The Annals of the Flame Kingdom Chapter 18.2

(The Snake, The Demon Lord and The Young Bride)

“Sonia?! Didn't you see I have a guest right now? Don't come in however you like!”

“I'm very sorry. But, I was lured by the interesting discussion you both have, so I unintentionally…”

“Are you eavesdropping since the beginning?”

“No way. I just happen to pass by…”

Not ‘forceful' but ‘Strong-Minded.'

When she turned her gaze at Kota, she had impressive eyes. Sharp high nose and small lips. Her facial proportion was very ideal, stretched to her shoulder her wavy loose blonde hair, just like her ‘eyes', her ‘fiery' red dress looked great on her.

“… This person is?”

“… Sonia. You should introduce yourself first.”

“Please pardon my rudeness, Kota Matsushiro-sama. My name is Sonia, the eleventh child of the King of Sorbania, Carlos the First. Pleased to meet you.”

She quietly picked the red dress and bowed gracefully. Seeing that figure, Kota instinctively replied…

“… I'm sorry for the late greeting. I'm a merchant from Yameto, now a residence in Rondo de Tera, my name is Kota Matsushiro.”

“Yes, I know. The rumored ‘The Demon Lord' is it not?”

“That reputation is overestimating me too much, I'm not that bad… After all, I'm just an ordinary person.”

“Oh my! To call yourself an ordinary person… Aren't you the one who led my father by the nose?”

“… Far from it, I was the one who is bullied, no?”

Then Kota glanced at Carlos.

“… Sorry, Kota. She's a bit of a tomboy you see… Always like to meddle with men's talk. Oi, Sonia! We have an important talk right now. Hurry up and leave the room!”

Seeing Carlos having a bitter expression, Kota relaxed his expression a little. Somehow, there was not much power behind his scolding, one can guess even the ‘snake' was weak against his daughter.

“Oh my? I also want to join the talk…”

“Are you idiot? Listen here, this is a talk that a woman or a child should not join.”

“Mou! Father is mean! I won't hear you~!”

“You…!”

Seeing Sonia puffed her cheek, Kota almost breaks into a smile.

“After all… It is rare to see father being led by the nose like right now!”

Kota expression remains hardened.

“… What do you mean?”

“Nee~, Kotsama?”

“… What is it?”

She was looking at Kota, smiling, as if admiring.

“Tera deposit certificate is backed by the Flame white gold coin. Sorbania deposit certificate is backed by Sorbania white gold coin. Am I right?”

“… That's right.”

“I like Flame white gold coin. It has a dignified design of a founding emperor Alex, looking at scenery, like in the Hero poem.”

“… Is that so?”

“But you know, I like Sorbania white gold coin more than that… Sorbania is a maritime empire. With that, the design is a ship floating on a great sea, isn't that great?”

“… What do you want to say?”

“Ah, please pardon me. What I mean is… I'm worried that my beloved Sorbania white gold coin might spill over to other places.”

After saying that she showed a beautiful smile. And evil, yet innocent smile.

“Surely, temporarily, wealth would gather in Sorbania. But that wealth is a restricted wealth that cannot be redistributed…”

Standard system was based on collateral held by each country. If it was a gold standard, then the guarantee was gold, if it were a white gold coin, then the collateral would be a white gold coin. What happens if all white gold coins gather in a single country, Sorbania? Then Tera won't be able to issue any certificate. In other words, because the demands of the certificate did not being met, it would plung the economy into deflation. That would be a significant negative for Tera economy which relies on inflation.

“Am I right, Kotsama?”

Then what about Sorbania? Sorbania who forced Tera to deflate would have inflation and need to continue making a certificate in accordance with the number of white gold coins being deposited. Otherwise, the white gold coin standard cannot be maintained.

“If we cannot maintain our standard, then we need to stop. Still, Sorbania should be able to cover it. After all, it is the peerless Sorbania Kingdom.”

‘But… What about Tera?', she asked.

“It is impossible for Tera, no? The certificate that cannot be traded with ‘white gold coin.' Then that means, Tera certificate has to turn into a scrap of paper, yes?”

‘How is that?', Sonia gazes at Kota as if asking for an answer.

“… You beat me…”

Kota exhales a big sigh while looking at Sonia.

“… It is amazing you discern that.”

Previously, they had agreed on the certificate being linked with the same value. In the worst case scenario, if Tera stop trades its certificate with white gold coins, Sorbania who had its own certificate bound with Tera's certificate would need to become the insurance. When that time comes, whether or not Sorbania could swallow that was another matter.

“Oh my, am I right?”

“Indeed you are… I'm impressed with your insight.”

Chapter end