Reinforcement (3)
Prime Minister Bolsun, bearing the king's command, led the assembled talents to the banks of the Malson River.
"This river lies right behind the capital. It's a headache for the Goyad Kingdom—a small nation by area, yet this thing claims a full 20% of our land. Is there anyone here with a viable business plan to put it to use?"
The Malson River had defied the ancestors' attempts to exploit it for the national treasury for over a century, foiling every effort.
The talents, desperate to catch Bolsun's eye, chimed in one after another.
"Fill it in and build luxury homes. Sell them to the people and fill the treasury."
"Or fill it partially and turn it into an arena for swordsmanship tournaments. Make it a venue the whole continent can use."
"We could use the river for..."
Bolsun clicked his tongue at their suggestions.
The answers to this century-old puzzle always circled back to the same tired ideas.
"By the time we filled the whole thing, we'd all be dead."
"......"
Facts were facts.
"And the cost? It'd eat up 50% of the kingdom's treasury just for the filling."
No profit in that whatsoever.
Of course, Bolsun hadn't held out much hope anyway.
He'd only asked out of faint curiosity, wondering if any of them might surprise him.
As the kingdom's treasurer, Prime Minister Bolsun bore the duty of filling those coffers.
'Is there truly no solution...?'
This vast, useless river gobbling up so much of the nation's land.
Then.
"Start by thinking about using it."
A voice cut through the crowd of talents.
Bolsun turned with a puzzled look.
It was Bak.
From Ballus Territory.
And not filling it—using it.
That aligned perfectly with Bolsun's own thinking.
"How exactly would you use it?"
He gestured for the man to step forward.
Bak.
In the real world, he'd turned ten million won into a 90 billion asset empire—a legend in real estate.
"Build houses here."
A murmur rippled through the group.
"Houses in a bug-infested swamp that's scorching in summer and freezing in winter? The man's mad."
"Looks like a knight to me. What would knights know about this?"
"Hahaha, where'd this fool even come from?"
But Bolsun paused, intrigued.
'Houses?'
He raised a hand to silence them, then said, "Elaborate."
"Build houses here—in this bug-ridden, hot-in-summer, cold-in-winter spot—and you'll give the world's richest nobles exactly what they crave."
What nobles craved?
"Stunning views and the envy of their peers that makes them shine brighter. Make the windows huge, and it'll feel like they hold the river in their own homes. Pave a road along the bank, and it becomes a track where nobles can ride while gazing at the water."
Bolsun pictured it.
Noble mansions lining the riverfront!
"In my world, there's a saying."
He leaned in, entranced.
"Han River views are truth."
"......!"
Bolsun's business-savvy mind spun wildly.
"Build ten as a test—they'll sell out fast. Land prices around here will skyrocket endlessly, and other nobles will beg to build. Charge them ten times the value. As the mansions multiply, nobles from other kingdoms will take notice and want in. Sell to outsiders at twenty times the price."
Twenty times?
But it was feasible.
The entire stretch along the river was crown property, after all.
Bolsun could almost hear the treasury filling up.
He ignored the other talents and stuck close to Bak, peppering him with questions.
"The capital's full of old mansions. Any way to use them?"
"Simple. Demolish them and build new ones. House nobles there."
"Won't the commoners revolt?"
"No. Nobles will hear about these grand new homes and pay top dollar to buy out the poor original owners. The commoners win, nobles win, and we collect the taxes. Best of all worlds."
"What about this...? And that...?"
"Handle this one like so... That one like this..."
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"
You have greatly contributed to the kingdom's development project.
Contribution 42% acquired.
Bak felt a swell of pride.
'Finally, I'm making my mark for the guild.'
Ballus Territory lacked troops.
Racking up contribution like this would secure forces through the quest—perfect.
And Bolsun's tests weren't over.
He addressed the gathered talents.
This was as much about strengthening national power as testing the kingdom's brightest minds from every corner.
"I believe a true prime minister or merchant can raise vast sums in just one hour when needed."
In other words, the key was how much they could muster on demand.
It proved their financial clout and speed.
The talents sent out carrier pigeons.
Time limit: one hour.
Then one man logged out.
Riesel.
The chaebol heir made a single call.
"It's me. Need some gold—oh, not to spend, just deposit and withdraw."
He logged back in.
Large sums could be issued as checks.
Riesel presented the check to Bolsun.
"Raised it."
Bolsun blinked in shock.
'One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million...?! Hiiiik!'
He thought carefully.
'Gotta stay on this kid's good side.'
The power of a rich kid!
You have greatly impressed Prime Minister Bolsun.
Contribution 27% acquired.
Meanwhile.
At the royal knight training grounds.
Where various knight orders drilled.
Phillip spoke.
"Our kingdom has refined swordsmanship, spearmanship, archery, and hand-to-hand combat. They're the finest and most efficient. But we're open to superior alternatives anytime."
Many warriors from across the nation wielded their family traditions.
The best of those could be adopted for soldiers and knights, strengthening the military and the realm.
'What?'
'Why this...?'
The talents panicked.
Phillip fitted them with bracelets.
"Mana control bracelets. The moment you wear them, everyone's power levels equalize."
That made sense.
What didn't was the dozens of wooden-sword-wielding knights encircling them.
"You'll see the testing knights wear them too. We want your pure technique—no mana. Bear with us."
Bear with you?
Suddenly, Goyad's elite knights—swordsmen of the sword kingdom—charged with wooden swords.
"Beat 'em down!"
The talents were arrogant.
They thought themselves the best.
First, crush their spirits.
"Ughhh!"
"S-save—n-not there...! Gahk!"
"Aigoo, I'm dying!"
Phillip watched, arms crossed.
Then.
Thwack, thwack-thwack, crunch, crack, pow—
Slash.
"......?"
Phillip frowned in confusion.
One man was laying out knights left and right with a single wooden sword.
With mana control bracelets, power was equal.
Pure skill.
And his swordsmanship was extraordinary.
It was Han-ul, the kendo gold medalist.
"?"
Phillip stared at the fallen knights, bewildered.
Han-ul said, "Clashing swords revealed flaws in your knights' techniques. Reviewing the manual and revising it could greatly benefit your soldiers and knights going forward."
Then Han-ul took the swordsmanship manual, stood before Phillip, and began editing.
"Swing like this, wrist angle..."
Phillip was awestruck.
He was fixing every flaw and adding pure advantages.
You have greatly contributed to the Goyad Kingdom's swordsmanship fundamentals.
Contribution 28% acquired.
Strengthening the nation meant stronger soldiers and knights!
At the archery test site.
Twang—!
"......!?"
Twang—!
"......!!!?"
Twang—!
"......!!!!!???"
The knights gaped in awe.
Hye-ji's arrow struck dead center.
Incredibly, the second pierced the first.
Even more astonishing, the third burrowed through both.
Someone gulped.
'The divine archer's reincarnation.'
In the stunned silence, Hye-ji spoke.
"Watching the knights draw their bows, I see posture issues. Anyone wanting corrections from me...?"
"Me first!"
"No, me!"
"I got here first!"
"You're better than me already!"
Knights swarmed Hye-ji, on the verge of brawling.
"What is this?!"
Phillip bellowed, eyes blazing.
Phillip was known as Goyad's iciest man.
He glared, then said, "Start with me."
"???"
Everyone craved strength—even Phillip.
You have greatly contributed to the Goyad Kingdom's archery fundamentals.
Contribution 27% acquired.
Elsewhere, martial arts enthusiasts mobbed the man who'd floored five knights with one kick.
Taekwondo gold medalist Tae-hoon.
"Put power in the back foot..."
Scribble-scribble.
Nod-nod.
Knights scribbled furiously to remember.
You have greatly contributed to the Goyad Kingdom's hand-to-hand combat fundamentals.
Contribution 19% acquired.
Another spot.
"???"
Bella wandered the capital, stunned by the scenes unfolding everywhere.
"Care for a meal with me?"
"Already had lunch."
"It's not even lunchtime yet...? Tea, then?"
"Caffeine allergy."
"Such a thing exists...? Well, a carriage ride togeth—"
"Carriage allergy."
"???"
The prime minister cozying up to the nonchalant Riesel, eager for rich friends.
"Bak, where've you been? Tell me more about this real estate busin—"
Bolsun dashing toward Bak.
He wasn't that kind of man.
'But for the kingdom's growth, he'd do anything.'
That's why Bolsun held the post.
Bella marveled.
Wherever she looked at the training grounds, clusters formed around three figures where shortcomings were found.
Archery, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand.
Knights begging these three for instruction.
'These are the ones who guarded Lord Hyun-soo...'
Bella was awed by her second sun's power.
Then a woman approached.
Ballus Territory's prime minister, Nel.
Bella nodded knowingly.
"Our kingdom's pouring everything into capital development projects, but being called the land of swords means few visit besides swordsmen."
In short, not enough visitors.
More foreigners and NPCs in the capital meant more taxes.
On clothes, food, drinks—everything.
But it was tough.
Other kingdoms drew crowds; Goyad's capital lacked that pull.
Nel pondered, then said, "Build a grand, magnificent teahouse in the capital."
"A teahouse? We already have more than enough, and they run deficits yearly—no help to the capital."
Nobles enjoyed fine tea at home; no need to visit.
Foreigners were worse.
Why visit a teahouse in this world?
But Nel continued, "Have His Highness and Lady Bella visit every morning for tea."
"......What?"
"The teahouse frequented daily by His Highness and Lady Bella will draw nobles from across the continent. Foreigners obsessed with flexing will flood in. Charge ten times the price."
"T-ten times...? Is that even possible?"
Bella couldn't follow.
Nel smiled faintly. "His Highness and Lady Bella need only say one thing."
"What...?"
"After drinking the tea, their swordsmanship improved, and their health flourished. People will pay tenfold gladly. Moreover."
Nel gazed at the capital's skyline with a grin.
"Tea costs 150 silver to produce. Base price: 4,000 silver. Ten times? That's over 250 times the cost in margin."
Bella reeled.
'Isn't this a scam?'
Nel beamed at the vista. "This is how business works."
And so Bella and Bolsun opened the kingdom's largest teahouse.
A month later, its sales topped the entire nation's teahouses combined.
Capital visitors surged 54-fold.
Plant beans, reap beans.
Where geniuses gathered, more geniuses appeared.