"A joint venture between our two families to build a ship? The new Legendary Battleship 'nominally' belongs to the Kingdom?"
When the Saint Angel made the promise, although there were objective factors like Phaletis being currently the strongest nation in the alliance, the direct reason was Aiven's "theory of capital extinction" proposed during a private eting in the study.
Moreover, as long as enough materials could be obtained, Aiven could completely perform the [Living Ship Spirit Technique] again, although the costs were high, there were no technical barriers.
Therefore, even if it was a "joint venture," Aiven had absolute control.
However, even just a Legendary Battleship nominally belonging to the Kingdom was extrely precious to the Phaletis Kingdom!
After all, since the [Southern Cross] vanished together with the Ilya royal family in exile, the total number of official Legendary Battleships in the alliance had dwindled to a re two, further widening the gap with its greatest enemy, the Overlord Hilus Empire.
The [Crown of Miracles] was entirely Aiven's private battleship, with the Kingdom having no contribution whatsoever; it couldn't be counted on the Phaletis list no matter how you looked at it.
At this mont, the temptation of a Legendary Battleship, which was no less significant on the battlefield than a Tier 4 Title, couldn't be overstated for the Kingdom. Even for Hilus, this was a matter of national survival.
"This..."
Having listened to the cooperation plan proposed by Aiven, Liweina pondered deeply with her alabaster cheeks resting in her hands but still couldn't decide. So she simply sent a ssage to Her Majesty the Queen, letting the head of the household deal with it.
However.
It wasn't long before Isabella, still in everyday clothes without any adornnt, arrived in a whirlwind at the Crown Prince's mansion. Evidently, upon hearing such a bombshell related to a nation's core military power, the Queen couldn't sit still either.
"Count Galliot, how much of your 'Treasure Tree' is left, and can't you sell it..."
Storming into the small hall, the Queen barely paid attention to manners before opening her mouth in inquiry.
But before she could finish her sentence, Isabella was suddenly captivated by the radiant beauty of the damsel sitting beside Aiven, like a blooming rose.
It had been at least ten years since Her Majesty had seen such a gentle side of her daughter, which quite amazed her.
Interrupted by this unexpected scene, Isabella's mood gradually cald, realizing that there were far too many people and too much gossip here for a proper conversation.
Rearranging the strands of hair that had fallen out of place in her haste, the Queen gave a glance at her own daughter:
"So... Count Galliot, why don't we discuss this further in the secret chamber?"
"Alright, Your Majesty."
Aiven had no objection, rising to follow Her Majesty the Queen, who led the way assertively.
Liweina, however, was left with a flushed face from the apologetic and firmly supportive look from her mother. Stomping her elegantly high-heeled foot, she followed them into the secluded and magically warded secret chamber inside the Crown Prince's mansion.
Not even a Great Wizard could hope to surveil this room.
"Trade concessions? Exclusive operating rights? Large interest-free loans from the Royal Central Bank? Support for immigration policy?... The benefits the Kingdom can offer will surely satisfy you!"
"When the big river rises, the small rivers fill; as the Kingdom strengthens, so does the Marquisate."
"No, no, no, Your Majesty. I'm not really interested in money. The biggest regret of my life was founding the rcury United Trading Company and Hephaestus..."
"..."
The three of them stayed in the underground secret chamber for two hours. After a round of intense negotiation, Aiven finally struck a deal that both sides could accept.
Both parties agreed:
To jointly formulate a shipbuilding plan, [Project Codena: Jade Coronet].
The main materials would be provided by Aiven, while the Kingdom would fill any gaps; then, using the power of the Ancient "God of Sun and War," now the "Saint Angel" Belenus, they would complete the final Extraordinary transformation and Ship Spirit awakening.
Nominally, the Kingdom would own this new battleship, but the actual ownership would belong to Anita Garrott as the captain. The Kingdom could request military assistance from the captain when necessary, and during such tis, Anita, as the captain, was obligated to cooperate with the Kingdom's political propaganda and power deterrence.
anwhile, the Kingdom would control the narrative, creating an image of a female Guardian "Jade Light" to accumulate the power for the [Title] and prepare for the eventual promotion to [Titled Knight].
Aiven also needed to make additional contributions...
This was considered to be a repositioning of their relationship, gradually shifting from a feudal lord and vassal to equal partners.
Having agreed on the start date of the plan, Liweina personally ca out to see Aiven off.
Princess held her hands tightly together, evidently restless even now. Finally, she mustered the courage to gently tug on Aiven's clothes, her large, innocent erald eyes pleading repeatedly:
"Aiven, we agreed that if the Kingdom accumulates the materials again in the future, you will build another one for free!"
Like a woman who, fearing abandonnt after offering her lifelong commitnt, could do nothing but plead helplessly.
In truth, the cost in this plan was indeed as significant for Liweina and the Phaletis Kingdom as it seed.
The rise of Phaletis has been too short, and its foundation is too thin, with every copper fuer wishing to be split in half.
Hilus, which owns fifty percent of the shares, accumulated top-grade "Treasure Trees" over decades, and after constructing a [Crown of Miracles], the remaining materials are not enough to build a new ship.
Not to ntion that the original six-nation alliance could only split thirty percent among them, wishing to independently build a ship is simply a drop in the bucket.
Perhaps they could obtain enough materials by killing the goose to get the golden eggs of the "Treasure Tree Bay" already under their control, and even have a large surplus. But when the country faces a crisis of life and death, no one would do such a thing.
The Material World is unlike the boundless Spirit Realm; space and resources have their inherent limits. Ilya Kingdom has a surplus of financial funds, but the total scale of battleships remains very ordinary; it's the sa reason.
Aiven is even considering converting part of the land in the [Witchcraft Garden] to grow the in-demand "Treasure Trees."
The unique trait of their own [Witchcraft Garden]: [Nature's Favor], should greatly shorten the growth cycle of the plant-type material "Treasure Tree."
However, as a hardwood, the growth cycle of oak is already very long.
A regular oak takes at least 60 years to mature, and high-quality iron oak needed for building battleships requires a hundred years to grow. The "Treasure Tree," as strong as special steel, takes even longer, needing at least two hundred years.
Although "Treasure Tree Bay" is large, the yield of "Treasure Trees" has always been low due to these limitations.
So even with the [Witchcraft Garden] inducing growth, it might still take at least a decade.
This situation of limiting the scale expansion of battleships could only improve gradually with the developnt of the steel industry and the launch of steam-powered ironclad ships.
However, talking about steam-powered steel battleships now is still a bit early. There is another ans of transportation utilizing steam power, with a prototype already presented by three peak Official Wizards from the "chanical Immortality School."
They have already returned to Georgia in advance, starting relevant topography surveys to prepare for the final landing of this great invention.
Although the ownership of the nearby kingdom colonies indeed does not belong to them, economic activities like goods trade do not have boundaries. With the aid of this invention, it is enough to integrate the power of all twelve Phaletis colonies today, allowing the Marquisate to take off first.
Then, the first to get rich will drive others to get rich... well, that's it.
This plan is simply perfect!
Thinking this in mind, Aiven turned and flashed a smile at the Princess:
"Don't worry, Your Highness, when have I, soone so reliable, ever let you down? By the way, don't forget to help prepare the 'Charter' for the land developnt order for , there are still many unclaid lands waiting for to conquer in the New Continent."
Feeling that her "temptation plan" progress was unsatisfactory today and almost doubting her charm, Liweina heard Aiven's last words and finally clenched her fist in annoyance and knocked firmly on his back:
"I don't want to see you!"
....
In the ensuing period.
Taking advantage of the Ilyan "capitalist" rebellion, the elites throughout the nation have already identified the class hazard, seizing the opportunity.
Under the leadership of the Black Iron Cross Sect, the Tulip Countries led by Phaletis Kingdom successively formulated laws and began implenting Aiven's "National Bourgeois Theory" macro-economic top-level design, and listed several industries prohibiting private capital entry.
All industries related to people's livelihood, national security, and significant economic developnt, such as banking, dical care, transportation construction, communications (post office), military industry, coal, shipping, and so on are all monopolized by the state.
Even Upper Council mbers are only allowed to keep existing industries within these fields without expanding scale. Other private industries are to be redeed and rged into large-scale state-owned enterprises' prototypes.
With the precedent set by Ilya, the plan's implentation has been unprecedentedly smooth.
And on Ilya's land.
The original branch of the Royal Family, having fled to the neighboring Phaletis beforehand, saw Charles I reinstating the Ilya Dynasty under the protection of the Alliance Army, restoring part of the King's power and rebuilding [Royal Authority].
However, this is essentially a puppet governnt.
The Ilya people, who were massively persecuted during the "uprising" and fooled by capitalists, beca second-class citizens throughout the alliance.
Even if [Royal Authority] does not deliberately continue to persecute these Level 3 citizens, the deprivation of ans of production and the lack of enough jobs to employ them have already threatened their survival in fact.
Furthermore, although capitalists' original intention was not to liberate the people but rather to control the state apparatus for their wealth sches.
However, when the so-called "uprising" achievents were briefly obtained by them, a new pursuit of "freedom and equality" indeed took root in the people's hearts, opening a window for them.
Therefore.
When survival is threatened, many Ilyans began to find ways to escape to the legendary land of gold - the New Continent. Although everything there starts from scratch, it offers boundless land and countless opportunities, at least enough to ensure survival for themselves and their families.
Even gathering the power of relatives, friends, and fellow townsn, together opening new land and building the ideal hostead was not entirely impossible.
However, these people, just embarking on their journey and dreaming of the future, do not know that in their destination - that magical New Continent, a large-scale... [Spirit Tide] has already erupted once again.
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