Chapter 6

That merchant was a major merchant well-known even in the Royal Capital. He was a man who controlled multiple firms and held sway over both logistics and finance. That is precisely why he understood well that the damage this time was by no means small. Construction delays due to the epidemic. Halted distribution. Unsold goods piling up in warehouses. (It’s not that I can’t endure it. But what if the same thing happens again?) A small merchant would be crushed in one go. Even a medium-sized one would take months to recover. It was only because of his scale that he was merely “enduring” it. That is why he thought: Someone has to act. —And that “someone” is me. As a result, he took out a single sheet of paper. It was that paper handed to him by the Third Prince. On it, unfamiliar concepts were written plainly.

• Accumulate small amounts during peacetime.

• Prepare for emergencies.

• Anticipate epidemics, disasters, and accidents.

• Loss is not “individual responsibility” but “absorbed by the system.” There were no emotional arguments. No words seeking salvation. There was simply a blueprint premised on the future. (…Is this the Prince’s perspective?) No, that’s not it. This is a merchant’s way of thinking. And likely that of someone who has suffered painful experiences. The Third Prince did not promise compensation. Instead, he showed a “way to not be troubled next time.” The merchant quietly folded the paper. —We should do it. He persuaded fellow merchants, gathered capital, and established regulations. Epidemics, disasters, accidents. A mechanism where sudden losses that no one can avoid are not shouldered by individuals alone. The negotiations regarding the premiums faced quite a few difficulties, however. Thus, the country’s first “casualty insurance” was born.

The first to raise his voice was an old-timer merchant. “It is heresy.” He spat those words out at the assembly. He was a man who had lived his life devoted solely to commerce for many years. “Loss is inherent to business. A mechanism to smooth that out will only weaken merchants.” The young merchants lowered their gazes. The number of those who participated in the insurance system was still few. However, the system began quietly. The turning point was a heavy rain. Landslides occurred in the mountainous regions, and the highways were blocked. Bridges fell, cargo did not arrive, and goods piled up in warehouses could not move. The firms that had joined immediately stopped transport. They did not try to force their way through. They were not afraid of incurring losses. The losses would be compensated. Therefore, their judgment was fast. On the other hand, the firms that had not joined forced their way through the rain. Carriages overturned, cargo was lost, and people were injured. “It was just bad luck.” The old-timer merchant told himself that. Afterward, until the highway was restored, the member firms endured quietly. Because they had financial leeway, they let their employees rest and prepared for what came next. One firm that hadn’t joined reduced its staff, closed its shop, and lost its business partners. There, seeing the results, the old-timer merchant realized. —The difference was not the disaster itself. It was the speed of judgment. The choice not to push the impossible. The mechanism that made that possible. (This is not dependence.) He finally understood the value. …It wasn’t about the victory or defeat of individual firms. Later, the old-timer merchant submitted an application. Wordlessly, quietly. “I want… to join.” Saying only that. The mechanism he had discarded as heresy was, in truth, something to protect a merchant’s pride. To do business for a long time. To support the country. —It was the big picture.

A single merchant visited my office—the office of the Third Prince. He was one of the leading major merchants in the Castle Town, and also the man who had once sought compensation for damages. He bowed deeply. “I have a report for Your Highness.” Stepping forward, he spoke quietly. “We have held repeated discussions among the merchants. We will pool our funds and launch a firm that specializes in casualty insurance.” The document he held out contained investment ratios, operational policies, and compensation conditions. Everything was neatly organized. “We will not use the Royal Family’s wealth. All we need is approval and supervision. We merchants will bear both the operation and the responsibility.” I looked through the document and nodded. “I think that is fine.” The merchant softened his expression just a little. “To be honest… at first, I was bewildered. But looking closely at that paper Your Highness gave me, I understood that this is a mechanism for continuing to do business. It is not something that loses pride, but something to protect it.” I smiled faintly. “I only wrote down a way of thinking. The ones who took action were you all.” The merchant bowed his head deeply. “That ‘way of thinking’ represented the future to come.” Saying only that, he left the room. I returned to the documents on my desk. I didn’t order them. I didn’t pay any money. I just showed a path that wasn’t unreasonable. With that, the country becomes just a little bit stronger.

—Well then, there is nothing left to do today. On time again today. It is peaceful.