Obsession / Mostima

Father Agniel chuckled softly. "I'm an outcast among the Sankta. I came here to figure out what I want to do. But... if the Sankta and Sarkaz could truly achieve peace, that wouldn't be so bad either. It's been a long time since I visited Laterano or tasted Laterano's cuisine."

"Thank you very much."

Theresica was about to pick up his pen and write a letter, but Father Agniel stopped him with a wave.

"I'll pass this conversation on to the Pope. It'll be more effective than a letter. But do you really want to take this step? The beginning will be difficult to describe. In short, it won't be pleasant."

"I know, but I want to try."

"Is that so? Then I'll go back and take a look."

The trip to Siracusa could be considered complete. Kazdel finally had the medicine it needed, along with a large amount of food.

Upon returning to Kazdel, Theresica immediately headed for the factory set up in the military camp. This startled Zeppelin, who hurried out to greet him.

"Your Majesty."

"Zeppelin, are your people getting used to this place?"

Theresica surveyed the operating machines around him and the young Sarkaz working them. Several people were already working independently nearby, but most were still practicing under the supervision of experienced workers.

"Your Majesty, the people here are all soldiers with some practical ability. They're obedient and serious about learning. Some of them picked it up quickly, but quite a few still can't learn it. They don't even know how to read, so I have to teach them literacy before they start. Otherwise, they can't even understand the requirements."

Theresica stopped beside one of the workers and quietly watched for a while before asking, "How is production going here?"

"Your Majesty, protective gear, armor, and swords don't suffer complete wear and tear easily. After repairing our old equipment and producing new armor and blades during this period, we're now steadily replenishing the entire army. We still don't have many people who have mastered the production of crossbows. I and a few old hands are mainly making some easily worn components, but we still have plenty in stock, so there's no need to worry. Only the bolts are somewhat troublesome."

"Why?"

"Your Majesty, look."

Zeppelin brought over two crossbow bolts. One looked neat and orderly, while the other looked rough and crude.

"The components of a bolt are small, and even the slightest error can significantly affect its final accuracy. The trainees have only just started, so processing these is rather difficult. For now, we can only produce enough bolts for the marksmen's training."

Theresica held the bolt processed by a trainee and examined it for a while. Then he ran over to the area where the bolts were being produced and looked around. Zeppelin had no idea what he was planning and could only follow closely behind.

"This production method won't do."

"Ah? Your Majesty, are we going to war?"

Zeppelin's expression changed drastically. Fortunately, the machines were quite noisy, and no one nearby noticed.

"We're not going to war. I want to export weapons in exchange for food."

Theresica said, "Your production volume is too low. You need to find a way to increase it."

"But this is already the limit. We work twelve hours a day and can only produce this much. If we want to increase output, we'll have to extend the working hours."

"No need. I have a way."

Theresica spoke with complete confidence. At that moment, he was truly thankful that he had once worked a summer job at an electronics factory.

At Zeppelin's factory, for example, when producing a breastplate, the workers first stamped the raw material into a rough shape, then cut out its contours, and finally polished away the burrs. As a result, each person had to learn several processing methods, greatly increasing the difficulty of training.

"Um... take this crossbow bolt, for example. It consists of a head, shaft, and fletching. One person has to learn three things to make one. Why don't we establish a standard bolt design, have each person learn to produce just one component, and assemble everything at the end?"

"Ah! That way, the trainees won't have to learn as much, and they'll become proficient much faster!"

After hearing Theresica's explanation, Zeppelin's face lit up with delight. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"If we produce them this way, the standard design will be very important. I'll have to trouble you to put a lot of effort into it."

"I'll take care of it! Please rest assured."

"Good."

Theresica nodded and added, "Later, organize the people who can independently operate each step of the component-production process into groups. Every week, whichever group produces the most and the best-quality goods will receive two pounds of beast meat per person!"

"Understood!"

Please vote!!!!

Obsession

After finishing his instructions about production, Theresica handed Zeppelin the various daily necessities purchased from Siracusa and asked him to see whether Kazdel could produce imitations, replacing the century-old junk they were using here.

Then he hurriedly went to find Warfarin.

"Warfarin, collect the symptoms of all the common illnesses currently found in Kazdel. Then, based on these Siracusan medicines, prepare standardized prescriptions, compile them into booklets, and find suitable people to distribute them."

"Huh? Why do that?"

Warfarin, who had been studying Originium bugs, looked over in confusion. "Symptoms can't accurately reflect a disease. Without experience, diagnosing based only on symptoms will lead to misdiagnosis!"

"Then let them misdiagnose. It's still better than being unable to treat even minor ailments."

Theresica added, "Put a treatment period on those prescriptions as well. If there's no improvement after that time, send the patient here. I want to rebuild the Sarkaz public health department."

"I'm supposed to treat them? I won't be able to handle it all!"

Warfarin's eyes widened. It wasn't that she was lazy—she truly didn't have the capacity for this!

"And they at least need to know how to read. Where am I supposed to find so many literate people?"

"I'll figure out the people. Start compiling things first."

Theresica patted Warfarin on the shoulder. He had supported this Bloodfiend for so many years. It was time to put her to work.

Still, he had promised to find people—but where was he supposed to get them?

There were quite a few literate people among the Confessors, but they also had research duties. He didn't know whether he could pull a few of them over to help.

As he was pondering this, Warfarin suddenly said, "How about bringing Kal'tsit back?"

Kal'tsit's medical skills were superb. Even her cousin, who disliked her intensely, had gritted his teeth and admitted her attainments in medicine. She also had a group of students under her, all of them mature physicians. But if she were willing to stay here, she would have done so long ago. Why had she gone to Leithanien?

"I can't kill the Bloodfiend Grand Duke, the Confessors, and Manfred just to bring Kal'tsit back."

Theresica sighed helplessly. Forcing her to work alongside a group of enemies was something he was too embarrassed to suggest.

Warfarin immediately looked crestfallen. It seemed she really had to handle all this work herself.

The collection of common illnesses began with the schools. The children were physically weak, and their teachers served as centralized administrators, making them very convenient to organize. Next came newborn children, since even minor ailments were a major ordeal for infants.

The central square of Kazdel was packed with people once again. After the sentries announced throughout Kazdel that infants and young children could receive free medical treatment, nearly every woman brought her child there.

Warfarin brought several Confessors and Banshees. She even dragged over several Bloodfiends and Corpse Eaters. They were so busy that they could barely keep up.

"You were the one who told me to do this! How are this few people supposed to be enough? You and Shining can both read anyway—get over here and help me!"

Seeing the huge number of patients before her, Warfarin became so frantic that she even summoned Theresica. He and Shining began prescribing medicine in the dispensary.

"This is your prescription. Go over there to get the medicine. See that Sarkaz whose horn hasn't grown out yet? Go find him!"

The female Sarkaz holding a child widened her eyes.

The days of working overtime alongside Warfarin ended after just a few days, when a letter brought them to a halt. It had been delivered by a Siracusan messenger. Its cover had been made in Laterano and decorated with exquisite patterns, carrying a strong flavor of Sankta culture.

"Your Majesty, have you been corresponding with the Sankta?"

Inside the palace council hall, all the clan leaders of Kazdel's various races had gathered. They couldn't understand why such a letter had suddenly appeared.

"Are you planning to go to war with Laterano?"

"No. We're repairing our relationship and restoring peace."

As soon as Theresica finished speaking, the Bloodfiend Grand Duke was the first to object.

"Absolutely not! I can't stand the existence of the Sankta!"

"Can you beat them?!"

The retort came from someone other than Theresica. It was the Banshee.

"Restoring peace with the Sankta would greatly benefit us. I support His Majesty!"

"Can the grudges we've held for centuries disappear with a single sentence?"

"We have to consider the Sarkaz of today, not sink into the past."

"I'll erase the existence of the Sankta from Terra!"

The two argued. Theresica had seen the Bloodfiend Grand Duke lose his temper before, but this was the first time he had seen the Banshee so emotional. The others in the council hall—the Confessors and King of the Scavengers—remained silent, while the Shapeshifter watched as if enjoying a show.

"All right. We aren't at war with Laterano in the first place. What's wrong with restoring peace?"

Theresica tried to stop their argument. A small nation that refused to accept a subordinate position and weak forces that did not fear the strong would not meet a good end.

"Your Majesty, are you certain you want to restore peace with the Sankta?"

"Can you beat them? If one Sarkaz had to be exchanged for one Sankta, could we trade away all of them? Could the Sarkaz withstand another multinational coalition after war broke out?"

Theresica asked in return. The Bloodfiend Grand Duke immediately rose and walked out.

"Your Majesty, you've thrown the dignity of the Sarkaz into the filthy mud."

For the Bloodfiend Grand Duke, who had endured a century of hardship, perhaps this was his obsession: the need to preserve his pride.

Theresica understood, but this still had to be done.

"What about the rest of you? Does anyone object?"

No one in the council hall spoke.

"Then it's settled."

The Siracusan messenger left Kazdel carrying a Sarkaz letter. He delivered it to Father Agniel, who personally took it to Laterano.

Walking along the marble-paved street, Agniel gazed at the familiar sights before him.

"Although I don't particularly like this place, I'm still more accustomed to Laterano's architecture."

The Sankta had wings of light on their backs and halos above their heads. As the most peculiar species on Terra, they were often called angels by other races.

This race truly lived up to the name. Religion was woven into every aspect of Sankta life. In Laterano, churches were classrooms, and priests were teachers. Siracusa had nothing like such a strong religious atmosphere.

He arrived at the Pope's Hall to meet the Pope, but Agniel encountered an unexpected person there.

"I didn't expect you to be called back."

"Oh? Father Agniel? What brings you back from Siracusa?"

The woman's face was also full of surprise. She asked with a grin, "Did the Pope summon you? Father, do you happen to know why the Pope summoned me?"

"I don't know. I can't just make wild guesses."

Agniel shook his head, though he had already guessed part of the reason. It seemed the Pope wanted to make some changes as well.

Please vote!!!!

Mostima

"Sorry, coming through!"

"Sorry!"

The burly man clutched a cloth bundle and sprinted through the streets of Kazdel. He rushed into a residential house in excitement, but when he reached the small bed, all his earlier recklessness vanished.

He gently crouched down. After wiping his fingers several times against the inside of his clothes, he carefully reached forward and caressed the sleeping infant.

Noticing his wife approaching from behind with deliberately softened footsteps, he hurriedly asked in a hushed, excited voice, "The child's complexion is much better, and she isn't coughing anymore. How did you do it?"

"His Majesty brought in medicine. The sentries came to announce it today, saying that His Majesty had ordered all infants and young children in Kazdel who were feeling unwell to go to the central square and receive treatment from doctors. His Majesty even handed me the medicine himself!"

"Really? Thank His Majesty!"

The girl's improving condition eased the strong man's worried heart. He grinned and pulled out the cloth bundle. "My production group had the highest output in the factory this week! Master Carter rewarded every member of our group with two pounds of beast meat, just as His Majesty ordered! Where's our son? He's always wanted to eat meat, hasn't he?"

"Our son went to school." The woman smiled. "The school provides all his meals. They serve meat once every two days, so he isn't craving it anymore."

"That's fine. Make him more for dinner. I heard the school has physical training classes. He should eat more."

The man smiled foolishly. Life seemed to have suddenly changed from how it used to be, and he still hadn't quite adjusted.

Suddenly, the infant began crying and babbling. The man panicked, not knowing what to do, while his wife calmly went to close the window.

"She was only woken up by the noise. Look at you, getting so frightened. But why is the street so noisy... Oh my goodness! Come and look!"

The woman pulled her husband to the window. He followed her gaze and widened his eyes as well.

"What's going on?! Why is there a Sankta in Kazdel?!"