Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: The Minister of Technology
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But Kail had no intention of giving up on appointing a dwarf as the Minister of Technology either.
Administrative Minister Salushin Oga spoke up.
"Until now, the position of Minister of Technology has been held by numerous lizardmen, starting with the inaugural Jaol. And now, a dwarf—a former slave, no less?"
"You're phrasing it strangely, Administrative Minister. Since when has the position of Minister of Technology been about race? Your words make it sound like those who held it before sat there simply because they were lizardmen without any real skill. Was Jaol such a person?"
At those words, Salushin bowed his head deeply.
"That wasn't my intention."
"Then you agree that everyone from Jaol to all previous Ministers of Technology were appointed regardless of race because they excelled in craftsmanship and knowledge of machinery?"
"Yes. But they were all..."
Salushin tried to argue about the legitimacy of lizardmen holding offices across generations, but Kail cut in first.
"...lizardmen. I haven't met every past Minister of Technology, but the fact that they were all lizardmen means that, in their times, the most skilled artisan was a lizardman. This time, it's just not."
With Kail honoring all previous kings, Salushin found it hard to press the point further.
"His abilities are still in doubt."
"I've confirmed them myself."
"...If I may be so bold, when deciding even a single bureau chief position, shouldn't Your Majesty heed the opinions of the other ministers as well?"
Kail nodded and said,
"Administrative Minister, do you know what Oran's polar altitude is?"
"...I do."
"Answer me."
"It's known as the angle of the North Pole Star above the horizon."
"Do you know Oran's polar altitude?"
At that, Salushin Oga looked troubled.
Polar altitude was determined by latitude, which in turn allowed one to calculate sunrise and sunset times.
Studying astronomy and arithmetic was basic education for nobles, so Salushin knew about polar altitude in general, but he didn't remember the exact value Kail was asking for.
Then, the Minister of Astronomy among the ministers spoke up.
"I know it."
"Answer."
"Oran's polar altitude is 32 and a half degrees."
The other ministers sighed in relief at the Minister of Astronomy's response.
Had he failed to answer, the dwarf would have given the prepared reply.
The ministers thought this was the extent of Kail's plan.
But it was merely the beginning.
"Then do you know the polar altitudes of Jarin and Magannen as well?"
"...Pardon?"
"I'm asking if you know the polar altitudes of the elves' city Jarin at the northern coast's end and the village of Magannen at the far south."
"I... don't know."
"Does no one know?"
Even the Minister of Astronomy, confident in arithmetic, couldn't answer this time.
He didn't know how far apart Jarin and Magannen were, and even if he did, Oran's polar altitude was just a memorized value.
Rumpf, who had been silent until now, bowed his head and spoke.
"I shall answer, sire."
"Answer."
"Jarin's polar altitude is 37 and a half degrees, and Magannen's is 30 degrees."
"How so?"
"Polar altitude differs by 1 degree every 250 li. Jarin, 1,250 li north, adds 5 degrees. Magannen, 525 li south, subtracts 2 and a half."
Kail nodded.
"Correct. You've answered what these ministers could not."
At that, the Minister of Astronomy stepped forward.
"How can you appoint a minister based on a single exchange of questions?"
This meant he couldn't accept it.
Kail suppressed a smile and asked another question.
"Very well. There's a circular rice paddy with a diameter of twelve paces. What is its area?"
The Minister of Astronomy thought briefly and replied,
"Square the radius, multiply by 3, yielding 108 paces—then square that for the area."
"Rumpf, what do you think?"
"Approximately 113 paces squared."
Different answers.
The Minister of Astronomy sneered.
"That dwarf miscalculated the ratio of circumference to diameter."
"No. The 108 comes from using 3 as pi, doesn't it?"
Kail asked Rumpf,
"What do you take pi to be?"
"Greater than 3, less than 4."
"You're right."
The Minister of Astronomy retorted,
"But Your Majesty, in Lady Jaol's Treatise on Mathematics..."
"It says 3. But recent imported arithmetic texts from abroad use a value between 3 and 4, proving it with formulas. It seems you've neglected your studies."
Several more exchanges followed, but the Minister of Astronomy erred slightly due to outdated knowledge or answered slower than Rumpf.
He had no choice but to withdraw.
"...I've underestimated the learning of this humble nation."
"Then study harder. No need for shame."
As the mood sank, Kail cleared his throat.
"Ahem! So, is this matter settled for now?"
"No, Your Majesty."
As expected, Administrative Minister Salushin objected again.
"I'll concede his exceptional scholarship. But didn't you say he's a former slave?"
Kail nodded.
"From what I gathered, Rumpf's father was from Dan Yeom, but his mother was a house slave to the previous Minister of Technology in Oran. His father abandoned them, and his mother raised him alone. Her skill in crafts had her running errands in and out of the palace. He never formally studied, but the knowledge he picked up over her shoulder rivals the Technology Bureau officials. How can we reject him just for being a slave?"
Salushin interjected.
For him, this was a line he absolutely couldn't yield.
The Technology Division was just above the lowly Hunting Division.
It handled the palace's miscellaneous tools and machines, mostly filled with artisans who received poor treatment.
The noble lizardmen like Salushin could yield it if pressed.
But this was the first royal council, and he instinctively knew this small concession could shape the nation's future politics.
"It cannot be done."
"Because of his lowly status?"
"Yes."
Salushin said,
"Whether this dwarf is lowly isn't so easily dismissed. Your Majesty reigns because you inherit the blood of the great Thunder Dragon King. We ministers sit here as descendants of those who fought alongside him. This dwarf being a slave is the same. Dwarves were the enemies of lizardmen in Heukrin to the bitter end. Even after the kingdom was founded, they plotted rebellions. This dwarf is a descendant of that race."
The ministers nodded in admiration.
Everyone here owed their positions to bloodlines, so if Kail insisted on keeping the dwarf, he'd have to deny royal legitimacy.
Kail had different thoughts on the matter, but rhetoric was key for now.
"Do you not care for the people? In the past, Warrior Tata fought a troll horde to save Harfbin. The Thunder Dragon King opened the castle gates. If he is exceptionally talented, why not make an exception?"
"One exception leads to uncontrollability. If non-lizardmen frequently become ministers, who will stand by Your Majesty's side?"
Kail thought,
'There will be non-lizardmen.'
Kail doubted lizardmen alone were capable and believed talent should be rewarded regardless.
Moreover, Salushin's view was quite rude to the Left Bureau officials managing palace affairs.
But the noble lizardmen shared his sentiment and bowed their heads, shouting,
"Your Majesty, please understand!"
"Please understand!"
Kail showed displeasure and said,
"Very well. I need time to deliberate this. For now, I wish to appoint Rumpf to the Technology Bureau. Do you object to that?"
As Kail conceded, the ministers exchanged glances while bowed.
The Technology Division was a dead-end post for artisans, hard to promote from.
They figured Kail was backing off from minister and offering a decent office instead.
Salushin decided.
"No, Your Majesty. The Technology Division is for artisans, so use this talented one as you see fit."
"Then, Rumpf, understand it that way, and withdraw for today."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
And Kail moved straight to the next item.
"Next, regarding the upcoming eclipse ritual..."
That day, not a single agenda passed easily at the council.
Shun Rak Oran, second prince of King Anpyeong of Oran, sat alone on the wide floor of the Yacheon Church temple in Oran.
During prayer times, it filled with Yacheon faithful from all over, but at this late hour, it was usually empty.
Normally, Shun would be asleep, but he had worries now.
'How could this happen?'
An eclipse was approaching.
The eclipse itself wasn't surprising to those who knew it was coming.
Shun understood it as the moon briefly covering the sun.
Such a major astronomical event was well-recorded, allowing calculations of when and where it would occur.
But not everyone understood it that way.
Not all possessed such knowledge.
Without it, an eclipse became a bizarre, terrifying darkening in broad daylight.
If seen merely as a phenomenon, that would be fortunate, but some exaggerated it.
It could be interpreted as a divine omen, revelation, or ill portent for the future.
'Especially for Yacheon believers, it looks like the order unraveling.'
Some might even use it to incite chaos.
The Yacheon Church observed astronomical events to prevent this, announcing them to the people.
Just having the priests foretell events and declare them unrelated to Yacheon's will brought calm.
'Thus, the Yacheon Church's observations and predictions must be accurate.'
Inaccurate predictions would weaken faith in Yacheon.
So the Church hadn't relied solely on their knowledge; they'd collaborated with the palace.
And though young for a priest, Shun's royal blood made him oversee the 'Eclipse Ritual,' a ceremony predicting this eclipse.
As a joint palace-Church event, the order deemed his background helpful.
Besides, it wasn't difficult.
The overseeing priest selected the correct time from three values—provided by Yacheon calendar priests, palace astronomers, and the king—and held the ritual then.
Those three eclipse predictions were always the same.
'So why is this one... different?'
The calendar priests' time matched the astronomers'.
But King Kail Rak Oran's was four hours later than both.