"Your Highness, Camilla greets you."
In the afternoon, Camilla arrived at the Temple exactly on time.
"No need for such formalities. Nara, bring a chair for Ms. Camilla. Let's sit and talk."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Nara quickly brought a chair. She seemed to have grown accustomed to my habits, so there were always chairs ready in the Temple. Strictly speaking, no one but the Saintess of the Moon was allowed to sit within the Temple.
However, since I frequently invited people to sit, Nara naturally adapted to my ways.
No matter how strict the rules were, they didn't apply to the Saintess herself.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Camilla didn't act like a stranger; she sat down as soon as the chair was brought over.
"I wonder why Your Highness has summoned me today?"
Looking at the infinitely charming Camilla, I couldn't help but feel her gaze was a bit... strange?
It made me feel uneasy.
"Well, Ms. Camilla, I didn't summon you just for idle chatter. I have a favor to ask."
"Whatever Your Highness commands, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I will certainly do my duty."
Strange. Why did I feel Camilla's attitude toward me was completely different from Victor, the president of the Mage Guild, or Anton, the leader of the dwarven craftsmen?
She seemed exceptionally willing to follow my orders.
How odd.
"Ms. Camilla, as you know, the Kingdom of the Moon is vast, but travel is quite inconvenient. I'm thinking of building roads to make transportation easier and even generate some income. I was wondering if you have any materials for road construction—something cheap and durable, like asphalt."
"Asphalt?"
Camilla frowned slightly.
"I'm not sure what you mean, Your Highness. I've never heard the word 'asphalt' before."
"Um... it's like a black mud, similar to a fluid, but it becomes extremely hard once it solidifies. It can be used for paving roads."
"Let me think. Like black mud, extremely hard after solidifying... Your Highness, are you referring to... black stone mud?"
As she spoke, Camilla raised her hand. A magic circle appeared out of thin air, and a clump of dark, greenish-black mud floated above her palm.
That familiar scent... it was undoubtedly asphalt!
"Yes, that's it."
"Is this it? But Your Highness... black stone mud is not cheap to produce. Moreover, it's practically useless. Even if it were as cheap as you say, it would be difficult to use for paving roads."
"Why?"
Could normal roads not work?
Camilla smiled, her slender fingers dancing as she controlled the floating ball of asphalt.
"While black stone mud is very hard after cooling, it cannot withstand the weight of knights. Furthermore, based on my observations, this isn't truly a solid; it's more like a liquid that slowly flows downward."
Camilla looked up at me.
"Since Your Highness wants to build roads, surely you aren't just looking at the short term?"
"Correct. I hope the roads we build can last at least a hundred years without any issues."
"Then black stone mud is even less suitable. After all, once a century passes, this mud is likely to flow outward, deforming the road and losing its original flatness. It would become a hindrance to traffic instead."
Right. Normal asphalt roads require regular maintenance. Even the sturdiest asphalt pavement needs repairs every few years.
More importantly, the weight of the knights in this world far exceeds that of normal horses.
A fully armored heavy cavalryman weighing a ton would distribute that weight across four hooves, meaning each hoof bears at least two hundred and fifty pounds.
That was just while stationary. While running, with the added force of impact, those hard horseshoes would definitely leave marks on an asphalt surface.
A ton of weight concentrated on a U-shaped hoof no larger than a palm... once such marks were left, the flatness of the entire road would be severely damaged.
Heavy cavalry regiments rarely moved alone; they were groups of at least several hundred.
Asphalt pavement simply couldn't withstand that kind of impact.
The damage would be catastrophic!
Even if I could manufacture steam trains later to transport heavy cavalry, I had to consider what would happen if the trains were unusable in an emergency.
Cutting off transportation is a crucial step in the wars of any era.
And a railway—a visible and easily sabotaged piece of infrastructure—would obviously be a primary target.
Moreover, this wasn't Earth. An opponent would only need to use fire magic to easily melt an asphalt road.
My original idea shattered instantly. Asphalt roads couldn't withstand the trampling of this magical era!
My brow furrowed.
If that was the case, the original plan needed a massive overhaul.
Without proper roads, wanting to unify the world was nothing more than a pipe dream!
Unless I could mass-produce aerial transport and seize air superiority to restrict the nobles, this was all just talk on paper.
The Temple fell silent for a long time. I sat there with my head down, deep in thought, but I couldn't find a solution.
Just as my mind was searching frantically like a headless fly for any road material I could imagine, Camilla, sitting below, suddenly spoke with a smile.
"However, Your Highness, while black stone mud won't work, I do have a solution."
"Really?!"
Those words were like a ray of hope suddenly illuminating the path before me. I looked at her in surprise.
Camilla tossed her fiery red hair back with an elegant, sharp motion. A satisfied smile played on her lips as she watched me.
"Your Highness, while black stone mud can't handle it, normal stone slabs have no problem. Furthermore, I have a material that is quite cheap and can bond fragmented slabs together. According to my tests, it's difficult for ordinary low-level magic to damage it. One would need magic above the fourth tier to break it, and to destroy it completely would require at least sixth-tier magic."
She looked up at me.
"If Your Highness uses crushed stone to pave the roads, it might be difficult. But if you can use whole stone slabs and supplement them with the adhesive I've created, they can last for centuries without breaking."
In this world, magic tiers were simple: the first tier was level ten, the second tier was level twenty, and so on, up to the top-tier seventh-tier magic.
"Then, what is the price of this potion?"
I stood up, forgetting my elegance as a Saintess, and quickly walked down from the divine platform to look at Camilla expectantly.
She smiled.
"It's very cheap. This adhesive uses slime as its primary material, supplemented by other inexpensive ores. The cost is roughly one silver coin per ton."
One ton... for one silver coin?
That meant one ton was only a hundred copper coins?
As far as I knew, a ton of asphalt cost at least three or four thousand, which would be thirty or forty silver coins.
Yet, her adhesive could be bought for just one silver per ton.
And stone was even cheaper. It could be constructed entirely using magic. Such magically formed stone slabs were also extremely cheap; the price for a cubic meter was probably around one silver coin.
Second-tier magic could mass-produce stone slabs.
"This adhesive..."
"One ton of adhesive, by my estimation, can pave about ten meters of road."
That meant, excluding labor, the cost could be suppressed to around one hundred and ten copper coins per square meter!
Including labor, it would probably be around two hundred copper coins per square meter!
"Ms. Camilla, I sincerely hope you can transfer this secret formula. I am willing to pay any price!!"
Developed transportation was a necessary condition for the unification of the Kingdom of the Moon!
Without it, all my ambitions would be mere fantasies!
So, no matter how excessive the request, I would endure it as long as I could get the formula for this adhesive!
"Saintess, in our alchemist profession, non-apprentices cannot inherit private formulas. However, if Your Highness is willing, I can represent the Alchemists' Association and sign a contract with you. We will sell this adhesive in bulk at cost plus five percent profit—one silver coin and five copper coins."
"Really!?"
Even if the five-copper increase in cost stung, as long as the road could be built, any price was worth paying!
"Of course. However, I personally have a private additional condition. I wonder if Your Highness is willing to hear it?"
"A private additional condition?"
"Yes."
"Can others hear it?"
"No. I need to discuss this matter with Your Highness in private."
Camilla was dead serious. Looking at the solemn expression on her face, I didn't know what she wanted, but that wouldn't stop my ambition!
"Nara, Lola, you two step outside. Everyone else, leave the Temple as well."
Nara and Lola glanced at each other, then at Camilla. They hesitated for a moment but eventually left the Temple.
The other nuns didn't need to be told twice and filed out of the Temple one after another.
In an instant, only Camilla and I were left in the Temple.
"Ms. Camilla, you may speak now. Whatever the condition, as long as it's within my power, I will do my best."
"It seems Your Highness has great ambitions. Transportation is the lifeblood of a nation. Only with smooth transportation can a country truly come alive. I assume that is Your Highness's calculation?"
"Ms. Camilla, since you understand, let's not mince words. Indeed, I want to pave roads and connect all parts of the Kingdom of the Moon."
Although communication had become convenient in this era thanks to magic, transportation was quite the opposite.
Perhaps many nations didn't understand the immense benefits transportation brought to a country.
Or perhaps even if they did, they simply couldn't provide the funds required to repair the roads.
"Your Highness's ambition is grand. However, Your Highness, I heard you have a new document tablet in your possession?"
"Yes."
The document tablet was originally intended as a last resort to dismantle those associations, but it seemed the security measures weren't very good; someone already knew.
Since Camilla knew, the Pope likely knew as well.
Yet he hadn't asked me for a replica of the document tablet yet. This feeling of something being held in reserve made my skin crawl.
But the focus now wasn't him!
It was Camilla.
As long as Camilla agreed, no one could stop me from unifying the Kingdom of the Moon!
"Then, Your Highness, may I know if these tablets have a class related to alchemists?"
"There is, but... it's a Temple-exclusive class."
Camilla's brow furrowed as she fell into deep thought.
I didn't disturb her.
At a time like this, she indeed needed to think.
Because once the word 'Temple' was attached, it meant she had essentially sold herself to me.
Although she could resign at any time, it also meant I could strip her of that title whenever I wished.
I could compromise on other things, but not on this!
This was one of the necessary conditions for the rise of the Kingdom of the Moon.
"Is the document tablet in Your Highness's hand a system-type?"
"Of course. It's a complete seventh-tier system. Ms. Camilla, if you are willing, I can make you the Chief Alchemist of the Kingdom of the Moon. Furthermore, I will not restrict your freedom in any way. I only need you to lend a hand when the Kingdom of the Moon is in trouble."
This was my greatest concession. I wouldn't manage her; I'd let her be free. But if she wanted the title, she had to be categorized under the 'Temple'.
Camilla fell into thought again. This time, she was silent for so long that I felt my legs growing sore.
Finally, she looked up at me.
"Very well. Since Your Highness has made such a great concession, I won't be ungrateful."
"Does that mean you agree, Ms. Camilla?"
"But I have a total of three conditions. I hope Your Highness won't be angry."
"Please, speak."
Three? As long as it didn't involve my virtue or the future plans for the Kingdom of the Moon, I could endure it.
Never mind three, I'd agree to three hundred!
"The first condition is naturally the matter of the title. I agree to Your Highness's terms. From this day forward, I shall be the Temple Alchemist. How does that sound?"
"Excellent. And the second?"
Here comes the important part. If the first was just a title, the second would surely be even more excessive!
I was even prepared to give up large amounts of land and money.
Speaking of which, most of the land around Brilliant City was under the Temple's name; I had plenty of authority over it.
She wouldn't be satisfied with the north, as it was hilly, lacked minerals, and wasn't suitable for farming.
If she wanted land, it would likely be in the south or west.
Though it pained me, I was ready.
Speak!
Do you want money or land?
Or perhaps a noble title?
What do you want?
"I want... the Saintess's robe Your Highness is currently wearing!"
"No problem!"
Just a Saintess's robe? Isn't that a bit too cheap?
I agreed almost without thinking.
Wait... no, hold on?
The Saintess's robe!?
The one I'm wearing?
Rate on N.U.
