My Dear, You're Swallowed by Debt (1)
Overseer Siron Mark.
As soon as he entered the overseer's office within the lord's manor, he brought some good news to the overseers who had been eagerly waiting for him alone.
"This month's salary."
In his hand were Gold promissory notes to be used as salary, and those promissory notes were soon distributed to each overseer like a salary.
"Again?"
"Has it been a while since you've seen gold coins?"
"These days, this is the trend, isn't it?"
"It's not the bank, but the lord who guarantees this. There's nothing more certain than this."
"Well, that's true."
"Anyway, it's really convenient. It used to be inconvenient with gold coins."
The overseers who received their salaries each made a comment, and the overseer, who had distributed the salaries to everyone, repeated the same words as he always did.
"If you really need Dalants, you can go to the bank. You all must know the situation of the territory well, so you can use it just like gold coins."
At his words, the overseers became noisy again.
"Isn't this promissory note only usable within this territory?"
"That's right. Where would you use this? If you present this in another territory, you'll probably be called a madman."
Then the overseer raised his voice sternly.
"Have any of you ever left this territory? Those who have no reason to leave have so many complaints. If you're really dissatisfied, go to the bank and exchange it."
As the subordinates who didn't let out any dissatisfaction fell silent, Overseer Siron Mark briefly reported on the progress of the situation outside the territory.
"Anyway, the war is over now. Both sides have completely withdrawn as of today. I received the report early in the morning. Of course, I reported it to the lord first."
There was no one who was greatly relieved by the news that the war was over.
There had been signs of this for several months already, and hearing such news now wouldn't be surprising.
"Wasn't the war itself a trick of the goblins who had their eyes on the magic stones of the orcs? Have you heard anything about that, Overseer?"
"Where did you hear such a story?"
"The mercenaries who heard the stories from various places told us. They said that the Totem War itself was a war created by the goblins. They deliberately started the war to get the magic stones from the stupid orcs. War inevitably requires money, and Goblin Bank provided the money, taking the magic stones the orcs had in return."
As the overseer who told the story took a moment to catch his breath, another overseer interjected.
"If that's true, the orcs were foolishly deceived. By the smaller goblins."
"Not just the orcs, right? The dwarves who were wrongly blamed must be furious too."
"But there's no evidence anyway."
The overseer raised his voice.
"Enough. It's not our business anyway. There's no need to worry about it at all. The important thing is that the war outside the territory is over."
"That's true."
One overseer raised his hand and caught the attention of the overseer.
"Excuse me, Overseer. Then what about the mercenary troops at the fortress?"
"The mercenary troops are already leaving here in sequence. If they all leave at once, the territory will be chaotic."
"Is the lord aware of this?"
"He knows. It was the lord himself who ordered it."
"I see."
As everyone nodded in agreement, Siron Mark immediately ordered the dismissal.
"Then disperse and thoroughly monitor your assigned areas today. The reason you receive a salary here is for the security of the territory. Do not neglect your duties."
"Yes!"
In unison. The overseers, armed, began to leave the office.
Watching the overseers leave, Siron Mark, who had been staring blankly, had an absurd thought as he looked at the remaining promissory notes in his hand.
'It would be nice if I had the ability to copy this.'
But it was a dream-like thing.
The paper used for the promissory notes was made of a special material created by the bank using the power of the Sinclair Magic House.
In other words, it was impossible to duplicate.
'Well, it wouldn't be easy. I'm not a magician or anything.'
With a regretful thought, Siron Mark went out of the office and started his day's work without any problems.
The territory was peaceful for another day.
There were no invasions from outside, and there were no residents causing trouble within the territory.
However, the real big problem came from his wife that evening.
"Honey, I went to the bank today, and they said that this promissory note can't be exchanged for Dallant. Do you know anything about this?"
"What? What are you talking about? It can't be exchanged?"
What a bolt from the blue?
The Gold promissory notes, which had been exchanged for Dallant without any problems for the past few years, suddenly could not be exchanged for gold coins.
"Did the bank really say that?"
"Yes, it was your payday today, right? So I wanted to send some living expenses to Bern, and I tried to exchange it for Dallant, but they said it couldn't be done. It was so arbitrary."
As Siron Mark was putting on his armor again, he raised his voice toward his wife.
"Did the bank refuse even though they knew you were my wife?"
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Aaand so it begins
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