Chapter 14 ─ The Kingdom in economic distress!

The time to say goodbye came, we were in front of the carriage that would take us to the royal capital, Rei's parents were seeing us off.

Starting with his father, a man with black hair combed back and red eyes with a thin mustache.

"My son, take care of yourself again this semester."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Also don't worry, in your absence I'll take care of the duties."

"Obviously you will."

While father and son gave each other an emotional farewell, the mother was on the other hand sad.

"Once again my baby is going away to study, mommy will be alone~."

Rei's mother was a beautiful woman with youthful features, long blonde hair and blue eyes. She always wore a red dress and her big breasts were bouncing with joy when she was happy.

But now she was crying, Rose comforted her, she was back in her usual maid's dress.

Her skirt was very short, showing off her underwear. White stockings that reached down to her plump thighs, a huge ribbon on her back to match her uniform.

In the middle of her uniform was a heart shaped hole in the center, that hole was made by her, she had an apron to cover it.

Her long hair she tied in a ponytail on the left side.

She was trying to reassure Rei's mother.

"Madame, please calm down. Master will be fine."

Snot was running down her nose with tears in her eyes.

"But... again I won't be able to see my baby."

"Don't worry."

Her husband said after lightly taking her chin.

"Even if Rei is gone, I will be by your side. So you'll never be alone."

"Honey..."

Her eyes were moist, if there was a romance meter, Rei's parents would make the meter vomit.

Rei said "Yuck" and then climbed into the carriage.

Rose said goodbye to the parents, Rei's mother took her hands and asked her to take care of her son.

"Rose-chan, please take care of my little boy."

"Don't worry Madame, I'll take good care of Master."

"I entrust him to you."

In tears she said that, Rose went upstairs and we left straight to the capital. It will be a three-day trip.

◇◇◇

The current location was the royal palace of the Brune Kingdom.

A young man had just woken up, his blond hair pulled up to his neck covered his ears, his sleepy gaze showed his bright blue eyes.

A maid was picking up the blinds while another placed his slippers on the floor.

"Good morning Your Highness."

"... Good morning."

"Did you stay up late playing with Viscount Bacon's son?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I was studying some of father's papers."

He was the crown prince of the Kingdom, Sigurd von Brune a character in the game, called Sig by many.

After getting dressed, Sig was on his way to do his basic activities before going to the grand dining hall for breakfast.

After arriving, he found three people seated.

Starting with the one on the left, he was a beautiful boy with effeminate features, long orange hair which rested tied over his shoulder with beautiful amber eyes. He was Sig's best friend, a character in the game. Alfred Bacon.

He was saying to his best friend.

"Good morning sleepyhead."

"Good morning to you... good morning mother."

"Good morning my son."

A middle aged woman was sitting in the center, taking her silverware with the expected manners of a queen, she was Olga von Brune, her appearance was the older version of the young woman at her side.

Serving herself maple syrup on a large cake, was she, a beautiful girl with honey-blonde hair, so long it reached down to her plump, pink thighs like her soft, doll-like face.

Near the end of her hair there were wavy curls giving her a French touch which together with her angelic aura made her look like a divine being.

A fringe covered her forehead and her well shaped eyebrows were almost visible. Her beautiful bright amethyst colored eyes made looking at her face hypnotic.

Her apple red lips looked edible, but more edible was the enormous cleavage resting on the table.

With her little tiara on her head she, the princess of the kingdom, Elicia von Brune or Eli. She was happily eating her breakfast.

"Eli. You shouldn't eat so many sweets in the morning, you'll get fat."

That made her annoyed, showing her pout and disconformity she said.

"Geez Onii-sama, you shouldn't say that to a lady!"

"No, I mean it... if you eat so much something will grow bigger..."

"I'm not fat!"

She said bouncing her huge breasts for a 15 year old girl.

The maids swallowed saliva when they saw those huge fruits not yet ripe enough.

Her mother warned her too.

"Eli, Sig has a point, you shouldn't eat."

"Okaa-sama too, moo~!"

After throwing that tantrum, Eli became depressed.

She was the main heroine of the game, she also became Rei's fiancée in the previous semester.

Sig was eating breakfast, he asked his mother after spreading jam on his bread.

"Mother, is father still dealing with that issue?"

His mother left her cup on the plate to answer him.

"That's right, he's been like this all week. Right now he must be meeting with Nick."

"I see."

Sig thought.

(If the king and the finance minister are meeting alone, it means it's important.)

◇◇◇

In a closed room were two men conversing, there were no maids or knights inside, the outside was being guarded by the royal guard from angles where they couldn't hear anything.

In one of the chairs was a gray-haired man, well affected by stress and blue-eyed, it was the king, Gilliam von Brune or simply King Liam.

At the other end was a muscular man, his large pecs were about to rip his shirt, his hair was blond and both his sideburns and beard were pulled together showing a gorilla-like appearance, his eyes were dark brown and he had a cigarette in his mouth. It was finance minister Dominic Harvey.

"How's it going, Nick?"

"It's going badly, Your Majesty."

*Blowing*

"My vassals have reported that it's not just my territory, it's also the neighboring territory and the adjuncts."

Sweat beaded on the king's forehead.

"How bad is it?"

"The total crop loss is 60% in the south, southeast and southwest of the kingdom alone."

"T-That much!"

The king could not believe his ears.

"I'm sorry to say. But at this rate we will go through hunger, the southern sector is in charge of crops, livestock and cotton. Even my family that has grain farms has been affected."

Holding his hand to his forehead, the king said almost in a state of pallor.

"T-This will make our debts abroad go up right?"

"We must immediately import all that into the republic. There is no other way."

"..."

The king for an adult had an expression that no one in charge of a nation should have.

"We already owe them more than 10 million platinum coin and now we must increase it further."

Platinum coin was also known as white gold, it was a much more valuable coin as its value was triple. If a silver coin was worth 5 copper coins, a gold coin was worth 10 of them. On the other hand, a white gold coin is worth 100 times its price.

This was circulated only in countries with high economic level, the Brune Kingdom only knew of its existence.

War was not an option. It would require money for armaments, food and water for the knights as well as payment for those who returned alive and compensation for their families.

The Kingdom was not confrontational, they always preferred dialogue, but their northern neighbor, the Norden Kingdom was taking advantage of that.

They wanted to conquer it, they wanted to expand their territory.

Dominic gave the king some bad news.

"Most likely we will have to increase prices because they are foreign products... that can bring about two things. The first is inflation and the second is discontent among the lower class."

The king ducked his head after taking a glass of strong-smelling liquor.

"One thing after another. And... that inflation. How bad is it?"

"We'll be a long time, maybe years with that value while we manage to recover."

"Th-That's good, isn't it?"

"Yes. The bad thing is, if prices go up, the nobles who have increased business or products won't lower them. They will still cost double or triple the product."

"Should I make a law that forces them to return prices to normal?"

"You couldn't. If you do, even the nobles who didn't benefit from the price hike would be unhappy."

"Being honest, a loan is our only hope... for that reason, Your Majesty."

Dominic looked intently at the king after stubbing out his cigarette.

"I came up with an idea to help the country."

"Tell me."

"When I went to the republic on business, I was amazed at how their economy, taxes and especially loans worked."

"I... want to open a bank in the Kingdom."

Dominic's determined look made the king wonder what he was planning.

"A bank?"

"It's like a huge vault where people keep their money. There, wealthy people like commoners could safely deposit their money."

"If we can also create new products that merchants want to export or buy, we'll make the economy better."

"I-I understand. You're very smart Nick, I appreciate that."

"No, it's the most normal thing in the world. As part of the Four Founding Families of the New Kingdom I must do my best to get my country afloat."

A smile on that stony face showed. The king thanked him again.

"Let's move on to another topic. How is the search for the remaining Calvinists going?"

Calvinists. A radical group supporting the previous royal family that ruled the current Kingdom. They were exiled and became the principality.

They are so named because the current king a man named Calvin, wished to take over the Kingdom.

Liam knew that, long ago he tried to make peace, but failed.

The principality wanted the king to hand over the crown to him and then be demoted to a family of country barons.

Such a thing was impossible for him to imagine. He would have done it but for the fact that the principality is a military country that exploits its people with exorbitant taxes which are for military use only.

Dominic smiled.

"It's going well, we've executed many, locked up for life a few, but no doubt the best thing is that we took their land and positions. The problem is only one."

"Catley, is it?"

"Yes. He has said for years that he has been sick and so has told through his wife to Her Majesty the queen to sedate his temporary position to Harrisburg."

The late Prime Minister Harrisburg was a corrupt man who used his power for his convenience, thanks to that many cases of kidnapping of daughters of poor families and robberies have happened in his name.

But thanks to Rei they not only eliminated him, they also managed to regain some of the lost faith in the palace.

"Nick, if what he says is true, then we will have to believe him."

"Your Majesty, the problem is not whether he was really sick, the problem is that giving up his position to someone else is a mistake."

"I know... but he is part of the four families... if we distrust only one of them..."

"Until a few years ago we thought the Redblades were the worst, but now we know better. Perhaps it's now time to ask your future son-in-law to intervene on our behalf?"

The king's expression implied that he disliked that idea.

"I still can't figure out what Eli sees in that boy?"

"Girls these days are like that, one day they think of dolls and the next they think of boys, it seems to be all the fashion for rebellious boys. I blame romance novels, they are a bad influence for girls from home."

"Hahaha, at least she doesn't tell me things like 'Dad, when I grow up, I'll marry onii-sama' anymore, you know? I'm not terrified of that happening anymore, now only that my grandchildren will be rebellious and foul-mouthed. At least your daughter isn't like that."

"... Yes."

Dominic's joyful expression faltered at the sound of a certain word, the king recoiled.

"I'm sorry, you mean her still?"

"No, forget it. More importantly, I'll go this instant to do the papers."

"In that case, goodbye. Take care Nick."

"See you tomorrow Your Majesty."

Dominic left the room.

◇◇◇

As he left the room, he encountered a man making his way to the ministers' lounge.

"It's good to see you here, Marquis Catley."

"I say the same, Marquis Harvey."

A man tall in stature, slim in body, brown hair styled as in the 1950s and sporting a cat-like mustache with closed eyes greeted him.

It was the head of one of the four families, Joachim Harvey. A character in the game, which...

"May I know what you were doing with His Majesty?"

He was an enemy of the protagonist.

Dominic answered after taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Sure. I'm going to open a bank."

"A bank? I've heard of them, no doubt the Kingdom will need one."

"Indeed, we need one."

"I see, you know, I'm very good with numbers, could─?"

"I don't need partners, the bank will be owned by the palace, but I will be in charge."

"That's good, but won't that be too much of a burden for you?"

"It won't be, since I'm the finance minister. And I will always be in charge of the income coming into the palace."

"I understand, well, it was good to see you."

Joachim placed his hand gently on Dominic's shoulder.

"In that case, we'll see you when your bench is."

He left with slow steps, he looked at him and went on his way as well.

Joachim paused to watch him from over his shoulder, murmuring as he smiled.

"Thanks for this opportunity, it's because that idiot in Harrisburg had all my accounts in his name that nothing ever happened to me. But whatever, I'll use this opportunity to screw with Harvey so the cult can help me."

◇◇◇

A few hours ago, some men appeared in Joachim's office who was resting with a bottle of liquor.

He was startled to see them, but one of them, Zebra, took off his mask and revealed his identity.

The other man did not, but that was all the same to him.

"How can I help you?"

"We want you to wreak havoc on the country's economy, we'll give you all the help you want."

"Sounds like a good plan for you, but what's in it for me? If the country suffers economic losses, so do I and that doesn't suit me."

"We understand, you get to keep all the cash."

Joachim smiled when he heard that he could keep all the money.

For that reason he came to the palace, to find out how the finances were going, but with what Dominic said, his mischievous face grew.

"Thank you Harvey, you will be my second pawn. First I'll make sure the crops go bankrupt, then after the trade fails, I'll take over the bank thanks to my friends, I'll become the richest man in the country!"

◇◇◇

Dominic arrived at the place where the bank was to be located.

It was a medium-sized building, but with a huge depth, perfect for depositing money.

The first step of this was the creation of banknotes, a type of cash that makes it easier to transport money.

People would have to be taught how to use it, Dominic had months ago had his vassals and palace officials hand out flyers on how the banknotes worked.

The king did not know this as his head would hurt later, so he preferred to tell him now.

In there, Dominic was telling some future workers how the banknotes should look like.

"The value will be exactly the same as the coins. Copper, silver and gold, the value of each banknote will be the same, the people will not be confused and when the bank opens they will come to exchange their coins for banknotes."

"At this rate we will succeed in reforming the monetary system of the country a little."

"I'm sorry to disturb you Minister Harvey, but you have visitors."

A man in a suit came to see him, Dominic after turning around said.

"Who is it?"

"Your daughter."

His eyes widened and he went straight to where the man said.

◇◇◇

Arriving at the place, in there he found a beautiful girl drinking tea.

Her long caramel blonde hair was silky and reached down to her lower back, she had a braid behind her ears which was tied into a large red bun at the back of her head.

Her radiant but serious ice blue eyes gave the impression of someone you couldn't get close to.

His asymmetrical bangs came down to almost cover her right eye.

The girl at the sight of her father stood up.

"Sasha, what are you doing here?"

She was Sasha Harvey, Dominic's daughter.

His daughter approached him and said something uncharacteristic of one of the heroines of the original game.

"Father, I want you to steal the money from the bank."

Dominic couldn't believe his ears.