Maoyuu Maou Yuusha Episode 10: “So now their plans are finally coming to fruition?”

“Keeping all the wealth for yourself may make you rich, but it won’t make you prosperous. You give people money and they spend it. True prosperity comes from a free flow of wealth and goods.“

Summary: The Southern kingdoms join forces to defy the Central nations by ending serfdom and low taxes to encourage people to immigrate to the South and the Lakeside Convent separates from the Central Church to form the True Church of the Light Spirit with pamphlets and bards spreading their message. Meanwhile, Young Merchant begins buying wheat from the Central nobles which causes food prices to rise as part of his plans. Fearing their food supplies will run out if Central continues importing their food, the South enacts trade tariffs and taxes if the Central buys their food. Meanwhile in Gateway city, Fire Dragon Princess informs East Fortress General that the Blue Demon clan are up to something while she later meets with Young Merchant in the Human Realm to buy salt supplies as the demons are running out of salt. As Central declares war on the South due to their trade restrictions, Hero asks the Winter King to buy time before the battle begins as he tries to find a way to prevent needless bloodshed between both sides.

 Things are starting to get interest… Yeah you’re right they were already interesting, but I digress.

 After the Older Sister Maid’s spectacular speech last episode, it would appear that the human world has been torn asunder. The serfs in the Southern Triad are demanding freedom, the Central Nations are losing their grip on the region, the Lakeside Convent has started a reformation and the Demon Queen is nowhere to be seen. Honestly, I did not see this coming…

 The episode starts off with the Hero realizing just how bad the situation is. I’ll admit that I feel bad for the guy, I mean, he’s so used to the Demon Queen dealing with all of the political and economic complications that he doesn’t know quite what he’s doing right now. He wants to prevent a war but he doesn’t know how.

 Am I the only one confused by the state of the Human World? I mean, let’s just take a quick look: The Central Nations pretty much ‘rule’/govern the entire region, BUT, on the map the appear to be separate nations and dominions. Is this meant to be the Maoyuu Maou Yuusha version of the Holy Roman Empire or… Well, I mean, it actually really can’t be because there is no electoral system when vying for a leader, all ‘leaders’ come from the Central Nations and no one questions it. I guess I just can’t see why each province can’t just govern itself. All the provinces (or dare I say countries) appear to be vassals of the Central Nations but on an even larger scale, they appear to be vassals of the Church. The Church rules with an iron fist in the Human World and now that people are starting to question it’s morals and aspirations it’s beginning to crumble. I mean, for God’s sake a reformation has taken place! I’m not sure how this new ‘True Church of the Light Spirit’ (terrible name by the way, I mean, at least in Europe when the reformation happened they differentiated from the Catholic Church to the Protestant Church… geez guys, get inspired!) will affect the story but if/when they do, I’m sure it can only be in a good way.

Ah the Merchant, how I have longed for you to affect the story in a massive way and well, let’s just say, you didn’t disappoint (me, that is). During the episode (man I must be really slow, apparently I can’t understand anything…) I was having a hard time trying to understand what exactly the Merchant’s plan was. Was it to bankrupt the Central Nations? Does he want the Central Nations to go to war with the Southern Triad? Does he want people to starve? What happens when all that bread and grain goes moldy? Does he want to jump into bed with the Dragon Princess (I’ll get back to that later)? Or… does he want… I don’t even know… Maybe I should try to explain? Okay, so here’s how I’m seeing it… Step 1. The Merchant is trying to strike as many futures contracts (had to use Wikipedia to find out exactly what this was) as he can so that A. he can have a firm grasp on the Central Nations economics, B. he can have all the wheat he wants and C. if the price of wheat drops, the producer will triumph and the Alliance will make a hefty profit. I’m not entirely sure why the Alliance (a.k.a the Merchant) is spending all their money on iron and (I think) coal, but I can only assume that they wish to help the Southern Triad in case of war? This is just speculation though (/indecision on my part) so don’t take me literally. Now back to ‘The Merchant’s Wily and Amazing Plan’ for dummies (such as myself). People are beginning to hoard their money and their resources – people are rushing about trying to buy as much of the dwindling necessities that they can in order to save themselves from starvation and further poverty and whilst this is all going on the Alliance is continuing to by up all the wheat. This means that due to the lack of wheat the price must rise to support the demand and the lack of supplies. Supply and demand people, supply and demand. It’s a good thing I decided to study History for a GCSE otherwise I wouldn’t know anything about inflation and hyperinflation, I thought. Anyway, as the Central Nations begin entering a state of inflation (it’s not quite hyperinflation yet) their money is becoming worthless and all the while the Alliance is becoming richer and richer, so basically that creepy guy with the scared looking girl’s money is becoming worthless and there is nothing he can do other than either spend it or hoard some more. Thank God for ‘Life in Germany before World War 2’, I thought again.

 In episode 10 we see a flashback to a time when the Demon Queen had pig tails and the Head Maid wore a french maid outfit… Yes. I didn’t feel as though it was particularly important, but it gave us in insight into the world of the Demon monarchs and what they must sacrifice. In all honesty I’d do the same thing that the Demon Queen is doing, I mean, who wants to lose themselves and become and cliche? Also why does she have to perform this ritual anyway? To appease the spirits of previous Demon King’s? Hopefully this will be elaborated upon, especially considering we didn’t actually see the Demon Queen (current time) in this episode. I don’t know, I guess… I miss her – her red hair, her big brea- eyes, her Hero fantasies and her pure genius… Come back to me dearest Demon Queen…