The door opened and I quickly swallowed the last mango cube, teleporting the small bowl behind my throne.
A trio of ponies entered. One I recognized by name and look, two I had met before, Nocturnis was still small enough that I could meet all new arrivals.
It was a trio of bat ponies, all mares. All had the common grey coat, but only the lead mare had black mane, the other two were pink and dark green respectively.
The lead was Gold Lining.
The representative for what very loosely could be called the local merchants guild. It wasn't anything near as formal, more like a way for the local traders, shopkeepers and similar to meet and bring up grievances and different items for discussion.
They bowed and I regarded them for a second before I spoke up, "Miss Lining," I said, giving them a nod, "What can I do for the merchant association today?"
She stood up, looking up at me, "Your Majesty, we would like to submit a complaint and request the crown take action."
I nodded to her, "Of course. Please, what is the problem?"
"The prices on imported goods have been going up every year for the past three years. It's becoming completely uneconomical to import some goods used every day by ponies, they can't afford them anymore."
I frowned slightly, "On things such as what?"
"Grains, potatoes, salt... iron goods... basically everything," she said and shook her head, "Some of those goods are absolutely critical, such as salt. Salt has increased on average twenty percent per kilo every year for the last three years!"
I shook my head, "So buy them from somewhere else."
"We tried, your majesty. Everypony else we checked with that can provide the bulk necessary quote us even higher prices, even after negotiations."
"Are you sure prices are not just going up?"
Gold Lining shook her head, "I went to Canterlot. Prices in the stores are like they were before. Everypony says the high prices are because of 'risky transport and uncertainty of return'."
"So this is on credit?"
She hesitated and then sighed, "We can't afford to buy those amounts with bits up front, your majesty. None of the banks will loan us the money either, we're considered a risky investment."
I nodded, "I understand, Golden Lining. I can't promise anything, but I'll see what can be done. Please make sure Starlight gets all the relevant paperwork."
"Of course, your majesty," she said and all three bowed again before filing out.
The door closed behind them and I rubbed my eyes with a hoof.
Bucking damn it. I had talked with Gold Lining three times. One time when she first arrived.
Every time since then it always came with a headache.
"Sir?"
I opened an eye to see Flower standing before the throne, holding a cup of tea in one hoof, offering it to me.
"Flower, remind me to get you something extra nice for your birthday," I told her seriously as I took it with my hoof.
She smiled at me, "You already always do, sir," she said before she glanced towards the door.
I sighed, "Yeah, didn't like the sound of that either."
"...You don't think..."
"Not in this case, no," I sighed and sipped my tea, "I think it's just merchants doing merchant things. Transporting anything through the jungle is a risk and if they're doing it on credit..."
I sighed once more and laid down on the throne, taking my tea in my magic instead and sipped it again, "I can't even really blame them. If even a single cargo was lost they would be out many thousands of bits."
"I suppose," Flower said, one ear flicking twice, "So what do we do?"
I shifted my wings, "I'll discuss things with Princess Celestia," I said, "I'm sure we can figure something out, maybe put some of the money into a fund that can be used to take loans against instead of needing to purchase on credit. Maybe even on a small interest to let it grow. But I want Starlight to go through the documents first, see how bad things are. She's good at that sort of thing."
Flower nodded and then pulled a clipboard from beneath her wing "That was the last audience for the night as well."
"Anything else scheduled?"
"Not today, your majesty. I need to go talk to Starlight."
"Thank you, Flower."
She left, leaving me alone with Shade and Leaf who were standing by the doors. I sipped my tea as I studied my hooves.
I hated asking Luna and Celestia for more money. Cadence’s offer was already more than generous when it came to the tourist proposal. I certainly didn't have enough liquid bits to put anything like that up on my own.
Buck, Nocturnis didn't have that big a pile of bits!
We had bits flowing, but no big pile of it somewhere I could Scrooge McDuck it.
Bits, bits, it's always bucking bits. I never wanted to be a prince, I don't care about money.
So when the buck did I end up a prince that has to spend most of his time worrying about money!? I felt like screaming.
Instead I calmly sipped my tea again. My ponies relied on me. Seeing me screaming while running around in little circles would do nopony any good, in fact it would most definitely make things worse.
Well, nothing to do about it now anyway. I wanted Starlight's analysis for anything else, she was great at that sort of thing.
Putting my cup to the side, I stretched before jumping off the throne and smiled and Shade and Leaf, "I think going on a flight would be nice. What do you two think?"
"It'll rain in an hour or so, sir," Leaf reminded me, "The scouts have detected wild clouds heading this way."
"Ah, good point," I agreed, "A short one then?"
They both nodded and I headed for the balcony. I likely had more paperwork to do as well, there was a constant stream of it. But if I were to do that, I wanted to fly some first.
Milestone reached! 25 chapters in a row with four digits! Not one chapter under 1000 words ♡
...MEANWHILE AT THE DISCORD FAMILY...
Fluttershy: Discord! What are you doing?
Discord: Betting pool.
Fluttershy: For what?!
Discord: On which body part Page is going to injury next! I placed money on his right back leg personally.
Fluttershy: Why would you and the town folks have that?!
Discord: Well its been very uneventful lately..and that usually means Prince Page will find a way to injury himself for the sake of plot!
Fluttershy: Discord I swea--
Discord: The winner gets two weeks of unlimited access to the Bathhouse!
Fluttershy: ...Fine. Put my bet on the bed-ridden magical exhaustion.
Discord: Thank you!
Currently playing Civilisation V, with aggressive Barbarians having a similar problem with steady increase of security to keep my territory save, while keeping my competition in check.
Traders indeed have to spike prices to build up legitimate financial pile, for eventually it will always be needed because of one unexpected desaster or another.
Worked for almost a decade under someone managing this risk and even today merchant have to watch out to not fall into a financial ditch, without a budget cushion to balance it out immediately.
Nothing worse than loaning money as owner of a cooperation, they spike up interests up beyond legitimate threat of not getting their money back, has it perks working as bank with a nation.
The insecurities can be fixed for the trading partially.
Good like food and spices will always be used up and sold out, for that the government can give the standard buying price, there for the risk of losing a shipment is already covered before the product is finally sold out and used up.
Something I learned before going into selling certain products.
But everything not essential for life is still in the same prediction of possible loss.
Though with a breeding village becoming city, adult toys are a save bet to be sold alongside spices and other life essential materials.
Best buy in bulk under a catalog.
Females get gossip, males learn of expectations and the state gets another safe investment.
Condoms in particular have become a universal save investment depending where they are sold and when...
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10 bits on Pelvis injury.
Even Alicorn suffer friction burn during estrius
Also 10 bits on ears, because the discussion about needing coolers for estrius will be... wait should I not go for nose? Nose bleed cliche is a common type and all...
Thorax represent of the Changelings of Nocturnis comes for a official hearing:
"My prince I come with dire news!"
Prince Blank Page ruler of Nocturnis:
"What is it? Usually when you come official to me the trashcan already is burning with its smoke already spreading wide."
Thorax:
"A rather well fitting metaphorical remark... anyway, we have pooled together a bulk order of 20.000 condoms, 1000 coolers, 50.000 cooler refillings and 20.000 empty marmalade thick glasses with bounce enchantments to avoid splintering."
Blank Page:
"Sound like the usual yearly shopping list for Nocturnis, what about it?"
Thorax:
"They refused us the delivery, apparently someone is buying it all up. Instead of us getting our usual delivery the companies have given the general public priority.
As i see it, someone Is either stocking up a village of Nocturnis current needs worth of yearly supplies..."
Blank Page:
"...Or...?!"
Thorax:
"Or someone is artificial spiking up demand and there for prices, I suspect another Canterlot and/or Manehatten noble plot to sabotage Nocturnis."
Blank Page:
"Damn...clever milk teet biting nobels!
Guess I have no longer any option left... I will take care of it Thorax!"
Thorax:
"Thank you mighty seed provider!"
Blank Page:
"It sounds less embracing im changeling speech..."
Thorax:
I know
*Thorax leaves the throneroom*
Blank Page:
"Summon Blueblood! He probably is already hiding somewhere nearby and hear it all..."
*Blueblood jumps out from behind a convenient placed large plant box*
Duke Blueblood, honorary prince of Equestria:
cdn-img.fimfiction.net/user/g0z1-1674835116-528025-192
Ruler of Nocturnis Blank Page:
"...ok"
Blueblood:
"...What?"
Blank Page
"O.k. I take it."
Blueblood:
"WHAT?...but... you... wut?!"
Blank Page:
"Nocturnis accepts Duke Bluebloods generous and carefully verbal offered support for Nocturnis!"
Blueblood:
"Thank you..."
Blank Page:
"You are welcome..."
Blueblood:
"One last time for old time sakes?"
Blank Page:
"... ... ... ... ... ok."
Blueblood:
cdn-img.fimfiction.net/user/g0z1-1674835116-528025-192
Blank Page
"Please leave the throne room and prepare the funding."
Blueblood
"Ok."
Blank Page
"And thank you Blueblood..."
Blueblood:
"You are welcome..."
*Blueblood leaves the throne room*
Discord:
"Well that happened..."
Eris:
Discord:
"I am so proud of you! ♡
Eris:
♤
For fuck's sake, Page, I'm pretty sure you weren't an economics major in your old life, but is it really that hard to come up with the idea of creating your own currency for Nocturnis and then devaluing it against the Equestrian bit? If you need to attract foreign investors for your developing economy, that's how you entice them; by making it so that their money goes further in your country than it does at home, encouraging them to pump more of their cash into your markets than their own.
I get the fear that separating Nocturnis from Equestria on political and economic levels runs the risk of heightening what are essentially ethnic grievances that bat ponies have toward solar ponies, but not treating Nocturnis as its own nation – with its own market – is currently endangering its market economy, without which the place will effectively collapse. This has essentially recreated the problems with the euro that European countries are still dealing with today, except that Nocturnis has far fewer levers to pull in order to ease the symptoms.
Page really needs to figure something out for the town before he suffers an aneurism.
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Which is exactly what he's been trying to do this entire story so far.
Soooo there's that river that runs past the city right? Well I have a plan! We tell Celestia that the river stole her monthly order of cake! It should be deep enough and wide enough after to sail a cargo ship through afterwards
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You are a genius! But the glass from the solar lance might be a problem...
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could just tell the light twins that there is a book eating monster in the general direction of canterlot and watch the resulting force beam burn a nice new wide road thru the woods to canterlot, naturaly make sure to have shining armor ready with a barrier to prevent colateral damage...
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You and ChakatRedstripe are the most clever and practical commenting readers this chapter 👍
Nice.
Duck Tales was one of my favorite shows as a kid.
quickmeme.com/img/75/7526c34c5e7434391382f61e0ac4b2773c744a695328951e63ce97a24edf8dee.jpg
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same here
if they are close enough to the sea that they could setup a colony port, salt production would be fairly easy especially with magic. they might also get lucky and be able to do brine extraction and use open pan distillation if they can find salt deposites or brackish water
as much as hes gonna hate it, he has to get some extractive industry going
Just re-read this story today. Damn fine run, but I wonder if the comment sections hasn't perhaps a good idea or two for a chapter or three.
Awesome story as always ♡
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I still think that Windy's idea for changeling cocoon prison from ch22 is pretty clever.
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Blatherin' Blatherskite!
There gonna have to find something in this forest eventually to make this whole thing worth it. Maybe he can invite AK yearling to explore the woods and see if they can get tourist here for something historical...(Besides the first open all bat town) most places with trees tend to leak maple and harden to amber trapping things for eons🤔
Could get lucky and find something magical like zap apples with the everfree? Something has to make the monsters here healthy.
don't remember if they talked about crafting with the trees or getting a master woodsman/crafter to make/sell since the trees are strong enough to support their entire lifestyle, could also try page making pages/paper for his stories out of the wood.
The heavy rain doesn't really help out with making money but maybe can be used for dam projects and crop growing.
Basically just putting myself in page's (horse)shoes since we've seen him say he needs bits so badly and have to ask Tia and Luna for the Xth time.
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I read the caption in that cartoon, and I can't help but thinking of another scene involving diving into a pool of gold:
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i.imgflip.com/j438e.jpg