I Became The Leader Of A Revolution In A Romance Fantasy

< Chapter 21 >

Since the explanation is getting long, let’s briefly summarize the preliminary knowledge first:

1. There is a concept called ‘bonds.’

To put it very simply, it is a promissory note written by a country or a company after borrowing money, stating they will repay it. When a country issues this, it’s called ‘government bonds.’

2. Generally, with bonds, if you know the ‘face value,’ ‘interest rate,’ and ‘maturity,’ you have a rough idea.

2-A. The face value is the amount written on the piece of paper.

2-B. The interest rate is how much interest they pay.

2-C. The maturity is the ‘when’ in “So, when will you return my money?”

The end!

#

Now. There are some characters who appear occasionally just when you might forget about them.

Namely, the bumbling trash group, Nazi Germany, a creation of Earth’s author.

These top-tier idiots, who only spawn rumors when you dig deeper, left a glittering milestone in the history of world finance, and that is the Mefo bills.

‘Actually, the Mefo bills’ design itself is ingenious.’

It’s so well-made that one might think it popped out of the devil’s head (from the perspective of the crippled Germany at the time).

The problem is that the Nazis themselves threw this ingenious thing into the gutter.

Anyway!

To explain the trashiness of Mefo bills in detail would require writing almost a full thesis, so let’s summarize it very simply.

First of all, among the ABCs of bonds explained above, C. ‘Maturity.’

These bastards had no intention of keeping this from the start.

– When will you repay my money? You said you would now!

– No, I won’t. Take it later.

– Damn it, then when!

– Whenever I feel like it.

– ?

Doesn’t it sound annoying just to hear?

These hopeless guys borrowed money promising to repay it within six months but never intended to repay it then.

They dragged it on for a whopping five years, saying they would repay it later and later.

Here’s a living point.

Debt must be repaid someday.

– Nazi Nazi, you have money to repay, right?

– ……

– You will repay it, right?!

For the record, they were full of plans to run off and kept fooling new investors,

Milking the investment money while acting like “We’re doing great! Hurry up and invest too!” is what we call a ‘Ponzi scheme.’

A method especially notorious for being blatantly premeditated and for producing general victims, well-known to the public in 2024 due to some coin incident that went ‘We’re going to the moon instead of Mars~’.

So, in essence, Nazi Germany was not much different from conducting a Ponzi scheme on a national scale.

Oh, of course, they did plan to repay.

‘Eventually.’

Their self-hypnosis of ‘we will repay eventually’ continued to the point where they couldn’t even handle the interest, let alone the principal repayment.

It was only when the country was on the brink of bankruptcy that they-

“Screw it! We really have no choice but to make more money!”

……Thus began the darkest chapter in human history.

More than 50 million people died directly or indirectly.

The outcome was far too miserable and horrific for the mess caused by a bunch of swindlers.

Of course, it’s quite a stretch to point to the Mefo bills as the cause of World War II.

But it’s certain that it was the imminent crisis that drove Nazi Germany to act as if ‘If we don’t do something now, it’s really over!’

#

“So, there’s no way I would do something as doomed as that.”

My gacha bonds are a bizarre hybrid that is entirely different from typical government bonds in many ways, but the basic structure is borrowed from ‘war bonds!’

Why would I, in my right mind, create something as dreadful as the Mefo bills……

‘Wait?’

It feels like the Mefo bills, one of the filthiest things in human history, were copied from war bonds……

No, no!

Anyway, it’s very different! Really!

I just borrowed a ‘part’ of the concept, fundamentally it’s different!

###

“……Oh dear.”

In the end, the congressman couldn’t put down the documents until the cafeteria was completely empty.

It seemed too tiring for his aging eyes.

‘Maybe I should have written it in Humanist typeface, 15pt?’

In Congressman Go Jeong-hoon’s office, considering the insane situation where the average age of the National Assembly had hit 55, some documents were written in 17pt as a national measure.

Thanks to this, I was somewhat liked by the senior members within the party.

Such little details are more important than you think.

Oh, by the way, the average age of 55 for the National Assembly was during my working period, and later it was said to have hit 56?

The congressman finally put down the documents after several rounds of eye massage.

“I roughly understand what you’re saying…”

Don’t lie.

I can clearly see that you still don’t understand the difference between your gacha and complete gacha.

The congressman was still confused from the very basic structure of the government bonds I proposed, wondering ‘Is such a bond even permissible?’

“I assure you, this is the only way to increase government finances without deceiving the citizens.”

“……The only way?”

“At least, it’s the only idea that came to my mind.”

I quietly took a sip of the post-meal coffee in the cafeteria and then spat it back into the cup before putting it down.

Though the bland taste, like brewed coffee grounds, was somewhat to my liking, it was too hot.

K-fused people don’t drink this kind of stuff.

“Congressman Hastings, do we really have to go this far? It’s true that the Republic’s economy is in crisis, but economies have their ups and downs. Young people don’t understand that.”

“?

Was he really trying to give me a lecture on economy?

“Historically, when the economy is tough, both the country and its people should just be frugal. If we save even a little bit and prepare for the future, things will naturally…”

I almost forgot what kind of idiots and morons I was dealing with.

For a moment, a dark version of me with a mustache whispered in my head, ‘Just go ahead, incite these guys and ruin the Republic.’

Begone, you evil spirit.

A hero in another world doesn’t do such things!

I barely managed to hold onto my sanity and said,

“I assure you, if we do that, the country will be ruined.”

“…Assure? I understand that young people always talk about ‘what should be done’ and ‘what should be changed.’ This is all coming from experience.”

I sighed.

I wiped the smile off my face and gave a cold stare.

It was time to revert to the revolutionary leader who had severed the kingdom’s neck.

“Chairman, you’re mistaken.”

“Huh?”

“Do you think I’m in a position where I need to beg you for anything?”

“!”

I wanted to end this nicely, but these guys only listen when you get serious.

“Don’t be mistaken. I’m not the one who needs help here. If I persuade a few congressmen, I can easily get this bond issuance passed.”

It was a bluff.

But also partly true.

It was true that I could get the bond issuance passed.

But “easily” was completely false.

It would be an uncertain, very long, and exhausting process.

‘To proceed smoothly, it would be better to formally establish a consensus in the standing committee beforehand.’

I clasped my hands together.

The chairman flinched and leaned back a little, perhaps feeling the pressure.

I smiled again.

“Now that I think about it, we need to appoint a new person in charge.”

“…A new person in charge?”

“As you can see, the issuer of this new bond is not the government. The bond itself is issued by private companies, and the government only guarantees it.”

“…Actually, that’s where my doubts begin… Why are we doing it this way? And where did these companies even come from?”

“Haha.”

Trying to get that through your thick skull would take longer than chiseling a stone with a nail.

There’s someone else who will finalize the design of these bonds.

I’ll discuss the details with that person, so you just sit quietly and clap.

I ignored the chairman’s question and continued with what I was saying.

“The owners of these companies… let’s just say they’re patriots and philanthropists who are seriously concerned about the future of the Republic. I’m personally acquainted with a few of them.”

As the smell of honey began to waft, the chairman’s ears perked up remarkably.

Although he claimed to be neutral, he was ultimately a member of the old kingdom’s establishment.

If he couldn’t smell the honey here, he’d be disqualified from the establishment.

There’s no one who reached the top of society without dipping into the honey pot, except for a select few blessed by heaven.

Even if he didn’t indulge, someone among his ancestors did, which is why he’s in that position.

The ability to smell honey must be lurking somewhere in his DNA.

“For these companies to participate in such a grand project, it would be good to establish a new department. As for the department head… hmm, wouldn’t it be best if it were someone with a connection to the National Assembly?”

“Oh… Do these patriots and philanthropists have someone in mind?”

“Haha, how would I know the minds of private company owners? However, I am close enough to recommend someone.”

“Oh.”

The chairman leaned forward.

I quietly added so only he could hear.

“I think your son would be perfect for the job. The salary would be about this much.”

“…Oh. In these tough times, a company that can create such a position… must be an outstandingly superior company.”

I smiled.

“Of course. I guarantee it.”

Because it’s all mine.