379-377 Expo proposal




 It's me.
 Gov. Okubo and his friends have returned.

My lord, we are back.
I've been teaching you how to make paper as you requested.

 Yeah, right!
 Thank God!

 I went to visit a farm in the Devil's Land to get some wool, and I happened to learn a fact that the paper industry in the Devil's Land is in danger of being destroyed.
 It was that the paper industry in the Devil's Land was in danger of being destroyed.

 Moreover, the cause was the woody paper that had escaped from my farm.
 If I hadn't thought to provide it to Shax-san, a merchant who came and went from the farm, before I knew it, it would have swept the market and put pressure on the existing traders.

 Even though I didn't know it, I still feel guilty knowing that my actions threatened the lives of innocent people.

 I was able to show the mainstream parchment ranchers, who had been the mainstream supplier of materials for parchment, a new way to earn a profit by teaching them how to use the wool.

 But my mind is still not clear.

 I'm sure the people involved in the production of parchment, as well as its raw material providers, are going to be lost in the streets because of me.

 So I asked Gov't Okubo and his friends to come out and teach me the art of papermaking, which they had mastered.

 The plan worked.
 Although it was only for one day, the paper craftsmen of the demon city seemed to have desperately learned new skills and mastered the process of making woody paper.

''However, there will still be some problems though...''
To get a paper as high quality as farm-made paper, you'd need the best lumber grown on the farm and they'd have to start arranging the raw materials from scratch.
They will have to develop their own replacements for the various paper chemicals made by Mistress Prathi, and even though I have taught them how to make paper, they will never be able to get off the ground. I don't think they will ever be able to get off the ground simply because we've taught them how to do it.

 From there, let's put their professional passion and skills to work.

 Anyway, now I've succeeded in digesting the karma I've been accumulating without even knowing it!
 No more guilt-ridden nightmares every night!
 Your daily meals will be delicious again!

 I was feeling refreshed with that thought, and later on, some problems were derived again.
 I thought it was good that I was going to do it, but now I'm getting into trouble without knowing it.

 Is this what the butterfly effect is all about?

    * * * *

 That day, Mr. Shaks of the Pandemonium Chamber of Commerce came to visit me.
 He looked very tired.

"I'm in trouble...!

 The expression on his face was also troubled, and the word that came out of his mouth was 'troubled'.
 What in the world happened?

I'm sure you did that the other day, right? The Paper Guild...
Yeah.

 Teaching the paper making method practiced on the farm to the Demon City's Paper Guild was something Shax-san had done without permission.

 There would be no reason to ask for permission.
 I don't care who I pass on the skills developed on my farm to, it's up to me, the owner of the farm.
 In the meantime, I'm aware of saving it from causing social chaos...

Did karma happen to you?
What's the consequence of karma?
Because they have a monopoly on our product, make a profit, and then try to muscle in on the existing businesses, right?

 Thinking back, the deal with Shax-san began through the Demon King's family.

 In accordance with the wishes of Batty and the elves who wanted to sell their works, they needed someone to mediate the sale and purchase.
 That's when we were introduced to Shax-san.

 I was hoping that Shax's trade association, which controls the demon tribe's largest trade route, would be able to sell the works of Bati and the elves appropriately, and even after that, he would frequently visit the farm and find interesting things to sell with the astuteness of a merchant.

It's a good thing that we've reached this point in our relationship, but if we're going to be forced to take part in something that's not worthy of our trust, then we need to consider revising our relationship...
'No way! I'm not trying to be naughty! It's true!

 Shax-san said with an expression that made him look like he was about to cry from the bottom of his heart.
 I don't know how far I can see through the great merchants of the sea and mountains, but at least it didn't look like an act.

'We always aim to be a business that serves the world and the country! It's not a pretty business, and it won't last long if it doesn't coexist and co-prosper with the world! It is very frightening for a merchant to incur resentment from a stranger!

 This also sounded like a serious statement.

''As was the case with the sausage machine! After making a big sale, they outsourced the sale to a street vendor who was affected by it, so that they could share in the profits! I just didn't want to cause them to resent me!

 Even the big merchants didn't want to buy something.

''So, against the Paper Guild, too?''
'In this case, we don't know how to manufacture the saint's supreme paper on our end. We had intended to sell it as a limited luxury item.

 The supreme paper.
 Is that what they call it...?

It's a luxury product with a slightly more luxurious feel than the paper you use every day. That's how we positioned it so that it wouldn't scare off existing products, but the quality is so good that we've been inundated with orders for it beyond our expectations. I can't afford not to respond since I have an inventory...!

 Come to think of it, Gov. Gov. Kichi and the others had gotten into a good mood and were passing around the paper that they were making around to Mr. Shax because they had no use for it.
 It must have been a considerable amount of paper.

 Shax-san, as a merchant, couldn't stay without selling what he could.
 ........Huh?
 So I'm gonna be in the end of this, right?

'We've been doing everything we can to put the problem behind us, but there's no way we can stop it...! I had considered putting my trust in the saint, but it was a last resort...!

 It seems that Shax-san was also troubled while turning his hand behind the scenes.

''Well, that was also resolved by the saint-sama's boneheadedness, and those of us who couldn't do anything about it are just unworthy of it...!
No, no, no!
But it's been a while since we've had another flashpoint.

 Sparks?
 More sparks?

''We have heard from various quarters that the Paper Guild has been instructed by a saint, and protests are pouring into our trade association...!
What do you mean by "protest"?
'It's unfair that only the Paper Guild is being disclosed the secret process, and that we should be informed.' From various quarters, from the Sewing Guild, the Stonemason's Guild, the Pottery Guild, to the Tanner's Guild.
"What?
The products that we can wholesale from Saints' farms are that great, so we want the secrets of their production process down our throats from our peers.

 Nevertheless, technology is life to a craftsman. No matter what happens, it must be kept secret.
 All the craftsmen were aware of this as well, so they couldn't openly say, "Tell me your secrets.

 However, the other day at the Paper Guild, the super-technology was handed down unilaterally.
 All the things they had endured up to now erupted in one fell swoop at that fact...!

But why would that bring you to Mr. Shaks?
''We are the only ones who deal in goods from the saints........ We are the only ones who deal in goods from the saints.......and for them, the only one who can track the connection between the saints and the 'Farm' brand is our trade association, so we are being pressed every day......

 .........
 Did I do something careless again?

 Even the case of the paper mill guild and the sheep farm production could have been solved smarter if it was carried out after consulting with Shax-san and the Demon King.

 Isn't this just endlessly solving one case leads to another!

''No, no, it's not something the saint-sama cares about! If you are a transcendent saint, you should always behave as you see fit. We don't need to worry about the things we do not have to worry about.
I say that, but...!
The protests from the craftsmen will eventually go unanswered if we let them ignore it. We too have the privilege of making money from our dealings with the saints, so it's times like these that we have to take a stand...!

 But when you get into trouble like that because of me, my guilt is tingling again!
 It's something like that, but the food I eat won't be good and I can't sleep with the pillows banging against me if I leave the bruises related to me unattended.

After all, I'll take care of it myself........!
I don't want to be bothered by your saint.

 Mr. Shax was trying to push me away softly.
 Well, I have a record of causing more trouble with the Paper Guild.

 I'm sure you'll be able to find a way out of this.
 I'm sure Shaksus, a thoughtful merchant, will come up with a good plan that will work out for all sides, and we on the farm side will provide the power.

What do you think?
Well I'd like to take you up on your offer.

 Mr. Shax confided in me after a thoughtful discussion.

''If you are willing to cooperate with the saint-sama, I would rather disclose the farm's super-technology in response to the other party's request. There is also a way to do that. ........no no no! Of course, it's not unlimited!

 He followed up excessively, just to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

'It's a limited disclosure. That would give the artisans a certain amount of understanding, and it wouldn't cause a stir on the part of the saints. That way, we won't cause a stir in the saint's personal affairs. It would mean that a compromise would be reached.
'I understand that, but how do you decide on such a convenient spoonful?
I have a better idea.

 Mr. Shaks said.

'We're going to have an exposition,'