When I returned to Ivalice, I sent all the documents I had obtained to my boss, Cephiro.

　In the meantime, I've made copies of everything with my "Copying" magic, but the map in particular is an area I can't have.

　I'm rather good at attack magic and not at that kind of detection magic.

　There's no way I can figure out who wrote that map from the tiny traces of magical power left on it.

　That kind of work would be the field of the Commander, who is a mad alchemist (Matud Scientist).

　That's why I decided to focus on the other task I have been assigned.

　I called my maid, Sati, and gave her something.

'What is it?　This little white thing.

　Satie is puzzled by the object she's never seen before.

'Master, what is this?'

It's called rice.

...Rice?

　She had never heard of it.
　I guess it's not popular in this world.

　Of course, I didn't realize it existed until I went to the royal capital, Reezus, the other day. I didn't even know there was rice in this world until I found it in the corner of a merchant's shop.

"You remember I told you once that I was going to double the city's tax revenue.

Yes, I understand you've been experimenting with four-wheeled farming.

Yeah, I've been experimenting with magic and stuff behind the scenes, but it seems that the soil and the climate of this world are compatible with four-wheel crops.

'So you'll be able to eat turnips every day!

　Satie rejoiced with the innocence of a child.

'Well, you can't do it every day, but you'll be able to eat enough to get bored.

So your job of doubling the tax base is a success.

We're almost there. Farming takes time, so it won't be effective until next year.

The Lord Commander will be very pleased, then.

Yeah, well, I'm not telling you about it yet.

'What?　Why?

If I accomplished it easily, she would push me to do something even more impossible. It's just fine to report pathetically that you succeeded after all the hard work you put in," he said.

So that's the kind of man you are.

'She's not a bad person but... no, she's a villain. She's a witch who's lived for hundreds of years, and she's a mean bottom-feeder.

''Are you sure?　Talk shit about your boss.

This room has been invested in anti-wiretapping magic. And in any dictatorship, the subordinates have the right to speak ill of their superiors.

　--without a boss, that is.

　Well, I'm not going to get started on this whining, so let's get down to business.

Back to the point. This is rice, a rare grain from an island nation in the south.

...Is it expensive?

　Satie asks fearfully.

'There it is,'

　I'll only return one word.

　The reason I didn't tell you the price is because if I did, the girl would have a stroke.

　Besides, you are going to have this rice cooked for you, and I can't stand to have it cooked with my trembling hands.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing, but it's not a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing.



　And let me preface this by saying.

　By the way, I wonder if the value of rice in this world is as valuable as copper of the same mass.

　It is a luxury item for the aristocracy.

　If we can mass produce this, our tax revenue will increase significantly!　

　-- and I don't think that's going to happen.

　A luxury product is a luxury product, and if it becomes available in large quantities, the price will come down accordingly.

　But it still has added value as a rare grain, and the crop of rice has some advantages.


'Rice is many times more productive than wheat.


　The amount of rice that can be taken from the same area is overwhelmingly greater than wheat.

　To put it bluntly, from the point of view of efficiency, growing wheat is ridiculous, both in modern times and in other worlds.

　And rice requires less fertilizer.

　If everyone ate rice, we could feed many times more people than we do now.
　When I explain that to Sati, she rolls her eyes.

'Does that mean we can eat many times more rice than we ever have before?　Satie can't eat that much.

　And that's misguided.

　Maybe it's too difficult for the uneducated Sati.
　Let's try to explain it to her at a lower level.

'It's a typical Sati way of thinking. But it's not. If we can produce many times more, we'll be able to feed many times more people than we do now.

Does that mean the population will grow in proportion to that?

'It's simple. Well, there won't actually be that many, and there's no need for more. If we can feed a large number of people with fewer people, some of them won't have to work on the farm, will they?

Well, that's true, but you sound like a nobleman for not working.

'It doesn't mean they literally stop working. It's just that people who have been working in agriculture will do other jobs. They'll become weaponsmiths, bricklayers, and some of them might even eat by performing street art.

There are still people like that, but...?

I mean, there will be more of them.

　I don't think Sati would understand if I used the words "primary, secondary and tertiary industries".

Well, the number of farmers who are freed from farm work and get jobs that produce something, and the number of people who provide services to those people who get those jobs increases. For example, cooks, stage actors, writers, and so on, and then the country will naturally become more prosperous.

'.........I don't really understand Sati, but I can tell you that my master is doing his best for the people of his domain.

　When she said that, she rolled up the sleeves of her maid's uniform, "Fushou, I will support my master with all my strength, this Satie," she said.

It would be great to hear you say that.

　I said so and asked Satie to cook the rice.

　I have a lot of knowledge about my past life, but when it comes to cooking, I'm a bit of a novice. When it comes to cooking, I don't even know what to do.

　It would make sense to leave this to the experts.
　I was the only one left in my memory from my past life.

There's a saying that says, "When you cook rice, start with a little bit of rice, and don't remove the lid when the baby cries.

　I told him the word.

.........Hajime choro choro choronoka pappa aka akagonaite mohtatluna, right? ...It's like a magic spell, isn't it?

　She recites as if confused.
　She doesn't seem to understand at all.

　Maybe I've blown something unnecessary into her.
　With that in mind, I stared at Sati's back as she began to cook the rice.