Chapter 100

Chapter 100

#100. Tidal Waves of Change (1)

The people of the Northern Region simply accepted Arad’s pulp papermaking and printing techniques.

It was just about making a lot of books at low prices…

“There are things called ‘newsbooks’ in the Empire and Kingdom. Large merchant guilds or the palace publish them once a month, collecting news from around the world.”

Of course, being able to make books cheaply and in large quantities allows information to spread much faster and wider.

But the development of papermaking and printing had another advantage besides spreading information.

The birth of “the public.”

And if you were to pick the best business idea for the birth of the public…

There’s nothing better than media, specifically newspapers.

“I’ve read about those newsbooks before.”

Maria, who reads a lot of books, nodded as if something clicked after my explanation.

“Take charge of that newsbook project. By the way, we’re planning to release one every three days.”

“Every three, three days?!”

“Why so surprised? The ultimate goal is daily publication.”

“!!”

“With today’s printing technology, papermaking skills, and magic communication devices, it’s more than possible.”

Maria’s face darkened at my request.

Not just her, but the expressions of others involved in similar ventures also stiffened.

“We’ll gather news happening not only across the Northern Region and High City but also throughout the continent using magic communication devices.”

“Can I really handle all that by myself…”

“Don’t worry. High City and the Arad Group will help with gathering information since we’re going into the same business too.”

“If Arad does it, won’t we be unnecessary?”

“Not at all. The more media outlets, the better. You can adjust your editorial stance and article direction according to your own perspectives.”

“??”

Question marks filled the air as everyone wondered ‘editorial stance? article direction? media outlet? What are these?’

“Don’t overthink it. Once you see a few examples we’ve prepared, you’ll get the hang of it. I promise book lovers will find this work incredibly fun and enjoyable.”

Additionally, we’d need to print pictures and photos, include short stories or comics, advertisements, receive weather forecasts from the Mage Guild, provide embargo information, establish journalistic guidelines, create educational comics or texts for those lacking current affairs knowledge, add editorial cartoons, train journalists… but I decided to explain all that later when we break ground.

Looking at their faces now, explaining further would probably make them throw everything away and run.

* * *

Briefings on nurturing small and medium enterprises continued afterward.

For cases where the Arad Group needed to assist from A to Z like printing, ceramics, clothing, alchemy – Arad Holdings would take a 60% stake.

The CEO would hold between 5-10%, with the rest covered by issuing stocks.

For industries like logging, mining, art, construction where similar work was already being done, the ratio was higher.

“Is there anyone here interested in buying shares of these budding companies?”

Apparently, in the Feise Republic of the Kingdom Union, a concept of stocks and stockbrokers already existed.

So this would be the first stock trading in the North.

“In case you’re wondering, I’ve prepared share certificates. They’re enchanted to prevent forgery.”

I pulled out pre-prepared share certificates from my spatial case. Writing the company name in magical ink makes them impossible to forge – our world-style share certificates.

“So we’re buying part ownership of these companies?”

“The value of these shares will increase as the companies grow…”

“How about buying a few just in case?”

“Since the wizard of the North is investing, they probably won’t fail…”

Recently, the Lensretians of the North have become quite wealthy. Especially those here.

They all keep expensive spatial storage boxes at home, using them like banks.

While the Arad Group, as a government-affiliated enterprise, isn’t publicly traded, the companies here are open for anyone to invest in.

“President Jin~!”

“Hm?”

Then, a delicate voice called to me from the side.

Looking over, it was magicians.

“We’d also like some investment…”

“Investment? What kind of company are you starting?”

“Well~ not exactly a company~ but we want to build a research institute to study magic.”

“Research institute?”

“Yes! Studying magic costs so much money!”

“That’s right! What we earn working at academies, factories, or construction sites barely covers it!”

Though I did wonder why they needed a separate research institute from regular companies…

Given I already have future arcanepunk core technologies filling my mind…

“How much do you need?”

Still, I decided to invest in the smiling women before me.

Since I won’t be here forever.

The North needs to lay the groundwork to develop its own magical engineering.

That day in High City, I milked every bit of profit I could.

This should allow me to skip imperial court meetings for a while.

After a light dinner with the Lensretian startup entrepreneurs and saying goodbye to Maria, the gathering finally ended.

Somewhere along the line, I glimpsed Te Manager’s suffering when he came to pick up Maria, but I silently wished him well.

Walking slowly with my guards back to what used to be called headquarters but is now just my personal residence – a three-story building within the inner fortress.

Thanks to the Bluetooth series, even Jarvis the caretaker doesn’t stay late anymore.

Finally getting some rare alone time at home (though the guards are mostly on the first floor).

Not much to personal time anyway.

Just taking a refreshing shower with the Bluetooth showerhead and collapsing into bed.

“Ugh…”

Probably from the mental strain of the day, a groan escaped as soon as I hit the mattress.

My body felt like it might melt away.

‘Wait… didn’t something important come up at the start of the court meeting?’

As I started drifting off, a thought suddenly surfaced.

‘What was it? What was it again?’

It was definitely important, but strangely I can’t recall it.

It must have slipped my mind while talking with Maria…

“…”

An unsettling feeling lingered as my eyes slowly closed.

My vision blurred and consciousness began fading.

“!”

Then suddenly…

“Marriage! Heir! Return!”

The forgotten memory resurfaced miraculously.

* * *

In the Ragolte Empire,

The middle-aged Emperor Khanbraman sat on his golden throne in the Sun Palace as usual today.

The only difference from normal days was that he held an item from the northern lands in each hand.

Click,

The emperor pressed the red button on the Bluetooth showerhead.

Sssshhhhhh

Warm water sprayed out like a heavy rain.

Click,

This time he pressed the blue button.

The warm water turned cold.

“Hmm, interesting.”

Muttering to himself, he turned off the showerhead.

Waiting attendants wiped up the spilled water with dry towels.

Without sparing a glance at the attendants, Khanbraman looked at another bag in his hand.

Both the showerhead and bag bore the Golden Carriage logo and the word “Arad”.

There was also a phrase “Made in Lenslet”, which oddly caught the emperor’s attention most of all.

These items were currently popular among the wealthy in the empire.

“Can’t we make things like this?”

He asked while putting the showerhead into the spatial storage bag.

“We can, Your Majesty.”

At his question, the mages from the Gold Tower presented their prepared items.

More luxurious Bluetooth showerheads and spatial bags made of gold, silver, and adorned with jewels compared to those from the north.

“Hmm…”

Handing the Arad bag to an attendant, the emperor examined the mage-made magical artifacts.

Click, Sssshhhhhh

As before, he tested the cold and hot water streams.

“Good. We can mass-produce and sell these.”

The emperor nodded satisfactorily.

“However…”

The mages facing the satisfied emperor wore troubled expressions.

“Is there a problem?”

The emperor’s pleased gaze turned cold.

“We cannot produce large quantities at prices comparable to the north.”

“That makes sense. These are clearly more elaborate and luxurious than the northern ones.”

Khanbraman looked at the spatial bag and showerhead before him.

While the northern versions were nice, the Gold Tower’s creations resembled works of art.

“…”

Despite the emperor’s understanding words, the mages’ expressions didn’t relax.

“Is there another issue?”

At the emperor’s question, the mages eagerly responded.

“The problem lies in the time and effort required to make them.”

“…?”

“We lack the capacity to produce them quickly and in large numbers like the north.”

“Yet the north managed it. Are the empire’s mages inferior to northern witches?”

“…”

The mages fidgeted anxiously, knowing this conversation could affect future treatment of imperial mages.

“Your Majesty, in short…”

At that moment, Richard beside the emperor quietly but audibly explained the reason on behalf of the mages.

“Northern witches can be exploited to any degree.”

“?!”

Hearing this, the emperor’s gaze toward the mages changed subtly.

‘Kyeeek!’

The mages shivered involuntarily under that gaze.

“On the other hand, imperial mages are too costly. Their pride, stubbornness about magical artifacts, and school-based isolationism make division of labor impossible. In short, we can’t mass-produce like this.”

Regardless, Richard frankly reported his analysis to the emperor.

“Isn’t it different in the north?”

“In the north, we have witches. Mages from the empire or kingdoms might leave immediately if treated poorly, since they have many options. But northern witches are different.”

If Arad heard this, he’d probably strongly protest “How expensive are witch wages anyway!”

“Hmm…”

The emperor’s gaze toward the mages became complicated.

“There’s one more thing, Your Majesty.”

“Speak.”

“The northern magical artifacts had separate security enchantments.”

“Security enchantments?”

“Yes, enchantments so thorough and persistent that attempting to examine the engraved magic circuits renders them useless.”

“Do we really need such extreme enchantments? We can make them similarly, just with cost differences, right?”

“It seems the north has its own expertise for smoother enchanting, separate from exploiting witches.”

Khanbraman trusted Richard’s report completely as his champion, royal advisor, and Sigma leader.

Had he asked the mages directly, he’d likely have received a very different report.

“What did Master Yulkaneis say? He saw the security enchantments, right?”

Having fully listened to Richard’s report, the emperor fixed his gaze on the mages and asked.

“He said breaking the security enchantment is theoretically impossible.”

“Is that so?”

The emperor’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Yes… And…”

“Speak.”

“Master Yulkaneis requested more budget support for magic circuit research.”

“…”

At the subsequent request, Khanbraman’s patience reached its limit.

“No matter how prestigious the 8th Circle Towermaster is, this is excessive.”

“Y-your Majesty…”

The sudden change in the emperor’s attitude startled not only the mages but also Richard.

“How much support have we given so far? How much arrogance have we tolerated?”

“…”

“And where is the gratitude for that consideration?”

Faced with Khanbraman’s anger and frustration, the mages remained silent.

“There will be no more support for magic circuit research! Study steam engines instead!”

“But Your Majesty! Magic circuits are research far beyond mere steam engines!”

One mage risked his life to object to the emperor’s decision.

“There’s still no physical result from your magic circuit research. Meanwhile, steam engines are already roaring across not just the north but throughout the empire.”

The emperor coldly rebutted the protesting mage regarding steam engines.

“These days, I often think about mounting steam engines on ships or carriages…”

Steam engine talk lit a gleam of ambition in Khanbraman’s eyes.

“Even someone like me, ignorant of magic, can imagine such things. Surely intelligent individuals like yourselves can think of even better ideas?”

“…”

“The Gold Tower shall focus all efforts on steam engine research.”