Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master

This was the same technological trajectory that Earth’s US Dollar had taken.

“When someone gives you a gift, you should use it right away. That’s the proper way to show gratitude.”

The Empire’s delegation came bearing presents and effectively acknowledged our sovereignty. 

So, I immediately moved forward with the plans.

Let them see how their “sunshine diplomacy” plays out.

***

The gifts brought by the Empire as they sought reconciliation were undeniable treasures.

Though it was clear they came with ulterior motives, a gift was still a gift.

The best approach was to make full use of them.

“The Empire has finally recognized us as an independent nation!”

“We’re truly Renslets now!”

“No more talk of the ‘North’ or ‘Northerners’!”

“The North is Renslet! And Northerners are Renslets!”

The news that the Empire had granted the North the status of a Grand Duchy spread throughout the High Tower in less than half a day after the delegation’s audience.

For the people of the North, this news was far more exciting than the abolition of the Twenty-Northerners Law.

“Let’s not stop at paper money. We should mint our own gold, silver, and copper coins under the Renslet Standard!”

“Agreed!”

“Do we lack gold mines? Silver mines? Are we short of metallurgical skills?!”

The moment the news broke, the High Tower immediately began minting coins under the Renslet name alongside the paper currency.

The idea of having gold, silver, and copper coins unique to the Renslets had long been a dream for the High Tower and the Renslets.

Until now, restraint had been necessary; we had only exported raw minerals, never daring to mint our own currency.

But not anymore. The final inhibition of the North had been lifted.

“Hahaha…”

The Marquis Sedes, who had hoped for diplomatic restraint, now stared in disbelief at the North’s swift action.

Even so, he maintained an awkward smile to the bitter end.

“As expected of the North—no, Renslet. Given their historical prowess in architecture and metallurgy, it’s no surprise they’ve crafted coins that look like works of art.”

The mint, where paper money was printed, remained a tightly guarded secret, inaccessible to the Empire’s delegation. However, coin minting relied on widely known metallurgical techniques, so the Empire’s delegation was free to observe.

“Even the paper money looks like northern masterpieces, almost too beautiful to spend.”

As they observed the minting of silver coins, their attention was less on the coins themselves and more on the commemorative paper currency they’d received.

“And now, to require Magic Stones to be purchased only with the Renslet Standard… Such a genius move. Hahaha…”

The strained smiles on Marquis Sedes and the imperial delegation were priceless.

Minting unique northern coins was of little concern.

But paper currency? That was a different story.

Especially the idea of tying it to a Magic Stone standard—it was clearly a monumental shift.

“Surely, such measures should have been discussed with the Imperial Court…”

One of the noblemen in the delegation mustered the courage to object mid-conversation.

Zzzt!

“Hrmph! Never mind, forget I said anything.”

His words were quickly silenced under the sharp, predatory gazes of the Renslets.

This was effectively enemy territory—the den of fierce tigers.

All they could do was silently observe the unfolding events, committing everything to memory.

‘They must be itching to rush back to the Empire and report all of this. But the High Tower is so cold that even the Empire’s carrier pigeons can’t make the journey here.’

I had recently discovered that the Empire’s Mage Tower had yet to develop or distribute magical communication devices.

With the technology level of the Golden Tower I remembered, they should have been capable of doing so long ago.

Instead, they relied on well-trained and systematized messenger pigeons, which seemed to be their default method.

‘The delay in developing magical communicators is probably due to a reason similar to mine.’

For Yulkanes, who likely preferred seclusion and research, magical communicators would have been nothing but a nuisance and distraction.

Moreover, most mages used familiars for communication, so they likely saw no need for an alternative.

‘We should avoid showing magical communicators to the Empire for now.’

I cast a glance at the imperial delegation as I mulled over the matter.

“But Count Arad Jin, why didn’t you engrave Her Grace’s visage on the coins?”

Just then, Marquis Sedes, catching my eye, asked with a glimmer of hope.

As he noted, the silver, gold, and copper coins currently being minted in Renslet didn’t feature Arina’s face.

Instead of her visage, the coins bore symbols of the North.

The silver coins displayed a winter hawk, the gold coins a golden carriage, and the copper coins were engraved with snowflower roots and snowy leaf sprigs, key ingredients in Arad salt.

“Could it be… that by not engraving Her Grace’s face on the coins, you intended to show respect to the Empire and His Majesty?”

“…?”

What nonsense was this? Both I and the other Renslets tilted our heads in confusion.

“If that were the case, her portrait wouldn’t have been on the paper money either.”

“Ah…”

I curtly shattered their delusions.

“Then why not on the coins?”

“With coins, it’s common for them to be split in half,” I replied, showing them a bisected imperial silver coin.

The recently minted coin, featuring Emperor Canbraman’s face, had been neatly split in two, leaving only the left half of his visage intact.

“Split… in half?!”

“What? This is your first time seeing this?”

Marquis Sedes and the delegation stared in horror.

“Nobles of high rank rarely find themselves splitting gold, silver, or copper coins, President Jin,” Entir whispered beside me.

“In fact, even in the Empire, it’s uncommon to split coins bearing the Emperor’s image.”

“Then how do they manage smaller values below a copper?”

“Usually through bartering, or by splitting silver or copper coins issued by other kingdoms.”

“So, we’re free to do it?”

Understanding his explanation, I waved the halved imperial silver coin.

“…”

The imperial delegation seemed to have given up trying to make sense of my logic.

Whenever they saw the bisected imperial coin, they simply averted their gazes, resigned to their fate.