Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt - Chapter 152



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Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt Chapter 152

27-War Maniac

“Our faction is quite regretful of having supported the financial tax this time. They say that it did not work out as planned when they tried to expand the national treasury and increase the presence of the People’s Assembly. So this time, they are joining forces with those they do not get along with in order to pour cold water on His Majesty’s ambitious plans.”

Count Stan explained that he intended to join forces with the nobles to block the king’s forced war bond sales, but that he needed a political justification for opposing them.

Because it’s a political justification for opposition…

“I guess we’ll have to figure that out ourselves, right?”

“Because that’s what looks best.”

Wouldn’t the case for opposition be strengthened if an expert in the relevant field came forward and opened the floodgates?

Arthur sighed and answered.

“Haa… … First, let me talk to the central bank governor.”

He had to find out what Zarran was thinking, and he needed time to chew on the shocking information from Count Stan. When Arthur declared his intention to hold off with a positive attitude, Count Stan warned him.

“A considerable number of neutrals are willing to throw a large number of Scalons if necessary. The nobles will be no different.”

If the king were to force the central bank to sell such bonds, the money supply would increase and the value of the scalon would fall. This meant that those who held the scalon would suffer losses. It was obvious that the nobles who had converted a significant portion of their assets into scalons would be dissatisfied with the circulation of scalons.

“Okay, I’ll make sure to pass it on.”

Arthur bowed his head as he realized that the real reason Count Stan had called him was to deliver this warning to the Central Bank President.

Arthur headed straight for the Skara Central Bank. He spoke cautiously to Zara.

“I heard a strange story.”

“What information?”

“His Majesty the King issues bonds that will not sell and the central bank buys them.”

At those words, Jarani, who had been glued to the documents, raised her head and looked at Arthur, then closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her index finger.

“Where did you hear that story?”

“Is it true?”

Jaran, who met Arthur’s expression with a calm gaze as he brushed aside her question and demanded confirmation, sighed through her nose and nodded.

“It’s true.”

“What happened?”

Arthur sat down in front of Jaran and tried to figure out the situation first. It wasn’t something that could be done because he was excited.

Jarani said with a bitter smile.

“His Majesty the King summoned me to speak with him, and I accepted.”

“You didn’t object? Then you said it couldn’t be done.”

“I opposed it. But His Majesty the King had his own reasons.”

“Do you want to go to war again?”

At Arthur’s sarcastic words, Jaran smiled bitterly and said.

“I don’t know what’s going on. But it certainly seems like there are signs of war.”

“Signs of war?”

“The Kingdom of Jatra is said to be preparing for war. It is obvious who the target is.”

The reason was obvious. Wasn’t the enemy that the Kingdom of Jatra had recently waged war against our own Kingdom of Skara? They even declared war first. Although they managed to block it, the Kingdom of Jatra had to sign a ceasefire agreement with some of its land taken away.

“No, what about the contract period?”

“It’s already expiring. It expires this year.”

“… … It’s already that time.”

Now that I think about it, it was a few years ago that there was a war. If they hadn’t forgotten their grudge, they would have had enough motivation to start another war.

Arthur frowned. The damage from the war had not yet been completely repaired, and now there was another war?

“That’s stupid.”

“I thought so too. But after hearing Your Excellency the Prime Minister’s explanation, I changed my mind.”

“… … ?”

“Hasn’t our country changed a lot recently?”

Perhaps if there hadn’t been any significant changes since the war, the Kingdom of Jatra wouldn’t have shown signs of rushing into war like this?

However, the Kingdom of Skara has proven its industrial power through a new product called the music box, and has established close relationships with several countries, albeit on a civilian level. Furthermore, hasn’t it been going even further by introducing Scalonization recently, adding a catalyst for economic growth?

Perhaps, from the perspective of the Kingdom of Jatra, it could have been easily misunderstood that they were promoting national power for a reinvasion and diplomatically organizing the surrounding area.

Arthur sighed.

“Haa~ Isn’t that an absurd misunderstanding?”

The formation of private-sector relationships with several countries refers to a private consultative body to protect each other’s music box record copyrights.

“Is it really a misunderstanding? Aren’t they all powerful figures from their respective countries?”

The political insight of the Zaras was enough to see that such private relationships were beneficial to the nation. People are the problem, and people are the solution. The fact that there was a secret line that could help solve diplomatic problems was clearly an advantage for the Kingdom of Skara.

Arthur is not unaware of such logic, but isn’t this too unfair? I was just trying to eat well and live well, and that became a reason for war? I couldn’t help but sigh at the thought of such an absurdity.

“Ha. I get why.”

So, for various reasons, the Kingdom of Skara seemed to be growing stronger, so the Kingdom of Zatra felt the need to strike first and suppress its growth before it could get any stronger. In other words, the concept of preemptive defense, or preventive war?

Think about it because of the king.

In a society where public power and the rule of law were alive, no one would think that way, but there is no such thing in the international community. In a barbaric age where the powerful were just, they had to protect their own sovereignty.

Arthur accepted the legitimacy of issuing war bonds. However, there were still some points he did not understand.

“Then why do only central banks buy bonds? Why are bond interest rates like that?”

“It seems that you are trying to strengthen your royal authority through this opportunity.”

Zarran answered in a calm tone. Zarran seemed not particularly surprised, perhaps because he had a good sense of His Majesty the King’s disposition. From there, Arthur could recall Count Stan’s words.

“So, this is the budget for taking control of the Royal Central Army.”

Power comes from the barrel of a gun. If you have force, you can ‘convince’ everyone that the power is yours.

Was Count Stan unaware of this fact? No. If we think back on what the Count said, he clearly used the word ‘greed’.

So, if we were to interpret Count Stan’s words in detail, it would be like this. ‘I acknowledge the issuance of bonds in preparation for the war of the Kingdom of Jatra. However, it is difficult to accept that it is used as an excuse to privatize the central bank, increase and take control of the royal central army, and strengthen royal authority.’ It was a statement of position.

Although Arthur did not sympathize with their position and interests, there was one thing he agreed with.

“These bonds should not be purchased, and central banks should not be purchasing them either.”

“then?”

“Bonds should have interest rates adjusted to ensure an appropriate rate of return and should be purchased by the private sector.”

The central bank was, after all, the bank of banks, and had to work to stabilize the value of the currency. Of course, if the war was lost, Scalon could become a piece of paper, but even in that case, the line had to be kept. When everyone was about to run wild, someone had to hold onto the reins of reason and try to keep from running wild.

However, Zarran was reluctant to listen to Arthur’s words. There were two main reasons.

“Would the private sector really consider buying such bonds? And would His Majesty the King agree?”

Here Arthur had the answer.

“So the interest rates have to be adjusted so that people will want to buy the bonds. And His Majesty the King’s consent is not needed.”

“… … ??!!”

Jaran looked dazed for a moment, as if he didn’t understand Arthur’s words, then looked bewildered. His Majesty the King doesn’t need his consent?! It was a sentence Jaran had never imagined.

Arthur continued.

“Things won’t go as you wish, Your Majesty. I just met with Count Stan. Do you know what I heard?”

If the king’s bond sale becomes a reality, he will dump all of his Scalons into the market.

“If that happens, the value of Scalon will fall, and it will be impossible to increase the Royal Central Army to the extent that His Majesty desires with such scraps of paper.”

It is unlikely that the scalon will become a scrap of paper, but the rapid fluctuations in the value of the currency cannot help but have a negative impact on the credibility of the currency.

“That’s why we need to properly create bonds and sell them to the public. Since there is a just cause for national defense, the nobles will buy them.”

Of course, in such a case, it would be difficult for the king to control the royal central army to the extent he wanted, since he would have to give up some of his control over the army to the nobility and the bourgeoisie in proportion to the amount of bonds they purchased.

The expression on the face of the one who read such words became even more gloomy. Wasn’t this a situation in which the king could not help but be angry?

Arthur stared blankly at the expression on Zarran’s face and then said.

“Let’s take this opportunity to step back.”

“You pulled your foot out?”

“Let’s step down from the central bank position and get out.”

“… … .”

Jaran stared blankly at Arthur’s face.

The position of central bank governor was a powerful one. It was the lowest position a common merchant could rise to.

Even the nobles spoke politely and bowed to the president of a large company. Arthur’s words about giving up such a place were hard to understand. Or perhaps he was unwilling to accept it?

“Arthur. Are you going to throw away this place you worked so hard to create?”

Jaran frowned. The reason he barely managed to keep himself from getting excited was because Arthur always had a convincing reason and logic.

Arthur opened his mouth.

“I just put it on.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s a very bad situation between His Majesty the King, who wants to strengthen his authority here, and the nobles who want to keep that in check.”

If you cooperate with the king and get what he wants, the value of Scalon will fall. It is obvious that inflation will occur as a result. As a result, the citizens will suffer and become angry, and the government will need a scapegoat to appease them. Where could be a more suitable sacrifice than the central bank president?

The ignorant masses will vent their anger by throwing stones at the central bank governor, and the nobles will think that the king has given in since the known royalist has been overthrown. Then their eyes will turn to the vacant central bank governor position.

On the other hand, if they cooperated with the nobles and the nobles successfully thwarted the king’s plans, they would become the target of the king’s wrath.

Jaran’s expression darkened and he became dispirited as he realized that the future was not very bright no matter which side he cooperated with.

Arthur felt sorry for him at that expression. Even the king had promised him a position where he would be treated as a loyal subject, so wasn’t he unintentionally defrauding him?

But it wasn’t that he had nothing to say. If you climb to a high position as if you were going to make a fortune overnight, you won’t be able to maintain it for long anyway. You have to work your way down step by step to be able to hold on when you reach a high position. This is because there are many competitors who will try to pull you down and take your place.

“That’s great. Let’s take this opportunity to realize how difficult it is to run a central bank.”

Is this a step back for the so-called advance? The need for a capable central bank governor is felt, and it is possible that Jaran will return to that position. And it was obvious that a future where bonds and war would be intertwined and Scalon value management would be difficult would come.

That’s when Jarani appears with a solution!