I Became the illegitimate son of a duke

35 – Currency Reform (1)

“…Master.”

“Ugh, ugh… Chloe, good morning today…?”

A well-dressed Chloe came to wake me up early in the morning as usual… But something is a little strange.

Chloe is looking at me with her face forward and only her eyes rolled down.

That look is creepy for some reason. You can see the white above the black, so your eyes have become 300 eyes.

What the hell is going on?

“Sure… Sure…”

“ㅡAh.”

I could hear the cicadas’ cries outside the window that seemed to drown everything out with noise, but even that sound couldn’t drown out Ines’ quiet breathing.

It was only then that I remembered many things from last night, and soon I realized why Chloe reacted this way.

Because the two of us, Ines and I, who were lying on the bed, were naked and lying on the bed, hugging each other.

Without even a blanket.

“…This is the first time the owner has dampened the blankets overnight.”

Chloe said that while sitting on her knees, touching the blanket that had fallen under the bed.

“…”

…What is it?

It was only when Chloe crouched down that I could see her face closer that I noticed a strange thing.

If it was Chloe’s usual self, she would have caused a fuss after seeing this situation… But now Chloe is so calm.

What’s more, there’s not even a hint of sadness on his face. Even though emotions such as affection, anger, and jealousy are very revealing.

“You broke your promise… First?”

“Huh?”

Holding the wet and ruined blanket in her arms, Chloe smiled at me and said that before leaving.

Promise…?

I felt like something terrible would happen if I didn’t do anything like this, but I couldn’t hold onto Chloe because Ines was sleeping hugging me.

…………

“Good night?”

“…Leclerc.”

Leclerc says that while looking at me with the eyes of a grandchild having a first night.

… Rumors spread too fast.

The servants and attendants who live with him in the castle have already discovered it, but unlike him, Leclerc, who has just entered the castle, will notice.

“Oh, I just said it as a joke, since you just got married yesterday… Congratulations.”

Seeing my reaction, Leclerc was slightly startled as if to show it to me, then blurted out his words.

…Leclerc has never joked.

“Stop talking nonsense and get to work.”

“Yes, I will.”

It’s a bit irritating, but I stopped talking to Leclerc privately because I was the only one who would get tired.

After hearing my order, Leclerc bowed his head and left the office. If there is something to report or something that requires my approval, he will come with the documents on his own.

The heavy wooden door slammed the ceiling and closed firmly, leaving only three people in the office, including myself.

I, Chloe, Ines.

There are three of them.

Time passes without anyone opening their mouth.

…………

“Have some tea.”

The office, which used to be filled only with the sound of a pen scratching paper, is finally filled with the sound of people talking.

Since such an incident happened last night and morning, no one has been able to open their mouths, but Chloe coolly breaks it down.

Chloe smiles and puts a cup of tea on the desk.

“That… Thanks, I’ll have a good drink.”

Um…?

Unlike usual, the taste is slightly different.

It tastes the same, but should I say it’s slightly saltier and more savory?

“Isn’t today’s a little different? It’s delicious.”

“Yes, yes yes…”

Chloe used to be in a very bad mood in the morning, but now I can’t find that sign.

Chloe is smiling with her cheeks dyed red.

Umm… I’m glad I feel better… But what is this unpleasant feeling–

Smart –

The sense of incongruity that had risen slowly disappeared as a fog at the sound of a knock.

“Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

“Okay, Luca. What’s going on?”

As soon as I gave permission to enter the room, Luca opened the door and appeared and bowed politely to me.

Lucca doesn’t come here very often because administrative reform has not yet been completely completed and there is a lot of work to be done. Even if something happens, I will send an attendant to convey my opinion instead.

‘Then why did he come in person…?’

What is that?

A bag is clutched in Luca’s right hand.

It’s very heavy and a little bumpy. What the hell is that?

“Please look at this.”

“Something?”

As if to answer my curiosity right away, Luca holds out the sack to me with a serious face and at the same time opens his entrance to show the inside.

In the sack, there were heaps of silver and gold coins.

…………

“So you mean there are too many types of coins in circulation?”

“Yes.”

The coins in the sack are listed by type on my desk.

“Because the Principality of Burgon shares borders with many countries, it is inevitable to circulate many types of currency in the country. Even if the borders are closed due to political issues.”

“Yes, I don’t know about large-scale access, but I can’t completely block an individual or a small group of merchants. Because that’s practically impossible.”

Not long ago, the Principality of Burgon was dying due to the Kingdom and Empire’s border blockade policy. Although the coastal region interacted with other foreign countries through the sea, Dijon did not receive that benefit because the Bar region was the territory of the kingdom at the time.

Still, with a small and medium scale, enough people came and went. If that had been blocked, the Duchy of Burgon would have already collapsed before I came to this position.

Luka nodded slightly and continued his speech, pointing his finger at the coins on his desk.

“Gold coins minted 100 years ago by the Kingdom of Caroling, gold coins minted recently by the Kingdom of Przemysl of the Holy Empire, silver coins minted 50 years ago by the kingdom of Albion across the sea, 30 years ago by the Duchy of Lombard. Gold coins, the Holy Empire—”

Lucca, a former financial adviser in the Commercial Republic, tells all about the coin’s origin and minting year.

It’s almost magical memorization, but to Luca, this level seems to be nothing.

“—-Lastly, how about the silver coins minted by the Republic of Vines 40 years ago?”

“…Wouldn’t you have come to me if all those coins were of equal value?”

“Indeed, it is. Peasants are less affected because they pay their taxes with grain, but the townsfolk, merchants and nobles are not.”

I fully understand what Luca is trying to say.

If the tax were a single gold coin, it would be more advantageous for the payers to pay in a lower valued gold coin.

“The countries belonging to the Holy Empire are all of the same purity, just different in shape, so that’s fine, but other countries are a problem. For example… This.”

Lucca picks up a silver coin from the Carolingian kingdom and shows it to me.

“This silver coin was minted 30 years ago in the Carolingian kingdom. At that time, the Carolingian kingdom was suffering from financial difficulties due to paying indemnities to the Principality of Burgon.”

Yes, his grandfather stole a lot of money as well as territory from the Caroling Kingdom.

“There are many ways to solve financial difficulties, but the easiest and fastest way to achieve results, even with side effects—”

“…To lower the purity of gold and silver coins.”

“Yes, the Carolingians have chosen that method.”

“Haaa…”

There are many ways Luca talked about on Earth as well.

This is one of the reasons why currencies of major powers such as the dollar, euro, and yen are used in international transactions.

“Lower purity coins bring many problems, but if only low value coins are circulating in the market, there is not such a serious problem because value is relative. That is why the Carolingian kingdom minted low purity silver coins. It did.”

Kikiiikㅡ

Lucca crumpled the Carolingian coin he was holding between the claws and then continued talking.

There is a very good example of Zimbabwe to refute Luca’s words, but these are banknotes and what Luca is talking about is moderately low-value spot gold and silver coins, so the two cannot be perfectly aligned.

“But Burgon does not. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first is compromise. If the imbalance between gold and silver coins cannot be resolved, the coins minted in the Kingdom of Albion, the Duchy of Lombards, and the Republic of Vines will be There is a way to measure the value separately and then organize it into a table.”

“…Isn’t that hard?”

At first glance, it’s just a work where the benefits are negligible.

Assuming that a table with the value of gold and silver coins is delivered to each tax office, first of all, the gold and silver coins must be melted one by one to check the purity, and the customs officers also check the coins one by one and add up the values. You will need to make sure you paid your taxes correctly.

It is natural that the duties of the tax collectors will increase, and more personnel should be hired.

“Yes, that’s why I recommend the second method. Minting Burgonian coins.”

“Hmm…”

Is it like this?

The Principality of Burgon has borrowed coins from other countries.

It will take more effort than the first plan, but it will pay off greatly if you mint the coins yourself.

You will be able to control the economy swayed by other countries, conversely exert influence on other countries, reduce administrative burdens, and promote more commerce.

Above all, the Principality of Burgon is the size of 5 ordinary duchies, but it seems a bit out of place to keep borrowing coins from others.

“…It’s charming, Luca. Do you know why the duchy of Burgon didn’t mint coins?”

“Yes, because there are no gold or silver mines in Burgon.”

Yes. This is the problem.

Many people must have noticed the problems caused by borrowing other coins before.

But if you notice, there is no gold or silver mine, so even if you know the solution, you can’t do it.

In modern countries, this problem has been solved with coins or banknotes made of alloys, but in the Middle Ages, where the social system was not developed, that was impossible.

A bill can serve as a medium of transaction, but bills and bills, which must be widely used, are a completely different matter.

“But there is a way. Gold and silver can only be obtained by digging them out of the ground, right?”

“…?”

However, unlike me who is anxious inside, Luka speaks confidently while looking at the mountain of gold and silver placed on the desk.