I pondered potential solutions to our currency surplus while picking at the ingredients in the dinner pot.
"If we’re going to spend a massive amount of money... I suppose large-scale public works would be the standard approach."
Roads, buildings, dams, levees, seawalls.
"Development has already commenced around Village Five," Yuri noted, plucking a piece of meat from the pot with her chopsticks. "Where else do you intend to commission construction?"
"Well, maybe around Shashato City?"
"Village Head. You mustn't do that."
"Eh? Why not?"
"Most regions, not just Shashato City, have their own designated representatives in charge."
"Right. That’s why I’d talk to those representatives first and tell them we’re footing the bill."
"Village Head," Yuri said, her expression turning serious. "Just to confirm, do you have any intention of invading the Demon Kingdom?"
"What? No, of course not! Why would you even ask that?"
"Well, to explain... telling a magistrate or a lord to carry out specific construction projects just because you're providing the funds is considered a grave insult."
"Really? Is that how it works?"
"Yes. A magistrate or lord's primary duty is to collect taxes from their land and then allocate those taxes for the public good."
Apparently, my idea was a direct affront to the way these officials operated. If I actually made such a proposal, the best-case scenario involved assassins. The worst-case scenario was an outright declaration of war.
"Please think of a territory as a person's home," Yuri continued. "Suppose someone said to you, 'The door to your house looks a bit damaged; why don't you let me pay to fix it for you?' Even if the offer comes from a place of genuine goodwill, don't you think very few people would be happy to hear it?"
"I see your point."
While a few people might lightheartedly think they’d lucked out, I realized the majority would find the gesture condescending or offensive.
"My mistake. That was shallow of me."
"Not at all. I only learned these things myself after making many mistakes. Please forgive my bluntness."
As she spoke, Yuri reached for the meat in the pot, but seeing it was empty, she promptly added more. She really needed to remember to eat her vegetables too.
Still, if large-scale construction was off the table... what was left?
"Are donations also out of the question?" I asked.
This time, Frau fielded the question. "They aren't strictly forbidden, but you need a proper pretext."
"A pretext?"
"Being handed a sum of money for no reason makes people uneasy."
"Is that so?"
"It’s the same logic Lady Yuri just explained. Furthermore, there is a matter of 'appropriate scale' to consider."
"An appropriate scale?"
"Yes. Giving too much is an act of contempt toward the recipient's economic standing."
"Is it really that complicated? I'd think people would be happy with any donation, no matter the size."
"For instance, Village Head... suppose a mere acquaintance gave you an unbelievable quantity of daikon and potatoes every single year. How would you feel?"
"I see. If I received more than just a neighborly gift, I’d start to feel like they were implying the daikon and potatoes in my own fields weren't good enough."
"Precisely. Money is vital, but for that very reason, when people are in financial trouble, they seek assistance only from those they truly trust. Donations that exceed necessity have the potential to destroy existing social relationships—especially the balance of power. Until you’re more accustomed to these nuances, it’s best to refrain."
Frau concluded her lecture and added more mochi to the pot. I lost track of how many she’d eaten. I knew they were delicious, but overindulgence wasn't healthy.
So, both large-scale construction and direct donations were non-starters.
"Based on what Yuri and Frau said, it sounds like interfering with anywhere outside of the Village of the Great Tree or Village Five is a bad idea."
"That is correct," one of the Civil Official Girls agreed. "The heart of the problem is that while the Village of the Great Tree sells high-quality goods, our spending on imports from the rest of the Demon Kingdom is too low. We are essentially maintaining a permanent trade surplus."
This girl seemed to be a mushroom enthusiast. She tried to dump a massive pile of them into the pot, but the others immediately objected, fearing the broth would turn black.
Wait, that only happens if you use maitake.
"I get it," I said. "I'll prepare a separate mushroom-only pot. But let's slice those truffles thin. Eating them whole is a bit excessive. And make sure you eat some vegetables too."
"Anyway, about the trade surplus... what if we lowered the prices of our products? Wouldn't that help balance things out?"
"Selling items of high value for less than they are worth is ill-advised," one of the Civil Official Girls replied while double-checking the thickness of her truffle slices. "It would destabilize the Demon Kingdom’s economy and crush domestic industries."
Apparently, our prices were already quite low. Any further reductions would bankrupt the Demon Kingdom’s own farmers and craftsmen. Reckless price-cutting was off the table. I understood that now. (Also, I really thought those truffles should be sliced even thinner.)
"Then what are we supposed to do? I assume we can’t just stop selling our goods, right?"
The people purchasing our products were constantly clamoring for us to increase our supply. If we suddenly stopped exports, it would apparently spark riots.
"Since our current goods in circulation would experience an explosive surge in price, it would be an effective strategy if your goal was to plunge the Demon Kingdom into utter chaos," Tia remarked as she joined the table.
She was late because she had been breastfeeding Aurora. Apparently, she had fed Lupumirina as well. I made a mental note to thank her properly.
"So, are we plotting to bring the Demon Kingdom under our thumb?" she asked.
"No. Most of the people here are from the Demon Kingdom, so don't say such unsettling things. Someone, get Tia a new plate and chopsticks. And add a plate of vegetables."
"And a plate of meat, please," Tia added.
I took over as the hot pot supervisor for a while, managing the ingredients for the latecomer.
"Regarding the money," Tia said while waiting for the new batch to cook, "the best course of action is to invest in culture."
"Culture?"
"Yes. For example, the arts."
"Oh, like paintings and things?"
"Not just paintings. It encompasses music, theater, poetry, literature, design—a vast array of fields. Such things often wither and vanish without the protection of those in power."
"I see. Cultural preservation. That’s not a bad idea at all."
The issue of whether or not I counted as 'someone in power' was something I decided to set aside for the moment. We had the funds, and I thought the idea had merit. Yuri, Frau, and the Civil Official Girls all nodded in agreement.
"However," Tia added, playing devil's advocate to her own proposal, "I suspect most of the prominent figures in those fields are already under the patronage of various lords."
That made sense. Even without my interference, the existing nobility would have already moved to protect their local culture.
"Therefore, instead of mere patronage, we should look toward education and development. How about establishing a Cultural Academy?"
"A Cultural Academy, huh..."
It sounded like a pleasant idea, but it seemed like it would come with its own set of headaches—like finding instructors, choosing a location, and negotiating with the Demon Kingdom’s central government.
"Since it’s not an idea we can execute immediately, perhaps we should view it as a long-term goal for a few years down the line," Tia suggested. "For the time being... if we simply buy up paintings, crafts, books, and gemstones to eventually decorate that academy, we can spend a significant amount of money right now."
Tia’s logic was that the problem only existed because we were hoarding physical cash. As long as we converted that cash into non-monetary assets, the problem would be solved. Was it really that simple?
"My only concern," Tia said as she finally reached for the cooked food in the pot, "is that we might be ridiculed for 'flaunting a heavy purse'."
After the meal, I brought the subject up with the Demon King when he stopped by.
"If you're going to protect culture, you should include sports," he declared. "The weakness of baseball is the cost of the equipment. As things stand, only the relatively wealthy can afford to play. But if the equipment becomes affordable, the number of players will skyrocket. If you host a large-scale baseball tournament, your gold will disappear in the blink of an eye."
I see. That was a very practical suggestion. As expected of the man at the top of the Demon Kingdom.
As a side note, I overheard a brief exchange between the Demon King and Yuri afterward.
"Yuri, you should praise me for not immediately saying 'I'd like a donation,'" the Demon King whispered.
"Father, that is the bare minimum expected of you," Yuri replied flatly.