Ch.56Another Business.

Clatter… Clatter…

The construction of the clock tower in the city center was, by its nature, bound to be delayed.

If we rushed it for the sake of speed and it collapsed, not only would my heart break, but citizens passing by could be seriously injured. So I gave orders to complete it within this year at the very least. Following my instructions, the work at the site progressed at an agonizingly slow pace, making it hard to believe these were the same people who had shown incredible speed during the mad rush last winter.

“Damn it… Is this right? I think I applied too little adhesive…”

“Hey! Remove it and apply the adhesive again! His Lordship said if we skimp on it even a little, it’ll collapse!”

“You’re right. I’d better remove it!”

…With work proceeding in this manner, citizens passing by thought, “These guys are just trying to milk more money.”

Since they were tearing down perfectly fine-looking pillars and rebuilding them from scratch, people without technical expertise couldn’t help but see it that way.

Moreover, unlike wooden structures where parts could be roughly fitted together, construction using steel and stone required adhesives by nature, and waiting for these adhesives to dry completely made the work even slower.

If the next layer were built before the adhesive fully hardened, the excessive weight would crush the adhesive, causing the lower floors to crumble.

Because of this, despite it already being April, only 30 meters of the planned 300-meter height had been completed. But I wasn’t particularly concerned.

As long as they were working on that clock tower, they remained employed, which meant they wouldn’t be causing trouble demanding jobs.

“Ah, by the way, have the blacksmiths returned to the Steelyard?”

“Yes. It has been confirmed that the blacksmiths have returned to the Steelyard. The previously reduced productivity should return to normal now.”

The aide checked the fluttering parchments before answering me.

“That’s good news. The merchant guilds have been putting on so much pressure…”

The demand for Amurtat steel was steadily increasing.

My “mass luxury” strategy had worked perfectly. The reason why not only adventurers but also cities under other rulers were importing Amurtat steel in bulk was simple.

Importing large quantities of Amurtat steel was far cheaper than establishing facilities to produce quality steel, maintaining those facilities, recruiting and training skilled personnel, and paying for the materials and fuel needed for steel production.

“This is what comparative advantage is all about.”

Even Fahrenheit, the long-standing power of the north, doesn’t operate large-scale ironworks and forges like the Steelyard.

More precisely, they have the capability but don’t invest because there’s no merit in doing so.

It’s not like Fahrenheit is running some desperate tech strategy that needs quick cash, nor is there a shortage of metal in the market.

To be brutally honest, Amurtat’s annual income is roughly equivalent to Fahrenheit’s weekly income.

One might say the difference is too extreme, but that’s the reality.

Based on its massive size, Fahrenheit can be self-sufficient in agriculture, commerce, industry, or whatever else. Its income cannot be compared to that of a small, precious country like ours, which has to spend a fortune importing food due to tax exemptions for farmers this year making our food situation precarious.

And it was my duty as ruler to transform this small, precious country into something incredibly large and beautiful.

*

“Hmm…”

I was looking at the table comparing this quarter’s imports and exports, roughly calculating the profits Amurtat would earn this year.

The figures were significantly reduced because ten villages were completely tax-exempt this year, but it wasn’t enough to worry about a deficit, and I could still afford to splurge a bit.

By the way, when I say “splurge,” I mean investing in new businesses.

My personal luxuries amount to nothing more than eating delicious food and wearing fine clothes, which are everyday things that not only rulers but also wealthy people can afford. So the money I spend on myself is a drop in the bucket compared to other rulers.

“Hey, aide.”

“Yes?”

But just because I’m not interested in luxury doesn’t mean I dislike spending money.

I have no hesitation in spending what you might call seed money—initial investment costs—to make more money.

And I believe my country still has the potential to go much further.

“What are our main export items in Amurtat right now?”

“Well… First, steel. And then preserved foods.”

“Hmm. That’s a rather short list for a country’s exports. Isn’t there anything else we could sell?”

“Well… Nothing comes to mind.”

Amurtat is at a crucial moment right now.

A period of rapid growth!

During this time of compressed growth due to concentrated capital investment, we must diversify our industries as much as possible, or we’ll end up as a country dependent on specific businesses.

While it’s possible to develop industries at any point, if we don’t establish them firmly during this fresh period when all industries can grow, the opportunity cost will be too high. So I needed to rack my brains to promote another industry.

“Argh… There must be something! There must be something more!”

It feels like there should be something more I could squeeze out…! But the idea won’t come, like being constipated halfway through.

“Well, don’t worry too much for now. Steel, preserved food, and tourism have already brought us this much growth. I’m sure Your Majesty will come up with another brilliant idea.”

“Hmph. Instead of encouraging me, why don’t you think about it too?”

“What’s that? You want to take over my paperwork?”

“I express my gratitude for your encouragement.”

I quickly escaped the hell of paperwork.

Whew. Even I have to admit that was a pretty slick evasive maneuver.

*

“Sigh…”

“Master, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing… Just thinking about the future of our country.”

Evening had already fallen, and I was eating the dinner Michaela had prepared, still unable to come up with a new business.

Sigh… My head knows that it’s not easy to revitalize a new industry in just one day, but because all my previous ideas had been so successful, my overconfident body seemed to be rejecting that reality.

I felt like I should be shouting “Eureka!” and coming up with a new business, but my mind was as blank as white porcelain, unable to think of anything.

“Cheer up, Master. Here, your steak is getting cold.”

“Mmm…”

I finally decided to just eat.

Well, it wasn’t exactly “rice,” but I mean it in a figurative sense.

Chop… Chop…

The knife cutting through the steak began to scrape against the plate, and just as a piece was about to be completely cut off—

Crack!

“Hm?”

“Oh my, there seems to be a bone fragment. I’m sorry, Master.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just remove it and eat.”

I scraped away the bone fragment and put the slightly tattered piece of beef into my mouth.

Despite the fresh juices of the rare steak—cooked just how I like it—stimulating my taste buds, for some reason, I kept staring at the bone fragment I had removed.

How should I put it… It was as if that bone fragment was telling me the answer I had been searching for.

“Hmm…”

Conscious of Michaela watching me, I continued to cut the steak and put it in my mouth, but my mind was already fixated on that tiny bone fragment, barely tasting the food.

What is it?

What are you trying to teach me?

Do you want to be ground up finely and absorbed into my marrow? Like beef bones simmering in a broth?

…..

“Oh?”

“Master?”

“Wait. Quiet…”

At that moment, an idea was storming through my mind like a tempest.

Something that wouldn’t cost much, would require a lot of labor thus creating jobs, didn’t exist in other cities, wouldn’t require extraordinary effort to produce, was essential for daily life while also functioning as a luxury item—a perfect export product.

“Bone china…!”

Bone china!

A type of porcelain made by grinding cow bones, mixing them with clay instead of kaolin, and firing them in a kiln at temperatures over 1300 degrees.

“This is it!”

I exclaimed, thrilled by the electric signal running down my spine.

How foolish I had been not to drink tea until now!

I could vaguely understand the feelings of a certain country that went to war selling opium just for porcelain.

Once again, I had brought a new industry to Amurtat.