'Ah, please do something about that positive language!'
It was when I screamed inwardly.
Flap flap!
Amber flew over their heads, sprinkling golden dust.
Even though my composure was already wavering, my mind was racing. I grabbed Amber and held it still on my shoulder.
I cleared my throat and changed the subject, pretending not to hear Michael.
“I thought the ideological form of Galamut was big, but the actual Galamut is incomparably bigger.”
“It left behind a huge magic light proportional to its size.”
“Yes. Galamut was the largest of all the Lord-level dragons in history.”
While the two were talking, someone approached us with a noise. It was Cadeline.
“Hello, 7th Princess.”
“Welcome, Sir Velcram.”
“You were admiring the magic light. What do you think?”
“It gave me goosebumps. I knew Galamut was big because it was mentioned in books, but it was much bigger than I thought.”
“It’s not for nothing that the reserves that have fed the Hadelamid Empire for over 100 years have come into existence.”
“I believed in that enormous reserve and spent it recklessly, which is how I ended up in the situation I am in now.”
I took the words as if she was joking.
The long intestines of Cadeline, who had always been filled with suffocation in her chest, collapsed.
She ended up saying the words that were in her true feelings without realizing it.
“The initial price was set too low. No matter how much the supply rots, isn't the cost of mining labor not an expense? Thanks to that, there are some among the people who think that magic stones are something that can be obtained for free.”
I opened ny amber eyes wide, for it was a familiar claim.
'Is that what I said to Count Luciard?'
I remembered myself preaching that I was paying the cost at someone else's expense.
I looked at Cadeline with an inexplicable feeling. Only then did Cadeline seem to realize what she had said.
She flinched and turned her head away, thinking that it was probably not a good thing to say in front of the royal family.
I smiled quietly. I realized that it was just me, Michael, and Cadeline here.
“Sir Velcram.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Actually, there was something I wanted to say at dinner yesterday.”
"What is?"
There were more than a few needlessly hurtful things, so dry saliva ran down Cadeline’s throat.
I said.
“You can trust me. I am on the same side as you.”
Until now, no royal family member had ever said such things in front of Cadeline.
Cadeline's eyes shook greatly at the incomprehensible words.
Judging from the expression on Cadelin's face, it seemed like more explanation was needed, but I just smiled without saying anything.
I again took on the solemn face of a Princess. The atmosphere brightened in an instant.
“Then let’s go to the village. You’ll guide me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Cadeline walked ahead towards Lapis Village with a gait that seemed possessed.
When we arrived in the village, it was almost time for them to eat.
Homunculus lined up to return their wooden bowls of porridge.
They looked at the two strangers who had come with Cadeline with weary eyes.
When homunculus leaves the training center after being judged as graded, they undergo a ritual of loyalty oath, submitting themselves to all Hadelamid bloodlines.
And from that point on, they begin to vaguely recognize the royal family.
They worried that I, the first royal family they had ever seen, might be harboring them.
Wherever the royal family went, they would always bring along their own knights as decorations.
The homunculus also paid attention to Michael, who was clearly one of their own kind.
Michael, who was born with the destiny to become King, always had a strange sense of intimidation that only homunculus could feel around him.
“Her Highness the Seventh Princess. Everyone, pay your respects.”
At Cadeline's words, the homunculus knelt down, holding wooden bowls in their hands.
The bowed head touched the floor.
'An example of slavery.'
It was the same thing Michael had done in front of Desmond II when he had taken the oath of allegiance. His purple eyes darkened.
“Get up. Don’t worry about it and just do what you were doing.”
My voice was very quiet. My eyes were just as sharp as Michael's.
It was dark or something.
'It's worse than I thought.'
I looked around.
At first glance, the village looked so miserable that it seemed like it needed immediate relief.
These days, rye porridge, which even the poor do not eat, is a staple food for homunculus.
In a small and shabby one-room house that looked like a barn, four or five people had to gather and rest.
Their health and nutritional status were obviously poor, and their eyes were dark and dead, as if they had long ago given up on life in a hopeless reality.
I took a deep breath without realizing it.
The smell of despair seemed more paralyzing than the musty smell of sewage.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
"It's okay."
Michael was quick to assess my condition.
I was able to calm my turbulent heart to some extent just by hearing her concerned voice.
I came to my senses and cleared my expression. There were other caretakers in the village besides Cadeline.
It would not be strange if someone became the eyes and ears of the static.
At times like these, we had to show a dignified appearance, as befitting a royal family that had exploited homunculus for a long time.
At that time, a strong support group appeared to help me.
"Your Highness!"
“Lord Redmon.”
Alben ran towards me in one stride.
He handed me the report he had written while exploring Lapis Village today.
“Your Highness, I have come up with a way to increase the efficiency of the mine.”
“As expected, it’s Lord Redmon. Let’s go and see it.”
It was a topic that everyone had no choice but to listen to.
The field managers stopped their work of collecting the dishes and glanced at me and Alben.
Meanwhile, General Manager Cadeline looked half worried and half expectant.
'You clearly said earlier that we were on the same side. Can I still have hope?'
At that moment, I looked at the cover of the report. The subheading read frankly, 'How to Effectively Exploit Homunculus.'
Soon Alben opened his mouth to speak eloquently.
“It has always been essential to have a strict and clean management system. Please pick a few of the homunculus and let them wear the armband. Homunculi knows best! Soon, the homunculus wearing the armband will expose the loopholes and waste that are only visible from within.”
“Hmm, so you’re saying we should hire someone whose main job is to report things? For example, a mare who manages tenant farmers instead of the landlord?”
“Yes! That’s it!”
“Hmm, it’s a mining slab..."
Eve thought for a moment and then answered.
“Great. That’s a very good idea.”
“Haha! I knew you’d say that.”
Alben moved on to the next explanation, revealing his telepathic feelings.
“And instead of distributing food equally to everyone, we can distribute the food to each person and let them eat different foods according to the ingredients they have.”
“So you’re saying that we should differentiate between labor performance and compensation?”
“Yes, the homunculus have been trained to optimize competition since their days in the training center. Distribution as fair as it is now cannot stimulate competitiveness.”
“Hmm, right. We need to make them compete. Competition is directly related to increased productivity.”
“That’s right. So if you show them the taste of soft bread instead of rye porridge, they will work hard to eat it. Honestly, the homunculus here has no other desire than the desire to eat. They'll be thrilled with bread and find joy in life.”
“I see. That certainly sounds motivating.”
I nodded and listened to Alben's words. Thanks to this, Alben felt refreshed.
“Besides, there is one more advantage to using this method.”
"What?"
“You can use the materials you receive as currency. You can buy and sell labor with them.”
“Aha. Are you saying that injured and sick homunculus don't just rest, but they can turn over their share of rationing materials and ask another homunculus to work for them?”
“Your Highness! That’s it! How convenient is it that they will make up for the holes in the power plant?”
At this point, I pretended to think deeply.
“But if we do that, those who can’t work will continue to starve. Is that okay?”
“Hmm? Why are you worried about that, Your Highness? After all, we only need to increase production in the short term.BNo? Do you care about long-term problems?”
“Oh, right. I forgot something important. It was obvious. Thanks for letting me know, Lord Redmon.”
“Hahaha, don’t mention it.”
Alben continued proudly.
“There is still more to come. Please read the entire report. I, Alben Redmon, have diligently carried out Your Highness’s order to squeeze everything out.”
“Ah, that’s great. As expected, you are a talented person.”
I raised both hands and clapped my hands in appreciation.
My heartless applause spread far and wide.
Because everyone was holding their breath and listening to Alben and me converse.
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