Chapter 38: The Ant-King Candidate

What I was planning to make was a variant of Monopoly.

A property-building, world-travel board game.

In Korea it had been released as Blue Marble, Everybody’s Marble, and so on.

The rules were simple enough; there couldn’t be a better business item.

But I couldn’t make it in exactly the same form.

Paper-making and printing technology here are terrible.

The only “paper” available was parchment or crude papyrus made from reeds.

Naturally, woodblock printing didn’t exist either.

So I chose thin wooden boards instead of paper.

It was insanely labor-intensive, but that didn’t matter.

It would start as a noble’s toy anyway.

Copycats would flood the market later.

I had to rake in as much as possible at the beginning to minimize losses.

“Your Excellency, the prototype is finished.”

Elector handed it over with an unsure expression.

But to my eyes, it looked pretty damn good.

My expectations had been rock-bottom to begin with.

“Just needs a bit more color. And a separate storage box. Here’s the new blueprint.”

“I’ll make it right away. By the way, Your Excellency.”

“Is there a problem?”

“The rules sheet says gold coins are needed. Shouldn’t we include fake money?”

“Ah, I left it out on purpose.”

“…?”

“This is a game played with real money.”

From the start, the target customers were high-ranking nobles.

That’s why I made it as luxurious as possible—to sell it at an obscene price.

Almost every high noble was starving for entertainment.

With nothing to play, some even ate until they vomited just to feel something.

Gourmandism to kill boredom.

“Fake money would be too tame for nobles.”

Even if I followed Elector’s suggestion, they’d probably bring real gold coins anyway.

So I might as well make it a lunatic gambling game from the outset.

The mild version could come later.

“Ah… I understand.”

A brief explanation was enough; Elector nodded immediately.

Smart kid.

“By the way, what’s the name of the game? I see the cities written on the spaces are all imperial territory.”

“Name… let’s call it Enpher Trip.”

“Empire Tour. Perfect name.”

“Wait a second.”

I quickly grabbed a quill pen.

I wrote “Enpher Trip” as elegantly as possible.

I had learned calligraphy in the palace library—who knew it would come in handy here?

“Carve it on the top of the box, on the rules board, and in the center of the game board.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then keep up the hard work a little longer.”

“Haha! Hard work? This is what I do anyway.”

Elector looked confident.

My praise must have worked wonders.

I had a feeling the next prototype would be top-quality again.

I think I’ve given all the work orders.

Factory expansion would be handled by Hozein and the masters.

Distribution?

That was even easier.

The target was the same high nobles who bought the pills.

Just have the merchant caravans carry both.

“Wait a minute—I didn’t think of that. I have to monopolize distribution to maximize profit.”

Most nobles owned at least one trading company.

To sell local specialties or procure needed goods.

But the Carius Duchy had none.

Nothing worth selling except wine, and most of it was consumed in the capital.

Of course, there had been one in the past—when the duchy was prosperous.

Anyway, it was time to set up a trading company.

Start in the Western Nations Alliance first.

Use that experience to expand into the Empire later.

I immediately rushed to the governor-general’s office to find Hozein.

I needed local advice.

But I heard something unexpected.

“You want to open a trading company?”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s a perfect candidate I can recommend.”

“Oh? Who is so impressive that you’re this confident?”

“Kuro Allegan. A very sharp fellow…”

Tap!

I placed a hand on Hozein’s shoulder.

His beaming smile slowly froze.

He must have realized what the grin on my face meant.

“If it’s Allegan, isn’t that the administrator’s relative?”

I have an excellent memory for these things.

Hozein flapped his hands frantically.

“I-in Delriat, surnames are basically divided into two families: Allegan or Omir.”

“Ah.”

Like how 28% of Vietnamese are Nguyen.

Korea wasn’t much different—21% Kim, 14% Lee.

I could understand it that way.

“What did Mr. Kuro do before?”

“He’s my younger brother who lounges at home doing nothing.”

Wait, this guy?

Didn’t you say he wasn’t a relative?!

I stared in disbelief, and Hozein gave an awkward laugh before adding,

“Haha! Disowned children don’t count as family.”

“Then you definitely shouldn’t recommend him.”

“But he did run a trading company once. Did pretty well before the imperial invasion crushed it.”

According to Hozein, he sounded competent.

Might as well meet him.

A recommendation from the administrator couldn’t be complete trash.

***

The Delriat Autonomous Territory was currently experiencing a massive economic boom.

A kind of New Deal policy was in effect.

「By providing funds and materials, you have brought great change to the region.」

「A reward will be given.」

It had been a long time since a hologram appeared.

Originally, I should have received this after locking up Skyler Sierre.

That slippery bastard wriggled out and cost me the reward.

Wonder what it’ll be this time?

As always, the system was infuriatingly unhelpful.

Just tell me the reward—why make me look for it?

But there was no visible change.

Character window and Employee Management Window were the same.

So the change must be somewhere else.

I’ll figure it out eventually.

Right now, meeting Kuro Allegan took priority.

But as I walked near the governor-general’s office, I saw crowds buzzing.

“They’re really paying every worker?”

“It says it’s money from the governor-general himself.”

“They’re even paying for all the forced labor since he took office!”

“Well, well, you see everything if you live long enough.”

Notices had been posted; the literate were spreading the contents.

Less effective than propagandists, but rumors spread like wildfire anyway.

People only listen to topics they care about.

And in Delriat, survival was the biggest concern.

“This new governor feels different.”

“Yeah. No one before ever paid wages.”

“He even issued a decree: all labor contracts in the territory must pay at least one silon per month.”

“Man, is it okay to be this happy?”

As expected, praise for me grew louder.

But opposition was just as loud.

“Who knows if he’ll suddenly flip?”

“Exactly! He’s probably waiting for us to lower our guard before stabbing us in the back.”

“Worse than open exploitation. That’s what every previous governor did.”

They had been screwed over so many times; distrust ran deep.

I heard it all right next to them and didn’t care.

They’ll realize soon enough.

The capital’s residents had reacted the same way.

But before long, they believed anything that came under the name Duke Carius.

It had to be that way.

I had shown them trust.

It would be the same here.

The atmosphere of hating wage theft would never change.

Then I overheard this:

“The governor’s making life better, sure. But will other nobles follow?”

“Right. Not all work comes from the governor-general’s office.”

Delriat had suffered exploitation for ages.

Naturally, judicial functions were practically nonexistent.

When the governor did nothing, trials didn’t happen.

There wasn’t even a proper police force—it was chaos.

Even if things had improved a little, the perception remained.

They fully expected illegal things to happen openly.

I need to keep this in mind.

When I’m away, trials stop.

All authority is concentrated in the governor-general.

I need to delegate like the Emperor—hold personnel authority but split powers.

No need for a legislature; just use imperial law.

Hozein handles administration, so I only need to pick judges.

It would be perfect if they were principled justice-freaks like me.

But people like that are rare these days.

Still, there must be talent somewhere.

Lost in thought, I suddenly snapped awake.

“Wait, I was on my way to recruit a trading company head!”

The instability of Delriat had dragged my thoughts too deep.

Judges can wait.

First, Kuro…

I arrived at the address Hozein gave me.

Not a soul in sight—not even an ant.

A rundown empty house with a single table.

Even if the family had fallen, this was supposedly a former trading company owner’s home.

And Hozein, the administrator, lived here too?

“What kind of top official lives in a dump like this?”

I was dumbfounded, but then nodded.

The old governor-general’s residence flashed in my mind.

If Eustia hadn’t rebuilt it, it would’ve been worse than this.

It had basically been a thatched hut.

“Anybody home?”

I knocked on the creaky wooden door and waited.

Even if the inside was visible, I couldn’t just barge in.

But no matter how long I waited, there was no response.

No choice—I stepped into the yard.

“Coming in.”

I called several times; still nothing.

Strange.

Hozein definitely said his rotten brother was lounging at home.

Just in case, I walked around to the back.

Then I heard a voice from the rear garden.

“Hey now! Even if food is plentiful, you’re taking care of legless ones too? Your whole colony will collapse. You have to cut out the rotten parts and exploit down to the bottom!”

What kind of insane rant was this?

I approached quietly.

And there he was: a young man staring intently at an anthill.

Face identical to Hozein’s.

This had to be Kuro Allegan.

What did he just mutter? Exploit?

He seemed completely incompatible with my principles…

Is it really okay to hire this guy?