"Collapsed houses can be rebuilt."
At Rockefeller's words, the overseer was a little taken aback.
"But don't you need money to rebuild?"
"Of course, a loan is needed."
Carter Bank, which he visited, was also in terrible shape due to the earthquake damage, but unlike other stores, it was not collapsed due to magical protection.
"A loan, you say..."
Talking about loans in a place like this.
As the overseer showed his distaste, Rockefeller immediately continued.
"Of course, the interest rate is lower than you think. How can the common people who are suffering from earthquake damage get back on their feet if we charge high interest rates at times like this?"
"So what interest rate are you thinking of?"
"I have no intention of making money from this. However, there must be some compensation for the borrowed money."
Originally, Rockefeller planned to significantly increase loans to create profits, so this major change was a very welcome event for him.
If all the common people end up in debt because of this, he would become even wealthier.
"So, if your credit is good, I plan to lend at a 3% monthly interest rate. That's half of the original 6% interest."
"3%..."
"It's not 3% for everyone. Depending on the situation, 1% interest is also entirely possible."
"You're going to lower it to 1%?"
Rockefeller smiled kindly.
"Don't we all have to live together?"
At his words, the overseer was somewhat moved.
Normally, a banker would be too busy looking after their own interests to even consider charging higher interest rates in times like this.
People who lost their homes had to find money somehow to rebuild them.
"You really are a kind person. I thought all bankers were the same."
"That's not the case. It's better for us, who collect taxes, if the territory quickly recovers and stabilizes."
"Anyway, you seem to care more about the common people than the Lord does."
"Thank you for saying that. I am always thinking about the territory."
"If the common people knew about this, they would be very happy."
"I hope so too."
The overseer, who seemed to be in a good mood, suddenly remembered something and took something out of his pocket and handed it to Rockefeller.
"Ah, this is something I found by chance on the roadside."
The overseer went on a patrol around the territory this morning and saw children playing in the greatly changed water stream.
Since it had rained the day before, the water had swelled, and with a worried heart, he approached the children. Well, the kids were picking up something shiny like a stone there.
"I didn't think it was necessary to report this, but I thought it would be good for you to know, since you are the actual owner of this land."
The shiny stone handed over by the overseer was a gold ore with very fine natural gold embedded between the minerals.
'What is this...'
Rockefeller, who could not hide his surprise, calmly asked.
"What is this...? It looks like it's shiny in places."
"Don't you know? It looks like gold ore to me. Hasn't the terrain changed drastically recently? It used to be called Azrak Gold Mine, and it was said to be a place with a tremendous amount of gold. Although I don't know much about it, it seems that the gold ore that had been forgotten in the past has rolled down the stream due to the recent terrain changes. The children were playing while looking for it, so I took one."
The overseer had no idea.
That this land would become a golden land after the catastrophe.
Well, he couldn't even guess.
But Rockefeller was different.
'I should have hurried more. I won't be able to stop the gold ore from coming out due to the catastrophe. The gold veins must have already been exposed in the overturned terrain.'
The gold veins that had been dormant in this land for a long time were now revealing themselves, and it seemed inevitable that the gold ores and gold they produced would spread through word of mouth.
Would the gold ore that the overseer had picked up without thinking be just one?
If it continues to be noticeable, the overseer will probably become suspicious.
If this land is really a dead land.
'I'd better move quickly before the rumors spread further.'
"Ah... I've heard that story too. Dwarves used to live here, right?"
At that, the overseer nodded.
"Yes, I heard that a long time ago. They said this land was full of gold mines back then."
"That's right. If this is indeed gold ore, I think some of the gold ore that the dwarves left behind may have come out due to the recent earthquake."
The overseer had similar thoughts.
"I think so too. What gold ore is there in a dead land? It must have been picked up by chance because of the earthquake."
And he added this.
"It would be great if things like this kept coming out. Then the value of this land would change, and it would no longer be a remote part of the empire, but rather an important area that receives the Emperor's attention. That way, we could receive help from the royal family when there is a foreign invasion, right?"
The overseer continued what he was saying.
"Do you know how coldly the royal family turned their backs on this land during the Totem War? It was just abandoned land. Whether something happened here or not, the royal family didn't even care."
"Indeed. They probably didn't help because they didn't even care. Whether this land prospered or not, it would hold little significance to them."
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