Build Up National Power
Build up national power.
Seven local lords had fallen to the blade of my judgment. During the battles, 3,200 had died or been executed, 12,000 had their titles stripped, and over 10,000 had been reduced to slaves.
Fortunately, none of the commanders from the units I'd led in the previous war were the type to discard like dirt once the deed was done.
Zenbe was off running a caravan business now, so he was fine, and Shura was partnering with me on the information guild, so she didn't count either.
Rajal and Adan hailed from vassal families bound to Kara's fate, making them key figures bolstering Padilla's power base—they were people I needed to promote, not purge. As for Akam, his loyalty ran so deep that he'd abandoned his castle and territories like Altaran to preserve his nearly extinct former lord's house; there was no reason to touch him.
Kasim, the former Great Desert bandit, worried me a bit with his greed, but since he focused solely on monetary ventures and showed zero interest in state affairs, he was spared the purge.
Honestly, I had no idea why Kasim even held the title of admiral. His name appeared in state records, but he never contributed a single opinion—just piracy and monster hunts.
"My lord. Are you busy?"
Udin the prime minister approached cautiously as I reviewed the recent council minutes in the king's office.
I flipped a page and replied, "Yeah. What is it?"
"Then I'll come back later."
"Nah, I'm listening. Spit it out."
Udin cleared his throat with a cough.
"Five ministerial positions are vacant right now. For smooth governance, we need to appoint replacements soon. Have you given any thought to candidates?"
"Which spots are open?"
"Minister of Rites, Foreign Affairs, Education, Agriculture, and one deputy prime minister."
I flipped another page. "Hmm, do we really need to rush the appointments?"
"But these are critical posts essential to running the kingdom—they can't stay empty."
"True, but looking at this, another one's about to open up. Might as well handle them all at once, right?"
Udin swallowed dryly at my ominous words.
"Ah..."
"No, scratch that. Fill the Education Minister spot ASAP."
Leaving Education vacant would stall Jores Island's development and the railway project. It wasn't something we could slack on, so better plug it quick.
"Any preferences on who?"
"Someone who does the job without bitching and delivers results. You pick. You've been Padilla's advisor in Kara for years—you must have eyes on some talents."
"Fill them with Kara natives?"
"Yeah. And the other spots too—from their ranks."
"The provincial powers will complain."
I waved him off. "Not right now. No local lord wants a ministerial seat at the moment anyway."
Udin got it immediately and nodded. While I'd been acting regent, seven provincial lords who'd joined council meetings had met their ends, with one more on the chopping block. Who'd willingly step into a position that could wipe out their whole house?
"Ah, yes. Understood."
"And rename Rites to Justice Minister."
"Pardon? Why?"
Because "Rites" carried religious and moral baggage. I didn't want faith or ethics meddling in governance.
"State affairs need to be rational. No room for inefficient, contradictory crap like religion and morality."
"But they're vital for kingdom stability."
"Nah. Stability's the express lane to ruin. It's the symptom right before collapse. A nation that keeps advancing doesn't fall easy. So run things rationally and keep pushing Kara forward."
Udin pondered, then nodded slowly.
"True, stability means stagnation in another sense."
"Exactly. Long stagnation just leaves decline. From the world's view, decline's even better than stagnation—something new follows ruin. Though who knows if that new start's any good."
"Yes."
"So steel yourself. Kara's at a new beginning now. Whether it's good or bad gets decided here."
"Understood."
Udin pulled a document.
"By the way, my lord. The industrial lab reports completing the mana-powered spinning and weaving machines."
The news I'd been waiting for. I closed the minutes and perked up.
"Already? Quick work."
"Yes. The concepts were already there."
"Performance?"
"Energy efficiency up about 90% over the old ones."
"Solid."
"Yes. Tech from the mana locomotives and upgraded magic bullet launchers helped a lot."
I nodded approvingly.
"Ship facilities and manpower for production to Jores Island. Train up spinners and weavers fast too."
Udin eyed me cautiously. "My lord, why not do it in Kara instead of Jores?"
"No. Jores is where trade funnels the cotton. Handle it all there—no need to jack up prices with logistics costs."
"But we produce wool in the Great Desert too."
"Not enough compared to continental imports."
"Still, I'm worried Kara's industry will stagnate as the capital."
I chuckled.
Udin was a capable prime minister, but his vision was boxed in by Kara's borders—years as an advisor there'd done that.
"Why build industry in the capital? If it were coastal, maybe, but no need to industrialize the heart. Hell, ship out what we have. As Kara grows, even admin, culture, and commerce will strain it. Capitals are traditional consumer hubs, not producers. Remember that."
"Ah, yes."
Plus, industrializing Kara meant more crap to haul in the apocalypse. Ideally, I'd move the industrial and weapons labs too. Railways and portal towers weren't linked yet, but eventually, everything shifts.
"And research swapping other processes to mana machines. Simple parts or repetitive tasks should be doable."
"Yes, already underway."
"Good."
Udin pulled another sheet.
"Upgraded magic bullet launchers: first batch of 12,000 done. Where first?"
"Jores Island. They need 'em most."
"Yes."
Jores development had kicked off, but only in the north and east. The rest crawled with monsters untamed.
We needed the whole island secured fast, so new weapons went there first.
"Once all Great Desert units are equipped, move the launcher factories to Jores too."
"Understood."
"Cast-iron mana cannons done?"
"Yes, completed and in production."
"Specs?"
"Mana efficiency runes extend range 0.5-0.6 km over bronze models, and lighter due to material."
Cast iron made tough, light cannons. Iron beat bronze for strength-to-weight. Miniaturization helped too.
Great. We'd failed on these pre-apocalypse despite tries, but Evelyn's tech made it easy. Humanity got stronger.
"Perfect. After full deployment, shift all factories to Jores."
"Yes."
"Agriculture automation update?"
I planned mana machines for farming too—huge yield boosts per labor.
Apocalypse drafts everyone to combat; food production couldn't lag. Soldiers need chow to fight. Minimal manpower had to match current output, so swap farm labor for mana ag-machines.
Udin looked troubled. "Focusing on harvesters, threshers, seeders, plows. Some progress is glacial."
"Why?"
"Hard to replace livestock with mana machines. Tried magic horses, but essence waste and crafting difficulty killed it."
"Hm."
"Yes. Needs 6-cycle mages minimum, and they're too rare for production—better in research."
Continent-wide, barely 100 6-cycle mages. Most in major nations; Great Desert had one or two tops. Couldn't waste them on factories. Needed another way.
I stroked my chin, pondering. Essence waste was fine; manpower shortage hurt. Magic horses out.
I recalled a mana cart from the portal tower demo.
"Hey, what about mana carts? Can't they plow? Straight-line pull like oxen."
"Mana carts?"
"Industrial lab's mobile rig. Rail-less iron horse for roads, carries people. Plowing's just forward thrust—should work."
"I'll have the researchers check."
"Do it. Push hard."
Udin nodded, pulled another paper, and handed it over.
"This is on Area One site selection."
I glanced around warily. Area One was top-secret—only me, Padilla, Udin, and on-site crew knew.
Three sites listed. First: near the new city—easy supplies, but secrecy risk.
Second: far from dev zones, but monster-heavy—construction hell.
Third: vast plain in deep mountains. Natural barriers for secrecy, cleared of monsters—build-ready.
"Third site's best."
"But supply lines suck—construction drags. Okay?"
"No. Throw in tons of labor, shorten timeline max. Money's no object."
"Understood."
Tall order, but Udin took it in stride.
Area One's first project: levitation boats. Nine years left on Bastain truce—had to rush. Might decide Kara's survival.
No skimping. Lev boats done, we'd repel Bastain easy.
"Lev boat crews training well?"
"Yes, three trainers for 12 pilots, 31 mechanics."
"Security?"
"Death Desert's deserted—safe."
I hid regret. Death Desert was ideal—zero people.
But apocalypse turns it monster central. No matter security, wrong spot.
"Got it."
Udin gave me a loaded look—half worry, half hope.
"My lord."
"Yeah?"
"Mass lev boats mean Kara could conquer the continent."
"Probably."
"Any interest?"
Hell no. Even ignoring apocalypse, Kara lacked manpower and skill. Military conquest just grabs dirt.
True conquest needs national power, not swords.
"No. Kara must never aim for the continent."
Udin looked disappointed.
"Why?"
"I get the ambition, but Kara's population's tiny. Might seize it short-term, but we'd collapse fast—maybe erase the nation. Swallowed by masses."
I'd seen it pre-regression: Yosrahim's fall.
Empire ballooned conquering four neighbors, but post-Cloud Grandpa, rebellions gutted it into decline. If mighty Yosrahim crumbled, 3-million Kara? Doomed.
Aiming continent now was suicide—like cliff-leaping euphoria before splat.
"Then?"
"Focus inward. Boost ag for pop growth, industry for living standards. Continent later. Now? Short glory, then death."
"Understood."
Report seemed done; I stood.
"Gotta step out. You handle regency, Udin."
"Where to?"
"Told ya—one more to kill. Interior Minister. Played nice to my face, but minutes show he ripped Padilla. Most dangerous: bully to weak, coward to strong. Vulture type. Cut first."
"But..."
I glared. "What?"
"Indiscriminate purges have officials panicking—unsure how to act."
"I gave criteria."
"Pardon?"
"Does the job no-complaint, good results. Promote them; others risk neck."
"Ah, yes. Got it."
I headed out again. Target: Omar territory.
Build up national power.
End of "Build Up National Power."