第１６８７堀：彼女が生きてきた国について (Part2)
"I find it hard to believe that Lady Samantha, who was presumably just an ordinary student at the time, possessed such authority. Nor does it seem likely she would make such a blunder, does it?"
Is this it? Is this Lady Cleena’s fabrication... though, if it were, why wouldn't Lady Samantha deny it?
And really, Lady Cleena, calling Lady Samantha 'the breasts'... I mean, she is certainly well-endowed, but if we’re talking about that, there are those who are even more...
"I have heard that story as well. That the Master deliberately traveled at a speed considered impossible at the time, arriving well before any messenger could have, and appearing in such disheveled attire that he was intentionally turned away."
Indeed, Lady Rurua, who possesses even more magnificent breasts, seemed to recall those days and shared the tale.
"Ah, so it was all part of the negotiation, then."
"...Is Rurua surprisingly well-versed in politics?"
"It’s less politics and more the art of the deal. With a figure like mine, if I don't use my words skillfully, I’m treated no differently than a mere child."
"So, Lady Rurua, you too have had your share of hardships?"
And just like that, the conversation shifted to an open discussion about myself. If anyone is more adept at this, it is certainly Lady Rurua. Well, there is no longer any need for me to hide anything, I suppose.
"Yes. It is, after all, quite unheard of for a child such as myself to be at the university."
"...Come to think of it, I heard you knocked on the gates yourself. Might I ask the reason?"
"There is no grand reason. This Land of Magic literally makes the study of magic a national policy. Because of that, children can eat. Even orphans. For someone like me, who had been abandoned, it was a truly grateful system."
Indeed, in this Land of Magic, any citizen can study magic. Of course, since many are engaged in agriculture and the like, one might wonder if it’s wise to pull hands away from labor just for study...
"Children receive subsidies and the food distributions I mentioned. In the past, there was resistance—or rather, a lack of understanding—but now it has become deeply ingrained. And those who were children then have grown into adults who now teach the magic themselves."
"I see. So they managed to force it through as a custom, then. It seems Lady Nonoa went through quite a lot of trouble."
"...To pull people away from labor just to study magic is madness. Where on earth did they scrape together the funds and resources?"
"Ah, I have heard of that as well. Other nations were quite puzzled by it, too. But once you hear the truth, it isn't so mysterious."
All eyes turned to Lady Rurua, who seemed to know things even I did not. How on earth did they manage to secure the funding and supplies?
"Well, to put it bluntly... it was a small nation. Even smaller than it is now. Which means the population was low. And mages are, by nature, high earners. They had been dispatching mages since long ago, so they had a fair amount of capital. The Land of Magic was also under the umbrella of Roschur, and they had made inquiries about whether they could purchase food through those channels."
"I see," they all murmured in unison.
Both then and now, the Land of Magic’s primary industry is magic-related services. They used that to gain capital and keep the nation running.
"And furthermore, the selling point that 'you will be able to use magic'—which is a fact now—drew people in, increasing tax revenue. And if the citizenry can use basic Fireball, the self-defense capabilities of the villages increase. Of course, they are managed while being taught magic. That is how they implemented the family registry system that Weed uses."
"...That is surprising. And yet, it makes sense. If a family registry is firmly established, management becomes much easier."
"Indeed. If there is a registry, citizens can receive stipends and rations, and they can be given orders as well."
I was impressed to learn that Lady Nonoa and the people of the Land of Magic had managed to acquire foreign currency and food in such a manner. As for my own story, I was simply abandoned, raised in an orphanage, and learned magic until I reached this point—there was nothing particularly interesting about it. Yet, for some reason, when I finished speaking, everyone began patting my head, leaving me quite bewildered.
Lady Nonoa runs the country with surprising seriousness. However, as it stands, it remains a nation of a select few, and it is clear that it is not suited for the governance of a great power.