Santairiku Eiyuuki

The capital of the Eastern Lemuria Empire, Nova Lemuria, is said to be 'the gathering capital of the world's two-thirds wealth'.

It has a natural good harbor and is on the East-West, North-South trade route on top of that.

In other words, the prosperity of the empire is supported by wealth through relay trade.

But this relay trade has two shortcomings.

One is that it depends greatly on the political and economic situation of the exporters and importers.

The second is that when we trade relays, wealth will flow to the Fars kingdom, which is our greatest enemy to the Empire.

In other words, the Empire needs to look for sources of income other than relay trade.

Agriculture will be the first to be raised.

Wheat is the staple food of the empire, but other than that, grapes, olives and so on are grown.

Wine (wine) and olive oil, processed from this grape and olive, are the main exports of the Empire.

However, it is a little weak as a means of acquiring foreign currency.

Next, in the manual industry, glass products and quality ceramics are made.

These are also imperial exports.

But both are made in the Farse kingdom.

Fars Kingdom is also a country where handicrafts are developing so much that it cannot be beaten by the Lemurian Empire.

As a result, we will be competing, and there will be no significant profits.

Or...

In the first place, even if these goods were sold, it would mean nothing if they did not enter the national treasury as taxes.

So it doesn't make much sense to recommend the production of wine and olive oil, glass and ceramics.

If I could sell something new...

"So I want you to look at this guy. What do you say?"

"... very, very white"

Carolina opened her eyes and looked at it.

Both Christos, Galphis and Lucanos similarly see Elquille at hand.

What Elquille held with both hands was bright white ceramics.

Yes, bright white ceramics.

"This is an imperial ceramic."

"... is that true?

Christos took his breath.

Pottery made in empires and the kingdom of Phallus is dominated by black.

That is because neither country has the technology to produce white ceramics.

White ceramics are only produced in the silk country further east than in the kingdom of Fars.

As a result, they are traded at very high values.

Pure white is a sacred colour in Mesianism.

"Say bone ash porcelain. I use bones to make them come out white."

It is called Bourne China.

Why did Elquille know how to manufacture bone ash porcelain......

When it comes to it, it's not Elquille who actually made it.

Naturally.

There's no way I can make bone ash porcelain just because of how much studying fun crazy Elkür is and the knowledge I read in the book.

In fact it was the craftsmen of the Lemurian Empire who made it.

About four years ago, at the age of eight, Erkühl snuck up on the craftsmen of the Lemurian Empire.

Originally, I was willing to run away from home when I was an adult, but I have some good sense in Erkühr that I was raised once.

I'm running away from home, but forgive me for making bone ash porcelain!

That was the plan.

What Erkühr did instructed him to do was material and an easy way to make it, and all he had to do was give him the funds and receive a regular report, which, from an Erkühr perspective, was to the extent that he "would have been able to sleep, wake up, listen, sleep, wake up and report," but not from the requested craftsman.

The emperor of the Lemurian Empire is the absolute power of this country.

At the request of that son, if you refuse, you must be prepared to die.

Naturally, even if it fails, it is' death '.

Erkühr did not question one thing about its completion because he knew that something called bone ash porcelain existed, but it is common sense to assume that failure is certain because it is the suggestion of a de amateur kid who does not even know the word "and" in ceramics from the artisan side.

This bone ash porcelain is a crystal of artisan hardship prepared for death and completed by adjusting the temperature while crying.

Well, the effort itself came to fruition because the craftsmen who completed it received just enough money from Erkühl to play and live their whole lives, and only the production of bone ash porcelain for the rest of their lives, so that they could live without leaving any anxiety in the future.

"Well, actually, it's still in the research phase. Look, it's not pretty white, is it?

"Still awesome!!!

Christos rises to excitement.

Lucanos, who keeps his poker face, also has his eyes firmly directed at the bone ash porcelain.

And Galphis laughs bitterly.

"I didn't expect this kind of amazing stuff to come out of nowhere."

"Sort of."

Erkühr affirmed modestly.

For once, I have the consciousness that I'm packing things that people think about, so I keep my chest up modestly.

Well, if ignorance is a sin, then knowledge is a feat.

Although, in that sense, it is undoubtedly an Elquille feat.

"There are only a few craftsmen who can make this one. We'll scratch the craftsmen and mass-produce them. And adopt a 40% tax on sales. I'm the one who thought about it. I'm not complaining."

For example, artisans will undoubtedly make money by adopting a 40% tax on sales.

So much for white ceramics.

"And here's the other one"

Pattin, and Kime face, Elkür rings his fingers.

Then the maid came with five glasses on top of the basin.

The maid arranged the cup on her desk before exiting in a deep grace.

Elquille is the cup the maid left behind... mouth on a bright white cup made of bone ash porcelain.

"Hmm, that's bitter. I knew it."

"... what is it, this"

Carolina gazes at the liquid in the glass as she glances at her face.

It's black, it's liquid I'm not sure what it is.

"Coffee."

"Ko-hi?

On Carolina's head? floats.

Elquille urged the four of them to drink in silence.

Christos, Galphis, Lucanos and Carolina mouth the dreaded cup.

The reactions were each.

"Ah, it's delicious"

and Carolina.

"Ugh..."

and Galphis.

"This is... bitter"

and Christos with a smile on his face.

"I feel like waking up, I like you"

And, Lucanos.

Looking at those four, Erkühl nods contentedly.

"It's a new alternative to wine or barley."

of the Empire, but most of the water of the nations around the Empire is hard water.

In addition, water resources are not as abundant as in Japan.

As a result, the water is not very tasty and it is difficult to get fresh water.

So wine and barley are the main beverages in the Empire.

Alcohol-containing alcohol does not basically rot, so it can also be stored for long periods of time.

You can also sterilize water by diluting it into water and making it taste a little better at the same time.

But there's a big problem with this.

You get drunk with alcohol.

So drinking tea is prevalent among some nobles, clergy, and merchants.

It is not barley tea or anything, but tea that can be made from authentic chanoki.

This is imported from the East and very expensive.

Let's sell coffee there!

That is Erkür's operation.

"This guy has the effect of somnolence. In fact, they were drinking at a church. That's why I got him."

It is a coincidence that Elquille has obtained the coffee.

When Hadrianus III took me to the southern part of the Empire a few years ago, coffee was consumed in the church where I accidentally stayed.

He planted coffee noodles in one corner of the church, cultivated them, and was drunk by drowsiness.

This time I sent a messenger to get a quick cup of coffee from there.

It's just...

Elquille had just a few doubts.

Coffee grows in this place?

That is a simple question.

The conditions under which coffee is grown are not known in detail.

But the climate and precipitation in the church yard where Elquille found the coffee...

Is there a slight discrepancy in the conditions under which coffee is grown?

And I was thinking.

Nevertheless, this is not Earth.

I can't believe that Earth's coffee and this world's coffee are exactly the same plants...

In the first place, there is no certainty that this nut is coffee.

Because I didn't check the base sequence.

unlimited proximity to coffee, is likely to be a different nut than coffee.

In fact, the way we call 'coffee' on Earth and the way we call 'coffee' in the church where coffee was grown in this world can be linguistically different and completely different.

The terrain and vegetation of this world are unlimited and resemble the Earth.

But there are some big differences.

Well, it doesn't have to be said at a time when the Long-Eared (Elves) and the Beasts (Warbeasts) are walking wide.

"Church people know how to raise them. Why don't we raise this guy on royal private property and sell him out? You can make a lot of money."

At first, they sell it to nobles, clergy and great merchants for a high price to penetrate.

And when coffee is known to some extent and the common people start to show interest, teach farmers how to grow it a little bit to increase production.

Dedicated at first.

After that, it's a profitable operation with a sales tax.

"And, well, shall we concentrate on these two? This should put the money in the treasury."

When you get your hands on a lot of things at once, it goes empty.

That is Elquille's idea.

The truth is that I really want to get my hands on beekeeping, sweet caeds if I can discover more, sugar, cotton and silk if I can smuggle seeds and eggs, but I can't do much at once.

We should now focus all our energies on what we can do most quickly and surely.

The combination of black coffee and white fine porcelain for drinking it is not bad.

Sell it as a set and it will make good money.

(Well, just bone ash porcelain and coffee can't make your finances better)

Erkür thought in his heart as he looked at the four excited people.

The size of the country's finances is not small enough to be supported by bone ash porcelain and coffee alone.

Regardless, unless these two become one major industry...

It's just the beginning.

It will take another five years before it starts to affect the national treasury at least.

This will not make it possible to achieve the three years promised.

I can't 'do anything' to Carolina.

"Well, all we have to do is check the administrative documents."

The empire's national finances were not inclined from the beginning.

I used to be moist.

Fiscal inclination began some time after Hadrianus III, Elquille's father, took office.

Later, even temporarily recovering with the efforts of Hadrianus III, deteriorated again at the end of the reign.

That's what Elquille knows.

There are three possible reasons why state finances have shrunk quickly.

One, the overall decline in state income due to depopulation and agricultural land devastation.

However, Erkühl thought that this impact was not so much.

If the state finances were inclined, the more agricultural foundations had been destroyed, the empire would be doomed by now.

When that happens, there are two remaining things that can be considered.

Has tax not been adopted at par due to the diminishing capacity to collect taxes?

Or is waste and embezzlement wiping out taxes?

Either way.

But this...

"We'll have to read the administrative materials and find them."

Elquille flaunted her shoulders.

It's all to 'do anything'.