Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

Chapter 200

In the ancient Western world, two types of paper were used: parchment and papyrus. Parchment, made from animal skins, was primarily used by the nobility due to its high cost. Meanwhile, papyrus was a more affordable writing medium made by processing the papyrus plant.

Papyrus originated in ancient Egypt and became popularized around 3000 BC. It then spread to Mediterranean civilizations such as ancient Greece, as well as to Europe and West Asia due to the conquests of the Roman Empire. Even Britain, which was once a territory of the Roman Empire, was introduced to papyrus.

However, papyrus was not resistant to moisture and was susceptible to molding, especially in Britain's mild and humid climate. To address this issue, flax was added to the papyrus to counteract its tendency to mold and slightly increase its resistance to moisture.

Flax is native to the Mediterranean region and is grown in temperate zones of Europe and Asia. With the expansion of the Roman Empire, flax was introduced throughout Europe, including Britain.

Shirou's paper-making technique was built upon this foundation. Although the improved papyrus paper cannot last for a thousand years like hemp paper, it is able to withstand the effects of temperate and humid climates and has increased resistance to molding.

The principle of driving out good money with bad money was implemented to achieve his objective faster and more effectively. This is also known as Gresham's Law, which states that when there are two types of money in circulation, people will tend to hoard the money that they perceive as more valuable, and spend the money that they perceive as less valuable. This means that the less valuable money will circulate more widely, driving the more valuable money out of circulation. This principle has been observed in various historical contexts, such as during the debasement of currency in ancient Rome.

However, due to the limited production capacity of ancient kingdoms, it was still challenging to produce paper on a large scale, even with the improved papyrus.

As a solution, Shirou devised a plan to integrate paper with metal coins and create a new currency system to regulate the economy. Although the Little Ice Age brought him disaster, it also presented an excellent opportunity to expand his territory and invade other countries.

Prosperity and adversity are interdependent.

However, that was all in the future, and he would not act recklessly before trapping other countries with food. He decided to begin by implementing the new currency system on a small scale within his own territory and then gradually use commercial means to control the economic lifeline of other countries.

Shirou called upon his commerce officials, led by Bedivere, and entrusted him with the responsibility of implementing the new currency system. Bedivere was tasked with gathering merchants to trade with other kingdoms, with an emphasis on the need for furs and weapons. As long as they had furs and weapons to trade, they could exchange them for food with Cornwall.

Additionally, Shirou used magecraft to establish communication with other kingdoms' kings and negotiate the time, location, and tariff agreements for trading.

Afterwards, Shirou and Lancelot traveled by boat to Benoic and used the same approach to negotiate agreements with Ban and Bors, who were also facing food shortages. They successfully established trade routes in Gaul, much to the relief of Ban and Bors.

Unaware of Shirou's malicious intentions, both King Ban and Bors were grateful for his assistance. In particular, King Ban expressed his admiration for Shirou's virtues and showed great concern for him when he boarded the boat.

Shirou responded humbly to King Ban's praises before departing with Lancelot on the boat.

During their journey, Lancelot expressed his gratitude to Shirou for his assistance to Benoic, and Shirou's friendly demeanor further endeared him to the prince. However, as a prince, Lancelot could not pledge his loyalty as a knight.