I told him the whole story of what happened in the imperial city.
''Oh! That's just as I imagined. Just as I imagined.
"As you imagined?
"Mm! I thought that a man of Alec's stature, His Majesty, would consider abdication or vice versa.
"Uh, ......
I laughed bitterly.
If I had heard this before I went to the imperial capital, I could have just said, "You're the same old father," but because I actually went there and had him be my deputy emperor, I couldn't say anything.
So I changed the subject.
"More importantly, what was troubling you, father?
It's nothing - no, you can ask Alec.
Yeah, say whatever you want.
As a matter of fact, this year's weather has been so good that the crops in the territory are much larger than usual. A great harvest.
Isn't that a good thing?
It's a good crop, and the crop is fat. I thought I'd just buy up the lumpy crop because the price would collapse and the farmers would lose money. ......
"But?
There's nothing wrong with buying them, but there's a storage problem and they need people to manage them. I could buy it and dispose of it as is, but I was having trouble with .......
"I see.
"And I'm worried about getting them to adjust their production. If next year's weather is bad, we'll be in for a real treat.
I knew what your father was worried about and what he wanted.
I thought about what I could do.
I came up with a plan and then asked if it was possible with the Philosopher's Stone.
The answer was that my magic could do it.
Then I have to do it.
What would be needed to make it happen, he said of the calamity.
Hearing that, he turned to Calamity, who was hovering outside the window.
"Calamity, excuse me, can you give me a fingernail?
"Yes, sir.
Without any hesitation at all, Calamity broke one of his--the dragon's claws and held it out to me.
I took it and remade it with magic.
The claws were magically stretched thinner and thinner until they resembled cloth, and then they were magically sewn together to form a sack.
It's done.
"What's that, Alec?
"I'll take your desk, Dad.
After saying no, I put your father's desk in the bag.
A large and splendid office desk was sucked into a small bag that I, a seven-year-old, could normally carry.
Dad was very surprised at the obviously out-of-portion storage.
What's that?
It's a storage bag. The size inside is proportional to the magic of its owner.
"The magic of its owner--oh! I mean, as big as the world if Alec can have it!
No, no, no, Dad, how come you're so sure when you're feeling better all of a sudden?
I chuckled and continued.
It's not as big as the world, but it's pretty big. Besides,
"And?
"The flow of time slows down in proportion to its magical power.
"I don't get it!
Father puffed out his chest.
That means that what's in here does not perish. In my case, time almost never passes.
"Oh my!
"So, father . Buy everything that is lumpy. Everything in the estate.
"I see! Alec will keep it for you!
"Yes.
I nodded.
Then he told me his vision for the future.
We'll continue to buy it, I'll store it. The capacity is ...... probably enough to cover the needs of all the territory's residents for five years, so if you stockpile it on a regular basis and release it if there is a famine or a bad harvest, the people of the territory will be saved.
"Oh, whoa! You've thought that far ahead, Alec!
My father was excited.
"That's what you are, Alec, the makings of a rare master - and you already are!
Father chuckled at it (、、、、、、) as usual.
Thus, thanks to the bags made of calamity claws.
Carlisle never had to adjust its production and the farmers had a steady income every year.
There were only two problems.
The hoarding and stockpiling system, which my father named the Alec System, and the Harvest Festival was renamed the Alec Festival.
It was just that every year from now on, it will be a little embarrassing during harvest season.