"Garcia. Do you know that ledger?

Tozen. Who do you think you are?

　When I asked Garcia about the account book in the hall later, he replied like this.

　It's a cocky thing to say, but I asked him from the beginning to keep track of the economic situation in the territory, and he's been doing it every day.

But sir. Didn't the people in the village tell you about the books?

"Yes, but... But it didn't really sink in.

Well, it might get confusing if you're not used to it.

　I think the good thing about this guy is that he never makes fun of those who don't understand, like the common economists (experts).

But you don't have to think too hard. It's basically the same as 'pt'.

"Same as ......pt?

　Currently, when I, as a lord, hire my people or buy things from my territory, I record my debts in a unique unit called 'pt' and use it for payment.

But... But I don't really understand pts either.

　Just as I was thinking this, a maid came in from the serving room with a tray.

"Master. Here's your tea.

"Oh, thank you.

　For example, the maid who just brought me a cup of tea, Icoca's salary is also paid in the form of pt credits in exchange for my pt debt.

　She can get an IOU issued according to the amount of pts charged, which she can use to exchange for goods in various villages.

　However, I don't understand why she is doing this.

　I knew I didn't understand, so I left that part to Garcia and Igarashi-san.

"Yes, it's delicious. You've gotten better at making tea.

Really?

Yeah. But it's time to go, so I have to get ready to go. Tell everyone to get dressed.

Yes, sir!　Yes, sir!

　As Icoca bowed and left, I took another sip of my milk tea.

　Then Garcia started to talk.

"Even if you don't understand, you do understand that a lord's debt is an asset to his people, right?

　Yes, I think I barely understand that part.

"In other words, someone's debt is an asset for others, right?

That's what I mean. That's how it is when you think of it in the analogy of Gaiwamura and Ama-san.

　Saying this, Garcia wrote the following on a piece of paper in his hand.



I'm not sure.

＋10 shells (real) / - 10 shells' worth of debt (on the books)


[Ama].

+10 shells' worth of credits (on the books) / -10 shells' worth of debts (on the books)


In other words, the delivery of the real thing creates a debt and a claim. In other words, the delivery of the real thing creates a debt and a claim. In exchange for giving up the real shellfish, Ama gets money in a broader sense.

"Yes, yes. That's what I don't understand.

　I put down my cup of milk tea and continue.

"You're right, from the ama's point of view, it's like they're getting money from selling shellfish.　But there's no money anywhere. I didn't even issue the IOU. That's what's confusing me.

That's right. There's no such thing as money anywhere in the world.

"What?

　When I froze, Garcia scratched his temple a little with the pen with which he was keeping his ledger, and then continued.

"So, Mister, how do you think money came to be in the first place?

"What do you mean?

Well, money is normal now, but long ago, there was no money in the world, right?　I'm talking about how money was created from there.

What's more, it's not as if there's no such thing as money in the world.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for, but it's not always possible. But .

I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing, but at the end of the day, 'it's valuable because people think it's valuable' isn't really an explanation.

"Mmm. ......

And from my own experience as a traveling merchant, I've rarely seen bartering in primitive societies. ......



　By the way.

　Even in our modern world, with its well-developed transportation systems such as trains and steamships, there are places deep in the jungle where civilization cannot reach.

　Deep in the jungle.

　Isolated islands in the sea.

　Basins in the mountains.

　In such isolated backwaters, there are tribes that are still living primitive lives (without knowing that the world is enjoying civilization).

　Incidentally, such tribes are sometimes human, sometimes demon, sometimes elf or dwarf.

　When I was adventuring with a party of heroes, I sometimes made friends with such tribes in the middle of my journey, and sometimes got into trouble with them, but Garcia is also a man who used to be a world-traveling merchant.

Garcia was originally a world-traveling merchant. "When I was just starting out......10 years ago. I used to go looking for such tribes. Many of the tribes in the backcountry had their own special herbs and magic spells that were very useful in the city.

　Garcia's age is right in the middle of mine and Igarashi-san's, so 10 years ago, he was still in his mid-teens. ......

　I'm sure you've done some hard traveling at that age.



"And when you look at those tribal societies, there's no bartering. Everyone just takes the initiative to give something to someone or do something for someone else. Why do you think that is?

"That's you. You live in nature, so you're not worn out.

It's true that many people are simple, for better or worse. But that has nothing to do with it.

"Then why is that?

　Garcia finally came to a conclusion.

The reason is that in a small group like a tribal society, when people do something for others, they remember each other's 'lending' and 'borrowing' feelings. It's the same as what the adventurers say, 'You owe me, I owe you.

　After another pause, the ex-traveling merchant continued.

"So, you see. There is a theory that this sense of 'lending' and 'borrowing' is the original form of money.

"Ah, ......, I see. That may be so.

　I feel like my head is loosening up a bit, so I mumble to myself.

"On the contrary, bartering is an irregular response when, for example, a 'stranger' like yourself comes from far away. If you visit often enough, you won't barter at all, and you'll soon be trading on a borrow/loan basis. Of course, I'll keep a book.

　When I heard that much, I realized that ......

Isn't that the same as what Tonomura was doing?

Yes!　That's what I mean.

　That is to say, the sense of loan and the sense of debt that people have been remembering, they can no longer remember them, so they start to record them.

So, back to Toun, even though there was no monetary economy, there was a high literacy rate and a well-developed bookkeeping system, so there was almost a basis for a monetary economy. Sotomura keeps the largest number of books, but to tell the truth, other villages and houses also keep their own books.

Is that so?

Yeah. But the way we keep the books here is quite inconvenient.

Inconvenient?

In the bookkeeping between the village and the ama divers, debts and credits were recorded in terms of the number of products, right?　It would be more convenient if we standardized the units and recorded them as prices.

　That's when it hit me.

"Are you saying that we should standardize the unit to 'pt'?

"Thanks for talking so quickly. That's what I meant.

　Garcia smiles merchantly, dimples in his eyes.

But how am I supposed to do that?

"Yeah. So I'm thinking of giving the outer villages, which have lost trade with the outside world due to the construction of the port, a new job within the village. ......

　When I said that much, Garcia looked behind me.

It's easy to explain this when you visit Isomura's hot spring hotel.

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

"...... Eiga-sama. Everyone is ready. Let's go.

　He was glaring at us as usual, but his shoulders seemed to be in a state of excitement.

　Behind her, three maids in civilian clothes were also smiling and waiting.

　Yes.

　Today is the day that everyone in the building is going on a consolation trip to a newly built hot spring inn.