Chapter 9

"We don't have enough people!"

In the study of the mansion, I clearly stated.

The food situation and safety can be managed with the skills of Mea and myself.

However, to further develop and build wealth, we need more people.

"Indeed, that's true. There's a limit to what Noct and I can do."

"You're right. Until now, the territory has been desolate, and we couldn't even come up with a proper plan to deal with the Great Forest. But things are different now. We can ensure a stable food supply, and there are still some undamaged houses. Soon, the barrier on the side of the Great Forest will be completed. In the current state, it's not impossible to attract new residents."

While being close to the Great Forest is a disadvantage, the abundant food and the barrier created by the expansion skill can compensate for it.

This place should be livable, even if there is some danger from monsters... I'm sure it will be.

If we can gather more people, we can build a solid town.

"How do we gather the residents? Are you thinking of finding the former residents and calling them back?"

"Realistically, no one who has been abandoned by their lord will return. I don't intend to call them back."

"You're right..."

When I said this clearly, Mea, who had been looking at me with hopeful eyes, became dejected.

I do want to restart with the former residents who worked hard with me.

But, the relationship has already been broken. It would be difficult to completely repair it.

"The best option is to recruit in large cities like the capital, but it's difficult for both of us to leave the territory in the current situation. So, I plan to rely on the merchant Lail."

"Lail, you mean the one who regularly comes to us?"

"Yes, that's right. Lail and I have an agreement to trade at the end of this month."

"But, will he come to us now?"

Mea said this with some difficulty after hearing my words.

I understand her concern.

The Bigsmall territory was attacked by monsters, and the lord and his eldest son died. The residents abandoned the new lord, me, and fled.

A normal merchant would likely give up on the Bigsmall family and not come to trade.

"Money is the bond. A normal merchant wouldn't come to a place where there's no profit. Lail is one of those merchants, but he is a man of honor. He will come to say goodbye when he learns I'm still alive."

He is indifferent to things that don't benefit him, but he is not a heartless man.

I've known him since I was a child, so I understand this much.

Well, if my prediction is wrong, there's nothing we can do.

"Say goodbye..."

"To the Bigsmall territory, which has only two people, coming to do business would bring no sales for Lail. That's why I need to sell hard. I need to show that even with just two people, there can be profit."

Lail is not the type to be swayed by emotion. However, he is very sensitive to profit and will act quickly if he sees a clear benefit.

For that, I need negotiation material.

"Will you sell the expanded crops, My Lord?"

"That's one way, but transporting expanded crops is difficult."

If I go with them and expand them at the selling point, it might be profitable.

However, that would take time and has its own problems, making it difficult.

Moreover, if I transport something as large as a tomato, the number of items that can fit in a cart would be limited.

"Then, how will you show that there is profit?"

"The easiest way is to expand and sell valuable items that I have on hand."

Precious monster materials, gems, and minerals. If I expand these, they would bring in a significant profit.

"Um, what about expanding money..."

Mea suggested this hesitantly.

That is the easiest and most profitable way.

"I thought of that first, but currency is the property of the country. If I counterfeit it, it's a crime. I might not get caught if I do it on a small scale, but I don't want to take unnecessary risks."

"I see. I'm sorry for not thinking clearly."

"No, it's not something you would know unless you're a merchant or a noble. I appreciate your suggestions, so please don't hesitate to speak up in the future."

"Understood. Thank you."

It's always limited to think alone. Getting input from a third party can help me see aspects I might not have noticed and activate my brain.

"So, My Lord, what do you plan to expand? Apart from money, there aren't many valuable items in the mansion..."

Mea's confusion is understandable. Our territory has been plagued by monster attacks, and we've been busy dealing with them, so we don't have much in the way of assets.

There used to be some, but they were spent on repairing the barrier, buying weapons, and supporting the residents' lives.

There isn't a single valuable gem in the current mansion. But I have one.

"I will expand and sell the gem from my necklace."

I took off the necklace I was wearing to show it.

It's a simple necklace, but the red gem in the center is beautiful.

If I expand it, it should fetch a good price. In this world, a large gem alone has significant value.

"No! That's a memento from your mother, My Lord!"

As Mea said, this is something my mother gave me when I was young, something very important to me.

That's why I've kept it and haven't sold it until now.

"...You're right. But, this is the easiest way to show that there is profit."

If I show something mediocre, Lail might give up on us.

A gem is the clearest and most straightforward item to demonstrate this.

"But, if you do that... My Lord..."

If I had the ability to easily defeat the monsters in the Great Forest, I could have collected materials and expanded them.

If I knew about the nearby mines, I could have dug up different gems and crystals and expanded them.

But, we can't do that now.

If there's something we can do with minimal effort and risk, I will choose it.

Honestly, I don't want to sell it, but the situation doesn't allow for that.

"...My mother's memento is important, but our future is even more important."

I will expand this gem to show Lail that doing business in the Bigsmall territory can be profitable.

And I will use this as a bargaining chip to bring in new residents.

◆

After that, we waited for the merchant Lail.

But we didn't just sit around. Mea worked to regenerate and cultivate the fields, and I expanded the Earth Shield to build the barrier more and more.

When Lail comes to the territory, I want him to see that the Bigsmall territory is not over. Instead, it's on the path to becoming a thriving town with many people.

I want him to have a bit of hope.

As I spent the days like this, Lail appeared as I had predicted.