Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 144 : Expansion in the Center
In fact, I, Hein Reichart, had previously thought about the need to create a forward base to expand into the heart of the continent.
Zodiac, located in a position extrely biased toward the north, had far too many geographical constraints to expand into the continent.
However, even I, Hein Reichart, did not expect that the day of breaking ground for the construction of the forward base would co so soon.
Since a large-scale construction of a forward base carried out thoroughly under my leadership could have invited uncalled-for misunderstandings.
However, once I confird that the King's trust in was this firm, I made up my mind to take my steps a bit more boldly.
"Hyah!"
Turning my gaze downward, I saw the procession of wagons coming in loaded with plenty of minerals and food.
'For now, I will make this place into a center of comrce. If I concentrate on mass-producing military forces from the start, it could invite excessive suspicion from surrounding nations. Right now, making money is the priority. It will not be too late even if I expand the military forces capable of enduring the Empire's offensive a little more slowly.'
Of course, it was not that I was unaware of the extrely natural fact that dung flies swarm in places where money gathers.
However, fortunately, this place was in the vicinity of Veradora.
Taking into account that I could receive the alliance's support in the event of an ergency, the probability of a mishap occurring was slim.
'Co to think of it, Kunde certainly had an eye for seeing the flow.'
As I stood in this place leading the construction of the base, I could see why Kunde had been so greedy for this location.
The forr Mahatdur territory had literally the best potential for developing into a comrcial city.
A location close to the center of the continent, a stable climate, and even connection routes extending in all directions.
Although Kunde's dream had scattered like bubbles because he did not beco a vessel of sufficient size.
I had sufficient confidence to turn that unfulfilled dream into reality.
'Of course, there are conditions that must be preceded before that. For now, the most urgent and tricky thing is the Magic Tower......'
The space between my eyebrows narrowed as I peered into the design drawings of the city.
Points where blanks were visible in the middle of the mostly completed drawings.
These blanks were all related to the Magic Tower.
Because the location and scale of where the Magic Tower would be established had not been confird yet, the drawings had no choice but to stay in an incomplete state.
In order for a comrcial city to survive, it was essential to provide stable infrastructure to the users.
And the most core facility among them was none other than the Magic Tower.
'To handle a large-scale city of this level, there must be at least a hundred mages who have reached a certain level of realm or higher.'
If only I could buy mages with money, my concern would be a little lighter.
Although a massive budget would be consud, I was willing to pay any amount of that price as long as I could secure excellent mages.
However, the problem was the fact that mages were not the kind of people who could be easily purchased just because one gave them money.
Mages took pride in being the 'highest intellectual class' who bore the duty of researching the secrets of the world themselves.
Therefore, they had a tendency to consider being sold by money as a trendous disgrace.
Furthermore, they tended to follow the will of the school they belonged to.
So, unless one received recognition from the head of the school, one had to undergo great difficulties in hiring mages even if one paid a vast amount of money.
For these reasons, the nations of the continent used to experience great difficulty in securing mages stably.
This was not a problem of small nations alone.
Excluding 'Maganus, the country of mages' and 'Akrishima, the strongest on the continent', virtually every nation was frantic to secure mages.
However, despite these difficulties, I could no longer postpone this problem.
Of course, this was not just because of the functional improvent of the second Reichart territory.
'Slowly, Zodiac also needs a proper magic institution.'
Compared to the powerful nations leading the flow of the continent, Zodiac's magical power was at literally a miserable level.
For Zodiac to truly make a proper leap, this part also needed a revolutionary improvent.
So, I intended to touch upon this issue this ti even if there was the trouble of undergoing so inconvenience.
"What! Why did you call ?"
The first step of that thod.
For now, I cajole the mage who is just idling(?) despite being at my closest range.
"Because there is one thing I want to ask of you."
"What! A favor?"
The one who revealed her appearance beyond the stairs of the watchtower was Sherazade with a sullen expression, unlike usual.
"Oh my! Master. You were alive and well! I did not know that, and since you did not show your face even once for the past month, I was worried that sothing might have happened to you, you know?"
"Sorry. Because I was a bit busy."
I, who had been busy with the matters of Veradora and Esper, had practically neglected Sherazade for the past month.
It seed that fact was very upsetting to her.
"No. What is there for the Master to apologize for? Soone like should just wait like a fool and just turn into a stone or sothing, that is all."
"I think it is definitely a positive thing that you are learning the eloquence of humans. But why do you keep learning only those naughty words when the ti is insufficient even to learn only good and pretty words?"
"Hmph! It is none of your business. What does it matter."
Her way of speaking was still grumbling, but it seed the resentnt she had built up had dissipated to so extent just by eting .
"So what is the favor?"
"It seems you have been studying human magic hard lately. Up to which realm have you acquired?"
The magic Sherazade rembered was different from that of humans, but as her innate conditions were far superior, she was learning human magic at a very fast pace.
"Yes, well, what should I say? Well, that is to say......"
However, as she had not received systematic teaching, she was experiencing a bit of difficulty in expressing the things she had learned.
"Close your eyes and concentrate. But relax. You will feel a bit of a chilly sensation, but you can just accept it comfortably."
Instead of waiting for an additional answer, I closed my eyes after holding her exceptionally white hand.
Over then, the giant flow of mana, like a wave, flowing through Sherazade's body was soon clearly felt.
Although I had guessed it to so extent, Sherazade truly had abundant mana.
'Incredible.'
Perhaps due to the difference in race, her mana ring was completely different from mine, from the creation thod to the chanism by which it was driven.
However, even with just this much information, I could know that mana, abundant to the point of being incomparable to a normal human, was flowing through her body.
'Normally, even if a human completes a formula, they cannot move on to the next stage because the amount of mana is insufficient, but this fellow is the opposite. The mana is sufficiently overflowing, but she cannot reach the next domain because she lacks the sophistication of the formula.'
It appeared that Sherazade had entered the initial entry of the 7th Circle domain.
"What is it? Is there so kind of problem?"
"No, it is the opposite. It is very good."
"Really?"
"Yes. I think I can roughly know why you eat so much."
"Ugh...... that is not a complint, right?"
"No. It is a complint. A complint on your overflowing talent."
If I refine her a bit from the side, it is not impossible for Sherazade to reach the domain of the 8th Circle before long.
And if it is an 8th Circle mage......
'She is more than sufficient to beco the Tower Master of a Magic Tower run by a nation. Moreover, if she is a looker like this fellow, she is also very good to be used as a public figurehead.'
After I let go of Sherazade's hand, I placed my hand on her shoulder.
"I want to ask a burdenso favor of you......"
In that way, I explained my plan to Sherazade.
"Is that allowed?"
An answer I had not expected ca out from Sherazade, who had heard my explanation.
"Would it not be that Master gets into trouble if you show to the people of the world? I am studying, but I still do not know too many things......"
I thought that Sherazade, who hated troubleso things, might be reluctant to take on public duties.
However, contrary to my expectations, she was rather worried about my position.
"It used to be like that. But not anymore."
Looking at Sherazade calmly stating her opinion in front of the King of Veradora, I realized the fact that I had been underestimating her far too much in the anti.
I thought she was just a child-like person, no, sub-dragon.
But Sherazade had grown up all of a sudden, and now I could trust her completely.
"If you grant the favor, you will have to make efforts for this and that for a while. There will be many things you must study."
"Ugh! I am not very good at studying......"
"Do not worry. It is sothing you are very good at, and if there are any lacking points, I will be stuck by your side and teach you every single thing from beginning to end."
If it were Sherazade, I thought it would be fine to reveal that I can use magic.
Even if I did not say it, it seed Sherazade already knew that fact, though.
"Master being stuck by my side...... and every single thing?"
"Yes. The urgent work has mostly been wrapped up and it seems I will have a bit of spare ti for a while."
Although Sherazade's expression, grinning with a face that looked extrely happy, was unfamiliar.
I nodded without hesitation.
"But as for running that Magic Tower, can I do it alone? Can I do it alone if I just study?"
"No, it is impossible for you alone."
"Then what do I do?"
"Do not worry about that either. Since I will go and get the people who will help you."
Other mages I am in contact with ca to my mind.
Just as Sherazade had, they also would not have a single bit of deficiency in skill.
The only problem was......
'Because they are such shy people, I do not know if they will listen to my words well, though.'
***
"I heard you were away at the territory you newly acquired, when did you return to the capital? Your Excellency."
"The magic circle connecting that place and Abysin was completed a mont ago. So I tried using it once as a trial."
The first opponent I t upon returning to Abysin was Eos Mirgichia, the successor of the Night Crow Faction.
"There is one thing I want to ask. Miss Eos, do you happen to have any knowledge about magic?"
"......Yes."
"Then what about your sister?"
"It is the sa for my sister, but why are you asking that?"
Even while answering, Eos had to busy her mind revolving to grasp the intention of the question.
'It is not that he does not know the fact that my sister and I are mages......'
He is a person who knows where our secret base is and also knows the fact that the clan periodically creates Magic Stones.
Surely he did not ask the question because he did not know this.
"I do not know many things about the habits of mages. But I hear that a mage who has entered a realm above a certain level feels a strong desire to use magic. Is it true?"
"......There are cases where that happens occasionally."
The story about the 'thirst' that mages inevitably feel during training was a relatively widely known fact.
Eos nodded without much concern.
"If it is not discourteous, is it fine if I ask how the mages of the clan you belong to resolve that desire?"
"That is discourteous, Your Excellency!"
However, at my question that followed, she ended up showing an irritable reaction in spite of herself.
"Is that so? Sorry. I just thought that if you guys are experiencing difficulties regarding that problem, I might be able to give so help."
The expression of , who did not particularly look sorry.
Eos realized once again the fact that the Grand Duke was a person who could beco as shaless as needed.
"If it was a rude question, I shall apologize once again."
"......In what way can Your Excellency give us help?"
And she also recalled anew that he was a person very skilled at leading a conversation at his pace by stimulating the parts that are desperate for the opponent.
"Also, what is the reason the Grand Duke has stepped forward to say he would give us additional help?"
"Because I need you."
"......!"
Eos ended up making a surprised expression in spite of herself.
Because she did not think that the sly Grand Duke would give such a candid answer.
Whether I knew the fact that Eos was startled or not, I said once more with a clear voice.
"I have so circumstances that have arisen and I need a number of mages with good skills. So I want to receive your help. Can you review it positively?"
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