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Vol 06 Chapter 179-1: Spider’s Thread I

「Hmm…」

I was gazing at the sea from the former Lezado parliament, now renovated into the new governor’s office. As expected from the Adernian Peninsula’s largest trading port, a considerable number of ships were docked in the harbor despite the recent war.

The ships came loaded with cheap foreign wheat, and luxury goods like silk, cotton, spices, sugar, glassware, goldwork, jewelry, and ceramics. On the other hand, slaves, distilled liquor, and paper were being loaded for export.

「Your Majesty, what has been troubling you since earlier?」

「Can you tell?」

「It’s rare to see Your Majesty looking out at the scenery.」

I shifted my gaze from the sea to Raymond.

「Do you know that the prices in our country have been on the rise recently?」

「…Is that so?」

「Yes. I had Ainz investigate.」

Occasionally, I disguise myself and wander around the capital. Well, in reality, my disguise is seen through, and people say things to me like,

「Your Majesty! Would you like an apple?」

But well, setting aside my poor disguise skills, I noticed that prices have significantly increased compared to the past.

Something like that is a cause for concern, so I had Ainz investigate and found that prices have been gradually rising each year. It turns out there has been a gentle inflation for the past years.

「Is that a problem?」

「No, rising prices mean that the value of the currency is decreasing, which indicates an increase in the circulation of money. In other words, the monetary economy is spreading, which is a desirable trend.」

「Hmm…」

A question mark appeared over Raymond’s head. It seems he didn’t quite understand the part about the value of currency.

After a bit of explanation, understanding dawned on his face.

「Isn’t that a good thing? What are you worried about? Are you concerned about the plebeians suffering from the rising prices?」

「No, most of the plebeians in our country are self-sufficient farmers, so rising prices are actually desirable for them.」

Since they produce their own food, they aren’t troubled by food shortages. On the contrary, the high prices mean they can sell their produce at a good price, which is a blessing for the plebeians.

「There are three reasons for the rising prices. The first is the increase in trade volume. The second is the reparations we’ve received from various countries. And the third is the influx of immigrants—no, they are refugees, not immigrants.」

「I see, it’s the impact of the Kirisia-Persis War.」

The Kirisia-Persis War was fought between the Kirisian city-states alliance and the Persis Empire to the east of our country, with the Persis Empire emerging victorious.

As a result of this war, many Kirisians fled by ship from the Kirisian Peninsula and settled in colonial cities around the Tethys Sea. The Adernian Peninsula, in particular, became a popular destination due to its strategic position dividing the Tethys Sea east and west. These immigrants and refugees brought large amounts of gold, silver, and copper to the Adernian Peninsula.

Whether to accept immigrants and refugees or not is a political dilemma without a clear right or wrong answer. On the surface, it seems beneficial as it increases the labor force, expands domestic demand, and boosts tax revenue. It usually takes at least fifteen years for the labor force to increase (the time it takes for a newborn to reach adulthood), so accelerating this process is significant.

However, differences in language and culture must also be considered. There’s a risk of losing control over your own house to those you take in.

This issue has been contentious in modern Japan as well, but the situation in our country is quite different, so I cannot think about it in the same way.

Difference one: The immigrants and refugees we are receiving here are wealthy people.

There is a sea between the Adernian Peninsula and the Kirisian Peninsula. This means the immigrants and refugees came to the Adernian Peninsula by ship. Given that it is a pretty vast distance, escaping on a raft is nearly impossible. Only those with proper trading ships can come here.

Trading ships, even the small ones, cost as much as several houses. Moreover, a trading ship cannot be operated by a single person; they need to own slaves or hire specialized personnel.

In other words, what I’m trying to say is that only the wealthy, who can afford escape ships and hire dozens of people to operate them, are the ones coming as immigrants and refugees. Such wealthy individuals likely make up only about one percent of the Kirisian population.

Difference two: Kirisians are already present in the Adernian Peninsula, and plenty of them have settled in the southern part of the peninsula.

Japan’s population is almost entirely native-born Japanese who all speak Japanese. This makes it problematic when other ethnic groups enter the country. However…

In our country, including allied and autonomous cities, more than a quarter of the population is Kirisian.

The issues of cultural and language differences are nothing new.

「Personally, I think we should actively accept them. But at the same time, I wonder if the increasing number of Kirisians could become a problem.」

The Kirisians have opposed me multiple times. While our interests align now, can we maintain this relationship?

Could this act that we thought was beneficial end up being a problem? That’s my concern.

「Personally, I think it’s fine. At most, we’re talking about adding fifty thousand people, right? I don’t think it will make much of a difference.」

…Is that so? Am I overthinking this?

Maybe it’s better to accept the refugees and employ measures to make them like this country rather than restrict refugees and incite the resentment of Kirisians already in the country.

「I don’t understand why this is troubling you so much, Your Majesty.」

「…These kinds of issues can become major problems hundreds of years later.」

They can turn into irrevocable major issues.

…Am I overthinking it?

In my previous world, ethnic issues, religious issues, and historical issues had become major problems, so maybe I’m being a bit too sensitive.

In the first place, the concept of ‘ethnicity’ itself was only formed in the modern era in my previous world.

In this world and in this era, ethnic concepts are quite thin.

Kirisians, for example, are a people who would easily disperse if their homeland were in crisis.

The people of this world are quite cosmopolitan. The Persis Empire is the prime example of this.

「Well, for now, let’s maintain the status quo. But we should closely monitor the movement of people crossing the sea.」

We have a new enemy in Pofenia, so it’s wise to be cautious at least to that extent.

「Speaking of population movements, there’s one thing that has been bothering me.」

「What is it?」

「I don’t like the export of Adernian slaves.」

I pointed to the slave trade ships. Even though our population isn’t large already, people are being shipped out of the peninsula.

If they were traded within the country, it wouldn’t decrease the active population. But once they cross the sea, it’s a different story…

「Since we have control over the ports, I want to regulate trade and revise the tariff rates.」

Trade involves the movement of money. It comes in and goes out. If more goes out than comes in, it results in a deficit.

Even in the Japan of the Edo period, which was very rich with gold, silver, and copper, trade friction ended up being a problem. It’s even more critical for the Adernian Peninsula, which isn’t as resource-rich.

Sure, paper and distilled liquor generate wealth. But there are limits.

Silk, cotton, spices, sugar, goldwork, glassware, jewels, ceramics, etc.

There are too many attractive goods abroad.

King Rosais’ Country alone might be profiting from exports.

But considering the future and the Adernian Peninsula as a whole, isn’t there a risk of wealth and resources flowing out?

「So that’s why, Raymond. Call the Kirisian merchants for a meeting soon. We need to discuss and impose trade regulations.」

「Understood, Your Majesty. But are you sure? There will be complaints.」

「We’ll limit the handling of luxury goods to a few privileged merchants. Luxury goods don’t affect most of the plebeians.」

In fact, doing this will increase the added value and turn it into a vested interest, so the merchants should find it an attractive proposition.

「I’m not talking about them… I mean from your wives.」

That’s… a domestic issue…