chapter 12

Chapter 12

The morning wind blew gently over the hills of the Kingdom of Sky. The first light of day tinged the sky with a golden color as Elion Skyless stood on the balcony of the royal fortress, watching the landscape stretched as far as the eye could see. The farmland stretched to the horizon, dotted with scattered farms and small villages surrounded by wooden fences.

Since his coronation, Elion had worked tirelessly to stabilize the kingdom. Agricultural reforms were underway, but their implementation required rigorous management and constant monitoring. The kingdom's economy was still based on a delicate balance, and the slightest setback risked jeopardizing everything.

Veyla appeared behind him, dressed in his usual dark leather tunic. Her blond hair was pulled into a tight mat, and her piercing gaze reflected a cold concentration.

"The engineers have arrived," she announced calmly.

Elion turned away from the landscape.

"How much?"

"A dozen, coming from the various guilds of the kingdom. We also have three council mages who agreed to participate in the project."

Elion sketched a satisfied smile.

"Good. Make them wait in the throne room. I want to explain the plan directly to them."

Veyla bowed slightly before leaving the room. Elion stood still for a moment, his mind already calculating the next step. The economic development of the Kingdom of Sky was the first pillar of its strategy. Once agricultural reforms are in place, it could focus on industrialization and military development.

A servant opened the large doors of the throne room as Elion entered the vast room. Engineers and mages gathered near the marble columns, talking in a low voice. As he entered, silence immediately set in.

Elion advanced to the throne and sat down, staring at the group.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you know why you're here." The kingdom of Sky is weak, not for lack of will or courage, but for lack of adequate resources and infrastructure. We are surrounded by more powerful and richer kingdoms. If we want to survive, we have to become stronger. And for that, we have to start at the base: the earth."

He rose slowly, descending the steps of the throne to get closer to the group.

"The soil of the kingdom is poor." Harvests are insufficient to feed our people, let alone an army. That has to change. We will use magic and technology to turn our infertile lands into prosperous lands."

An elderly engineer stepped forward, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Majesty, infusing the earth with mana is risky." If we disrupt the natural balance of the soil, we risk creating imbalances that could... "

"We won't disturb anything." Elion's voice was sharp." Mana won't just be injected into the ground. We're going to channel it through magical structures designed to stabilize the flow of energy. Amplification towers will be placed around the fields, creating a constant support network."

A council mage slowly nodded his head.

"It is true that if we stabilize the flow of mana, we could actually improve the yield of the soil without risking depleting it..."

- "Exactly."

Elion turned to the engineers.

As for you, I want you to develop new agricultural tools adapted to this new configuration. Mana-infused plows to work the ground deep. Irrigation systems that work through direct channeling of local mana."

"What about seeds?" asked another engineer.

"I have already planned to negotiate with the herbalists" guild to select seeds that can withstand the new conditions. But we need fields ready to receive these seeds."

A whisper of approval swept through the group.

Elion crossed his arms.

"You have a week to present me with working prototypes. If you succeed, I guarantee you that the Kingdom of Sky will become the most advanced agricultural power in the region."

"What if we fail?" a young engineer asked timidly.

Elion approached slowly, his piercing gaze piercing the young man.

"You can't fail."

The silence that followed was heavy. The engineers exchanged nervous glances, but Elion also perceived the glimmer of excitement in their eyes. The prospect of working on such a project, of pushing the boundaries of technology and magic, awakened an ambition they had never known.

"You're fired," said Elion.

The engineers and mages bowed before leaving the room.

Veyla approached the king, an indecipherable expression on his face.

"You push them hard."

Elion stared at her coldly.

Weakness has no place in this kingdom. They have the talent. They just lack the motivation."

"What if that motivation turns into resentment?"

Elion smiled coldly.

"Then I'll take care of it."

Veyla shook her head, a slight smile in the corner.

"You're relentless."

"I'm a realist. If we fail at this stage, everything we have built so far will collapse. I don't mean to let that happen."

Elion headed for the balcony, again observing the lands of the Kingdom of Sky.

Economic prosperity is the key to military power. Once the people have fertile land and a thriving economy, they will be ready to fight for what they have."

Veyla approached the balcony, her gaze resting on the fields in the distance.

"So... what's the next step?"

"Once the land produces enough to sustain the people and the army, we will focus on industrial development." Roads, infrastructure, forges... We will modernize every key sector of the kingdom."

Elion put a hand on the railing of the balcony, his gaze hardening.

"And once Sky becomes the economic and industrial center of the region..."

A cold smile stretched over his lips.

"We will move to the military phase."

Veyla nodded slowly.

"Then the game will really begin."

"Yes," whispered Elion, his gaze lost in the horizon.

"This time we won't be weak."