Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 791: Domain Council Meeting II

CH791 Domain Council Meeting II

***

Realising everyone’s attention had shifted towards them, Saul turned to Zora and gave a slight nod, silently yielding the floor to her.

"Over the past few weeks, we have successfully overhauled the domain’s administrative practices and procedures," Zora began.

"The civil service is now organised and prepared to implement whatever strategy this council ultimately decides upon."

She paused briefly.

"However, therein lies our greatest problem."

"There are currently very few meaningful activities for the administration to oversee."

"Beyond supervising the mines and collecting modest tax revenues, much of the civil service has little productive work to occupy it.

"And the same can be said for a significant portion of our citizens."

"There are simply too many people within the domain with neither stable employment nor meaningful occupations."

She looked around the council chamber.

"For that reason, I recommend that we prioritise the establishment of industries capable of creating productive employment—not only for the domain’s unemployed citizens but also for the civil administration employed to support them."

After another brief pause, she continued.

"Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Survey Unit under the Bureau of Research and Development, we now know that the Frontier March is richly endowed with natural resources.

"Our territory possesses extensive deposits of essential ores, abundant timber resources, and numerous quarry sites."

"Furthermore, our proximity to the Great Berserk Beast Forest provides us with unique access to valuable organic resources, including alchemical ingredients, textile materials, and many other products unavailable elsewhere."

She nodded slightly towards Alex.

"In line with the Count’s long-term vision, I therefore propose that the domain adopt a clear industrial roadmap—one that gradually transforms us from a mere exporter of raw materials into a producer of intermediate products, semi-finished goods, and ultimately finished products manufactured within the Frontier March itself."

Zora’s proposal was met with immediate approval from much of the council.

Several members nodded instinctively.

Alex himself did the same, having already shared similar ambitions with a number of them in private.

Not everyone, however, was entirely convinced.

"I believe a note of caution is necessary," Milton said, breaking the momentary consensus.

"I am of the opinion that we should proceed carefully in any attempt to industrialise the domain."

"Approximately two decades ago, the magistrate serving at the time pursued a similar objective."

"Unfortunately, the effort ultimately failed."

He counted the reasons off on his fingers.

"Our limited population, the recurring beast tides, and perhaps most importantly, the technological limitations of the time."

Milton looked around the chamber before concluding,

"I simply believe we should not underestimate these challenges before committing ourselves wholeheartedly to such an ambitious programme of industrialisation."

Once again, Milton willingly took upon himself the role of voicing the unpopular opinion.

Even so, there was undeniable merit to what he had said, and no one around the council table dismissed it.

"You raise a very valid point, Milton," Zora said with a nod. "In fact, I agree with most of what you’ve said—though not all of it."

"The possibility of a beast tide sweeping through the territory is indeed a significant threat to any long-term development strategy. It is a risk we must account for in every major decision we make."

"Likewise, our relatively small population naturally limits the scale of the industries we can establish."

She paused.

"However, when it comes to the technology needed to support those industries... I don’t believe we have anything to worry about."

A gentle smile appeared on her face as she turned towards Alex.

"Our Domain Lord may claim to lack experience," she said, "but if there is one thing he certainly does not lack, it is ingenuity."

"Whatever technological obstacle stands before us, I have every confidence he will devise a solution."

Alex looked at her in surprise before a helpless smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Zora’s eyes seemed to answer immediately.

The brief exchange passed unnoticed by everyone else.

Turning back towards the council—and Milton in particular—Zora continued,

"As a matter of fact, regarding the issue of manpower, the Count and Director Sugud have already developed a solution."

She shifted everyone’s attention towards Sugud.

For a moment, the sudden spotlight made the dwarf-elf hybrid visibly uncomfortable.

Taking a steadying breath, he began.

"Indeed," Sugud said. "I had the privilege of assisting the Count in bringing to life a device capable of dramatically reducing the labour requirements of virtually every industry we are likely to establish."

The careful way he emphasised that he had merely in the invention did not escape the notice of those present.

"The device, which the Count has named the Mana Motor, can—depending on its class and the machinery it is coupled with—replace the labour of dozens, and in some cases even hundreds, of workers while performing hours of backbreaking labour continuously and consistently."

He allowed the statement to sink in before continuing.

"As a result, the manpower required to operate a workshop or factory becomes dramatically lower than would normally be expected."

"For a territory with a relatively small population like the Frontier March, I believe it is precisely the kind of technology we need."

After Sugud’s revelation, the council members exchanged looks of surprise.

Yet, after the initial shock faded, most of them simply accepted it.

By now, they had grown accustomed to the fact that their Domain Lord had a habit of producing seemingly impossible inventions.

"In addition," Sugud continued, "by greatly increasing productivity, the Mana Motor also makes it possible for us to manufacture military equipment and other strategic supplies at a much faster rate. That, in turn, will greatly improve our ability to prepare for and respond to a minor beast tide, at the very least."

Saul leaned forward thoughtfully.

"If the Mana Motor performs as advertised, and truly becomes the force multiplier you believe it will, then I think we should be bolder." He said.

"I propose we expand the scope of the first phase of our industrial development."

"I agree," Eleanore said.

"Based on the survey corps’ resource maps, I believe we should invest heavily from the very beginning so we can start exploiting the domain’s resources as quickly as possible."

She paused, allowing the council to consider her proposal.

"While the distribution is not perfectly uniform, the resources are naturally clustered."

"The majority of our metallic ore deposits lie close to Ashwell. Stone resources such as granite, gravel, limestone and diamond-bearing rock are concentrated around Castin. Meanwhile, timber and most botanical resources are abundant in the forests surrounding Fonterra."

She gestured towards the resource map laid out before the council.

"This is, admittedly, a simplified overview of the survey results. Even so, I propose we specialise each of the three towns according to the resources naturally available around them."

"Ashwell should become the centre of metallurgy and heavy industry.

"Castin should focus on quarrying, masonry and construction materials.

"And Fonterra should develop around sawmills, woodworking, alchemy and related industries."

"By allowing each town to specialise instead of trying to build every industry everywhere, we can make much better use of both our limited manpower and our resources."

***