Dealing With the Postwar Period

It was common sense that things would get harder before they got better, more so in war.

Ria worked hard at her state affairs every day for ruling the vast ex-Cordova territory that had become hers.

"There is no money."

The man to say that incredibly frankly was a Cornada earl.

He, who was originally a financial bureaucrat, completely understood the nation's finance.

"… What?"

"It's because your majesty graciously handed it out to the soldiers."

"Aah, right…"

Of course she remembered allowing them to plunder the treasury.

That was necessary for her to seize the Cordovan soldiers. Moreover, Ria felt something like money could be produced so long as they had people.

"Certainly, but right now, there is no money with which to pay our soldiers."

"… Serge—! Seeerge—! Come up with some ideas~!"

At times like this, Ria would immediately rely on people.

Summoned, even Serge couldn't come up with a solution that easily.

"Wouldn't war bonds or government bonds work?"

War bonds wouldn't work that well since the war had ended, but government bonds would be good. They would temporarily settle it with government bonds.

Because Ria didn't have the mind to leave the ex-Cordovan bureaucracy to swell and explode.

Similar to some countries, it didn't use any money on the unproductive elderly. On that mark, this country where fundamental human rights didn't exist was wonderful.

"If we pay off the influential merchants with an annual interest in the neighborhood of twenty percent for now… it should be fine?"

The financial bureaucrat calculated and immediately gave results. Ria nodded.

"The most necessary ones' portions will come from my private funds, so please wait until tomorrow."

All she had to do was make it with her genesis magic. Although she worried about causing inflation if she did it too much, the most important thing was to surpass the hurdle standing in front of her right now.

But the cabinet ministers didn't seem to be thinking about that, they were simply impressed by Ria's stance of preventing a delay in wages by using her own funds.

With this, their finances would somehow manage for now. Because there was money in Manesh, all they had to do was transport there.

 

*

 

Next was a problem of law.

Cordova could be called a country based on its system of laws. Moreover, it was well known for its extreme laws.

What new legal system would they introduce to Cordova? And again, how would it integrate with Ogress Kingdom's?

Ria decided on a temporary policy.

"Capital punishment for big crimes. Whipping for small crimes. That is all."

The cabinet ministers that were sitting in a row all had their mouths wide open.

"Obviously not permanently. But Cordova had bound a lot of countries with laws for many years, with many political offenses as well. This will be necessary to change the people's thoughts."

One year. Ria marked off her time limit.

She needed to unite this vast territory, Manesh included, by then.

She needed to establish areas for the ogres and beastkin as well of course, that was also a serious matter.

"Pardon all previous political criminals for the time being."

"T-that's excepting the Cordovan earl, right?"

"Pardon them. On the other hand, even if the Cordovan earl made a move now, I won't be so sympathetic again."

The judges' faces paled, but there was nothing that could be done. Cordova had many trials to begin with.

"Criminal offenses aside, what should we do about processing territory rights?"

"Guhah, that huh?"

Territorial disputes between nobles would turn into things that needed to be settled by the monarch's choice without fail.

Territory was a noble's asset, something they should defend and stand up for themselves.

"Maybe we should try and have all of the new nobles be unlanded nobility?"

Nobles that secured their positions through money might abate their monetary difficulties.

However, since there were both different pros and cons to that, they weren't able to come to a conclusion in the end.

"Since the territory reclamation in Manesh is advancing forward for now, if it looks like there are a lot of territorial disputes popping up, let's move one of them there."

It was something that could only be done with a mighty monarch's authority.

However, civil law wasn't something that could be as easily decided on as criminal law.

(Emperor Gaozu did great putting China together~)

Ria came to feel a newfound appreciation towards her previous life's great people.

 

*

 

"The temples? Why're you asking me?"

Another problem popped up.

(Why'd a problem like that get brought up?)

Ria didn't understand.

However, when she heard more about it, it certainly was related to her.

"Because Carla has been treating the sick and wounded completely free of charge, charity to the temples have decreased."

"Oh~, so that's it."

Religious authority was weak in this world. The gods themselves were practically destroyed by the dragons' to begin with.

Then if someone were to ask if faith towards dragons were strong, because they were actual entities, it seemed as though that made them harder to turn into objects of faith.

That aside, back to the temples.

For the above-mentioned reason, they held hardly any authority in this world.

However, they did the splendid work of providing relief to the weak and disadvantaged.

By contributing to that as the monarch, the other nobles should also follow suit.

 

*

 

"It takes so much money though~"

She knew why, but their money decreased steadily. A certain merchant appeared before Ria, who was currently suffering such a grief.

"Thank you for your continued patronage. Always smiling with guaranteed security, I am Black Cat Transportation's Ferna."

"Heeey, you're here."

Black Cat readily undertook the transportation of their valuable currency. Moreover, they succeeded in it quickly.

"Now I can take a breather."

"Then, again, we look forward to working with you next time~"

"Yeah, wait a moment. Does Black Cat's leadership want to become aristocrats by any chance?"

She'd called her here today for that reason.

Black Cat's transportation capabilities were attractive, looking at it both strategically and commercially.

Just leaving them as a private organization would turn into a problem in their current situation.

"Although that is a welcome topic, as we come and go through various countries, to attach ourselves to a specific nation is…"

"That so, you didn't say it's impossible. But please make sure to look at the current situation. The Millennium has nothing to do with country borders."

Having finished being interviewed by the queen, Ferna sighed deeply.

Was it 'as ever', or maybe 'even more so'? The queen was a person that gave off the feeling of oppression.

"Ah, Ferna-san, good work."

Seeing Haruto, who had waited for her at the castle's gate, she felt relieved.

Although the person himself may say that he disagrees, Haruto was a man of healing. Being with him would settle someone down.

He was a man that was unrelated to royalty and nobility.

"How'd it go? Any unreasonable demands?"

The way he worried about people was different from board directors.

She liked being spoken to with a little bit of gentleness once in a while.

"No, she appreciated everything so far and invited us again. Haruto-san, I do think you would be a fit for this country's purveyor, though."

Haruto smiled unconsciously. There was no way he could be.

"Where will you be going after this job's over, Ferna-san?"

"I wonder… maybe Casalia?"

Casalia had lost a potential enemy by the name of Cordova. And Ogress couldn't be any more of a friendly nation towards it.

The considerable amount of war potential it had across its borders could now be distributed at other places.

"I also think there'll be something suspicious happening there. Rather, if Casalia doesn't annex them quickly, the small countries might stand together."

The former empire's territories didn't belong to any nations yet. The small-time lords had each sent out their defenses.

Although Lemdria was moving to annex the empire's south-east areas, the opposite side was still open to Casalia.

"We'll be together a while longer, then?"

"Ah, yeah, that's right."

It would be instantaneous if they used teleportation magic, but Ferna hesitated on that.

She didn't particularly dislike the thought of seeing the route to Casalia.

"I look forward to working with you in the future then, Ferna-san."

"Yeah, same here."

And so the two people went to an inn where they could entrust their carts to.

 

*

 

Northeast of Cordova. A remote village far in the mountains.

The group, now finished sabotaging Cordova's forces, set out to return home.

"Well then, that's it for us."

"Yeah, good work. Thankfully we didn't lose anyone."

Giving a stern smile, the beastkin teleported. The only two remaining were Ordo and Pineau.

"Don't you want to go back as well? You should show up for your family."

Ordo spoke. The man turned towards him due to the unexpected statement.

Although Pineau's immediate superior was prejudiced, he didn't particularly dislike that sort of Ordo.

"Rather, Ordo-sama, are you alright going without meeting that Jou-sama?"

It was that thing. In other words, the thing about him amassing a harem. That he would receive hate from the man-hating Asuka would loathe him if he met with her.

Even though it looked like she was building a girl's harem herself.

After all, she hated all men other than his majesty the demon king.

"Well, I have other business to take care of."

What was the business Ordo spoke of? Something that he would keep to himself to the bitter end.

It could be said he fell in love with Carla the dragonslayer.

"I got it. You're not interested in dead girls after all."

He preferred taking women by force. Because of that, although he hadn't made his majesty the demon king angry a second or third time, he would probably be turned into an example the next time.

It wasn't like he didn't understand it as a man. Brandishing power eccentrically without mixing in any shallow reasoning felt manly.

However, his opponent this time was that person.

Recalling that feminine figure and that beautiful silvery hair, Pineau sighed softly.