The sun crept over the horizon and cast its golden light across the empire's capital, Tarlia. The empress, still reeling from the recent demonstration of her military might, was seated at her desk, a stack of documents before her. The documents were filled with numbers - all of them red. The empire was in economic trouble.
She had a pensive look on her face as she ran her eyes over the figures. The empire's money was shrinking, and quickly. How could this have happened? The empire's military and technological advancements were supposed to be a source of revenue, not a drain on resources.
The empress, visibly frustrated, let out a quiet sigh. "This can't be happening," she muttered to herself. She leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples. The numbers on the paper seemed to dance before her eyes, taunting her with their red hue. It was like the empire's coffers were bleeding, and she was powerless to stop it.
"Where did all the money go?" she wondered aloud. The military, while powerful, should have been generating revenue through trade, services, and technology transfer. This was how it usually worked. Was there some kind of leak in the system? Or perhaps some unforeseen expenses?
As she sat there, contemplating the financial crisis, a sudden realization struck her. "The technology embargo," she murmured, her eyes widening. Earlier, she had felt it was important to keep her nation's technological developments exclusive to her empire. That decision, while strategically sound, was now proving to be a costly mistake.
The restriction on technology transfer and trade was preventing her from tapping into a huge source of revenue. Other empires were eager to acquire her military hardware, and would pay hefty amounts for it. But her own embargo was shutting down that possibility.
Despair turned to anger, and the empress clenched her fists. "The resource extraction policies," she said to herself, her eyes narrowing. She had instructed her empire to become self-reliant in terms of resource production. This included mining for ores and minerals rather than buying them from other empires. This was once again an admirable aim, but now it was causing a financial headache.
The empress' jaw dropped as the realization hit her. Her empire, despite being vast in size, lacked significant natural resource reserves. There were no mines or oil fields to exploit, no gold or silver to extract. No wonder the empire's military advancement was eating up all the revenue - it was all she had.
"Gods," she muttered to herself, covering her face with her hands. "Why did I not foresee this?"
In a moment of frustration, the empress started to bang her finger against the desk in a rhythmic pattern, lost in thought, desperately trying to think of a solution. She was no fool, and she knew that finding new resources or lowering their costs was going to be a colossal task.
"Think, think," she murmured. "What can I do?"
A dark thought crossed her mind. War was a possibility, or at least the threat of it. If she could intimidate other countries, make them believe that she was willing to do whatever it took to gain access to their resources, then perhaps they would give in. But the thought of starting a war made her nauseous. There had to be a different way.
"No," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "There has to be something else."
The empress, still deep in thought, spoke aloud. "The new weapons...powerful, yes, but so new...so expensive to maintain." It was true. The latest military technology was indeed cutting edge, but it also required a lot of upkeep. The maintenance costs for these advanced weapons were astronomical, and the expense was a significant contributor to the empire's escalating deficit.
"And to make matters worse," she continued, her voice taking a bitter tone, "I've reduced the military budget, and our army's strength is now the lowest in the region. We have the most advanced weaponry in the world, but not enough soldiers to use it effectively." She let out a frustrated sigh. It was a stark and humiliating reality.
"And 'the one'," she said, referring to her latest weaponry, "it's a powerful tool, but it's just that - one weapon. It's not enough to intimidate all the empires." The students who witnessed the demonstration had also noticed how much power and effort it took to operate 'the one'. It was not a sustainable weapon to rely on for threats against multiple empires.
The empress' situation looked dire. Her empire's resources were limited, and she was in no position to threaten or attack anyone. Her technological advances, despite being impressive, came with a huge upkeep cost. This, coupled with the military budget cut, had left her in a weakened state. She felt overwhelmed and cornered.
"What do I do now?" she murmured to ourselves, her forehead creased in worry.
Feeling the weight of her responsibilities, the empress then considered another possibility. "And even if I could be a one-man army," she said aloud, her voice tinged with bitterness, "it would be a band-aid solution. One person can only do so much. I can't be everywhere at once. I'm just one person."
She was the embodiment of power, yet even her power had limits. This realization was a harsh pill to swallow.
The empress, feeling increasingly despondent, also added another layer of trouble to her list of problems. "And to top it all off," she said bitterly, "other empires are getting fed up with me. They're angry that I won't let their students into the advanced research classes, which means they won't be able to learn how to make these weapons themselves. And they're not buying any weapons from me either."
This isolationist policy was not just financially costly, but also diplomatically divisive. Other empires were beginning to resent her for it, and their refusal to engage in trade further exacerbated her money troubles. It was a vicious cycle, and she was caught right smack in the middle of it.
The empress's heart sank further as she considered her final option. "And even if I were to dip into the royal vault," she mumbled, "it would only run this empire for a month, maybe two, at the current rate I'm bleeding money."
This was the ultimate worst-case scenario. If her expenses weren't controlled, her empire would not just be broke, it would be bankrupt. She couldn't let that happen.
Desperate for a way out, the empress continued to wrack her brain. "What about the outdated weaponry?" she mumbled, more to herself than to anyone else. "Maybe I could sell those to other empires. Sure, they're not as impressive as the latest models, but better that than nothing, right?"
She was beginning to consider selling her out-of-date weapons, even if it meant undercutting their actual worth. The financial situation was that dire.
But even as she had this idea, another problem arose in her mind. "Damn," she cursed under her breath. "The empire's not producing outdated weapons anymore, we're only making the new ones. And those new ones are so complex, they're not easy to mass-produce."
Her army was stuck in a terrible spot. Their technology was expensive and difficult to replicate, leaving them stuck with few and far between weapons. The situation just kept getting worse.
The empress' mind then ran to another potential scenario. "If the other empires get scared enough of me," she muttered, "they could form an alliance. Fighting them all at once would be suicide, even without the financial problems. I need to tread carefully."
This prospect of a united front against her was a nightmare scenario. The thought of all the empires joining forces to oppose her made her feel ill.
The pressure on her was immense. Not only was she dealing with financial ruin, military weakness, and diplomatic isolation, but now she was also at risk of creating a powerful alliance against her. This was a worst-case scenario that she could not afford. She needed a way out, and quickly.
In a moment of desperation, the empress decided to try a different tactic. "Fake it till you make it," she thought to ourselves. "What if I just tried to pretend that everything is fine?"
This was a Hail Mary play, but it was all she had at this point. Maybe she could just act as if her empire was stronger than ever, and hope that things would somehow improve. It was a risk, but it was better than doing nothing.
She continued to mull over her options, her mind racing. "If I show even a hint of weakness to those scared emperors," she muttered to herself. "They'll pounce on me. They'll see it as an opportunity to strike. I have to show them I'm strong, even if I'm not. It's a bluff, of course, but it's the only option I've got."
The empress was treading on thin ice. A single misstep could spell disaster for her empire.
In a moment of despair mixed with dark humor, the empress let out a bitter laugh. "Gods," she murmured. "All this power, and the one thing that's causing me the most trouble is money. Money! Hilarious, isn't it? "
As she thought more about the situation, the empress suddenly noticed something ironic. "This expensive equipment," she thought aloud. "It's so powerful, but it's also so useless. All this technology, and all it's doing is digging me into a deeper hole. And you know what's ironic? If I had just focused on producing swords, I'd probably be better off than I am now."
A glimmer of hope flickered in the empress's eyes as an idea formed in her mind. "Enchanted swords," she mused. "Yes, of course. Why didn't I think of that before? They're old-fashioned, sure, and not as flashy as my other weapons, but they've got their own unique value. There's bound to be someone out there who's willing to buy them, at the very least to use them for training or ceremonial purposes."
As the idea of selling enchanted swords took root in the empress's mind, a sly grin crept across her face. "Now," she muttered to herself, "how much can I get away with charging for these?"
The thought of inflating the price crossed her mind. After all, enchanted swords were a rare commodity, and there was no reason she couldn't take advantage of that to make up for some of her financial loses.
The empress's thoughts continued to race. "And the magic iron," she murmured, "that's not something that can simply be mined from the ground. It needs to be enchanted, and that takes a lot of mana. That stuff doesn't come cheap."
This added another dimension to the value of enchanted swords. Not only were they high quality weaponry, but the mana required to make them made them even more rare and valuable.
As she considered the idea more deeply, the empress realized the limitations to it. "Damn," she murmured under her breath. "These swords can't be mass-produced. Even if I could find someone to enchant them, the rate at which they'd be made would be too slow. The expense of the mana alone would make it impractical."
The idea was slowly turning into a logistical nightmare. The prospect of making a significant profit from selling enchanted swords was slipping away. She cursed under her breath, frustrated.
As the empress contemplated the logistics of enchanted sword production, another question popped into her mind. "I wonder," she pondered aloud, "how many enchanted swords could actually be made from my own mana?"
It was a curious thought, considering her vast magical potency. She mulled it over in her mind, wondering just what she could produce with all the mana at her disposal.
The empress continued to think out loud, recalling an earlier attempt. "When I tried making iron hold mana," she said thoughtfully, "I infused about one tenth of my mana into the ingot, I remember that distinctly." She paused, trying to calculate how many swords she could potentially make with this level of mana investment.
The empress considered her current magical potency and realized the potential this held for sword production. "If I count my current growth in magic potency," she murmured, "then I could probably produce about forty swords daily."
For a moment, a feeling of triumph welled up within her. Forty swords a day seemed like quite a high output, especially for single-enchanted swords. But then reality sunk in once again. Forty swords would not be enough to significantly offset her financial troubles.
The empress looked around, calling out for her loyal knight, Sir Alaric. "Sir Alaric," she bellowed, "come see me."
She sat back in her throne, waiting for him to appear.
After a few moments, Sir Alaric entered the throne room, his armor clanking as he bowed before the empress. "You summoned me, your majesty?" he asked, his voice serious and dutiful.
Sir Alaric caught the enchanted sword and, realizing what the empress had in mind, took a stance. "As you wish, your majesty," he said with a nod.
He twirled the sword in his hands, testing its weight and balance. Then, he launched into a series of swift, precise, and powerful slashes at an imaginary target, showcasing his skill and mastery with the blade.
"Good form," the empress commented, admiring Sir Alaric's demonstration. "But I think I'd like a more interactive demonstration."
She stood up from her throne and walked over to a rack of wooden swords, selecting one for herself. "Care for a spar?" she asked, a hint of challenge in her voice.
Alaric raised an eyebrow in mild surprise but then grinned and nodded. "Of course, your majesty," he replied, taking a step forward. He was confident in his skills, and an opportunity to spar with the empress was not one he would pass up lightly.
The empress infused the wooden sword with her mana, making it far sturdier and heavier than before. She gave it an experimental swing, testing its weight and balance. "Prepare yourself, Sir Alaric," she said, her voice serious and focused.
Alaric readied his own enchanted sword, taking a defensive stance. He knew better than to underestimate the empress, even with a mere wooden sword. He was ready, his eyes locked onto the empress, awaiting her first move.
Seeing Alaric's readiness, the empress lunged forward, her movements quick and fluid. She feinted left and then abruptly switched directions, swinging her enhanced wooden sword in a powerful arc aimed at Alaric's midsection.
Alaric reacted quickly, parrying the blow with his enchanted sword. Sparks flew where the two weapons connected, the enhanced wooden sword demonstrating its new strength. He stepped back, creating some distance, and studied the empress's next move.
Alaric's enchanted sword cracked under the impact of the blow, the sound of which echoed in the room. It was a sudden and alarming development. The sword, once gleaming and pristine, now had a spiderweb of cracks running down its blade.
"Damn," Alaric muttered under his breath, staring at his broken sword in surprise and disbelief.
The empress saw the damage to Alaric's sword and, realizing the cause of the issue, decided to stop infusing her mana. The wooden sword in her hands reverted back to its normal training sword form, losing the extra weight and sturdy feeling it had gained.
She sighed, looking at the split sword in Alaric's hands.
The spar came to an end, and the empress stood, taking stock of the situation. She looked at the broken sword in Alaric's hands and sighed, realizing the fragility of the enchanted swords.
"These enchanted swords," she murmured, her expression thoughtful, "are far too weak compared to a sword that's infused with magic constantly."
Alaric looked at the empress, his face betraying his curiosity. "Your majesty, if I may ask," he said, "what was the purpose of this spar?"
He was puzzled, and he hoped the empress would explain what this exercise was all about.
"Ah, Alaric," the empress replied, a faint smile on her face. "This little spar had a purpose. I wanted to compare the strength of the enchanted swords against a sword continuously infused with magic."
She looked at the broken sword in his hand, its damage evident. "As you can see," she continued, "the difference is quite significant. That's what I wanted to test."
The empress looked at Alaric, her expression serious. "Alaric," she began, "I've been facing a tremendous financial crisis. The empire is in dire need of money, and I need to find a way to boost our income."
She began pacing, her eyes fixed on the ground. "I cannot let the empire fall into ruin," she added, her voice tinged with determination. "We need a solution, and fast."
Alaric nodded, listening intently to the empress. "I understand, your majesty," he replied, his eyes unwavering. "What are your plans for addressing this crisis? How can I assist you?"
The empress considered her options, her mind racing to find a solution. "I had thought about selling enchanted swords," she began, her voice pensive, "but the logistics are complicated. We cannot mass-produce them, and I do not want to be a factory of mana, constantly infusing swords day and night."
She paused, her gaze wandering thoughtfully. "We need another option," she continued, her voice firm. "Let's think, Alaric. There must be another way to turn this situation around."
Alaric nodded, understanding the limitations of the sword production idea. "I see your point, your majesty," he said thoughtfully. "Mass production isn't a viable solution, and relying solely on you for constant mana infusion isn't efficient either."
He thought for a moment, mulling over different possibilities before continuing. "What if we explore alternative high-price goods?"
The empress gave Alaric a calculating look. "Actually," she said, "I was thinking of quantity over quality. We need something that can be mass-produced, something that will bring in more money than these high-quality, but limited and expensive, enchanted swords."
She began pacing again, her mind fixated on finding a solution. "What if we focused on something more basic, but still in demand? Something that could be easily mass-produced and still sell well?"
Alaric nodded slowly, seeing where the empress was heading with this. "I see," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "You're thinking of trading in something more basic, something that can be produced in larger quantities. That could indeed increase our income, but what kind of product do you have in mind?"
The empress's mind began to race, trying to think of something that could fit those criteria. "Hm," she muttered, "something that is expensive now, but can be made more accessible with the new technology..."
She thought hard, her mind awhirl with possibilities. Then, a lightbulb went off in her head. "Wait a moment," she said, her eyes lighting up.
"What if we looked into producing something that is currently not so widely available, but becomes much easier with our technology?" she continued, her tone tinged with excitement. "Something that is expensive now because it's rare, but could be mass-produced with our manufacturing capabilities."
"Wait a second," she said suddenly, her eyes widening. "What about household items? Lighting, cookware, furniture, things like that."
Alaric perked up at this, seeing the potential in the empress's idea. "Household items," he repeated, a note of surprise in his voice. "I hadn't thought of that. It could indeed be a lucrative market. These items are basic necessities and can be produced in larger quantities with our technology, especially the lighting elements."
The empress continued expanding on the idea. "And not just lighting," she added, excited by the possibilities. "There's heating and cooking to consider as well. Instead of individual fires in each house, we could produce a device that uses a single source of heat to warm multiple homes."
She started envisioning the potential of this, her mind racing with the possibilities. "We'd need a special device," she mused, "something to distribute the heat from the fuel evenly to every house."
"Exactly!" the empress exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We could use water and gas as a medium to move the heat from the central heating device to the houses. It's a brilliant concept! We could set up a network of hoses and pipes to carry the heated water or gas to every household."
The empress's mind continued to race as she followed this thread of thought. "Hmm," she mused, "If we could infuse a metal plate with fire magic, it would constantly boil water, providing a continuous source of heating and hot water for bathing. And the beauty of it is, this could give access to bathing to all citizens!"
The empress pondered further, determined to refine her vision and improve upon its feasibility. "While infusing a metal plate with fire magic would certainly provide heat to boil the water," she thought aloud, "we'd need a way to preserve the heat too. I wonder if there's a way to maintain the heat for a longer time, without constantly infusing the plate."
Alaric, watching the empress's train of thought, interjected thoughtfully, "Your majesty, why not just burn fuel instead? That way, you don't have to constantly use magic to maintain the heat. Burning fuel would provide a steady source of heat, and could even be more cost-effective."
The empress's eyes lit up as Alaric spoke. "Coal!" she exclaimed, her excitement palpable. "You're right, Alaric! We have an abundance of coal. It's the perfect fuel source for our idea. Not only is it readily available, but it's also cost-effective, like you said."
"Yes," agreed the empress, her mind spinning with plans. "We'd need a more efficient way to mine coal, too. We could use some kind of machine, a... a digging machine, perhaps. And if other countries saw the potential in this system, they might agree to buy our coal! They could install the same system for heating multiple homes, and our coal could fuel it. The profits from selling coal could go a long way in helping our financial situation."
"And," the empress added, her eyes gleaming at the thought, "we could charge a hefty fee for the installation and maintenance of this system in different cities! Not only would we be selling coal, but we'd also be providing a service that no other country offers. We'd be the only one with this capability. The installation and maintenance fees would be very profitable, adding significantly to our income."
"And the best part?" the empress mused, a wicked smile spreading across her face. "This won't increase their military power one bit. These heating systems, this hot water access, it's just a living luxury. It will make them no stronger, militarily speaking. But it will make us rich, Alaric. And we need rich to fix our financial crisis."
Alaric's eyes shone with admiration as he listened to the empress. "Your majesty," he said, his voice filled with respect, "you are truly brilliant. This could be our way out of the financial quagmire our empire is in. And all without affecting their military strength!"
"Alright, Alaric," the empress said, her tone authoritative now. "Please leave me to my thoughts. I need to consider our next steps. Meanwhile, notify the workers in the workshop to start working on a device to efficiently mine coal. We need to start extracting more resources if we're going to make this plan come to fruition."
Alaric nodded, acknowledging the command. He bowed and headed towards the workshop to pass on the message to the workers. Meanwhile, the empress sat alone in the training room, her mind racing with the possibilities and challenges that lay ahead.