The Trajectory of Progress
It had been quite a while since Theodora entered the bathroom.
"Uuugh!"
I stretched my arms wide and began organizing the documents and academic papers scattered before me. This is... not going to be easy.
I flipped through tax-related treatises written over many years by professors of the Imperial Academy, but I couldn't find anything useful. Even though I had grown up in modern South Korea, utilizing that knowledge required a precise, detailed understanding.
For instance, suppose I wanted to build a car—something ubiquitous on modern Earth. Developing automobiles would undoubtedly revolutionize warfare and logistics, providing me with an immense advantage.
But reality was a harsh mistress. To build a modern car, I would need to understand the inner workings and structures of the engine, the transmission, the steering mechanism, and countless other components I knew nothing about. Furthermore, I would need to know exactly what metals were required for each part, which demanded a level of metallurgy equivalent to modern Earth just to achieve a crude approximation.
And I... knew absolutely nothing about metallurgy.
Perhaps I could ignore all these hurdles and simply grind down the local artisans until they forced something into existence. But could they achieve it in a short timeframe? Would it actually be faster than a horse? And would this forcefully constructed contraption not simply explode?
The automobile first appeared in the 18th century, but it didn't achieve commercial success until around the turn of the 20th century. It took nearly two hundred years of refinement to produce a vehicle that was actually practical. And that was without even considering the nightmare of mass production.
Governing a nation based on half-baked, superficial knowledge was a surefire way to trigger a fantasy-world version of the Great Leap Forward...
The same logic applied to economic theory. Transplanting modern economic models or theories directly into this world would almost certainly lead to ruin rather than prosperity. Besides, I wasn't an economics or business major; my knowledge was strictly limited to general common sense.
That was why, even before the wedding, I had squeezed what little time I had to meet with the Academy professors and seek their counsel on economics.
Only to discover a shocking truth.
"To think there is no such thing as economics here..."
There wasn't even an institution dedicated to gathering statistics.
"We're doomed. Utterly doomed."
Lost in these thoughts, I glanced at the clock. Theodora had been in the bath for over an hour. Beginning to worry, I knocked on the bathroom door.
According to the customs of this world, once married, the husband spoke informally to his wife, while the wife addressed her husband with formal respect. Adhering to this etiquette, I called out.
"Theodora, are you in there?"
"...Yes?"
A faint, lifeless voice drifted from the other side of the door. It was a stark contrast to her usual fierce demeanor, and the lack of energy in her tone left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Did she really hate the idea of marrying me this much?
To be completely honest, I was only human, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. My head knew this was the best path forward, but that didn't stop my heart from reproaching me.
Sigh... I'm sorry...
"You should come out soon. I need to wash up too."
Splash...
At my words, a loud splash of water echoed from within.
And then...
"Understood..."
Ten minutes after she spoke, the door opened. Theodora stepped out wearing white lingerie, her face flushed a deep crimson.
Well, she was in the hot bath for so long... of course her face is red.
"I'll be right out," I said, passing by her as I headed into the bathroom.
Whoosh...
I let the hot water wash over me as I organized my thoughts.
"Sigh... Tax reform... and economic revival..."
Looking at the bizarre history of technological development in this world, I couldn't even begin to guess when an industrial revolution might occur.
Take the history of warfare on Earth during the medieval and early modern periods, for example. On Earth, those eras were defined by the rapid advancement of gunpowder weapons.
But here, things were a bit strange. Gunpowder existed, yet firearms and cannons had never been developed.
The reason was simple: mages handled the firepower.
Apparently, there had been attempts to create gunpowder-based weapons in the past. However, primitive gunpowder was highly susceptible to the weather, and its range and destructive power were severely lacking. Rather than investing immense time and resources into refining it, it was far more efficient, cost-effective, and faster to simply improve existing magic, extend spell ranges, or utilize magic scrolls. Thus, gunpowder was abandoned.
On Earth, the absence of magic forced the development of gunpowder. This world was entirely different.
Consequently, the technological trajectory here was completely out of order compared to Earth. For instance, while climate control remains a monumental challenge for modern Earth technology, here, it could easily be resolved with spirits or magic.
Magic was a massive wild card. I had no idea how it would affect the future.
At this rate, when the fantasy version of the industrial revolution finally arrives, are they going to burn mages instead of coal?
The thought was dizzying enough to make me genuinely uncertain about how this world's future would unfold.
"Whew... Calm down..."
I forced myself to think of other things, desperately trying to quiet the sudden stiffness that had developed in my lower half.
"Phew."
Once things had settled down to a manageable degree, I dried myself with a towel, changed into clean clothes, and stepped out of the bathroom.
The bedroom was shrouded in darkness, save for the soft moonlight filtering through the glass window. It seemed Theodora had turned off the lights.
Catching sight of a silhouette huddled beneath the blankets on the bed, I assumed it was her and quietly sat down on the sofa.
Flicker...
With a simple flick of my fingers, I used a basic spell to light a candle.
Magic. For high-ranking nobles like myself, being able to cast basic spells was considered a fundamental skill. A strong affinity for mana was practically a monopoly of the aristocracy. It was only natural, considering that families with powerful mana had intermarried for generations.
Relying on the dim, warm glow of the candlelight, I went back to reading the academic papers.
At the crack of dawn, the gradual creeping of sunlight nudged my eyes open. The world was still bathed in a deep, tranquil blue.
"Ugh..."
My entire body felt stiff and sore, a natural consequence of sleeping on the sofa.
Soft, rhythmic breathing...
Hearing the quiet, steady breaths filling the room, I turned my head. There lay a woman who could easily be called the most beautiful in the world, sleeping soundly—though she had kicked her blankets aside.
I let out a soft chuckle.
I quietly stood up and approached the bed to cover her, noticing that she was shivering slightly.
If you're cold, you should keep the blankets on.
Gently, I pulled the duvet all the way up to her neck.
Then, I did some light stretches to work out the knots in my muscles. It wasn't even seven in the morning yet. I had woken up earlier than usual, but with so much on my plate, there was no time to waste.
Should I head to the office?
While the rest of the world was still fast asleep, I quietly slipped out of the room.
Click.
"G-Grand Duke? You are awake already?" the guard stationed outside stammered, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Yes. Keep up the good work."
"Hehe, so... how was your first night as newlyweds?"
Our first night...
There had been none of the passionate intimacy they were undoubtedly imagining. I had simply done what needed to be done.
"Well... it wasn't bad. I have some work to attend to, so I'll be on my way."
"Ah, yes, of course, Your Grace!"
Giving the guard a brief nod, I made my way to the office.
About an hour had passed.
"Sigh... No matter how I look at it, the expenditure on food crops is far too high."
I sank into thought while looking at a monthly expenditure sheet for a typical middle-class household.
• Food & Crops: 65% (Primary burden)
• Housing & Fuel: 15%
• Taxes & Levies: 12%
• Miscellaneous: 8%
On Earth, agricultural yields had exploded in the 20th century following the development of chemical fertilizers, which in turn caused food prices to plummet.
Unfortunately, there was no such thing as chemical fertilizer in this world.
As a result, the greatest anxiety for the middle class was simply putting food on the table. For low-income middle-class families, this was an era of living hand-to-mouth.
If I could resolve this single issue, it would lift an immense burden off the shoulders of the empire's citizens.
Chemical fertilizer was the key, but the problem was that I didn't actually know how to manufacture it.
"Hmm... What should I do? Should I host some kind of public idea contest...?"
I jotted down the fleeting thought in my notebook and checked the clock. It was already pointing to nine.
"Time to pay my respects."
Since we had wed yesterday, I planned to start paying morning visits to my mother-in-law starting today. Though my schedule was packed, spending just fifteen minutes a day to greet the Empress Dowager and secure her political backing was an incredibly lucrative investment.
With that in mind, I made my way toward the Empress Dowager's quarters.
Eurydice Augusta.
According to the private intelligence I had gathered, she was Valorang's first love. However, she had loved the late Emperor, Tiberius Augustus, and married him instead. It was said that Valorang had descended into madness shortly after their union.
Well, that was a tale for another time.
Eurydice—my mother-in-law—was renowned as the greatest beauty of the empire in her youth. Looking at Theodora and Joy, it was easy to believe those rumors were entirely true.
While pondering my mother-in-law, I arrived outside the Empress Dowager's chambers. The guards raised their spears in salute upon seeing me.
"Is Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager inside?"
"Yes, Your Grace! Her Majesty is currently inside... however, she is in the middle of her breakfast..."
Ah. I had arrived too early.
Visiting uninvited during meal times was a breach of etiquette. Just as I was about to turn back, a gentle, maternal voice drifted from inside the room.
"Is there trouble outside?"
"T-The Grand Duke has arrived, Your Majesty."
"Then bid him enter."
The guard and I locked eyes, and I gave him a brief nod.
Creak...
The heavy doors parted, and I stepped inside.
A noblewoman in her forties with elegant grey hair styled in a refined updo met my gaze. Exuding an air of quiet dignity, this graceful lady was none other than my mother-in-law. And sitting right beside her was Princess Joy.
"Huh? Brother-in-law?"
Both the Empress Dowager and the princess stared at me, their faces painted with sheer bewilderment, clearly not expecting my visit.
"What brings such a busy man to my quarters?" the Empress Dowager asked, her tone heavily formal.
I bowed politely. "I have come to pay my morning respects to Your Imperial Majesty, the elder of our empire."
My unexpected words caused the Empress Dowager and Princess Joy to exchange a startled glance.
"Ahem... We were just about to have breakfast. Would you care to join us, Grand Duke?"
"Though I am the Grand Duke of the Empire, I am also your son-in-law, Mother," I replied gently. "Please, speak comfortably to me."
She regarded me with a complex, unreadable gaze. "Be that as it may..."
Seeing her hesitation, I dropped to one knee, offering a formal salute fit for a knight swearing fealty to his liege.
"As you are the elder of the imperial family and my mother-in-law, I shall remain in this position until you speak comfortably to me."
"G-Grand Duke?"
"B-Brother-in-law?"
Amused by their thoroughly flustered expressions, I pressed on.
"I know... I know that I have committed grave transgressions in the past. But I swear to you, I will ensure that no harm ever comes to you, my sister-in-law, or my wife."
A single word spoken from the heart carried more weight than a hundred flowery phrases. If I approached them with genuine sincerity rather than deceitful, calculated lies, surely they would eventually open up to me.
And if they didn't... well, I would just have to keep visiting them diligently every single day.
"Sigh... Very well. Do not just sit on the floor like that. Come, take a seat."
With my mother-in-law's permission granted, I rose with a bright smile and pulled up a chair at the dining table.
A subtle smirk played on my lips as I sat.
They really do say a mother-in-law has a soft spot for her son-in-law.