Chapter 47: Are You Still Short of People?

Just then, Frieren's gaze suddenly hardened as she stared fixedly at the city wall not far away.

There, Old Walter, who had just departed, stood on a high platform, gathering the young men building the wall, while instructing the foreman beside him to loudly announce the names of the work groups that had contributed the most and progressed the fastest yesterday.

Their reward was an extra ten days' wages for each person.

Watching the four young men step forward upon being called, Old Walter smiled warmly and waved his hand, prompting the foreman beside him to immediately step up, pull many glittering objects from a bag, and distribute one to each of them.

The commendation concluded, the young men let out a cheer and returned to their work with renewed vigor, as if this were merely part of their daily routine.

But Frieren's heart was far from calm.

Her eyes widened as that glittering object from moments ago kept echoing in her mind—

That was a mana crystal, wasn't it?

It definitely was a mana crystal, right?!

Earning one mana crystal for just ten days of work—what kind of absurd salary level is this?!

Frieren finally understood why everyone here was so optimistic and proactive, willingly embracing even such dirty and exhausting labor.

If offered a salary of one mana crystal every ten days, she too would be willing to build city walls!

Frieren slowly turned her head, her expression serious as she looked at Lin Yu and said, "My lord, are you still short of people?"

Lin Yu: "...?"

Frieren quickly added, "Don't misunderstand, I just think that working in such a rich... such a happy town must be very enjoyable!"

Lin Yu chuckled helplessly.

Beside them, Fu Fu Lamei rolled her eyes and remarked irritably, "You mean the compensation is high enough, right!"

Lin Yu smiled and said, "The wages are high, but so are the prices, especially for Daily Necessities here; compared to the outside world, they could be called astronomical..."

Fu Fu Lamei frowned and whispered, "I know you want your subjects to live prosperously, but such a high wage level will surely produce many adverse effects, won't it?"

"As far as I know, Ridge Peak City is currently trading with surrounding nations; wouldn't an influx of cheap goods into the local market cause locally produced items with excessively high prices to lose their competitiveness?"

"Furthermore, if one can earn a mana crystal in just ten days, aren't you afraid they'll save up enough money and run off to other countries to enjoy life?"

Lin Yu smiled and said, "The issues you mentioned do indeed exist, but so far they haven't developed to such a severe extent."

"Old Walter is already a capable man, and I taught him some economic methods; under his management, the economic situation of Ridge Peak Territory remains in a state of healthy development."

"Although prices are high, the purchasing power for affordable goods still far exceeds that of surrounding nations."

"There are many avenues to spend excess wealth, so living here carries little pressure."

"Moreover, the subjects of Ridge Peak Territory have all experienced war and wandering; they know very well that without the protection of Ridge Peak Territory, no matter how much money they have, they will merely become fat sheep in the eyes of others."

"As for those who have already run off, they were never core subjects anyway; a few mana crystals given to them is fine, since their names have already been placed on a blacklist and they can never return to Ridge Peak Territory."

"According to the estimates Old Walter and I made, we need not worry about such matters for at least two generations."

Fu Fu Lamei frowned and asked, "And what about after two generations?"

After two generations, the subjects of Ridge Peak Territory will embark on the path of cultivation.

By that time, mana crystals will not only be currency but also essential items for cultivation, so there will be even less to worry about!

Of course, Lin Yu did not intend to tell Fu Fu Lamei these things yet.

Seeing Lin Yu smile without speaking, Fu Fu Lamei fell into thoughtful silence, then nodded and said, "As long as you have confidence."

Half an hour later, the three of them walked out of the most famous restaurant in the city.

The ingredients for this restaurant were supplied directly by the Demon-Hunting Corps under the command of the City Lord's Guard, hence it offered many unique dishes; for instance, the three servings of dragon-beast grilled ribs they had just eaten were its signature dish.

Walking along the Central Avenue, Fu Fu Lamei muttered softly, "Just three servings of grilled ribs cost three crystal coins; the prices here are indeed ridiculously high..."

Crystal coins are the basic currency of Ridge Peak Territory, made from crystals whose mana has been completely exhausted.

According to the official exchange rate, one hundred crystal coins can be exchanged for one standard unit of mana crystal.

Of course, the market fluctuates; in private exchanges, the ratio is approximately 1:110.

Therefore, Old Walter directly rewarding mana crystals is an even more joyful event than distributing crystal coins.

Hearing her teacher's words, Frieren nodded in deep agreement.

According to Fu Fu Lamei, in the surrounding nations trading with Ridge Peak City, the food purchasable with one crystal coin could satisfy the dietary needs of a family of three for a full three days.

And that is under the condition of three meals a day, with meat at every meal.

If the standard were lowered slightly, sustaining them for half a month would not be a problem.

"I've been wanting to ask since earlier: has Common Magic been popularized in Ridge Peak Territory?"

Fu Fu Lamei asked while gazing at a woman nearby who was using a weaving spell.

Lin Yu nodded and said, "More or less; at least the first batch of villagers has everyone learning magic."

Fu Fu Lamei glanced at him and said, "Why hasn't technology been developed?"

Lin Yu smiled and said, "It has been developed, they just don't think much of it for now."

Fu Fu Lamei asked in surprise, "Don't think much of it?"

Lin Yu sighed and said, "Trains not only require tracks to be laid, but they also run slower than earth dragons; the efficiency of spinning machines cannot compare to weaving spells; and the power of steam engines is inferior to simply installing a mana crystal..."

"I understand."

Fu Fu Lamei sighed lightly, then glanced at Lin Yu and said, "However, the technology you possess surely extends beyond this level, doesn't it!"

Lin Yu shook his head and said, "Technology that surpasses the era is, to them, no different from magic; if it cannot be developed from the foundations, it holds little significance."

Saying this, he paused briefly, then spoke seriously: "I know you are still hung up on this matter, but different circles need not force a fusion; over the past decade, I have witnessed how the residents of Ridge Peak Territory utilize mana crystals for invention and creation."

"The mana lamps, mana bellows, and mana forging furnaces you see are all their masterpieces."

"To some extent, this magical technology based on mana crystals is itself a part of science."

"Since this world possesses resources different from Earth, why must it develop exactly like Earth?"

Hearing Lin Yu's words, Fu Fu Lamei fell into thought.

Frieren wore a blank expression, her gaze wandering between the two for a moment, before finally deciding to give up thinking and stop dwelling on a topic she couldn't understand at all.

Afterwards, Lin Yu took the two women around the city for an hour, sampling the sweets from the dessert house and the strong liquor from Sunshine Street, before heading toward the castle at the northeast corner of Spine Peak Territory.

Before long, a magnificent castle came into view of the three.

Seeing Lord Lord Longlongyan, already over eighty meters long, at the castle gate, Fu Fu Lamei first showed amazement, then happily stepped forward and began affectionately stroking its scaly lower jaw.

Compared to that, Frieren wasn't so relaxed.

In her hand she gripped the Crescent Moon Staff she had instinctively drawn, watching the giant beast before her with some nervousness.

In her perception, this monster was emitting a terrifyingly powerful magical fluctuation, its magical reserves so vast that they even faintly surpassed Great Mage Fu Fu Lamei by a notch!

"Frieren."

Lin Yu's voice came from ahead.

Frieren turned her head and saw Lin Yu smiling as he said, "Your teacher and Lord Lord Longlongyan are old acquaintances. After ten years apart, they surely have much to say, so don't mind her. Come with me first, I'll take you to see your room."

"..."

Frieren steadied herself, gently nodding as she said, "Then I'll trouble you, my lord."

(End of this chapter)