Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 139

“Let’s return to the discussion about the report,” Nicolo did not continue on the topic of becoming a clergyman but instead brought the conversation back to the report. “Do you know the current state of the kingdom?”

“No, someone of my humble status does not.”

This is not modesty but a simple fact. This world does not have publicly available statistics or reports. I can imagine what is happening based on the fluctuations in the local prices and merchant gossip, but I have no way to gauge the state of national politics.

“The kingdom has been enduring a long period of gradual decline. Disputes among nobles over every inch of territory and their mediation. The unceasing threat of monsters. Crop reductions and famine due to adverse weather. The human domain is scarcely increasing, and the threat from nature and monsters continues in a seesaw battle. People are confined within the city walls, and nobles hoard their wealth in their estates to prepare for any eventuality. It is lamentable that those who should lead and guide the people are not doing so. That said, the church’s efforts are not sufficient either. Under the pretense of preparing for emergencies, they too are hoarding the faithful’s donations. The blessing of the gods can heal warriors, but it cannot produce grain.”

For a high-ranking official like Nicolo, who likely handles behind-the-scenes document management for key figures like cardinals, his understanding might be based on some numerical evidence.

It was indeed a harsh assessment. In a word, it could be described as a slow decline or, at best, a maintenance of the current state.

“However, if the trend indicated by that ‘graph’ continues, everything will change.”

The shock of bringing hope for growth to a declining kingdom might have been more significant than I had thought.

“If investments are expected to be profitable, those with wealth will invest wholeheartedly. Indeed, the nobles have begun investing in development. The nobles, having accumulated wealth, are still not satisfied and are beseeching the church for further investment. To develop land and turn it into fertile farmland requires water resources. Do you know what will be needed next?”

“Water channels and reservoirs,”

Even if wasteland is developed, it does not immediately become farmland. It must be tilled, fertilized, and watered to grow the first crops. Water is absolutely necessary for this.

“Exactly. And to sustain life, bread is needed.”

“So, you are referring to investments in water wheel construction and milling rights?”

I picked up on the continuation of the discussion. I see now why Nicolo approached me. Indeed, this is a complicated issue. It cannot be resolved merely by evaluating land and declaring it done.

I had simply evaluated the land based on past tax records, which provided sufficient insight as a starting point. After all, I did not have the means or rights to develop land initially.

However, as the nobles and the church discovered in the report, a criterion was established for determining where to invest. Once a criterion is set, the nature of the expenses to be incurred changes. Generally, expenditures on ventures that are not expected to yield profits should be minimized. As a result, rewards for adventurers have been kept to a minimum. However, with the shift of expenses towards investments, the wages for adventurers are expected to rise, which aligns with what I was aiming for.

Yet, isn’t there a way to make the investments more efficient? That’s what Nicolo is suggesting. They know where to invest, but how should the investments be made? Should they expand the land, improve water rights, acquire rights to ponds, or build water mills and recover costs through milling rights?

This is akin to business evaluation or project evaluation in my original world. Nicolo wants to create such evaluation criteria.

“Can’t you show us the way forward?”

Indeed, if I develop the evaluation criteria, I might be able to increase the projected growth rate from 3% to 5%. I might even shorten the time required to double the land’s value from 25 years to around 15 years.

But is it really wise to induce such rapid changes in this world? Could it lead to a situation like the historical Tulip Mania in the Netherlands, given the world’s underdeveloped financial system? Or is this hesitation coming too late after already making significant moves?

“Please give me a moment to think.” In the end, that was the best answer I could manage.