Chapter 277

Chapter 277 - Amor Coin

The Lantzheim warriors and their assisting wives, siblings, servants, and slaves became the new family members of the Moving Castle.

It was an excellent recruitment in both combat and non-combat aspects, but the problem was that they were all penniless. To help them settle, a few months' worth of wages had to be provided as an advance payment.

No matter how generous Eugene was, giving away living supplies endlessly for free was problematic.

"What is this?"

Lantzheim representative Hermann and the centurions held grayish-white coins between their thumbs and index fingers close to their eyes.

"It's not a silver coin... nor an iron coin."

"Could it be platinum?"

"Don't be stupid. Does it make sense to give us this much platinum? We aren't even knights."

Moreover, the coins had numbers written on them unusually.

"It's a white alloy made by mixing copper, zinc, and tin. It's called the Amor Coin."

"It's the currency of House Mayer."

Hermann nodded at Eugene's words. There were hundreds of types of currencies. Eugene was the hegemon of Britannia and the lord of its largest commercial city, Haven. He had the authority and wealth to independently issue gold and silver coins.

"Don't misunderstand. This is local currency circulated only within the Moving Castle. If you try to use it elsewhere, you'll be cursed at. The number written on the front means its value, and even if it's the same coin, the value changes depending on the number."

"If these numbers represent the value I'm thinking of, it will definitely get cursed at."

Hermann said with a bewildered look. Calculating the numbers engraved on the white coins into credits, the cheapest was similar to a copper coin, but the expensive ones approached silver coins.

Metals more precious than iron were included, but if they tried to equate it with silver, any merchant would look at them like crazy people.

"That's why it's only used in the Moving Castle. All the shops and service facilities inside are directly managed by me, so it will be accepted anywhere."

At Eugene's words, the warriors, who had reluctant faces, relaxed a bit. This place was a location where various goods and convenience facilities were concentrated more densely than most large cities. If all of that were Eugene's directly managed stores, this unconventional coin would gain at least minimal trust.

"It's small in size and distinguished only by numbers, so it will be convenient."

"As you live in the castle, various events or competitions will be held, and I will replace the prize money with this too. Bounties or wages will be paid in external silver coins, but if you want, you can ask to be paid in Amor Coins instead."

The centurions maintained their smiles but were still troubled. Because a coin with a value far exceeding the metals it contains could become trash in an instant. There are many precedents historically.

"Naturally, using Amor Coins will come with preferential treatments like product discounts or tax benefits. I can't just blindly ask you to use them, right?"

And at times like this, there's always someone who steps forward first.

"We will serve with loyalty for the day this coin is used all over the world!"

"Hahaha! I will gratefully accept only your sentiment."

Eugene smiled gently at the shout of a centurion well-versed in social life.

"...!"

Hermann belatedly felt a sense of crisis. Quickly seeking a way to praise the Amor Coin, he focused on the image engraved on the back.

"Who is this person? I can feel dignity just from the engraved appearance."

Numerous currencies engrave the symbol of the issuing entity. On the back of the lowest denomination Amor Coin, the profile of an old man with closed eyes was carved.

"That is Sir Godfrey."

"The Prophetic Knight!"

"He taught me everything I needed as a knight and even knighted me. He is like a father to me."

The time was now.

"I will take this as a talisman to the upcoming battlefield. The Prophetic Knight will guide me to dodge blind arrows."

"Calm down. My master is just a knight. If you want something through prayer, go get a necklace from the Temple of Banas."

Besides this, the Amor Coin was divided into several amounts. Feeling curious, everyone flipped over other coins too.

"Is this a crane?"

Hermann picked up a coin one level higher than the one depicting Godfrey. The coin was slightly larger, and a large bird flying with its wings spread wide was showing off its figure.

"That's right. It's a rather rare bird because it lives in cold places, how did you know?"

"Lantzheim is also known for its cold. It can commonly be seen by the water in our hometown. When winter comes, they cross over from the great steppes of the northeastern nomadic kingdoms."

"The fact that it's a migratory bird traveling long distances resembles us wandering the world. The crane is also the most elegant among migratory birds."

"It's certainly much better to look at than a fish, a weapon, or a bald middle-aged man wearing a crown."

The coin of the denomination after the crane was Eugene.

"Praising the picture is forbidden."

"Mmph..."

Eugene pre-empted and covered the mouths of the centurions. He wasn't thick-skinned enough to enjoy receiving praise for his face right in front of him. Naturally, he didn't stop them for the coin with Valda's face on the next denomination.

"I must improve the skills of the Dwarf guys. Doesn't it fall far short of Madame's beauty?"

"If nothing else, you should have made at least this one out of silver!"

To Eugene, it looked pretty enough, but the metal used was indeed a bit disappointing. However, it was merely an introduction.

"It's a temporary currency, and I'll reorganize it in between. The pictures or numbers can change flexibly, so calm down."

The highest denomination coin after Valda featured the full-body portrait of Goddess Banas. Thanks to this, it also gave the feeling that the Goddess guaranteed the value of the currency. In a way, could it be said to be similar to the Talents issued by the Apostolic State?

In fact, one centurion who became a believer through the prison worship service kissed the coin and carefully tucked it into his bosom.

"Don't carry it around as a talisman. It's an advance payment on your wages, so if you lose a large denomination coin, you might fall short on living expenses."

"O-Of course."

'This is an unexpected side effect.'

The sight of the centurion nodding with an awkward smile. Eugene foresaw the future of the centurion sortying with the coin in his bosom.

* * *

The lord's bedroom that evening.

The lord and his wife lay side by side on the wide bed. Valda, supporting her chin with both hands, admired the Amor Coins aligned on the sheet.

"Did the new warriors accept the coins well?"

"Much smoother than I thought."

"That's a relief. If these settle properly, your authority will stand on solid ground."

Valda's excited humming echoed.

Slap slap.

From behind, her two soles bumped against each other in time with her humming, making a cute sound. It was an action the usually dignified Valda would never do. But it seemed she herself hadn't realized it right now.

"The true authority of a monarch is the power to issue currency. How much I've waited for this day."

Valda stroked the coins with her index finger as if treating a newborn puppy. The name of the coin being Amor also seemed to hit the bullseye of her taste.

It's a word only scholars immersed in history utter nowadays. She would be able to hear its resonance aplenty now.

Twitch twitch.

Already anticipating it, Valda's long ears twitched like a rabbit's.

"Issuing coins isn't just about establishing my authority. It's something that must be done to maintain the money supply within the castle."

"Certainly, the growth trend of increasing residents is unusual."

"That's right. Just looking at the birth rate of the Blackhand Tribe alone, it's higher than any kingdom."

"Since you can frequently hear babies crying wherever you go."

Before a war, it's considered a virtue for the lady of the house to lead the women in making combat rations.

Valda made fermented paste for the husbands going to the battlefield with the tribe wives. However, there were many tribe wives who appeared with swollen bellies or came carrying babies in swaddles.

Valda reached under the bed and touched her own belly. A slender abdomen holding beautiful abs, though not as much as a warrior's.

Her husband's seeds, containing lava-like passion, were poured in aplenty every night, but there were no signs of conception.

'Oh dear.'

Through his wife's drooping ears, Eugene realized what she was thinking. Since it was a topic where comfort was useless, he quickly changed the subject.

"I plan to accept more Lantzheim warriors and their families as well."

"A good idea. The men fight well, and the women are dexterous and diligent. They will serve you excellently both inside and out."

"That's why this coin was necessary. At this rate, there will be problems with the liquid money supply inside the castle in a few years."

"I think that's excessive worrying. Our safe is abundant with silver and gold coins. Isn't the gold brought from the continent across the sea also considerable?"

Among the loot obtained from the New Continent, there were also many natural gold nuggets piled up because the Rakshasas couldn't smelt them.

It was of considerable purity, so if smelted, it would become a massive amount of money, but since they were too busy right now, it was just piling up in the Moving Castle's warehouse.

"Considering what you'll collect from your territories, there should be no shortage."

"Unfortunately, I will not transfer the currency collected from the direct territories into the castle as much as possible. Those must be used to purchase trade goods locally."

"Why?"

Valda is an outstanding magician and also provides solid domestic support. However, in economic terms, she stopped at being quick at calculations and catching errors.

Though just this much was far better than the majority of noble ladies who indulged in luxury, leaving everything to scribes.

Eugene isn't an economic expert either, but he has knowledge of history. The economic blunders by which countless politicians ruined their countries over thousands of years.

"It's easy and convenient to collect currency from the territories and scatter it in the Moving Castle. But if that repeats, the currency liquidity of each territory will collapse. A severe deflation will occur."

"Defla...?"

Smooch.

Eugene kissed his wife's cheek, whose eyes widened at the unfamiliar concept. Then he continued explaining step by step, but Valda didn't understand immediately.

"Isn't it good if prices drop? The people will be able to eat their fill more."

"The problem is that the cause of the price drop isn't the development of new technology or increased productivity. If the money supply decreases, people won't be able to trade, and the territory's economy will freeze. Farmers won't be able to sell their harvest, nor buy seeds and tools."

Valda, with her brilliant mind, immediately pointed out additional problems.

"If currency becomes scarce, bartering will increase greatly. The unnecessary additional costs arising from that will become a burden on the people."

"You saw it accurately. It will cause side effects to the point where a lord squeezing out taxes would be better."

Some trade goods jump in price more than 100 times while crossing the continent. The Moving Castle moved such goods in an instant without risks like storms or ambushes.

Eugene as an individual could accumulate immense wealth even if he used the castle without thinking. However, it would inadvertently bring a terrible economic disaster to his direct territories.

"I was foolish. Seeing you buy a lot of local goods, I just thought you had a lot of greed for business."

"That's not entirely wrong. As a bonus, it was good to see the people rejoicing."

The people of Eugene's direct territories warmly welcomed him every time he returned. Because their taxes weren't used for the lord's luxury but returned straight to the local community.

Eugene bought food and goods with the accumulated taxes and conducted public works, bringing a huge boom. Trade goods brought from foreign countries being released into the territories also vitalized the market.

Of course, there were not only positive aspects. Because there were side effects such as short-term inflation and merchants' hoarding and speculation.

To prevent this, a price disclosure organization directly under the lord was established to control prices, and very heavy punishments were imposed on hoarding.

-It seems the Miles Merchant Company and House Boggs are plotting an unholy scheme. They bribed a maid working at their mansion, but how dare they against Your Excellency...

A paparazzi system with a considerable reward was introduced, constantly planting informants.

Thanks to this, although it fell far short of the praise for the boom, it earned some resentment. Furthermore, even after this fuss, the creation of a black market couldn't be completely stopped. But nothing can be perfect, right?

"Britannia is safe, but it's surprising that there are still no signs of rebellion in Sicily."

"The shock your army and castle gave must have been that great. The relationship with the Apostolic State would also be a big help."

As a way to outsource rebellion surveillance, Eugene built temples belonging to the Apostolic State in Sicilian cities. Furthermore, he provided various benefits, including toll exemptions, to priests and monastic knights.

He doesn't expect them to suppress rebellions. Just noticing ominous signs in advance would be a big help.

"But when the lord is away, his influence definitely chips away. Someday, bastards with big livers will try to do something vain."

"At that time, I plan to strike togAAether with the Moving Castle and properly make an example of them. I've been waiting with the mindset of 'just let one bastard get caught!', but it seems it will take longer than expected."

The dark conversation ended here.

"It certainly falls far short of the real thing."

Eugene placed the coin engraved with Valda's face next to her real face and looked back and forth.

"I'm shy, so stop it."

"You don't seem to dislike it?"

"Because I never imagined I would see a currency holding my face."

Although blushing, Valda couldn't take her eyes off the coin. Putting one's face on currency is an honor incomparable to anything else. Since it was a macho era, cases of a woman's face being included were virtually non-existent. Valda felt a kind of sense of mission as the last member of the royal family.

"Within at least 3 years, we will also issue silver and gold coins hosted by House Mayer. Then you'll be able to see my wife's face made of gold too."

Perk!

The drooping long ears shot up vigorously.

"G-Gold coins...?"

"I am satisfied with silver coins."

"Nonsense! The head of the house, you, must naturally put your face on the gold coin!"

"I appreciate the thought, but I'm a pragmatic person. Rather than me, the Elf princess's face would be of greater help to the symbolism of the gold coin."

Eugene pointed towards the great forest in the north.

"We will spread Amor Coins to those bastards without loyalty or allegiance, as if showing off."

"...I don't particularly hold a grudge against them."

As he always felt, this princess was truly generous. The knight serving her wasn't particularly so, though.

"Hehe. Now, please take off your gown."

With a flushed face, Valda took off her gown and lay face down again.

"Ugh."

"It's a bit cold, right?"

Thanks to the transparent oil, her already white skin was even more dazzling.

"This is something a wife does for her husband."

"Because you used your body much more than I did today."

Having turned the millstone all day and stomped on berries to crush them, Valda's muscles were knotted everywhere.

Squeeze, squeeze.

As the large hands stroked with affection, the knotted thigh muscles melted away.

"Haaaah."

Heated breaths flowed out from Valda's sharp nose.

The position of the lord's wife is extreme. If you want to play and eat, you can be endlessly lazy, but if you want to work diligently, there is no time to rest.

Press.

"Ouch!"

Valda screamed at the sharp pain that struck her. Because Eugene's thumb mercilessly dug into her soft sole.

"It's good for your body, so endure it."

"B-But... It hurts!"

Press.

Press.

Eugene admired his wife's tearful face while applying acupressure to the Yongquan acupoint.

"Shall we talk about politics?"

"C-Cheapskate! Bully!"

Eugene always discussed various agendas with his wife. Policies and personnel management, future plans, and even trivial complaints. Listening to all of that and returning a deeply contemplated answer is the alpha and omega of domestic support.

"Ugh."

Valda couldn't even resist the pain rising from her soles as she focused on her husband's story.

* * *

The equipment distribution, adaptation, and minimal tactical training for the Lantzheim warriors will soon end.

-We came seeking supplies! Please open the gates!

As troops gathered in the area where an all-out war was expected, additional armies belonging to the noble faction were dropping by the Moving Castle.

To the world, Eugene's image was known as a warmonger who charged in refusing no fight, but the reality was different.

A pitched battle where a large army clashed with a large army with a bang! had only happened once in his career. What Eugene hated most in battle were variables, and the larger the scale of the battle, the more variables increased.

'The King is dead!'

A case where tens of thousands were swayed by a single shout from someone, turning their backs on an enemy on the verge of defeat and routing.

'Our center smashed the enemy center! Tell the flanks to match their pace quickly!'

A case where the flank lords retreated after misjudging the situation due to fog, in a situation where they would have won just by advancing togAAether. Suddenly surrounded by the enemies despite winning, the center was annihilated.

Eugene didn't want to take such risks. Especially against the main fOrce led by the Emperor.

"Count! When is departure?"

"Your Excellency's army will be the one to decide this war."

The nobles and mercenary captains, whose bodies were heating up for money-making, hurried Eugene day after day.

'I want to join late after the Imperial army and the noble army have a big fight first.'

Eugene hid his inner thoughts, which would surprise others if they heard, and soothed his guests. Meanwhile, news came that the clash between the two armies in the Rhine River basin was imminent.

The Imperial army trying to push forward the river crossing of the Shadow Legion, and the nobles trying to stop it. The unavoidable time for the match had arrived.