Chapter 18

Morning. The East District.

Wake up.

Don the heavy, concealing mage robes to hide the distinct curves of the female body. Wrap the face in a thick, stifling veil. Top it off with a wide-brimmed, conical wizard’s hat.

Miss Clyris, the mysterious and majestic High-Rank Mage—Complete.

She stepped out of the house and onto the street.

The residence Charlo had arranged for her was in the East District (Residential). This meant that to get to the West District (Industrial/Research), she had to cross the entire city...

Did he forget I’m still a heavily wounded patient? Or is this his idea of physical therapy?

Clyris grumbled internally, adjusting her veil.

"To the West District."

She waved down a public carriage. Fortunately, Ironwood City lacked the tedious, hierarchical rules of other noble territories where commoners had to yield the road. The main thoroughfare just outside her door was teeming with hackney carriages available for hire.

The road itself was a marvel. Charlo had built the avenues broad enough to allow ten carriages to run side-by-side, preventing congestion even at peak hours.

Not far away, construction on a train station platform was underway, with steel tracks being laid simultaneously by a team of sweating, shouting laborers.

Most of the people around were commoners, yet their spirits were unnervingly high. When they encountered patrolling knights or passing mages, they didn't cower, kneel, or scatter in fear. Instead, they smiled and tipped their hats.

Some mages nodded curtly and hurried on, while others stopped to return the greetings properly. The patrolling knights were even friendlier, often stopping to chat and laugh with the locals.

What a strange city. Strange people. Strange Lord.

But... she didn't hate it.

Upon arriving in the West District, she paid the driver three Fokk Silver Coins.

Ironwood Territory currently used a mixed currency system involving the Imperial Morris Silver Coins (High Purity) and the local coins minted by Archduke Fokk of the Eastern March (Low Purity).

The exchange rate was 1 Morris Silver = 250 Fokk Silvers.

From this rate alone, one could tell how terrible the quality of Fokk's currency was. Other ducal coins usually traded at around 200 to 220 per Imperial coin. Fokk's coins had hit the floor at 250.

However, Charlo used them precisely because they were terrible. According to him, "If it's garbage quality, it's easy to counterfeit. We flood his market with his own bad money, drive inflation up, and buy his resources for dirt cheap."

Clyris didn't really understand the complex economic warfare involved—concepts like "inflation" were alien to her—but whenever Charlo mentioned Archduke Fokk, his expression became so sinister it gave the Demon Lord chills. She suspected he was digging a grave for the Archduke using coins instead of swords.

Entering the West District, the noisy environment instantly quieted. Commoners were rare here; the streets were filled with mages in robes, walking with purpose.

Clyris walked into the Magic Research Department and entered her personal lab.

There weren't many mages in Ironwood—only a little over three hundred in total. Half were snatched up by the Industrial Department to power engines, and dozens went to Agriculture to bless fields. The rest were split between Education and Medicine, leaving the Research Department with fewer than fifty.

After organizing the experimental data from yesterday, she headed to Alice's lab.

Pushing open the door, she saw the blonde girl sitting behind a protective glass barrier, carefully channeling mana to engrave a microscopic rune onto a piece of cold steel.

Alice didn't get distracted by Clyris's entrance. Her focus was absolute. Only after the rune flashed blue—signaling a stable engraving—did she look up and smile. "Good morning, Miss Clyris!"

"Good morning, Alice." Clyris placed the data stack on the table. "Did you sleep in the lab again last night?"

"Ah..." Alice twirled a lock of her blonde hair nervously, looking guilty. "I lost track of time doing experiments... the Mana Flow theory you taught me was just so fascinating... Uuu..."

"...Forget it. Go call everyone for class." Clyris's mouth twitched, wanting to scold her, but she held back.

"Yes! Teacher Clyris!" Alice switched titles instantly and ran off cheerfully.

"Sigh..." Clyris let out a small breath, picked up her teaching materials, and headed to the lecture hall.

In the end, she had agreed to Charlo's request.

Now, the Demon Lord spent every morning teaching magical theory to the staff of the Research Department, and every afternoon collaborating with them on High-Rank rune combinations and array simplification.

Walking into the classroom, she saw everyone was present. Sitting in the front row were Alice and Freya, the only two Mid-Rank mages in Ironwood, looking at her with expectant eyes.

She took a deep breath and stepped onto the podium.

"Alright. Class is in session."

Ironwood Keep. The Conference Room.

The atmosphere here was far less academic and far more predatory. Charlo sat at the head of the long table, listening to the monthly reports.

"As of today, the Population of Ironwood Territory has reached 47,521," Lawrence, the Minister of Internal Affairs, reported, adjusting his glasses. "Monthly external trade volume stands at 8,400 Morris Silver Coins—6,400 in exports and 2,000 in imports. The territory covers 628 square kilometers. Expansion to the East is complete; we will proceed South according to plan."

"We have recruited 2,500 active personnel for the standing army," Davis, the Minister of Military Affairs, stated, his voice crisp. "This includes 1,000 line infantry, 600 artillerymen, 400 cavalry, and a 500-man special assault unit. Additionally, we have 500 reserves in training."

"We have completed one lumber yard and two deep-shaft mines," Speer, the Minister of Industry, reported, pointing to a map. "The Industrial Zone is operational with four Blast Furnaces. Three quarries and the harbor are complete. 25 kilometers of railway have been laid with three stations. Three main highways are complete, totaling 60 kilometers."

"Ten primary schools and two secondary schools have been built. All children of age are enrolled under the Compulsory Education Act," Griff, the Minister of Education, reported.

"Agricultural land stands at 80 square kilometers, with a yield of 300,000 kilograms per square kilometer thanks to the new fertilizer. Livestock includes 4,600 oxen, 2,200 warhorses, and 4,700 draft horses. Poultry numbers exceed 100,000," Mars, the Minister of Agriculture, concluded.

"Good!" Charlo put down the reports. "Everyone has done excellent work!"

Currently, Ironwood's territory and population far exceeded that of a standard Viscountcy.

In the Morris Empire, the standards were strict

 Knight's Fief: < 20 sq km, < 500 people.

 Barony: < 100 sq km, < 3,000 people.

 Viscountcy: < 500 sq km, < 30,000 people.

 Earldom: < 2,000 sq km, < 200,000 people.

As for higher ranks? Sorry, the ceiling for a Landed Noble was an Earl. The positions of Marquess and Duke had been filled long ago, and there was simply no land left to give.

Over the past thirty thousand years, the Three Great Empires had carved up the continent. Except for the inhospitable South and West, everything was claimed. Most major noble houses hadn't changed in ten thousand years.

In the Morris Empire, the last time a Landed Marquess was appointed was nine millennia ago—and that wasn't due to expansion. It was because the 'Demon Lord of Despair' Samuel had slaughtered an entire Marquessate family, leaving the land vacant for a new appointee.

Before Charlo took over Ironwood, there were barely a thousand people here, scratching a living from the frozen dirt. Now, it was a titan in the making.

"Lawrence, increase the purchase of slaves. As always, regardless of gender or age! Capture as much of the market share as possible!" Charlo ordered.

"Yes, My Lord."

The Industrial Age required a massive, centralized labor force. On Earth, this phase involved the Enclosure Movement—driving peasants off their land to force them into factories.

Here, Charlo didn't need to be so cruel to his own people. The Empire had a glut of slaves. The supply was so vast that Charlo could bankrupt himself buying them and still not make a dent.

Compared to medieval feudal slavery, Charlo's version of "Capitalism with a path to citizenship" was practically saintly.

"Gentlemen," Charlo slammed his fist onto the table, his eyes burning with ambition. "We have the steel. We have the powder. We have the people."

"Next is the Age of Mass Production."

"The New Era—has begun!"