Chapter 148

I’ve been focusing on the Rapier Kingdom recently, but I haven’t neglected my internal affairs either.

The operation of the mining city of Eureka and the labyrinth of tunnels is going well at the moment. The number of explorers challenging the mines is much smaller than it was when they were first opened to the public. Perhaps because they’ve been able to differentiate ourselves from the labyrinth in Ulysses, we seem to have a steady stream of people diving in every day.

In particular, people such as〔Priests〕who want to master the art of healing, after they reach level 30, seem to dive mainly in the labyrinths of Eureka rather than in Ulysses.

Twenty percent of the demons in Eureka’s labyrinth are undead, which makes it easier for those who can use sacred magic to fight them.

Other than that, people who mainly use melee weapons prefer the labyrinths of Ulysses, while people with ranged attack methods, such as archers and sorcerers, prefer the labyrinths of Eureka.

Many of the fairies and spirits in the labyrinths of Eureka’s tunnels are capable of attacking at long range. These monsters don’t close the distance, making it easier for those who mainly use ranged attacks to deal with them.

Currently, various merchant associations are selling ‘strategy books’ that deal with ‘Strategy Information of Labyrinths’, and the spread of such information has become faster than expected.

As more and more information about the characteristics of each labyrinth and tips on how to use them spreads, I’m sure that both labyrinths will become more beloved by explorers.

Most of the explorers who actively use the tunnel labyrinths also visit the shrine near the city of Eureka. The shrine is dedicated to the gods Kanayama-Hiko and Kanayama-Hime, and it is said to be a good place to get ore.

In fact, it turns out to be true. With the increase in faith, the divine authority of Kanayama-Hiko and Kanayama-Hime has also increased, and the benefit of the ‘increase in ore reserves’ brought to the mines has also become greater than initially expected.

In particular, the production of ores such as silver, witch silver, copper, and iron has reached a significant amount.

The purchase price of these ores at the Explorers’ Guild branch in Eureka has been set at a slightly lower price so that they can be sold at a slightly higher price if they are brought back to the Principality of Selsia or the Holy Land of Nimun.

Therefore, the ore produced in Eureka has resulted in a large increase in the market supply, as if there were more mines in both countries.

Especially in the Holy Land of Nimun, where even iron could not be mined domestically, the increase of cheap iron on the market seems to have contributed to the national interest in various ways.

Desert people are often tougher than people living in other areas, even if they are of the same human race. Now that they have access to cheap steel weapons on the market, it seems that more people than ever are willing to become explorers.

The demons in the labyrinth of Eureka’s tunnels also yield precious stones and gems.

Since precious metals and gems are the main materials used to produce grimoires, the market supply has greatly increased and prices have dropped, making it possible to produce grimoires at a lower cost.

As a result, the market volume of the magic tools themselves has also increased and their prices have dropped. In addition, the magic stones that play the role of ‘batteries’ for operating magic tools have also come to be distributed in the market in large quantities, so the cost of operating magic tools has also come to be reduced.

In the Holy Land of Nimun and the Principality of Selsia, it seems that the number of people who own magic tools is increasing, even those who do not have a particularly large income. In the same way, in the Yuri Empire, there seems to be an increasing number of people who are looking to further enrich their lives by purchasing additional magic tools that they want in addition to the few that are originally provided in their homes.

Seeking a better life is one of the ways to enjoy life.

That’s why Yuri sees this as a good trend.

As for the new currency, there are no problems at the moment, and it is going well.

In particular, it has been very well received by merchants, and within the three countries of the Yuri Empire, the Holy Land of Nimun, and the Duchy of Selsia, the new『gita』coin is already more popular than the existing ‘Beth’ coin.

This is because the design on the front and back of the coin is so detailed and artistic that it is impossible to counterfeit. In addition to the fact that it is a magical coin, it has the characteristic of being ‘unprocessable’ and can be used in transactions without the risk of having the gold or silver content of the coin altered by a third party.

The fact that the Yuri Empire is the one that guarantees the credibility of the money is also a favorable factor. It has a strong military force that is unshakable even against the major powers of the Mekia continent, such as the Kingdom of Eldard and the Duchy of Selsia, and its leader, Yuri, is one of the main gods of this world.

In terms of credibility, it seemed to have a higher reputation than any other national currency circulating in the continent.

In terms of distribution, it spread quickly to the general public because the rewards for using the Explorers’ Guild were in principle paid only in the new currency.

In addition, there was no reluctance to switch to the new currency because the leading merchant associations, such as the Rostine and Tormark merchant associations, immediately responded and made efforts to spread the new currency.

As the amount of『gita』coins circulated increased, the amount of Beth coins collected from the market piled up in the treasury, and a good amount of them was cast and converted into bullion ingots of silver and gold.

It’s a bit funny how many silver and gold ingots we’ve ended up with, but I can’t think of any particular use for them at the moment. It is obvious that the value of silver and gold will plummet if they are put on the market too easily.

(Generally speaking, everything is going well…)

Yuri thought quietly as he read the reports that had come in from all over the place in her office at the Yuritania Palace.

It seems that the construction of the Divine City is going well. It’s a Japanese-style city, different from the previous cities of Yuritania, Ulysses, and Eureka, and it seems that the children of <Kikyou> are eagerly working on the construction.

Some of the buildings that will be used as a second Yuritania Palace and a large shrine to welcome the gods are already completed. It may be time to start welcoming the gods from the world of『Leangard』little by little.

On the other hand, there are still some problems that have arisen.

For example, the amount of trade with the Holy Land of Nimun has recently decreased significantly.

This is because the heatwave in the deserts that cover more than half of the land of the Holy Land becomes especially severe when the calendar turns to the “summer months”, and the draft horses and riders get tired more quickly.

As a result, the volume of trade with the Holy Land has dropped to nearly a quarter of what it was during the Spring Moon.

This is not a problem that needs to be dealt with urgently, as it will be resolved naturally when the calendar turns to the Autumn Moon next month. If possible, it would be better to find some way to deal with the problem before next summer comes.

(―――In the first place, I’d like to establish a more proper trade route, not just to the Holy Land…)

If <Kikyou> children can lay down a good quality paved road, it will greatly increase the mobility of the carriage running on it. It will also minimize shaking, which will reduce the burden on you and prevent damage to your cargo.

However, <Kikyou> is currently the busiest of the Yuri Empire’s troops, working on the construction of the new city one after another, making it difficult to devote personnel to the laying of the paved road.

Should I take a long-term view and not try to take care of too many things at once?