Chapter 301

Chapter 301 - The Royal Road

Eugene focused on political affairs while spending the winter in Haven.

"It's good that I reformed the serf system, but the dissatisfied nobles are still on my mind. Their expressions are zero... Since they are polite on the outside, it's awkward to take action."

Perhaps feeling an ominous vibe from Eugene clenching and unclenching his fist, Hind read the room.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Don't worry, I won't pull a Gaius."

"Ahaha. I never worried."

Hind felt relieved inwardly.

To be frank, Eugene was of a weight class where he could run wild to his heart's content in Britannia. However, Hind wanted his Lord to reign as a sage king receiving everyone's respect and love.

"Wouldn't the problem be over once the tournament is held shortly?"

A tournament soothes nobles and the masses even more than a banquet. Furthermore, depending on who the host was, the effect jumped twofold.

What if Eugene and Valda were sitting in the seats of honor? Every knight in Britannia would be moved and attend.

"A tournament alone isn't enough. The South is one thing, but the nobles up north won't likely be favorable either. Even without that, they must be full of worries since the Kruger family disappeared and a more threatening fOrce entered."

"It can't be helped. If a lion has entered, it's natural for the wolves or foxes' expressions to stiffen. They won't be able to commit acts of treason while busy rebuilding territories exhausted from suppressing rebellions."

And if time passed like this, the gap in population and productivity would widen even more.

"I'd rather firmly make our strength known. So that they wouldn't even think about challenging us at all even if I leave Britannia empty."

"A large-scale monster subjugation? If it's that, Your Excellency's dignity will stand, and the knights will like it too."

"No. I'm thinking of doing something cooler than that."

Eugene planned to use a special move. It was a method newly crowned kings historically enjoyed using when establishing authority.

"I will construct a new bridge over the River Thames."

"!!!"

"Send out a proclamation across all of Britannia to recruit technicians."

It was a massive public works project.

* * *

The River Thames passing through Haven has an abundant water volume and connects to the sea. It's a lifeline supporting agriculture and fishing, and also a trade route with the continent.

The problem is that there was only a single bridge on such an important river. The Old Bridge built in front of Haven was handling the entire logistics volume of the South.

Naturally, because it was so congested, there was great inconvenience in transit, and restrictions were placed on the commercial development of the South.

"The long-cherished wish of the Southerners finally!"

"Your Excellency the Count. Did you know this is a project that has been overturned again and again for a whopping 600 years?"

The city guild masters summoned by Eugene's order were extremely excited. Because it was such a massive project, they were to the point where fear rose up before joy. Everyone's faces were stiffly frozen, so few were smiling.

"As everyone might have guessed, the location for the second bridge is here."

Everyone's gaze gathered at the spot Eugene's finger pointed to on the map of the South.

The only remaining Elven court in the 3rd Era, and the garden overflowing with the most vitality. The haven where every filial child in Britannia wished to serve their parents.

It was Shade Garden.

"Roads will open by land to the West, the Central region, and even Haven."

"I can't even imagine how great its commercial value and political symbolism will be. Shade Garden will grow into the second largest city in Britannia."

"Once completed, vassals can be summoned much faster. Wherever you deploy the army to the West or Central region, there will be no blockages in supply."

The last remark from the Blacksmith Guild Master was somewhat dangerous. In reality, an additional bridge wasn't merely a means to make money. It was practically giving wings to the operation of the Southern army.

"Ahem."

"Hey. Why are you suddenly like this while discussing auspicious things?"

Other guild masters coughed artificially. However, the Blacksmith Guild Master nonchalantly continued his words.

"As everyone knows, the Old Bridge is a bridge constructed by the order of Alfred III."

Alfred III was a king from the Half-Elf family who ruled all of Britannia in the distant past.

"Constructing a new bridge over the River Thames is not just any public works project. If it is only completed, those who would rebel against Your Excellency militarily or politically will disappear."

The toll revenue and the profits to be gained as Shade Garden grows into a metropolis are also endless.

The reason the plan was repeatedly overturned for 600 years despite such high value was simple.

"Maximum 25 years until completion. The cost is estimated to be 4 years' worth of tax revenue from Your Excellency's direct territory."

Because it required an absurdly massive effort.

"There are limits to cost reduction, but the construction period can be shortened depending on the recruitment of technicians."

The Mason Guild Master spoke as he offered a blueprint to Eugene. It was the blueprint of the Old Bridge.

"Are there any missing parts?"

"None at all. In the past, by special order of Alfred III, 4 copies of the blueprint were made and thoroughly preserved."

The continent's architectural skills had actually regressed from the 1st or 2nd Era. Britannia, which preserved several blueprints due to the Half-Elf family's foresight, was an unusual case.

"It will be hard for me to see its completion while I'm alive. Hohoho."

When the old guild master expressed regret, Eugene shook his head.

"I have no intention of waiting long. I will reduce the period as much as possible while maintaining stability. Adventurer Guild Master."

"Yes. Your Excellency."

"Send people to Gorde and invite as many bridge technicians as possible."

Countless rivers, large and small, flow throughout the entire territory of Gorde. Those waterways became the foundation for growing into a powerful commercial nation. Naturally, technicians for bridge construction were abundant.

Coincidentally, Haven could trade directly with Gorde through the River Thames and the sea.

"Mason Guild Master. The most troubling problem must be stone supply, right?"

"Yes. They must be sufficiently large with appropriate strength. If they are too hard, processing is difficult, and if they are too soft, they will crumble."

Squares suitable for supporting loads at the bottom. Wedge shapes for the upper arch. Circles minimizing water friction for the pillars.

The required shapes were different for each part, so they had to be carved this way and that. Stones satisfying such conditions couldn't be found just anywhere. Transporting them also required massive costs and effort.

"No need to worry about stones. I will sub-contract it out to my Dwarf friends in Khazador. If I just pay them, they will prepare them in whatever shape I want as much as I want."

"How are you going to transport that from Eastern Roman to here... Pfft!"

The Mason Guild Master's face instantly looked like he was struck by lightning. And then he started laughing like a madman.

"Hey! We are in front of His Excellency, so get a hold of yourself!"

"It's fine. Let him laugh. He's the friend who will suffer the most from now on, so I should let him loosen up this much."

The Mason Guild Master wiped tears forming in his eyes and apologized to Eugene.

"Your Excellency! If the finished stones are transported by the Magical Castle, the construction period will be reduced to under 3 years. If enough bridge technicians are secured from Gorde, it will be even shorter."

"It was that much?!"

It was a saving effect that far exceeded what Eugene had thought.

"Of course. Stones are heavy, making transport difficult, and they frequently break on the way. The time and manpower spent carving and trimming are terrible. If we can skip all that waste, then absolutely."

"There are thousands of mason technicians just in Khazador. You just focus on stacking them according to the blueprint. Of course, this alone will be a massive task."

Even if the material problem was solved, underwater construction itself was a dangerous task. Since there was no diving equipment, the underwater conditions had to be judged relying on the naked eye.

At that time, the Moneychanger Guild Master, who had been scanning the meeting room, requested the floor from Eugene.

"I don't see a single priest. Will you invest solely by yourself without external financing?"

"If I accept other people's money, there will be too much interference from construction to utilization. I want to build and utilize it entirely according to my stubbornness."

Due to inefficient territory management and the limits of the manorial economy, lords with abundant treasuries were rare. To undertake public works, investment from private moneylenders and monasteries was essential.

However, Eugene was currently in a situation where he had accumulated massive wealth through war and trade while traveling the whole world. Adding tax revenue to that, there was no need to rely on external funds.

"If you command, we will prepare residential areas around the planned bridge site in advance."

The Construction Guild Master, corners of his mouth turning up as he flicked his abacus, asked. Bridge construction is a massive project where thousands cling to it for a long period.

Lodgings and entertainment facilities for people to stay in.

Guard buildings to control order.

Barns for livestock carrying loads.

Slaughterhouses and kitchens.

Warehouses to keep transported materials from getting rained on.

Blacksmiths to make and repair construction tools.

Clinics for the injured.

It was a situation where a massive project had to be done for a massive project. The profits that would arise from there made him happy just imagining it.

"Start immediately. The slaughterhouse must be moved to the outskirts, and the air inside must circulate well. Dig waterways to install makeshift bathhouses and sewer pipes for each district. If an epidemic breaks out, I will hold you accountable as well."

"I-I will do my best."

The Construction Guild Master bowed his head, sweating profusely.

Nobles are only interested in construction costs and don't care at all about the lives of laborers. The perception was that even if an epidemic broke out and people died, they just needed to fill that amount newly.

However, this young monarch was strict as expected. It seemed the previously conceived residential plan would have to be modified quite a bit.

"While preparing for bridge construction, I will also maintain the roads. I will lay a new road connecting Haven to Shade Garden."

He also had to pay attention to the efficiency of the serf reform. Because although unpaid corvee was abolished, that doesn't completely convert into productivity. Since not all serfs owned sufficient arable land.

"I guess I should sweep through the uncharted territories while I'm at it. I need to distribute more land to the serfs for tenant farming."

Gulp.

The Guild Masters pondered and pondered again on how to maximize profits in the coming boom.

* * *

Not everyone agreed to the bridge construction project. Valda, for starters, was desperately trying to stop her husband.

"This is too great a task. You know too how many kings shook their nations while carrying out unreasonable public works projects."

Due to the nature of the feudal system, since local powerful families all wield military power, a king cannot always sleep with his legs stretched out. Especially newly crowned ones needed an event to firmly solidify their royal authority.

'You guys boasting about being Great Lords. A King's power is fundamentally different from the likes of nobles.'

The first shovel Gaius attempted for that was the purification of the Fog Plain. Literally, it ended up as a massive shoveling [T/N: wasting time/failing], though.

If they went even more passionately from here, it led to subjugation of foreign tribes or massive public works projects.

"I am deeply afraid that a stain will be left on your history of successive victories."

"Kings who went to the grave doing public works did so unreasonably when their treasuries were empty. Our situation is different. There are no fOrces around to invade, we're doing it with spare funds, and we have the Moving Castle's support."

"But..."

"I think Lady Valda's worries are more in the realm of emotion than logic. Since history books mostly describe public works negatively. Aren't you seeing overlapping images of fallen monarchs?"

Valda received imperial education through books from Grace. Whenever the downfall part of various dynasties came up, an indispensable element was public works. It was natural to feel aversion.

"Isn't it burdensome for the wealth accumulated so far to drain out swiftly? One doesn't know how the world's affairs will turn out. Peace settles in a monarch's heart only when sufficient gold coins are piled up in the treasury."

"That's right. So I plan to secure additional funds."

"There aren't any places left worth going on an expedition now, are there? Big wars are over, and only small-scale conflicts remain. Don't tell me you intend to invade the Eastern Empire..."

Eugene delivered punishment to his wife who had an expression of 'one mountain after another'.

Smack!

"Kyaa!"

Perhaps it was quite a harsh spanking, a sharp cry rang out.

"Do you think I'm such a crazy bastard?"

"I-I'm sorry."

Valda was startled and covered her buttocks. Although it was too wide to cover with her slender two hands, leaving holes everywhere.

"I will visit Khazador for the stone supply contract."

Nodding her head, Valda advised.

"The commemorative coins for the Shambler subjugation should be completed soon too. We must exchange those as well."

"I also plan to massively recruit miners interested in mine development. I mentioned it during my last visit, so preparations should be complete."

"If you mean mines?"

Eugene pointed his thumb in one direction. Towards the ocean west of Britannia.

"It's about time to operate the mines on the New Continent as well. I'm not undertaking public works with a soft mindset either. I'll prepare several insurances."

"Indeed! We had that!"

The anxiety remaining in Valda was washed away cleanly. She remembered the mega-sized asset she had completely forgotten about.

When subjugating the Raksha Kingdom on the New Continent, Eugene captured a massive amount of silver and also salvaged quite a bit of gold. There was no need to mention where all that came from.

"To proceed with the project, it would be good to think of the bridge's name in advance. If we just call it 'the bridge', it will be inconvenient for both promotion and practical business."

"That's difficult. Since we don't know yet if it's a son or a daughter."

"What does that... Ah!"

Eugene thought that lately, he saw people looking surprised a lot. Did he have a talent for surprising others?

Eugene caressed Valda's slender belly.

"Building the bridge will take a long time anyway. There's no need to rush."

Contrary to Eugene's warm voice, Valda's face was dark.

"I'm sorry."

"Shh. That's enough. It's not our fault. Half-elves are originally hard to conceive."

Even in Britannia, where 1st Era architectural blueprints were fairly preserved, the secret arts helping a half-elf conceive were lost.

For reference, Valda being regretful wasn't simply because she couldn't give him an heir.

"It's upsetting. To think there are still many babbling rude things to you."

"They're not completely wrong. It's a fact that it was an obscure family."

-An upstart country bumpkin.

-A knight who came to the capital after plowing fields doesn't know his place.

The nobles hostile to Eugene always bit on the fact that he wasn't from the Central nobles.

"If I gave birth to your child, it would be resolved at once."

Once Valda gave birth to a child, the rude snouts would mostly be stitched shut.

The moment they insulted Eugene's bloodline, they were also insulting the child who received that blood. This becomes an act of disgracing the 1st Era royal family respected across the entire continent.

No noble would be able to shoulder that political burden.

"Well, if we keep trying, it'll happen someday."

"..."

"I'll say this just in case. Don't go finding out some weird folk remedies again and use them."

"O-Of course not. Something like that, never again!"

Perhaps embarrassed by her past unsightly behavior, Valda was flustered for a long time.

* * *

When spring arrived, a grand tournament was held in Haven.

Knights craving honor participated from all over Britannia. Nobles with headaches from tending to exhausted territories also visited seeking a refreshing remedy.

"Knights! It is time to make known to the whole world how robust the swords of Britannia are! To the good fight of you all!"

A passionate cheer returned to Eugene, who shouted imposingly from the seat of honor.

Wood splinters scattered as knights aiming jousting lances charged at each other.

"I wish to receive a flower crown from the most noble person."

"Daughter of Autumn and Mistress of the Forest. Please bestow your grace upon me."

Knights who toppled their opponents competitively dedicated their victory to Valda.

Once the tournament ended successfully, Eugene mobilized the gathered knights to commence monster subjugations.

The spears and swords of knights aiming for greater honor, rewards, and success were fierce. Uncharted territories were dyed with the blood of monsters, and carcasses fallen everywhere became nourishment for the earth.

Serfs sowed seeds on top of that, built fences, and envisioned a hopeful future.

"The Count has praised your dedication. As promised, taxes will be reduced by half for 5 years. If you stamp your thumbprint on this delivery document, you may take the pig. The repayment period is 10 years without interest."

"Oh my, thank you!"

The serf vigorously rubbed and wiped his dirty hands on his pants. The wife standing behind him smiled broadly at the sight of a healthy female pig.

Oink-!

Seeing the swollen teats, it seemed she had already received seed and was pregnant.

Support for reclamation included providing livestock in installments in addition to tax reduction. Houses allotted rough land were given cows, and others were given pigs or chickens.

Now that unpaid corvee was gone, they could fatten their families as much as they tried.

"We must complete the lodgings and waterways before the Lord returns!"

As spring ended, thousands of laborers and technicians advanced to Shade Garden.

Flash!

At the same time, a massive lightning bolt descended upon the Dwarf Mountains.

It was time to start the world's first Gold Rush.