Chapter 45: The Progress
Three months.
In the long and bloody history of this world, three months should have meant almost nothing.
It should have passed like a short breath.
But as I stood on the high balcony of my private study, the Crown of Leo resting on my head, I could clearly see that these ninety days had changed the fate of our nation.
Below me, Arthenburg, the old, dirty, mud-filled medieval city I had inherited was almost gone.
The Central Market District of the capital is buzzing with the growing population of Arthenburg, and the residential area is neatly organized and rebuilt.
The most noticeable change is that the white smoke rose from the tall brick chimneys of the Royal Manufactory, a newly developed district known as the Industrial District.
From the district, the heavy sound of water-powered hammers echoed repeatedly.
It amost sounded like the heartbeat.
"Quite a view, isn't it, Your Highness?"I turned around.
Chancellor Elias stood near the door, holding a thick stack of ledgers.
Beside him was Viscountess Linnea, the Governor-General of the Royal Bank of Leo.
She usually looked calm and serious, but today a small smile graced her beautiful face.
"It is," I said, looking back at the city again. "One year ago, much of this was still only a plan on paper.
"Elias gave a quiet nod.
I walked back into the room and sat behind my desk.
"This progress gives us strength; it also gives us new responsibilities. We cannot become careless because of such great progress."
Linnea stepped forward and placed the ledgers on my desk.
"Then I believe the responsibility is growing quickly, Your Highness," she said.
I smiled lightly.
"That sounds like good news and bad news at the same time."
"It is mostly good news," she replied.
"The Leo has spread faster than even our best estimates."
"The merchants accepted it?""After some complaints," Linnea said.
Elias chuckled. "A great many complaints."
"But once they started using it, they understood the advantage," Linnea continued.
"Sovereign coins are heavy.
Moving with it across the country is very inconvenient, expensive, and dangerous. Although the rule of law has increased under your Great Reign, some road still has thieves and bandits waiting for a chance."
"But paper money avoids those problems," I said.
"Exactly. A merchant can now carry a large amount of wealth safely. And thanks to Duchess Zemlya's spatial-mana watermark, the notes are extremely difficult to fake."
I leaned back in my chair. "So they trust it?"
"More than I expected," Linnea admitted.
"At first, they used it because taxes and state payments must be made in Leos. But now they use it because it is a lot more convenient than the traditional coinage system."
"That is better than forcing it forever," I said."
A currency cannot survive on orders alone. People must believe it has value."Linnea nodded. "That belief is growing."
She opened one of the ledgers.
"The central vault is no longer enough. Too many people are using the currency now.""
So we followed your earlier order. The two new branch banks in the capital are now open."She pointed to the map on my desk.
"One in the Lower District, for common citizens. One in the Middle District, for merchants and guilds."
"Four new branches in each province have also been completed. North, South, East, and West. Each one is inside the provincial capital and guarded by the Venator order."Elias added, "No one is going to rob those branches unless they have a death wish."
"That is good," I said.
"But make sure the guards understand their duty. They are there to protect the people's money, not frighten the people using it."
"I will make that clear," Linnea said.
"The results in the other Provinces are also Great," she continued. "
It is very convenient that A merchant can deposit gold in the East, receive a receipt paper, and withdraw funds here in Arthenburg. No heavy chests nor risky dangerous journey anymore."
"Then the country's financial system is starting to move as one body," I said.
"That is exactly what is happening," Linnea replied.
"For the first time, the whole nation is connected through one financial system."
"Well done."I turned to Elias.
"How is the progress of the deal with Libertas?"
"The Federation is buying almost everything we send," he said.
"Paper, scented soap, refined black steel. Their demand is still rising. The tariff-free agreement is making trade smoother than before."
Linnea tapped one of the ledgers.
"Their gold is entering our market every week."Elias looked pleased.
"In simple terms, Your Highness, trade with Libertas is helping us pay for the next stage of development."
"And we don't have to raise taxes on our own people," Linnea added.
I let out a slow breath."That matters most," I said.
"A strong state built by crushing its own people will not last. If this industrial growth brings only suffering, then we have failed before we even begin."
"The economy is our foundation," I said at last.Then I stood.
"Now, excuse me, I have to inspect the foundry for the next progress."
I left the study and rode by carriage to the industrial district.
Aelrue sat quietly beside me.
Her two blades rested on her lap, and her sharp elven eyes watched the streets through the carriage window.
"You can relax a little," I said.
"I am relaxed," she replied without looking at me.
"You look like you are preparing to kill someone."
"That is also how I relax."I stared at her for a moment.
Then I sighed. "I should have expected that answer."
Outside, the citizens stopped and bowed as our carriage passed. They looked happy and proud. Some even smiled and waved at the carriage.Aelrue noticed it too.
"They look more hopeful than before," she said."
That is what I want to protect," I replied. " People need food, roads, work, and safety. Most importantly, the hope. If we can give them that, then this country has a future."Aelrue smiled.
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the Royal Foundry.
The building looked like a black-stone fortress.
Heat poured from the open iron doors, turning the summer air heavy and dry.
"Your Highness!"A loud voice rang out from inside.
Thorgar Ironhand, my Dwarven Master Smith, hurried down from a metal walkway.
His arms were covered in soot, and a huge grin spread across his face.
"Welcome to the belly of the beast, lad!"He froze and saw Aelrue accompanying beside me.
Then he coughed awkwardly and bowed.
"Forgive me. I mean, Your Highness."
I waved it off.
"If you start speaking politely, Thorgar, I will assume something is wrong."
He laughed loudly.
"Then I'll stay rude for your peace of mind."
"Good. Now show me what everyone has built."Thorgar's grin softened a little at that.
"With pleasure."He led me inside.
I marveled at the incredible sight of the Royal Foundry, transformed from a simple forge into a powerful mix of magic and industry.
Moving along the assembly lines inside the huge hall, the fifty autonomous mana golems we purchased from the Federation of Libertas three months ago were now fully integrated into our production system, a far cry from the weak, temporary constructs created by battlefield mages.
As steam hissed from their joints and blue light radiated from their internal mana cores, two of these ten-foot-tall machines of brass and enchanted black steel strode toward a roaring blast furnace, fearlessly hefting a huge crucible of white-hot molten mithril-alloy.
That job would have taken fifty men, ropes, pulleys, and a great deal of danger.
The golems did it in seconds.
They lifted the crucible with perfect control and poured the molten metal into a long row of cannon molds.
Thorgar folded his arms proudly.
"Beautiful, aren't they?"
"They are useful," I said.
"That is dwarf-speak for beautiful," he replied.
I laughed.
"They don't sleep, don't sweat, and don't complain," Thorgar continued.
"Best workers I've ever had. No offense to the lads."Several nearby apprentices wisely pretended not to hear him.
"With the golems doing the heavy lifting," he said, "my smiths can focus on the delicate work. Barrels, firing locks, shaping, boring, finishing.
The things that need hands, eyes, and experience."
He led me deeper into the foundry.
Hundreds of dwarves and trained human apprentices worked together.
Some were boring musket barrels.
Others were assembling firing mechanisms.
"So," I asked, "how many muskets?"
"Hundreds every day."
"Hundreds?"
"Aye. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Royal Musket Battalions are fully equipped already. Now we're making for reserves."
"That is faster than I expected."Thorgar grinned.
"That's because you expected me to be great. You forgot that I am better than great."Aelrue stared at him silently.
Thorgar glanced at her, then cleared his throat.
"Anyway, the artillery is over here."He pointed to the far end of the foundry.
A row of massive iron cannons rested on strong wooden carriages.
"We're finishing one Earth Shaker every day," he said.
"Forty are ready now."I placed my gloved hand on the cold metal barrel of the nearest cannon—just one of forty such weapons capable of shattering the adversaries' seemingly impenetrable walls.
Each cannon was not only a weapon.
It was a promise that if war came again, our soldiers would not be sent to die with swords against imperial magic."You have done well," I said.
Thorgar's expression softened for a moment.
"That means a lot coming from you, Your Highness."
"I mean it. But there is still a problem."His smile faded.
"The golems."
"Yes," I said.
"They are strong, but they are not ours. They are Libertas technology. If the Federation cuts off mana batteries, our production will stop."
"Aye," Thorgar said.
"That's why we started the second phase."
"Take me there."
Leaving the burning heat of the main foundry, we crossed a guarded courtyard near the river where a large new building was being constructed, its iron frame and Leo Cement walls already rising from the ground.
Thorgar pointed at it with pride.
"That will be the golem factory.""
How far along?"
"The structure is nearly done. Once the equipment is installed, we can begin production. Brass frames, steel joints, armor plating—we can make all of that ourselves."
"not the runes."
"Not with my hands," Thorgar said.
"I can shape metal and make it strong, but those mana circuits and cores need someone with a finer touch."
I looked toward the clean stone building beside the factory.
"And a worse temper."
Thorgar laughed.
"Aye. That too."The building was guarded by elite Venators.
This was the new Magi-Tech Laboratory.
I opened the door and stepped inside.
Floating crystals lit the room with white light, illuminating the cool, mana-heavy air and the long tables covered with dismantled golem arms, glowing blue cores, and scrolls filled with magical formulas.
At the center of the room stood Duchess Zemlya.
Quickly drawing a complex earth-mana rune pattern, the woman in the clean white researcher's coat and tied-back dark hair was once the Kalian Empire's Rank 8 Earth Grand Mage—the renowned Wall of the South, and the very same person who had destroyed my northern capital before Solon defeated her.
Now, she worked as my lead researcher.Her mana core had been damaged during her duel with Solon, who then placed powerful seals on her soul to ensure she could never use her full power against us again—leaving her forever unable to cast high-level magic unless Solon undid the seal.
She was a prisoner.
She was also a scholar with a mind that few people in this world could match. I could not undo everything that had happened between us.
Still, if there was a path where her knowledge could build instead of destroy, then I intended to use it.I walked up behind her and looked at the design on the table.
"The left knee joint looks unstable."Zemlya's hand stopped.
Slowly, she turned her head and glared at me.
"Do you enjoy being irritating, or were you born that way?""I was just making an observation."She scoffed.
Thorgar quickly looked away, pretending to examine a nearby table.I smiled a little. "Then explain it to me.
"Zemlya stared at me for a moment, as if deciding whether I was worth the effort.
Then she clicked her tongue and pointed at the design.
"The Federation's original design uses a support variable here. I removed it."
"Why?"
"Because it is a lazy design," she said sharply.
"Their golems are strong, yes, but they waste mana through the joints. The knee does not need more support. It needs better flow."
"So you are rebuilding the entire mana pathway."
"Obviously."
"Then I am glad I gave the work to you."She paused.
For a brief moment, she looked almost surprised and flushed.
Then her expression hardened again.
"Do not praise me like I am one of your loyal subjects."
"I am praising your skill," I said.
"Nothing more."
"Hmph."When I first gave her this task, she had been furious.
She said a Grand Mage should not be treated like a mechanic.
But the moment she saw the Federation's golem blueprints, she could not leave them alone.
Her pride as a scholar cannot stay still.
"How much better will your version be?" I asked.
Zemlya's expression changed.
She was still annoyed, but now there was clear excitement filled in her voice.
"Much better," she said.
"The Libertas golems are heavy and stiff. Useful for lifting, but clumsy. My model will be lighter, faster, and more efficient. About twenty percent and thirty percent less mana use, if the core remains stable."
"That is a major improvement."
"It is the minimum improvement I am willing to accept," she said.
Then she picked up a glowing blue crystal from the table.
"We are also making our own mana cores now.
While not perfect, the mana stones from the North are certainly good enough."
"So once the factory is complete—"
"We will not need Libertas anymore," she finished.
"Instead of simply copying them, we will build our own unique design"I looked at the glowing core in her hand.
"And these new golems will not only be used in factories."Zemlya looked at me for a moment.
Then she smiled faintly.
"No. They will also be able to carry weapons."Thorgar let out a low whistle.
"Armed golems. That'll make the Empire sweat.""
Combat-ready autonomous golems,"
The clear meaning behind our industry, banking, firearms, artillery, and golems was that Leo was no longer merely trying to survive among the great powers—we were making sure no empire could ever decide our fate again.
Zemlya placed the core back on the table.
"Now," she said,
"unless Your Highness has another painfully obvious comment to make, I have work to do.""I do have one."
She sighed.
"Of course you do."
"Good work, Zemlya."Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Then she turned away.
"…Leave before I regret not throwing a wrench at you."I smiled faintly.
"I will take that as progress."Aelrue stepped between us before the conversation could continue.
"We should let her work, Your Highness."
"You are right."As I turned to leave, Zemlya muttered behind me.
"At least the elf has sense."Aelrue glanced back at her.
"I have patience. There is a difference."For the first time, Zemlya felt defeated in conversation.
Thorgar laughed under his breath.
When the sun began to set, I stepped out of the laboratory and breathed in the warm evening air.
Aelrue walked beside me in silence.
(Continue…..)