Chapter 320: Gram
“It seems that the domestic situation in the Forest Country (Lebresta) has stabilized for the most part. From now on, we plan to increase our trading volume while gathering information on magic-related technologies.”
“Are we sending out caravans?”
“Yes, Ma’am. They are making regular round trips.”
In the usual command room, Eve was receiving a status report from Ringo.
And today, there was one more participant—more precisely, one unit. The strategic AI, Fragaria Zero, who was in charge of the East Gate city, was attending the briefing. Although she was operating remotely, she stood before Eve using a Communicator Android.
“The caravan consists of one fusion reactor-powered vehicle (Little Whale), two multi-wheeled transport vehicles, four multi-legged tanks, and one multi-legged Ground Mother Unit, Planner. Additionally, there are eight Communicator Androids. This time, we are equipping them with Stirling engines and steam engines designed for Redstone utilization.”
“Thank you for the report, Fragaria Zero. So, we are providing them with thermal engines. How has the response been?”
“Very positive.”
They had extracted information from the Kingdom of Repuitari and gauged the technological level of the southern region of the Northern Continent, going so far as to manufacture a monkey model thermal engine that could be replicated at that level.
Essentially, it was a toy for Olive.
And these were sold to the Forest Country (Lebresta) in the form of technology provision.
“The primary sources of rotational power are mostly wind and water. The know-how for steam engines is monopolized by the Kingdom of Repuitari. They seem to have been cautious about technology leakage, so it appears that the Forest Country (Lebresta) has yet to replicate it even at the laboratory level. However, their metallurgy technology seems adequate, so I believe they could potentially replicate the Stirling engine.”
Eve nodded, intrigued by Fragaria Zero’s response.
“That means there might be some kind of breakthrough. If I recall correctly, the power source they were using was a mysterious box that generated wind, right?”
“Yes, sister. It seems there has been little progress for many years, but if the activation mechanism becomes practical, significant changes are expected. Asahi mentioned that with advancements in scientific technology, the obsolescence of magic technology might occur, potentially leading to technology leakage. This is part of that plan.”
“…That’s quite a ruthless idea you’ve come up with…”
However, in reality, based on observations, the Forest Country (Lebresta) operated under a political structure where the ruling class held significant power.
Moreover, it was understood that they had a long lifespan as a race.
As a result, the control capability of the Council of Elders (Le Elphia), which served as the political core, was expected to be very high, limiting the effectiveness of political and economic invasions.
If it were a nation dominated by capitalism, they might have been able to manipulate public opinion through economic pressure. However, it seemed unlikely that such an approach would work with the Forest Country (Lebresta).
“Asahi said we should consider it a lucky hit if it works.”
“Well, that sounds about right. I think it’s fine, don’t you?”
Even if they wanted to expand trade, the most in-demand and consistently consumable goods had been outright rejected.
At this point, the plan to secure essential living supplies had failed, reflecting the Forest Country’s (Lebresta) high level of vigilance.
“We have been able to maintain stable transactions for materials from Big Moss. Additionally, we have successfully traded other magical tools as well. The collection of magic technology is progressing smoothly.”
Furthermore, they had been able to import many types of devices known as magical tools, which did not rely on scientific technology.
Originally, most of the magical tools from the Afrasia United Kingdom were produced in the Forest Country (Lebresta).
These were common items within the Forest Country (Lebresta), and they were actively exported, allowing for exchanges without significant negotiations.
The first magical tools obtained from the Afrasia United Kingdom had a rather simple structure. In comparison, the ones from the Forest Country (Lebresta) were crafted with remarkable precision.
“There are multiple magical tools with the same function, but the dimensions vary for each individual. Even for general consumer products, it is presumed that most are handcrafted.”
“I see. So, it seems we are not yet in an era of mass production.”
“While the magic technology is indeed impressive, it does not surpass our scientific technology. Well, some aspects might, but… At least, judging by their response to the stampede of monsters, the threat level of the Forest Country (Lebresta) does not seem particularly high.”
And that was Fragaria Zero’s assessment. In other words, with the substantial resources being acquired now at The Tree, they would be able to adequately counter the Forest Country (Lebresta), which presumably possessed considerable national power.
While it was quite daunting to engage with a force of similar level, they could easily crush the nations they had confirmed thus far. That was the gist of it.
Of course, there were no immediate plans for such actions.
With the vast territories of the Afrasia United Kingdom and the Prava Divine Nation now under their control, there were no elements hindering their expansion for years to come.
There were still many lands to be developed.
“The domestic situation in the Forest Country (Lebresta) seems to have calmed down significantly. It appears they have managed to suppress the stampede, and the return of refugees and the resumption of economic activities have been confirmed.”
“Now that we have an export partner, they must be feeling motivated.”
For the Forest Country (Lebresta), Paraiso was a neighbor to be wary of, but at the same time, they were a benefactor who had extended a helping hand and a superior trading partner with whom they could maintain equal exchanges.
Despite being cautious, they likely wished to continue their relationship over the long term.
“We have also provided samples of shaped Redstone. We have conveyed that we can prepare them in the desired shapes in large quantities.”
“Ah. It seems they want Redstone, although perhaps not to the extent of the Kingdom of Repuitari. I wonder how much of it is buried…”
“It has been reported as unknown, but perhaps someone is investigating it?”
“Yes, Asahi is. It seems our sensors can’t detect it. We can barely identify it with acoustic sensors, but accurate data cannot be obtained. However, we are measuring the output at the mining locations, so we can make predictions based on that.”
Redstone was an important trading item for the Forest Country (Lebresta). Currently, they were trading it in the form of raw natural ore, but they planned to transition to processed products of a certain size in the future.
Of course, they were pricing these higher than the natural ones, but the response from the Forest Country (Lebresta) had been quite positive.
“If the trade of processed products takes off, the circulation of Gram currency might become possible.”
“Oh… Speaking of which, they were creating such banknotes…”
What Fragaria Zero referred to was the banknotes issued by Paraiso, primarily used for transactions with western nations like the Kingdom of Repuitari.
Gram currency.
It was a currency that guaranteed an exchange rate of one 1 Gram banknote for 1g of Redstone.
By the way, since Redstone becomes more efficient with greater mass, the value difference between 1 gram and 100 grams could exceed 1000 times. However, collecting 100 one-gram banknotes would allow for an exchange for a 100g block of Redstone.
By guaranteeing such exchanges, the Gram banknotes held their value.
It was anticipated that the value of these banknotes would fluctuate based on the situation, making it a rather acrobatic currency.
The fact that only Paraiso could guarantee these exchanges would also work to The Tree’s advantage.
Incidentally, in the Kingdom of Repuitari, payments from Paraiso were exclusively made using Gram banknotes, and their usage was gradually spreading. Moreover, since Duke Silverhead, who effectively stood at the pinnacle of the nation, had permitted it, there was no concern about future regulations.
I want to shine a spotlight on the children of the borderlands as well. Thus, it’s been a long time since Fragaria Zero made an appearance. Isn’t she adorable?