---
Everyone's attention was focused on me holding a stack of papers.
I took some out and spoke confidently.
“These are the plans that will form the basis of our work.”
“Oh my God...what is all this?”
“Did you draw it yourself?”
Everyone's eyes widened and gasped in surprise upon seeing the blueprints, which seemed to be copied from the ones right next to them.
Although he did not show any expression on his face, the Archduke frowned slightly, indicating his surprise.
Amidst the enthusiasm of those present, it was the butler, Albert, who objected in a suspicious voice.
“But ma’am, just having the blueprints doesn’t mean you can make a watch in an instant.”
“If Her Excellency the Archduke has made such wonderful plans, wouldn’t we somehow be able to make a clock if we gathered the people of the palace together?
Haha.”
Albert clicked his tongue at Victor, who smiled proudly, as if his arduous journey to the Grace Kingdom had been worth it.
“You may not know this because you have just arrived at the property, but… the people of the province make a great effort to cultivate this barren land.
If you asked them to make clocks, they would struggle to survive.”
"maybe."
I nodded my head in agreement.
The Archduke's residence was not the only one facing bankruptcy in this place.
The territory's population seemed on the verge of bankruptcy as well.
When I agreed with his words easily, Albert recognized the moment, and raised his voice firmly.
“You must stop this nonsense before His Excellency the Archduke becomes more displeased.”
“Even as a Territory Manager, I can't tolerate this insolence!”
Victor, who was in my class, stood up angrily.
But Albert was not weak.
“If we had saved the budget for the trip to the Kingdom of Grace, we could have covered the Archduke’s expenses for several months.”
“His Excellency the Archduke and Her Excellency the Archduchess must have been thinking about some things, right?”
Victor, who was angry at Albert's attack, turned his head sharply towards the Archduke and me.
He gave me a bright, expectant look, as if he was expecting a response.
“….”
The Archduke, perhaps recalling the events of our last inspection, stared silently at the plans I had brought.
The situation of the people, as he saw it with his own eyes, was disastrous.
Albert, quick-witted, seemed to recognize the opportunity before him, and quickly pulled out the loan agreement he had kept in his land report.
“The Archduke’s treasury is almost exhausted.
Therefore, we must borrow money now and distribute it to the people to curry favor with them.”
“Sure, I agree with Albert's point about winning their hearts.”
I smiled at Albert as I said that.
Click-
Then, I jumped right in front of the Archduke's nose, snatched up the loan contract and tore it in half.
Albert gaped in confusion.
"Your Excellency!
What the hell...?"
“But using the loan is not part of our plans.”
Finally, I tossed the pile of papers, still stacked, except for some outlines, into the middle of the desk.
It was a brightly decorated leaflet.
"What is this …?"
The Archduke frowned slightly, looking back and forth between the anonymous post and me.
This was the question I had been waiting for.
I answered him in a serious voice.
“We will make a revolution.”
"revolution?"
Everyone's mouths dropped open, and a squeak escaped Victor's throat.
This time, even the Archduke's eyes trembled violently in shock.
Then a muffled voice rang out.
The young soldiers groaned in confusion.
"Ah, Albert!
Regain consciousness!"
Thin Albert looked like he had fainted from shock.
I shrugged and placed a bundle of leaflets in the arms of each burly soldier.
“From now on, you will be responsible for distributing these leaflets throughout the empire.”
The soldiers who received the order swallowed their saliva.
Then I looked at Victor and the Archduke who remained frozen.
“You should come with me to meet the people of the province.
And Albert too.”
Albert groaned, as if he had regained consciousness.
I leaned down next to him, who was still lying on the ground, and whispered softly.
“No time to lie down, Monsieur Albert Duvier.
You are not free yet.”
∗∗∗
The people of the area exchanged worried looks at the sudden summons.
“Why did they all leave the Grand Palace?”
“Are they trying to punish us for last year’s poor harvest?”
The sudden summons caused the residents to exchange worried looks.
“This is dangerous.
Today is the day we should plant seedlings...”
But even these whispers stopped once the Archduke appeared.
In an instant, the square was so silent that the sound of a needle could not be heard, and people could not even look at him.
In an atmosphere of fear and resentment, Albert sighed, his face grim, and protested.
“They are already busy farming.”
"Don't worry.
It won't matter much anymore."
“Ha… even a single blade of grass is important now...”
Albert responded desperately to my indifferent tone.
He seemed to think I was ruining everything.
I ignored his words and advanced towards the gathered residents.
“I have an important message for all of you.”
People couldn't bear to look at me, but rolled their eyes under their drooping eyelids.
I blew, clearing my throat, and announced clearly.
“You must now stop growing crops on the property.”
“...!”
In an instant, the hall was buzzing.
“Y-You're punishing us, after all!”
“Are you trying to kick us out?”
The property's residents mumbled in panic.
Albert looked as if he was on death row.
I calmly explained my plan to them.
“Instead, we will build a watch workshop.”
The property's residents' voices faded at the sudden announcement.
I took the opportunity to continue.
“Instead of growing crops, we will build a workshop.
During that time, you will receive a fixed salary from the Archduke’s residence.”
"a wage?"
People looked confused.
For them, who usually relied on agriculture or self-employment, a fixed salary seemed foreign.
I smiled.
“Once we finish building the workshop, you will work there.”
“Um, we… don’t know anything but agriculture.”
A man, a representative of the fiefdom, raised his hand cautiously.
Beside me, Albert nodded vigorously, completely agreeing.
“I'm sure everyone is.
That's why we'll call in experts to teach you.”
“Will experts come to Archduke Richard’s lands…?”
People's eyes widened.
Of course, some leave the Archduke's lands because life is hard, but few move here.
"certainly!"
I held up a leaflet which Archduke Richard's loyal soldiers distributed throughout the country.
★Urgently needed★
Blacksmiths, locksmiths, gunsmiths, and other metalworkers are welcome.
Work type: full time
Working hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (flexible working hours and vacations are strongly encouraged)
Salary: Best in the industry, with housing and food provided upon request (quality beds available)
Benefits: Assistance in resolving personal legal disputes (※ Includes direct resolution through the Archduke)
♥ Welcome everyone to the Archduke Richard family♥
“What?
You said they were experts...”
“They are just craftsmen...”
“Do you want us to learn a skill?”
The sound of people's tongues clacking in condemnation echoed.
Some seemed upset, thinking that the people who were supposed to be teaching them were blacksmiths.
'This is just ignorance!'
The empire gave priority to the humanities.
While politics, philosophy, and the arts advanced, engineers were looked down upon.
Therefore, science and technology were dead.
Although the technologically advanced Grace Kingdom was weaker than the Empire, the guards of Count Bonita, the kingdom's merchant, carried rifles.
In contrast, the Empire still relied on swords as its most common weapon, which suggests otherwise.
Of course, I had no good reason to think about developing the empire, but shouldn't we at least develop the Archduke's territory?
Thinking of this, I continued explaining to people.
“The region’s wheat production per hectare is only 1,723 pounds, less than 20% of the empire’s average production.
Moreover, its population is only 40% of the population of other regions.”
The residents' eyes darted around, watching each other intently.
“Farming on this land is inefficient.
So, we will build workshops and make goods.”
So, the revolution I was planning was an 'industrial revolution'.
I was going to gather all the metalworkers and mechanical engineers, who were despised by the Empire, into the Archduke's domain, treat them with respect, have them make watches, and pass the technology on to the people.
At first, I was just going to make products based on the blueprints I brought, at the workshop level.
But as time passes and technology naturally advances, I will undoubtedly be able to produce products in factories.
In other words, I was planning to turn the Archduke's territory into a huge technological capital.
“Right now, it is not easy to earn 100,000 gold per month with the current wheat crop.
But if you work in the workshop, you will get at least 500,000 gold per month.”
In an instant, the crowd stirred.
Their eyes fell on me, a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.
I seized the moment and screamed, as if I were inciting them to rebel.
“And this was all planned by Archduke Richard for you!”