Ch.215Budget (1)

“…What am I going to do with all this?”

The profit gained from selling noble titles to both commoners and aristocrats was substantial.

Unlike tax revenue, money from selling titles was purely for the royal family’s benefit, so it was stored in the royal treasury within the palace rather than the national coffers… but what’s this? It’s filled the spacious treasury and there’s still plenty left over.

‘…Perhaps I sold too many?’

The titles sold to commoners were often priced at the value of land that a single farmer could cultivate, which attracted an enormous number of buyers. Even with somewhat lower prices, this generated tremendous revenue.

As for titles sold to nobles, while there weren’t as many nobles as commoners, the price for each title was extraordinarily high, beyond common sense.

Though they say that after a few centuries, many commoners will become wealthier than nobles, for now, the nobility still seems far more affluent.

Well, in the current era, most wealth comes from land, and nobles own that land. Since commerce and industry aren’t that developed yet, lower nobles would be about as wealthy as rich commoners.

[So… how much should we charge for the titles?]

[Charge? What are you talking about? I said we wouldn’t sell titles but would select from among nobles who make donations to the royal family, didn’t I?]

[…How much should the donation be?]

[Well, there’s no precedent for this, so I’m not sure. Let our loyal subjects give as their hearts guide them.]

[…]

Despite this, there were nobles whose circumstances weren’t as good as wealthy commoners, yet many of them still “donated” enormous amounts of wealth disproportionate to their rank.

I did encourage this by asking how much they had looked into giving, but anyway, I never forced them… so it should be fine, right? It’s not like I threatened them with a sword to make them buy.

[…This isn’t right. I’ll be content with the title my ancestors passed down to me.]

Of course, not all nobles donated their wealth.

Some nobles shook their heads and declined, then simply left, perhaps thinking that buying titles with money was either extremely disrespectful or vulgar.

Seeing that makes me look a bit mean for harassing the nobles, but… it can’t be helped. The more I suppress the nobles, the more comfortably my descendants and I can live.

‘…Above all, it’s also a safety measure.’

To be honest, I haven’t been a good parent.

They say I loved all my children equally, legitimate and illegitimate alike, but how many children would calmly accept their father consorting with other women?

And how they would view those other women’s children… well, that’s obvious without even looking.

Lilianne and Claudia get along well, so that’s fine, but my wives always tell me that my other children from different mothers are practically strangers to each other.

‘Given my background, there will surely be some children with wicked thoughts.’

I rose to the position of duke as a bastard, and then ascended to the throne as king.

What would my children think of these achievements? Would they simply think, “Ah, father is truly remarkable”?

I can definitely say no. Only enlightened figures like Buddha or Jesus could be completely free of human desire.

‘They’re all still young, but as they grow older and their thoughts mature, some will certainly harbor strange ideas.’

In preparation for that time, I need to completely neutralize the domestic nobles politically and militarily. If that’s impossible, then physically as well.

For a claimant to the throne to succeed, they need the cooperation of domestic powers that support them. If all domestic powers capable of influencing a rebellion are eliminated, then claimants would have no means to obtain the throne.

Since the prohibition on private armies applies not only to nobles but also to royal family members, there would be no way for a claimant to take the throne except through assassination.

I’m doing my best to prevent assassinations by greatly strengthening the intelligence agency, so as long as the intelligence agency remains loyal to the heir to the throne, Lothar, my concerns shouldn’t materialize.

Of course, I’m also doing my best privately to make all my children get along by hosting parties or having them play together frequently… but sigh, it’s difficult.

……….

“…This is too much. What do you plan to do with all this wealth?”

After organizing my thoughts about future events, I called for Leclerc to discuss how to use the profits we’ve earned.

Leclerc also seems quite surprised at how much money we’ve made from selling titles.

“Well, letting money sit idle is worse than spending it, so we should use it somehow, shouldn’t we? First, I plan to distribute fertilizer and iron farming tools, focusing on direct territories and independent farmers.”

“That’s a good decision. If you invest in industry, you might lose money if the products don’t sell well, but investing in agriculture has less chance of loss, and even if there are losses, the very act of protecting agriculture strengthens the nation’s foundation.”

Industry investments can also strengthen technological capabilities even if they result in losses, but apart from that, Leclerc is right.

Even if agricultural investments fail, they stimulate the economy by mobilizing various means of production, and even if they’re too successful and crop prices fall, that’s not necessarily bad either.

Lower crop prices mean urban workers can be maintained more stably, and farmers won’t be hit too hard since I’m providing support, and most of them live in closed societies where there aren’t many places to spend money anyway.

“First, we should invest these funds in compost factories for fertilizer and foundries for agricultural tools. Contact the administration and have them investigate the budget allocation priorities and appropriate timing for developing compost factories and foundries to support agriculture.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Wow, the world has really improved.

In the past, I would have had to review all of that myself, but now I just need to point in a direction with my finger, and the administrators take care of everything.

……….

“…Still, there’s a lot left.”

Shockingly, the results brought by the administration showed that we hadn’t even used a quarter of a quarter of a quarter of the money earned from selling titles.

Not just for compost factories, but even for foundries that require precious iron.

“The administration officials worked very diligently. If you look at this, you’ll understand why the cost is so low.”

“…Very economical indeed.”

They tightened everything that could save money. When they go as far as calculating the recovery and melting of rusty farm tools for materials, that says it all.

Moreover, since the maintenance costs after expansion would be covered by both the royal treasury and national coffers, we couldn’t use all the money earned from selling titles.

“Should I just put it in the national coffers?”

“I understand, but… if you do that, it would diminish the meaning of Your Majesty’s separation of the royal treasury from the national coffers.”

“That’s true.”

Until the early days of my reign, the royal treasury and national coffers weren’t separated, but I separated them for the soundness, transparency, and specialization of national finances, as well as for the private protection of the royal family.

If I move money from the royal treasury to the national coffers just because there’s too much in the royal treasury, the national coffers would essentially become no different from the royal treasury. Even if I put it in with the intention of donating, the administrators certainly wouldn’t see it that way.

“Hmm… lending business? No, that’s definitely not right.”

“…Please don’t joke about such things, even in jest.”

“I apologize.”

A king running a lending business—regardless of profit, this absolutely shouldn’t be done for the sake of dignity.

Although I previously established a national bank to promote banking, that wasn’t done directly by me, was it? I created the institution and allowed it to engage in lending, but if I were to directly run a lending business, it would be tremendously problematic.

“Would it not be better to simply keep it in storage? Not everything always goes smoothly, so you might suddenly need money urgently.”

“You’re right. However, funds for emergencies are already stored in both the national coffers and royal treasury, and it’s my belief that the wealthy shouldn’t let money sit idle, so please understand.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

To be honest, I’ve never viewed wealthy people who spend money lavishly negatively since my previous life, unless they earned it illegally.

This is because humans don’t need that much money if they maintain frugality in their lives. Even for basic necessities, you can’t wear dozens of layers of clothes, you physically can’t eat beyond a certain limit, and unless you have dozens of bodies, you can only use one sleeping place.

While a wealthy person who maintains frugality might be admirable on a personal level, it’s terrible from a social and economic perspective.

Money stagnates and rots in one place, doesn’t it? Of course, if you put money in a bank, the bank will use it, but it’s even better if you put money in the bank and spend lavishly at the same time.

Usually, when a king spends money lavishly… large-scale public works?

“…I’ll build reservoirs. They can provide agricultural water and collect drinking water. Yes, while we’re undertaking public works, let’s also build tunnels, repair roads, expand water and sewage systems, build bridges, renovate ports—basically do everything that seems feasible.”

“I’ll also have the administration investigate budget allocation priorities and appropriate timing for those.”

“Yes, and additionally, have them investigate construction priorities by region.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As for the palace… it’s already sufficiently magnificent, so there’s no need for expansion.

It’s better to use that money for public works to strengthen the nation’s foundation.