Published: January 4, 2026
“We are currently reclaiming new land.”
“I am aware of that.”
“The main crop is rice, but we are giving out extra land, so some farmers will want to grow other crops as side businesses. I want you to procure seeds.”
“Understood. I will arrange to get them.”
“Good. Next time, come directly to the governor’s office yourself.”
“—Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Being able to meet and make transactions with me in person was the greatest achievement of the day. Jamie stood up happily and bowed again.
Leaving Jamie behind, I exited the salt shop alone.
One of the salt shops was calm now; the store was sealed off and the onlookers had dispersed.
As I left the salt shop, I kept thinking about Jamie.
My first impression was that he was a decent merchant.
I wanted to learn more.
I wanted information.
I thought to ask Cindy, who is also a merchant.
But seeds, huh—
“Seeds, huh?”
I murmured the word to myself, puzzled enough to stop in my tracks.
☆
That night, in the office.
While processing various reports, petitions, and instructions, Cindy, whom I had summoned, arrived.
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I returned as soon as I received the message, but—”
Cindy immediately apologized for being late to the summons.
When she looked up, her face showed considerable fatigue.
Yet, despite that, her expression was one of readiness for my summons.
“That’s all right. You must be busy running around everywhere.”
“Not at all! For Your Majesty—no, for Noah-sama, I am at your service anytime, anywhere!”
“Don’t be so formal. I have something to consult with you.”
I smiled gently, and Cindy tilted her head slightly, looking a bit puzzled.
“Consultation is usually between equals or among those engaged in the same work.
In this case, between the governor and a merchant, it’s unusual to have a ‘consultation’; normally, orders are simply given.
That’s why Cindy hesitated a little.”
“A consultation, you say?”
“First, I want to confirm: how do merchants currently handle trading seed rice?”
“Seed rice? Well, that’s not very common, so…”
“I understand. Most farmers produce seed themselves. When they get seed externally, it’s usually after a disaster.”
“Yes, so in those cases, they typically go around to other farms and buy any surplus seed.”
“Does that make a business?”
Cindy slowly shook her head.
“No, as Noah-sama said, most farmers produce and store their own seed. They also grow the seeds according to their own methods, so unless there’s a disaster or something serious, they don’t use seed from elsewhere. So there’s no real market for it.”
“I was just discussing this with Newf—the sorting of seeds using muddy water and such. Each farm has different ways, it seems.”
“Haha…”
Cindy responded vaguely, still unsure what this was about.
“Do farmers profit during disasters?”
“To some extent, but not enough to expect much. Often, it’s almost unpaid labor.”
“I see.”
I nodded quietly.
Having established the premise, I moved to the main point.
“Let me ask again. Do you think a seed business could exist in normal times?”
“Huh? Well… probably difficult.”
Cindy said reluctantly.
“While seeds are needed after disasters, even if such stores existed, in normal times I think everyone would prefer to produce their own seeds. I don’t think there’s much benefit.”
“If there were benefits, what then?”
“Benefits?”
Cindy looked confused.
“You know I’m working with Newf to grow a new variety of rice, right?”
“Yes, it’s revolutionary, being able to harvest twice a year.”
“Would the seed of that new rice be a benefit?”
“Hmm… temporarily it might sell, but then everyone would just keep seeds themselves.”
“Then what if new varieties were regularly introduced?”
“Regularly introducing new varieties?”
Cindy repeated my words.
There was a pause of several breaths.
This was probably an unimaginable idea in Cindy’s worldview.
But as soon as she understood, her expression changed.