PoV Base Commander Britten Beans
The war is over.
The Beast-kin Nation defeated the Empire.
It was something that even after taking root in the Empire and conquering the Border City, it never hit home. A signed peace treaty, though ceding land and a city to the Beast-kin nation, hit it home somehow. My mind was blank, and I looked at the report, but opening the window, the Logistics personnel were torn.
What was going to happen to this army now?
In the Beast-kin Nation, soldiers are not normally working all the time. It was something that the Supreme Commander talked to me about, and I told everyone willing to listen. But the Logistics Army was not going anywhere, just like the Elite Army was not going anywhere. Although something told me that the Supreme Commander had more plans than she was letting on. We would not find ourselves without work.
For now, at least.
The Elite Army was still in Border City, and with the Undead presence, it would be impossible to leave empty. The border would also need to be defended against the Empire. New fortifications would need to be built for the next war that the Supreme Commander thought would happen. If anything, from what the Supreme Commander told me, we would only grow larger.
The kingdom of Arlin was still there, and we just massively grew our border with them, and have no border defense at this moment. Then there are the praries who might think we are weak. With the natural barriers between us and the Dwarves and the Elves, they should not be an issue. So while our north west is okay, and so is our south and south west. Our east, south east, and north east were all on hostile nations. Although the Kingdom of Arlin has been in a quagmire of a war for a long time.
I could not help but sigh.
Then there was the new City Rose was building around me. The city's economy has been heavily influenced by military purchases. The Tailors worked around the clock to keep the army clothed and warm while the farms around the city were just being built. The number of private businesses are not enough with a robust enough economy to bring in purchase movement.
It does not help that the housing is strictly under the control of the Supreme Commander and Rose. Not that I disagreed with what they were doing. The economic movement of housing, though, would help tide the stream of outflowing silver and gold for the commander.
But for now, this was not my problem, although I was assisting with it.
A knock resounded, and I looked up, stunned, not remembering any appointment. "Rose is here about something," my wife said while opening the door, and I nodded.
"Bring her in, please," I replied with a half smile. My thoughts about things moments ago are gone, and I could not help but wonder why Rose brought herself here.
Quickly, Rose entered with my wife lovingly closing the door with an expression that showed her own curiosity. With the door clicking in place, I looked at Rose as she entered and sat down across from me silently, and she took a deep breath. "Britten, I believe you have heard about the war," Rose began without lubricating the conversation at all, and I sighed.
"Of course, it is all people can talk about, signing the peace treaty," I replied, still not knowing how I feel at this moment.
Except, there was one thing. Pride, I felt pride that we won the war against the Humans.
"Yes, it is fantastic and honestly, astonishing. I never thought that my wife would do it so quickly and so thoroughly. I think it has left the continent in shock, including those who participated. Even if it was going to happen, it should have been even more bloody than it was." Rose replied, shaking her head.
"Yeah," I replied, thinking about the reports I'd sent, and although I wasn't sure, I believed the reasons for it. That was a lot of dead bodies because of the surprise and looking over things. It was also the numbers that entered that fight, and the numbers that died, that made it all feel surreal. "I am still coming to grips with it."
"I can understand," Rose said, her face full of morning, then smiling in pride. "I feel pride for Chelsea; she will be forever remembered in history for what she did. But the end of the war brings us a massive issue."
"Yes, yes, Economy," I replied.
"No, the economy is fine for now," Rose replied with a chuckle, "The Military will still need more uniforms, the soldiers are still at the front, and we are still building here on my gold and that of the Bunny-kin tribe." Rose said, "The Economy will still keep moving for now, until it becomes an issue, it is not an issue. The economy here just needs to diversify more. We need to find nearby metals to mine and industries to make. We need to plant fields and continue to ensure that people work and can earn silver and gold. There is no need to worry about jobs for ordinary people. I am more worried about the fact that the war is over and the perception that will bring the issues you even think they will."
My mind went blank as I thought of that, and I tilted my head, confused about that. "What do you mean, the perception of it will bring issues?" I asked, confused, and Rose chuckled.
"That must be the look that I had when the Supreme Commander sent me a letter about it," Rose said with a charming chuckle as she leaned back, and her long ears wiggled a bit as she lay back. "The Economy is not just numbers, we both know that, but the one that we have built is done on the movement of money, like everywhere else. The more money that circulates and is produced, the more the economy grows and the better people's conditions are. That is an extremely basic rundown on it, correct?" Rose finished with a clarifying question, and I nodded slowly.
"Y-yes," I said, but I basically understood.
"Now, right now, we have three major industries holding up our entire economy at this moment, all run by the Tribes' purchase of Military uniforms as the foundation. First, is the Logistics army making armor and weapons, along with various other projects on base. This gives jobs to soldiers who then spend money in the city on their days off. They visit the women there and have family who live in the city who spend that money. Which is what is propping up the businesses at this time. Which is also what is happening with the Tailors in the city, many of whom are humans we-" Rose coughed for a moment, and I nodded in response without a word. "Anyways, that brings a massive amount of small funds through the economy as those businesses continue to purchase things from other places in order to make silver and gold, and we take a portion of that for housing and blah blah blah blah blah," Rose said, moving her hand around, and I could only nod.
Taxes were getting more complex in the city. It was the largest complaint, and not many were complaining. You pay taxes, and you get free housing, medical treatment, and well-paying jobs. What is paying a bit more for all that opportunity? What did Rose say the Supreme Commander said?
It is not taxes people hate, but the feeling that those taxes do nothing for them. Well, the house you live in is built, paid for, and maintained by those taxes. Complain about taxes when you have something that substantial benefit in front of you.
"Yeah, I get it, what about it?" I asked, still confused, where Rose was going.
"The problem is that if everyone perceives that they no longer will be working, and they will lose those well-paying jobs they have, then they might stop spending money, and SAVE IT," Rose said, and I frowned.
"Saving money is not an issue," I replied.
"Yes, it is, money not moving is an issue for us, Britten Beans," Rose said, "Our entire economy is based on the fact that things are working fine, which they in fact are. The Military is not slowing down, tailoring orders. You are still making new weapons, and because of everyone still coming into the city, we are building more houses, which means more paying jobs for everyone, and we need more and more houses, which props up more construction, which means more jobs. All of which is the basis for growth in the city, which keeps everything moving, which ultimately means one, dangerous thing at this moment."
"If people start making fewer purchases, it quickly collapses or slows down massively," I replied, my face pale, and I realized how much damage just the perception of things being bad could actually do. The mere rumor of the military tailoring contract would lock up coin pouches at the worst time for this city.
"Exactly, and so, we need to think of a way to stop that perception," Rose said, her voice grave, and I nodded.
Many thought that the logistics army would disappear with the end of the war. Which meant the end of the contracts, which would spell doom for the new city's budding economy. "I think things might even be worse than you think," I told Rose, and her frown deepened.
"Why?"
The simple question from Rose brought out a deep sigh, "Because of the perception that the Elite Army and the Logistics Army will disband after the war. And the war just ended."
Silence reigned in the office, and I could see that Rose was thinking, and she did not like what she was thinking either. Everything could crash down, all the work on this city we both put a year into could come crashing down, not over anything we did. But just the thought that things might not be perfect.
"Alright, get that beautiful wife in here, and we are going to start thinking of a solution. My wife asked me to deal with this, and I am not going to let all my work go up in smoke," Rose said, her voice cold, and I nodded.
We were going to save this economy from the perception of those who wanted it to thrive the most.
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