Chapter 325: The Top Meeting
“The northern nations seem to have calmed down somewhat,” remarked Alban Breias, the Grand Admiral of the Kingdom of Repuitari, as he skimmed through the documents laid out before him.
“There were moments when I feared the worst… The reports indicate that the Prava Divine Nation has reached the limits of their offensive,” he continued.
“Who can say? In the end, we still don’t understand the internal situation of the Prava Divine Nation,” replied Duke Amagio Silverhead.
Gathered in this room were the leaders of the factions that were effectively steering the Kingdom of Repuitari.
At the forefront was Grand Admiral Alban Breias, who commanded the kingdom’s most powerful force, the Navy.
Next was Duke Amagio Silverhead, who had recently reclaimed his position at the top of the Noble Assembly.
And finally, there was Ashidancera = Ayame Zero, the ambassador of Paraiso, a foreign power that was steadily gaining control over the kingdom’s economy.
Additionally, there was Dry = Ringo, the admiral of the Paraiso fleet, who was demonstrating their strength in the surrounding seas.
“The blockade line on their side has also stabilized. We are now entering the phase of infiltrating scouts,” Alban stated.
“Phase… as in stages, right? Indeed. Thanks to your support, we have been able to send ample supplies to the front lines. We also have a surplus of personnel,” Amagio added.
“Shouldn’t you have a bit more sense of urgency?” Amagio sighed in response to Alban’s casual agreement with Ashidancera.
However, this exchange had become a customary routine. Alban had already developed a personal trust in Ashidancera and, by extension, in Paraiso. After all, it was Duke Amagio Silverhead, the founding father of the kingdom, who had taken the initiative to host tea parties, inviting influential figures from within the country one after another. Their relationship had become quite intertwined.
Alban had a history of following Duke Amagio Silverhead since his youth, helping to build the Navy. Thus, it was only natural for him to harbor positive feelings towards Paraiso, with which Duke Amagio was actively engaging.
“Are we going to hear your usual scolding again? However, at least for now, I believe we are conducting our dealings with the people of Paraiso with utmost sincerity. The volume of trade between us is skyrocketing, so there’s no need to view each other as enemies,” Alban said.
“I have always felt your sincerity, Alban. We wish to respond in kind,” Amagio replied.
“…Sera has certainly been well-fed, hasn’t she?” Amagio teased, to which Ashidancera = Ayame Zero responded with a huff, elegantly spearing a piece of pastry with her fork and bringing it to her mouth.
“Today’s offering is splendid. The tart crust is baked to perfection, and the custard cream has a well-balanced sweetness without any off-flavors. Please convey my gratitude to the artisan,” she said.
“Ah, I’m glad to hear that. Ever since you personally expressed your thanks, the artisan seems to have put in a lot more effort. We should be able to present a new creation next time,” Alban replied.
“That sounds wonderful. Amagio, I’ll be counting on you for the next one,” Ashidancera said.
“…Yes, yes,” Amagio sighed, already being prompted for the next tea party, even though today’s gathering had just begun. He took a deep breath and focused his thoughts.
In response to his mental signal, a projection display embedded in the table lit up with images.
“…Now, onto today’s main topic. Support for the northern nations. We will need to transport a large quantity for a while, so our military transport ships must work hard,” Alban stated.
“The main supplies will be construction materials and fittings. Well, since it’s in the inland sea, we shouldn’t capsize even if we load them to the brim,” Amagio noted.
By the way, this projection display was also manufactured by Paraiso. Currently, only Amagio had access to it.
“The construction materials are fine. However, for food supplies and other necessities, we will need to send them overland, and by horse-drawn carts for the time being. I wish we could establish a railway soon…” Amagio lamented, clearly dissatisfied with the inefficiency of cart transport.
He was aware that the maximum load for a cart was only about one ton. Even with the steel vehicles supplied by Paraiso, the limit was five tons due to the condition of the roads. This was only for the main routes; for the lesser roads, they would have to hire laborers to transfer goods to smaller carts.
“I’ve heard that road maintenance is often met with resistance,” Dry interjected, to which Amagio nodded in agreement, pressing his forehead.
“Indeed. There are defense-related issues and all… Honestly, small, compact cities can be quite troublesome,” he replied.
“That’s why we have been able to strengthen ourselves to this extent. Our nation has struggled significantly with organizing our transportation network,” Dry added.
Roads are the arteries of a nation. When they flow smoothly, the country thrives; when they stagnate, it loses vitality. The Kingdom of Repuitari had thoroughly implemented this principle, rapidly increasing its national power, a shared understanding among those present.
“We can also provide transport trucks, but is it too early for that?” Alban asked.
“Ah… those are the Stirling Engines, right? We can’t even maintain such precision machinery. If they break down, we can’t just abandon them, can we?” Amagio replied.
“It’s merely a matter of processing precision. With your technological capabilities, you could replicate both the theory and design,” Dry countered.
“Thanks to your technical guidance, we’ve advanced by at least a century, haven’t we?” Amagio remarked.
This rapid advancement in the technology of the Kingdom of Repuitari was indeed a result of the factory construction by Paraiso, where many engineers had been exposed to their wisdom and had improved their own capabilities.
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Alban asked.
“From our perspective, we are concerned that you are shouldering too much of the burden. Trade should be based on equality. If it isn’t, it will inevitably lead to a breakdown somewhere along the line,” Dry explained.
“Hmm…” Alban pondered, turning his gaze toward Ashidancera.
In this region, Ashidancera was the one in charge, guided by Ayame Zero. RINGO remained silent, observing the situation.
“There are differences in values between both parties. What you consider valuable may not necessarily align with what we deem truly precious. And it is through trading those mismatched values that we profit from the difference, as I understand it,” Dry elaborated.
“The greater the gap between the two parties engaged in trade, the larger the discrepancies in value recognition. Currently, there exists a significant gap between us at Paraiso and you,” Ashidancera added.
“Indeed, there is a disconnect, and if this continues, communication will become impossible. I have come to that conclusion. Therefore, I am attempting to build a bridge first. …Moreover, it is not a one-sided burden. For instance, take this pastry. If we were to create something similar, we would need to invest considerable effort. I pride myself on understanding the weight of history behind these creations,” Ashidancera explained.
As Ashidancera spoke, Dry nodded in agreement. Hearing their response, Alban nodded thoughtfully.
“Hey, girl, what are you saying? Are you suggesting we build a factory just because the pastries are good? Choose your words more carefully. It sounds like you’re just being greedy,” Amagio interjected, his tone casual.
Alban was somewhat taken aback by Amagio’s bluntness, clearly surprised by the camaraderie between Ashidancera and Amagio.
“How rude, Duke Amagio. I meant to say that it is precisely because you generously share your history that I can appreciate it. And it’s not just about pastries. The preserved foods from various regions, unique seasonings, the evolution of food inferred from the climate and vegetation of those areas, or the history of trial and error in increasing food production. The development of long-distance transport methods and improvements in preservation techniques, which have led to lower mortality rates and increased lifespans. All of these records are invaluable to us,” Ashidancera explained.
“Isn’t that mostly about food?” Amagio retorted.
“Please don’t belittle it. The extension of lifespan is closely related to the reduction of malnutrition and food poisoning, as well as improvements in nutritional status leading to increased physical strength and enhanced immunity. It’s not eight out of ten; it’s ten out of ten,” Ashidancera insisted.
“Wait, is this all about food?” Amagio exclaimed.
“It would be a waste to simply consume it. This is history, Duke Amagio. I am savoring the history encapsulated in this pastry right now. This delicate flavor is the accumulation of this nation’s history. In essence, I am consuming the nation itself. Please refrain from using such base expressions as ‘greed for food,'” Ashidancera concluded, a triumphant expression on her face as she finished her statement and brought the pastry to her mouth.
Amagio, who had initially been teasing, seemed to ponder her words, muttering to himself about the notion of consuming a nation as he cut into the pastry with his fork.
“Um… I apologize, but all the ingredients for this pastry were sourced from Paraiso, and the method was an arrangement based on what I learned from Ashidancera, as well as from the artisan…” Amagio began to explain.
“…………”
“…………”
An awkward silence fell over the room.
In this moment, the sweet yet doting demeanor of the grandfather-like figure, Amagio, was evident. In terms of life experience, he was undoubtedly akin to a grandfather and grandchild.
Announcement for Volume 3
Finally, it will be released on September 30th (Monday)!!
Volume 3 features keywords such as artificial satellites, naval vessels, fleet battles, magical knights, devastation, giant machines, and dragons. In addition to web episodes, significant revisions and additions have been made.
Some bookstores may already have it on display!
Note: The existing electronic editions are also on sale with coin rewards, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity!