39. The winds of change blowing from the empire even to Iron?
Those who joined hands with Roteon to cross Jaylon’s stronghold.
And the Iron government brought in the Empire’s army to punish them.
Both of them knew that there was a possibility that Iron might be split because of this.
But I couldn’t stop.
It may have been since Jayron joined hands with the Empire, and maybe it was when he started to lead the overwhelming upper ranks alone.
“… … It’s the worst.”
Neither pro-Imperial nor anti-Imperial, the neutral small and medium-sized merchants sighed at the words of an old merchant.
In the aftermath of the fight between the giants, the small and medium-sized companies were forced to worry about their survival.
This is because they end up at a loss line, but small and medium-sized businesses are dismantled in the aftermath.
“How did this country come to be?”
The old Sang-ju recalled the iron of the past.
The beginning was to create a society free from discrimination.
But sooner or later, within Iron, status was divided by money, and it became a hell worse than the Empire.
Slaves who were so despised.
Even though they hate power, they wield power and oppress themselves.
All kinds of criminal organizations using it.
All of this was happening in a country called Iron.
Nevertheless, what appears to be a seemingly free country is that the numerous upper classes are developing the entire city while earning huge amounts of money.
However, there are limits to an alliance without coercion.
The treatment of the common people was far worse than that of the empire that they so despised, because only a few were agreed upon according to their own interests.
This situation slowly began to change with the appearance of a man with overwhelming talent.
‘Jeron Paul.’
He began to earn huge amounts of money with the overwhelming talent of a merchant, and he grew up to become the most powerful top in Iron.
After that, he gradually improved the treatment of those at the bottom as he rose from the regional merchant association president to the federationist position representing the whole of Iron.
By giving out the most money on his own, he ripped out a certain amount of money from the top members of the Federation to improve the treatment of ordinary people.
Nevertheless, there were limitations.
Even after a huge amount of money was poured into the already rotten bottom, there was no room for improvement, and dissatisfaction with the numerous tops in the iron was also piling up.
In such a situation, an affair with the Empire broke out.
After Jayron’s first defeat, his absolute position was shaken, and eventually the disgruntled top-tier stockholders revolted, leading to the present.
“… … I thought that one day this would happen. However… … I am so sorry.”
The old merchant lamented as he watched Ironon getting worse and worse.
Then the other merchants sighed too.
The only country in the western continent for merchants. It was sad to see that great country crumbling through greed.
It was a time when everyone felt sorry for the current situation.
As the army of Roteon and Talos entered Iron and the war escalated as the Imperial Army defended it, unbelievable rumors came from the Empire.
“Is the empire changing?”
“I can’t believe it.”
All the merchants in Iron denied the rumors with disbelief on their faces.
However, they had already heard that the revolutionary forces were stationed in Salem, the only eastern port of the Empire.
The subject of the current revolution within the empire was Salem, and it was the current emperor, Kariel, who made it.
That emperor is now beginning to bring about a revolution in central intelligence as well.
Then the inside of the iron shook a little.
「Iron is over! Let’s abandon those who are mad with greed and return to our hometown!”
“Let’s go back to the resurgent empire!”
There were also posters posted here and there, but people didn’t pay much attention.
Because not everyone believed this rumor.
Even the rumors told by merchants who had been to Salem were dismissed as lies, but no one believed that the empire would change.
In the hearts of the merchants who came out to win freedom from the Empire, there was a deep distrust of the Empire.
Therefore, the fire inside Iron could not spread further.
But what is clear is that news about the empire has been coming to Iron, and as it accumulates, it will one day turn into a huge fire.
Knowing this, the revolutionary forces within Iron waited quietly.
For the day when I will return to the great empire again someday… … .
When Iron was thrown into chaos, the Empire was busy.
The central palace, the Imperial Palace, was bustling with people every day.
“Your Majesty, this is the report on Iron.”
When Tarion, who has always come to see us today, uploads a report about Iron, Kariel reads slowly with a tired expression on his face.
“… … Is the reaction more than expected?”
“I, too, had my doubts several times after receiving the report.
Tarion also nodded as if surprised by Kariel’s words.
“I thought there would be some impact… … I didn’t know it would be like this.”
I thought that Iron, a group of people who longed for freedom, would be interested in the wind blowing in the Empire.
However, I did not know that there would be a force to return to the Empire so openly.
Thousands of people who left the West for freedom.
They were acutely aware that freedom now comes with a price.
I knew that freedom without a center of gravity could soar high, but conversely, it could fall into an endless abyss.
In their view, the empire was attractive.
The existence of Kariel, who is central in the transformation, will make the floor, and although not as much as Iron, an empire with a certain degree of freedom will provide opportunities for millions of people.
But the southern kingdoms were different.
Still wanting to maintain the aristocracy, they weren’t a very good option for Iron.
Although the power of iron is monopolized by the upper ranks, even they cannot exert great power without a number of merchants who lay the floor.
If they only support the Empire… … .
‘I might swallow Iron.’
If Iron is completely ‘subordinated’ to the Empire, rather than as an alliance or subjugation like the Principality, it will be able to achieve much faster growth than Kariel’s plan.
‘If only Iron’s influence on the new continent and trade with the eastern continent through Salem were successful… … .’
Cultural relics from the East and New Continents gather in the capital of the empire.
That means you can create great synergies.
At that time, if you can break down the vested interests of the Magic Tower and develop magic engineering, you will be able to far exceed the development of your previous life.
‘Is there no law to die?’
To Kariel who thought so, Tarion handed over another report that he was carefully holding in his arms.
“and… … Your Majesty, here is the principal’s request.”
“A request?”
Kariel tilted her head.
The moment he saw the dukedom’s request, Kariel’s expression hardened.
“Did the principality really ask for this?
“yes.”
“Is this from the principality?”
“Yes.”
Tarion answered with a firm expression as he looked at Kariel who asked one after another as if he couldn’t believe it.
“The principality wants the permanent presence of the Eastern Army.”
brief content.
However, the meaning contained in it was not light at all.
“… … Do you want me and the princess to get married in the near future?”
“It doesn’t seem like that. There are also those who hope to be connected with His Majesty in the future, but I believe it will be difficult to achieve right now.”
“Then it is a genuine request… … .”
Kariel made an expression of incomprehension.
Even if it was a blood alliance, it was difficult for the imperial army to be permanently stationed in the principality.
It was because the fact that the imperial army continued to stay within a country was no different from acknowledging that the country was a dependent of the empire.
However, it was not a small country, but a principality wanted it.
“The situation in the principality is that serious… … .”
“Actually, the current situation in the principality is not good.”
At Tarion’s words, Kariel tilted her head.
“The development of Salem would have revived the economy of the principality, right?”
The vast amount of resources currently used in Salem Harbor were not brought in purely from within the Empire.
Many things were quickly brought from the nearest principality.
As a result, a huge amount of money was flowing into the principality.
According to Kariel’s report the other day, it was said that the damage suffered from the black magicians could be repaired in the near future.
“Talos has cut off support for the principality.”
“… … Are you going to openly reveal that you made a secret pact with Roman?”
As members of the Western Continent, the southern kingdoms did things that should never have happened. Therefore, cutting off support for the principality in a country where it would not be enough to hide it thoroughly was no different from saying that it would be acknowledged.
It revealed that he was prepared for strong opposition from the people living in the West Continent from the moment he cut off support for the principality.
“You mean you have no intention of stopping?”
“… … Yes.”
“Rotheon will also stop supporting the Principality.”
“The problem is the Holy Kingdom.”
Money can be satisfied to some extent by earning money in the Empire.
But the kingdom is different. Without the priests they sent, the military power of the principality could not be maintained.
They were able to maintain the iron wall while continuously taking damage through the potions they sold and healing through divine power.
But what if the kingdom does not send priests?
The military power could no longer be maintained. In such a situation, it was almost impossible to stop Roman’s large army.
“How many priests in the Empire are not affected by the Holy Kingdom?”
“It’s about 15 percent compared to priests from the Holy Land.”
“It is still incomplete.”
“However, it is growing rapidly.”
At Tarion’s words, turning the back page of the report showed numbers showing tremendous growth rates.
The pure faith of the empire that served fire in the past.
It, which had fallen in rank to the point of being considered a folk religion by the Holy Kingdom, showed tremendous growth as it was supported by Kariel. But even taking that into account, there were too many.
“The number of people awakening to the divine power of fire is rapidly increasing. Most of them are growing rapidly, hoping to become priests.”
“Does the principality know about this?”
“You don’t know that it has this kind of growth. However, I know that the number of priests of the Empire is increasing in the East. Most of all, he seems to have shown interest in how potions were created by magic in Salem.”
Upon hearing Tharion’s report, Kariel rubbed his chin and fell into thought.
The Principality wants to escape from the shadow of the Holy Kingdom.
‘Are you going to enter the shadow of the Empire instead of the Holy Kingdom?’
The will of the Principality to risk even becoming a vassal on its own in exchange for help from the Empire.
As such, the current situation of the Principality was precarious.
“… … First, contact the Eastern Commander and ask him to help the Principality. Just listen to what they want.”
“Yes.”
“And ask for help from the Fire Temple.”
“All right.”
Tarion bows his head at Kariel’s command and leaves.
“after… … Plans may change.”
A plan that Kariel had previously.
It was to tie Iron and the principality into a strong alliance, forming a kind of federation and putting pressure on other countries in the Western Continent.
To politically unify the Western Continent by defeating the Southern Kingdoms and Holy Kingdoms and replacing their leaders with pro-Imperial factions.
After that, preparing for the war with the East Continent was the picture drawn by Kariel.
But things have changed.
“It’s a complete continental unification… … .”
Kariel muttered to herself and smiled.
He revised his plans with the idea that the days of the empire, which were truly great, might return, rather than the symbolic resurrection of the empire.