"Now then, there is something I want to discuss with you all."
This took place after everyone had bathed and finished dinner.
Reinhard gathered the entire party in one room: Jin, Reiko, Elsa, her wet nurse Mine, the butler Adberg, and the guard Hermann, along with his own butler and two maids.
He was in a somber, business-like frame of mind.
"It’s about this village."
Reinhard looked at Jin.
"Did you notice anything particular?" he asked.
Jin thought for a moment. "Yeah. I felt like the village was... lacking in vitality."
Reinhard nodded. "Exactly. That’s to be expected. This village is populated entirely by the elderly."
Hearing that, Jin frowned and murmured, "Has depopulation progressed even in a place like this?"
"Depopulation?"
Elsa, who had overheard him, looked at Jin with a puzzled expression.
"Ah, right. It’s when the people living in an area gradually dwindle away."
"That's it." Reinhard took over the explanation. "To maintain a population, a single couple needs to have at least two children. Elsa, you understand that much, don't you?"
"Mm."
"From a ruler’s perspective, when you account for infant mortality, military service, and disease, you really want them to have three."
Jin was beginning to see where Reinhard was going with this.
"To put it bluntly, this village has reached the point where it can no longer sustain its own population."
Reinhard’s expression grew pained as he began his story.
"About twenty years ago, the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom was causing trouble for all the surrounding nations."
He spoke with casual phrasing, perhaps trying to lighten the heavy subject matter.
"As for their true intent... well, we’ll never know for sure unless we ask the previous King of Celuroa himself. Since we can't exactly interrogate a man beneath the soil, we’re left with speculation."
He stole a glance at Elsa and Mine.
"Publicly, it’s said he wanted to expand his territory, but the reason wasn't anything that small."
Reinhard paused to take a breath before continuing firmly.
"He wanted to swallow every single kingdom on the continent."
"Does that mean... the Unifilar...?"
When Jin started to speak, Reinhard nodded.
"Precisely. The Unifilar ideology was already present back then. The current King of Celuroa appears less expansionist than his predecessor, but in my estimation, he is actually a man of even greater ambition. The previous king was easy to read, but the current one... honestly, I can't quite see through him. There's no way his desire to rule other nations has vanished; he's likely just biding his time and gathering strength."
He looked at Elsa once more.
"And so, the previous King of Celuroa spent three years—from twenty-one to eighteen years ago, to be precise—invading the Kingdom of Egerea and the Kingdom of Franz. Perhaps because we are not descendants of the Dinar Kingdom, our Shouro Empire wasn't targeted specifically, but there was a period where we were forced to deploy troops to Celuroa for the sake of defense."
Jin finally connected the dots. "I see. So that period is why this village became depopulated."
"That’s how it is. And Elsa, I’ve heard that was also the time when your father distinguished himself."
When Reinhard said that, Mine’s expression seemed to distort for a fleeting moment, though no one noticed.
"My father did?"
"Yes. According to what I heard from my uncle, when he was in the Kingdom of Egerea as a battalion commander for the Expeditionary Force, he held back a Celuroa army that was three times his size. He kept the casualties among allied forces and the local residents to an absolute minimum."
"Wow. Elsa’s father was an amazing person."
The words came from Jin’s honest admiration, but hearing them made Mine’s face twist even further. However, since she kept her head bowed, her reaction remained unnoticed.
"Many officers and soldiers were lost in the war against Celuroa. I’m told that Louis... Earl Kuzuma’s father, was among them."
Everything clicked for Jin. "Ah, so that’s why Earl Kuzuma had to inherit his title at such a young age."
Reinhard nodded, his expression still grim.
"Indeed. And soldiers were conscripted from every corner of the land. This village was likely no exception. It seems every man between twenty and forty who was capable of fighting was drafted back then."
Doing the math, anyone who was over forty at the time would be nearly sixty now. It explained why the village was nothing but elderly residents.
"I’ve heard there were units composed entirely of men from the same village. And there were units that were completely wiped out. This village was likely one of them."
Reinhard let out a heavy sigh. Jin felt a wave of gloom wash over him, but he voiced one lingering question.
"Then, what happened to the wives and the teenage children of the men who were drafted?"
Reinhard looked mournful. "They likely abandoned the village."
"Abandoned it...?"
"This area is north of the capital of the Kingdom of Egerea. If the Celuroa army attacked, this place would certainly have become a battlefield. The houses were spared from the fires of war, but the mothers with children likely evacuated to avoid being caught in the crossfire."
"…………"
Silence filled the room.
"I apologize for bringing up such a heavy topic. But Elsa, you’ve turned seventeen now. I thought you should know a little more about the world—and about the events of that time, which your father was so deeply involved in."
Then he turned to face Jin.
"Jin, I told you this because I wanted you to know, but also because I wanted your opinion."
"My opinion?"
"Yes. You used the term 'depopulation' earlier. That suggests you’ve seen or heard of villages and settlements like this elsewhere. If you know of any measures that rulers have taken in such cases, I’d like you to tell me."
Reinhard was a nobleman, a man on the side of the governing class. Furthermore, the world was currently suffering from a genuine population shortage. He believed it was necessary to find any possible means to resolve it.
Prompted, Jin searched his memories for a program he had seen back in Japan about marginal settlements.
"Well, let me think..."
Jin began to pull his thoughts together, speaking slowly.
"First, you need industry. If people can’t earn a living and survive there, they won't gather."
"A sound argument. Go on." Reinhard nodded.
"And it won't be easy to get young people to move in unless the place is actually attractive to them."
Land was abundant in many regions. There needed to be a specific reason for people to choose this land.
"I understand that as well. But what about specifics?"
Jin recalled a news report about a certain municipality’s policies.
"In the beginning, maybe tax incentives? For example, reducing their tax burden by a certain percentage for the first five years."
He explained the concept, modifying it to fit this world's context.
"I see! So you use those five years to get them to settle down permanently. That’s an excellent idea."
"After that, maybe something like slightly reducing taxes based on the number of children they have."
Reinhard’s face brightened with genuine admiration.
"Wonderful. I had been considering something similar. Jin, perhaps you have a talent for statesmanship as well?"
He was full of praise, but Jin hurriedly shook his head.
"N-No, I'm just a guy whose only skill is making things. Please don't overrate me."
After all, he was just repeating things he had heard from others.
They continued to exchange stories and opinions for a while longer, and as the night grew late, they eventually retired to their respective rooms.
＊ ＊ ＊
That night, as he lay in bed, Jin found himself uncharacteristically lost in thought.
The only reason I can make all these different things is because the predecessor gave me everything.
He rolled over.
Even when I was explaining things to Reinhard and the others as if I were some expert, that was only because I received an education in modern Japan. It wasn't my own accomplishment.
He felt a vague, lingering restlessness.
What should I be doing for myself?
Jin had been running forward at full speed, doing exactly what he wanted. For the first time since arriving in this world, he lay awake wondering what he was truly meant to achieve here.