Chapter 589 - Shashaato City’s Queen

Chapter 589 – Shashaato City’s Queen

There is a port in Shashaato City.

It’s close to the sea after all.

If you walk a little, there’s also a sandy beach.

Though this world doesn’t have the concept of relaxing at the beach, the beach is regularly cleaned as it is used as a place for processing marine products.

However, only the part which is very close to Shashaato City.

Other places are surprisingly dirty with timbers and seaweeds that have been washed ashore.

It was Miyo who instructed the beach clean-up that made it beautiful.

-0-

Why is she doing that?

I asked Miyo, who came back to Big Tree Village for the first time in a long time.

「It is one of the measures against the tons of gold accumulated by Big Tree Village. Youko-sama suddenly sent me barrels of gold when I asked her for something so I had no choice but to look for something I could spend it on. Wasn’t it written on my report?」

I only heard that you’re doing something as a countermeasure but I never thought it would be cleaning the coast.

I see.

「However, it doesn’t consume much gold coins. I already asked the residents of Shashaato City and even the seakins but we can’t pay them that much for cleaning.」

Maa, of course.

「Also, since we are putting out a stall for the cleaners we hired, 80% of what we paid will be earned back.」

Why do you even earn them back?

「Because it is their right to use the money they earn on what they want….」

No, I don’t mean that. What I’m trying to say is, why do you have to set up a stall for them?

「The seakins don’t have money of their own since they don’t even need them in the first place. That’s until Marla shows up. Marla is only responding to their demand.」

It can’t be helped then.

「At least, as a result, the economy of Shashaato City, which has been being pushed down by Village Five, is getting better again.」

Has Shashaato City’s economy worsened?

「Not really. However, it is better to take a measure before it becomes bad. Governor Ifrus even entrusted me a letter to give you for that matter.」

I received the tightly sealed letter from Miyo.

-0-

Thank you for your cooperation in improving the economy of Shashaato City.

A big thanks for Big Roof Shashaato. I will exempt anyone involved in Big Roof Shashaato from capitation tax as thanks.

By the way, you also have a ship, right?

You don’t have to pay for port tax either.

If you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to consult me.

Also, Marla’s curry is superb.

I wish for its recipe if possible.

Lastly, Miyo is asking me to ask you for a vacation. Don’t you think she deserves a leave?

-0-

The content gives off a very polite feeling.

….

The last part where he’s asking me to give Miyo a vacation, it looks disoriented. I feel like he’s being threatened while he’s writing this part. Was he?

Miyo said no, so let’s believe in her.

I agree with the letter’s content.

However, the economic improvement is not to my credit.

It’s thanks to Miyo.

I also appreciate the tax exemption for capitation and port tax but that saves money.

Maa, let’s just be happy for Big Roof Shashaato and Marla.

I don’t have anything to talk about with the governor right now.

Let’s just give him my words of thanks.

As for Marla’s curry recipe, well, it’s my recipe at first but the current recipe is the result of Marcos’ research.

I can’t let others know of it.

I’ll just tell Marcos and the others so that they can dispatch a chef when the governor requests one.

That will probably work.

This will probably last for at least a few years.

As for Miyo’s vacation, there’s no problem with that.

Though I’m not sure if it is necessary since I heard she has enough rest.

……..Hnn?

I checked the governor’s letter again.

I looked at the characters and lines that are not written cleanly on the part when he’s asking me to give Miyo a vacation…..

It looks like there’s a pattern.

Ah, I see.

Let me read the cleanly written up characters.

It looks like the reason why other characters are not cleanly written was to earn the number of characters.

Right right.

“Don’t let Miyo go far from Shashaato City, please.”

……

Ehto….

First of all, why do you even need to write it like this?

Miyo, were you with the governor when he wrote this letter?

「I was watching right next to him.」

I see.

She’s watching over him so she’s definitely overlooking the content.

…….

「Miyo, you have worked hard so far and this is also a request from the governor. I’ll reward you with twenty reward medals and a vacation that will last till spring next year. However, you must enjoy your vacation at Shashaato City.」

「Thank you very much but, why at Shashaato City?」

「Ah….aren’t you the one who employed the seakins? In terms of negotiation, it is a bad thing to suddenly change the point of contact. I want them to be able to reach you even when you’re on vacation.」

「I see. I agree. By the way, before I return to Shashaato City, can I exchange the medals?」

「Of course. However, you just came back after a long time. I won’t ask you to go back to Shashaato City right now. You should enjoy your time here or go to the hot spring to relax for a while.」

「Thank you very much. By the way, I would like to show my face in Village Four.」

「Then, go. I’ll have the universal ship’s schedule change to accommodate you.」

「Is it alright?」

「Miyo has done well in managing Shashaato City. Besides, the captain of the universal ship is Tou. He’ll be happy with the schedule change.」

「Ah, I understand. Though I complain, I am truly doing it properly.」

Complaining is very Miyo-like so I won’t say anything about it.

It’s true that she had a hard time after all.

To thank her, why don’t I carve a statue of Miyo and send it to Shashaato City?

…..

That sounds embarrassing.

Let’s not send it.

-0-

After that, I had a heavy discussion with Miyo.

It is about the highway plan.

We want to shorten the travel time to the royal capital by maintaining the road.

Big Roof Shashaato was supposed to sponsor the plan but I decided to use Big Tree Village’s fund.

I want to spend money after all.

I want to spend as much money as possible in Shashaato City.

I want to spend what Marla earned that way too.

It became a talk of using Marla’s fund to stockpile in Shashaato City in case of emergency.

Then, our discussion pointed to the seakins.

They still use their old tradition to settle disputes….the game of courage using the strange food of the sea.

Ah, did you eat them too, Miyo?

They’re delicious, right?

And they’re even freshly captured.

If you have soy sauce, you’re invincible?

Indeed.

So, what about it?

A souvenir for me?

Seaweeds….?

Ah, mozuku.

TN: a type of edible brown seaweed

That’s good with vinegar. When I said that, Miyo had a defeated expression.

It looks like Miyo gave up the challenge when mozuku came out.

「As expected of village chief. I am called the gross eater queen of the seakins but it seems like I’m still immature.」

Gross eater queen….?

Are you saying that I’m the gross eater king?

Even though they’re only serving delicious seafood.

I’m a bit frustrated.

-0-

Miyo went to the hot spring.

She’s scheduled to stay there for six days.

She had a hard time so let’s entertain her.

-0-

And that’s what happened….

I’m thinking of the problem that Miyo consulted me about.

It is something they encountered when they were cleaning the coast.

When the seakins were extensively cleaning dirty places, they found several caves.

There’s no problem if they’re just normal caves but treasures have been discovered in several caves.

It is speculated that pirates or bandits were the ones who hid them.

I think the one who discovered them should own them but it seems like the ownership of the things found during the cleaning time will be Miyo’s since she’s the one who ordered the clean-up.

And so, Miyo gave special rewards to the discoverer of the treasures.

And since the treasure was acquired by Miyo because of my order, the treasures are mine.

I thought of donating it to Shashaato City but assistant to the governor Miyo rejected that idea.

If I donate them all, it might look like I’m buying favor from the governor.

Also, thinking about how much the donation is, not a single official can receive it.

I think there’s no limit in donating but it looks like this world doesn’t think the same.

On the other hand, I recalled what I’ve been told before so I did not insist.

Because of that, I decided to exhibit the treasures in Village Five.

They were found in caves.

I honored the discoverers by writing their names there.

If I exhibit them like that, there might be people who’ll claim ownership.

If the claimants were found not lying, I’ll honestly give it to them.

And by all means, please show up.

-0-

I thought everything was solved with that but there’s still one more problem.

Not about those treasures but about the entrance of a dungeon.

It is man-made and it looks like a temple.

Given the state of the gargoyle that prevents anyone from entering, it is unexplored.

……

Apparently, I have the right to explore this dungeon first.

Yeah.

This winter, I’ll organize a survey corps for this dungeon.

Winter is a time where we do the least so there will surely be a lot of participants.

I hope I can participate too.