Sixty-one: We’re talkin’ about our town being the best, right?

We move toward a grand academy facility built near the center of town.

Wide grounds. Artistic gate design. Classrooms that follow the fashion of the capital. All of it cost a pretty penny. You can feel Kyle’s seriousness in every brick.

“Hear that the kids’ education’s been made mandatory?”

Morg, head of the inspection team, asks Kyle as they walk the hallway.

“Yeah. I was in the countryside before. Most kids were used as labor, never got proper schooling. So I started handing out subsidies to get kids to school in the mornings.”

“That’s gotta be a massive budget hit?”

“Yeah. But luckily, the town’s economy’s doing fine. And the results? They’re better than the budget alone would suggest.”

The city of Golden Dune isn’t collecting tolls right now, and still it’s booming like never before.

There was a time the civil servants sent by the Marquis seriously debated whether skipping tolls might actually boost the economy. I don’t know much about economics, so whatever works, works—accident or not.

The word “results” makes Mogu twitch.

“Ah… results?”

“It’ll be clear once you see the classroom.”

Kyle grins. Mogu tenses.

“Students have been warned. Stay quiet and enter the back of the classroom.”

“Understood. Elra, two civil servants, and two guards—just you.”

Six of them slip into the classroom quietly.

The students glance back—then freeze, eyes forward, silent.

I’ve been practicing for this, you know. Otherwise, the whole class—Ed included—would’ve been a mess by now.

Kyle nods. The teacher resumes the lesson.

“Alright, now let’s figure out the area of this field.”

The teacher draws a rectangle on the blackboard, labeling the side lengths.

“Raise your hand if you know the answer.”

“““““Yes!”””””

Every single student raises their hand, all cheerful and loud.

Well, not Maina. She’s not raising hers. Hard to tell—maybe she’s bad at it. Maybe she’s shy. Doesn’t matter.

“Then, Wamika.”

“Yesss~. Five times seven—area’s thirty-five~.”

“Correct math. Don’t forget the units.”

“Ah~. Got it~.”

Wamika, pointed out, slowly restates the answer with the unit this time. The other students clap for her.

That’s the rule here—clap when you get it right.

Mog watches the students, eyes wide, and whispers to Kyle.

"Uh… these kids are learning area calculations?"

"Yeah. They’ve already memorized multiplication, so now I’m focusing on how calculations help in daily life."

"Even without being civil servants…"

The accompanying civil servants murmur quietly.

Truth is, I didn’t know much about what I was teaching at the morning school, so I’ve been cramming hard these past few months.

Every time I learned something new, a spark flared in the sigil—kept me motivated. That’s how I managed to learn fast. Lucky, really.

"Can kids this age really learn this much?"

"Of course. Nobles and merchants are expected to know this level. If you teach it, they’ll learn."

"Hmm. I always thought private tutors and one-on-one lessons were the norm. But this way… not bad at all."

"Teaching a large group makes pacing tricky. The academy’s still figuring it out, I guess."

"Hmm. That’s useful to know."

Seemed like Mog was more drawn to the academy than the army, somehow.

The civil servants looked pleased.

"We’ve only ever focused on gathering already-educated nobles. But if we can build something like this, maybe we can actually fix the shortage of civil servants?"

"But won’t other nobles object if we draft commoners?"

"I’m the third son who won’t inherit the family name. If it helps, I’ll take whatever I can get—even a cat’s paw."

"Once you’ve done real work, you’ll see. Still, it’s tough at first."

"But if they can do area calculations, we could teach them surveying and send them out as tax collectors..."

"True. We’re short on bodies."

Quietly, two civil servants started an animated debate.

Seemed like the kids had picked up on the knowledge needed to make the career choices Kyle had imagined.

I nodded, satisfied.

After inspecting the wheat fields, the experimental bridge facility, the massive waterwheel and the aqueduct system, and being grilled endlessly by Miss Elra, those hectic days vanished in the blink of an eye.

Let’s just say it’s a secret that we got into it with Elra, chatting and drinking while talking about what Jabir was like before he turned into a little one.

We’d gathered near the city gate to see them off.

The inspection party is leaving Goldendown.

Elra was stowing away the potions I’d crafted, and the boxes full of monster materials, into her spatial storage. No surprise—she’s Javir’s disciple, after all. Pretty impressive capacity.

Ignoring the preparations to return home, the captain, Mog, bowed to Kyle.

"This inspection was truly fruitful. My deepest thanks."

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence. Please convey my regards to the king."

"Accepted. Then, I'll be on my way."

They mounted different horses than the ones they arrived on.

Horses raised over the past few months as war steeds had been presented as a gift.

"Then, let's go!"

The inspection party galloped off.

"Yeeeeeaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"

Elra’s scream vanished into the horizon.

I turned back to Kyle.

"Guess riding that horse without practice really spooks it, huh?"

"Haha..."

Apparently, horses nurtured with stamina potions turn into true champions.

"Alright, then. Let's get back to work on the frontier."

"Yes!"

And so, we slipped back into our daily rhythm.

Never suspecting they were carrying trouble with them.

◆

Lord Bairoroad stiffened as Goldendown vanished from view.

“Elra… what do you make of that town?”

“No! Wait—! This horse is huge! Fast! Scary!”

“Ah, got it. Let’s hear what the clerk has to say first.”

Mog turned his gaze toward the officials.

“On the matter of alchemical reinforcement stone—we’ve learned it can be used to such extremes that structures like that one become possible. I didn’t expect the strength to increase so much just by running iron rods through the foundation.”

“That’s more architecture than alchemy, really. Elra, are you calm now?”

“Ah! Yes! Professor! Your paper! It didn’t mention anything like that!”

Elra answered, clinging to the horse.

Mog nodded at the reply.

"There are limits, but the spread of alchemical enhancement stones is still urgent. What about the academy?"

"An interesting attempt. Seems like it'd mesh well with that 'Society' the mages set up."

"The Society... I was stunned when I first heard of an organization that published their research openly. But national power has definitely improved."

"Learning that cutting tolls could actually increase tax revenue was a nice surprise, too."

"Perhaps we should test it in some regional city. If it fails, the kingdom can cover the loss with a contract."

"I'll pick potential sites later."

"Indeed."

Elra was finally starting to get used to the horse, lifting her upper body up.

"Actually, shouldn't we pull that Craft away?"

"No. That'd be a bad idea. It'd be like challenging the Marquis directly."

"Ugh... between Professor Jabir and the Craft, we've got too many damn good alchemists gathering here."

"Right now isn't the time to worry about that. Besides, their results are already properly reported to the crown."

"Wasn't exactly subtle about it during the inspection, was it. Honestly, I'm grateful—but damn, it surprised me."

"Kyle’s still young. The finer points of noble politics are bound to be new to him. But knowing they don’t harbor ill will? That’s the best outcome."

The officials nodded along, and even the knights murmured in agreement.

"If that city really puts its mind to it, we’d be looking at serious power gathering. Not just the citizens—those picky adventurers too seemed eager to back you, Kyle."

"Hmph. I’ll recommend to the king that we win over the Marquis and bring Kyle into our fold."

"Then I’m counting on you, Craft!"

"Got it, got it. I’ll pass it along."

"Absolutely, I mean it!"

The inspection party set off on their return journey, discussing the direction of their report as they went—only to run into trouble midway.

It happened when they arrived at Zaid's frontier village, a place they'd merely passed through on the way out, stopping only to rest.

Soldiers stood in a line at the village entrance, banners raised.

Morg muttered under his breath.

"Did our undercover inspection get exposed?"

"Probably saw us acting suspicious in Goldendoon. Makes sense—probably have guards posted here."

"Right, this was the second son of the Marquis’s territory, wasn't it? Be careful, now."

"Yes."

They slowed their horses and moved through the line of soldiers.

Merchants, chased away earlier, stood at a distance, faces twisted in annoyance.

Seems the governor here thinks quite differently from the one in Goldendown.

Behind the line of soldiers, a noble-looking man stood grinning, waiting.

The man bowing respectfully to the inspection party—definitely a blood relative of the upper nobility.

"Guests from the capital. I am Zaid Gandar von Bairoroad. I’ve been waiting to welcome you."

Mogh dismounted his horse and stepped forward with a smile.

Hiding his thoughts.

Sorry I kept you waiting. Back again!

Book release on the 30th—please look forward to it!

And yes, there’s original content too!