The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 95

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 95

With so many interests and desires intertwined, the current situation seemed unlikely to resolve easily. Stepping back from the front lines to gather data for power source research, along with a generous rest, was welcome, but perhaps I had become too focused on work. As the continued rest started to feel like a burden, I received a summons.

“Sorry to call you when you’re busy. I wanted to hear something directly from you.”

“What could possibly take precedence over the Emperor’s command? Besides, no one in the world could be busier than His Majesty, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

“It’s nice to hear sweet talk, but that’s not what I want. Just tell me your honest thoughts.”

I could roughly guess the questions he might ask. He wouldn’t have many reasons to call me personally at this time. Unfortunately, the questions were exactly as I expected, too obvious.

“You must know, if you have ears, that there are people arguing about where to build the new research center and workshop.”

“How could I not?”

“Where do you think would be the most efficient place to build it? Forget everything else, and just consider efficiency.”

Just efficiency, huh?

Efficiency was an indicator I liked and tried to follow whenever possible. Unless it was something I absolutely had to do, following efficiency rarely led to failure. Of course, it was ironic that my ultimate goal was far from efficient.

“If we’re only considering efficiency, the Imperial City, specifically within the outer walls, is the best.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. There are three main things to consider for this project. First, security. It must be the top priority. We can’t allow the enemy to easily obtain the data we’ve worked so hard to gather over the years.”

At least until we finished the field tests and subjugated the monsters in the north, the enemies had to struggle to develop their own Titan [a powerful, humanoid war machine]. That was the only way the Empire’s skilled knights could gain enough experience.

“Second is personnel. We need a large number of mages and artisans to run the research center and workshop. There’s no better place than the Imperial City to immediately utilize talented individuals. Third is transportation. The Imperial City is the center of the Empire and home to numerous merchant guilds. Unless we’re building the workshop near a mine, the Imperial City is the best choice.”

The Titan was already expensive. Considering transportation costs, it would be better to build the workshop near a mine, but those places are mostly in remote areas. The mages, with their comfortable lives, wouldn’t like that. Since it’s already expensive, what difference would a little more make? Considering security, the Imperial City was the best option.

“I see.”

“Yes.”

After hearing my words, the Emperor pondered deeply. I, as a working-level employee, had only answered his question by considering ‘efficiency,’ as he had instructed. The decision was entirely his.

“The Imperial City is the best option…”

“There are drawbacks as well as advantages. First…”

“That’s enough. You don’t need to worry about those things. Well said. If there’s anything I can do to support the hard work of the staff, I should do it. There will be good news, so you may leave now.”

Immediately after I left the Imperial Palace, the Emperor displayed the boldness and decisiveness that had allowed him to become Emperor despite being the third son, surpassing countless competitors. He had drawn his sword and eliminated his brothers before the Emperor’s funeral was even over.

He immediately summoned the nobles who had participated in the opposition and held a meeting where intense words were exchanged. Later, I heard from my brother that there was much resistance, but the Emperor pushed through, putting an end to the stagnant situation.

Moreover, he began to clear out the places I had considered as potential sites but had postponed due to complex circumstances. He hadn’t even looked at the data I had prepared, so that speed would have been impossible if he hadn’t prepared in advance.

“It’s annoying that he used me, but it’s a win-win situation…”

The Emperor probably hadn’t considered any land other than the Imperial City for the research center and workshop. Nevertheless, he called me to confirm my opinion in order to use me to justify his decision.

If the Emperor had brought it up first, he would have had no justification to overcome the opposition of others. But if I, as the director of the research center, said that the Imperial City was the best choice, he would have a justification to ignore the opposition.

If he were an Emperor wielding absolute power, such a cumbersome method would not have been necessary, but he still had to be mindful of the nobles.

“Pardon? I didn’t hear you because your voice was too quiet.”

“It’s just a soliloquy, so you don’t have to worry about it. More importantly, check the height. It needs to be at least 10m.”

“Don’t worry. It’s obviously over 10m.”

Thanks to this rapid progress, my colleagues and I ended our short break and returned to the front lines. Since the workshop we were building was not an ordinary one, we needed to check it with our own eyes even after handing over the blueprints.

In addition, we needed to research the power source while evaluating the mages who would participate in the research. It was a time of being so busy that I wished I had ten bodies.

#

Mages are rare. Those who can wield magic are uncommon, and the number of mages is smaller compared to knights, who play a similar role.

Unlike knights, who can be effective with swordsmanship even if their talent for magic is relatively lacking, a mage’s skill tends to be directly related to their talent for magic, with very few exceptions. Moreover, magic itself is a discipline that can only be learned by those who have some leisure and are intelligent.

However, there was a place where these rare mages were not so rare. They were so common that you could trip over them. That place was the Magic Tower. Therefore, when mages were needed, the first place to look was inevitably the Magic Tower.

“I definitely want to try it!”

“If you give me the chance, I will do my best!”

“Just tell me what to do!”

The rumor that I was secretly conducting research was actually known to those in the know even before the demonstration. I had kept the details strictly confidential, except for those involved, so they didn’t know the specifics, but I couldn’t stop the rumor that I was doing something amazing.

That’s because my position itself was that high. I was sacrificing my sleep and focusing only on research without meeting anyone, so many people were curious about what kind of research I was doing and what kind of amazing announcement I would make when the research was finished.

And as the details of the research spread through the demonstration and rumors began to circulate that the Emperor was actively supporting it, mages who wanted to participate in the research came to me without me having to make any effort to find them. I just had to pick out the necessary talents from among them.

“Thank you for coming to me first. Let’s work well together in the future.”

“I’m sorry. I hope we can meet again with a good opportunity next time.”

I gave them a test. The criteria were various: skill, loyalty to the Empire and certainty of status, burning desire for research, and performance, etc. Some passed, and some failed.

All those who decided to participate in the research were excellent mages who had been active in the Empire for a long time and had participated in various studies. One regret was that there was no one like Armin who saw things differently from others, even if their skills were low.

This was an essential element in solving the difficult challenge of developing a power source, so I paid attention to it, but perhaps because they had been in the mainstream for so long, no one showed any unique insight.

‘Not bad.’

As a result, that was that, and this was this. It wouldn’t be bad. After all, the core idea would come from one or two people. The rest would be enough to build the pillars and put up the roof based on that. In fact, I had been struggling quite a bit because there was a lot of work but not enough people.

“It’s almost here.”

The start is not far away.

#

In constructing the workshop, I divided it into four main sections: arms, legs, torso, and finally, a finishing area to assemble and synchronize everything.

The magic applied to each part was different. And there was no reason for all the mages to know everything. For efficiency and security. That way, even if one or two of the mages participating in the research were caught, they would only know a part.

‘Am I, a mage, opening the age of knights with my own hands?’

When the mass production of the Titan begins and its strength is proven, the position of knights will be further expanded. Especially the knights skilled enough to board the Titan. Conversely, the position of mages will shrink. Anti-magic measures, mainly mithril [a fictional metal resistant to magic] coating, will make it impossible to even scratch it with magic of considerable power.

It was truly the age of knights.

‘……So what?’

Even if the age of knights opened, it didn’t mean that mages would die out. The existence of mages was not just about the destructive power of magic. Mages were able to do things alone that ordinary people could not do even with ten thousand people.

Above all, as a new task of creating the Titan, which would usher in the age of knights, had emerged, there was a possibility that they would become even more important in some ways.

“Great disciple, no, Director. You need to come out soon!”

As I was sitting in my seat, lost in thought, Armin came into the room and called me out. There was still some time left before the event started, but the people who would come after this were not easy to deal with, so I needed to go out first.

Thud-

The research center and workshop, which seemed to have been started not long ago – and it really hadn’t been long – boasted a huge size. In addition, many stakeholders gathered to talk about the future that this workshop would create, and to offer congratulations for a successful future.

“Your shoulders are heavy.”

“I will show you the results as much as you trust me.”

The completion ceremony was attended by most of the central figures of the Empire, led by the Emperor. After the grand event ended and the research center returned to being a place of research and work, not a place of celebration, I looked at the dozens of mages looking at me and shouted.

“Now, let’s get started.”

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 95 – End