To the Ainsworth County ②

 
 Having decided on the plans from now on, we were about to close off the meeting, when Sofia spoke to Count Miodyne.
 
 “Excuse me, viscount. I would like to ask for the details tomorrow, but could you tell me just this one thing?”
 
 “What is it?”
 
 The viscount, who had already stood up, turned around and tilted his head at Sofia.
 
 “It’s about the territory’s budget, but, a considerable sum of money was set aside for monster subjugation. From this, does that mean that there’s that much damage from monsters?”
 
 The viscount nodded in response to my treasurer’s question.^[1]
 
 “That is exactly the case. This territory has many plains and gentle hills, and as you are aware, we have vast farmlands and pastures. But, put the other way around, that means 『the monsters also have a lot of food』. That means our country’s pantry is also, at the same time, the ideal feeding ground for goblins and orcs.”
 
 “A feeding ground, huh.”
 
 Sofia knit her brows.
 
 “Subjugation groups go into the forests adjacent to the villages every year in the spring, and fortunately the monsters don’t often intrude as far as the settlements. However, the damage to livestock and crops is substantial, and the influence which the rare human casualty has on their spirits is unfathomable.”
 
 “——— I see. I understand now.”
 
 When Sofia nodded in understanding, Otou-sama beside us then began speaking.
 
 “With regards to the Gracimento monster subjugations, the Owleyes Knights Order also participates each time. They go around to each village for about a month and smash the goblins and orcs in the forests adjacent to settlements, but no matter how many we kill, they’re back to how they were a year later. Their reproductive ability is truly astonishing.”
 
 I then spoke to Otou-sama, his face grimacing.
 
 “Just because you say that, doesn’t mean I’m just going to stand by and watch my people get hurt. ——— Somehow, we have to take measures.”
 
 “Yeah. That’s my girl.”
 
 Saying so, my father pats my shoulder.
 
 “Otou-sama, could you please tell me about monsters?”
 
 “Of course!”
 
 Really happy to be relied on, Otou-sama immediately replied in a good mood.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The next day.
 We were guided on our inspection of the town of Prigracim by Viscount Miodyne.
 
 The inspection was by carriage till the central square.
 After that, we’d go around in the carriage to the town’s east, south, and west.
 That was the plan.
 
 
 
 Getting off the carriage at the public square, I was a bit surprised.
 
 “There’s a splendidly large market set up here. I don’t think it was here yesterday though.”
 
 Right.
 
 Roughly speaking, there were more than forty stalls set up side by side, with fruits and vegetables, meat, cheese, bread, and also metal utensils and clothes and such all lined up in their storefronts.
 
 Those passing by were busily doing their shopping, while conversing with the shopkeepers.
 It was something I didn’t see yesterday when passing through here in the carriage.
 
 The viscount then answered my doubts.
 
 “The market opens two days a week. This market acts as the town inhabitant’s kitchen, with fresh foodstuffs and such coming directly from the farming villages to be sold here.”
 
 “Perhaps, even people from other territories come here to buy?”
 
 “No, as expected, specialised distributors act as intermediaries for interterritorial cases. Hence there are many companies on the town’s east side, in other words the royal capital side, and they eagerly transact with outside companies. If you think of the city’s east side as the commercial ward, the west side as the residential district, and the south side as the warehouse area, you’d basically not be wrong.”
 
 I see.
 
 Incidentally, the town’s north side is a gathering of public buildings and land plots, like government offices, courthouses, and soldiers’ quarters.
 
 The Lord’s mansion where I’m currently staying, and that will be my home from now on, is also in that northern area.
 
 
 
 “Uhm, by the way, round about where would the workshop street by?”
 
 This question is the most important for me.
 
 Actually, there’s no Ainsworth Workshop in this Ainsworth territory given to me.
 
 As there is none currently set up, if we open a new workshop, it would oppress the management of existing workshops.
 
 I am a newcomer lord from outside.
 
 Considering the feelings of the residents, I’d like to avoid oppressing the existing tradesmen and incurring their wrath, which would create a bad reputation for me.
 
 That said, since I will be spending a certain amount of my time in this town, I don’t want to be without a workshop where I can easily ask for help.
 
 From now on, I’ll be coming and going between three places, the Ainsworth territory, the old Owleyes Territory, and the Royal Capital.
 
 I’m still thinking what roles the old territory and royal capital workshops should each play, and will have to discuss it with Otou-sama.
 
 In addition to that, although I’ll have to think about what to do with the magic tool development environment in this town, I don’t have a workshop under my direct management, so I’ll need to build good relations with the local workshops.
 
 
 
 For that reason, I was very curious to ask.
 
 Yet what I got from Viscount Miodyne was a somewhat troubled response.
 
 “The workshop street, is it…”
 
 『Uhhh…』, the viscount groaned.
 
 That response made me uneasy.
 
 “Is there some sort of problem?”
 
 “No, there’s no problem, but… well, Your Excellency is interested in the magic tool workshops, yes?”
 
 “Uhhm… yes. It’s mainly that.”
 
 Having my intentions seen through, I laughed it off stiffly, feeling awkward.
 
 Then, the viscount apologetically told me something unbelievable.
 
 “Actually, there aren’t any workshops in this town that deal with magic tools.”
 
 “… What?”
 
 I involuntarily questioned him back.
 
 “Of the workshops in this town, although there are several ordinary blacksmiths and carpenters that deal with daily necessities and farming tools, there isn’t a single one that deals with magic tools.”
 
 “B-, but still, the magic armaments used by the territory’s soldiers and the adventurers will need maintenance. What do they do then?”
 
 “As the soldiers’ magic armaments are supplied by the country, they send it back to the royal capital and have it replaced if it breaks, and since the territory was under the royal family’s direct control, adventurers basically don’t get relied on for the public’s security.”
 
 “… My word.”
 
 I stood there dumbfounded, motionless.
 
 
 “In other words, I’ll have to start up a workshop from scratch?!”