Otome Game no Heroine de Saikyou Survival [WN] - Chapter 225.2

The Helton dukedom is located in the western part of the Kingdom of Cleydale.

The duke family is proud of their ancient lineage, which existed before the former duchies of Dandol and Melrose were united with Cleydale, but they only married one princess to the king three generations ago, and currently have a weak blood connection with the royal family.

The duke family should protect the royal bloodline, but the current duke has little desire to do so, and they are merely one of the upper noble families hidden behind the two great margraves who have wealth and power.

Even so, they are proud of their status as dukes, but it is also a twisted pride, and the current duke has come to oppose the royal family, who prioritize domestic demand.

Originally, the Helton dukedom existed to protect the kingdom from the neighboring Solhoss Kingdom. However, the duke has ignored the royal family’s wishes and purchased large amounts of cheap wheat, distributing it within the kingdom.

Duke Helton’s faction has many territories with marshes, so wheat does not grow well. Seafood can be caught from the large lake, but the fast-moving seafood is only consumed within the territory, and even if dried, it does not sell well in other territories.

Although the people of the territory can produce enough crops to not starve, as a duke, he does not receive enough taxes from his host. A few years ago, the duke tried to defeat the phantom beasts that appeared along the border himself, to regain his own authority. However, the beasts were repelled by some adventurers, and the plan failed.

Duke Helton is also a nobleman of the Kingdom of Cleydale. He does not want to harm the kingdom.

The duke imports wheat from the Kingdom of Solhoss to improve relations with neighboring countries, reduce military expenses along the border, and provide his people with enough food without having to buy expensive wheat grown within the territory.

The duke himself believes that he has done a good deed for his host and people. Although the amount of farmland was decreasing, he thought that if he could use the lost soldiers and the money saved to develop specialty products, taxes would eventually increase.

This put him at odds with the current royal family, who prioritized domestic demand and increased national power, and Duke Helton became a leading aristocrat in the noble faction.

The Duke’s policies certainly do no harm to anyone. If only the neighboring country had no ambition…

In the Helton Dukedom, there was a trading company that had emerged about twenty years ago.

Herman Trading Company. They dealt in food and household goods, and even though the wheat they imported from the neighboring country Solhoss was of slightly lower quality than the wheat brought in from within the territory or other territories, they gained the trust of the people by selling wheat that was more than 30% cheaper than before, and in the past twenty years they were known as a large trading company with more than 80 stores in more than ten territories.

However, wheat from Solhoss Kingdom is not that cheap. Considering expenses such as transportation costs, they would not only not make a profit, but would be in the red. So where does Herman Company get its profits from?

Can’t wait to read more? Want to show your support? Click here to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time!

Also check out my other novels: Reincarnated into a Game as the Hero’s Friend, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, and A Girl Who Was Told “You Have No Talent” Turned Out To Be A Talented Monster