Chapter 77
Family meals were very difficult to arrange.
That was inevitable because all three people were very busy.
But the Karma family made sure to have a meal together on weekends, even if they had to make time.
"Is your social activity going well?"
"I'm getting too many invitations. I'm refusing most of them except for the absolutely necessary ones."
"Cecilia is quite popular, isn't she."
"It's convenient for reading trends. Like trends among noble families. Or flows of capital. It's convenient to grasp various things. Oh! How did it go with Father? The Eleos Group thing."
Jonathan Karma smiled while pouring sauce over lamb meat.
"When we offer to provide elixir at a cheaper price than the market, what company would refuse? Oh! Speaking of which, the Crapton Railway Company signed the papers this morning."
Cecilia stopped cutting her meat and opened her eyes wide.
Oliviera chuckled as if she found her daughter's reaction cute.
"Oh my! Really?"
"Yes. In exchange for providing elixir needed for railway operation at half price, we agreed to significantly lower logistics transportation costs. We'll lay new railways and use that to send elixir throughout the empire. I thought we should compete on distribution speed and price to take Tramata's elixir customers they've been holding onto tightly."
"Excellent choice! Please take me when you make deals in the southern region this time."
"It would be more convenient if you bring back inside information flowing in social circles. Steel. Automobiles. Pharmaceuticals and heavy industry. Just a little more. Just a little more and the Eleos Group will really become a reality..."
Suddenly a loud transmission sound was heard from the watch worn on Jonathan Karma's wrist.
At that sound, all three family members stopped talking.
That contact method, only given to close associates, was told never to be used unless it was extremely urgent.
"This is Jonathan Karma. Lady Erpha?"
As Jonathan quickly answered the call, a familiar voice flowed from the device.
[Mr. Jonathan Karma? It's been a while. Do you recognize my voice…?]
"Saint? Where are you now!? By Lilia!! Oh my!! Are you safe now?"
[Yes, I'm safe. Have you perhaps heard the news?]
"What news do you mean?"
[You don't know yet. I'm in a bit of a difficult situation right now.]
The Saint slowly and in detail explained what he had experienced.
And when that explanation ended.
Jonathan Karma's eyes were shining.
Anger.
And the ecstasy unique to a merchant who had smelled money were mixed in his gaze.
[I'm sorry that the first thing I say after suddenly disappearing is this… but I need Mr. Jonathan's help.]
"Saint. Don't worry about anything and just focus on treating the sick there. I'll take care of everything else."
[I feel reassured hearing those words. I'll leave it to you, Mr. Jonathan. I apologize again for suddenly contacting you like this.]
"Not at all. How could that be? Please put your mind at ease and wait. I'll come right away."
[Thank you.]
The magic communication ended.
The three family members silently exchanged glances.
"I'll handle the legislation. I'll spread opinions through social circles. Since the wives have strong influence in the Duke of Lima's family and the Marquis of Turents' family, if we target these two families first, we'll probably be able to pull the overall flow in the direction we want."
Cecilia stood up.
"I'll check the amount of internal reserves we can use and come back. Because this quarter's sales increased more than 3 times compared to last year, we have a lot of funds we can use."
Oliviera also stood up.
And Jonathan Karma also stood up.
"The Saint has created a good opportunity for us. To think he'd let us touch the largest of the few steel and magic metal production sites in the empire. We have good justification and sufficient ammunition. Let's begin."
He smiled.
It was a gentle and soft smile, but from the perspective of those who would have to take his punches, it was clearly a smile more frightening than a Demon King's.
***
As soon as the magic communication with Jonathan ended, Iomene and Almene, and the inquisitors of the Black Fortress and people of the Pantheon immediately approached me.
““We have a lot we want to say, Saint,"” Iomene and Almene carefully said to me.
"But now doesn't seem to be the time to leisurely catch up."
"We'll help the Saint too. What should we do?"
The priests of the Silent Order also agree with the two princesses' words.
"To prevent the resentment of workers throughout the empire from creating something like today again. To set an example, I think the Saint's claims must be carried out. We'll lend our strength too."
The mages from the Magic Tower, including Erpha, also approached.
"We hope the empire's largest magic metal production site will continue to operate well in the future. Moreover, how much elixir have we received for free from Karma Company? We'll help too."
"The Mars Magic Tower in the capital is on the Saint's side. If necessary, we can move other regional magic towers too."
Religion.
Economy.
Power.
Magic.
Essentially all beings that could be called the four pillars of the empire were moving at my word.
Some might feel pride at this sight, and some might be intoxicated with lust for power at this moment.
But I didn't feel any such emotions at all.
I just confirmed once again why Lilia was trying to throw me into hell.
I felt even more fear at the thought that their tremendous trust and faith would ultimately grow the power inside me.
I clenched my fist.
Just until the living standards of Scrap Yard's workers became decent.
This was just something I was doing temporarily until then.
When it stabilized, I must leave right away.
"Iomene. Almene. I want you two to return to the capital. Return and inform the Pantheon and His Majesty the Emperor about the current situation, and persuade the Senate so new legislation can be enacted quickly."
"Understood, Saint."
"We can do that."
Next was the Magic Tower side.
"Erpha. And mages of the Magic Tower. I understand you are the largest buyers of magic metals in the empire. Please persuade magic towers across the country to stop purchasing magic metals from Scrap Yard."
At those words, the mages of the Magic Tower nodded.
"We won't be able to stop it completely, but we should be able to persuade magic towers considering additional purchases to postpone buying."
"We could also release the surplus magic metals of the Mars Magic Tower branch at cheap prices."
Next was the Pantheon side.
"Please focus on maintaining public order in the city. Please help prevent violence from occurring between police and workers with holy knights and priests. And I would be grateful if you could also help treat the sick."
"We'll do that."
Finally was me.
"I can't do anything alone. I need your help. Please."
"We'll make it as you wish."
With those extremely reassuring words as the end, people dispersed and left the conference room.
Before long, only I and the laborists including Karl Renaro remained in the conference room.
"Then what should we who have no capital or power do? Saint?"
At those words, I shrugged.
"We each do what we're good at. I'll do treatment. And you continue the general strike."
At the word general strike, the laborists' eyes light up.
"The narrative of just the great Saint using capital and power to save workers is not enough. We need a narrative of workers directly raising the flag and claiming their rights to win. So continue the strike."
I smiled at the laborists.
"You just need to inspire fighting spirit in workers to fight against factory owners. As long as you don't use guns and bombs. You can do anything."
Karl Renaro bursts into laughter at those words.
"Don't worry, Saint. We'll show you properly what kind of people we are."
It was a terrifying declaration from professional troublemakers who had only done incitement and demonstrations their whole lives.
***
Here were two people.
One was the head of the Black Fortress.
Otto Delmark.
"Operating companies legally? Legally? LEGALLY!?!? How dare you raise your voice to my Amael!!"
He was facing an angry princess.
Otto was quite surprised inside, though he didn't show it outwardly, at the rare sight of Almene, who was always gentle and kind, grinding her teeth and spewing anger.
Eventually Almene turned to Otto.
"They seem to love the law so much, so let's hit them legally. Otto."
"Please speak."
"They're companies that Mammon followers clung to, right? We need to clearly examine what's going on behind the scenes. We've secured justification, too. Start a high-intensity tax investigation. We need to find out if they were really operating businesses legally and properly."
At those words, Otto glanced at the inquisitors under him.
They all nodded silently.
It was a direct order from the Emperor's daughter who was like heaven.
Shouldn't we follow it?
"I'll do as you command."
"And until the tax investigation is over, make sure the factory owners, especially that Mayor Byers character, can't escape from Scrap Yard. There's concern they might try to flee."
"Of course. I'll carry out your orders."
Otto quietly expressed condolences to the factory owners inside.
And here was another person.
Johan, the captain of the Order of Grace's holy knights, was here.
He was facing Grand Priest Yodel who had become morose again, unable to contain his anger.
"Holy Knight Captain."
"Please speak, Grand Priest."
"It seems these factory owners of this city have forgotten that one of the empire's largest steel users is our Order of Grace's stronghold in the south."
The south.
It was the empire's breadbasket full of fertile and wide plains, but not all the land in the south was suitable for growing grains.
The vast wasteland area adjacent to the imperial center remained ambiguous land not suitable for growing grains, and the empire's largest factory complex was built there 30 years ago.
And most of the people in that largest factory complex in the empire were followers of Lilia.
"Use the excuse that there are problems with material supply due to the strike to delay payment."
"...Understood."
"And let's take all the workers of Scrap Yard here outside the city. Take them outside and feed and house them there. Use the order's funds to bring large amounts of grains, vegetables, and fruits to Scrap Yard. I don't want to see the workers here starve."
"I will implement that as well."
"Until the factory owners break their stubbornness. Or until Karma Company eats this place completely. Let's have the workers here experience the Saint's grace where food appears even if they play without working. Let's see if they'll still be so stiff-necked when all their business partners are cut off and there's not a single person to run the factories."
It wasn't just Grand Priest Yodel.
All the priests and holy knights of the Order of Grace were angry at the fact that the chosen one permitted to humanity by the Goddess Lilia had been insulted.
Holy Knight Captain Johan inwardly expressed condolences to the city's factory owners.
They touched the wrong person.
No, it wasn’t simply wrong, it was beyond even that.