The Reason I Want to Be Rich
Whew! That's it for today's training!
My day of becoming rich is just around the corner!
Why are you so obsessed with getting rich?
Of course, its—
Not the obvious stuff. I mean your real reason.
Hmm.
That's a sharp question.
To be honest, I've never told anyone this before, but since it's you, Captain...
Frey hesitated for a moment, then began to speak.
Let me explain it simply.
As the Quartermaster of the Monastir Knights, I have a duty to support the Duchy's economic development.
Since when does a quartermaster worry about economic development?
O-of course we do!
Monastir is...
No matter how you spin it, you couldn't call it a rich country.
But don't misunderstand!
That doesn't mean the Great Duchy of Monastir is some pitiful, charity-case country!
However...
The Duchy shares a border with the northern mountain range, where monsters run rampant.
Frey had a serious look I hadn't seen before.
When I was little, I joined my mother on a civic inspec—
Uh, I mean, a picnic.
That day, I saw people lined up at under-equipped medical tents.
They were victims of monster attacks in the outskirts.
And things like that...
Happen all across the Duchy, nearly every day.
We do what we can. Building walls, sending knights and soldiers ahead of time to deal with monsters.
But no matter how much you prepare, you can't prevent every disaster.
There are always people who get hurt, and the Duchy has to support them.
We've got to train more knights and soldiers to handle the increasingly dangerous monsters...
Rebuild crumbled walls and homes, and restore devastated villages...
And...
Frey let out a deep sigh before continuing.
When you add up all those costs, it's nearly equivalent to the Duchy's entire yearly tax revenue.
And with disasters constantly looming, people can't focus on work. So the tax revenue just keeps shrinking...
It's a vicious cycle!
I think the current state of things is totally wrong.
If we want to fix it properly, we have to eliminate the root cause.
We can't just react to disasters but stop them before they start.
We need a massive monster suppression campaign to drive them back!
And powerful fortresses and walls built along the frontlines to keep the rear safe!
We need a system that allows for more flexible and organized disaster response! And...!
Anyway! There's so much we need!
The Duchy of Monastir I dream of is...
A place where everyone can live safely and happily.
And to make that dream come true, I need a lot of money!
You can't transform an underdeveloped country with ordinary methods.
You can't build hospitals or fortresses by saving up pocket change!
...That's a noble goal.
Exactly!
Now you understand why I have to become rich!
I'm going to earn a fortune and bring the Duchy back to glory!
So that everyone in the Duchy can live without worry!
Then, maybe start with a small business?
A small business?
That kind of tiny plan would never...
Wait, no. You're right.
Now that I think about it, the Knights' handbook did say something similar.
A thousand-mile march starts with a single step... or something like that?
I'm impressed that you've not only studied ancient tomes, but even the Knights' handbook...
I'm bumping your evaluation score up by one point, Captain.
One point... Thanks.
You should be honored.
Fewer than ten people in the entire Duchy have ever earned even a single point from me.
Anyway, I'm off.
I've got a new business to plan based on your advice!