"Commerce is the blood of a nation, and roads are its bones..."
"Of the million people, thirty to forty percent are able-bodied men. They can be used to build roads, strengthening the bones of commerce..."
"Another thirty to forty percent are women who can weave cloth and make clothes. The Temple will coordinate the sales. The revenue from these clothes can cover the wages and food for the laborers. The roads built by those men will facilitate trade, and merchants can then sell more cloth and clothing. In this way, a cycle is established."
A virtuous cycle, indeed.
This almost perfectly aligned with my own thoughts.
Among the million people, about twenty to thirty percent were the elderly, the weak, and children. The rest were able-bodied men and women. I had originally thought of a work-for-relief program focused on building bridges and repairing roads.
But he had thought even further ahead.
He actually thought of putting the refugee women to work as well, with the Temple coordinating the unified sale of clothing and bedding.
The money earned from these sales could cover the wages, food, and clothing of the laborers, while the completed roads would greatly increase the speed of commercial circulation.
Furthermore, if everything proceeded according to his plan, these million people would hardly cost the Temple a single cent. We would only need to provide the initial seed capital, and the project would eventually become self-sufficient.
In this way, the refugees would have food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, naturally leaving them with no room for ulterior motives. On one hand, it would stabilize Brilliant City, and on the other, it would perfectly settle these people.
"But who will take on this burden? This is no small sum, and ordinary merchants likely cannot handle such a large volume of goods."
I raised my doubt, but Augus seemed prepared, speaking with confidence.
"The Cromwell family deals in cloth and clothing, and the Alvin family deals in raw materials. The Temple only needs to act as an intermediary to sell these goods. There is no need to worry about the market."
"And if the two families are unwilling?"
"If they are unwilling, Your Highness can completely establish a merchant guild belonging to the Temple. Use knights as escorts to transport supplies and sell clothes to various regions. With the prestige of the Temple, surely no one would dare to stop you."
It seemed... before coming here, he had thought of everything. Even the conversation between us was entirely within his grasp.
"In that case, Augus, would it be a problem if I left this matter to you?"
"Of course not. Please rest assured, Your Highness. I can guarantee that within a month, everything will be settled."
I nodded. If that was the case, I could let him try.
"Then, do you have any requests?"
To ask someone to handle such a massive task for nothing—even if it was a test—would make me seem a bit stingy if I offered no help at all.
"Your Highness, I require no assistance. An official position and twenty holy knights will suffice."
"No assistance? Augus, I recall you were penniless when you arrived, weren't you?"
Facing my question, anyone else would have been embarrassed, but he held his head high, seemingly proud of his lack of funds.
"I have nothing! Not only am I penniless, but I do not even have a change of clothes. If Your Highness does not provide a meal, I shall go hungry today."
Holy crap!
This guy has some thick skin.
"Not even seed capital?"
"It is unnecessary. Your Highness can rest easy. Aside from twenty holy knights and an official position, I need nothing else."
"Augus, our conversation now is between a monarch and a subject. There is no room for jest before the throne. You must know that if you fail to achieve this..."
"Cough, cough, cough... Your Highness need not worry at all. I... this subject only needs twenty holy knights!"
I looked into his eyes. A flush of excitement appeared on his pale face, and a light that was hard to look at directly seemed to shine through his sickly complexion.
A spark flickered in his gloomy eyes. That feeling... it was as if he had found some kind of hope.
"Since you have put it that way, there is no use in me insisting. Very well... Augus, I shall grant you an official position now. Nara, bring a blank Divine Oracle."
The blank Divine Oracle was spread out on the table. I pondered for a moment and looked down at Augus. His expression remained unchanged, and the morbid flush had faded.
His gloomy eyes occasionally flashed with sharp light, as if he were already calculating where to begin.
He was thinking, and so was I.
As of now, the people I could use under my command, aside from the knights, were few.
Lola was effectively my right hand.
Camilla was a trusted confidante.
Ligeia went without saying.
And then there was that old man, Audis Von.
Among these four, only Lola and Audis could directly intervene in administrative affairs.
Camilla herself was the head of the Alchemists' Association; she had no time and could not hold multiple posts.
As for Ligeia, her personality made her completely disdainful of official positions.
Even if I gave her the title of Prime Minister, she would probably find it less practical than a skysoar dragon.
Then there were Weber and Rodney.
These two had very little presence so far, but at least they were being cultivated. Although they couldn't be given great responsibilities yet, they were fine for minor tasks.
After much thought, since things had reached this point, let it begin!
With a few strokes, I wrote the official title on the Divine Oracle and handed it to Nara.
Nara took it, walked down from the divine platform to Augus, and presented it with both hands.
Augus took it with both hands, unfurled it, and took a look, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Your Highness, this Cabinet Minister... what kind of official is that?"
"Augus, from now on, all administrative affairs will be directly approved by me. The Cabinet is the body of officials who will assist me in governing the country."
"The prestige and power are held by the monarch, while the practical authority is given to the Cabinet Ministers? Your Highness, I fear this could easily lead to you being sidelined."
"The power to dismiss a Cabinet Minister is held solely by me. There is no need for concern."
Augus pondered for a moment, then nodded as if having a sudden realization.
"I see. The Cabinet Ministers are only responsible for civil affairs and do not interfere with the military. Using the military to restrain politics and politics to govern the military... what a clever tactic!"
"Very well. Since you have received what you wanted, let us see how you perform. The knights will be assigned to you tomorrow morning."
Augus nodded, placing his right hand over his chest.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
I looked Augus up and down, a doubt lingering in my mind.
"Augus, I was just thinking... you are a noble, aren't you?"
Hearing this, a look of complexity flashed in Augus's eyes, and he nodded slightly.
"Yes, Your Highness."
It seemed there was a story there.
"Why have you fallen to such a state?"
"..."
Augus fell silent, lowering his head without a word. But just then, a cold voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Eight hundred years ago, the demon race launched a massive invasion, breaking through three lines of the Great Wall in one go and reaching the Four-Ring Mountains. Later, the second Saintess of the Moon personally led her army to battle at the Four-Ring Mountains to hold back the demon army. It was only when reinforcements from the Eight Nations of the Holy Church arrived that the Kingdom of the Moon was barely saved."
Hearing this voice, Augus instinctively looked back, the gloom in his eyes making one shiver.
I also looked toward the sound.
One didn't even need to think to know that familiar voice belonged to Lola.
"The natural barrier of the Great Wall is the most important defensive measure for the Eight Nations of the Holy Church and even the human race. For it to be broken so easily, an investigation was naturally conducted afterward. In the end, it led back to one family."
Augus's face was terrifyingly grim as he kept his head down in silence.
Lola bypassed Augus, came to the base of the divine platform, and continued.
"The reason the Great Wall was broken so easily was that the head of the family guarding those three lines at the time, the Clapham patriarch, feared the demons and retreated without a fight. This allowed the demon race to capture the three lines of the Great Wall overnight. It also forced the second Saintess of the Moon to nearly exhaust all her life force to defend the Four-Ring Mountains. She passed away shortly after returning to Brilliant City."
At this point, Lola turned to look at Augus.
"The Clapham family was held accountable afterward, and the family was branded with a mark of shame. From then on, the Clapham family gradually vanished from the Kingdom of the Moon. By now... almost no one recognizes the name."
"The name 'Di' is the name of the Clapham family's fief from a thousand years ago. Although the fief was lost during the demon invasion of the continent, the Clapham family has continued to inherit that name until now."
As she finished, Augus's head sank deep. His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.
Even without seeing his face, I could imagine how much humiliation he was feeling right now.
A man who had been so arrogant just moments ago now lowered his head.
One could only imagine how much this matter weighed on his heart.
Silence filled the hall for a long time until suddenly, Augus snapped his head up.
"Indeed! The Clapham family did commit an unforgivable crime eight hundred years ago, but that does not mean the me of today will commit the same sin!"
Looking into Augus's eyes, I saw a gaze filled with indignation and humiliation, with a fierce fire burning within them that made it hard to look directly at him.
"Augus... you wish to wash away your family's shame?"
"Yes!"
I nodded and took a deep breath.
"Very well. In that case, I will give you this chance. Handle this matter first. If you fail, you need not come back to see me."
From his eyes, I could see a deep sense of unwilling. He was unwilling to bear such a shameful name from the moment of his birth.
He wanted to prove himself.
So I would give him that chance.
"Thank you, Your Highness. This subject... would rather die ten thousand deaths than fail his mission!"
Augus took a deep breath, his pale face turning even paler than before.
It was clear his physical condition was not good.
However, I would not reach out to do anything now, nor would I help treat his body.
Only when he proved himself would I consider truly accepting him as one of my confidants.
For now, he was only speaking eloquently without having taken action. Whether he would bring me good news or disappointment depended on his own ability.
"Go and rest."
"Cough, cough..."
Relieved, Augus coughed twice and looked up at me.
"Your Highness, who is that person kneeling outside?"
"The brother of the Heavenly Punishment Knight, Elmer Cromwell."
"What does Your Highness intend to do with that man?"
He asked this likely because he planned to start his moves with the Cromwell family.
"Just a punishment."
"I see... Your Highness, please leave this person to me."
Leave him to him?
"Do not harm his life or his body. Other than that, do as you wish."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I hope Your Highness rests early. This subject takes his leave..."
"Go."
Watching Augus's straight yet frail back, I truly worried he might collapse in front of the Temple gates in the next second and try to extort me.
"Your Highness, the people of the Clapham family cannot be trusted."
Lola stood at the base of the divine platform, speaking slowly once Augus had departed.
"I know what I'm doing. The sins of the ancestors should not fall upon the descendants, and besides, eight hundred years have passed. It has been over twenty generations. If he has the ability, I don't mind helping him wash away his family's stain."
Lola pushed up her glasses and nodded slightly.
"Your Highness is merciful."
"Alright, stop with the flattery. Go check his background and have someone follow him to see what he does. Report back to me in detail."
Having said that, I couldn't help but let out a long yawn.
To wait for him, I had stayed on this divine couch for over six hours.
Although I had read and eaten during that time and wasn't that bored, it had still left my body quite exhausted.
"Lola, have Hilda gather twenty knights—two Brave Knights and eighteen Fidelity Knights—to follow him. As long as his requests aren't excessive, grant them."
Lola looked at me in confusion.
"Your Highness, what did he say to you to earn such generous treatment?"
I turned to look at Nara.
"Nara, you explain it to Lola. I'm tired and going to sleep."
"Yes."
I stood up and walked behind the screen toward the inner chambers. Behind me, I could hear Nara beginning her explanation and Lola's questioning voice.
Whatever they said had nothing to do with me now; I needed to sleep.
So tired~
This damned period was making me irritable. If it weren't for the fact that I particularly loved rainy days, my mood would be absolutely terrible right now.
Behind the main hall was a long corridor.
Both sides were lined with statues of angels.
The child-like angels on the eaves held water pitchers, which continuously sprayed the rainwater from the roof to the ground.
On either side of the corridor was a lush garden. On sunny days, beautiful butterflies often danced among the flowers.
But now, there was only the sound of the heavy rain relentlessly drumming against the petals.
A cool breeze brushed past my face, bringing the fragrance of damp earth, which cleared my mind a bit and drove away some of my irritation.
Taking a deep breath, I looked up at the distant sky.
Hmm... it would actually be quite nice to put a fish pond here. I could feed the fish in my spare time.
If I could truly live peacefully in this world... then teasing birds and feeding fish would be a rather good way to spend the rest of my life.
It was just that, right now, I really didn't have enough money for such things.
The most important thing now was still to find a way to suppress the demon rebellion, quell the noble unrest, and then develop steadily.
If... if everything truly turned out to be inevitable, perhaps... dying here in this Temple would be the best end.
As I thought about it, sleepiness washed over me. After a quick bath, I went to my bedroom and fell asleep.
...
"Cough, cough, cough..."
A series of weak coughs echoed from the side hall.
Fortunately, this place was far from the inner chambers, so it wouldn't disturb the Saintess's slumber.
Augus sat on a wooden chair. Before him lay a pile of documents regarding the commercial affairs of various families.
These had just been sent over by someone dispatched by Bishop Lola.
Although Augus had already investigated some of this information himself,
a large portion of what remained was extremely useful.
For this, he felt grateful.
Although Bishop Lola hadn't spared his feelings with her words, she was indeed meticulous in her actions.
No wonder she was so heavily relied upon by Her Highness.
He flipped through the documents. Once he had a clear grasp of the situation, he turned his gaze toward the door.
"Sir Knight, please go to the Temple gates and invite Count Elmer Cromwell, who is kneeling outside, to come in."
The knight left to fulfill the order. A moment later, Elmer, looking like a drowned rat and utterly withered, walked in from the door.
The first thing he did upon entering was size up Augus.
"Who are you? You actually have the authority... to let me go?"
Augus smiled slightly, a curve forming at the corners of his pale mouth.
"Who I am is not important. What matters is... Mr. Elmer, are you truly willing to spend the rest of your life burdened by such a crime?"
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