Tyranny of Steel

Chapter 1136 Rebuilding Japan Part I

The sun shone through the window of Itami's office, revealing Berengar's figure as he sat at the Japanese Empress's desk. As for Itami herself, she stood patiently by the side and listened to the report that the Kaiser was giving her. There was a grim expression on her otherwise pretty face, while she was just now getting an accurate account of how many people had perished during this brutal conflict. 

"Roughly half a million Japanese soldiers are reported to be KIA, with another two hundred and fifty thousand missing in action. If we count the total casualties from your side, including the number of wounded, we are looking at just over one and a half million men. 

This is bad enough, but after having my marines sweep through every village from the island of Sakhalin to the southernmost tip of Japan, we are looking at an estimated two to three million additional deaths from your civilian populace. Mostly as a result of starvation and disease, but also from the lawlessness that had taken place across the country during Shiba's reign of terror. 

You started with a population of twelve and a half million people when you came to power, and now you have roughly eight. This war has been a complete and total disaster for the people of Japan. Luckily for you, I have decided to provide emergency assistance. 

As of this moment, every soldier I have stationed in the region is providing food and medicine to your entire nation. While I have also ordered for three-fourths of my corps of engineers to be dispatched to Japan so that we can rebuild the infrastructure that has been destroyed in the conflict." 

Itami remained completely silent for some time as she thought about the untold suffering that had been the result of her actions. While she was not responsible for the millions of her civilians who perished after Shiba's coup, as she fully intended to surrender to Berengar before he could invade the Japanese mainland, the amount of young men who had been marched to their deaths abroad was simply staggering. 

Previously, she had never thought about the damage that could be done to her country in this war, and it was only now, after spending so much time in Kufstein, and witnessing the nation that Berengar had built, did her heart begin to bleed for her people's suffering.  Berengar could tell that Itami was deeply troubled by this news, and was quick to point out the good news in an attempt to cheer her up. 

"While this was has been a complete and total disaster, there is some good news that I can give you. At the moment, the Kriegsmarine is working hard to transfer those Japanese soldiers stranded in the Philippines back to the Japanese mainland, as well as ferry the tens of thousands of prisoners of war that Germany has taken during this conflict back to their homes. 

It isn't much, but at least some of your soldiers will be able to return to their families, assuming they haven't been killed off during the chaos that followed Shiba's coup. What matters now is helping rebuild the nation.

As such, I have posted an offer to repatriate the exiles in Little Kyoto. Those with exceptional talents are being called upon to return to Japan and help rebuild what has been destroyed. In return, the reich will pay them three times what they are currently making. 

For the time being, I have begun to introduce the mark as the only valid currency in Japan to replace your hyper inflated and let's be honest outright worthless fiat currency. I have also invested five billion marks from my personal treasury in the reconstruction of Japan and its economy. You can consider it my wedding gift to you..."

Itami finally pulled herself out of her grim trance as she heard the word wedding gift and slightly blushed as she averted her gaze from her fiancee while looking at the dazzling engagement ring he hd given her. She could hardly believe that she was getting married, and to the world's most powerful man at that.

However, five billion marks did not sound like a lot, after all, Itami had not actually done the math to determine the relative value of the standard german currency, after all Berengar had paid for everything she desired whilst she was living in Kufstein and thus she was quick to ask about this. 

"Berengar, just how much are five billion marks worth relative to the US dollar?" 

By now, both Itami and Berengar had guessed that each other were Americans in their past lives based upon their fluency in English, and their american accents. Thus, Berengar simply scoffed when he heard this, already guessing that Itami had compeltely misunderstood the amount he was giving her. WIth a confident grin on his face, Berengar informed Itami of just how powerful his currency was.

"Five billion marks in this world are worth roughly two hundred and fifty billion dollars, as of when I died in the early twenty twenties." 

Itami gazed at Berengar in disbelief when she heard this. Such a figure was a staggering sum of money, and Berengar said he was transferring it from his own treasury, she felt compelled to ask just how wealth the man was. 

"You're telling me that you have two hundred and fifty billion dollars lying around that you can just gift to me for a wedding present? Pardon me if it is not my place, but I'm curious. Just how wealthy are you?" 

A slight smile curved itself on Berengar's lips as he reclined in the chair and informed Itami of just how much money he had. 

"Well, if you consider the fact that I am the primary investor of every German major corporation, and have built my own fortune with the various large companies that I personally own. I guess if you were to put my net worth in terms of the US Dollar, it would be at least ten trillion."

Itami nearly had a heart attack as she heard this and fell backwards, where she supported herself against the wall. Berengar simply chuckled when he saw the woman stammering. 

"Ten.. Ten trillion? Ten trillion fucking dollars?"

To add further insult to injury, Berengar made a particularly snide remark. 

"At least ten trillion. You should be happy that your fiancee is so capable of providing for you, and your entire nation. I'm giving you more money than the United States gave Europe with the marshall plan during our past lives."

Itami was having a hard time breathing as she slowly slid to the ground, where she rested her knees against her chest while babbling in disbelief. 

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"I think I'm going to faint..." 

It was only now that Berengar stopped teasing the woman and quickly approached her to help her overcome her current anxiety attack. He patted the woman's snow white hair, while wearing a charming smile as he spoke soothing words to her.

"There... There... It is alright. Now that vast fortune is being used to help your people rather than wage war against them... And your citizens have you to thank for that!"

It took Itami several minutes to calm down to a point that she was finally able to speak without hyperventilating. She had so many questions, but the chief among them was simply. 

"How? How are you so damn wealthy?"

In order to not freak the albino beauty out again, Berengar grabbed hold of her head and clutched it to his chest, while petting her silky white hair before responding to her question. 

"Well, like I said, I was the first and primary investor for every major german corporation, and most of the minor ones. Meanwhile, over half of the world's resources are at my disposal, which will only increase in the future as the German Empire expands.

Think of it this way: if one man was the primary investor for every fortune five hundred company from our past life, how wealthy would he be? Combine that with the superiority of the German economy and the vast resources at its disposal, and I just so happen to have a significantly higher net worth than even Mansa Musa." 

Itami's sanguine eyes flickered back and forth, trying to comprehend what she had just heard, however the only remark to escape from her lips was as follows.

"That's insane!"

In response to this, Berengar simply chuckled before making another snide remark. 

"It really isn't. Just like you, I reincarnated into this feudal world from a much more advanced society. However, unlike you, I used my knowledge of economics from the distant future to achieve the maximum benefits in this life." 

This comment wounded what little pride Itami had left, causing her to sigh in defeat before expressing her thoughts on the matter. 

"Well, I suppose I should be grateful that you didn't use your overwhelming economic and military might to commit genocide against my people..."

A slight smirk emerged from Berengar's face as he lifted the woman off of her ass, and to her feet, where he hugged her before whispering something in her dainty ears. 

"Now, shall we get back to rebuilding your nation?" 

Itami smiled and kissed Berengar gently on the lips before responding to his remark. 

"Of course! Now that I know I have such a capable provider, I feel alot better about this whole situation."