Chapter 166: The Hall of Wisdom
The forces of the Paraiso unit, having secured the upper echelons of the Aflarasia Royal Capital, set about their next move to achieve complete control.
First, to maintain public order, they decided to deploy bipedal security machines, known as Sheriffs, which had seen little use until now.
The reason for their underutilization was simple: they had not been necessary.
The towns they had previously dominated were all small in scale and lacked significant military strength. Thus, it was sufficient to monitor everything with hastily erected watchtowers and maintain order with the appropriate deployment of Communicator Androids.
However, with the size of the Royal Capital, the need for additional manpower became apparent.
“A managed society, huh?”
She murmured as she observed the scene.
From a torso about the size of a large bundle, two reverse-jointed legs sprouted. The front section was equipped with a flexible arm that had multiple joints and could extend and retract, armed with stun guns for riot control on either side. Sensors were concentrated on the upper part, and a small flying drone was attached.
Standing approximately 1.5 meters tall, it was about the height of an adult’s shoulder.
This single unit possessed the processing power to monitor and suppress activity within a radius of several hundred meters. Of course, this was under the condition that it was dealing with unarmed civilians.
And so, this Sheriff walked confidently down the main street, accompanied by a Communicator Android. The presence of such an enigmatic machine had resulted in a noticeable decrease in foot traffic.
“We’re adjusting things to ensure information spreads within a few days.”
They had already identified influential figures through their established spy network. The Communicator Androids were directly explaining matters to these key individuals and, when necessary, persuading them. Once the information was disseminated, the Communicator Androids would gradually withdraw.
“We’ve also resumed food transportation. We should be able to lift the state of emergency simultaneously.”
“While we’re ramping up production of the Communicator Androids, it’s still easiest to rely on the locals.”
Although they were maintaining control over the government, they wanted to gradually reduce the number of personnel dispatched from Paraiso. Ultimately, the ideal scenario would be for the city and the nation to operate solely on directives from the top.
To achieve that, gaining the people’s trust was essential.
“That said, the population of the Royal Capital wasn’t as large as I expected.”
“Given the level of civilization here, I would consider it reasonable. It fundamentally depends on food production.”
The primary food production area of the Afrasia United Kingdom was the Wheat Hill City located to the south of the Royal Capital. This city utilized fish fertilizer from a nearby vast lake, which was abundant in small fish, to cultivate wheat.
Incidentally, since the lake only contained small fish, the utilization of fish meat had not progressed.
The quantity of small fish that could be caught was somewhat fixed, and while the amount of wheat produced could decrease, it was unlikely to increase. Most of the territory of the Afrasia United Kingdom was wasteland, making it impossible to expand farmland as plants simply wouldn’t grow.
“If we introduced chemical fertilizers, we could significantly increase production.”
“If we could utilize the residents of the slums as labor, it might be feasible.”
While large machinery could enable immediate and large-scale production, there was little use for a massive amount of wheat. Therefore, it would be best to minimize the use of Paraiso’s resources and have the locals do the work.
“Well, let’s leave that to them. How’s the nearby base around the Royal Capital progressing?”
The reason The Tree had subdued the Afrasia United Kingdom was ultimately to develop freely without worrying about outside interference. Constructing a large hub base near the Royal Capital, located almost in the center of the nation, was their immediate task.
“Yes, Commander. The scheduled airlift of heavy machinery has already been completed. The runway will be ready within 48 hours. The Wyvern has been transported to the temporary storage.”
“I heard there was quite a commotion in the Royal Capital. What exactly happened?”
They had recovered the downed Wyvern and airlifted it to the base near the Royal Capital, but its presence was, of course, visible from the city. Thus, she had only heard reports of the considerable uproar it caused.
“Yes, Commander. Due to the low height of the buildings, it was observable from nearly all areas. There was a prevailing sentiment that it was only natural for a force capable of taking down something like that to dominate. The intimidation factor was exceptional.”
“Well, that’s fine, I suppose.”
Shortly after the conquest of the Royal Capital, a Class I Strategic AI, Ichou, was installed for local management. Controlling a base over 2,000 kilometers away from The Tree remotely would incur too much lag. Even the Second Fortress (Black Iron) was unable to operate at full capacity due to latency issues. However, this was partly because they had not prepared a fixed strategic AI, as the base served various purposes for technology verification.
And so, Ichou organized a clear event as part of maintaining order in the Royal Capital. They proclaimed that a force capable of defeating even legendary Dragons had completely occupied the Afrasia United Kingdom.
“The know-how for governing the locals is steadily accumulating. Moving forward, we should deploy Class I AIs for governance.”
“Indeed. Utsugi and Erika are coming along nicely, and it seems we could operate independent units soon.”
◇◇◇◇
In just a single day, a majestic hall had been constructed. Both its exterior and interior were unified in a brilliant white, adorned with intricate geometric patterns. The dome-shaped building maintained a perfect circular form, and the citizens had never seen such a finely crafted structure.
“W-what is this place…?”
Gathered before the hall were the dukes representing the Aflarasia Royal Capital. The long-standing stalwarts who had steered the nation for years found themselves surrounded by heavily armed Communicator Androids, gazing up at the hall.
“From now on, our directives will be issued within this hall. You are to visit here every three days without fail. Unless otherwise instructed, continue this routine. If there are no issues, we will leave behind only the minimum personnel and withdraw from this Royal Capital.”
“…”
Even with such an explanation, they had no response.
“As you have likely already realized, if you do not resist, we will not treat you harshly. If there are any shortages of supplies, we will accommodate you. Just understand that you will no longer be able to act freely as you did before.”
The dukes had not refrained from attempting resistance. They had tried to undermine the control of Paraiso, either by seizing opportunities or confronting them directly. However, those attempts had been utterly unsuccessful. Despite their full efforts, Paraiso had easily neutralized them.
That said, it was only possible due to overwhelming military strength. It was undeniable that Paraiso was investing considerable effort into the Aflarasia Royal Capital.
Moreover, the dukes understood that it would be difficult to maintain control solely through force indefinitely. Thus, they were being asked for absolute submission.
“Now, please enter. Only the three dukes and, let’s see, two attendants each are permitted.”
The chosen nine stood before the main doors of the hall.
“Follow the instructions inside. We will wait outside.”
Before their eyes, the doors slowly slid open. Once fully opened, the nine cautiously stepped inside.
As they entered, lights illuminated the floor, guiding them toward something resembling an altar set in the center.
“…I suppose we have no choice.”
The interior was filled with a cool air. As the group began to move, the doors behind them slowly closed.
Eventually, they arrived at the center of the hall.
With a hum, a massive image appeared before them. It was an icon resembling the profile of a woman with fox ears, used by Paraiso.
“Welcome, esteemed dukes.”
The voice echoed within the hall.
“I am Yuimaia Ichou, and I will be conducting our dialogue from now on. My mission is to guide you and bring peace to the Afrasia United Kingdom. The doors will open every three days. Rest assured, we desire your prosperity.”