第１６６２堀：農業はじっくりやるモノ (Part2)
"It’s not exactly charity. What Kaya has proposed, and what the students are attempting to do, would require an astronomical amount of capital, not to mention the connections and vast quantities of supplies necessary for any nation to actually put it into practice."
Yuki was right. While I knew the knowledge I’d shared was worth its weight in gold, the execution was a far more daunting prospect. I understood that better than anyone. If the various nations were willing to shoulder that burden, Weed’s own responsibilities would be reduced to almost nothing.
Just recently, in the old royal capital of Vinosia, we had established fields for edible crops like potatoes, as well as spices and herbs for trade, all to ensure the future stability of the residents' lives. Even then—and that was just repurposing the old fields of the capital—it had required a significant investment of funds and resources. When you consider the scale of agricultural guidance and reform across every nation, the costs become staggering.
Of course, under the current Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, we have surveyed lands to a degree and selected crops suited for production, but that has always been nation-led—relying entirely on local strength. We haven't been providing the magic-assisted field cultivation or the specialized, convenient tools that we utilized in Vinosia. We couldn't. We haven't offered those technologies or tools because the nations simply lack the capital to purchase them. If they were to go into debt and be forced to sell their own people into slavery just to afford them, it would defeat the entire purpose.
Well, lately, they have begun to earn a stable income through their traditional production methods, and the employment situation has settled down. That is precisely why the question of how to proceed from here has been my primary challenge as the one overseeing agriculture. Developing agriculture from this point forward requires immense cost, and the difficulty of gaining understanding for such a project is a massive hurdle.
Yuki and the others had told me there was no rush, that we could take it slow, but then this opportunity presented itself. Or rather, Yuki had successfully managed to prevent any potential misuse or refusal by the nations by disclosing manufacturing technologies for vehicles and medical equipment alongside the provision of the cores. He had essentially slipped this agricultural plan in as an afterthought.
Both Seraria and I were stunned when we heard Yuki lay it out. Eris, Ratz, and Milly, who were listening nearby, had their faces twitching. It was only natural; he was dropping a bombshell that would shake the foundations of every nation into a mere student lesson. Even Youpia and Schau, who correctly grasped the implications, could only offer wry smiles.
"I see. If they commit to this, they’ll hardly have the spare capacity to focus on anything untoward, will they?"
"Exactly. Let’s focus on growing food. If a nation is putting its entire weight behind such an initiative and someone tries to interfere, they’ll be making enemies of everyone. The Intercontinental Exchange Alliance would be dragged into it, too. And as for refusing to participate..."
Right. If a nation failed to fall in line, even if they weren't branded an enemy, they would be seen as incompetent—incapable of leading their own people. And who would want to trade with a nation like that? In effect, this proposal was a mandate.
"Well, even if I say the tools aren't free, I don't intend to squeeze them dry with unreasonable demands."
"I certainly do not believe Weed would extort us..."
"I understand your thinking, Yuki-dono. That the development of the various nations leads directly to the development of Weed. However, there are those who will not understand that."
"We’ll just have to work through that as we go. That’s exactly why this strategy is impossible to reject. From the outside, it will look like they’ve successfully secured aid from the Alliance, including Weed, so I hope they play their parts well."
Ah, I see. That’s true. Adopting the technology and tools for crop production, and even securing trade partners—that could certainly be framed as a success of the Alliance.
"Well, I suppose that’s something for us to work hard on."
"Indeed. There are methods Yuki-sama suggested, but those might make the Alliance partners feel inferior, so I will give it some thought for the time being."
"Right. Well, it’s about time. Kaya, come with me."
"Understood."
And so, as originally planned, I joined Yuki for the lesson. That part was fine, but I couldn't help but wonder how the other classes were faring. In times like these, the key to ensuring a plan doesn't just end as a plan is to involve as many people as possible. Of course, if it fails, our credibility will suffer, so one must be prepared for that risk. But even so, it’s a gamble worth taking.