Arkenia had been wrestling with counterfeit gold coins for a year.
Leopoldus’s continuous overtime work also entered its first year.
‘This is seriously too much. I can’t hold on any longer.’
His overwork bore no fruit.
Despite all his efforts, the kingdom’s economy was on the verge of collapse.
All that remained were increased sighs and increasingly parched skin.
Only familiar sighs lingered faintly.
‘I’ve exhausted every option, yet…’
Looking back belatedly on his actions.
First, he made it mandatory to deposit gold coins with the kingdom during transactions.
Exchange was only permitted after the kingdom verified the authenticity of the coins.
This policy was implemented because Chief Magician Bella could detect counterfeit magic, but,
[Your Majesty… I, I’m dying…]
[Just hang in there a little longer. Thanks to you, we have over a hundred pending transactions.]
[A, a, a hundred…!? Keuk!!]
[Bella? Get a grip, Bella!!!]
‘The problem was a lack of manpower.’
It didn’t go well.
The magic was so cleverly applied, so deliberately and maliciously, according to Bella’s assessment.
If she, one of the kingdom’s top magicians, was like this, how much worse would others be?
Even if all the high-ranking magicians were mobilized, it would be impossible to appraise each gold coin individually.
Instead, he only heard cries of impending death from merchants and magicians alike.
The first measure was thus thwarted.
[Guild Master of the Merchant Guild, answer honestly. What would happen if we encouraged the use of silver coins instead of gold coins?]
[We’ve already tried that. However, we failed because the quantity of silver coins is woefully insufficient.]
[Then what do you think about a policy of temporarily treating silver coins as gold coins, and copper coins as silver coins? Wouldn’t that solve the problem?]
[The lower classes hold most of the copper coins. The moment they’re treated as silver coins, our merchants will all die!]
[Issuing new silver coins, or temporarily using only those with special markings…]
[If we can’t stop the counterfeiting, the result will be the same. As a hastily devised method, there’s also concern that it could make counterfeiting even easier.]
[……………..]
‘Nothing works.’
The transition to a silver standard, or creating new currency, was not easy.
The fundamental cause: the influx of counterfeit gold coins.
The current situation was that it could never be resolved without eradicating this root cause.
[Seras, have you obtained any information about this ‘Adam Smith’ person?]
[The one who claimed to be the head of the Invisible Hand?]
[Yes. The name revealed by the impudent one who placed counterfeit gold coins on my very pillow.]
[I asked Lady Bella to track him down, but she said it would be impossible even for a dragon. She said she couldn’t detect any magical traces in the letter.]
[……If you’re going to show your tail, at least make it catchable!!]
Catching the counterfeiter was the most difficult thing.
The ‘Invisible Hand’ side even left a letter on the pillow of the king himself.
Yet the kingdom failed even to track them down.
It was clear why Adam Smith, their leader, called them the ‘Invisible Hand.’
“Invisible Hand…”
‘They’re just like Teonar.’
Leopoldus’s thoughts suddenly turned to Teonar.
A self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips.
‘Do I have to ask him for help after all?’
The solution he had considered from the beginning.
Asking the transparent dragon, Teonar, for help.
…It was not an easy choice to make.
Asking the ruler of an overwhelmingly powerful nation to save us because our economy is collapsing?
No sane person would even bring it up.
Especially since it had to be the person in charge, not a subordinate.
No matter how bleak the situation, this was too much to bear…
[To the esteemed ruler, Teonar, the last of the dragons. I trust you are aware of the calamity that has recently befallen Arkenia. I wish to seek your wisdom regarding this matter…]
[Sorry, we’re a bit busy too.]
[I implore you to reconsider. If only for the sake of the friendship you and I have built over the years.]
[I didn’t want to have to say this, but Valentia recently infiltrated our territory with reconnaissance units, you know? We don’t have the leeway, really.]
[……………..]
He had tried shamelessly asking ‘please do it,’ but.
It was thwarted because Teo refused.
Only one method remained.
Requesting his help with a ‘reasonable price’ on the table.
‘What on earth should I offer as compensation?’
Leopoldus’s expression darkened.
‘It will have to be a high price. No matter how capable Teonar is, resolving a crisis of this magnitude will take time.’
‘The current financial state of the kingdom can’t handle it, so I have to set other conditions…’
‘Hand over the coal mine? No, that’s like selling the kingdom’s future. We have to hold onto that at all costs.’
‘But there’s nothing else to offer, except maybe the dwarves…’
Worry upon worry piled up.
Imaginary chess pieces moved busily.
He picked and picked again at the pieces needed to move the king, Teonar.
…Every single piece was indispensable.
‘Damn it, why is Valentia doing things like armed reconnaissance—’
And so, he ended up cursing the blameless Valentia…
-But such worries would end today.
-Knock knock.
[Your Majesty, Mel wishes to see you.]
“Haa, now’s not a good time. I’m looking a bit disheveled. I’m sorry, but tell her that unless it’s urgent, I’ll arrange a
separate meeting later.”
A sudden request for an audience from Mel.
He was exhausted and tired, so he tried to refuse, but,
[Teonar, ahem. She says she has a message from him. She says it will be helpful in resolving the current situation in the
kingdom…]
“……!!!”
‘Teonar!?’
Mel was carrying a message, no less.
From Teo, whom he was about to ask for help.
Leopoldus, his face brightening, jumped up.
The fact that he, the king, personally opened the door to welcome her was a bonus.
-Slam.
“Mel, welcome!”
“Your Majesty? I can show myself in.”
“How could I treat a state guest and Teonar’s right-hand woman like that! Here, have a seat.”
He even personally guided Mel to her seat.
He politely escorted the monster.
It was clear how much he welcomed Mel.
“Oh my, Your Majesty- I don’t know what to do with myself, being welcomed so warmly.”
‘Look at him being so impatient, so inferior and cute♡’
Thanks to that, Mel’s sadistic urges were slightly stimulated.
She had considered tormenting him for just two more days before coming, but…
Fortunately for him, she didn’t.
‘That wouldn’t do, would it? In just a few days, there’ll be hyperinflation or a coup.’
“I know you’re busy, so I’ll get straight to the point. Would you mind taking a look at this for a moment?”
Mel sat down at the desk in the office.
Her hand glided across the wooden desk.
She slid the paper held at her fingertips and moved it in front of Leopoldus.
The paper, touched by the slime’s moist hand.
Surprisingly, it remained stiff and did not get wet.
His eyes turned downward.
“…A drawing? No, is it a scroll?”
‘It contains considerable magic. It was probably made by Teonar.’
He recognized at a glance that it was unusual.
He was, after all, a grand magician himself.
He could easily tell that something was up.
“Impressive skill. To draw such a detailed picture on such a small piece of paper.”
The more he examined it, the more impressive it was.
The detailed expression was something even he admired.
It didn’t seem to have any artistic value, but it was clear that a master craftsman had put their skill into it.
And so, he clicked his tongue, saying he had seen something precious…
“It’s not drawn. It’s printed.”
“…No, what!?”
“Look.”
It was still too early to click his tongue in admiration.
Mel took out an additional stack of papers.
Because the drawings on them were all identical.
He couldn’t help but be surprised.
“Unbelievable… No, it seems Teonar has created something amazing again.”
“It’s not ‘yet’ something you invented, though.”
“Ah, I know. Surely another ‘great one’ created it.”
But that was only for a moment.
He quickly accepted reality.
An unbelievable level of printing technology was nothing compared to what he had experienced so far.
“So, what value does this paper have? If it can be mass-produced, it doesn’t seem to have any value as art.”
“Art? This isn’t that kind of thing.”
“Then what is it? What on earth is this that can save the kingdom from its crisis?”
And, Mel…
Smiled brightly.
“——Ah, this is called ‘paper money’♡”
“Paper money?”
“Yes! Devised by the great Teonar, it’s a currency far superior to gold coins♡”
“……?”
His eyes returned to the paper, the paper money.
He looked at the figure printed on the stiff green paper.
In the corner, it was written in small Korean letters, ‘King Sejong the Great.’
“Are you suggesting we replace gold coins with this?”
“Exactly as you said. Millenia is already promoting the mixed use of gold coins and paper money.”
“…I think it’s impossible?”
Leopoldus’s reaction was negative.
No matter how great the drawing, no matter how much it resembled Teonar’s appearance during his playful days.
This was, after all, just a piece of paper.
No one knew better than he, who had suffered for a year, how a currency with no intrinsic value was treated.
“I acknowledge Teonar’s abilities, but this is truly impossible.”
“Why do you think so?”
“In short, isn’t it a concept similar to bonds? It has no intrinsic value, but the state guarantees payment.”
“Oh my, you’ve surprisingly grasped the essence?”
“I’ve been agonizing over how to overcome the economic crisis for a year. I’d be unfit to be a ruler if I didn’t know this much.”
Thud-
His shoulders slumped downward.
“It might have worked in the very early stages of the crisis, but it’s too late now. Arkenia’s credibility has already plummeted.”
“You mean…”
“Only currency with tangible value has meaning. That’s the conclusion I and the Guild Master of the Merchant Guild have reached together.”
He calmly confessed the kingdom’s situation.
It had already reached the point of no return, and collapse was imminent.
It was inevitable from the moment they failed to stop the counterfeit gold coins.
“It’s okay- Do you think the great him wouldn’t have thought of something like that?”
“…What?”
However, Mel.
Didn’t bat an eye.
“Take a good look? Here♡”
-Zzzt.
“……!!!!?”
‘That Teonar-crazed monster, she’s tearing his picture?!’
She tore it.
The paper money depicting King Sejong, the revered ruler.