Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

「… Is the empire really that foolish?」

Merchants who could earn significant sums were stable sources of taxation. It was more sensible to let them continue to prosper and collect taxes regularly than to seize their property by accusing them of vague crimes.

Furthermore, if such rumors spread, it would deter future merchants from coming to the empire, leading to economic turmoil.

「They probably need funds urgently now. In the long run, it might be a loss, but they need money they can use immediately. Can't you guess the reason?」

「There's only one reason they need money so urgently—war.」

「I agree. But I don't understand it. Even if you win, if you destroy your country in the process, it's meaningless.」

Due to repeated military expenses, the treasury had dried up, making war impossible under current circumstances. Hence, they resorted to desperate measures, selling off the future.

Throughout history, there have been countless examples of resorting to such methods. However, those are only viable when they can immediately gain profits exceeding their losses upon winning.

Even if Erucy were to be annihilated, obtaining magic stones doesn't instantly convert them into gold. Even if they use the Fire Magic Stones for iron smelting, it would only translate to long-term gains and cannot serve as a quick remedy for revitalizing the economy.

「I wonder if the Empire doesn't mind collapsing.」

My own words made me remember something. Collapsing might not be a concern. On the contrary, the real purpose might lie beyond it.

「Azul, by any chance, is this happening across the entire Empire?」

Even though it's called an Empire, it's actually a large nation where five cities have come together. Four major dukes independently govern the cities in all directions, and there is an imperial capital in the center, protected by the four cities.

「No, just two of the four major cities, and they are the ones that have deep ties with you.」

I see, so it's that man doing…

「This is valuable information. Thanks.」

The surveillance of the Empire is more important than ever. Also, with this new information, the goal has changed from finding their willingness to fight to finding their weakness.

「Roleau, move that ornament a bit to the right.」

「Konna, rearrange the fur products away from direct sunlight.」

「Rera, you can decide the placement of syrup and alcohol according to your taste.」

We were given a two-hour preparation time, so I started setting up the merchandise. The rough layout is outlined in the blueprint, but I want to do as much as possible while I'm here.

Fortunately, the place was clean, and shelves and tables were readily available. A few adjustments were all that was needed to start displaying our goods.

This store will be mainly managed by Rera. She was the only one skilled in arithmetic and could keep the books.

Roleau came today, but usually, we'll dispatch other members of Nettle. Obviously, we couldn't have the Nettle's leader stationed here for a long time.

「Excuse me, Cyril-sama, is there anything I can help with?」

A girl in her late teens with blue hair approached me with a smiling face.

「Not particularly. Just take a break.」

「But I've been instructed by Azul-sama to assist you.」

「What was your name again?」

「Natasha.」

The blue-haired girl lowered her head. Her courtesy was almost too much.

「In that case, I'll take you up on that offer. Natasha, please consult Rera over there for instructions.」

「Understood!」

The girl with blue hair ran over to Rera and started chatting with a cheerful smile. She was the caretaker that Azul sent. We owed the tidiness of this store to her.

According to Azul, she's good at calculations, is knowledgeable about the city's taxes and finances, and also has enough connections to be of help when buying supplies in the city, making her a valuable asset for any serious business.

「Well, what do you think? Isn’t she a good girl?」

「She's a really good girl. A really good girl whose way of walking alone sets her apart from regular people; she's been trained extensively. Also, it's not the training of a soldier but more like the training for espionage or assassination.」

「I didn't mean it in that way.」

「She's here for surveillance, right?」

「I won't deny it.」

As expected, we wouldn’t have complete free rein in Erin.

She was a piece Azul prepared to monitor our movements. She might not be as exceptional as Jii, but she was undoubtedly quite skilled.

Well, it was only natural. I'd do the same if I were in Azul's position, always have surveillance in place.

「What products do you plan to sell in this shop?」

「First, Erucy wine, maple syrup, fur products made by the elves, and surplus preserved food. Sausages might become popular too.」

The members of Nettle, as part of their training, hunted for prey, but they hunted too much, and it was becoming difficult to consume everything they hunted with Erucy’s population alone. We'd put some limits in place to ensure the ecosystem didn't get disrupted, but with no natural predators, the deer population in Erucy had been growing out of control, so those limits hadn’t been enforced yet.

I considered sending the excess to Bell Erucy, but I decided it would be excessive. If we did send it, it would be in exchange for hemp or other products. Otherwise, they might become too dependent on Erucy.

「Sausages, you mean the firm minced meat products we had as a treat in Erucy?」

「That's right.」

「Good.  Maybe I'll buy some for dinner.」

「Please do. You're our first customer. We're also planning to set up a stall at the store's entrance and sell crêpes.」

「This shop will surely become popular.」

「It's a crucial base for seasonal work, so it needs to succeed.」

「Operating only one week a month is a waste. It should be open every day.」