41. War with the Tower (3)
The emperor who took the imperial palace to the palace tower while paying a huge penalty.
The figures chosen by the emperor were not important from the point of view of the tower. They weren’t the ones who made the core of magic tools or the core parts of weapons, and most of them were low-level wizards.
So letting it go was the problem.
Using the intelligence department of the imperial palace, which is famous for its fear, only useful ones were taken out of these people.
“… … Did you mean this?”
As Guilliman read the reports the wizards had given him, he had a disappointed expression on his face.
The magicians recruited by the emperor were not the only central horse towers.
He was recruited from all directions regardless of region, and even paid the penalty for that.
In absolute terms, this is not a very large number.
However, they are experts in their own fields.
Although they were alienated from the horse tower, they were collected in the Imperial Palace horse tower while sweeping away all those who reached the level of experts in one field.
With only experts gathered, anything can be accomplished.
“It’s ruined.”
By examining the figures that the emperor pulled out, it was clear what the emperor’s intentions were.
“It’s meant to mass-produce magic tools.”
From life-style magic tools to airships and trains, I plan to develop everything necessary for the empire.
In the meantime, he was thinking of destroying what he had been blocking in order to maintain his vested interests in the tower.
And the people we’ve hired now are the people we need.
Now, the government does not need the help of the Matoap.
All the necessary human resources were taken away, and above all, the Imperial Palace Horse Tower was insufficient, but a fairly plausible working environment was created.
Since the emperor has started to apply directly, the environment will gradually become better.
In addition, if you expand to the workshop, you will no longer be able to threaten with magic tools.
“Negotiate… … .”
Even if I tried to negotiate now, there was no way it would work out.
Still, there was a way.
Even if there is no problem right now, you will suffer from a shortage of manpower later.
When I think of that time, I cannot help but think about cultivating talented people.
If you think about 10 years from now, even that won’t be a problem, but if the emperor’s plan goes according to plan, problems will surely arise before then.
“It’s worth a try.”
I was embarrassed because the hand prepared by the Mage Tower Alliance didn’t work, but I still had a chance.
“Top Lord? where are you going… … .”
“I’m going to the imperial palace.”
Guilliman hurriedly got into the carriage and headed for the imperial palace.
In the past, when they saw the wagon symbolizing the Mage Tower, they would hurriedly open the door, but not anymore.
Even the guards guarding the gates of the imperial palace were picky and subjected to all sorts of tests, and even after entering, they were subjected to additional tests by the imperial knights.
“It will take some time because you didn’t put the chimney in advance. Why don’t you put a chimney and come back later?”
The old chamberlain in front of the emperor’s palace spoke in a fluent manner, but since it was actually an order for guests to celebrate, the master of the magic tower straightened his face and bent down.
“It doesn’t matter if you wait. Please allow me to see only Your Majesty.”
“Um… … As you know, His Majesty is a very busy man. I’ll ask, but don’t expect anything.”
“… … Yes.”
When the chamberlain went inside, the owner of the tower gritted his teeth.
I didn’t expect the emperor to meet me easily from the beginning, so I patiently waited for the chief chamberlain to come out.
“Your Majesty is running out of time. Please go in.”
Contrary to his expectations, when the emperor offered to meet him right away, the owner of the mage tower widened his eyes.
‘Did you wait for me?’
Thinking so, Guilliman went right inside.
“A noble guest has arrived.”
Having said that, Kariel smiled and guided us to the tea table.
“The central mage tower owner came directly to me… … . Yeah, what did you come for?”
Knowing well that Kariel preferred to go straight to the point, Guilliman went straight to the point without saying anything else.
“Your Majesty will grant you whatever you want. So stop now.”
“okay?”
Kariel looked at Guilliman with an expression of surprise as if he was surrendering more easily than he thought.
“It’s less fun than I thought.”
Kariel looked at Guilliman with an expression of insignificance and gave a signal with her chin as if to say more.
Then Guilliman carefully opened his mouth.
“We will increase the production of the horse tower more than 10 times from now. We will accept even if you increase the tax. In addition, we will send wizards to the central department at all times, so that the central department can cooperate with what they want… … . Lastly, we will take an active role in nurturing wizard talent.”
After hearing everything Guilliman had to say, Kariel laughed.
“What is surrender… … I’m here to make a deal.”
Having said that, Kariel smiled at Guilliman.
Let’s pretend we’re surrendering, and the real conditions are all the same.
10 times the production? Initially, it was produced as much as a rat’s tail, but when I increased it tenfold, there was no difference.
pay more taxes? Anyway, he was making a huge profit, and even the magic tools set the price, so there was no problem.
And the fact that the wizards are always dispatched to the central department to cooperate is implicitly revealing that they still have the upper hand.
In other words, everything that was said earlier was nothing more than just spit out for the last word.
In the end, the point was this.
‘There will be problems with the supply of wizards later… … We’ll help, so let’s stop at the right level!’
Knowing that it contained such a meaning, Kariel laughed as if it was funny.
“Do you still have the energy?”
He had been preparing for this time only, so Guilliman did not surrender despite the merciless knocking.
“They put pressure on government ministries and all the places where they do business with Matop, freeze funds, and even take out internal talents, but they have this kind of leeway… … .”
Kariel clenched his chin and looked at Guilliman with an interesting expression.
In fact, it did everything the government could do.
If this was the top, not the tower, it would have been beaten to the point of surrendering immediately.
Still, the tower had plenty of room.
The skills they have only as a family as a wizard, the huge amount of money they’ve earned, and the confidence that they can live anywhere even if they’re a wizard, even if they fail.
So, without surrendering, he came directly to the emperor and offered a deal.
“… … These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time. just… … I would like you to discuss it with the towers and proceed slowly.”
Guilliman takes a step back so that he can take care of the last cause.
“I think so.”
At Kariel’s words, Guilliman looked into Kariel’s eyes with a look of anticipation.
“But unfortunately I have to say no.”
“Your Majesty, you must have some compromise before I can persuade you.”
Guilliman asks if he will keep fighting like this.
If the fight with the tower was prolonged, it was not good for the Empire. Even if the supply and demand of wizards is a later problem, problems can arise in the current war.
“I will take responsibility and persuade the towers. There is also the cause of war, so we will be able to craft magic tools 10 times more, even if it’s unreasonable.”
“it’s okay. I’ve stockpiled it for a while, so there’s no problem for the time being.”
“Your Majesty, if the horse tower stops, the economy of the empire will inevitably suffer a severe blow. There will be no problems now, but the Imperial Palace tower alone will never be able to handle it!”
“I will.”
Kariel nodded his head as if acknowledging that part too.
“Nevertheless, refuse. You will soon find out why.”
Guilliman’s expression frowned as he saw Kariel talking with a smile.
Guilliman quietly left the office at the beckoning to leave.
‘Is there one more hidden number? Or is it a bluff to gain an edge?’
Guilliman sighed as he came out of the Emperor’s palace with an expression that he didn’t know right now.
If it’s a gimmick to make you nervous, that’s fine, but if you really have one more hidden trick, things get complicated.
“I can only hope for a bluff… … .”
Mumbling like that, Guilliman went straight back to the tower.
* * *
Guilliman was contacted from various places as rumors had spread that Matapju had gone to the imperial palace to negotiate with the emperor, but all he could answer was that the negotiations had failed.
After Guilliman’s failure, several horse towers tried to reach Kariel, but all failed.
“What is really there?”
As time passed and the intensity of the pressure on the tower increased, Guilliman also felt that the Emperor had something to do with it.
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Just then, a wizard rushed to Guilliman.
“Top Lord! Take a look at this.”
small video.
Inside, a huge video sphere of the square was visible in real time.
-Despite Jim’s numerous reforms, I feel that there is a fundamental problem in the reason why we always suffer from a shortage of talent. I felt the need to nurture many talented people by giving all the people of the Empire a chance to learn at the Basic Academy… … .
“Basic Academy?”
Guilliman tilted his head with a ‘just this?’
It may be a long-term measure, but the lack of wizards within a year or two is unavoidable.
This is because it would take several years to train young wizards right now.
Read at noblemtl.com
Just then, a wizard hurriedly handed Guilliman a newspaper.
“Academy reform! The main axis is the two princes!”
“Academy reform? no way!”
Guilliman, who had a puzzled expression on his face, looked closely at the newspaper with a puzzled expression.
[Academy Reform Plan]
1. Specialization of the Academy.
The academy education, which has been conducted by Jung-gu Heating, has been subdivided to enhance professionalism.
2. The academy professorship, which was maintained through personal connections, will be completely reorganized.
In the meantime, all the professors who have been occupying positions despite not having qualifications are dismissed according to the evaluation of the princes and students.
3. Contracts made in exchange for admission to the academy are void.
If you were promised in advance by an outside force or a contract to force you to join a faction from a noble, all cases are nullified. Only after graduating from the academy, you can make your own choices.
4. Scholarships.
Those who show talent above a certain level will receive a full scholarship from the Imperial Family. Even those who did not do so will come up with a number of ways to finance their education.
※ This will take effect tomorrow and will be expanded to all academies in the future.]
It was an academy reform plan that only wrote down the big things, but the contents contained in it were enormous.
It was because even the wizards who were scheduled to enter their mage tower immediately had their contracts nullified.
From the perspective of the Magic Tower, they could have protested that the contract had already been forcibly terminated, but now it is an academy rule set by the students themselves ‘chosen’, so they can’t be bothered.
It was because the newspaper even reported that more than 90 percent of the numerous students in the academy were in favor of this reform.
“Was this?”
It should be possible to handle simple tasks just by recruiting mages graduating from the academy right away.
Now that I’ve bought time, all that’s left is to slowly tighten the mage tower.
Both long-term and short-term plans have been prepared, so the only thing left is to destroy the Magic Tower.
“… … I will divide.”
Wizards known for their cleverness would now realize that they had no hand, and then all they had to do was surrender.
Even if most of the Mage Towers maintain their allied forces until the end, the fight is over with only the Mage Towers that get out little by little.
This is because the emperor would have nothing to regret even if he accepted only those who surrendered and then wiped out all the magic towers.
* * *
And in the end, what Guilliman feared so much happened.
It wasn’t even a few days.
The very next day, most of the magic towers who visited the emperor announced a statement that they would give up all authority and follow the emperor’s wishes.
Then, the combined power of the Mage Tower, which seemed huge, quickly began to crumble.
As if waiting, the Inspection Department attacked all the horse towers in the empire, and the central horse tower could not avoid it either.
Even so, Podolsky, the chief of inspection, came to the room of the master of the palace alone to show respect for the empire’s largest horse tower.
“This is a letter from Your Majesty.”
“… … .”
Hearing that it was the Emperor’s letter, Guilliman took it with both hands and quietly took it out of the envelope.
“It’s difficult if I ask you to come and see me now. Watching is first-come-first-served basis. You are late.”
“haha… … .”
The moment he saw the Emperor’s letter, Guilliman realized that there was no hope for him and let out a dry smile on his face.
“So, when you give it a chance, you do magazines.”
Podolski looked at Guilliman with a sad expression on his face, then blinked backwards.
Then, the inspectors who came inside grabbed Guilliman’s arms.
“It has been discovered that there were breaches, embezzlement, smuggling with other countries, and even transferring unauthorized magic tools to other countries.”
“… … let’s go.”
All Guilliman can do now is follow Podolski, who is looking at him, to the Inspection Department.
Everyone who saw Guilliman being quietly led to the Inspection Department with powerless steps realized that the era of the true emperor had arrived.
Absolute power that was only obtained by destroying the towers.
An emperor who held it was born.