The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The Price of Technology

“The core technology for the sauna costs fifteen hundred gold coins, and the recipe for the new white bread is the same amount, correct?”

Marie’s voice carried a mix of astonishment and disbelief. Beside her, Cedric also sighed, glancing at the draft of the technology provision contract with a weary expression.

“The Duke hesitates too, not willing to decide immediately. It’s a bit daunting to just splash out like that.”

Cedric remarked.

“Yes, indeed. Fifteen hundred gold coins exceed easily the annual tax revenue of a mid-sized town.”

Marie added.

“Yes, which is why we’ve stipulated conditions as well. After the transaction, for five years, the technology will be exclusively transferred to the Oldrand Duchy, and direct sales to other nobles from the Enkar region will not be allowed.”

Cedric explained.

“True, viewed from that perspective, the price might surprisingly be justified. Selling core technology to other nobles could quickly recoup the investment. Regardless of the Duke, Mr. August will surely consult the finance minister on this matter.”

Marie nodded thoughtfully.

“Both could be sold for fifteen hundred coins?”

At Cedric’s query, Marie nodded earnestly.

“The transfer of such remarkable technology not only benefits financially but also engenders gratitude from the recipient. Considering that, I believe they will seriously consider the proposal, even if not immediately.”

Marie concluded satisfactorily, a slight smile curling her lips.

“Yes, indeed, fifteen hundred gold coins are not a small purchase even for the ducal house. However, this is akin to an investment in the future.”

Cedric remarked.

In this world and the past, the value of goods varies drastically, making direct price comparisons difficult.

For instance, the bread consumed by commoners is typically a large round loaf costing about the price of a single iron coin per day per family. The size of this bread fluctuates not only with the seasons but also with crop yields; even in years of abundance, it shrinks in winter when wheat circulation slows down.

Potatoes generally cost about half of this price, while meat is even more expensive. Nevertheless, in villages close to forests or mountains, game meat is regularly hunted, with specialized hunters focusing on this.

After all, taxes themselves are nearly paid entirely in wheat. Prices fluctuate with crop yields, urban versus rural locations, making fixed market prices difficult to determine, with most transactions based on current market rates.

Furthermore, even in my past life’s memories of traveling abroad, I was amazed at how cheap bread and cheese could be.

A fist-sized fresh cheese was about fifty yen, and a dense, heavy loaf of bread was around ten yen each.

In the same world and time frame, the difference could be so stark depending on the location. And if you consider different worlds and levels of civilization, comparing them becomes nonsensical.

But if we dare to make comparisons, within the Francesca Kingdom, the main circulating currencies are iron coins, half-bronze coins, bronze coins, half-silver coins, silver coins, large silver coins, and gold coins—seven types in total. If we estimate an iron coin, which can buy a round loaf of bread for one family’s meal, to be around one hundred yen:

Half-bronze coins would be five hundred yen.

Bronze coins would be one thousand yen.

Half-silver coins would be five thousand yen.

Silver coins would be ten thousand yen.

Large silver coins would be fifty thousand yen.

And gold coins would be equivalent to about two hundred thousand yen.
In a world where barter is predominant, fifteen hundred gold coins represent an exorbitant sum. While nominally valued around three hundred million from my past life, in reality, its worth could be many times greater.

Moreover, in a world without patent systems, new technologies that generate profits are essentially “first come, first served”. Those who acquire knowledge or manufacturing techniques sooner can monopolize and profit, or alternatively, resell that knowledge at high prices.

Publicly accessible innovations like saunas might fetch around twenty gold coins, whereas bread-making methods, linked to aristocratic prestige, could sell for thirty to fifty gold coins.

Especially with bread, once it gains a certain popularity, individual bakers could continue selling it for around five gold coins each, ensuring a steady stream of income. Recovering fifteen hundred gold coins could happen in no time at all.

“Moreover, the value of technology isn’t solely determined by its nominal price. Just possessing such core technology brings other benefits.”

Marie explained.

“Privileges, indeed.”

Cedric agreed.

“Yes, with the position of the Oldrand Duke, it might actually be more profitable not to sell.”

Marie mused.

“For example, nurturing multiple artisans skilled in baking white bread, branding them as Certified Bread Technicians of the Oldrand Duchy, and then renting them out with knight escorts to nobles wanting to showcase the new white bread at large parties.”

“If a Baron or Viscount were to undertake this, artisans lent to a Ducal house might be tempted by higher wages and better conditions, possibly never to return.”

“But the Oldrand family is known as rulers of the North, renowned for their martial prowess throughout the kingdom.”

“No house would risk enmity with Alexis over bread.”

“Thus, holding onto core technology could also prove lucrative over the long term.”

“Alexis likely didn’t make an immediate decision because, amidst the current famine, few nobles are eager to spend gold on luxuries, leaving room for consideration.”

“And there’s the expectation that this will be resolved by the summer of the following year.”

“If only we had more leverage, we wouldn’t need to grant exclusive sales to the ducal house, but unfortunately, there’s little we can do.”

“As to why the Enkar region isn’t taking the lead in this, it’s frustrating, but the foundations differ too greatly from those of the ducal house.”

“Despite being the daughter of Marquis Crawford and holding the title of Oldrand Duchess, Melfina is a young woman, and the Enkar domain lacks even a self-defense force, let alone its own knightly order.”

“This invites constant underestimation during negotiations, making it difficult to protect knowledgeable artisans.”

“It was the same during the maize trading; ultimately, it was clear that allowing Alexis to take the forefront would ensure smoother dealings.”

“So the ale recipe won’t be sold?”

“It holds far greater value, and there’s still room for flavor improvements.”

“Is it really tastier than that? I find it hard to imagine.”

“Yes, it doesn’t have any off-flavors or a moldy smell, and it has a clean aftertaste. It would be difficult to find ale like that elsewhere.”

“As long as the fermentation yeast is robust, it’s not that difficult, you know.”

When describing medieval ale, it’s sometimes likened to “cow’s urine”, depending on the type of yeast used in brewing. Choosing yeast that doesn’t produce mold or ammonia odors isn’t such a difficult technique.

The method of brewing ale itself hasn’t changed much in over two thousand years, even across my past life, with minor adjustments in blends. The key to its flavor lies in sterilization, yeast selection, and careful sanitation—enough to brew thoroughly enjoyable ale.

“But hops are truly remarkable. They completely change the flavor. They’re quite different from medicinal herbs used before.”

“Yes, it was a relief that hops grow naturally in the Moltre Forest. I knew they often grow in cold-climate forests, but I wasn’t sure if they’d actually be there.”

“That’s something only the people of Melto Village, who’ve been clearing the forest for years, would know.”

Cedric, who once openly expressed his caution and lack of manners towards serfs, now smiled with satisfaction at these words.

“Above all, this isn’t something that can be easily replicated even if the brewing process is known. We need to think a bit more about how to proceed.”

In this world lacking knowledge of microbial fermentation, artisans currently rely on intuition and naturally occurring wild yeast for ale brewing. It’s clear that even with the right environment, the taste can change quickly.

The ale presented to Alexis was an experimental creation, brewed using a fermentation method known in my past life as lager beer. This yeast ferments at low temperatures, limiting production from the current season to early spring.

While considering brewing a long-term storage ale known as an IPA, it will take some time to develop.

“Until we establish export prospects, despite our efforts to brew it, it’ll mainly be for personal consumption and experimentation.”

“Still, thinking about how much each glass of that ale might cost makes me nervous. Occasionally, I envy the Rad brothers who drink it without knowing anything.”

“Yes, because the inside of the barrel is lined with true-silver mithril. I was surprised when I heard about it…”

“But it worked out well, didn’t it?”

The barrels lined with true-silver mithril were custom-made by Rad in the capital around mid-autumn, under contract.

True-silver mithril doesn’t rust, is resistant to both heat and cold, and is a material with high strength that can be enchanted with magic.

It’s an extremely valuable metal, and just the plating inside the medium-sized barrels cost fifteen gold coins, including processing fees.

Considering the currency value in this world, the cost of just one barrel could build a lord’s mansion like this estate.

In this world, it’s primarily used for armor and weapon materials, but compared to my knowledge from my previous life, true-silver mithril is almost equivalent to stainless steel.

When fermented in barrels, most of the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation escapes before it reaches the mouth. However, fermenting ale in stainless steel containers allows the carbonation to remain in the ale, creating a vivid and intense sensation for palates accustomed to this world’s ale. At the same time, it has been proven that true-silver mithril can withstand the pressure of carbon dioxide generated inside the barrel.

“Hehe, the actual cost of the ale itself isn’t much different from normal, so go ahead and drink up to recoup your initial investment. If the sauna mechanism and bread recipe sell well, we’ll expand the barrels and hopefully make it a specialty of Enkar Village. It might be nice to brew ale with barley harvested in the autumn for the Harvest Festival and ship it before winter.”

“If I were a merchant, I’d definitely come to buy.”

“Yes, I would too, I’m sure.”

After a moment’s pause, the laughter of the three echoed in the study.

“And regarding the matter of the Crown Prince of the neighboring country, it seems he will arrive here tomorrow. The preparations for welcoming and receiving him are already complete, but it’s still unclear how many attendants the Crown Prince will bring.”

“From the capital to Soalasonne, and then here, and they still haven’t finalized the number of attendants?”

“When it comes to the Crown Prince’s entourage, it’s a large group including knights, servants, personal physicians, and attendants. They’ve managed to trim down the numbers to the bare minimum because we simply can’t accommodate everyone here at the lord’s estate. Apart from the physician and personal attendants, the rest will likely stay in the servants’ quarters.”

“Indeed, accommodating the Crown Prince was practically impossible from the start. I wonder if it’s too late to decline now.”

“It would be quite difficult…”

The Crown Prince of the neighboring country, also known as one of the capture targets, Serleine de Luxen, suffers from a condition common among children with weak bronchial tubes due to dry winds descending from the mountains of the Luxen Kingdom.

Originally, the symptoms worsen particularly in winter, but since the dry air is the culprit, transferring to a region with more stable humidity such as coastal or mountainous rural areas often improves the condition.

Separately, another issue Serleine faces is magical overload syndrome, occasionally seen in royals due to excessive magical power. Excessive magic suppresses physical growth, keeping the body in a state of lowered immunity, making one prone to catching colds and infections at the slightest provocation.

The only remedy here is to wait for the body to grow sufficiently to handle the magical energy.

In the original game’s storyline, Serleine began treatment in the Francesca Kingdom at the age of twelve, returning home four years later as the official first heir to the throne.

With the arrival of the Saint, the famine issue would likely settle, and at that point, Serleine would probably be taken into the capital.

Near the Saint’s side, one remains purified and becomes less susceptible to disease, even receiving healing magic during seizures.

…Even the people of the capital wouldn’t want to keep such a significant foreign person in the outlying regions for long, after all.

The central authority is politically oriented around the monarchy, with the king being set above all nobles with absolute power, but still, that monarch can be regarded as a dictator who has the most power in the nation.

When the royal family loses its power, the potential tinderbox for major nobles to quickly achieve independence is always smoldering. This is the unspoken truth among the royals and central nobles directly serving them, who also prefer not to empower the local lords beyond what’s necessary to prevent such scenarios.

Such delicate relationships between the royal family and the nobility were not depicted in the game Maria of the Kingdom of Hearts, often mocked for its trivial trivia-style content. It’s a bizarre tale in its own right.

…Perhaps the management had its reasons for not delving into the complications with regional nobles, as including such matters would overly complicate the scenario. Yet, the fact that management let such aspects slide also piques my curiosity.

With these thoughts, I feel a slight unease again.

Since deviating from the game’s scenario to steer away from Melfina as depicted, I occasionally experience this sensation. It’s like peeling back a pure white canvas intended for enjoying sparkling romantic relationships with characters, only to find all sorts of ugly realities staring back at you, making this world itself feel eerily unsettling.

This discomfort arises precisely because I am an anomaly in this world, possessing memories from a previous life. Indeed, before remembering my past life, Melfina never felt such disquiet.

“Lady Melfina?”

“Huh? Oh, Marie, what is it?”

“You seemed lost in thought. Are you tired? Shall I make some tea?”

Marie gazes at me with concern, while Cedric, standing behind her with a similar expression, smiles wryly.

“Yes, let’s take a short break, the three of us.”

Feeling relieved, a warmth fills my chest, a happiness I could never have experienced as the daughter of a marquis in my previous life.

Without recalling my past life, I would likely never have known such feelings.

…There’s nothing I can do about it.

I don’t know how to contend with the world, nor do I intend to engage in such a hopeless struggle. All I can do is strive not to let go of the happiness I currently have, to ensure it’s not taken away from me.