Chapter 101

Chapter 101

#101. Turbulent Waves (2)

“The Golden Mage Tower shall focus its research on steam engines.”

“!!”

Out of the blue, the imperial decree left the magicians who had requested an audience jumping in shock.

“Your Ma…Majesty!”

“That’s right. There’s no need to bother you magicians with steam engines. The master craftsmen at the empire’s workshops can handle it just fine. Just go back already!”

Of course, Khanbraman didn’t really intend to disrespect or persecute the magicians.

Even having the master craftsmen create steam engines by royal decree wasn’t exactly a light-hearted matter.

The craftsmen aren’t fools – they won’t happily build machines that destroy their own livelihoods. While they’ll do some research and production because it’s an imperial order, efficiency will definitely drop significantly.

“So from now on, all funding to the mage tower will be cut!”

So this was basically a kind of act.

“Your Majesty! We’ll work hard too! Please don’t cut off our support!”

“If the funding is cut, lower-tier mages who can’t even make proper magical artifacts yet won’t be able to grow.”

“If there’s no funding, research on magic circuits will completely stop!”

“Magic circuits are definitely possible! Please give us the budget and time…”

The effect was tremendous.

“In that case, here’s what we’ll do. There will be no cuts in funding. But there will also be no increase.”

“…”

“From now on, if you want to do more research than the funding allows, make some magical artifacts and earn money!”

“U..Understood.”

“This time, it might be better to just set quotas. If magicians earn money, that’s good, and if the empire produces quality magical artifacts, that’s good too. Do you agree?”

“…Yes.”

In the end, the magicians of the Imperial Mage Tower had no choice but to yield to the emperor.

Though not as specialized as the north, they agreed to take on custom orders as an obligation.

After dismissing the magicians…

“Phew…”

Khanbraman slumped into the golden throne and let out a long sigh.

He had thought everything would go smoothly once he ascended the throne.

But reality wasn’t like that. If anything, the burden of responsibility was heavier than when he was regent.

“Is there any news about Professor Arad, the northern magician?”

“No, nothing at all.”

“If it doesn’t work, send an envoy to the north.”

“I’ll prepare immediately.”

Nodding his head, the emperor rose from the throne.

“I’m going to the study.”

If he stayed here any longer, he’d just get more irritated and angry.

‘What approvals did I have to handle in the study?’

On the way to the study, Khanbraman recalled the last document he tried to process earlier in the morning.

‘Ah…it was about textiles.’

Recently, textile production in the empire had gone crazy.

It was all because of the steam engines, spinning machines, and weaving machines brought in by Bishop’s Trading Company from the north.

Not only did it completely destroy the entire textile market within the empire, but now they had to export at rock-bottom prices due to the massive upheaval caused.

‘Not just textiles – paper and book prices have become ridiculously cheap too.’

Certainly, the increase in the empire’s production and abundance of goods is a good thing.

However, it wasn’t necessarily good for him and the royal family.

It was advantageous only to the imperial nobles, the church, and the major merchants.

‘And I can’t prohibit it either.’

As much as he’d like to issue an imperial decree and stop it, reality kept him hesitating.

It was an issue involving tempting interests.

If he touched Bishop’s Trading Company with an imperial decree, the noble council and the church would surely move as if they’ve been waiting for this moment.

‘There’s a very high probability the empire would fall into civil war.’

While the Sword Masters on the royal side give them an advantage, victory can’t be guaranteed.

Because if a civil war starts, the northern duchy and the kingdom alliance will definitely intervene.

‘Besides, we lack justification.’

Bishop Entaire was truly a clever merchant, except for marital issues.

Recently, Entaire presented two each of steam engines, spinning machines, and weaving machines to the emperor.

When Khanbraman received them, instead of being happy, his heart sank.

‘This has caused signs of division within the recent faction.’

The imperial guilds and master craftsmen who support the royal family wanted to discard those terrible machines immediately.

On the other hand, the recent faction’s nobles and merchants, who witnessed the incredible production volume, wanted to replicate those machines as soon as possible.

‘I can’t fully support either side.’

Currently, both factions are indispensable to the emperor.

‘Still…if only we could produce imperial steel and weapons using these steam engines and factories…’

On one hand, there were strong temptations, regrets, and anxieties.

‘If that happens, we could generously provide armor and weapons made of imperial steel even to low-ranking soldiers.’

The emperor’s thoughts continued.

‘Where can I find a justification to suppress the resistance from guilds and craftsmen?’

It would be easy to stamp down with an imperial decree, but doing so would inevitably cause problems elsewhere.

Minor issues could be corruption and work slowdowns, while major ones could be technology and information leaks. In the worst-case scenario, it could escalate into treason.

‘But it must be done!’

The empire has many enemies. Lately, the northern region has been particularly irksome.

‘I can guarantee that the north has already mass-produced northern cold iron by now, using those steam engines and factories.’

What the northern people would do with the mass-produced northern cold iron is obvious.

‘Also, we need to resolve things with the guild before Bishop’s Trading Company starts mass-producing imperial steel.’

The north is a problem, but the internal situation of the empire is even more problematic.

According to Sigma’s report, Bishop’s Trading Company currently shows no signs of using steam engines and factories from the north to produce imperial steel.

‘But they’re probably researching and preparing quietly behind the scenes.’

‘Damn, I wish I could just crush them all.’

Even though he became the emperor, Khanbraman felt constrained by political reasons and couldn’t do as he pleased.

He could feel the wrinkles increasing day by day.

“Hm?”

Lost in thought, when he arrived at the study,

the emperor noticed someone waiting for him in front of the study.

“What brings you here?”

It was Crown Prince Julian.

“I’ve come to speak with Your Majesty.”

“You?”

“Hasn’t Your Majesty been deeply troubled by the north recently?”

Lately, his son has been showing unusual interest in state affairs.

“…”

Kanbraman felt more caution than satisfaction.

He wondered if his late father, Emperor Jechon, dealt with him the same way.

“Indeed. You hit the nail on the head. The north has always been a problematic area, but lately, it’s been eating away at me even more.”

Specifically, it was the north + Bishop’s Trading Company + the split within the recent faction, but solving just the north issue would significantly improve his insomnia.

“I have a good solution.”

“A solution?”

He responded to Julian’s words as calmly as possible.

“So far, we’ve treated the north with harsh winds. But the harder we blow, the more tightly they lock their doors and respond with unexpected methods.”

“That’s true.”

“Cold and barren lands don’t care much about strong winds. It’s part of daily life. Only warm sunshine holds meaning.”

“So what exactly are you suggesting?”

“Our God has blessed the north so that they only share a border with the empire. Their coasts are surrounded by frozen seas.”

Seeing his father’s interest, Julian flushed slightly as he presented his opinion.

“We should use this to make the north depend even more on the empire’s warmth.”

“We’re already doing that. Without our food and cotton, the north would starve. If our merchants stopped buying their goods, the north would collapse.”

Though the north claims to have improved thanks to Mary’s blessings, self-sufficiency is still far off.

Rather, with the recent population increase, they’re importing even more food from the empire than before.

“It’s not enough.”

“Not enough?”

“Yes, we need to make them depend on us even more.”

“How?”

“There’s still one law against northerners remaining in the empire: the prohibition of groups of twenty or more northerners. That needs to be abolished first.”

“…”

At his son’s words, the emperor’s expression hardened.

Fearing immediate reprimand, Julian quickly explained his reasoning.

“Doing so will bring northern trading companies into the empire. Conversely, our merchants will also be able to form large-scale trading companies to travel to the north.”

Listening until this point, Kanbraman shook his head with a smirk.

“While northern people may flock to the warm and safe empire, our merchants won’t do the same. First, because Bishop’s Trading Company already has an exclusive contract with the Northern Duchy. Second, because the north is extremely cold and dangerous.”

Merchants obsessed with money would definitely travel to the north if the profit justified risking their lives.

However, Bishop, Arad, and the Northern Duchy have already signed an exclusive contract.

That means there isn’t enough profit to justify risking their lives.

At best, there’s northern magic stones, minerals, wood, and Arad salt, but all of these can already be purchased in bulk and at low prices from Haven.

“Still, militarily it could be useful. Sigma disguised as traders could freely roam the north on a larger scale. But that also means large groups of armed northerners could roam the empire.”

Especially well-armed northerners with abundant northern cold iron.

The emperor didn’t explicitly say this.

“Will the deep-seated perceptions the imperial citizens have towards northerners disappear with just one imperial decree? At best, I’d be lucky if they only whisper that I’ve surrendered to northern barbarians.”

To the imperial citizens, northern invasions remain deeply ingrained in their DNA even after all this time.

This sentiment has only grown stronger with the north’s recent development.

Especially in the central-northern regions of the empire, many citizens feel increasing anxiety and vigilance.

“Your suggestion loses more than it gains.”

In such a situation, abolishing the prohibition of groups of twenty or more northerners by imperial decree would carry significant political risks.

“Still, we need to abolish the prohibition on groups of twenty or more northerners. Even if our merchants don’t go to the north, we should allow northern merchants to come to the empire and freely earn profits.”

Despite Kanbraman’s objections, Julian stuck to his argument.

“Only then will the north’s economy and finances become completely subordinate to the empire.”

Julian continued.

“When the north becomes completely addicted to the prosperity given by the empire, cutting off exchanges all at once will leave them unable to endure.”

The emperor, along with Richard and the ministers present, listened silently to the crown prince’s words.

“With more to lose, the north won’t be able to act as aggressively as before.”

“And how do you plan to cut off exchanges all at once? What justification will you use?”

“Reasons can be fabricated. The best reason would be that incident. During the coronation banquet, Your Majesty pledged on the golden throne to invite Professor Arad. Not just Your Majesty, but the head of the golden mage tower and the archbishop also staked their honor.”

Kanbraman looked at his son curiously.

“But surely Your Majesty considered either luring or eliminating Professor Arad if he came to the empire.”

“?!”

Could this boy standing before him really be the same weakling he knew?

“To recruit or permanently detain the northern magician…or if possible, Your Majesty wouldn’t hesitate to tarnish your honor to eliminate him.”

“…That’s correct.”

“But Professor Arad, being the northern magician, likely noticed this. The fact that we haven’t received a proper response so far is proof of that.”

“So if Professor Arad ultimately doesn’t come to the empire, you’re suggesting using that as justification to cut ties with the north?”

Nodding, Julian continued.

“The problem is, even if we abruptly cut ties now, we absolutely won’t deal a blow significant enough to collapse the north. Rather, the empire itself would suffer considerable damage.”

Kanbraman forgot about entering the study and focused entirely on the crown prince’s words.

“Especially Bishop’s Trading Company, which relies absolutely on the north, would suffer a huge blow. The noble council and the imperial church, which have symbiotic relationships with Bishop, would strongly oppose or even defy the imperial decree.”

Even if Bishop’s Trading Company operates various devices including steam engines independently,

maintaining and repairing them without the north would be impossible.

Without the cheap, abundant, and high-quality magic stones and coal imported from the north, Bishop’s factories wouldn’t run.

Other items like porcelain, fertilizers, spices, and some magical artifacts can only be obtained from the north.

“In the worst case, the empire might have to fight a civil war over the north.”

“…”

The emperor’s mind grew complicated.

‘So this is your true nature!’

He was unsure whether to see the crown prince standing before him as a son or as an adversary.

‘You’ve been hiding this all along. Just like my past self!’

The reason he had left Julian alone until now was mainly due to evaluations of weakness, separate from legitimacy.

He thought Julian wouldn’t threaten his throne until he grew old and collapsed.

“The noble council and the church need to be connected with more northern merchants. Our recent faction and royal merchants should also trade with northern merchants. We need to give them alternatives to Bishop by creating exit options.”

“Once again, Bishop’s Trading Company has an exclusive contract with Arad’s Trading Company.”

“If we abolish the prohibition on groups of twenty or more northerners, will that exclusive relationship really continue indefinitely?”

“…”

Kanbraman suddenly felt the position of emperor, which seemed frustrating and impossible just moments ago, incredibly precious.

Right now, the solution his son brought was overshadowed by this realization.

“Your Majesty, the empire and the royal house’s top priority is the north. Internal issues like the noble council or the church can be addressed later after dealing with the north.”

Listening to Julian’s continuing words, Kanbraman suddenly remembered himself as a crown prince.

‘Will this child really wait patiently? Can he endure like I did, pretending to be weak and cautious as a crown prince until old age?’

From his youth to well beyond middle age,

how did he view his father, the long-reigning previous emperor?

Kanbraman intends to live a long life. He wants to sit on the golden throne for as long as he suffered inner turmoil during his youth.

“If the empire catches a cold, the north should at least become paralyzed. If the empire suffers a major injury, the north must perish.”

Regardless of that,

“…Crown Prince, you’ve truly come up with a clever plan.”

The opinion his son just presented wasn’t bad.

That day, Julian’s proposal to the emperor was accepted.