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{3rd Pov}
After returning to the inn, the group quickly began preparations for their departure.
The carriages they had brought were lined up outside, ready to go. Rem took the reins of the first carriage, which carried Roswaal and Emilia. The two sat in a heavy silence, neither speaking as the vehicle rolled forward. Their expressions remained unreadable, lost in their own thoughts as the wheels creaked under the weight of their burdens—emotional and otherwise.
anwhile, Reina skillfully drove the second carriage, where Subaru, Beatrice, and Otto were seated. The air inside was slightly tense, a lingering sense of unease still clinging to Otto like morning mist.
Tethered to the second carriage were two Ground Dragons, one of which was Patrasche, Subaru's loyal companion. The other was a new addition, recently acquired to assist in the journey.
Noticing Otto's stiff posture and the way he kept glancing out the window with a wary look, Subaru finally broke the silence.
"Is sothing bothering you, Otto?" Subaru asked, his voice casual as he recognized that Otto was still on guard, as he turned toward the rchant.
Otto flinched slightly, as if shaken from his thoughts. "T-To be honest… I'm not even sure how to begin to thank you," he said, looking away awkwardly. "I knew exactly what would happen to once I fell into debt. Honestly, I expected imprisonnt… or worse—getting beaten, tortured... I was prepared for the worst. Compared to that, what happened was almost a blessing."
He took a deep breath, as if trying to steady his nerves. The mory of his narrow escape clearly weighed heavily on him.
Subaru had offered Otto a lifeline: a contract stating that Otto would work under him for three years. However, if at any point Otto chose to walk away, he was free to do so. It was a deal that left Otto both surprised and deeply moved. Such generosity and trust were rare commodities in the world of rchants and nobles..
He accepted the offer not only because it was wise, but because he could tell Subaru genuinely wanted to help him. For that, Otto was imnsely grateful.
However, he still had suspicions about this generosity.
"I have plans to start a rchant company," Subaru revealed, folding his arms behind his head with a grin. "I already have a few workers lined up, but I'll need soone with actual experience to share their knowledge—and I was hoping you'd fill that role."
Otto blinked in surprise. A rchant company? That was certainly not what he had expected.
"I-Is that so…?" he said, then hesitated. "If I may be so bold, could I ask about your initial funding for this venture?"
He imdiately paled after saying it, worried that he might have overstepped his bounds.
Subaru chuckled. "Relax, no offense taken. I was going to ask your opinion on that anyway. Tell , Otto—what do you think would be a reasonable amount of capital to start with?"
Otto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "For a basic, small-scale rchant company to begin operating effectively, at least ten Royal Gold Coins would be needed as startup capital. But that's only for small groups with minimal overhead. May I ask—how many workers or employees are you planning to bring on initially?"
"I have selected atleast ten to twenty people just for the rchant division. On top of that, I'll also be establishing a manufacturing wing to design and mass-produce so inventions I've got in mind. That'll have an additional team—forty to fifty people."
Otto's eyes widened at the scale of the operation. Subaru's ambition was greater than he had imagined.
Subaru continued, "I'll be hiring a particular group of individuals—people who have been through a lot, and who are imnsely loyal and motivated. They'll need training, but I'm confident they'll beco reliable assets in the long run."
He was referring to the forr wives of Regulus, whom he had freed. Their loyalty to Subaru bordered on reverence, and he intended to give them both purpose and independence.
It will ensure that his inventions don't leak, it will give a lifehood for the won and help them grow as a person.
Three shots with one arrow.
Otto adjusted his seat, his expression now serious. "Lord Zero, rchant companies co in various forms. So specialize in the production of goods, others in the procurent of raw materials, while so focus entirely on logistics and distribution. Of course, the most successful companies—such as Lady Anastasia's—manage to handle all of these sectors simultaneously."
He glanced toward Subaru. "Judging from what you've described, and the scale you're envisioning, I would estimate that you'll need a minimum of one hundred Royal Gold Coins to launch such an enterprise. That's equivalent to one thousand standard gold coins in raw capital."
There was a mont of silence as the weight of the estimate sank in.
Just then, Reina—who had been quietly driving—spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. "If there is any need for financial support, my liege, I am more than willing to assist. I currently have a personal fortune of approximately twenty thousand Royal Gold Coins."
The statent dropped like a stone in still water.
Otto nearly fell out of his seat. "T-Twenty thousand?! That's… That's an absurd amount of money! Even a great city's annual inco rarely reaches half of that!"
His voice cracked with disbelief, his rchant instincts practically short-circuiting at the idea of such wealth being casually ntioned.
"Wait a minute… Lady Reina is an Astrea—that makes so much more sense now," Otto muttered, as realization dawned upon him.
In the Kingdom of Lugunica, the monetary system was structured in a simple yet significant hierarchy of currency denominations:
The lowest denomination was the humble Copper Coin. With just five copper coins, one could purchase a full kilogram of wheat—enough to sustain a small family for a day. These coins were the lifeblood of daily trade for commoners.
A hundred copper coins equaled one Lugunican Silver Coin, which bore the image of the Sage. Silver coins held far more value and could be used to purchase basic weapons such as swords or katanas, or everyday tools like hoes, pickaxes, and axes. For many, silver was the currency of self-sufficiency.
Next ca the Gold Coin, which was equivalent to one hundred silver coins. It carried the figure of the First Sword Saint and represented wealth and luxury. With gold coins, one could buy finely crafted dresses, expensive spices, quality mounts, or even higher-tier weaponry and equipnt. It was the coin of rchants, knights, and the lower nobility.
Finally, there was the Royal Gold Coin—the most prestigious and rare form of currency. Each Royal Gold Coin bore the majestic image of the Divine Dragon and was worth ten standard gold coins. That single coin could buy a small house. With ten or twenty Royal Gold Coins, one could not only purchase a spacious ho, but also acquire fertile land, livestock, tools, and everything needed to live independently with dignity.
Royal Gold Coins were the foundation of noble estates. Even lower-ranked nobles such as barons typically held treasuries with at least a thousand to several thousand Royal Gold Coins and earned an average inco of one hundred Royal Gold Coins per year. For commoners, however, even owning a handful of these coins was a distant dream—sothing that would require decades of tireless labor and frugal living to achieve, assuming disaster didn't strike first.
At first, Subaru had no real understanding of the true value of Royal Gold Coins. When he had looted twenty of them from a group of thugs during one of his early misadventures, he had assud they were impressive, but not extraordinary. He had been dangerously unaware of just how enormous that amount was.
It wasn't until Roswaal offered him two thousand Royal Gold Coins—casually, as a reward—that Subaru began to grasp their true worth. The stunned reactions on the faces of Rem, Ram, and even Emilia had said more than words ever could. That mont was when reality hit him, and it hit hard.
Subaru had once briefly considered giving up on his role supporting Emilia's royal campaign and pursuing a future as an independent rchant instead. But there was a looming shadow that prevented him from walking away: Roswaal L. Mathers. A man whose obsession with Subaru had a disturbingly yandere-like intensity, twisted by his belief in fate and unyielding sches. Subaru couldn't just leave.
Still, the idea of becoming a successful businessman had long taken root in Subaru's heart. He had a burning desire to innovate, to create, and well show the world the magic known as science.
Now, for the first ti since arriving in this world, he had everything he needed: more than enough capital, a growing pool of loyal workers, a respectable social status, and a network of powerful allies. The road ahead was still long, but the foundation was finally solid.
'It wasn't easy getting here… not at all,' Subaru thought, his inner voice tinged with emotion. In his mind, he shed invisible tears. The journey had been cruel, painful, and scarring—even if his suffering wasn't as extre as the countless alternate versions of himself from different tilines. It had still left deep marks on his soul.
"I suppose I can start with sothing basic... maybe improving agriculture," he muttered aloud. "Irrigation systems, crop rotation, and other techniques. Sothing sustainable."
He had seen firsthand how the rural population struggled under the weight of heavy taxation. Farrs were required to surrender 50% of their total earnings in taxes—half of their sweat and effort gone. Of that, 25% went directly to the overseeing noble family, while the remaining 25% was sent to the royal treasury.
If not for the divine blessing of Volcanica, which ensured the land was fertile and immune to famine, the kingdom would have collapsed long ago under such policies. The fact that there were no famines was practically miraculous—and a crucial pillar upholding Lugunica's stability.
But even with fertile land, 40% of Lugunica's population remained in poverty, surviving on ager wages, scraping together barely enough to purchase a few silver coins' worth of food each year. The slums of the Royal Capital were a living reminder of the disparities that plagued this kingdom—overcrowded, disease-ridden, and filled with those who had long been forgotten by society.
'There's just so much that needs to be done,' Subaru thought, his mind racing with ideas.
He wanted to change the world like any other isekai bastard ever thought.
'Atleast I won't have enemy kingdoms vying for my wealth coming after ' Subaru thought of one of the common cliche.
After all even flags won't hold truth when you have literal Sword Saint by your side.
To be continued…
(A/N: I hope you liked the chap! Continue giving the powerstones!
This marks the end of 9th chap, I have 10th chap half-finished, but well it has enough material for the week.
It will be going a bit in Tensura style, after all creating ss every chapter and rising stakes doesn't makes sense.
I am not a Shonen writer, or Master4thWall(Yeah I still rember cursed gar, bastard was sadistic as hell in that fic, he even didn't spare his other fics)
I have a question to ask... To be honest I don't often ask people on what do in my fics.
They ruin the fic most of the ti, I have suffered enough in my earlier fics.
But I guess your opinion can atleast give an idea on what should i really do, so here is the question.
Do you want Multiversal arc sooner or later?
It isn't a big thing, but rember that we won't be going in alternate universes, only parallel ones.
I am not dashing any other fandom in this fic(Right now).
Also you can search for World of S(Sadism) if you are looking for a good smut novel and free it is on scribblehub though.)
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