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Chapter 50: Lord's Mentaility
🕑 Added 2023-02-13 19:00:03 +0000 UTCChapter 50
Lhorne advised us to come back here tomorrow and prepared a horse. We needed to depart to Regoia and ask Edelweiss about Edenthal Region's debt.
And so, we did just that. The next afternoon, with Lhorne and Nora in tow, we asked for Edelweiss' audience at her manor in Regoia. The journey was quicker than expected. Mattheus also came, but he was refused entry and thus waited at the inn Lhorne had already paid for.
She surprisingly accepted us immediately. I thought the life of an elven noble was busier with all their stuck-up and ancient ways. Lily was again hit by nausea as she was brought back to the OCD-obsessed room. The room was shiningly clean, with all four symmetrical furniture placements.
"So, about Edenthal Region's debt. It was accrued when it was first built." Edelweiss explained.
"Yes, we understood as much when we first dived into the accounting book. But the problem is that it became Lily's debt." Lhorne became our official spokesperson now since Lily didn't know a thing about elven cultures.
"Yes, naturally, as Lily is Edenthal's Lord now. Anything that region owned belonged to her, including its debt." Edelweiss sipped her tea calmly.
"This doesn't happen with Wharnebald, does it?"
"Yes. He is a government official, not a lord, and thus the debt at that time belongs to the country." Edelweiss confirmed the fact. We already suspected this was the case.
"Are you worried that Edenthal will not be able to pay its debt under your rule by any chance?" Edelweiss finally cut through the point.
"Yes." Lily nodded.
"In that case, you may declare bankruptcy. But doing so would be seen as dishonorable, and you might get stripped from your lord's status. I personally would not like for that to happen." Edelweiss finally stopped her calm face and looked at us in all seriousness. "It would besmirch our reputation if that were to happen, so is there any way for you to rescind your decision?"
"However, By looking at our accounting book here, We can't think of a way to pay such a debt, Lord Edelweiss. Do you think you could help us?"
"I see. Thirty million debt, is it?" Edelweiss finally glimpsed through it and closed it.
"Before that, answer me. Do you think Edenthal will accrue more debt in the future?" She asked.
"Edenthal has a self-sustaining food industry, so we could survive on our own if necessary…." Lily answered. I checked through the accounting book together with Jack and Lhorne, and Edenthal was exporting food.
"That's good. As long as you can convince us that you would not accrue debt perpetually, we could convince the government office." Edelweiss smiled
From there, she explained that Regoia was also technically in debt. When she received Regoia after her retreat from Northlangard, she received this region with a debt similar to Edenthal. This region needed a continuous subsidy from the government to survive a long time ago. She didn't bring any treasure with her, so she employed a credit system to get her city out of the subsidy loop.
If she had just stopped importing and started taxing the citizens immediately, her region would be tumbling down in chaos. Prices would skyrocket, and the citizens would revolt. And thus, she invented a new economic scheme.
Using her status, she took another loan from the government. Then she started an industry, then after the said industry gained profit, she started taxing them and thus keeping up with her repayment plans while simultaneously accruing more debt. However, just about ten years ago, the accounting balance went from negative to positive. Since she gained the government's trust and no longer accrued debt but now kept up with the repayment plan, there was no complaint from any angle. She was heralded as a genius among elves even though her debt could only be fully cleared in some fifty or seventy years in the future.
Wow, these bonafide noble and successful people fundamentally had different brains and guts than us. I would not dare to take another debt atop another debt. I remember the advice from a young successful CEO who had a similar method as Edelweiss.
"Though I say that, I did cheat a little by using my blessings. I have a clinic opened here in Regoia and also filling feystones day and night." Edelweiss closed her business consultant service with that word
"I thank you, Lord Edelweiss," Lhorne said.
"The important thing is you, Lily. Do you think you can do it? If not, you could always give up. By declaring bankruptcy, you will not be burdened by anything. Since you had a blessing, it would be easy to find employment. I could employ you here and now If you want." Edelweiss spoke out. Her eye measured out Lily. Will Lily stay to her conviction, or will she give up and become Edelweiss' servant just like the rest of the tailfolk,
Lily was silent. She stared down, contemplating her choices. Unlike before, Lily didn't give out any answers. This was the turning point; she was no longer carried by circumstances and orders but now had a choice. The significant difference between the head and tails is that the head makes choices while the tails follow.
She no longer followed. She now had become the lord. She now had to make a choice.
"I need time. I can't decide now."
"Good answer! Contemplate and think things through. I desire no shallow answers. When Master Ghander sees you, he says that you are different. Will you become the head of your clan? If you want to revive your precious tailfolk country, you will inevitably become its head. Become its lord until you die." Edelweiss gave a soft smile. "Nobody forced you. You can always opt-out and be my retainers."
"Thank you, Lord Edelweiss."
"You are welcome. I hope this meeting is fruitful to you."
"It has been fruitful to me. May the sun and the stars bless you." Lily said. She smiled while speaking the elven greetings. It was surprising since she was never interested in those stuck-up greetings before.
Edelweiss widened her eyes, "That's surprising. I never heard you give that greeting before."
"I don't know. It just came naturally to me."
"Is that so? May the blue sky bid you farewell and be welcomed by the stars." She smiled, and we both left Edelweiss' mansion.
