother, who had been watching the proceedings beside him, glared at
Father with a fierce expression.
『If you had just accepted it obediently, you wouldn't
have said unnecessary things!』
Her face clearly
conveyed those unspoken words.
Father's face, which
had been smug just moments before, suddenly turned pale.
『Hmph, for this level of mischief, I have more
experience.』
Without voicing my
inner thoughts, I bowed with a blank expression.
Raymond-san and my brother
were suppressing their laughter.
My younger sister, who
happened to be present this time, didn't understand what was going on and had a
bewildered look on her face.
The participants of
the meeting concluded that day's regular meeting with their own distinct
expressions.
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