Chapter 75 (1/2)

Dealing With the Postwar Period

It was common sense that things would get harder before they got better, more so in war.

Ria worked hard at her state affairs every day for ruling the vast ex-Cordova territory that had become hers.

“There is no money.”

The man to say that incredibly frankly was a Cornada earl.

He, who was originally a financial bureaucrat, completely understood the nation’s finance.

“… What?”

“It’s because your majesty graciously handed it out to the soldiers.”

“Aah, right…”

Of course she remembered allowing them to plunder the treasury.

That was necessary for her to seize the Cordovan soldiers. Moreover, Ria felt something like money could be produced so long as they had people.

“Certainly, but right now, there is no money with which to pay our soldiers.”

“… Serge—! Seeerge—! Come up with some ideas~!”

At times like this, Ria would immediately rely on people.

Summoned, even Serge couldn’t come up with a solution that easily.

“Wouldn’t war bonds or government bonds work?”

War bonds wouldn’t work that well since the war had ended, but government bonds would be good. They would temporarily settle it with government bonds.

Because Ria didn’t have the mind to leave the ex-Cordovan bureaucracy to swell and explode.

Similar to some countries, it didn’t use any money on the unproductive elderly. On that mark, this country where fundamental human rights didn’t exist was wonderful. [1]

“If we pay off the influential merchants with an annual interest in the neighborhood of twenty percent for now… it should be fine?”

The financial bureaucrat calculated and immediately gave results. Ria nodded.

“The most necessary ones’ portions will come from my private funds, so please wait until tomorrow.”

All she had to do was make it with her genesis magic. Although she worried about causing inflation if she did it too much, the most important thing was to surpa.s.s the hurdle standing in front of her right now.

But the cabinet ministers didn’t seem to be thinking about that, they were simply impressed by Ria’s stance of preventing a delay in wages by using her own funds.

With this, their finances would somehow manage for now. Because there was money in Manesh, all they had to do was transport there.

*

Next was a problem of law.

Cordova could be called a country based on its system of laws. Moreover, it was well known for its extreme laws.

What new legal system would they introduce to Cordova? And again, how would it integrate with Ogress Kingdom’s?

Ria decided on a temporary policy.

“Capital punishment for big crimes. Whipping for small crimes. That is all.”

The cabinet ministers that were sitting in a row all had their mouths wide open.

“Obviously not permanently. But Cordova had bound a lot of countries with laws for many years, with many political offenses as well. This will be necessary to change the people’s thoughts.”

One year. Ria marked off her time limit.

She needed to unite this vast territory, Manesh included, by then.

She needed to establish areas for the ogres and beastkin as well of course, that was also a serious matter.

“Pardon all previous political criminals for the time being.”

“T-that’s excepting the Cordovan earls, right?”

“Pardon them. On the other hand, even if the Cordovan earls made a move now, I won’t be so sympathetic again.”

The judges’ faces paled, but there was nothing that could be done. Cordova had many trials to begin with.

“Criminal offenses aside, what should we do about processing territory rights?”

“Guhah, that huh?”

Territorial disputes between n.o.bles would turn into things that needed to be settled by the monarch’s choice without fail.

Territory was a n.o.ble’s a.s.set, something they should defend and stand up for themselves.

“Maybe we should try and have all of the new n.o.bles be unlanded n.o.bility?”

n.o.bles that secured their positions through money might abate their monetary difficulties.

However, since there were both different pros and cons to that, they weren’t able to come to a conclusion in the end.

“Since the territory reclamation in Manesh is advancing forward for now, if it looks like there are a lot of territorial disputes popping up, let’s move one of them there.”

It was something that could only be done with a mighty monarch’s authority.

However, civil law wasn’t something that could be as easily decided on as criminal law.

(Emperor Gaozu did great putting China together~) [2]

Ria came to feel a newfound appreciation towards her previous life’s great people.

*

“The temples? Why’re you asking me?”

Another problem popped up.

(Why’d a problem like that get brought up?)

Ria didn’t understand.

However, when she heard more about it, it certainly was related to her.

“Because Carla has been treating the sick and wounded completely free of charge, charity to the temples have decreased.”

“Oh~, so that’s it.”

Religious authority was weak in this world. The G.o.ds themselves were practically destroyed by the dragons’ to begin with.

Then if someone were to ask if faith towards dragons were strong, because they were actual ent.i.ties, it seemed as though that made them harder to turn into objects of faith.

That aside, back to the temples.

For the above-mentioned reason, they held hardly any authority in this world.

However, they did the splendid work of providing relief to the weak and disadvantaged.