The rest of the day was spent going over the candidate list for the Guild and the Ducal guard one last time. It was, after all, imperative that we don't mess up. But at the end of the day, we were done. Both Aswelth and I were satisfied with the list we had drawn up.
“I take it that you want to inform the candidates of this, your grace?” Aswelth asked.
"That is necessary. Yes. Announcing it on the day will just create resentment because the candidates might feel that they are being forced into their jobs.” I replied, “I do suggest that we maintain the old guard for now, dissolving it might create a panic among the people that were depending on it for livelihood.”
“On the other hand, I suggest that the ducal guard absorb all the old guard, and any new ones go to the adventurers' guild. Or better yet, they choose.” Aswelth said.
“And who will be explaining it all to them? Will you be taking that charge?” I asked. Yeah, right. If people were given the choice between an established organization and a new one, the choice would be obvious.
“Perhaps we can contact them then. And an announcement will have to be made. It may cause a panic depending on how the populace reacts.” Aswelth replied.
“Yes. Especially given how the recent boom has reduced classical employment availability. While the duchy can keep up with the increase in population, most of the businesses can’t. The Clan run businesses faltered long ago, I doubt either of those are having a good time now. But I fear the high salaries and benefits we're providing are setting too high a bar.”
“None of the smaller businesses can keep up. Not with the amount of gold they have on hand. Besides, we need to start taking action to curb inflation.” I said. I had been thinking over this for the last week and had the basics of an idea that might work.
“I take it that you have a suggestion for that, your grace?” Aswelth asked. Oh, yes, I did.
“First, state grants. Say I set up an organization that will give loans to small businesses and private individuals at low interest rates. Now this organization could completely overhaul how dependent the duchy is on us.”
“That in itself would reduce the panic caused. Not only that, to control inflation, we need to increase spending points. Merchants will only raise food prices if people can afford it. If people spend their money on other things and can’t afford it? No inflation.”
“Of course, it's a lot more complicated than that. The inflation will also have a real cause in the increase in farmer and worker pay. If merchants don't make enough money, they won't pay the farmers a fair price. And that could become a mess of its own.”
“I suggest preempting it. Establish a temporary organization that sets prices of food. I propose that the price of food experience a jump so that the farmers find themselves satisfied. The city dwellers will experience an increase in cost of living, but it will be muffled by the extravagant increase in wages.” I suggested.
“And how do we ensure that this organization remains temporary and fair, your grace? While I can see the needs of such an organization, it would be too easy for it to use its power to manipulate prices, possibly even reduce the amount of gold the farmers receive.” Aswelth countered.
“Employment contracts. I know, I know, it's a bit too niche an area for contracts to be completely applicable. The System will not consider it a breakage of contract if the person truly believes that they have fulfilled all the minimum needs of the contract.”
“And ‘fair pricing’ is too vague a terminology that it will be hard for even the System to enforce. So, we make it into less vague terminology. Go all lawyer on it, define the terminology.” I replied, grinning.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“It may require pages of paperwork, but I am confident that it can and will be accomplished. I’ll go over some broad strokes that I want to cover. The price should be such that it allows for every farmer to earn a wage in excess of the cost of life. And then the organization disappears. Automatically by the System.”
“It should be set in such a manner that it is affordable for all members of the duchy that have entered the workforce. And it should not be set in any way that may harm any citizen of the duchy. The last clause could have a sub-clause that it only becomes applicable if the members are aware that their actions will bring harm to this individual.” I stated.
“I take it that we have to once again begin staffing an organization?” Aswelth said, shacking his head.
“Yes, I do believe so.” I answered as we once again delved into the list.
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Altura (three days later)
“Good morning, citizens of the duchy. Yes, I know, we need a name.”- that earned a few fitfulls of laughter from the crowd gathered just beyond the city gate. The city at large did not have a square big enough to hold the entire population. But for now, the area just outside the city gate worked-
“As some of you already know, today the duchy will be seeing a shift in its administrative structure, something that will affect several of you. I shall not waste anyone's time and will get straight to the point.”
“The city guard, as we know it, will be divided into three different organizations. The Administrative Wing, the ducal guard and the Adventurers guild. Of course, it is a tad more nuanced than that.”
“A variety of organizations have been made for the welfare of the duchy, and all of these have recruited members that were counted to be members of the city guards. This has, however, caused the guard to inflate uncontrollably and destroy the chain of command.”
“All welfare organizations will, henceforth, be under the administration of the Administrative Wing. The ducal guard will, of course, be responsible for the defense of the duchy, and under the administration of General Aswelth, will serve as the military in all conflicts.”
“The Adventurers Guild is what I coin a miscellaneous organization. The first property of this organization is that it can be applied to. Something both the ducal guard and the Administrative Wing do not have”- a gasp spread through the crowd. A lot of them, I was sure, were looking to seek employment in the guard.
“The Guild will serve as a common source for all organizations. A trainee course will be organized that must be passed by all applicants, this course, on completion, will grant to the person the status of a cultivator. i.e., they will be taken to the forest to kill a beast and germinate their seed.” Another gasp. This one was much more hopeful.
“That being said, any member of the Guild will have to pay what I call the Guild fee. It consists of clearing a single task from the Guild Bulletin board each month. Tasks can be assigned by both the duchy and its citizens, and rewards will be mentioned during submission of such a task.” Murmuring ensued among the crowd. I doubted anyone had seen such a thing before.
“The tasks can range from clearing snow from a particular stretch of the road to killing some monster. While both may count as the task to be done, the latter is likely to have a higher reward.”
“To add to this, the duchy will be sending tasks such as the exploration and study of the flora and fauna of the valley and the forest. These are both high level tasks requiring experience and will have high rewards. The former comes with a salary of three hundred gold a month, given that the participant can produce results.”
“The latter is set at a higher danger rate of 300 spirit stones a month, in addition to the proceeds from selling any beast hunted by the member. These will be standing quests, each allowing thirty members and recruiting from Guild Members only.”
“The duchy will also be sponsoring businesses and merchants within the duchy to raise the overall standard of living. It has come to our attention that due to the high salaries offered by the duchy, the guard has attracted every able-bodied man and woman and engaged in unfair competition against its own citizens that could not match the salaries we could offer.”
“It is our hope that these decisions will in turn allow for a more fair and open market, further allowing for progress to take place across the duchy. Initiatives to open up more farmland and develop the farming villages are also in progress, and any that wish to apply to them may report to the Roalt Mansion.”
“The farmers are the main source of food for the duchy and will always remain a priority for its government.” I finished my long speech and stepped down.
I sounded way too much like a politician, didn’t I?