Candlelight cast the silent shadows of two people onto the study walls.
Long after Yarvis finished speaking, Paul remained seated behind the desk, his fingers tapping the tabletop unconsciously.
At last, he spoke, his voice low and clear. "What you just said has intensified a concern I've had for some time."
"Oh?" Yarvis raised his eyes and listened quietly.
"After Laddie came to my side, I actually wondered: although magic is still immature, its potential is immense. What would happen if we researched it and applied it on a large scale... putting it to use in social production—for example, replacing furnaces with Fire Magic, driving machinery with wind spells, and accelerating construction with earth spells?" Paul said slowly. "It would cause the Northwest's productivity to soar."
Yarvis said, "It seems you abandoned the idea."
"Yes!" Paul nodded heavily. "I was afraid. Afraid that one day I might personally create an... unshakable ruling class."
His gaze was grave. "The nobles of today rely on bloodlines and land, but they possess no supernatural power. They ride horses and wield swords, using the same weapons as ordinary people. Swordsmanship can be taught, armor can be copied, and even the firearms technology of Northwest Bay can spread. No matter how powerful a lord was, he couldn't withstand a well-equipped commoner army. Human history had seen dynastic changes, after all."
"Besides, a mortal ruling class only controls military force. But maintaining the operation of society doesn't rely entirely on force. Farming, smelting, construction... all of that is done by commoners. Through their technical knowledge in these areas, commoners possess at least some leverage with which to bargain with the ruling class."
He turned to Yarvis. "But magic is different! As far as I know, no one without talent can ignite even a wisp of flame,