Chapter 524: The Luddite Movement(3)
Chapter 524: The Luddite Movement(3)
Just as I had predicted, the introduction of magic engines sparked the embers of the Luddite Movement, but even that didn't last long.
At first, I was puzzled when the ringleaders were identified as Demon Worshippers. I wondered why those guys, who had been quiet until now, were suddenly popping up.
But then I thought, well, they are exactly the type of people who would do that, and figured my prediction had simply been off. If it were Demon Worshippers, the possibility was high.
[Weavers offer candid confession. Reveal they, not Demon Worshippers, sabotaged the magic engines...]
[Act committed under the belief that only Demon Worshippers would be blamed. However, the price paid was death.]
[The Minerva Empire has disbanded all weavers except for a select few. Fortunately, repairs to the magic engines are underway...]
But it wasn't even that. It turned out the weavers had tried to pin it on the Demon Worshippers.
Normally, a commoner damaging state-owned property would be considered insanity, but Demon Worshippers are an organization regarded as public enemies and pure evil.
If it were their doing, people would just click their tongues in disapproval, and the weavers would suffer almost no damage. The weavers likely thought the same.
However, the consequences were gruesome. Just three days after the weavers' testimony, the head of the master craftsmen was found hanged.
There was no message left behind, but the weavers confessed to their crimes on their own. They must have felt it in their bones.
They had tried to frame the Demon Worshippers, only to find their own necks on the line.
The process is similar to the Luddite Movement, but...
The original Luddite Movement also operated using a fictional figure as their supreme leader.
If anyone asked who broke the machines, they would mention that fictional person.
The factory owners who suffered losses were left frustrated, unable to catch someone who didn't exist.
When the movement intensified, workers would even threaten factory owners to extort money.
However, such movements soon died out because they couldn't keep up with the flow of the times. It happened very slowly, over a long period.
[The production volume of factories powered by magic engines is truly overwhelming. The quality is excellent, and there are no issues whatsoever.]
[The amount of cloth produced in just three days of factory operation is staggering, though not yet at pre-Great Depression levels. This is the output of just a single magic engine.]
[Xenon was right. Magic engines and factories are the keys to solving the Great Depression.]
With the master craftsman hanged, the operations of the factories, which had been kept strictly under wraps, were inevitably revealed one after another.
The results of the pilot runs, originally intended to last anywhere from a week to a month, had leaked.
The Minerva Empire maintained a cautious stance, claiming it was just a trial and that there were still many things to consider, but rumors, once spread, are hard to stop.
Moreover, the efficiency of the magic engines was so outstanding it was visible to the naked eye. Consequently, expectations for the magic engines became the dominant sentiment for everyone, without exception.
As a bonus, the government bonds of the Minerva Empire, the first in the world to operate these factories, began to skyrocket.
Stocks and various government bonds had been shattered by the Great Depression, but the situation was reversed in one fell swoop by the magic engines.
Of course, the Great Depression wasn't solved yet, but as the effectiveness of the magic engines spread across the world, the seeds of 'hope' began to sprout.
"Isaac."
"Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?"
"..."
And as an added bonus, Lina's affection for me was soaring.
She was someone who hadn't been able to sleep for several days as soon as the Luddite Movement broke out. I had offered her my condolences.
But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. The Luddite Movement produced an enormous effect, thanks to the—unintentional—contribution of the Demon Worshippers.
With the supply levels becoming visible and my 'prophecies' combined, the economy began to revitalize.
Before that, the economy was clogged like arteriosclerosis because people couldn't spend money, but not anymore. Everyone started investing, at least when it came to 'government bonds.'
From the Empire's perspective, they weren't just getting room to breathe; vitality was gradually returning. It was understandable why Lina was reacting that way.
"Um... Lina?"
"Yes? Do you have a request?"
"...No, it's nothing."
I gave an awkward smile as I looked at her sitting across from me, beaming.
Regardless, Lina was busy staring at me with a smiling face. She looked completely different from how she was a few days ago.
Well, it was natural to be happy since the economic path, which had been as stifling as eating a dry sweet potato, had been blown wide open. I would be the same way.
Though the cause of it all is me.
Whether she had already forgotten that fact, Lina was busy showing me infinite trust.
It felt a bit like I was training her. The analogy might be a bit much, but if this isn't training, what is?
Just by me tossing out a few things, it must be like a lump of gold to Lina. She's probably internally anticipating more even now.
By the way, would Demon Worshippers really step in personally just because they were impersonated?
I took a sip of tea to break the awkwardness, and the thought suddenly occurred to me.
While this incident was essentially the weavers reaping what they sowed, the Demon Worshippers' actions were also incomprehensible.
Of course, they're people whose very way of thinking is incomprehensible, but this was too sudden.
Why would those who had been living as quiet as mice react so sensitively to being impersonated by weavers?
Furthermore, the weaver's body was discovered in the morning. It means they moved with unnecessary stealth.
It's not like they left a clear 'message' either. Because of this, the media was debating back and forth about what it could mean.
"Lina."
"Yes? What is it?"
Lina answered my call with a radiant smile. Not a fake smile, but one that came from the heart.
I felt a bit unsettled by how different she was from usual, but resolving my doubts came first.
"Did you find out what message the Demon Worshippers were trying to convey?"
"No. We even contacted the Order separately, but nothing was revealed. It was a warning, literally, but..."
"You can't figure out what the warning is about?"
Lina nodded slowly at my assumption. That was indeed the problem.
What were the Demon Worshippers warning about?
Simply because they were impersonated? Currently, the factories are owned by the Minerva Empire—in other words, they are state institutions.
It could be interpreted as an open declaration of war against the state, which would be nothing but a loss for the Demon Worshippers.
It was also strange to think they did it to protect the magic engines. What benefit would Demon Worshippers get from protecting them?
If anything, it would be more in line with their motives to destroy the magic engines. It would be easier for them to recover if the Great Depression continued.
They were a group that had carried out all sorts of schemes to destroy the world, so doing this now didn't add up.
It's not like I can ask Luminous.
Demon Worshippers are those who hide beneath the shadows. Even the gods find it difficult to track them.
I don't know why. But seeing how they use 'sorcery' freely, it must be related to that.
It was an incident with many questions. Because of this, some people even suggested that it wasn't the Demon Worshippers, but a third party who did it.
"Right. But it's true that the Demon Worshippers did it. The Order examined the body and said it was imbued with a sinister power."
"Hmm."
As expected, it didn't make sense. Should I really just see it as them hanging the weaver out of spite?
I figured I'd just have to think about it myself, since I wasn't planning on visiting the gods for a while.
If possible, I wanted to have a direct conversation with them, but it was too dangerous.
Someone who knows a lot about Demon Worshippers...
If I had to pick, there's Grandfather Clark and Kate. Those two.
Grandfather Clark told me about the true origin of demons, but it was too fragmentary to be of much help.
Kate is... well, she's someone who's good at smashing the heads of Demon Worshippers, so it's debatable. There's no one suitable to ask.
"Isaac?"
"Yes?"
While I was lost in thought, Lina called my name in a soft, gentle tone.
Since she usually used a businesslike and stiff tone befitting an Imperial Princess, her way of speaking felt almost uncanny.
Wondering what was up, I looked forward and couldn't help but flinch.
"W-What?"
Lina was staring at me with a truly overwhelming expression. Her blue eyes were filled with longing.
Aside from the longing, the soft, relaxed smile was the highlight. It was an expression I had never seen before, so I didn't know exactly how to describe it.
But one thing was certain. She was harboring 'expectations' toward me.
Like a Golden Goblin that spills all sorts of treasures when shaken, she wanted me to vomit out knowledge again.
Knowledge is one thing, but...
Actually, I could give her the knowledge itself. I felt bad for what she'd been through lately, so I intended to give it to her anyway.
However, the deep-seated 'longing' was the problem. An emotion I hadn't seen before.
An even bigger problem was that she was even showing affection through that soft smile.
I waited tensely for what would come out of her mouth. It would surely be a question that missed my expectations by a mile.
"By the way, when are you going to set the date for the wedding with Mari?"
"That's... Huh? What?"
"I asked when you're going to have the wedding with Mari."
And my prediction was correct. A question that was completely off-topic from the previous subject flew at me.
I looked dumbfounded at her question before looking behind me.
Behind us, Mari and Ariel were playing together amicably. Or rather, Mari was educating Ariel.
"...Why that all of a sudden?"
I was flustered by the sudden mention of marriage. When I asked, Lina spoke quietly.
"Because only then will the day I'm joined with you come sooner. The moment you marry Mari, you'll belong to the Minerva Empire, but that's separate from the Imperial Family, right? This incident helped me make up my mind."
She then declared to me with a voice full of determined will.
"That I never want to lose you."
A sincere confession, stripped of all pretense. A firm resolve that was similar yet different from her usual self.
While exuding the dignity of a princess, Lina's unique charm also shone through.
It was so different from the confessions I had received from other women.
At Lina's unique confession, I blinked and asked back quietly.
"......Is that a confession?"
"If you want to call it a confession, I suppose it is. Please understand if I'm a bit clumsy. I'm usually the one receiving confessions from others."
Lina said so and elegantly swept her hair back. Her golden hair shone brilliantly.
I stared blankly at her, who was exuding an aura befitting a princess, and then gave a weak laugh.
Did that laugh hurt her pride? Lina narrowed her brows slightly and complained.
"Why are you laughing? I gathered my courage to say that."
"It's not that, it's just because you're cute. You know your ears are red right now, right?"
"W-What?"
She touched her ears in panic at my remark. The expression she had just a moment ago crumbled away.
"I'm joking."
"..."
When I immediately confessed it was a joke, Lina looked at me with a blank expression. I let out another laugh.
At my reaction, she soon chuckled as well. At the same time, her pale cheeks turned a subtle shade of red.
"......So, will you accept?"
Now she asked with a hint of shyness. She even drank her tea to hide her expression.
I had long since seen through the fact that she was embarrassed. Her confident appearance from a moment ago had vanished without a trace.
That must be Lina's charm, not the princess's. I gave her a gentle smile and teased her a bit more.
"What if I refuse?"
"T-Then there's nothing I can do. It's your choice."
"Your voice is shaking, though?"
"This is... Oh, jeez. Stop teasing me! I'm being serious!"
In the end, Lina raised the white flag first and raised her voice.
As her voice grew louder, the attention of the people behind us naturally shifted.
"What's going on? Why are you suddenly shouting?"
Mari was the first to react. Though they didn't speak, Adelia and Ariel also had their eyes wide open.
I turned my head at Mari's question and spoke as if it were no big deal.
"It's nothing. It's just that Lina told me—"
"Hey! Hey! Stop! Don't say it! If you say it, I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
Lina must have been truly embarrassed, as she jumped up from her seat and even covered my mouth.
Her dignity as a princess had long been discarded. Now, only a woman trying her best to hide her dark history remained.
"Mama. Mama. Lend me your ear."
"Hmm?"
Mari looked puzzled at our behavior, but the quick-witted Ariel whispered into her ear.
Subsequently, Mari, who had been relayed the whole truth, wore a devious smile and joined in on my teasing.
"Lina~? You sly little cat. You're finally joining in because you couldn't stand just watching anymore? You finally found your courage!"
"You shut up! What do you mean, joining in!"
"Ariel? That pretty unnie over there is pretending she doesn't know, right?"
"I don't know what it is, but she looks like she's looking forward to it!"
At the mother-daughter duo's consecutive hits.
"......I really hate you guys!!"
Lina threw a tantrum like a child.
And so, a day that couldn't be more peaceful passed by.
The operation of the factories also proceeded smoothly, and the supply began to stabilize.
And the Luddite Movement, which was originally supposed to spread as a machine-breaking movement...
[Growing praise for magic engines. Machines are the power to achieve true progress!]
[Many people are speaking with one voice, saying that institutions to handle machines must be established.]
[Will machines have a great impact on human development? Or will they follow the path of Blood and Iron?]
[Subscribers to Blood and Iron, where the Machine Revolution broke out, have also increased significantly...]
...began to gradually transform into a Mechanical Renaissance Movement.