Episode 637 A Time for Money 1

"Are you talking about the Forest of Beasts?"

Zvalter's expression reflected his surprise.

The Forest of Beasts wasn't the kind of place one could easily clear out. Beyond the dangerous monsters inhabiting it, the sheer size of the forest was daunting.

It stretched across the northern plains, its vastness rivaling that of a small kingdom.

Ghislain nodded.

"Yes, it'll take a long time, but I plan to completely clear it out."

This might turn into a decades-long endeavor. Such was the enormity of the Forest of Beasts.

However, Ghislain wasn't planning to tackle the entire project at once. The immediate goal was to carve a path straight to the forest's core.

There's something there, I'm sure of it.

In his previous life, Duke Delphine had approached the forest in much the same way. Back then, they'd called it development, but aside from a few areas adjacent to the kingdom, the focus was on reaching the central regions.

That black mark… is that the core of the Demon Realm? Could it be where the Demon God's corpse lies?

Ghislain suspected as much. On the maps drawn by the Delphine family, the central region of the forest had been marked with a vast black spot, devoid of explanation or details.

Whatever the Salvation Church sought, it had to be there.

Ghislain kept his suspicions hidden and continued speaking casually.

"Although the war has ended, we can't disband the military immediately. A sudden wave of unemployment would create problems. If we involve the soldiers in development and construction projects, it'll work out."

"Hmm, that does make sense," Zvalter agreed.

Though the kingdom was stabilizing quickly, it hadn't yet returned to its pre-war state.

Creating jobs was crucial, especially with the influx of discharged soldiers. A sudden surge in unemployment wouldn't do anyone any good.

Zvalter nodded in agreement. Developing the Forest of Beasts could also yield a wealth of resources.

With food production currently exceeding expectations, maintaining the military for a while longer wouldn't strain the kingdom's economy.

Zvalter laughed heartily.

"With the territory we've already gained, adding the Forest of Beasts will make the kingdom even larger."

This was excellent news for the people. More territory meant more resources and greater productivity.

Although the forest bordered other kingdoms, most of these were small states cut off by mountains or rough terrain. Only a couple of minor kingdoms had direct access to the forest, and they lacked the means to even consider venturing into it.

Effectively, the entirety of the forest was Lutania's to claim.

To think I'd see such a thing happen during my reign.

Zvalter felt a swell of pride. Becoming king had been an unexpected turn of events, but under his rule, the kingdom's territory and power were expanding rapidly.

It was the kind of achievement that would go down in history—though the credit largely belonged to his son.

As the two discussed future plans, the rest of the banquet carried on in full swing.

Elsewhere, Ascon was holding court, his coarse language captivating an unlikely audience.

"I mean, you know Marchioness Lavier, right? That idiot kept running his mouth like he was something special, so I gave him a taste of some serious mental pressure…"

His incessant swearing and vulgar anecdotes shocked the nobles, who weren't accustomed to such crude behavior.

Yet, the very roughness of his speech piqued their curiosity, and more and more people gathered around him to listen.

Meanwhile, Elena found herself surrounded by noble heirs alongside Rachel.

Lately, Elena had become quite popular. As the kingdom's sole princess, marrying her would elevate any family's status to unparalleled heights.

Thus, the sons of prestigious noble families lined up to court her.

This is what I dreamed of… or so I thought.

Elena had always envisioned a life like this: surrounded by dashing heirs from noble families vying for her attention.

Yet now that her dream had come true, she found it all insufferably dull.

Why is this so boring?

She felt no excitement, no matter how handsome or well-dressed these young men were. Their words rang hollow, devoid of sincerity.

The soldiers she had fought alongside on the battlefield seemed far more genuine. They had risked their lives, pouring their hearts and souls into the fight.

For someone who had endured the intensity of war, a banquet like this felt trivial and unsatisfying.

Ah, this is bad.

Elena hadn't expected the banquet to be so tedious. She felt restless to the point of frustration.

She began to understand why her brother seemed so uninterested in matters unrelated to his work.

I've been ruined. I never should have joined the war in the first place.

Elena sighed, thinking of the ridiculous nickname she'd earned: The Destructive Princess.

Her boredom with palace life was setting in faster than she'd imagined.

Half-heartedly entertaining the noble heirs, Elena eventually sidled up to Ghislain and asked:

"When are we leaving?"

"For what?"

"Something exciting. War, maybe… Or should I join the pursuit squad?"

"Pfft!"

Ghislain stifled a laugh. To think she had resisted joining the war initially, only to now crave the action.

He could relate. He had felt the same way at first.

Finding balance between battle and daily life would take her some time.

Zvalter, however, intervened.

"Princess, where do you think you're going? You need to stay in the palace. You've been absent long enough—it's time you focused on your studies."

Elena clenched her fists.

"Father, this war has taught me something important."

"And what's that?"

"With great power comes great responsibility! As a member of the royal family, it's my duty to lead from the front!"

"Your brother is already doing that. This isn't just an excuse to avoid studying, is it?"

"No, it's not!"

"You just don't want to study, do you?"

"I said no!"

Zvalter massaged his temples. His children, it seemed, were both addicted to battle. Neither could sit still.

Perhaps I spent too much time away from home…

He sighed, thinking of the years he had spent defending the northern frontier.

Ghislain, amused, reassured Elena.

"Don't worry. Just wait a bit longer. I need to take care of a few urgent matters, and then we'll leave."

"Where to?"

"The Forest of Beasts. This time, we're going straight to the heart of it."

"Great. I've heard so much about that forest—I'm curious to see it for myself. I'll lead the charge."

"Of course. As the Destructive Princess, you should take the lead."

"Hmph."

With that, Elena stormed out of the banquet, fed up with the hollow conversations of the noble heirs.

She would much rather join the soldiers for a night of drinking and arm-wrestling.

Once the banquet concluded, Ghislain and his closest aides immediately began preparations for their next campaign.

***

The Kingdom of Ruthania was advancing rapidly, now serving as the de facto center of the continent.

While other kingdoms were still grappling with post-war recovery, Ruthania had launched numerous projects backed by its abundant resources and production.

Countless people who had lost their homes and livelihoods due to the recent calamities flocked to these development projects. The royal family ensured they were provided with ample food and wages.

The road construction efforts, in particular, extended beyond Ruthania's borders, invigorating trade and commerce with neighboring nations.

The kingdom was brimming with vitality—something other nations could only dream of achieving.

At the heart of this economic revival was the trading city of Rimhal.

While most of the western territories had been absorbed into the royal domain, Ghislain retained several northern territories as part of the Duchy of Fenris. Among these, Rimhal, situated at the westernmost edge, emerged as a bustling trade hub for the entire continent.

The Kingdom of Ruthania, with its abundant food and medicinal herbs offered at competitive prices, became the premier market for specialty goods and resources from across the continent. Merchants from all corners converged on Rimhal.

"Artifacts from the old Kingdom of Byron!"

"Let me tell you, this silk is unparalleled…"

"These spices—words fail me to describe their quality!"

The city teemed with life, bustling with traders and their wares. Inevitably, Rimhal became the epicenter of wealth, with enormous sums of money flowing through its markets.

Ghislain ensured that Rimhal remained tightly under his direct control. The enormous tax revenue generated by the city provided him with a steady stream of funds for his personal endeavors, independent of the royal treasury.

Lowell, acting in his role as the steward of Fenris, was also visiting Rimhal for an inspection.

"Hmm, truly splendid."

Seated in an opulent guesthouse, Lowell sipped his tea contentedly. Though he hadn't participated directly in the war, his workload had been overwhelming.

The tyrannical rule of Berhem had left Ruthania in shambles, with the royal treasury drained to its lowest point.

Fenris had shouldered the burden of supplying Ruthania's forces during their large-scale campaigns, and it was Lowell who managed the duchy during this tumultuous period.

Now that the kingdom was stabilizing and the war had ended, Lowell could finally breathe a little easier. He even found time to visit the flourishing Rimhal for an inspection.

"The best part is that I don't have to see the steward himself," he muttered.

Although relieved by the reduced workload, Lowell knew Claude would soon return to Fenris. It was only a matter of time before he was once again caught in the whirlwind of the steward's demands.

For now, using the pretext of inspecting Rimhal, he had managed to avoid Claude and escape the chaos.

"Well then, let's see how things are going today."

Given the sheer number of merchant caravans passing through the city, vigilance was necessary to prevent criminal organizations or unscrupulous traders from taking root.

Lowell also needed to check on the administrative staff, ensure taxes were being properly collected, and verify the integrity of financial transactions.

Accompanied by knights and soldiers, Lowell ventured out into the bustling streets.

The city was alive with activity, drawing people with its various policies and incentives:

Though some promotional materials contained minor errors, they were easily overlooked given the administration's workload.

Over the course of several days, Lowell meticulously inspected the city, correcting minor administrative mistakes and addressing any emerging issues.

As the city with the highest tax revenue in the kingdom, Rimhal demanded close attention.

While Lowell was diligently making his rounds, an unexpected sight stopped him in his tracks: a large military force entering the city unannounced.

"What in the world? What's going on?"

Lowell was shocked. No one was supposed to march an army into Rimhal. Even if someone tried, the elite soldiers guarding Fenris would have blocked them at the border.

He soon realized why the guards had failed to stop this particular force. Leading the army was none other than Claude himself.

Clad in tattered attire and looking utterly disheveled, Claude approached Lowell and immediately spoke:

"Lowell! What are you doing here?"

"St-Steward? The question is, what are you doing here?"

Claude, who was supposed to be inspecting newly acquired territories, seemed entirely out of place.

Gripping Lowell's shoulders with tear-filled eyes, Claude blurted out:

"Do you… do you have any money?"

"What? Me? Money? Where would I get any money?"

"Of course, you don't. Why would you? It's hopeless."

"B-but why are you here?"

"I need to find some cash."

"Excuse me?"

"This place has more liquid assets than anywhere else in the kingdom. I need to borrow just a little—just enough to get by. I'm in a bit of a pinch."

Claude hadn't been able to fully cover the deficit in military funding. Most of the wealth in the newly acquired territories had already been looted by fleeing nobles and armies. Even bandits in the area were starving.

While the ongoing cleanup operations had improved security, Claude himself had little left to work with.

After racking his brain, he came up with what he believed was a groundbreaking solution:

"I'll just juggle the funds!"

The plan was simple: pull funds from one area to cover urgent debts, then refill that hole by taking money from another source before anyone noticed.

To Claude, this was financial wizardry—creating something out of nothing.

He shared yet another "brilliant" idea with Lowell.

"I'll just take a little from here. Rimhal generates so much money, they won't even notice a small dip. I'll put it back later. Problem solved."

Lowell stammered in disbelief.

"Y-you can't just mess with public funds!"

"Come on, you'll look the other way, won't you? For old times' sake? I swear I'll pay it all back soon!"

"We don't have that kind of relationship!"

"Why are you even here, then? Ugh, you're ruining everything! Go back! Go back now before I'm forced to arrest you!"

Frustrated, Claude lashed out verbally. Even he couldn't openly embezzle funds with Lowell present, as the man was sharp with numbers and had a loose tongue to boot.

"I'm not leaving! I'm here for an inspection, so don't even think about touching me!"

Lowell's firm stance left Claude scrambling to come up with a new plan.

"Okay, listen. I've got a foolproof idea. I've been thinking it through, and there's no way this can go wrong. I'm going to introduce a new currency."

"What?"

"We'll issue gold-backed certificates—easier to carry and just as trustworthy. Once people trust the system, we can print more certificates. Problem solved!"

Lowell quickly identified the fatal flaw in Claude's scheme and bluntly responded:

"You idiot! If you print more certificates than there's gold to back them, what happens when people demand an exchange?"

Claude, unfazed, replied confidently:

"We just don't exchange them."

"What?"

"If there's a shortage of gold, we'll offer food instead. Eventually, people will stop expecting exchanges. As long as the Kingdom of Ruthania guarantees the currency, everyone will use it naturally."

"And when you can't provide food either? The value will plummet, inflation will spiral out of control…"

"We'll just print more money to stabilize things! Problem solved!"

Lowell stared at Claude in stunned silence.

This madman was about to overhaul the entire economic system—all to cover his personal debts.