Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Showing One’s Real Ability

At night, 3 days later. Inside the office at Nelson’s estate, with a map of the agriculture fields area unfolded in front of him, Kazura explained the progress of the work with Nelson and others.There were labels pasted at several places in the unfolded map, like『Waterwheel (good)』 and 『Waterwheel (defective)』, accompanied with a comment about the installed waterwheel in this world language.Since Kazura practically still couldn’t write or read this country’s script[1], the labels were written by asking Zirconia to do so not long ago.

Inside the room, there was Nelson and Zirconia, also Isaac and Havel.As always, Zirconia sat beside Kazura, while Nelson sat opposite to him and listened to his explanation with a serious expression.Isaac and Havel stood beside the table and viewed the map from above.Lieze wasn’t in this place since she was in the middle of bathing right now. At the first day when Lieze was accompanying Kazura, she asked him to teach her the criteria to decide the location for installing the waterwheel and the points to note of its construction. On the next day, she volunteered to do some of the workloads and commanded the servants and the guards by herself.Thanks to this, the progress of the waterwheel installation work was doubled and today they were joyously able to finish the waterwheel for the main waterway of the northern and western grain fields.However, as expected since she was doing a work she was not accustomed to for a long period of time, when the first day was over Lieze seemed as if she was going to collapse from all the heat and fatigue.Perhaps because she was trying not to make Kazura worried, in front of Kazura she made a lively expression and behaved cheerfully, however, there were slight shadows of fatigue that appeared and disappeared, which could be seen on her face.After seeing her praiseworthy deed of frantically doing her best for the territory, Kazura’s heart was moved a bit.[2] By the way, the things about showing a fleeting tiredness while forcibly acted lively, all were behaviors that Lieze had calculated.It wasn’t wrong that she wanted to give her best in dealing with the work, it wasn’t wrong that she was considerably fatigued than the usual, either. But the expression she made was something that she had properly thought about where and how much these could be displayed in the most effective way.In front of someone like Lieze, who held an excellent ability to fabricate her expression and ambiance, furthermore, the expression that she showed was as if it was completely not artificial, Kazura shouldn’t be able to see through her true intention. 「Thanks to Lieze-san, the waterwheel installation is able to be finished much earlier. After this, it will be about the waterway in the south and the east, but this is not that seriously urgent, right?」(Kazura) 「It is relatively in a better situation compared to the north and west, but there are damages from the drought. The crops still have not withered yet, so I believe we still have some margin in time, but thinking about the next planting situation, it will be better if we installed waterwheel ahead of time.」(Nelson) Nelson picked up the doc.u.ment placed at the table’s side where the grain fields current condition was jotted down and pointed the regions at risk of their crops withering on the map.Kazura then pasted a label at that place to mark the priority place to install the waterwheel in the future. 「Then, let’s install the remaining waterwheel at that place tomorrow. Will it be a problem for Lieze-san to lend her hand tomorrow too?」(Kazura) 「Of course not. Zil, what about you?」(Nelson) 「I’m fine with it since I will finish all of the other arrangements in one way or another, let’s have Lieze help in this case as well. I am glad that my daughter was helpful for you.」(Zirconia) Zirconia nodded at Nelson’s question and smiled delightedly with a proud expression for her daughter. 「Since Lieze-san will come to help, not only the waterwheel installation work but in the fertilizer scattering as well, the work efficiency would remarkably increase. This is just something that I heard, but Lieze-san popularity with the citizen is amazing.」(Kazura) After Lieze was working together with him, the fields fertilizer scattering from that day on progressed with an incomparable speed than before.To have such blatant difference, when Kazura heard the report from the work supervisor Isaac and Havel, he was astonished.This phenomenon might happen because of Lieze who had deep interaction with the citizen and always gently came in contact with them, thought Kazura as he felt admiration for her. 「I am also surprised. I am truly not aware that she has this much popularity with the citizen.」(Zirconia) 「Hm, while this is embarra.s.sing, I also am surprised by this. It seems that I have been taking light of my daughter a bit. If she has this much, then it will be necessary to ask Lieze to cooperate in the territorial governance earlier.」(Nelson) If Lieze would help with Kazura’s work in the future, then all of the work would progress at a faster rate than the initial estimate.Though this was something that will not happen anytime soon, in several months, they planned to begin the flood control work inside the city.If the work plan that he had requested to the construction company in j.a.pan was finished, perhaps it would be a work that needs mobilization of a considerable number of people in its execution.If Lieze were to partic.i.p.ate as the supervisor for that work, them surely the construction work would progress with an amazing speed. 「Then from tomorrow Lieze-san and me will continue the waterwheel installation work. I will entrust the next fertilizer scattering to Isaac-san and Havel-san.」(Kazura) 「Certainly. Please leave it to us.」(Isaac) During the last several days, it had been the job of Isaac and Havel to become the supervisor of the fertilizer scattering work. After reporting the progress of the work, they will gather materials about the sanitation situation inside the territory to show it to Kazura.Sometimes they will be helping Nelson or Zirconia’s office work, but compared to their work before, their body was lighter and their countenance was much better.Above all, this might be the effect of the Lipo-D that they drunk several days ago. 「What about Zirconia-san’s condition? Have you rested properly?」(Kazura) 「Yes, I am sorry to make you worried. Since I have also taken a proper sleep in the night, my health is already alright.」(Zirconia) Zirconia made a sweet smile at Kazura’s worries.The bags under her eyes also had disappeared, her expression was better and her health was good.Mostly since the work at the grain fields that should have been done by Zirconia had been entrusted to Lieze, she was able to concentrate on dealing with the works that had been piled up until now.Although sometimes Kazura met with Zirconia and talked with her when he was going to the kitchen for hot water in the middle of the night, it seems that Zirconia didn’t stay up late every day.Perhaps if Zirconia was hopelessly worked exhaustingly, and her physical condition deteriorated more than this, then Kazura thought about giving her a Lipo-D, too. However, it seems that there was no need to do so. Kazura personally boils the hot water to brew the tea by himself; this was because he deliberately didn’t call the maid to bring it to him.Since he likes to walk inside the mansion by himself, which count as strolling for him, he will refuse to bring the guard in front of his room and walk towards the kitchen to boil the hot water himself.It felt like the time when he was working late-night at the company he worked before and walked inside the pitch dark building to buy the coffee from the vending machine at the break room. 「I’m glad to hear it. But, from now on please don’t force yourself too much. If there is something that I can help, then I will gladly offer my cooperation.」(Kazura) When Kazura smiled while offering that suggestion, Zirconia made a slightly surprised expression, but she quickly smiled and offered her thanks.

For the last few days, Kazura had seen how Zirconia frantically working her fingers to the bone for the territory sake, so his impression of her had become greatly favorable.Since Kazura himself was also worked frantically, he began to have a feeling of fellows.h.i.+p with her as if they were comrades working at the same workplace.Such feeling of solidarity could be said as one of the few good things that can be obtained in a workplace with exhausting workloads. 「Then, with this the matter of the grain fields area could be a.s.sumed to be finished, so today I wanted to hear about the territory financial situation a bit. Since I had made you finance the cost of the personnel and the materials for many things, which can be said as something unreasonable during these short time, how is the money situation right now?」(Kazura) When he asked about the financial situation, Nelson made a slight bitter expression. 「We had economized many things, so we somehow s.h.i.+ft them to others, but it had become quite strained. The budget framework that had been decided before was temporarily thrown off balance and since it was s.h.i.+fted into the budget for the current work operations, if this keep going then we must squeeze out the remaining budget and temporarily cease some of the project.」(Nelson) 「I see…… Could it still manage somehow if the food situation in the territory improved?」(Kazura) 「It will be improved to an extent, but it will be hard just by it alone. Waiting for the crops to ripen will take too much time, and it will take even more time for the damage of the current drought to recover. Originally, it was a situation where we economize the budget and s.h.i.+ft it to essential parts, and then if we don’t somehow have way to raise the money then we couldn’t greatly improve the current situation.」(Nelson) About the harvest time for the crops, Kazura had learned it by asking Lieze the other day.Therefore, he knew well what Nelson wanted to say.It will be a different story if he makes the crops in Isteria fields grew at an abnormal rate like in Grisea Village, but the currently scattered fertilizer won’t cause the crops to grow at an abnormal rate.Then, Lieze had said that the bean and the winter tuber couldn’t be harvested before the winter arrives, and they couldn’t plant Rata wheat or bread wheat to be used for bread or porridge if the early autumn hadn’t arrived.If the harvest time was the same with j.a.pan’s wheat, then the harvest will perhaps be no less than the spring next year.Even if the winter tuber and beans could somehow improve the current food situation as a stopgap measure, waiting until the staple grain harvest would take too much time. 「Hmm, that’s true…… Do you have any idea for this situation?」(Kazura) 「It will be either requesting more aid money obtained from the Capital or cutting down the surrounding forest to produce lumber in large number. The mine in the northern mountains could produce silver and copper also tin and lead, so we can also greatly increase the spare budget for the mining operations. However unless we find a new ore vein, with only the present already dug ore vein, then the productivity will not increase too much.」(Nelson) Though all options seem to be a bit effective, but it would take time until the result came out.Lumber production could be immediately put into operation, but if one put the flood control into consideration, then deforestation was something that couldn’t be promoted. 「Is there no gold at the northern mountains?」(Kazura) Although he didn’t know what to do if there was a gold mine, since he was interested in it, he tried to ask it.Since even on Earth, gold is a scarce metal, so in this world too, the value might be high. 「There is no gold mine in Istelle Province. In our country, only the Capital province that can produce gold.」(Nelson) 「Hmm, I see. Well then, what should we do……」(Kazura) Kazura folded his hand and looked down, pondering what’s to be done with the current situation.

What currently troubled Kazura was whether there is some good way to raise money quickly.After the grain fields area had been restored and the food situation inside the territory become stable, then they could produce oil from beans or exported the surplus food and generate some money.Furthermore, since the province’s citizens had been exhausted, even if he developed a new stopgap project, there is a possibility that the stamina of the Istelle province wouldn’t last long. 「(If this place is close to the sea then we can ma.s.s produce salt. Isteria Province is inland, so the only thing that can be produced quickly is only mortar, right…… Since mortar could be sold as it is since it would harden, but on the other hand we also can’t let the other territory or country to know the manufacturing method……)」(Kazura) Salt seems to be relatively expensive in this world, so if Isteria was close to the sea then he could borrow j.a.panese salt production method and ma.s.s produced the salt, but unfortunately Isteria Province was located inland.It will be impossible in the first place to ask other provinces to help in making salt, as it was currently difficult to make a move outside of Isteria Province. Since it was only used as an insect repellent in this world, by procuring a large amount of lime that was considered as not having much value, they could also produce mortar by using the lime.However, it was necessary to start a specialized mortar manufacture industry to obtain the profit.In short, it could be done by asking Isteria’s craftsmen as new plaster worker. However, currently, not only the citizen but the feudal lord too had no money. In this barely sc.r.a.ping by situation, if they suddenly were told to make mortar, an invention that wasn’t related to the current food condition problem, he felt that he would receive a harsh stare.In a way it should happen as naturally as possible, he wanted to improve the feudal lord’s power one way or another, but if it was done in this way then the means that he could choose was limited. 「Oh well, as expected this way is the fastest.」(Kazura) The other people in the room hold their breath and attentively watch Kazura who made a groaning sound before he raised his face and spoke up with a similar nervous expression.Kazura noticed that he had become the center of the attention, even though it felt a bit uncomfortable, he took a small cloth bag from his handbag. 「Nelson-san, how much can this be sold?」(Kazura) When he asked this, Kazura opened the cloth bag and retrieved several gems from it.When Kazura returned to j.a.pan he bought power stones[3] for 250 yen a piece from the power stone corner in a stone dealer shop.The ones he took from the bag were lapis lazuli and turquoise that had been cut into a perfect circle of 2 centimeters diameter and then the rose quartz like the one he had previously sold at the general store in Isteria.The rose quartz that he brought this time had a deeper pink color, the color was darker but in exchange, it wasn’t transparent.The lapis lazuli and the turquoise were the same, it wasn’t transparent and had a deep color. Nelson looked amazed at the gems that Kazura retrieved and hummed in wonder.Zirconia and the others too had their breath taken away by this sight. 「I don’t really know the value of the gems, but I believe these can be sold for quite a large sum of money. Gems that is in a perfect circle like this, furthermore, to have such beautiful l.u.s.ter without a single chip, I had never seen something like this before. Perhaps one of these could be sold for no less than 10000 Ar.」(Nelson) 「Eh? Really?」(Kazura) Kazura couldn’t believe his ear at the astounding amount of money that Nelson had uttered.When Kazura sold the rose quartz at a general store in Isteria before, it was only for 2500 Ar.He had thought that it was sold for quite a large sum of money, but it seems that he had actually been ripped off. 「I don’t know, I don’t really know how much the value will be. Perhaps it can even be sold for a higher price; conversely, it can also be cheaper than the value that I have said before. However, it won’t change that these have quite a considerable value. May I see it closely?」(Nelson)

「Yes, feel free to do so.」(Kazura) Nelson took a gem into his hand, then he looked it and after that stroked it with his hand.It was as if he was ascertaining that there was really no chip on it. 「If we talk about gems, which characteristic that is more valuable, the deepness of the color or the transparency of the gem?」(Kazura) 「Generally, transparent gems are more popular. Especially, the beautiful transparent obsidian that rarely appeared on the market, this kind of gem have a tremendous value. After seeing its beauty, there might be no one who doesn’t desire for it.」(Nelson) 「Obsidian? Obsidian is that black stone used for arrowhead?」(Kazura) Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic gla.s.s formed from the cooled volcanic rocks.Because it has an extremely sharp edge when it’s fractured, in ancient times it was used as arrowhead or knife, and in some area fragments of obsidian were inserted into a wooden board and used like a sword.[4] 「Yes, that’s the one. It’s mostly only colored pitch black, but rarely there are translucent black obsidian, or beautiful green or blue colored transparent obsidian from mining that appear on the market.[5] The green or blue colored gem especially have tremendous value, so it was not something that can be obtained easily. Only an influential great n.o.ble or royalty that able to obtain it.」(Nelson) 「Eh? Is it really that expensive? That obsidian thing?」(Kazura) When he heard Nelson’s explanation, Kazura nodded in admiration and then put his hand into his handbag. 「Then, how much will these be?」(Kazura) When Kazura spoke this words, he took out one more small cloth bag from the handbag and placed it in front of Nelson. He opened the small cloth bag. 「It’s obsidian bargain sale.」(Kazura) When ten marbles like bead appeared from the cloth bag, the atmosphere of the room immediately froze. [1] Script, in the meaning of letters/alphabet, ABCDs.[2] Actually, his chest goes kyun.[3] See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_healing The gemstone will be cut into certain geometric shape and then sold to fix your chakra etc.[4] See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuahuitl[5] The green or blue colored transparent obsidian is also known as Helenitesince the first artificial produced obsidian came from Mt. Helen’s ash when some worker accidentally burn the ash when they cutting metal with a torch. So go get some volcanic ash and acetylene torch.