3 bar menu

Volume 5 Chapter 15-3: The Broken Empire

「If you will allow me, I would like to give you some advice, my lord. You are worried about the future, but the situation is not so lenient. I suggest that you go to an exchange office that still exchanges bonds for gold coins. Well, I’m rushing to give you advice, but we merchants were also late in realizing it. Seduced by the convenience of paper money, we expanded our trade, failed to notice the counterfeits, got carried away thinking everything would sell, and exchanged our valuable goods for worthless paper. All that remains is a mountain of worthless paper, a stark reminder of our folly.」
The merchant let out a dry laugh.
The merchant’s eyes seemed like an endless abyss of darkness.
◇
Following the merchant’s advice, Voldeck headed to the currency exchange. When he arrived, the doors were closed, and the people were banging on them with farming tools, chairs, and various other objects.
「Come out! Exchange these bonds for gold coins, now!」
「We can’t buy anything with this worthless paper! Give back our gold!」
It was like a riot. The citizens were swarming the exchange, demanding their gold back.
Not long ago, people flocked here to buy bonds, grateful for the bonds’ ease of use and thinking that their gold would increase next year. Back then, reports from his subordinates indicated that the issuance of bonds was not keeping pace with demand. Now, the stark contrast with the current situation was appalling.
Finally, the door was kicked down, and like a tidal wave, the residents stormed inside. Their voices echoed around, proclaiming that nobody was there, that the workers had fled.
Those who came out of the currency exchange were each carrying items of value. Duke Voldeck could only laugh. Citizens brazenly attacking a national facility. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the soldiers who were supposed to stop them and maintain the order were also participating in the attack.
Moreover, those waiting outside began to attack the people emerging from inside, starting to steal any valuable items they could get their hands on. It was utter chaos.
「The orcs are here! The orcs have come!」
「The medicine of salvation! I can finally get the medicine of salvation!」
「Hahaha, I’ve got the money! I can buy the medicine! Forgive Dad for selling you, Angie.」
「Hehehe, I even sold my house for the medicine of salvation.」
As about five burly orcs arrived, the residents swarmed around them. Amidst this, an exceptionally large orc raised his voice.
「Line up! We have plenty of medicine. Payment is in gold coins only, one pill for one gold coin.」
Voldeck was astounded. One gold coin, (worth about 60,000 yen), was a considerable amount of money. With paper money losing its value, gold coins had become even more valuable.
Despite this, one after another, residents lined up, thanking the filthy orcs for selling to them and happily paying in gold coins. These were not people with spare money. Their poor attire and gaunt faces showed they were struggling even to find food.
Occasionally, someone tried to forcibly snatch the medicine from the orcs, but they were no match for the sturdy creatures. One of the orcs, half-jokingly, said,
「Ah, I was attacked again. We can’t do business in such a dangerous place, eh? Maybe we should stop coming here to sell the medicine.」
「Yeah, we orcs are frail, after all.」
Just saying that was enough to provoke the crowd.
「How dare you attack the great orcs! They’re angels bringing us the medicine of salvation!」
「Yeah, you accursed fool! You should die as atonement!」
「Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!」
The residents swiftly ganged up on the attacker, beating him relentlessly. Surrounded by dozens, the man who had attacked the orcs was eventually beaten to death, but no one seemed to care.
After a while, the line thinned out. Those who had bought the medicine, fearing it might be stolen, quickly swallowed it there and then, their faces lighting up with ecstatic smiles and laughter. Those who couldn’t buy the medicine murmured to themselves as they left.
「I need to get money for the next dose.」
「There’s nothing left to sell…」
「I have to steal it… Take it from those who have it…」
「Gold, not paper money, gold.」
Duke Voldeck was certain that a riot would break out soon. At the same time, he found himself slightly intrigued by a drug that could captivate people to such an extent. He turned to a subordinate next to him and spoke.
「What is that medicine?」
「It’s a drug recently popular in the city, called ‘Shoji’. It’s said to make one forget anxieties and feel incredibly happy, making everything from eating to… intimate activities, unbelievably enjoyable. Many nobles are also fans of it.」
Indeed, among those who bought the drug from the orcs, there were servants of influential nobles.
「Are there any side effects?」
「No. But the drug is so wonderful that people will do anything to get it. Even the army’s stockpiles were diverted by some soldiers desperate for money to buy it.」
「I see. So it’s that remarkable.」
The idea of forgetting anxiety held an unbearable allure for Voldeck. Lately, he had been unable to sleep properly due to anxiety and irritation. If he could forget that suffering, even for a moment, relying on the drug might not be a bad idea. To him, a gold coin was a small price to pay.
「Follow those orcs and capture them as soon as they leave our territory. Find out the truth about the counterfeit bonds… And as for the medicine, make sure there are no side effects, and if there are no problems, bring me some.」
Duke Voldeck gave these orders to his subordinates, deciding to conclude his inspection for the day. He was under a misconception. He thought the orcs were selling the drug just to make some pocket money… unaware that in reality, it was a sweet poison spread by the elves to destroy the Empire.